History Main / SlowLaser

** However, as portrayed through all Star Trek series, phasers are not actually lasers but phased particle beams (called nadions) that occasionally look like lasers. WordOfGod is that Creator/GeneRoddenberry realized shortly into TOS that people who saw the show in 20 years would say "Lasers don't do that" and retconned all weapons into phasers instead.

* The works of Creator/DaleBrown have featured anti-ballistic missile lasers on modified airliners or bombers and ground-based anti-satellite lasers that [[spoiler: prove very capable of tearing spaceplanes a new one]]. There is realism in that the lasers are instantaneous, effectively undodgeable resulting in a SurprisinglySuddenDeath, aren't instant-kill but need time to burn through armour and the Kavaznya one at least was supported by a nuclear plant. At one point the operator of a laser on a modded bomber also notes the lack of the stereotypical sound.

* The ''Franchise/BattleTechExpandedUniverse'' zig-zags on the matter:

* At the end of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue Recreation'', [[spoiler: Epsilon Church]] discovers that his new body has this ability.
-->[[spoiler:'''Epsilon Church:''']] I am not a thing! My name is [[spoiler: Leonard Chuch]] and YOU WILL FEAR MY LASER FACE!

* A laser [[http://www.jaydenandcrusader.com/2010/02/22/page-149/ appeared]] in ''Webcomic/JaydenAndCrusader'' which moves slowly enough for one character to leap in front of it yelling a BigNo
** [[http://www.jaydenandcrusader.com/2010/05/24/page-153/ Shooting out her frickin' arm!]]

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series has an enemy called the Beamos, which is a [[SchizoTech technologically advanced]] but immobile statue with a single lens-like eye. If a Beamos spots the protagonist [[HeroicMime Link]] within its range of vision, it'll fire a continuous long laser beam that travels across the ground at him from its eye; but in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]'', it's a single short laser beam.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', Guardians [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ6jisr1Nlk&index=1&list=PLSQLREUw9vwlh8bzgvZCt_WS8615trN5H&t=3m8s fill a similar role]]. Later in the game Link encounters walking and even flying variants. All armed with the same lasers - which not only knock him back, but also cause an explosion at the target area and ''set what they hit on fire''.

* The Laser World of ''VideoGame/ClusterTruck'' is, naturally, this trope personified. Adding to this is the laser trucks option Twitch users can vote for, which would cause lasers to sprout out the behind of all trucks for a limited time.
* Many enemies in ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' have this trope combined with HighPressureBlood, and Isaac himself is able to use it as a [[DealWithTheDevil devil room]] item called Brimstone. The unlockable character Azazel has a much shorter version of this as one of his starting items. [[AntiFrustrationFeatures Thankfully, most enemies will not use it if they are off-screen]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Miitopia}}'' has Ancient Robots and their variants, which can fire these laser beams to the Miis in a devastating attack. Thankfully, they waste a turn beforehand by targeting the Miis, so the player can move the Mii out of harm's way.
* ''VideoGame/TerraTech'' has a handful of these, from the nimble early-game [=COIL=] gun to the powerful, long-range Zeus turret.
* In ''VideoGame/{{EVERSPACE}}'', lasers are common weapons. Lasers are strong against shields, but weak against hull. They coming in two types: Pulse laser or Beam laser.

* The energy golems in ''VideoGame/TelepathRPG'' have laser canons which hits everyone in a straight line. They can't move so they serves as turrets.

** The Laser Cannon upgrade for the dartling gun similarily shoots slow laser projectiles. However, it can be further upgraded into the Plasma Accelerator and the [[WaveMotionGun Ray of Doom]], which are both solid, instantaneous beams (although the former cannot travel past the targeted point).

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series has an enemy called the Beamos, which is a [[SchizoTech technologically advanced]] but immobile statue with a single lens-like eye. If the protagonist [[HeroicMime Link]] runs into the Beamos' range of vision, it'll fire a long laser that travels across the ground at him from its eye.

* The ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'' series. There are just too many examples to list.
* VideoGame/RobotDinosaursThatShootBeamsWhenTheyRoar. (•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑

* ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'' has at least three kinds of lasers. A number of TEC and Advent frigates have pulsed lasers, a typical example of a slower-than-light bolt. The TEC ''Kol''-class battleships are also armed with heavy orange laser beams. Pretty much all Advent capital ships BeamSpam bright blue laser beams. The ''Radiance''-class battleships can turn it UpToEleven with an incredibly powerful (and bright) laser beam the size of the battleship that pulverizes almost any target. Even Advent bombers are armed with hitscan lasers. Some Vasari capital ships get Pulse Beam weapons which fire a brief beam that hits instantly. Naturally, there are {{Game Mod}}s that add even more options.

* In ''FanFic/{{Fractured}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[=/=]''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover crossover]] and its [[Fanfic/{{Origins}} two]] [[Fanfic/FrontierSovereignGFC? sequels]], this trope is in full effect (as to be expected with something involving ''Star Wars'') however the GARDIAN systems of the ''Mass Effect'' universe (being harder sci-fi) actually still act like lasers.

* In ''FanFic/{{Fractured}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[=/=]''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover crossover]] and its [[Fanfic/{{Origins}} two]] [[FanFic/{{Frontier}} sequels]], this trope is in full effect (as to be expected with something involving ''Star Wars'') however the GARDIAN systems of the ''Mass Effect'' universe (being harder sci-fi) actually still act like lasers.

* Subverted in ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' as most of the characters, with the exception of Sergeant Schlock who prefers a plasma cannon, tend to use projectile weapons. The reasoning for this is explained in the footnote for [[http://www.schlockmercenary.com/d/20001029.html This comic]].

* ''Webcomic/GunnerkriggCourt'' has [[http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/archive_page.php?comicID=604 laser cows]]. They're just like real cows, only with lasers.

** And then there's the [[http://www.poisonedminds.com/d/20070713.html Black Rose Plasma cannon]], which looks like a flamethrower but fires a plasma stream that burns straight through fullerene alloys. Unfortunately it has a tendency to explode and has a reputation for killing more of its users than enemies.
* ''Webcomic/GalacticMaximum'': [[http://maximumcomic.com/?strip_id=0 The opening fight]]

** [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-2099 SCP-2099 ("Brain in a Jar")]]. SCP-2099 has invented 713 different types of laser gun, all of which he keeps in a bin labeled "713 different laser guns". He has also invented a pistol that fires out highly concentrated X-rays (i.e. an X-ray laser pistol) that is powered by two AA batteries and focused by a common quartz crystal.

** Also, the materialized monsters that XANA attempted on two separate occasions in Season 2 ([[spoiler:Kankrelats and later Krabes, though the latter destroyed the Scanners upon materialization due to sheer size]]) were able to shoot lasers. Unlike in Lyoko, these lasers are actually ''very'' dangerous, and almost killed a few people. Fortunately, the attack was stopped and Return to the Past'd JustInTime.

* Standard in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', for both infantry units and the iconic HumongousMecha. Lasers are rarer for infantry but common as dirt on a 'Mech. They are remarkably realistic for fictional laser weapons: they hit instantly and produce a ''ton'' of heat (this being their primary disadvantage to offset their having unlimited ammo), the only strange part being that they're visible. Originally they were invisible and the Battlemech's internal displays made them visible to the pilot, but this was quickly and quietly retconned to them being actually visible for RuleOfCool.

* The ''Fallout'' games do partially avert this trope, although in a very subtle way involving the recoil: Although you can physically see them recoil back when shot, the energy weapons skill is based on your perception score, implying the recoil is so negligible that you only need to see your target to hit them. Contrast this with the small weapons skill using agility (your natural reflexes allowing you to better deal with the recoil) or heavy weapons using endurance (the recoil being so massive, you have to worry more about passing out from the shock).

When you turn on a LaserSight, it immediately shows up on your target. This is because it's a laser and moves at the speed of light. So wouldn't you think a laser weapon would also (effectively) immediately hit the target? Logically, yes; but this is TV, where HollywoodScience rules. Thus, energy weapons move a ''lot'' slower than the speed of light (and a lot slower than bullets in the same show) and can be dodged after they are fired. Occasionally, it's {{handwave}}d by the dodger seeing the person aiming at them and going for the trigger, and moving in the split-second before they pull it. Also, don't expect the lasers to do more than make victims [[NonLethalWarfare stumble backwards a few feet]], unless of course the targets are [[WhatMeasureIsANonHuman inhuman]] or just [[RedShirt not very important]].

Speaking of knockback, an EnergyWeapon in fiction will always have knockback (which is usually [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsed_Energy_Projectile okay]]) and [[LawOfInverseRecoil recoil]] (which makes no sense at all), in spite of light having negligible momentum. Finally, regardless of a laser's frequency and the medium it's shooting through, it will make futuristic ''zap'' noises and be visible (and [[PowerGlows glowy]]).

There actually are "real lasers" in weapons research and development -- like the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1 Airborne Laser]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_High_Energy_Laser THEL.]] These lasers are supposed to burn through targets (like missiles) and [[ShootTheFuelTank cause their fuel/warhead to explode]] or their airframe to disintegrate when it hits, although this is also a continuous beam and requires some time to work. Solid-state pulsed lasers are also in development, which fire bursts of energy and are lighter than fluid-based lasers, but harder to cool. Last but not least, the heat from a powerful laser wouldn't just burn through clothing or make a neat, bloodless, pin-sized hole. There's a common misconception that laser beams cauterize wounds, but real laser wounds are every bit as bloody as knife wounds. It can also cause the water in the body to boil, expand and rip the surrounding tissues apart, much like a high velocity bullet impact. There are also electrolasers under development, which ionize the air so that electric current can be sent along the beam's path. Ironically, all of these characteristics make lasers far more effective as weapons than their portrayal in most fiction, which is in fact the main reason that the military is developing them in the first place. It's also probably the main reason we're not likely to see realistic laser weapons in children's shows.

For those keeping score, the former title of this trope (Frickin' Laser Beams, which is now a redirect to EnergyWeapon) comes from an otherwise unrelated line in the first ''Film/{{Austin Powers|International Man of Mystery}}'' movie ("I want [[WeaponizedAnimal sharks with frickin laser beams attached to their heads!]]" - and when they appear in the third movie, they are realistic lasers instead of a RayGun). For ''really frickin '''big''''' laser beams, see WaveMotionGun. For real handguns {{Bowdlerise}}d into energy guns, see FamilyFriendlyFirearms. If it's RaygunGothic, it's probably a DeathRay. When such weapons are used [[SpamAttack excessively]], see BeamSpam. And when they track their target like missiles, see HomingLasers. Often overlaps with HandBlast for the user's convenience. See also the LaserBlade, when your lasers are used to cut things at melee range.

Occasionally misspelled "[[XtremeKoolLetterz lazer]]" in fiction, especially if the writer wants to differentiate the fictional devices from actual lasers. Frequently misspelled "lazer" in RealLife, because people don't know better, or because it's easier to trademark names that aren't real words. In reality, the name '''"L.A.S.E.R."''' is an acronym of "'''L'''ight '''A'''mplification by '''S'''timulated '''E'''mission of '''R'''adiation", since [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin that's what lasers do]]. It helps that, by happenstance, the acronym "LASER" makes for a [[RuleOfCool cool-sounding name]]. (It also sounds like an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agentive_ending agentive,]] which lets us back-form the verb "to lase", meaning "to use a laser on".)

%%[[folder:Real Life]]
%%* Scientists have created a Terawatt laser (over 1,000 gigawatts!) that can fire a beam into space... [[ForScience for scientific purposes]]. The laser is so powerful that it can only be fired for brief periods, creating a visible pulse that seems to "travel" through the atmosphere like a sci-fi "blaster" due to the ionizing effect. The ionization of the atmosphere around the beam creates a temporary plasma vacuum that allows the laser to remain coherent over much longer distances, which is what propagates as a visible pulse, hence the [[RuleOfCool glowy visible laser effect]] is actually the intended purpose.
%%* Military lasers are still research projects, for the most part, but as TechnologyMarchesOn, laser weapons '''are''' going to be increasingly prevalent.
%%** Microwave-based non-lethal "riot cannon" do exist, but given that they [[AgonyBeam cause serious physical pain without much damage]], their association with torture has left this project on the back-burner. Electroshock weapons using a laser pulse to create conductive trails (instead of wired tasers, for example) are also in the works, but are of dubious usefulness.
%%** Liquid chemical lasers exist and work. There's one mounted in a 747 intended to kill ICBMs, though it isn't quite ready for prime-time yet. A similar device has been toted for an AC-130 mounted "super sniper weapon" to perform silent, long range pinpoint kills. Ground-based systems are also being tested to shoot down incoming artillery shells and missiles.
%%** Solid state combat lasers are on their way; these can be mounted anywhere with enough power available. And if/when they become widely available on the battlefield . . . it will never be the same again. Combat aircraft will be driven out of the lower atmosphere, artillery will become almost useless (without firing hundreds of shells at the batteries just to get a few through), and missiles will become much, much less effective.
%%*** The US Navy is preparing to [[http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/04/08/navy-to-deploy-laser-to-destroy-drones-small-boats/?hpt=hp_t5 deploy a ship-mounted solid state laser into active service in 2014]] (original plan called for the use of megawatt-range variable frequency [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free-electron_laser free-electron laser]], but that has been pushed back to 2020s). Although it took a lot of money to develop, actually ''firing'' it is cheaper than missiles or bullets, and it has succeeded in destroying its targets in every test run. However, it does have some disadvantages: a direct line of sight is required (as it fires a straight beam, it can't arc over walls or reach beyond the horizon like conventional artillery), it needs to hold on the target for several seconds, and adverse weather conditions could lessen its effectiveness.
%%** Less destructive but highly effective microwave emitters in the form of modern complex radar and ECM units can be used to track, blind and ''hack'' enemy radar and communication mechanisms. This was apparently used by Israeli strike craft against Syria in the recent past. The [[CoolPlane F-22's]] radar, among several other AESA systems, has been rumored to be capable of such feats as well.
%%*** One type actually based on lasers uses a piece of video software called a “glint detector” for targetting. Linked together with an appropriate laser, it allows any number of lensed devices (such as cameras… Or [[EyeScream eyeballs]]) within view for hundreds of feet to be instantly detected and burned out.
%%* The largest laser ever created, consisting of focused beams from 192 individual lasers, will be used at the National Ignition Facility in California to attempt to finally achieve break-even nuclear fusion.[[https://lasers.llnl.gov/ Details.]]
%%** If completed, the Extreme Light Infrastructure can even outperform NIF, since it can have its peak power in exawatt range, and should be powerful enough to ''[[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/8857154/Worlds-most-powerful-laser-to-tear-apart-the-vacuum-of-space.html tear apart the vacuum of space-time itself]]''!
%%* Lawrence Livermore laboratories used to have a [[https://www.llnl.gov/str/Petawatt.html Petawatt laser]], which could produce over 10[[superscript:15]] Watts of power at the instant of its peak output. The pulse was so brief, however, it only produced about 600 Joules of total energy.
%%* Scientists have developed a [[http://intellectualventureslab.com/?p=23 mosquito-zapping laser]]. It doesn't attack humans or butterflies, according to TV reports.
%%* The [[http://www.dailytech.com/WickedLasers+Unveils+Lightsaber+Powerful+Enough+to+Set+People+on+Fire/article18681.htm Spyder III Pro Arctic]]. The world's first consumer hand-held laser weapon. Made from a cannibalised laser projector, it packs enough power to ignite flesh and cause permanent blindness instantly. The emitter also looks exactly like a lightsaber handle!
%%** [[AwesomeButImpractical Not yet effective as a weapon though]], since it takes minutes to burn through your opponent, enough for him or her to kill you by more mainstream weapons. [[ScienceMarchesOn Unless they can in the near future]] multiply the power by a factor of 10 and keep the same size and battery.
%%* In 2010 the BBC posted a story linked to the first public video of [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10682693 a laser weapon]] destroying a large target.
%%* There actually are laser weapon system being actively used today, such as the [[http://defense-update.com/products/t/thor-IED.htm Thor]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZEUS-HLONS_(HMMWV_Laser_Ordnance_Neutralization_System) ZEUS-HLONS]], but they are primarily for explosive disposal, not for shooting people.
%%* [[http://www.laser-gadgets.com/ This guy]] makes frickin' laser beams as a hobby! The demonstrations show two pistols and what can only be considered a [[Series/DoctorWho Sonic Screwdriver]] burning through discs and sunglasses, popping balloons, and setting matches on fire from across the room. Granted, being TooDumbToLive and looking into the beam emitter directly will blind you permanently even with a welder's shield. But still, laser pistols!
%%* LaserGlo is a company that builds handheld lasers powerful enough to ignite small fires in paper and sometimes unrefined wooden targets.
%%* There was one very, very real LASER (machine-)gun produced in the 1990s. The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZM-87 ZM-87]], a blinding neodymium LASER weapon, intended to blind by burning out eyeball corneas and digital camera CCDs with a longer range (2+ km) than an actual bullet-firing machine-gun. Now, this type of weapon is precise and extremely effective at neutralizing hostiles, yet entirely non-lethal as the beam is not powerful enough to damage vital organs, and blinded soldiers would be forced to surrender because they cannot aim a gun nor run away. It is for that reason that this kind of weapon is actually banned by a 1995 international convention on the laws of war. Yes, '''all''' sides in an [[WarIsHell armed conflict]] [[WeHaveReserves would rather have their soldiers die from gunshots than be blinded but alive]] - [[YouHaveOutLivedYourUsefulness it costs too much money to rehabilitate blinded personnel]] and [[LeaveNoSurvivors POWs]]... which makes one realize [[WarForFunAndProfit how]] ''[[WarForFunAndProfit sinister]]'' [[WarForFunAndProfit war is]].
%%** It makes little sense in RealLife combat though, for multiple reasons: it can't fire indirectly like artillery or rocket artillery, cameras and eyeballs can be protected with welder-type goggles, which troops would deploy when they see their first-line comrades blinded and it does not harm troops under cover, inside [=APCs=] or inside buildings or bunkers. It works more like [[TortureTechnician a torture device]] to be fired at lightly-armed men on open ground than like modern explosive weapons.
%%*** A conventional LASER weapon can't be expected to fill every role on the battlefield, but no form of eye/camera protection short of a blindfold can filter out an adjustable color LASER. Otherwise, it's no worse than an anti-personnel machine-gun against vehicle armor or ferrocrete, or a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_Denial_System MASER]] against unprotected flesh.
%%[[/folder]]

For those keeping score, the former title of this trope (Frickin' Laser Beams, which is now a redirect to EnergyWeapon) comes from an otherwise unrelated line in the first ''Film/{{Austin Powers|International Man of Mystery}}'' movie ("I want [[WeaponizedAnimal sharks with frickin laser beams attached to their their heads!]]" - and when they appear in the third movie, they are realistic lasers instead of a RayGun). For ''really frickin '''big''''' laser beams, see WaveMotionGun. For real handguns {{Bowdlerise}}d into energy guns, see FamilyFriendlyFirearms. If it's RaygunGothic, it's probably a DeathRay. When such weapons are used [[SpamAttack excessively]], see BeamSpam. And when they track their target like missiles, see HomingLasers. Often overlaps with HandBlast for the user's convenience. See also the LaserBlade, when your lasers are used to cut things at melee range.

* In ''FanFic/{{Fractured}}'', a ''Franchise/MassEffect''[=/=]''Franchise/StarWars''[=/=]''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover crossover]] and its [[Fanfic/{{Origins}} two]] [[FanFic/{{Frontier}} sequels]], this trope is in full effect (as to be expected with something involving ''Star Wars'') however the GARDIAN systems of the ''Mass Effect'' universe (being [[MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness harder sci-fi]]) actually still act like lasers.

* ''WesternAnimation/RoswellConspiracies'': The Alliance has a lot of these, thanks to all the alien technology they use.

** In the 40k novels, what lasguns are and how they work vary DependingOnTheWriter. Creator/DanAbnett has a sniper having to compensate for wind and gravity, with a permanent bruise from the recoil. Others have had lasguns fire normal bullets, in a bizarre inversion of FamilyFriendlyFirearms. One mistake all of them do is have the shot cauterize the wound. In real life lasers would do the same damage as normal firearms, albeit much larger calibers than normal humans carry as the lasers would cause explosive flash vaporization and flash flesh into briefly existing plasma. Lasguns are known to blow grown men nearly in half, which is actually very realistic.

** In the 40k novels, what lasguns are and how they work vary DependingOnTheWriter. Creator/DanAbnett has a sniper having to compensate for wind and gravity, with a permanent bruise from the recoil. Others have had lasguns fire normal bullets, in a bizarre inversion of FamilyFriendlyFirearms. One mistake all of them do is have the shot cauterize the wound, while in real life lasers would do the same damage as normal firearms. Albeit, much larger calibers than normal humans carry as the lasers would cause explosive flash vaporization and flash flesh into briefly existing plasma. Lasguns are known to blow grown men nearly in half, which is actually very realistic.

For those keeping score, the former title of this trope (Frickin' Laser Beams, which is now a redirect to EnergyWeapon) comes from an otherwise unrelated line in the first ''Film/{{Austin Powers|International Man of Mystery}}'' movie ("I want [[WeaponizedAnimal sharks with frickin laser beams attached to their their heads!]]" - and when they appear on the third movie, they are realistic lasers instead of a RayGun). For ''really frickin '''big''''' laser beams, see WaveMotionGun. For real handguns {{Bowdlerise}}d into energy guns, see FamilyFriendlyFirearms. If it's RaygunGothic, it's probably a DeathRay. When such weapons are used [[SpamAttack excessively]], see BeamSpam. And when they track their target like missiles, see HomingLasers. Often overlaps with HandBlast for the user's convenience. See also the LaserBlade, when your lasers are used to cut things at melee range.

Speaking of knockback, an EnergyWeapon in fiction will always have knockback (which is usually [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsed_Energy_Projectile okay]]) and [[LawOfInverseRecoil recoil]] (which makes no sense at all), in spite of the fact that light has negligible momentum. Finally, regardless of a laser's frequency and the medium it's shooting through, it will make futuristic ''zap'' noises and be visible (and [[PowerGlows glowy]]).

* Standard in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', for both infantry units and the iconic HumongousMecha. Lasers are rarer for infantry but common as dirt on a 'Mech. They are remarkably realistic for fictional laser weapons: they hit instantly and produce a ''ton'' of heat (this being their primary disadvantage to offset the fact that they have unlimited ammo), the only strange part being that they're visible. Originally they were invisible and the Battlemech's internal displays made them visible to the pilot, but this was quickly and quietly retconned to them being actually visible for RuleOfCool.

** In addition, most ship to ship combat seems to involve missiles and gravitic weapons, despite the fact that they do have lasers, as well as masers, plasma lances, and railguns.

Occasionally misspelled "[[XtremeKoolLetterz lazer]]" in fiction, especially if the writer wants to differentiate thes fictional devices from actual lasers. Frequently misspelled "lazer" in RealLife, because people don't know better, or because it's easier to trademark names that aren't real words. In reality, the name '''"L.A.S.E.R."''' is an acronym of "'''L'''ight '''A'''mplification by '''S'''timulated '''E'''mission of '''R'''adiation", since [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin that's what lasers do]]. It helps that, by happenstance, the acronym "LASER" makes for a [[RuleOfCool cool-sounding name]]. (It also sounds like an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agentive_ending agentive,]] which lets us back-form the verb "to lase", meaning "to use a laser on".)

* ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' features Eridian weaponry--most of these fire slower-than-light energy pulses of some kind (amusingly enough, averted by the sniper rifle equivalent, which is a LightningGun), but are never explicitly stated to be lasers. ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}}'' brings us E-Tech weapons, however, which are described as things like lasers, particularly the Blaster range of E-Tech rifles. As expected of the trope, however, they are all fire blob-shaped energy pulses with obvious travel time, sometimes ending up even slower than standard bullets. The reason they still use up ammo (at twice the going rate even) is due to the guns somehow turning standard cartridges into energy projectiles. The saving graces of increased damage, elemental properties, and pure RuleOfCool keep them from being just novelties.

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' has several RayGun weapons (colloquially recognized as simply "laser" weapons), and all of them fire energy projectiles that are significantly slower than bullets. Some weapons are able to keep pace with projectile weapons (Soldier's "Cow Mangler 5000" fires plasma particles that travel just as fast as the rockets out of his normal launcher, and Pyro's "Manmelter" fires projectiles that travel faster than their normal {{Flare Gun}}s), but with the case of Soldier's "Righteous Bison" sidearm and Engineer's "Pomson 6000" are vastly slower than a simple shotgun.

* The July 20, 2011 patch for ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' gave the Soldier two.
** Actually, they are not. The Soldier gains something more reminiscent of plasma weaponry; one, those are clearly not light-based weapons, and two, they do not reach their target instantly.

* Standard in the ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', for both infantry units and the iconic HumongousMecha. Lasers are rarer for infantry but common as dirt on a 'Mech. They are remarkably realistic for fictional laser weapons: they hit instantly and produce a ''ton'' of heat (this being their primary disadvantage to offset the fact that they have unlimited ammo), the only strange part being that they're visible.

* In ''LightNovel/HeavyObject'' laser weapons are commonly used on Objects for point defense. Due to the speed at which an Object's pilot can identify and react to threats, combat planes have been rendered nearly obsolete as [[RealityEnsues they're in the sky with nowhere to hide and they can't dodge something moving at the speed of light]].

** ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'': Quick Man's [[ThatOneLevel/MegaMan stage]] says [[ClusterFBomb hi]], infamously NintendoHard with its huge screen-crossing orange quick lasers. While sluggish for laser beams, they're still faster than Mega Man. You have only a brief window of forgiveness to try and outrun them before they render one or more routes impassable, sometimes an entire given screen -- the game pretty much expects you to die at ''least'' once before memorizing them. As such, they're a favorite KaizoTrap of [[GameMod ROMhackers]], even with ''Mega Man'' games other than ''2''.

** ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'': Quick Man's [[ThatOneLevel/MegaMan stage]] says [[ClusterFBomb hi]], infamously NintendoHard with its huge screen-crossing orange quick lasers. While sluggish for laser beams, they're still faster than Mega Man. You have only a brief window of forgiveness to try and outrun them before they render one or more routes, sometimes an entire given screen impassable -- the game pretty much expects you to die at ''least'' once before memorizing them. As such, they're a favorite KaizoTrap of [[GameMod ROMhackers]], even with ''Mega Man'' games other than ''2''.

** ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'': Quick Man's [[ThatOneLevel/MegaMan stage]] [[NintendoHard says]] [[ClusterFBomb hi]].
** There are strangely few laser ''weapons'' in the Mega Man franchise. The only one from ''Classic'' is Gemini Man's Gemini Laser, representing both the 'slow moving projectile' and 'reflection' sub-tropes. ''VideoGame/MegaManLegends'' has the Shining Laser, which creates a beam of damaging light instantaneously, unrealistically limited only by range, which is the game's InfinityPlusOneSword. ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'' has the Aiming Laser, which is also instantaneous in use, but limited by targeting range; X has to target enemies before he can use the laser, and the targeting reticule stays fairly close to himself.
** The Mega Buster also qualifies, since it's stated to be a weapon that fires "bullets of highly compressed solar energy" which is in essence, a solar powered laser. The projectiles that the Buster fires are constantly ridiculed by fans for looking a lot like lemons.
* The ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'' series. There's just too many examples to list.

* Its worth noting that in the game ''VideoGame/{{Scribblenauts}}'' you can create a Laser, as well as a Shark, and then put the laser on the sharks head, though it won't fire.
** Ah, but it will fire if the shark is on land. The shark will disappear eventually, though.