History Main / RPGElements

* ''LightNovel/BakaToTestToShoukanjuu'', where IQ means [[RankedByIQ rank]], examination means SeriousBusiness and academic performance means ExperiencePoints.

** ''Ultima Underworld'' is as far from being an FPS is you can get. The ''only'' element it shares with FPS games is the first person point of view. There was no such thing as an FPS when it was released anyway.

* ''StarWars: [[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Dark Forces II]]'' and later. The player gets to pick force powers as the game progresses and can drift towards an evil/good character.

* Often overlooked RTS ''VideoGame/Dragonshard'', being based on the {{Eberron}} campaign setting of [[DungeonsAndDragons D&D]], has RPG elements out the wazoo. In addition to requiring gold and crystal shards for building, killing enemies also gives you experience points, which lets you make certain unit types stronger. Not to mention the levelling up of hero characters and the meticulous inventory management aspect. In fact, it can get so complicated that micromanaging becomes a requirement, and failure to do so results in a quick death from the computer AI.

-->'''Ice King:''' [[LargeHam Cast]] ''[[DungeonsAndDragons Detect Secret Door]]''! (door appears) '''[[LargeHam SUCCESS!]]'''

* ''VideoGame/TheBureauXCOMDeclassified'' has had both PlayerCharacter Carter and his squadmates level up for killing enemies and successfully completing missions, and it was possible to send the squadmates to perform [[OffscreenMomentOfAwesome dispatches]] for them to gain further experience. There were four classes (Engineer, Recon, Scout and Commando) for squadmates, all with their separate skill sets that expanded as they gained levels, while Carter had unique set of skills. Finally, there were [[DialogueTree dialogue trees]] and MultipleEndings.

* In the ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' strategy series, units can gain experience, making them more effective in combat. Furthermore, you can also upgrade their weapons and armor by retraining them in settlements containing Blacksmiths and Armories (or whatever the game-specific/faction-specific equivalent is). Finally, since the first ''Medieval'' incarnation, your faction's commanders all have stats that can be leveled up (or even leveled ''down'') by gaining certain traits in the course of the campaign. This aspect of the game is significantly more prominent in the franchise's next installment, ''Shogun II''. In previous games, the abilities of characters were listed in a handful of basic skills, as well as traits that gave them advantages or disadvantages in certain situations. In the subsequent game, however, generals and agents have special abilities, skills and talent trees made available to them when they gain enough experience, which allow for the player to specialize them in certain ways.

* The GameBoyColor version of ''VideoGame/MarioGolf''. You'll gain ExperiencePoints from completing events and winning tournaments in-game, which you can use to [[CharacterLevel level up]] your character and increase stats like distance and straightness of your shot. In fact, any portable version of a Mario Sports game made by [[ShiningForce Came]][[VideoGame/GoldenSun lot]] (''Mario Golf'' and ''Mario Tennis'' series) so far has had RPG Elements and a StoryMode in them where your goal is to become the greatest player ever by defeating [[SeriesMascot Mar]][[SuperMarioBros io]]. However, ''Mario Tennis'' for 3DS [[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/04/camelot_justifies_no_rpg_mode_in_mario_tennis_open won't have RPG elements at all.]]

* An OlderThanTheNES example: ''VideoGame/DungeonsOfDaggorath'' for the Tandy ColorComputer 2- ostensibly an early first-person dungeon-crawler, but deeper. Killing creatures increased your strength, and therefore both your health and damage; your strength was also the factor in "revealing" magical items that were more powerful than mundane ones once revealed. You were free to roam through the first three levels of the Dungeon at will, but as the second level's creatures would splatter you in one hit, and the ''third'' level had magical creatures that you couldn't even ''see'' without a magical torch, you were far better off hunting down every last creature before moving on.

* The "Quest" mode of ''VideoGame/ProTennis: World Court'' for the PCEngine.

* In ''[[http://hp.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=600097955 Harry Potter: Monster Girl Quest]]'', Harry gains the power to receives levels, skill points and feats from sexual encounters (warning, NSFW fic).

* ''ODT. - Escape...Or Die Trying'' by Creator/Psygnosis had an experience bar. At first, it could be distributed into armor (hit points), weapons (allowing to learn upgrades), or magic (allowed learning spells). Once these were topped, each fully filled experience bar gave you an extra life.

Seems to occur most often in [[FirstPersonShooter FPSes]], [[TurnBasedStrategy strategy]] [[RealTimeStrategy games]] (usually VeteranUnit), [[SportsGame sports sims]], and the occasional FightingGame, especially those that allow you to build your own character from the ground up. Compare CommonTacticalGameplayElements. Not related to ElementalPowers used in [=RPGs=].

Seems to occur most often in [[FirstPersonShooter FPSes]], [[TurnBasedStrategy strategy]] [[RealTimeStrategy games]] (usually VeteranUnit), [[SportsGame sports sims]], and the occasional FightingGame, especially those that allow you to build your own character from the ground up. Compare CommonTacticalGameplayElements.

* Hello, ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty 4''. See [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/11/9/ this comic]]. For clarification: as with an RPG, every kill you make rewards you with experience. Gain enough, you rank up and get access to more equipment. As it's ''Call of Duty'', [[FollowTheLeader this has become very popular in multiplayer shooters since then]].

* Some [=RTSs=] like ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' allow normal units to gain experience and 3 ranks of veterancy that makes them stronger and more durable. The highest ranks sometimes get special abilities such as slow self-healing. In most cases however, the game does not allow the player to carry their most experienced troops over to the next mission.
** Beyond that, in ''Command & Conquer: Generals'', the player can level up by killing enemy units and demolishing enemy structures. Then the player can spend the skill points for special units and superweapons.

* In the ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' strategy series, units can gain experience, making them more effective in combat. Furthermore, you can also upgrade their weapons and armor by retraining them in settlements containing Blacksmiths and Armories (or whatever the game-specific/faction-specific equivalent is). Finally, since the first ''Medieval'' incarnation, your faction's commanders all have stats that can be leveled up (or even leveled ''down'') by gaining certain traits in the course of the campaign.
** This aspect of the game is significantly more prominent in the franchise's next installment, ''Shogun II''. In previous games, the abilities of characters were listed in a handful of basic skills, as well as traits that gave them advantages or disadvantages in certain situations. In the newest game, however, generals and agents have special abilities, skills and talent trees made available to them when they gain enough experience, which allow for the player to specialize them in certain ways.

* Any SportsGame with a "Career Mode" will usually contain some RPG Elements.
** ''VideoGame/NBAStreet'' from EA Sports Big made it so getting 5/5 in stat made a silver crown appear for that stat, but then you could upgrade to gold crown (essentially 6/5). The catch is only ''one'' stat can get a gold crown; through lots of play, you can get 6/5 on one stat and 5/5 on all others.

* Many fans of ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' were surprised by the number and variety of RPG Elements in the ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'' entry, specifically the idea that using an ability allowed one to improve it. In fact, one could say that the main character CJ in ''GTA: SA'' had a more realistic advancement than many true RPG heroes, as CJ doesn't improve in discrete levels, but almost continuously over time. Most of the titles in the series have some kind of character advancement, but usually in the form of bonuses for completing special missions.
** To get into specifics, some of CJ's stats include strength, stamina, muscle build, fat build, driving skills, cycling skills, flying skills, and yes, even sex appeal. The skill stats for various vehicles improve your handling of them as the skill set builds up (so when CJ rides a bike for the first time, he will pretty much suck at it and fall from even gentle bumps); meanwhile, your skill with different weapon classes improves as you use them, with some of them allowing DualWielding only once you're sufficiently skilled at firing one-handed.

* [[http://foursquare.com Foursquare]], anyone? You gain "experience points" by checking in at places with your mobile device, you may [[MeritBadgesForEverything earn various badges]] depending on the type of place you visit or what you do there, and becoming [[AuthorityInNameOnly "mayor"]] of a particular place comes pretty damn close to "leveling up".

* Similarly Website/{{Newgrounds}} has users gain experience points for voting. Higher levels mean more voting power.

* To-do list helper [[http://www.getyedone.com/ Challenge Accepted]] (formerly [=GetYeDone=]) takes this to its logical extreme by applying RPG elements to real life--you can create "quests" (e.g., "Chores") and attach "tasks" (e.g., "Do the dishes") to them. Completing tasks earns you EXP proportional to how difficult said task is, and you have skills (e.g., "Academia", "Bookwormery", "Spawnwrangling") and attributes (e.g., bravery, kindness, responsibility) which increase when you complete tasks. What do these experience points and stat increases get you? Clean dishes. (Or a phone call to your parents, a decently-written school essay, a good workout, etc.)

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' is noted to have several RPG elements via the ItemCrafting system, the usage of stock medals (similar to the badges in ''Super Mario RPG'' and ''Pokémon''), the deeper focus on swordplay and, to a lesser extent, the measurement of sidequest rewards via gratitude crystals.
** Tried even earlier in ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', which swapped out a lot of the AdventureGame elements for a blend of [[{{Platformer}} platforming]], supplemented by things like LevelGrinding and a magic system.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Wiggles}}'' (also known as ''Diggles''), the eponymous dwarfs learn [[CharacterPoints abilities]] similar to RPG characters, but for a change by ''actually doing stuff related to the ability'', e.g. gaining one point in "wood" by building something.

Popular RPGElements include:

* One of the earliest examples is ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', which swapped out a lot of the AdventureGame elements for a blend of [[{{Platformer}} platforming]], supplemented by RPGElements like LevelGrinding and a magic system.
* Similarly, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' is noted to have several RPG elements via the ItemCrafting system, the usage of stock medals (similar to the badges in ''Super Mario RPG'' and ''Pokémon''), the deeper focus on swordplay and, to a lesser extent, the measurement of sidequest rewards via gratitude crystals.
* There's also an {{Infocom}} [[InteractiveFiction text adventure]], ''Beyond Zork''. Your character had various stats, could use potions and herbs, and even attack monsters, yet it had all of the trademarks of the previous VideoGame/{{Zork}} games (including the mindbending puzzles). Surprisingly, it worked.

* The ''Franchise/{{Ys}}'' series, though some would declare them straight {{Action RPG}}s. The gameplay, mostly in the style of ''Zelda II'', is too far afield to accept as a true RPG for many, though.

* ''SwimIkachan'' has experience points earned by either killing enemies or eating a limited supply of fishes that increase player's maximum hit-points when enough is collected.
* ''O.D.T. - Escape...Or Die Trying'' by Psygnosis had a filling up experience bar. At first, it could be distributed into armor (hit points), weapons (allowing to learn upgrades), or magic (allowed learning spells). Once these were topped, each filled up experience bar gave you an extra life.
* ''TheBreach'' has a level up mechanic, each level increases Sergei's Rate of Fire and damage by 8%, and his health bar and shield regeneration by 5%.

* ''ScurgeHive'' is an isometric ActionGame-slash-{{Platformer}} with experience points, character levels, and ElementalRockPaperScissors. Oh, and {{Expy}}s of the ''{{Metroid}} Fusion'' cast.
* In ''{{Evolva}}'', you must absorb the DNA from your enemies to mutate again and improve your weapons, making DNA something like ExperiencePoints. Besides, you're allowed to customize your characters and choose which attacks and skills you want to improve.
* In ''StarWarsTheForceUnleashed'', defeating enemies earns you points you can spend to upgrade your Force powers.
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* Used very loosely in ''TheSpellcastingSeries''. Ernie gains XP and levels by solving puzzles and learning new spells, but since it's a text adventure game without a smidge of combat, the process is mostly for show. Some spells DO require a certain level to be cast, but progressing through the game normally will take care of that problem on its own.

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* Capcom's DungeonsAndDragons-based beat 'em ups ''Tower of Doom'' and ''Shadow Over Mystara'' are loosely based on the tabletop RPG itself. Strangely though, even though your character has ExperiencePoints, they function as just a score if anything, as your characters simply level up once per chapter.
* ''VideoGame/GuardianHeroes''
* ''VideoGame/CodeOfPrincess''

* ''VideoGame/CharlieMurder'', being inspired by ''VideoGame/RiverCityRansom'' as well as other RPGElements games like ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'', makes use of the "food gives perma-buffs to stats" model of ''RCR'', though it also has level-ups, stat boosting clothing, spells, and skill points.

[[folder:Card Battle Game]]
* Unusually, the ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' video game franchise has RPG Elements in them, to some degree, possibly as a way to gauge the player's growing skill at the game. Unfortunately, some games take this concept too far, and actually prevent you from using cards above your current level, placing [[FakeDifficulty unneeded]] -- and unwanted -- restrictions on one of the most appealing parts to the card game: building and customizing your deck(s).
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* ''MidnightClub: Los Angeles'' is a racing game that uses levels, albeit three different leveling scales. One is raised by driving certain types of cars, which unlocks parts; the second is for using special abilities, which unlocks more storage for special abilities, and the third and most important one is for racing in general, which unlocks more missions.

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* A pair of games known as the ''Crime Crackers'' duology were released by Media Vision as [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] titles for the PlayStation (one of them was even one of the first ten games ever released for that console). These games used anime-style art for the characters and environments made by Kokomai of "Akaijutsu Club" and used an engine that was more of a middle ground between ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein 3D}}[=/=]VideoGame/BlakeStone'' and ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'''s engines, but also allowed things like transporting elevators to give the illusion of multiple floors in the same map (like [[VideoGame/DukeNukem Duke Nukem 3D]] which included elevators that teleported you as one of its mapping effects), a specialized guarding system for blocking attacks from enemies, the ability to level up via Experience Points (the second game only), and probably one of the least used RPG elements in First Person Shooters, a multiple-characters-in-the-same-party set up (3 in the first game, 4 in the second game with the option to switch characters at the start of most levels). Some environments could even damage all of your characters simultaneously, and of course if all of them died, it was game over. The targeting system is also a bit out of place compared to other first person shooters, stopping you in place while you aim a crosshair at anything on screen and your shots will shoot towards the crosshair instead of straight ahead]. It was probably not the biggest thing since sliced bread, but it's existence was the inspiration for another FPS [[VideoGame/NaferiasReignInvasionOfTheDarkMistress modification for Duke Nukem 3D]] with far more build up on the RPG Elements (among other things) so far.
* Warren Spector's 1st-person games (''UltimaUnderworld'', ''VideoGame/SystemShock'', ''VideoGame/DeusEx'') had so many RPG Elements, it's hard to tell whether they were {{FPS}}s with an RPG's level system, or an RPG in the style of a shooter.
** ''UltimaUnderworld'' is as far from being an FPS is you can get. The ''only'' element it shares with FPS games is the first person point of view. There was no such thing as an FPS when it was released anyway.
** It's a similar situation to MagicVersusScience. WordOfGod ([[AllThereInTheManual or at least the advertising material]]) is that they're [=RPGs=] with first-person shooter interfaces.
** ''VideoGame/{{Bioshock|1}}'', 2K's spiritual successor to ''VideoGame/SystemShock 2'', however, had its RPG mechanics scaled back somewhat to simplify gameplay (although the actual world itself contains a touch more complexity (in terms of systems that players and [=NPCs=] can interact with) than System Shock 2): Players were invited to enhance themselves by using [[PoweredByAForsakenChild ADAM]] to buy genetic upgrades, divided into plasmids (active superhuman attacks that let you fling items around and [[BeeBeeGun shoot bees out of your hand]] among other things) and gene tonics (passive upgrades that enforce the player's ability to deal with enemies, the environment and machinery), which were all swappable at will.
** The VideoGame/DeusEx series. The repercussions of a lot of your actions in the first game are extremely subtle changes down the line. Many characters do react differently to you depending on how you handle yourself during missions. They aren't open world games, but they also aren't far off from how many table top [=RPGs=] conduct themselves (you can't really wander away or completely ignore the overall mission, but how you handle yourself and act does impact the mission further down).
* Hello, ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty 4''. See [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/11/9/ this comic]]. For clarification: as with an RPG, every kill you make rewards you with experience. Gain enough, you rank up and get access to more equipment. As it's ''Call of Duty'', [[FollowTheLeader this has become very popular in multiplayer shooters since then]].
* An OlderThanTheNES example: ''Dungeons of Daggorath'' for the Tandy ColorComputer 2- ostensibly an early first-person dungeon-crawler, but deeper. Killing creatures increased your strength, and therefore both your health and damage; your strength was also the factor in "revealing" magical items that were more powerful than mundane ones once revealed. You were free to roam through the first three levels of the Dungeon at will, but as the second level's creatures would splatter you in one hit, and the ''third'' level had magical creatures that you couldn't even ''see'' without a magical torch, you were far better off hunting down every last creature before moving on.

* The ''Battlecry'' series embodies this trope, as a large part of the game consists of leveling up your "hero" unit.

* ''StarWars: [[VideoGame/DarkForcesSaga Dark Forces II]]'' and later. The player gets to pick force powers as the game progresses and can drift towards an evil/good character.
* ''VideoGame/{{Strife}}'', based on the ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' engine, gives your characters two stats {Accuracy and Stamina--determines maximum health) which you can upgrade throughout the game by visiting specific trainers. You can also find and carry around gold to buy stuff in shops.
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* In ''SinsOfASolarEmpire'', capital ships gain experience points, increasing their fighter cap, and granting the use of special abilities, which could be upgraded by throwing a skill point into them.

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* ''{{Drakengard}}'' is HackAndSlash meets [[SimulationGame Flight Sim]] meets RPGElements. You level up your HP, you level up your weapons, and you level up your dragon.

[[folder:Platform Game]]
* In ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'', your {{BFG}}s level up with use, and your health bar levels up as you score kills.

** There was also money on the ground at various points that would respawn if you left the area and come back to it.

* ''SonicAndTheSecretRings'' and ''SonicUnleashed'' implemented a level-up system and experience points that enhances their overall gameplay.
** ''SonicBattle'' did this first, to an extent. The skill points system is even discussed in-game.
* Platform-shooter ''VideoGame/{{Iji}}'' uses RPG Elements to level up various skills like hacking or strength (for kicking). They're necessary and change how the player proceeds - concentrating on hacking enemies or destroy them with the most powerful guns? There's a huge amount of choices. It works in-game because the character, Iji, is part-cyborg.
* ''SuperPaperMario'' departed from previous games in the ''PaperMario'' series by being a platform game with RPG Elements rather than an RPG with some platforming elements.
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* Similar to both the above, ''[[BattleTech MechCommander]]'' features pilots that gain experience as you progress through the game. Additionally, said pilots can be injured during missions and, although they do recuperate over the course of multiple missions, they can receive sufficient injury to kill them.

* ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} III'' has Hero units (not a very uncommon concept in RTS) that act like a RPG character. They level, learn spells, have 3 different attributes and can carry up to six different items. They can also be revived for a fee unlike the replaceable masses of other units. The expansion allowed certain normal units to carry some items as well, but only as a carrier for the hero. The maps also had neutral monsters ("Creeps") to fight for items and experience, and doing so is an integral part of the game. Put together with the bundled map editor, has [[CaptainObvious obviously]] led to many custom maps focusing on the RPG aspects - so much so that the ''official'' Orc campaign for the expansion was RPG-style.
** Also note that early press releases for ''Warcraft III'' had an even stronger RPG element, to the extent that the game was referred to as "Role Playing Strategy" and the whole process of base-building was intended to be scaled down and redesigned. Fortunately for RTS fans, this was watered down to the eventual release.
*** And then a custom map came out that removed base building and redshirt unit micro anyway and let you focus entirely on controlling your hero unit in a team-based multiplayer environment. It was [[DefenseOfTheAncients quite popular]]. Meanwhile the ''official'' ladder wasn't very successful online for a Blizzard RTS because its RPG elements included a heavy luck factor and lack of macro-level strategy. Blizzard learned from this mistake and decided to play it ''extremely'' safe with ''{{Starcraft}} 2''.
**** And map "Blizzard Dota".
* Some [=RTSs=] like ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'' allow normal units to gain experience and 3 ranks of veterancy that makes them stronger and more durable. The highest ranks sometimes get special abilities such as slow self-healing. In most cases however, the game does not allow the player to carry their most experienced troops over to the next mission.
** Beyond that, in ''Command & Conquer: Generals'', the player can level up by killing enemy units and demolishing enemy structures. Then the player can spend the skill points for special units and superweapons.
** Taken to its extremes in ''Command & Conquer: Tiberian Twilight'', where players have to gain experience from playing within their profiles, which is necessary to unlock new units for use in both campaign and multi-player mode. This has resulted in a need for grinding to unlock the powerful units and superweapons.
* The ''VideoGame/WarlordsBattlecry'' games not only allow basic troops to gain about ten levels of experience, but also allowed the player take a few choice units with them from battle to battle. Of course, these games also featured a hero which had a full RPG leveling system, classifying the games entirely as an RTS-RPG.
* In the ''TotalWar'' strategy series, units can gain experience, making them more effective in combat. Furthermore, you can also upgrade their weapons and armor by retraining them in settlements containing Blacksmiths and Armories (or whatever the game-specific/faction-specific equivalent is). Finally, since the first ''Medieval'' incarnation, your faction's commanders all have stats that can be leveled up (or even leveled ''down'') by gaining certain traits in the course of the campaign.

* Probably one of the first RTS to have levels for units was ''SevenKingdoms''. Every unit had a Combat Skill and a Leadership Skill (which only mattered when they were Generals) and spies additionally had a Spionage Skill. Each of these rose over time either when training in a Fort or in Combat (except for Spionage). Some items or special events could also affect these scores. The first game in the series also had another skill for workers, but that was dropped in the sequel.
* Often overlooked RTS ''Dragonshard'', being based on the {{Eberron}} campaign setting of [[DungeonsAndDragons D&D]], has RPG elements out the wazoo. In addition to requiring gold and crystal shards for building, killing enemies also gives you experience points, which lets you make certain unit types stronger. Not to mention the levelling up of hero characters and the meticulous inventory management aspect. In fact, it can get so complicated that micromanaging becomes a requirement, and failure to do so results in a quick death from the computer AI.
* ''{{Quest 64}}'' is often accused of this, instead of being considered a true RPG.
* ''{{Spellforce}}'' walks the fine line between being an RTS with RPG elements and being an RPG with RTS elements, depending on whether one is playing Free-Roam or Story mode. (Story mode focuses mainly on the RPG angle; in the "Breath of Winter" expansion, this leads to a massive difficulty spike when the encounters suddenly become ten levels too high for your hero to effectively deal with).
* In ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresIII'', your CITY gains experience. And can buy lots of cool upgrades.
* In ''Wiggles'' (also known as ''Diggles''), the eponymous dwarfs learn [[CharacterPoints abilities]] similar to RPG characters, but for a change by ''actually doing stuff related to the ability'', e.g. gaining one point in "wood" by building something.
* In ''WarhammerDarkOmen'' the regiments improve via [[VeteranUnit veterancy]], upgradable armor and equipable magical swords / shields / banners, and are carried over from one mission to the next.

* The third ''TaikoNoTatsujin'' game for the DS, ''Dororon! Yokai Daikessen'', includes an RPG mode. From what's normally a rhythm game series. You travel a world map, get into random battles, gain level ups, visit towns, buy equipment, and fight bosses, just like a regular RPG. The main change is that battles is presented like songs are in the games. Every correct note you hit causes damage to your opponent, but enemies will sometimes use tricks to try and [[InterfaceScrew obscure your vision]] or generally make it harder to hit notes.

* Like the above example, in the flash game EpicBattleFantasy 3.3: Bullet Heaven, you can collect coins from killed enemies and buy upgrades like more lives, stronger and faster shots, etc. Of course, these stats cap at a certain point; it seems to be more of a way to let newcomers to the BulletHell genre start out slow and work their way up. Any non-hardcore player will need max upgrades to survive the later levels and bonus levels.
* The Playstation port of ''Point Blank'' is a collection of minigames in which you use a gun controller (like Duck Hunt). It has a one-player RPG mode that replaces regular RPG battles with the minigames. The stats don't affect the actual minigames, but determine which ones you play, how many losses you can take before GameOver, etc.

* In LightGunGame ''VideoGame/ElementalGearbolt'', points scored in a stage can be allocated into experience, allowing the player character(s) to gain levels for increases to stamina and damage output. Points allocated in this manner are deducted from score, which was significant back when there was a $10,000 high score contest going on. But now, it's just for {{Bragging Rights|reward}}.

** ''NBA Street'' from EA Sports Big made it so getting 5/5 in stat made a silver crown appear for that stat, but then you could upgrade to gold crown (essentially 6/5). The catch is only ''one'' stat can get a gold crown; through lots of play, you can get 6/5 on one stat and 5/5 on all others.
* The GameBoyColor version of ''MarioGolf''. You'll gain ExperiencePoints from completing events and winning tournaments in-game, which you can use to [[CharacterLevel level up]] your character and increase stats like distance and straightness of your shot. In fact, any portable version of a Mario Sports game made by [[ShiningForce Came]][[VideoGame/GoldenSun lot]] (''Mario Golf'' and ''Mario Tennis'' series) so far has had RPG Elements and a StoryMode in them where your goal is to become the greatest player ever by defeating [[SeriesMascot Mar]][[SuperMarioBros io]]. However, ''Mario Tennis'' for 3DS [[http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/04/camelot_justifies_no_rpg_mode_in_mario_tennis_open won't have RPG elements at all.]]
* The "Quest" mode of ''Pro Tennis: World Court'' for the PCEngine.

* Many small-scope strategy games like ''CloseCombat'' and ''BattleForWesnoth'' allow you to equip, promote, and transfer troops throughout a campaign.
* ''SilentStorm'' and its sequels has characters with unchangeable stats and skills that improve or worsen based on the successful use of these skills. For example, a sniper's accuracy skill improves based on successful hits and worsens based on misses. This means that each successful hit improves the likelihood of the next shot hitting the target. On the other hand, each miss reduces that likelihood. Additionally, characters gain XP and level up, at which point the player can select a perk (such as reduced time cost for turning or less bleeding from wounds). These perks are class-specific. Unfortunately, there is an entire branch of perks for the Engineer class that are spoilers for the eventual appearance of [[PowerArmor Panzerkleins]].
** The ''Literature/NightWatch'' and ''Day Watch'' games, which use the same engine, has characters learn a new spell per level. The classes are limited to three: [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Shapeshifter]], Enchanter, and Mage. Shifters specialize in spells that turn them into various animals with melee attacks, Enchanters turn ordinary objects into amulets (i.e. support class), and Mages focus on combat spells (e.g. fireballs). Guns are also present, but there's no way to improve accuracy with them, although they can be used if the character is low on mana.

* Apart from individual units gaining stat points when they kill two or six units units of their own level, the leaders and heroes in AgeOfWonders gain 10 skill points every level they gained. They can be spent freely on any of the stats, or on abilities such as spellcasting and combat perks, and it doesn't take many levels to reach the point where they can [[GameBreaker take down entire armies]] [[OneManArmy single-handedly]]. Especially using items "[[DungeonCrawling retrieved]]" from monsters' lairs.
* VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic had heroes commanding armies and gaining levels when enough enemy creatures had been defeated from the beginning, with each game up to IV adding more and more RPG elements to them (II added skills, III modified the inventory system to use an abstract sort of paperdoll system, and IV made the heroes actually ''fight'' in battles, and not just cast spells).

* In ''AdvanceWars: Dual Strike'', victories earn your [=COs=] experience points which increase their rank. The higher their rank, the more bonuses you can assign to them at the beginning of a battle.
* ''AdvanceWars: Days Of Ruin'' has units level up when they kill a unit, going from rank 1, rank 2, and rank V. Each rank provides a very slight power boost compared to the previous rank.
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* In ''VideoGame/TheGodfather: The Game'', you can put points from Respect levels into five categories: Fighting, Shooting, Health, Speed and Street Smarts. With 50 Respect levels and 10 levels for each category, you'll max them all by the time you're done; no specialising here.
* ''DeadRising'' and its sequels have "prestige points" that level the character up eventually, increasing your walking speed, your inventory space, making you learn new attack moves, giving you more health, and in ''Dead Rising 2'' onward, unlocking new Combo Cards for ItemCrafting. Note that going on a zombie killing spree is actually the ''least efficient'' way to earn Prestige Points; you gain much more for helping survivors back to the safe room.

* ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity'' is an RPG to the extent that you can choose how your ship is outfitted and whose side you're on (and being on nobody's side is a valid choice).
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* Similarly Newgrounds has users gain experience points for voting. Higher levels mean more voting power.

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* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' has two modes of play. One is a {{Roguelike}}, and the other is similar to ''VideoGame/TheSims'' or ''DungeonKeeper''. Naturally, they both allow the dwarfs to gain skills and whatnot.

These have been around almost as long as console and computer [=RPG=]s have, and became more common during the mid-90s, which time a HUGE number of developers seemed to want the added more complexity to their games(and they hoped increased sales thanks to the prestige that came from having "RPG Elements" printed on the back of the box), even if the elements in question weren't anything more than HitPoints. Generally ignored is the fact that these "RPG Elements" are not even universal to actual [=RPG=]s.

* Strangely, Square's ''WorldOfMana'' series started out as a straight action-RPG, but every game since the Japanese-only ''SeikenDensetsu3'' has had fewer RPG elements than the previous title. ''Dawn Of Mana'' manages to be a straight-out third-person action game with fewer RPG elements than ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClank.''