History Videogame / VVVVVV

˙sdooɥʍ ˙˙˙ǝɹǝɥ ʌʌʌʌʌʌ ǝqı̣ɹɔsǝp

* JustIgnoreIt: Viridian's advice to Vitellary concerning Checkpoints.
* LampshadeHanging: If you enter the Artificial dimension with Vitellary, at the point where you join up, Vitellary runs through a checkpoint. After he realizes this, he will ask Viridian what it is and suggests they take it back to the ship to study. Viridian replies that it's [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall probably best not to think about it too much.]]
** In the room "Doing Things the Hard Way", which contains [[ThatOnePuzzle the infamous Veni Vidi Vici trinket]], there's a computer terminal which states, "Hah! No one will ever get this one."

* LampshadeHanging: If you enter the Artificial dimension with Vitellary, at the point where you join up, Vitellary runs through a checkpoint. After he realizes this, he will ask Viridian what it is and suggests they take it back to the ship to study. Viridian replies that it's [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall probably best not to think about it too much.]]

* BossWarningSiren: The game has a screen named "The Warning". One tunnel, no spikes, ''eight checkpoints in a row.'' It leads into one of the hardest (but thankfully optional) sections of the game.

Find the demo [[http://thelettervsixtim.es/ here]]. Buy the full version [[http://thelettervsixtim.es/ here]] or on [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/70300/ Steam]]. It's also available on the Nintendo3DS [=eShop=], with added 3D effects of course. There's also the [[http://distractionware.com/blog/2014/06/outer-space/ Make and Play edition]], which includes the level editor and several player-made maps, and is free.

* CutSong: [[WordOfGod Word of Soundtrack Composer]] says that "Phear" was originally meant to play during an EasterEgg, but Terry Cavanagh didn't have the time to implement it. There's also a remix of "Predestined Fate" intended for the final level that doesn't kick in for some reason (the PC version plays the original version of the song, not the remix); the latter was fixed for the 3DS release.

* {{Reconstruction}}: Of 80s gaming, particularly on the Commodore 64. Tempers its ridiculously difficult level design with infinite lives and plentiful checkpoints. It's essentially a retro game with modern sensibilities. Similarly, the music is in many ways a reconstruction of the {{Chiptune}} genre, doing a lot of new things with the format.

* {{Sampling}}: [[WordOfGod Word Of Soundtrack Composer]] [[http://www.originalsoundversion.com/?p=6881 confirms]] "Pushing Onwards" takes a bit from [[StreetFighter Ryu's and Guile's]] themes.

** The individually-named screens themselves are an homage to ''JetSetWilly''.

** The appropriately-titled "Prize for the Reckless" is just as lousy. [[spoiler:You have to exploit the game's checkpoint mechanic of respawning you at the last check point you touched. ''That means going through three rooms without touching any checkpoints, to get to a disappearing platform that then allows a moving platform to get through.'' Then you kill yourself to respawn on the same screen so you can use the platform and get the trinket.]]

** The disclaimer in the [[spoiler:Super Gravitron in the Secret Lab]] is a funny shout-out to anyone who has used a ROM-based [[BootlegEmulator emulator]].

* ElephantInTheLivingRoom: ''Literally''. There is a giant neon elephant that takes up four rooms that will make Captain Viridian sad if he stays with it for a while.

** TheSmartGuy: Professor Vitellary. He is the first to deduce the situation between the anomalies of the VVVVVV dimension before the others had any idea onto what was going on.
** TheBigGuy: Officer Vermilion. He isn't afraid of going out to explore and charge into the unknown. If he's rescued early enough, he randomly pops throughout the game and gives commentary to his surroundings. If taken to the second intermission stage, he admits to having fun on the Gravitron.

** One of the trinkets (Prize for the Reckless), which the player has to die to get in normal mode, is made obtainable without having to die in no death mode and time attack mode. Name of said level changes to "I Can't Believe You Got This Far" and "Imagine Spikes There If You Like", respectively.

** One of the rool in one of the user levels is named [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV Demon]] [[ThatOneBoss Wall]].

* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: But of course. Every crewmember's name starts with "V", as do a few level names ("Veni", "Vidi", and "Vici" come to mind). A better example might be the game's soundtrack "PPPPPP", which has its own pattern: each song name starts with, of course, P. [[note]]"'''P'''redestined Fate", "'''P'''otential for Anything", "'''P'''opular '''P'''otpourri", etc.[[/note]]

** "Edge Games" requires some quick work on the action button and some quick (yet precise) maneuvering with the arrow keys. Specifically, one must fall "up" into a chamber just as an enemy passes, move left using the WrapAround, quickly flip at least two times (timing it perfectly to miss the enemies), move right to the next gap, flip at least twice again (again, quickly yet well timed), then move left quickly enough to grab the trinket. Good luck if you're going for V rank on the Warp Zone, because then you have to go ''back'' through the same obstacles.

''VVVVVV'' is a 2D platformer with exploration elements and, in place of a jump button, a "Flip" button to reverse your character's (personal) gravity. Mastering this is essential to finishing the game[[note]](you can only do this from solid ground, not midair).[[/note]] Other than that, there are no other methods of attack, [[VideoGameItemsAndInventory power-ups]], [[VideoGameEffectsAndSpells abilities]], keys, locked doors, or any of that jazz -- the only thing standing between you and sweet victory are the challenges put before you (and 7,612 [[SpikesOfDoom spikes]].)

* OnlyIdiotsMayPass: The Dimensional Stabilizer at the end of the game... [[SchmuckBait which you must deactivate]].

* CheckPointStarvation: [[spoiler:The trinket "Prize for the Reckless"]] requires you to traverse some rooms while ''actively avoiding'' {{Check Point}}s. [[spoiler:The one in Doing Things the Hard Way]] leads you through a series of rooms with nothing but [[SpikesOfDoom spikes]] to get to a TemporaryPlatform so you can do the whole thing again, just to get past a square half your height. And then, of course, there's No Death Mode....

* AreWeThereYet: Vermilion asks this at one point if taken to the the first intermission level.