History Main / SmashingHallwayTrapsOfDoom

Extremely common in video games as a [[MalevolentArchitecture standard obstacle]], especially in medieval settings.

->''"What ''is'' this thing? I mean, there's no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway!"''

* Any ''Franchise/DevilMayCry'' game. Because of Dante's near-instant healing reducing this trope to a mere annoyance, this is usually complimented with a healthy serving of demons.

* ''Rastan'' has these in the castle areas in the form of spiked platforms lowered from the ceiling.

* ''Viewpoint'' has sliding block walls that push their spiky ends up against each other.

** Of course, in the ''Portal: The Flash Version'' map pack, the trope is played straight.

->'''Gwen:''' What ''is'' this thing? I mean, there's no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway!
-->-- ''Film/GalaxyQuest''

->'''Gwen:''' What ''is'' this thing? I mean, there's no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway!\\
'''Jason:''' Gwen--\\
'''Gwen:''' No! I think we shouldn't have to do this! It makes no logical sense! ''Why is it here?!'' \\
'''Jason:''' 'Cause it's on the television show!\\
'''Gwen:''' Well, forget it! I'm not doing it! This episode was ''badly written!''

* The Filipino StrongMan Bernardo Carpio was trapped for eternity between two mountains who had nothing else to do but bounce their bodies together.

** ContrivedCoincidence. The plate was being stamped with a raised section that fortunately fit around the arm area.
*** [[FridgeHorror Ok this is making me freak...]]
*** [[AWizardDidIt ...He's a Jedi and he used the Force?]]

* The Thwomps in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' games. Oddly enough, though, the Thwomps were cognizant villains, with eyes and a mouth. Usually, rather then constantly moving up and down, Thwomps would see Mario approaching, and slam themselves down when he was near. It would take them a while to raise themselves again, during which time Mario would be able to pass through. Also, depending on which Mario game you happen to be playing, the Thwomps may deviate from their up-down-up-down pattern of moving; the most recent example being ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'', in which certain levels had Thwomp-shaped cubes called Tox Boxes actually rolling around the landscape like gigantic dice. These cubes also appeared in the ShiftingSandLand level of ''SuperMario64''.

* ''VideoGame/AnUntitledStory'' has [[SuperMarioBros Thwomp]]-like enemies which come crashing down when approached. They even come in [[UndergroundMonkey three flavours]].

* The Thwomps in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' games. Oddly enough, though, the Thwomps were cognizant villains, with eyes and a mouth. Usually, rather then constantly moving up and down, Thwomps would see Mario approaching, and slam themselves down when he was near. It would take them a while to raise themselves again, during which time Mario would be able to pass through. Also, depending on which Mario game you happen to be playing, the Thwomps may deviate from their up-down-up-down pattern of moving; the most recent example being ''SuperMarioGalaxy'', in which certain levels had Thwomp-shaped cubes called Tox Boxes actually rolling around the landscape like gigantic dice. These cubes also appeared in the ShiftingSandLand level of ''SuperMario64''.

** Which isn't to say they're entirely absent, of course. The Evil Foundry level in ''[[SonicStorybookSeries Secret Rings]]'' has vertical crushers bordered on either side by {{Bottomless Pit}}s, establishing that it is, in fact, an ''evil'' foundry.

->'''Gwen:''' What is this thing? There's no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway!\\

'''Gwen:''' No! I mean, we shouldn't have to do this! It makes no logical sense! Why is it here?! \\
'''Jason:''' Because it was on the show!\\

* The ''{{Warehouse 13}}'' episode "Buried" had a DeathCourse with swinging blades and blasts of fire. Instead of jumping through it, [[CuttingTheKnot the team gets by it by zip-lining over the top.]]

* In ''TransformersAnimated'', to stop [=Longarm/Shockwave's=] identity from being discovered, he [[spoiler:kills Blurr in one of these.]]

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' has lots of these. In one EscortMission, the NPC you're escorting [[LeeroyJenkins charges straight into one, dying instantly]].

* The Spellhold asylum in ''VideoGame/BaldursGate 2'' has one corridor that randomly smashes shut anyone who wants in there.It is the only trap of this sort in the game, and there is nothing to indicate it will happen. There's also a group of enemies nearby that casts Confusion, causing you to wander around randomly.

* ''VideoGame/HalfLif'':

*** ...He's a Jedi and he used the Force?

** Not to mention the revolving doors that can crush you, the bottomless pits, the earthquakes, the cave-ins, the collapsing bridges, the impaling [[SpikesOfDoom spikes]]...

->'''Gwen:''' What is this thing? [[LampshadeHanging There's no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway!]] \\

'''Jason:''' Because it was [[AliensStealCable on the show!]] \\
'''Gwen:''' Well, forget it! I'm not doing it! This episode was ''[[WhoWritesThisCrap badly written!]]''

* The Waste Disposal section of ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 1}}'' had the crushing piston variety.
** The moving walls in ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 2}}'' just as you go from the old Nova Prospekt building to the new one also count, although they're slow-moving enough to get out of the way in plenty of time if you don't panic.

* ''{{Painkiller}}'' also features the "series of stone blocks smashing down" variety. The trap can be subverted with a physics bug, though - they can be stopped and pushed away using the Painkiller like they were chunks of styrofoam gliding on ice.

-->'''Quina''': Aiya! We almost flat like pancake!

** The ''SonicGenerations'' reprise of [[SonicUnleashed Rooftop Run]] has a long corridor with a spike-laced DescendingCeiling. Modern Sonic must boost through this corridor in order to avoid getting flattened.

->'''Gwen:''' What is this thing? There's no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway! \\

'''Jason:''' Because it was on the show. \\
'''Gwen:''' Well, forget it! I'm not doing it! This episode was ''badly written!''

'''Jason:''' Gwen — \\

* Grunty Industries in ''[[VideoGame/{{Banjo-Kazooie}} Banjo-Tooie]]'' has several, including a pair of crushers that span the entire hallway.