| 1 | %% Image kept on page per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1445211414084328000 |
| 2 | %% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread. |
| 3 | %% |
| 4 | [[quoteright:276:[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/707a2a20c621ed2d8e92da8122c0288c.png]]]] |
| 5 | [-[[caption-width-right:276:[[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Easy to recognize when not looking from above.]]]]-] |
| 6 | |
| 7 | ->''"HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!"'' |
| 8 | -->-- ''Franchise/StreetFighter'' |
| 9 | |
| 10 | A secret character is a character where the player has to complete some sort of specific action in order to challenge and/or unlock them. Like any other form of UnlockableContent, doing this is not required to finish the game. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | If the game's a RolePlayingGame, this character can be recruited to your PlayerParty, sometimes through [[GuideDangIt extremely convoluted]] means, sometimes as NewGamePlus reward. In this case, the fact that they can join you can make them a WalkingSpoiler. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | In a FightingGame, uncovering the character may be as simple as holding down a button while you select a certain fighter, or you may have to beat the game on the hardest setting, [[NoContinueRun without using any continues]]. In many fighting games, there is also a secondary path to getting characters that usually entails a set number of versus matches completed or a set amount of gameplay time for those who don't want to play the story mode. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | In some games, the secret character also appears as a NonPlayerCharacter. If they appear as a [[BossBattle boss]], unlocking them may be as simple as [[DefeatMeansPlayable defeating them in the boss fight]]. |
| 17 | |
| 18 | Some secret characters are {{permanently missable|Content}} depending on the means used to unlock or acquire them. |
| 19 | |
| 20 | See also OptionalPartyMember and GuestFighter. If it's an entirely different protagonist in a game with a single playable character, it's AnotherSideAnotherStory. If a secret character is also the most powerful enemy in the game, they double as the TrueFinalBoss. |
| 21 | |
| 22 | ---- |
| 23 | !!Examples: |
| 24 | |
| 25 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 26 | |
| 27 | [[folder:Action]] |
| 28 | * ''VideoGame/FeedingFrenzy2ShipwreckShowdown'': Finish the game once and you'll be awarded with an account named "the Intruder". You can play as the FinalBoss there, with sucking, jaw size, and speed all at maximum. |
| 29 | [[/folder]] |
| 30 | |
| 31 | [[folder:Action Adventure]] |
| 32 | * Beating ''VideoGame/AquamanBattleForAtlantis'' once lets you unlock Aquaman's classic design, and beating the game as him lets you play as Tempest and Black Manta. |
| 33 | * ''VideoGame/AstalonTearsOfTheEarth'': In addition to the three main protagonists, two unlockable characters can be recruited: Bram the HunterOfMonsters and Zeek the IntrepidMerchant. |
| 34 | * ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'': Since ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight'', the series has featured unlockable characters, usually the secondary characters. ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaDawnOfSorrow'' 's Julius Mode, besides being a tribute to ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse'', is also a rare example of a BadEnd Plus: the reason you're playing as Julius is to [[spoiler: kill Soma, who's become Dracula.]] |
| 35 | * ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'': You unlock Trish as a playable character after clearing Dante's campaign on Hard mode, although she can be used on both campaigns. |
| 36 | * ''[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition]]'': Vergil is playable after beating the game once. |
| 37 | * Beating ''VideoGame/{{Snailiad}}'' once unlocks [[FragileSpeedster Sluggy Slug]], who is the sole player character of Slug Mode. |
| 38 | * There's a plethora of these in ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101''. In addition to finding members of the team in the game's levels, you can unlock supporting characters for the cast (like Prince Vorkken, Chewgi, and Immorta), and even some of the cast of ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'' (though Bayonetta herself requires you to complete the game 100%). |
| 39 | * In the ''VideoGame/LegoAdaptationGame'' series, most characters are unlocked by simply completing story missions (story-playable characters normally, antagonists and side-characters through the DoubleUnlock of buying them), and beginning with the introduction of {{Hub Level}}s sometimes completing side-quests. But there are times where various characters are only accessible through extra effort or special circumstances, including only being available through the "Extra Toggle" cheat on specific levels, needing to complete minikits to unlock and buy, requiring inputted cheat codes that for other characters only gives them early, and other game-specific methods for letting you use them. |
| 40 | [[/folder]] |
| 41 | |
| 42 | [[folder:Action Game]] |
| 43 | * After beating ''VideoGame/{{killer7}}'' once on any difficulty, you can go back and re-play the game in ''killer8'' mode, which gives you access to the previously unavailable Young Harman character, whose huge amount of health and tommy-gun make him almost a GameBreaker. You'll need him though, since the only difficulty level available for ''killer8'' mode is Bloodbath, where enemies take obtuse amounts of damage, give almost no blood at all, and have invisible weak points. |
| 44 | * Beating Vario in ''VideoGame/SavantAscent'' would unlock the option to wear his mask. Hilariously, this turns all of your shots into Vario and changes your special attack into blocks that you drag around the screen. |
| 45 | * Beating ''VideoGame/CarriesOrderUp'' in one go, or earning $12,000,00 across multiple playthroughs, unlocks Calcia, the lobster running the counter, as a playable waitress. She'll slow down for every plate carried, but can spin past customers as long as the button is held, unlike Carrie, who can only spin in short bursts. |
| 46 | * ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor: VideoGame/OperationVIDEOGAME'' has Numbuh 86, who is unlocked via a cheat code. She replaces Numbuh One in his missions, and has her own unique dialogue with all of the game's stages and villains. |
| 47 | [[/folder]] |
| 48 | |
| 49 | [[folder:Adventure Game]] |
| 50 | * In ''VideoGame/DragonBallZTheLegacyOfGoku 2'', there are 5 podiums by the fountain in Capsule Corp. Upon completing the Cell Games, you get one statue, which appears on the middle podium. As for the other 4 statues, they are hidden behind 4 barriers, one for each playable character except Goku, that require the character to be [[{{Cap}} level 50]] before they can access the area behind them. A statue is placed behind each of these barriers, and upon collecting all 5, you unlock [[FakeUltimateHero Hercule]] as a playable character. |
| 51 | [[/folder]] |
| 52 | |
| 53 | [[folder:Beat'em Up]] |
| 54 | * ''Bayonetta'' |
| 55 | ** Completing ''{{VideoGame/Bayonetta}}'' with all Platinum ranks unlocks [[TheRival Jeanne]]. There's also [[spoiler:[[GrimReaper Little King Zero]]]], who can be unlocked by beating the BrutalBonusLevel, Angel Slayer. |
| 56 | ** Jeanne makes a return as an unlockable character in ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'', unlocked by just beating the game on any difficulty. [[spoiler:Bayonetta's mother, [[GlassCannon Rosa]]]], can also be unlocked by beating the game on 3rd Climax, the second hardest difficulty in the game. Two more characters can be unlocked in the online co-op mode, Tag Climax, through randomly being challenged by them during play, [[spoiler:[[LightEmUp Lumen Sage, Balder]]]], and [[FallenAngel Rodin]], although these two can only be used on the co-op mode and not during normal gameplay. |
| 57 | * An OpenSecret, but in ''VideoGame/FateExtellaTheUmbralStar'' [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Artoria Pendragon]] is the final unlockable character possible. And her unlock requirements are a ''doozy'' to say the least. Check the MoonLogicPuzzle entry on the main page for ''Fate/EXTELLA'' to see why. |
| 58 | * In ''VideoGame/StreetsOfRage3'', [[BoxingKangaroo Roo]] becomes a playable character if you ''don't'' beat him during his boss fight and instead focus on fighting Bruce, allowing Roo to run off. Continuing after doing so makes Roo a playable character. The original Japanese version also has exclusive MachoCamp midboss Ash as a PurposelyOverpowered unlockable character, accessed by holding down A as you defeat him, getting a game over, and then continuing. |
| 59 | [[/folder]] |
| 60 | |
| 61 | [[folder:Fighting Game]] |
| 62 | * The most famous fighting game example is Akuma/Gouki in ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Super Street Fighter II Turbo]]''. If the player plays well enough, Akuma will appear at the end of the game and kill the standard final boss, M. Bison. Akuma became so popular that he is now subject to WolverinePublicity, as he shows up in games which aren't associated with ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', like ''VideoGame/{{Cyberbots}}'', where he appears as a giant mecha. |
| 63 | ** ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' also had Akuma, but [[JokeCharacter joke character]] Dan Hibiki made his debut as a secret character in the first ''Alpha'' game. ''Alpha 2'' featured Shin Akuma and Evil Ryu. |
| 64 | * ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos]]'' had a buttload of secret characters. Some of them were the ones you would expect like Dan or [[VideoGame/FatalFury Geese]], while others included [[VideoGame/MegaManZero Zero]] and [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Demitri]]. It also featured an evil version of Ken, called Violent Ken, based off of his possessed self in ''Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie''. |
| 65 | * ''VideoGame/BattleArenaToshinden'': In order to play as Gaia and Sho, the two bosses, you had to enter two codes on the title screen before the menu showed up, then select either Eiji or Kayin while holding down certain buttons on the D-pad |
| 66 | * Most of the modern ''Wrestling/{{WWE}}'' games have former WWE talent as hidden legends. Later ''WWE'' games can be hacked to unlock WWE management like Vince [=McMahon=], Jim Ross, Michael Cole, Lillian Garcia, Mike Chioda and Nick Patrick. |
| 67 | * ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'': |
| 68 | ** [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI Shantotto]] and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Gabranth]] join the heroes and villains (respectively) once their storylines are cleared, adding them to the PP catalog to be purchased. |
| 69 | ** This is the case for [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI Prishe]] and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV Gilgamesh]], and [[spoiler: [[SNKBoss Feral Chaos]]]] in the sequel. Shantotto and Gabranth must still be purchased, but unlike the others the ability to purchase them is from the start. |
| 70 | * A tradition in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series. Typically by fullfilling a requirement, followed by DefeatMeansPlayable. |
| 71 | ** Typically, you first unlock Jigglypuff by beating single-player mode once. Another standout secret character is Luigi, the only other character besides Jigglypuff to have been a secret character in the first three ''Smash'' games. Notably, ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl Brawl]]'' mixed it up by making Jigglypuff one of the ''last'' characters you unlock. |
| 72 | ** For other characters, the requirements vary according to the case. Each time you meet the requirements for any character, you will fight him/her/it with whichever one you were playing as at the time, and if you win you will unlock the character. Other typical requirements include beating the game without continues, with a specific character, or completing certain side events. Each game minus the first also gives you the characters if you log a certain amount of multiplayer matches (the minimum required to get them all this way is 1000 matches in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee Melee]]'', 450 in ''Brawl'', 120 in ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU 3DS]]'' and 100 in ''Wii U''). ''Brawl'' has a unique third method: By getting them to join you in ''Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary'', they'll be available automatically in all other modes, without the need of beating them in a preliminary match. |
| 73 | ** Mewtwo in ''Melee'' takes the GuideDangIt to the extreme, you have to play over 20 player-hours (that is, 20 hours divided by the number of people playing) or fight around 700 matches. |
| 74 | ** ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate Ultimate]]'' brings the trope to a new level by making ''most of its roster'' unlockable; the starting roster is the same as in [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros64 the first game]], with the addition of Mii Fighters if you decide to create them and any downloadable characters you've purchased. The characters have been made easier and quicker to unlock to compensate: a more traditional way of a preset unlock tree by playing Classic Mode, simply play enough versus matches, or find and defeat them in the game's ''Adventure Mode: World of Light''. |
| 75 | * ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'': In the first five games, the series features the standard "beat Arcade/Story Mode [insert number here] times to unlock [insert name here]". However, there are also other characters whose unlock method is a bit nebulous: |
| 76 | ** In the first game, Devil is unlocked by leaving the game on for ''30 hours''. Alternatively, one could get a perfect score in the game of ''Galaga'' that replaced a standard LoadingScreen at the very beginning of the game. |
| 77 | ** In the second game, to unlock Roger/Alex, you have to finish stage 3 of Arcade Mode with 5% health or less, which will lead you to fight Roger in stage 4. Beat him, then finish the mode. |
| 78 | ** In the third game: |
| 79 | *** Unlocking Dr. Bosconovitch requires you to beat Tekken Force four times. After the final boss, you will face Dr. Bosconovitch. If you can defeat him, he is yours; if you cannot, you have to replay Tekken Force again. |
| 80 | *** You unlock Gon by either defeating him in Arcade Mode (he appears randomly), getting into the high score of Survival Mode under the name "GON," or beating him in Tekken Ball (he will always be your first opponent). |
| 81 | ** In [[VideoGame/Tekken5 the fifth game]], Devil Jin is unlocked by either beating Devil Within or playing 200 matches. |
| 82 | * In the first two ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'' games, the BigBad could be played as by entering certain button combinations as the fights loaded. |
| 83 | * In the fighting game ''VideoGame/OneMustFall'', it was possible, through a series of button sequences, to play as both the end boss, and use his towering robot (not normally available in the story mode). There were also a lot of secret characters you couldn't play as, but could access for special fights, both in story mode and tournament play--"unranked challengers". In tournament mode, some of these unranked challengers would appear in other tournaments, some were the only appearance of a story mode character in the tournaments, some were references to other Creator/EpicGames franchises, and some were just unique characters who only popped out surprise you. |
| 84 | * ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is outright vicious about unlocking characters. |
| 85 | ** In ''[[VideoGame/GuiltyGearXX XX]]'', to unlock Robo-Ky, Kliff, and Justice, you must do one of the following: complete forty of the game's fifty (insanely hard) missions; complete all the story paths (some of which are GuideDangIt, some of which are outright painful, and some of which are ''both'') for all characters; or complete over 200 levels of Survival Mode (which amounts to seventy or so battles - including twenty much harder "Daredevils"). Or just leave the game running for several days. Then, there are the alternate movesets for most of the characters, which are practically characters unto themselves... |
| 86 | ** Then there's the [[VideoGame/GuiltyGearTheMissingLink first game]], consisting of three secret characters. Unlocking two of them (Testament and Justice) simply requires beating story mode with anyone, but getting the third character (Baiken) requires clearing the game with either Sol or Ky '''''WITHOUT CONTINUING'''''. What makes this especially bad is the downright broken Instant Kill mechanic (one hit will end the ''entire match'', as opposed to just the current round in later games, and the [[PressXToNotDie Quick Time Mechanics]] involved with them don't help matters), which, combined with Justice being an SNKBoss, makes for quite a hard task to fulfill. |
| 87 | ** Both ''[[VideoGame/GuiltyGearXrd Xrd SIGN]]'' and ''REVELATOR'' each have a secret character to unlock from clearing story mode: Sin Kiske for the former and Raven for the latter. |
| 88 | * ''Franchise/BlazBlue'' doesn't usually dabble in unlockable characters, outside of DLC, but ''[[VideoGame/BlazBlueContinuumShift Continuum Shift]]'', ''[[VideoGame/BlazBlueChronophantasma Chronophantasma]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/BlazBlueCentralFiction Central Fiction]]'' do have an example for each game; [[spoiler:Mu-12 (Noel Vermillion's true form), Kagura Mutsuki and Susano'o (the true form of Yuuki Terumi)]], each of which can be unlocked by completing each game's story mode. |
| 89 | * ''VideoGame/LightningLegendDaigoNoDaibouken'' has four unlockable characters. DefeatMeansPlayable is the way to get them; it's not a problem for two of them, who are [[spoiler: the MidBoss and the FinalBoss]], but the other two are [[spoiler: {{Superboss}}es]] requiring near-completion of the game and [[NoContinueRun no continues in a playthrough]] in addition. |
| 90 | %%* Toraichi and Toraji in ''[[VideoGame/KunioKun Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu]]''. |
| 91 | * For most of the VideoGame/CapcomVs series, this would be commonplace. Examples: |
| 92 | ** ''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'': Aside from bosses [[MidBoss Juggernaut]] and [[FinalBoss Magneto]], there's [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Akuma.]] |
| 93 | ** ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'': [[MidBoss Doctor Doom]] and [[FinalBoss Thanos]], along with the very much broken and incomplete test character [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Anita.]] |
| 94 | ** ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroesVsStreetFighter'': Several, such as Armored ComicBook/SpiderMan (increased defense but lowered speed), [[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Evil Sakura]] (Sakura with an Akuma/Evil Ryu-inspired movelist), [[VideoGame/XMenVsStreetFighter Shadow]] (a powerful PaletteSwap of Charlie/Nash), Cyborg Zangief (very enhanced defense), U.S. Agent and Mephisto (PaletteSwap characters of Captain America and Blackheart), in addition to boss characters Apocalypse and Cyber Akuma. |
| 95 | ** ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfTheSuperheroes'': The Marvel secret characters are different palette swaps of the Hulk (gives him his ''Marvel Super Heroes'' movelist and properties), War Machine (has incredible defense and armor, immunity to flinching and grabs, now fires missiles instead of lasers but [[MightyGlacier is incredibly slow]] and can't block) and Venom (becomes the fastest and weakest character in the game), while the Capcom side has Shadow Lady (Chun-Li transformed into a cyborg ala Shadow), [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Lilith-Mode Morrigan]] (Morrigan with Lilith's color scheme and properties) and [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Roll]] (a JokeCharacter who has Mega Man's movelist). |
| 96 | ** ''VideoGame/TatsunokoVsCapcom'': In the original version (''Cross Generation of Heroes''), [[VideoGame/QuizNanairoDREAMS Saki Omakane]], Hakushon Daimao, Ippatsuman and VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe needed to be unlocked by beating the game a certain number of times with either a Tatsunoko or Capcom character, and then purchased in the store. In the updated version ''Ultimate All-Stars'', the above four (save Daimao for licensing reasons) were made into starting characters. Now, Anime/TekkamanBlade, [[Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman Joe The Condor]], [[VideoGame/DeadRising Frank West]], and [[VideoGame/MegaManX Zero]] are unlocked only by beating the game with a set number of characters from both sides. Beating the game with Blade, Joe, Frank and Zero would unlock Anime/{{Yatterman}}-2. |
| 97 | ** ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'': Getting a certain amount of points either offline or online will unlock Taskmaster, [[Franchise/StreetFighter Akuma]], [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Hsien-Ko]], and [[ComicBook/XMen Sentinel]]. |
| 98 | * ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' is the trailblazer for secret characters in fighting games. For the first two games, they were simply unplayable, but far stronger and faster palette swaps of the ninja characters. Starting with ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3'', they could be unlocked. |
| 99 | ** In the Game Boy (and only the Game Boy) version of the first ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1992'', you could play as Goro by beating the game and entering a code. While that sounds like fun, the Game Boy version is virtually unplayable, and you can't save your Goro unlock, meaning you have to play through the game every time. |
| 100 | ** First up is a roboticized version of Smoke, the first ever unlockable character in the series which you could unlock by entering the "Ultimate Kombat Kode", which used a total of ten slots, divided up by inputs from both players. |
| 101 | ** In the update following that, ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3]]'' adds three new unlockables each with their own [=UKKs=] which includes "Classic Sub-Zero", Mileena and Ermac. Smoke is relegated to a normal playable character, but by inputting a code before any round, he will change into his much faster human form, which is basically a faster silver colored swap of Scorpion. |
| 102 | ** The original arcade version of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat4'' has a rare player-exclusive version in Meat, who uses the skinned corpse model utilized in a couple of Fatalities but uses other characters' moves instead and can be unlocked. The console versions add Goro and Noob Saibot, both of whom are playable by selecting Shinnok or Reiko respectively while using the Hidden option. As a throwback to his role as one in the first game, Reptile became this in the Game Boy Color version. ''MK Gold'' added Sektor to the mix by doing the same with Cyrax. |
| 103 | ** Many of the characters in ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeadlyAlliance Deadly Alliance]]'' can be unlocked by purchasing their Koffins, which have both a specific koin count and type of koin but two in particular are only available after clearing everyone's Konquests; Blaze and Mokap. However, neither have a weapon style or Fatality. |
| 104 | ** ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatDeception Deception]]'' continues this but the characters and costumes now require a key to open. There's an especially infamous example in the case of a [[spoiler:zombified Liu Kang]] whose key can only be found a very specific date and time and in an obscure location. The payoff is worth it since he actually deals twice the damage against Onaga. You also technically play as one through the entirety of the game's adventure mode until you cleared the main story where he will be available in all modes but the size of his moveset, which is taken from most, if not the entire cast, is dependent on how many keys you can unlock, including his Fatalities. |
| 105 | ** In ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'', [[spoiler: Cyber Sub-Zero]] is unlocked when he's defeated in Chapter 13 of Story Mode, and Quan Chi is unlocked after the story mode is fully cleared. Both characters are unlocked from the start in [[UpdatedRerelease Komplete Edition]] and the Vita port. |
| 106 | ** ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'': |
| 107 | *** Beating the story mode unlocks Shinnok. |
| 108 | *** Most characters have a variationless version that can be played by pressing Up, Up, Up, Triangle/Y on the Variation select screen. This is normally fairly useless, since it just gives you less moves, but doing so with Triborg will let you play as [[spoiler: Cyber Sub-Zero]]. |
| 109 | ** Beating Scorpion and Sub-Zero's chapter in the story mode of ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' unlocks Frost, or you could [[BribingYourWayToVictory buy her in the store.]] |
| 110 | * ''VideoGame/MaceTheDarkAge'' features Pojo the Chicken. Ned the Janitor (who's just a reskinned Xiao Long) is also available in the N64 port, and Ichiro and Gar Gunderson are relegated to secret character status by only being accessible through cheat codes. |
| 111 | * ''VideoGame/XenophageAlienBloodsport'' has Blarney the dinosaur, an utterly broken (as in, he will actually ''crash'' the game under certain conditions) DummiedOut character only accessible via editing the game's .ini file. |
| 112 | * ''Franchise/TouhouProject'': The spin-off fighting games have a few of them: |
| 113 | ** ''VideoGame/TouhouSuimusouImmaterialAndMissingPower'' has [[FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire Remilia Scarlet]] and [[CuteGhostGirl Yuyuko Saigyouji]], who can be unlocked when you find them and defeat them in story mode; and, provided you haven't used any continues, you can also unlock SubBoss [[RealityWarper Yukari Yakumo]] and FinalBoss [[DrunkenMaster Suika Ibuki]]. It is also possible to unlock [[AnimeChineseGirl Hong Meiling]] after installing a special patch, and completing the story mode at least once with any character. |
| 114 | ** In ''VideoGame/TouhouHisoutenScarletWeatherRhapsody'', you can unlock the bosses [[ShockAndAwe Iku Nagae]] and Tenshi Hinanawi if you find them and defeat them in the story mode. |
| 115 | * In ''VideoGame/MeltyBlood'' ''Act Cadenza Version B'', you can unlock Neco-Arc Chaos (A SuperDeformed version of Nrvnqsr Chaos) after completing the arcade mode at least once with any character; he also has a special arcade route where the FinalBoss is a giant version of him called Neco Chaos Black G666, created by Kohaku of all people. However, although the giant Neco does not become playable, you can unlock "Giant Mode" that allows you to challenge him with any character. |
| 116 | * ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureHeritageForTheFuture'''s secret roster depends on the version. The initial release (dubbed ''[=JoJo's=] Venture'' in English) makes the player beat the game to unlock [[BigBad DIO]]; the updated version (in English, simply titled ''[=JoJo's=] Bizarre Adventure'') instead had six characters that (in the original arcade, at least) could only be activated via a code in the ''service menu.'' |
| 117 | * ''VideoGame/ShrekSuperSlam'' has several characters only unlocked by completing certain sections in the Mega Challenge mode: Huff n Puff Wolf, Anthrax, Cyclops, Robin Hood, G-nome, Dronkey, Quasimodo, Luna, Captain Hook and Humpty Dumpty. |
| 118 | * ''VideoGame/DragonballFighterz'' has three secret characters: Android 21, who can be unlocked by completing Story Mode; and SSGSS Goku and SSGSS Vegeta, who can be earned by getting an S Rank in the Hard Mode version of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber arcade ladder [[BribingYourWayToVictory (or purchased from the DLC storefront)]]. |
| 119 | * In ''VideoGame/GranblueFantasyVersus'', the BigBad Beelzebub can be unlocked by beating RPG mode, though the player also has the option to just buy him as DLC. |
| 120 | * ''VideoGame/DNFDuel'' has the Lost Warrior, the FinalBoss of both story and arcade modes. He can be unlocked by clearing the story once with any character. |
| 121 | * In the first ''VideoGame/LethalLeague'', the FinalBoss Doombox could be selected with a cheat code. However, he could only be used in versus and challenge modes. |
| 122 | * The ''[[VideoGame/{{Mugen}} M.U.G.E.N]]'' game ''VideoGame/TheBlackHeart'' has an unorthodox example in that each character shows a password after beating arcade mode with them. All six are required to get into the files of the game's FinalBoss, Final, and unlock him for normal play... [[CuttingTheKnot or you could just download him off of any site that hosts Mugen characters]] (to the point where the game's creator eventually put up a regular download for Final on their website). The 2021 Steam release plays it straight and locks Final behind clearing [[spoiler:Janos' campaign]]. |
| 123 | * ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'': |
| 124 | ** The titular final boss of ''Soul Edge'' is unlocked by either beating Arcade Mode with the ten default characters, or playing the game for 20 hours. From then on, if you beat the Story Mode with Hwang and Seung Mi-na, you'll unlock Seung Han-myung. |
| 125 | ** In ''Soulcalibur III'', unlocking Olcadan requires you to beat him in Tales of Soul, which sounds fair enough, until you realize that he only appears in [[GuideDangIt the notoriously tricky-to-figure-out Night Terror route]]. And to unlock Abyss, you will have to beat him in Tales of Soul ''after'' unlocking the other proper characters, a category that includes Olcadan (if you haven't, beating Abyss will just unlock the Lost Cathedral Ruin stage and his illustration in the Shop). However, they can also be unlocked by playing a specific amount of battles like the game's other hidden content. |
| 126 | [[/folder]] |
| 127 | |
| 128 | [[folder:Hack and Slash]] |
| 129 | * ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'': |
| 130 | ** The first game has many characters who can only be unlocked by fulfilling a secret requirement in the optional stages. Listing them all would take up a whole page by itself; all you need to know is that it's a lot of hard work, but if you manage to do so, Orochi will be yours. |
| 131 | ** In the second game, Orochi X is unlocked by clearing all of the Dream Stages, essentially meaning that [[BraggingRightsReward you will have to do everything in the game]]. |
| 132 | ** In the third game, Lu Bu is not unlocked by simply clearing a stage. Instead, you'll have to go to the Battle of Osaka Castle with Diaochan in your team, then approach Lu Bu with her as your current character. This will trigger a short dialogue, after which Lu Bu will switch sides, and you can clear the stage as normal. [[GuideDangIt At no point does the game indicate about this]], aside from Diaochan making a vague comment about "searching for Lu Bu" when you unlock her (which usually triggers a Redux stage, except it doesn't in this case). There are two other stages where Lu Bu appears (Sekigahara and Tong Gate), but you can't unlock him through that. |
| 133 | [[/folder]] |
| 134 | |
| 135 | [[folder:Miscellaneous Strategy]] |
| 136 | * ''VideoGame/TotalWarThreeKingdoms'' has Lu Bu unlockable after defeating him in battle. |
| 137 | * ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerIII'' has the FinalBoss Be'lakor unlockable after completing a campaign, and Boris Ursus unlockable while playing Kislev. |
| 138 | * ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles'' had five playable soldiers, one for each class, unlocked through various means: one for beating the game (Mussad), two for having a specific character get KO'd during a mission (Lynn and Emile), one for getting enough in-game medals (Audrey), and one for having a large amount of unspent funds (Knute). |
| 139 | ** ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesII'' features unlockable characters, one of which ([[spoiler:the late]] Isara Gunther) requires either a code, or transferring save data from the original [=PS3=] game onto a PSP. |
| 140 | ** In ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesIV'' following the series tradition there are some of these, like unlocking Curtis' sister by having him be knocked out. Especially notable is [[LovableAlphaBitch Gertrude]], whom you [[GuideDangIt need to save up a lot of research points]] to unlock, which finally lets you play the story that turns [[LadyDrunk Vincey]] from TheLoad into a GameBreaker. |
| 141 | [[/folder]] |
| 142 | |
| 143 | [[folder:Party Game]] |
| 144 | * From ''VideoGame/MarioParty'': |
| 145 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioParty6'' has Toadette, who can be unlocked for all modes by paying 30 Stars in the Star Bank. |
| 146 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioParty7'' has Birdo and Dry Bones, who can be purchased in the Duty-Free Shop, and upon doing so they'll be playable in all modes. |
| 147 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioParty8'': Blooper and Hammer Bro. Either of them can be unlocked by completing Star Battle Arena once, and completing that same mode with the unlocked character will in turn unlock the other (simply completing it twice with a different character won't work). |
| 148 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioParty9'' has Shy Guy and Magikoopa, who are unlocked upon completion of Story Mode (since that requires outperforming them in all boards in that mode, this overlaps with DefeatMeansPlayable). |
| 149 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioPartyIslandTour'': Bowser Jr. is unlocked as a playable character after the player clears Bowser's Tower for the first time. |
| 150 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioParty10'': Toadette and Spike can be unlocked by buying them at the shop in Toad's Room. Both cost 600 Mario Party points apiece. |
| 151 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioPartyStarRush'': There are four playable characters that can be unlocked by collecting enough party points to reach certain levels. After being unlocked, the characters will start appearing randomly in Toad Scramble, and will be available from the character select in the other modes. Players unlock Toadette at level 4, Rosalina at level 6, Donkey Kong at level 8, and Diddy Kong at level 11. However, all but Toadette can be unlocked early if the player has access to their respective amiibo figures. |
| 152 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioParty'': There are four playable characters that can be unlocked by meeting certain conditions in the game. Once the conditions are met, the character will appear in the Party Plaza, and will become playable characters after the player talks to them: |
| 153 | *** Dry Bones appears randomly after playing certain modes. |
| 154 | *** Donkey Kong appears after three different end levels are cleared in River Survival. |
| 155 | *** Diddy Kong and Pom Pom are both unlocked after making enough progress in Challenge Road. Diddy Kong appears at the end of World 2, while Pom Pom appears midway through World 5. |
| 156 | [[/folder]] |
| 157 | |
| 158 | [[folder:Platform Game]] |
| 159 | * There are a few secret characters in the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series. |
| 160 | ** The SuperMode versions might count, but there's also Metal Sonic in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure DX'', who is available after getting all 130 emblems (though he's only available in trial mode and can't do Sky Chase), as well as Amy in ''[[VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy Sonic Advance 2]]'' after beating the game with all the Chaos Emeralds with the previous 4 characters. |
| 161 | ** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1'''s 2013 mobile remake unlocks Tails upon beating the game once, and Knuckles after [[HundredPercentCompletion beating the game with all of the Chaos Emeralds]]. |
| 162 | ** The Xbox Live Arcade/PSN version of ''VideoGame/SonicCD'' allows you to play as Tails after you beat the game once. |
| 163 | ** Fan game ''VideoGame/SonicRoboBlast2'' has three secret characters: Amy Rose (unlocked by completing the secret level Frozen Hilltop Zone), Fang the Sniper (unlocked by beating him in Arid Canyon Zone Act 3), and Metal Sonic (unlocked by beating the game). |
| 164 | * The first ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' game lets you play as [[spoiler:Sylvia, Alastor, Captain Blue]] and even [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]]]] (who, unfortunately, is only unlockable in the [=PlayStation 2=] version of the game) by beating the game's multiple difficulty levels. The [=PS2=] version also lets you use all the characters (including the [=PS2=]-exclusive one) with a button code. |
| 165 | * ''[[VideoGame/MeatBoy Super Meat Boy]]'' has a whole host of entirely optional secret characters from other various indie games, including [[VideoGame/BitTrip Commander Video]], [[VideoGame/{{Aquaria}} Naija]], [[VideoGame/HalfLife a headcrab]], [[VideoGame/IWannaBeTheGuy The Kid]], [[VideoGame/{{VVVVVV}} Captain Viridian]], the VideoGame/AlienHominid... |
| 166 | * Luigi has become this in many later ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' games, usually because his abilities tend to [[LightningBruiser overshadow]] [[JackOfAllStats Mario's]] gameplay-wise. In ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DWorld'', Rosalina is unlocked in the second level of the first secret world. |
| 167 | * In ''VideoGame/TheAngryVideoGameNerdAdventures'', the Guitar Guy, Creator/MikeMatei, and [[WebVideo/YouKnowWhatsBullshit the Bullshit Man]] are all found in {{Secret Path}}s. |
| 168 | * ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiRemasters'' has an option to replace Link or Zelda with the King, which is unlocked after clearing Hero Mode ([[UnlockableDifficultyLevels which itself requires beating the game normally]], so you can only use him on at least your ''third'' playthrough). |
| 169 | * ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfDarkWitch'' series often has a second playable character in each game, usually unlocked by beating the game once as Zizou. They are Riva for the first game, Sola for ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfDarkWitch2 The Price of Desire]]'' and Day for ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfDarkWitch3 Wisdom and Lunacy]]''. Interestingly, Riva also appears as a secret character in the Platform/{{Steam}} version of ''The Price of Desire'', unlocked by clearing the game as Sola. |
| 170 | [[/folder]] |
| 171 | |
| 172 | [[folder:Puzzle Game]] |
| 173 | * ''[[VideoGame/SuperGemFighter Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo]]'': Scrolling off to the side on the character select screen revealed a few secret characters, including [[JokeCharacter Dan]]. Also, holding down a button while selecting certain characters turned them into others. |
| 174 | * ''VideoGame/{{Shift}} 3'' lets you unlock Fancy Pants from ''VideoGame/FancyPantsAdventures''. |
| 175 | * ''VideoGame/WreckingCrew '98'' had four original secret characters: Onigiri, Onnanoko, Oyaji and Dogu. As with the normal opponents, DefeatMeansPlayable, but they might not even be seen on a normal playthrough. |
| 176 | * ''[[VideoGame/HarvestMoon Harvest Moon Frantic Farming]]'' lets you unlock the Witch Princess after completing the rest of the stories. |
| 177 | * ''VideoGame/PetalCrash'' has quite a good few secret characters to play as. Five of them (Libbie, the Baz, Mimi, Nova and [[VideoGame/FreedomPlanet Milla]]) can be selected simply by holding the right shoulder button on Lilibri, Strelitz, Ore Kid, Yosoti and Penny & Deony respectively. Then there's [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/GrappleForceRena Arlet]]]], who takes up his own character slot and is unlocked by beating him when he challenges you in story mode[[note]]this requires doing a 7+ chain on medium difficulty or higher before [[FinalBoss Rosalia]] without continuing[[/note]]. And then there's [[spoiler:Hyper Lilibri, the TrueFinalBoss version of Lilibri]], who requires clearing the game on normal or higher without continuing before she can show up. Defeating her will unlock her for normal use. |
| 178 | [[/folder]] |
| 179 | |
| 180 | [[folder:Real Time Strategy]] |
| 181 | * In ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'', you can recruit a Hydralisk unit from ''VideoGame/StarCraft'' for one mission, hidden behind trees. In the expansion pack it is possible to receive an extra hero unit for one mission providing you first triggered a secret mission in the preceding mission and then completed said secret mission. |
| 182 | * The ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' series features a plethora of secret units that can only be unlocked via cheat codes. The second game alone has an AC Cobra armed with a machine gun, [[ActionBomb saboteurs]] (powered-up versions of the Petard unit,) Furious the Monkey Boy (who is one of the strongest units in the game, [[GlassCannon but can be taken out in only 9 hits]],) penguins and "Villager Male Dave Lewis", a naked, gibberish-spouting villager named after an Ensemble Studios employee who has the fastest movement speed in the game, but can't do anything except move. |
| 183 | * In ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun'', the final GDI stage takes place on a battlefield with a lot of broken husks of old GDI and NOD units. Among the wreckage, are 3 Mammoth tanks - a unit from the first game that had been removed from the game. The 3 Mammoth tanks don't work exactly like they use to (in the first game, the Mammoth tank can shoot a single large missile at ground or air targets, here the Mammoth fires two purely anti-air missiles at airborne targets), but they certainly provide a lot of heavy firepower and durability. |
| 184 | [[/folder]] |
| 185 | |
| 186 | [[folder:Racing Game]] |
| 187 | * ''VideoGame/MarioKart'': Most racing games often have [[UnlockableContent secret vehicles]] rather than secret [[CharacterizationTropes characters]], but those of this series are character-driven enough to have actual unlockable characters from ''VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash'' onwards. In the case of ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'', not only you can unlock characters by acing the Grand Prix Cups, but also by unlocking ghost racers (not playable, they're simply leftovers of previous races) in Time Trial, for which your times have to be exceptionally good. |
| 188 | * In ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'', Drumstick: To unlock him as a playable character, you must get all four Grand Prix trophies then run over the frog with the rooster crest on its head. In the DS version, it's a slightly different task: you must use your stylus to flip one of the frogs up into the pond above, then run it over. And T.T. to unlock him, you must race his ghost in time trial mode on every track (including the bonus space world), and beat him. |
| 189 | * ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'': |
| 190 | ** ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacing'' has seven of them to unlock; specifically, the first four bosses (Ripper Roo, Papu Papu, Komodo Joe and Pinstripe) are unlocked by clearing the first four Gem cups, Fake Crash is unlocked by clearing the Purple Gem cup, Dr. N. Tropy is unlocked by beating all of his ghosts in Time Trial mode and Penta Penguin is unlocked via a cheat code on the main menu. Despite popular opinion, Nitros Oxide is '''''NOT''''' [[UrbanLegend unlockable by any means whatsoever]][[note]][[WhatCouldHaveBeen he was going to be playable]], but circumstances got in the way[[/note]]. Its [[VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled remake]] has all of the above as well as making Oxide PromotedToPlayable, though with some changes (the bosses are now unlocked by beating them in their boss races as opposed to clearing the Gem Cups). Updates also added in two more secret characters: King Chicken (unlocked by grabbing all five golden eggs on the Adventure map and taking them to a chicken mural in the Lost Ruins hub) and the Iron Checkpoint Crate (unlocked by finding and breaking all of the Beenox crates on every track). |
| 191 | ** ''VideoGame/CrashNitroKart'' has its own fair share of secret characters to unlock: Dingodile, Polar, Zem and Zam are unlocked by clearing their respective Gem Cups, Pura and Fake Crash are both unlocked by doing fifty consecutive boosts with Teams Bandicoot & Cortex respectively in Adventure mode, N. Tropy like before is unlocked by beating his Time Trial ghosts and Real Velo is unlocked by getting 100% in Adventure mode with both teams. Its handheld counterpart however has different unlockables in comparison. To wit: the bosses are unlocked by beating them in their respective races, Oxide is unlocked by getting all gold relics or better in Adventure mode, and Spyro and N. Tropy are both unlocked by beating Adventure mode with Teams Bandicoot and Cortex respectively. And then there's [[GuideDangIt Fake Crash]]... |
| 192 | * ''VideoGame/DreamWorksSuperStarKartz'' has six unlockable characters: [[WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon Toothless]], [[{{Franchise/Shrek}} Princess Fiona]] and [[{{Franchise/Madagascar}} Marty]] are unlocked by beating each cup in 50cc, while Knight {{Franchise/Shrek}}, [[{{Franchise/Madagascar}} Sailor Skipper and Tribal Alex]] are unlocked by beating the final cup in 100cc, 150cc and Mirror respectively. |
| 193 | * An odd example in ''VideoGame/WaltDisneyWorldQuestMagicalRacingTour''. There are three of them; original characters Ned Shredbetter and X.U.D. 71, and longtime Disney favorite (and game narrator) Jiminy Cricket. Their faces and character models are blacked out until you unlock them...but not only do they regularly appear on loading screens and as CPU racers beforehand, the manual flat out tells you they're the secret characters, making it nigh-impossible to be surprised by their inclusion. |
| 194 | [[/folder]] |
| 195 | |
| 196 | [[folder:Rhythm Game]] |
| 197 | * The Cheer Girls and the Divas in ''Ouendan'' and ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'' aren't particularly secret; they have their own bios in the manuals and everything, they're just really, really hard to unlock. |
| 198 | * ''VideoGame/SpaceChannel5 Part 2'' somewhat does this. By completing Reports with 100% and by doing other things, you can play as other characters in the game, including the BigBad. |
| 199 | [[/folder]] |
| 200 | |
| 201 | [[folder:Roguelike]] |
| 202 | * ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'': Most unlockable characters are listed right on the character select menu, but the base game and every expansion except ''Wrath of the Lamb'' has added a hidden character who was not visible until after being unlocked. One thing they have in common is that [[spoiler:they are all undead variations of Isaac in some way]]. |
| 203 | ** The first and most simple is [[spoiler:[[MyNameIsQuestionMarks ???]] / Blue Baby]], unlocked by beating the FinalBoss ten times. This character cannot get any red hearts and must rely on soul hearts instead. |
| 204 | ** ''[[VideoGameRemake Rebirth]]'' adds [[spoiler:The Lost]], who has a... [[GuideDangIt rather convoluted unlock method]] involving dying in specific ways. The game's later expansion packs would simplify this so that [[spoiler:you only need to die in a sacrifice room while holding a specific trinket]]. This character can fly and shoot through projectiles, but is a literal OneHitPointWonder. |
| 205 | ** ''Afterbirth'' adds [[spoiler:The Keeper]], unlocked by filling the Greed Mode donation machine all the way to 1000 coins. [[spoiler:The Keeper]] uses money for health, dies in two hits[[note]](Got buffed to 3 in ''Repentance'' after you beat Hush)[[/note]], and fires tears much more slowly. |
| 206 | ** ''Afterbirth†'' has [[spoiler:[[DemBones The Forgotten]]]], who has the player take a special item down to [[spoiler:the Dark Room]] and use it on a dirt patch... while having the feet of Isaac's mother stomping down at you nearly the entire time, [[NintendoHard which is easier said than done]]. They're a melee-centric character that can switch into the Soul (a ghost-like character that is chained to [[spoiler:the Forgotten's now immobile body]]) and back at will. |
| 207 | ** The final DLC, ''Repentance'', takes this [[ExaggeratedTrope to an absurd degree]] by [[spoiler:having '''''17''''' secret characters; those being an alternate "tainted" version of each character. All of them are unlocked in the same way; using the Red Key on a specific doorway in the Home floor, unlocking the tainted counterpart to whoever you're playing as (I.E Isaac can only unlock tainted Isaac).]] Many of them have very unique quirks that go beyond starting items and attributes. For example, [[spoiler:Tainted Isaac]] rolls extra items but can only hold 8 passive items, [[spoiler:Tainted Cain]] can only gain items by crafting them with pickups, [[spoiler:Tainted Samson]] goes into a melee-only [[UnstoppableRage berserk]] mode during combat, [[spoiler:Tainted Lazarus]] switches between two characters every room, etc. |
| 208 | * ''VideoGame/CryingSuns'' has thirteen special officers which the player can recruit during their runs. These special officers are distinguished from generic ones by having more health and an extra skill. Recruiting a special officer unlocks that officer for all future runs, though if they die, you will need to wait five runs before you can use them again. You can only have one special officer in your crew at the start of a run, no matter how many have been unlocked. |
| 209 | * ''VideoGame/DiceyDungeons'': |
| 210 | ** [[spoiler:The Jester]] isn't available as a selectable character until [[spoiler:you clear seven different runs, with a fight against them always being the boss of the seventh]]. |
| 211 | ** [[spoiler:The Bear]] can be played as by [[spoiler:stealing and using the Alchemist's Bear Potion, or by inflicting Curse? on the Alchemist to cause the Bear Potion to take effect on you instead of them]]. However, it only lasts for one run and is not selectable on the menu. |
| 212 | * ''VideoGame/EnterTheGungeon'': |
| 213 | ** [[spoiler: [[TokenHeroicOrc The Bullet]]]] is unlocked by sparing non-hostile [[TheGoomba Bullet Kin]] wearing capes five times when they show up in a room after you kill the past of another Gungeoneer. They start off with [[spoiler: [[HeroesPreferSwords a sword named Blasphemy]] that shoots lasers at full health and a cape that grants them immunity to contact damage to let him get in close with his sword]]. |
| 214 | ** [[spoiler: [[KillerRobot The Robot]]]] is unlocked by grabbing a [[JokeItem Busted Television]] found in the Gungeon Proper’s elevator shaft and taking it all the way to [[DiscOneFinalDungeon The Forge]] and giving it to the Blacksmith, who fixes it up for you. [[spoiler: They start with the Robot’s Right Hand, an ArmCannon that gets stronger the more Junk you have, a passive upgrade that electrifies their shots, and an active item that spills out water in front of them. Also, [[MechanicallyUnusualCharacter they have six units of Armor instead of Health, which gives them a free blank on taking damage at the cost of Armor being harder to find and dying when they run out]], making them ArmoredButFrail.]] |
| 215 | ** [[spoiler: [[TemporalParadox The Paradox]]]] can be unlocked by interacting with a puddle of space-textured void… stuff after killing a Gungeoneers past and clearing a run. [[spoiler: They cost 5 Hegemony Credits to play as, but start with a random starting weapon, a random weapon, and a random item. They’re also essential to unlocking]]… |
| 216 | ** …[[spoiler: TheGunslinger]]. Unlocking him is a very involved process, as you must first [[spoiler: defeat [[TrueFinalBoss The Lich]] as The Paradox, which then immediately throws you into a new run as The Gunslinger.]] Don’t rest easy, as then you need to complete a full run as the new character, and killing his past ([[spoiler: or rather, his future]]) involves [[spoiler: going through [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Bullet Hell]] again and facing off against [[DualBoss two copies of The Lich]], one of whom is [[DuelingPlayerCharacters The Paradox]] and is Jammed, boosting health and damage]]. Only then is [[spoiler: The Gunslinger fully unlocked, as [[SetRightWhatOnceWentWrong he never takes over the Gungeon and becomes The Lich]]. [[PurposefullyOverpowered And by god, is he worth the effort]], since [[spoiler: his starting pistol is a powerful revolver with seven shots and throwing his gun on a reload from empty to pull out a new one, and his starting item, his prosthetic bullet eyes, gives every gun he picks up their synergy effects even if he lacks the components of said synergy. Although he DOES cost seven Hegemony Credits to play as once he’s unlocked]]. |
| 217 | * ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight'' has a Secret Ship alongside a Secret ''Race'': The Crystals. Crystal crew have 125 HP instead of the standard 100, have a similar movement speed penalty to Rockmen, lose HP in airless rooms at a slower rate than other races, and have the unique Crystal Lockdown ability that prevents anyone else from entering or exiting the room they're in for a period of time. Their ships come in two different configurations: One can fire crystal weaponry that [[ArmorPiercingAttack ignore one layer of shields]], and the other packs a four-person teleporter allowing the player to more easily defeat enemy ships by way of killing their crew rather than blowing the ship up; both layouts also have a special augment that can randomly fire back crystals at the enemy ship when hit. To reveal the fact that they even ''exist'', one needs to go through a sidequest chain that involves [[LuckBasedMission randomly finding a particular item, then coming across another random event, then randomly getting the chance to visit a specific sector]] in order to reach the Crystal Homeworld sector. |
| 218 | * In ''VideoGame/NetHack'', certain demon-lords have no "fixed" lair and only turn up when/if summoned. It is entirely possible to finish the game and never meet them. |
| 219 | * In ''VideoGame/NuclearThrone'', there are two characters that can't be normally selected and require jumping through some hoops to play as them. To play as [[spoiler:Skeleton]], you need to [[spoiler: get Melting killed then have him get revived inside a Necromancer circle]], and it only lasts until that run. Playing as [[spoiler:Frog]] requires you to [[spoiler: get a Frog Pistol by going into post-Loop Sewers and hit Mom with a golden weapon at least once then kill her, store that pistol in a Proto Chest in a Crown Vault to turn it into a golden version, then pick a character to go back there and store that in their loadout]]. Once you do perform that lengthy task, it will replace the character [[spoiler:that holds the Golden Frog Pistol]]. |
| 220 | * ''VideoGame/RiskOfRain2'' has four Lunar items in the "Heresy set" (Vision, Claws, Strides, and Essence of Heresy) which changes your active skills. When you collect all four, [[spoiler:your survivor transforms into the Heretic, who has a triple jump and higher stats including a massive health pool, but has negative health regen. This change lasts the whole run, and removing all copies of Heresy item will replace the respective skill with a useless squawk.]] |
| 221 | [[/folder]] |
| 222 | |
| 223 | [[folder:Role Playing Game]] |
| 224 | * ''VideoGame/DungeonExplorer1989'': The Princess and Hermit (spelled Harmet due to wonky translation) classes can be unlocked via passwords. You can also unlock Hermit by leveling up a Bard until it has 50 HP and taking them to the Hermit House, where they will transform into the Hermit. |
| 225 | * ''VideoGame/GameMasterPlus'': The Joker class is not immediately available in the class selection screen, [[spoiler:but repeatedly refusing all the normal options will cause Elsa to be assigned this class]]. |
| 226 | * ''VideoGame/SagaFrontier'': Sei required you to finish a sidequest in an optional dungeon; Time Lord and Kylin required you to get two gifts of magic first to even access the quest to recruit them (or buy their magic); Suzaku required you [[Main/GuideDangIt to defeat an obscure miniboss who randomly appeared if you fight a certain monster in the previous screen]]; and Rei was another GuideDangIt character available only in Asellus's quest and was [[PermanentlyMissableContent unobtainable]] if you forgot to do something or did something you shouldn't have done at the start of said quest. |
| 227 | * ''VideoGame/WildArms'': |
| 228 | ** In the [[VideoGame/WildArms2 second game]], you recruit Marivel in a completely optional dungeon. |
| 229 | ** ''[[VideoGame/WildArms1 Alter Code]]'', the remake of the first game. lets you recruit Zed after an OptionalBoss fight and after you give him an item acquired in the last dungeon. |
| 230 | * ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'' lets you recruit the overpowered main character of the first game as a non-Star. It required a last dungeon save file from the first Suikoden and a Side Quest. |
| 231 | * ''VideoGame/SuikodenTactics'' did something similar for the main character of ''VideoGame/SuikodenIV''. Also, considering the ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' games always have around 100 {{Optional Party Member}}s, (There's always 108 characters, but some are automatic, permanent members) there's often a boatload of difficult to get ones. |
| 232 | * ''VideoGame/PlanescapeTorment'': You can get a [[OptionalPartyMember special character]], the Rogue Modron Nordom, only by exploring a bizarre pocket dimension where the inhabitants are trying to understand the concepts of dungeon-delving. The result is a randomly generated maze, creating by opening and shutting various doors between the myriad chambers, and Nordom can only be found in a specific chamber. To even get to the pocket plane, you buy a specific item (the "Metallic Cube" - a poseable Modron figurine) from Vrichika's Curiosity Shoppe. Then, after talking to the Modrons in the Brothel of Slaking Intellectual Lusts to discover that it ''is'' a portal, you have to figure out on your own the specific pattern you need to alter the figure's limbs into to activate it (extend left wing, extend right wing, rotate right arm). Once there, you first have to fight your way through a randomly generated maze (fortunately set on "Easy" difficulty) to find the control room. Then, from there, you have to set the maze to "Hard" and then try and find the room where Nordom is waiting. And, on this difficulty, the maze is filled with powerful enemy constructs, which can make this a BonusLevelOfHell if the party doesn't time LevelGrinding on either the Easy or Medium settings. And as this maze is randomly generated, you may need to reset it over and over before Nordom's chamber becomes accessible. |
| 233 | * In ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', near the end of the game, you are presented a choice. Take one path and you can recruit [[spoiler:Magus]]. Take the other and the mystery character is [[PermanentlyMissableContent unobtainable for the rest of the game]]. |
| 234 | * ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireII:'' Bleu/Deis. You must walk over a specific panel in a random desert with nothing else in it after reading a certain book. The book both unlocks the panel and tells you, if obtusely, which one it is. |
| 235 | * The ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series has a few: |
| 236 | ** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI'' alone has a number of them: |
| 237 | *** Gogo the Mime was found in a small optional dungeon which you accessed by fighting an enemy that only appeared in one place, and letting it eat you instead of killing it. |
| 238 | *** Mog can be found in the Narshe Cliffs in the World of Balance, or the Narshe Mines in the World of Ruin. |
| 239 | *** Umaro can be found by jumping off a cliff where the Esper Tritoch/[[DubNameChange Valigarmanda]] was and having Mog in your party. |
| 240 | *** While Shadow joins and leaves the party as he pleases, he can be recruited for good if you wait for him as the Floating Continent crumbles. If you don't, [[PermanentlyMissableContent he doesn't make it and can't be recruited again]]. |
| 241 | *** Technically, every character save for Setzer, Edgar and Celes become this in the World of Ruin, as you don't need to re-recruit them to take on Kefka. |
| 242 | ** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'': Yuffie appeared as a random battle, and the player must select certain dialogue options to get her to join. The game was merciful, though, in that she would appear later [[NPCAmnesia until the player gets it right]] (justified as she stole from you each time you got the sequence wrong). Also Vincent, who involved solving puzzles in a haunted house. After finally finishing the puzzles, you have to fight a boss. The boss was ''very'' tough if you didn't know what you were doing, ''and'' there's still little indication on what you're supposed to do to actually ''recruit'' Vincent. |
| 243 | ** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has three hidden aeons: |
| 244 | *** Yojimbo is found in the Cavern of the Stolen Fayth; after going through the dungeon and defeating him, his chamber can be accessed, and Yojimbo can be obtained for a negotiable price. |
| 245 | *** After obtaining secret items in the different Cloisters of Trials and defeating Geosgaeno, Anima can be fought in the Temple of Baaj. |
| 246 | *** The Magus Sisters are found in Remiem Temple and their chamber unlocked with two items, those being the Blossom Crown (obtained after capturing one of each fiend in Mt. Gagazet) and the Flower Sceptre (obtained by defeating Belgemine's Bahamut). |
| 247 | ** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'' has a number of them: |
| 248 | *** Beowulf Cadmus can be recruited in Chapter 4 by helping him with a quest in Goug. |
| 249 | *** Beowulf's fiancée Reis Duelar can be recruited as well if you continue along the quest; she's first recruited as a Holy Dragon, but joins the party under her human form after she's returned to normal. |
| 250 | *** Continuing further along the quest nets you the Aquarius auracite, which allows you to recruit the robot Construct 8. |
| 251 | *** A friendly creature named Byblos helps you on the final floor of the BrutalBonusLevel, Midlight's Deep. If it makes it through the battle alive, it can be recruited for good. |
| 252 | *** Cloud Strife, guest-appearing from ''Final Fantasy VII'' can be recruited if you buy a flower from a flower girl in Sal Ghidos, then come back later to help him fend off some thugs. |
| 253 | *** Finally, the PSP remake adds [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2 Luso]] and [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Balthier]], both recruitable in their respective sidequests. |
| 254 | * ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' has Ms. Mowz, who makes several appearances as an NonPlayerCharacter but won't join unless you do a certain sidequest. |
| 255 | * ''Time Stalkers'' has Marion. Although not a ''secret'' by any stretch (she's listed in the manual with all the other characters), the method for getting her is convoluted and relies entirely on luck--you have to ''find'' her as a randomly generated item. |
| 256 | * ''{{Franchise/Pokemon}}'': |
| 257 | ** Every generation, there are a few secret OlympusMons known as "Mythical Pokémon" that are DummiedOut until being officially revealed at a later date, and can only be caught via real life events (or cheating, since for older games those events have long since passed). Fortunately, none of these are functionally required to complete the Pokédex and you will still recieve the completion rewards regardless of ownership (though you may not be happy with having obvious gaps in it). |
| 258 | *** Generation I introduced [[ConfusionFu Mew]], though it can be caught thanks to a glitch. |
| 259 | *** Generation II brought [[TimeTravel Celebi]] onboard, which was only available through a GS Ball-related event in Japan. The games' remakes made it a downloadable worldwide event (which unlocked an OptionalBoss fight with Giovanni), while also adding a Spiky-Eared Pichu. |
| 260 | *** Generation III had [[MakeAWish Jirachi]] and [[StarfishAliens Deoxys]] (as well as Mew, but [[NoExportForYou the required item to access it was never released outside Japan]]). [[spoiler:''Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire'', however, make Deoxys catchable normally.]] [[BlowYouAway Lugia]] and [[ThePhoenix Ho-Oh]] were also rendered this for a time (thanks to no ability to transfer Pokémon from older generations), but could later be obtained via ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' respectively. |
| 261 | *** Generation IV added [[MakingASplash Manaphy]] (and to some degree its offspring Phione), Darkrai, [[GreenThumb Shaymin]] and [[CrystalDragonJesus Arceus]]. Then again, the last of those being the equivalent of God in the Pokémon universe kinda justifies his status as an event exclusive. Since ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'' were released before the Gen II remakes, Lugia and Ho-Oh aren't needed to complete the Dex in them. [[spoiler:''VideoGame/PokemonLegendsArceus'' allows the player the chance to obtain Arceus by merely finishing the game's Pokédex.]] |
| 262 | *** Generation V included [[MyHeroZero Victini]], [[TheSixthRanger Keldeo]], [[TheMuse Meloetta]], and [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul Genesect]]. While not Mythical Pokémon, [[MasterOfIllusion Zorua and its evolution Zoroark]] could only be obtained in ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' via [[OldSaveBonus transferring certain Johto legendaries from an event]]. They didn't stay event-exclusive for long, as they since became catchable in later games starting with [[VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2 the sequels]]. |
| 263 | *** Generation VI adds [[GemstoneAssault Diancie]], [[RealityWarper Hoopa]], and [[PlayingWithFire Volca]][[MakingASplash nion]]. The former two also gained {{Super Mode}}s starting with ''Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire''. |
| 264 | *** Generation VII includes [[ArtificialHuman Magearna]], obtained via a special QR code, [[LivingShadow Marshadow]] and [[CatFolk Zeraora]] were released around the lifetime of ''VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon''; finally [[BlobMonster Meltan and its evolution Melmetal]] were introduced in a crossover event with ''VideoGame/PokemonGO'' and could be transferred to the Nintendo Switch titles ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndLetsGoEevee'' and ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'', the latter of which included a [[MakeMyMonsterGrow Gigantamax form for Melmetal]]. |
| 265 | *** Generation VIII didn't have one at first, but one was introduced in the 1.2.0 update for ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'': [[ManiacMonkeys Zarude]]. |
| 266 | ** Outside of Mythical Pokémon, Tangrowth was this upon ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl''[='=]s release, since Tangrowth wasn't in the Sinnoh Dex and Tangela itself was completely unavailable outside of [[OldSaveBonus importing it]] from ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen]]''. ''Platinum'' averted this by adding in wild Tangela and making it and Tangrowth part of the Sinnoh Dex. |
| 267 | * Natsume in ''[[VideoGame/DotHackGUGames .hack//G.U.]] Vol. 3: Redemption''. She only appears if you've defeated all the Chaotic Player-killers, and even then, you can't actually get her in the party until ''after'' you beat the final boss. Tabby from ''Roots'' is similar, as you find her on the 50th floor of the game's BonusDungeon. |
| 268 | * With high enough Paragon/Renegade skill in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', it's possible to [[spoiler:kill Samara during her loyalty mission and replace her with her daughter Morinth]]. |
| 269 | * [[spoiler:Futomimi and Sakahagi]] in ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIIINocturne''. In Hell's Maze, you can encounter two souls; one that's red ([[spoiler:Sakahagi]]) and another that's green ([[spoiler:Futomimi]]). Talking to both of them causes a corpse to show up in Zoshigaya Cemetery, which is holding the Afterlife Bell. Bring the Bell to the two souls and ring it to bring them BackFromTheDead as their former selves. That alone won't unlock them, however; you still need to fuse a pair of demons to get them. Dante and Black Frost also count, but they join you instantly regardless of your level. |
| 270 | * ''VideoGame/{{Persona 1}}'' has Reiji, who is infamous for being locked behind a very specific set of choices. From ''VideoGame/{{Persona 2}}'', there's the Custom Personae, which can be unlocked by certain dialogue choices, and Durga, which needs a certain choice as well. Also, from ''Eternal Punishment'', the Ancestral Personae and Lugh. |
| 271 | * "Secret Companion" is the ''Franchise/DragonAge'' fandom's established term for a particular WalkingSpoiler companion who may join the Warden's party in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' under very specific circumstances--namely, [[spoiler:Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir, TheHeavy of the game]]. In addition, there are some less spoiler-y secret {{Guest Star Party Member}}s in that game, such as [[TheArchmage First Enchanter]] Irving (who only joins if you forgot to bring a mage to the resolution of "The Arl of Redcliffe" quest) and the nameless Tower Guard, Soldier, and Circle Mage, some of whom may join you depending on your [[MultipleGameOpenings Origin]] during "The Tower of Ishal" to balance out your party. |
| 272 | * ''[[VideoGame/PhantasyStarUniverse Phantasy Star Portable 2 Infinity]]'' lets you at random find a KFC in dungeons... and recruit Colonel Sanders as a party member. |
| 273 | * Many of the Legendaries in ''[[VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeon Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky]]''. They don't appear at all unless you have either the Secret Slab or the Enigma Part, and from there, you'd need a [[GuideDangIt strategy guide]] to figure out where exactly they appear. |
| 274 | * The ''Hellfire'' ExpansionPack for the original ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' came with two secret, "unlockable" characters: the Bard and Barbarian. The Barbarian has since reappeared in the sequels. |
| 275 | * In ''VideoGame/{{Arcanum}}'', while not many characters are hidden per se, most people will never know that certain [=NPCs=] are can actually be recruited, mainly because some require special dialogue options and/or quests to be accomplished before they even consider joining. |
| 276 | ** Another character, called Dog, requires that you find him within a time limit as soon as you enter the town he's found in. |
| 277 | * In ''VideoGame/LufiaTheLegendReturns'', defeating [[spoiler:the Egg Dragon]] will lead to them joining your party as a thirteenth member. |
| 278 | * There are two in ''VideoGame/{{Lunarosse}}''. One is Izumi, a scythe-wielder who can only be recruited in a JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind sidequest. The other is [[spoiler:Princess Zelda]], who you can't recruit until just before the second-to-last dungeon even if you've already cleared the dungeon she's in before then, but already has her strongest weapon and excellent stats. |
| 279 | * In ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternityIIDeadfire'', every major full character is found during the main plot, and every sidekick is found in a major port town. Except for one sidekick, Rekke. [[spoiler:Rekke is found clinging to a random piece of debris on the eastern edge of the map.]] Worse, most sidekicks have very few dialogue options, and Rekke doesn't even speak a language known to the party, meaning when he's clicked on, his dialogue is incomprehensible, followed by body language to indicate what he means. So the player might think to treat him as DumbMuscle, [[spoiler:but if they keep prodding him, he eventually learns Aedyran and had a surprisingly extensive DialogueTree [[CrypticBackgroundReference about the unknown land of Yezuha]].]] |
| 280 | * In ''VideoGame/CthulhuSavesTheWorld'', there is [[spoiler:Dem, the PreviousPlayerCharacterCameo from ''VideoGame/BreathOfDeathVII'']], unlocked after [[spoiler:defeating him as an OptionalBoss]]. In "Cthulhu's Angels" campaign, he's replaced with [[spoiler:his partner Sara, both as a boss and a party member]]. |
| 281 | * In ''VideoGame/BugFables'', defeating Mother Chomper allows you to collect her seed and [[spoiler:hatch her into Chompy, who serves as a fourth party member]]. |
| 282 | * ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIV'': In the remakes, [[BigBad Psaro]] can join your party in the sixth chapter if you go through the bonus dungeon and bring Rose back to life. |
| 283 | * ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'': [[TheRockstar Kerry Eurodyne's]] SidequestSidestory[=/=]RomanceSidequest unlocks after doing the entirety of [[{{Deuteragonist}} Johnny Silverhand's]] storyline, which in itself is optional. The three other love interests' questlines are added through the main plot ([[GadgeteerGenius Judy]] and [[BadassBiker Panam]] you meet through the main story quests, and [[ByTheBookCop River's]] sidequest gets added automatically after a certain story mission). While you can still miss River, Kerry is by far the hardest to find. |
| 284 | * ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' typically has few playable characters and less secret ones, but still has a few instances of this. |
| 285 | ** ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'' has the Mushu and Bambi summons as this. The former is found as a Key to Rewards card in Hollow Bastion, while the latter is obtained if the player fully completes the Hundred-Acre Wood. |
| 286 | ** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' also has two optional Summons, Stitch and Peter Pan. They're found in chests in Space Paranoids and Port Royal respectively. |
| 287 | ** ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep Birth by Sleep]]'' has Pete as the only missable [[PowerCopying D-Link.]] The player has a random chance of meeting Captain Justice or Captain Dark in a normal Command Board round, and the D-Link will be obtained after the round if this happens. The ''Final Mix'' version also introduced several new Unversed who became playable after you beat their minigames. They were all [[JokeCharacter next to useless in battle.]] |
| 288 | ** The 3DS version of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'' had a few secret Dream Eaters, which were mainly variants of existing ones. They could only be obtained via AR Cards. The HD version removed the AR Card function and instead gave the secret Dream Eaters recipes of their own. There are also rare Dream Eaters in both versions that require the player to beat specific Special Portals to obtain their recipes and create them, and were missable otherwise, mainly Flowbermeow and Meowjesty. |
| 289 | [[/folder]] |
| 290 | |
| 291 | [[folder:Shoot Em Up]] |
| 292 | * ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' 's Multiplayer mode lets you play as the core Star Fox team, but Wolf O' Donnell can be unlocked. He has the same total stats as Fox, but with three maxed out skills (a maxed out speed in particular that lets him run around all the other characters), he is considered by some to be a GameBreaker. |
| 293 | * ''VideoGame/RaidenFighters Jet'' has the Slave and Fairy planes, unlockable by holding the bomb button when pressing Start at the title screen. The Slave will replace whichever plane you select, inheriting its movement speed and bomb; the Miclus is replaced by the Fairy instead. |
| 294 | * In ''VideoGame/TouhouKaeidzukaPhantasmagoriaOfFlowerView'' you can unlock Merlin and Lunasa Prismriver if you complete the NintendoHard Extra Mode with Komachi and Eiki Shiki. Given that this game is from BulletHell genre, many casual players won't even try this (it's like the story mode, but with number of bullets on [[HarderThanHard Lunatic]] standards, both you and opponent having [[OneHitPointWonder one hit point]] while she has the invincibility time for the beginning of the fight, and without any spare lives or continues). |
| 295 | * In the [=iOS=] port of ''[[VideoGame/DonPachi DoDonPachi Daifukkatsu]]'' you can unlock [[spoiler: Hibachi]] as a playable ship. It is just as powerful as its boss counterpart. The harder method involves doing a 2-loop clear of the game, and makes the unlock permanent, while [[NoFairCheating the easier method involves a cheat code on the ship select that has to be re-entered every time you play]]. |
| 296 | * ''VideoGame/MercenaryForce'' has the Tanuki, who also counts as a SixthRanger. To get the Tanuki, you must have the mystic as your leader and try her luck at the shrine in level 2. Then in level 6, you must have an empty slot in your party and a mystic present. |
| 297 | * ''VideoGame/CrimzonClover'' has the Type-Z ship, unlocked by beating the game once and accumulating three million stars in any mode. It's basically [[GameBreaker the Type-I ship on steroids]]. |
| 298 | * ''VideoGame/RivalMegagun'' has the Host, who can be unlocked simply by reaching and defeating the TrueFinalBoss on normal mode or higher without continuing. |
| 299 | [[/folder]] |
| 300 | |
| 301 | [[folder:Simulation Game]] |
| 302 | * This is a fixture of the ''VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorial'' series. Each game contains at least two of them : |
| 303 | ** ''Tokimeki Memorial 1'' : [[ShrinkingViolet Miharu Tatebayashi]] and [[spoiler: [[{{Bifauxnen}} Rei Ijuin]]]] ; |
| 304 | ** ''Tokimeki Memorial 2'' : [[TwinSwitch Maho Shirayuki]], [[JapaneseDelinquent Maeka Kudanshita]], and [[CircusBrat Sumire Nozaki]] ; |
| 305 | ** ''Tokimeki Memorial 3'' : [[{{Determinator}} Kazumi Watarai]] and Hotaru Izumi |
| 306 | ** ''Tokimeki Memorial 4'' : [[TwinSwitch Rui Nanakawa]], [[ShrinkingViolet Haruna Mizuki]], and [[spoiler: [[{{Yandere}} Miyako Okura]]]] |
| 307 | ** ''VisualNovel/TokimekiMemorialGirlsSide'' : Aoki Chiharu, Tendou Jin (for the DS Version ''1st Love'') |
| 308 | ** ''Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 2nd Kiss'' : Akagi Kazuyuki, [[JerkAss Majima Tarou]] and [[{{Hikkikomori}} Komori Taku]] (for the DS Version ''2nd Season'') |
| 309 | * ''VisualNovel/LuckyRabbitReflex'', a DatingSim heavily inspired by the aforementioned ''Tokimeki Memorial'', has Perth (who can be met only by attending a certain club and picking specific choices) and Mardi (who, like many ''Tokimeki Memorial'' secret characters, requires a lot of shopping trips to unlock his route). |
| 310 | * ''True Love 95'' has Anze, who requires you to go shopping at night during a period of time in August. Nothing hints towards this, nor is there much of any reason at all to go shopping in the first place. |
| 311 | * Moebius One, the PlayerCharacter of ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies'', appears as the TrueFinalBoss of ''VideoGame/AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar'', only if you play the BrutalBonusLevel on the highest difficulty level ''and'' beat the penultimate boss in under the record time. No wonder most players never even know about his presence in the game. |
| 312 | * ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonTheTaleOfTwoTowns'' has two, Oracle is unlocked in year two and can easily be missed, and Alisa, who you must befriend Nathan to unlock. |
| 313 | * ''VideoGame/SimEarth'' has two unlockable ''species'' that can evolve on your planet, both of which can become sentient if given enough care. Neither of them are available to freely place unlike the other life forms, and in the biosphere map, while most are on a sliding complexity scale from green (prokaryotes) to red (mammals), these two are marked by a single shade of blue. |
| 314 | ** [[spoiler: [[PlantPeople Carniferns]] will sprout up if you have an abundance of insects.]] These are difficult to cultivate even after evolving, so getting them to sentience without the use of a Monolith is a SelfImposedChallenge. |
| 315 | ** [[spoiler: [[MechanicalLifeforms Robots]] will appear if you [[VideoGameCrueltyPotential drop an atomic bomb on a Nanotech-age city, killing the hundreds of millions of sapients within]].]] Unlike the other secret species, they need no help establishing a foothold; [[AIIsACrapshoot they will spread rapidly and eliminate any other life form they find]] until [[GreyGoo they're the only thing left on the surface of the entire planet]]. [[VideoGameCrueltyPunishment Nice going, player]]. |
| 316 | * ''VideoGame/StoryOfSeasonsPioneersOfOliveTown'': [[spoiler:The man who is trying to assassinate Iori, one of the bachelors,]] temporarily becomes a full-blown resident of Olive Town, complete with a friendship meter and the possibility to give him gifts, if that specific RomanceSidequest is taken past the marriage stage. |
| 317 | [[/folder]] |
| 318 | |
| 319 | [[folder:Sports Game]] |
| 320 | * ''VideoGame/TenEightySnowboarding'': There are three special characters you can challenge and, by meeting certain conditions, play as: A person entirely made of ice, a person made of gold, and [[spoiler:an anthropomorphic ''panda'']]. In Match Race, they only appear in Deadly Fall, at the very end of Expert difficulty. |
| 321 | * The ''VideoGame/BackyardBaseball'' series has secret characters ranging from Mr. Clanky to the announcers to ''freaking Babe Ruth''. |
| 322 | * ''[[VideoGame/PGATour Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005]]'' has Music/JustinTimberlake of all people as a secret golfer. Unlocking him requires a password the game provides after defeating The Hustler (a fictional golfer Justin conceptualized, mocapped, and [[FullMotionVideo played]]) in Legend Tour. All of his stats are at 105% and all of his modifiers are at Level 4. |
| 323 | [[/folder]] |
| 324 | |
| 325 | [[folder:Stealth Based Game]] |
| 326 | * ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps'' allowed you to unlock a whole bunch of characters (usually through a NewGamePlus, with a code as an alternative). A couple are from the AlternateContinuity ''VideoGame/MetalGearAcid'', and are only unlocked if you have a save file from the ''Ac!d'' games (or, again, through using the right code). |
| 327 | * ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker'' ups the ante with unlockable crew members for your base, chief of which is [[CreatorCameo HIDEO KOJIMA]]. And yes, some of the unlockable characters are playable. Bonus points for having a Halfling Catgirl from the ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' series act as your liason for the Isla Del Monstro challenges. |
| 328 | [[/folder]] |
| 329 | |
| 330 | [[folder:Tower Defense]] |
| 331 | * In ''VideoGame/BloonsTowerDefense 6'', the Cave Monkey can be unlocked temporarily on the map "Frozen Over" by having a Mortar Tower repeatedly fire on the spot where it is frozen. After enough blasts, the ice will break, and the Cave Monkey will appear at a fixed spot on the track, where it attacks by hitting Bloons with its club. It can't be brought to other maps, and has to be unlocked again every time you start the map over. |
| 332 | [[/folder]] |
| 333 | |
| 334 | [[folder:Turn Based Strategy]] |
| 335 | * ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'': |
| 336 | ** Many secret mechs in the ''Super Robot Wars'' series. The methods for getting them vary from the simple (kill X number of enemies with character Y, especially easy when character Y is a walking engine of death) to the GuideDangIt, (beating a certain enemy with a single character, not attacking a particular unit in a fight, or reassigning a character to an incredibly weak robot before a certain mission, or ''winning'' a HopelessBossFight). |
| 337 | ** Due to the [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover nature of the games]], this may not be so much GuideDangIt as AllThereInTheManual. |
| 338 | ** And quite often, there will be two or more hidden mecha/weapons that cannot be gained in the same playthrough (ex: [[Manga/MobileSuitGundamSEEDAstray Hyperion Gundam]] and [[Anime/TekkamanBlade Tekkaman Rapier]] in ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsW W]]'', which are achieved on different sides of the same route split), making OneHundredPercentCompletion impossible. |
| 339 | * ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics'': Cloud. An incredibly long series of actions and optional maps before getting him, GuideDangIt. The PSP port/upgrade, Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of Lions, included Cloud and all of FFT's unlockable characters, as well as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'''s Balthier (as a secret character) and Final Fantasy Tactics A2's Luso (met in the story). |
| 340 | * ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'': 4 characters offer to join your party if leaving with certain mission items. Four others- Ritz, Babus, Shara and Ezel- can be recruited by completing certain missions, most of which become available in the postgame. |
| 341 | * ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2'' had Frimedla Lotice, gained from doing five separate quests. The game also had Vaan, Penelo, Al-Cid Margrace and Montblanc as optional party members. |
| 342 | * Creator/NipponIchi games, such as ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' or ''VideoGame/LaPucelle'', often allow you to unlock characters from their other games. |
| 343 | * ''VideoGame/ShiningForce'' was horrible with these, and it extended to the sequels. |
| 344 | * The game ''VideoGame/VantageMaster'' by Falcom allowed you to play as characters from their other games, by answering the questions to get a specific class, then naming the character appropriately. For instance, becoming a knight and naming him "Adol" lets you play the knight from the Ys games, while naming the swordsman "Mail" gives you the title heroine from the game ''VideoGame/PopfulMail''. |
| 345 | * ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': |
| 346 | ** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemTheSacredStones'' has various characters join during the post-game "Creature Campaign" while exploring the bonus dungeons or battling monsters on the field, including some that had died during the main plot. |
| 347 | ** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance Path of Radiance]]'' has Stefan, who is very, very vaguely hinted at... and nowhere in the hint is it mentioned that you can only unlock him with two specific characters (neither of which are the main character, whom you use to recruit about 85% of the recruitable units). He's very much worthwhile, and would be even if he didn't come with the second best sword in the game, losing only to the EleventhHourSuperpower sword Ragnell (which only Ike can wield anyway). |
| 348 | ** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn Radiant Dawn]]'': |
| 349 | *** Stefan returns as even more of a GuideDangIt, especially as you only get your vague hint ''after'' he's [[PermanentlyMissableContent unobtainable]]. |
| 350 | *** Even worse is [[spoiler:Sephiran a.k.a. Lehran]]. You have to go through several convoluted steps (hinted at nowhere in the game), one of which can be completely impossible if you were unaware of it several chapters beforehand (or even just had bad luck with the RandomNumberGod). And if you finally do unlock him, guess what? You get him for one chapter. Namely the final boss battle. In which he comes with ''no weapon''. If you're willing to give up Micaiah or [[spoiler: Pelleas]] [[OptionalPartyMember (if you got him)]] for magical attackers and give [[spoiler: Lehran]] [[HolyHandGrenade Rexaura]] or [[CastingAShadow Balberith]], turns out, he's fortunately fast enough to '''double attack''' the FinalBoss. For added fun, and possible symbolism, have him team up with Micaiah and perhaps Sanaki to bring [[spoiler:Ashera]] down. Nothing quite like happy [[spoiler: god-slaying family bonding time, right?]] |
| 351 | ** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'': |
| 352 | *** Certain characters can only be recruited if certain buildings or structures are upgraded all the way. And all of those characters are only available in certain paths. [[spoiler: Izana can only be recruited if the Hot Spring is upgraded in ''Birthright'' and ''Conquest'', and in ''Revelation'' he's replaced by Fuga. Yukimura is only available if a puppet is upgraded and only in ''Birthright''. Flora is available if a turret is upgraded and only in ''Conquest'' and ''Revelation''.]] |
| 353 | *** Midori is a rather special case, as she's a secret character ''only'' in ''Birthright'': in ''Conquest'' and ''Revelations'' she can be gotten the same way as any other child character, but in ''Birthright'' [[spoiler:Kaze not only has to be married, but have an A-Support with the Avatar by chapter 15 before Midori can be unlocked. If that second objective isn't fulfilled by chapter 15, Kaze dies and Midori is [[PermanentlyMissableContent gone]].]] |
| 354 | ** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'' plays with this. Nowhere in the game's marketing was it stated that there is a route dedicated to the Church of Seiros. However, this route is the default version of the [[spoiler:Black Eagles]] storyline, and you have to jump through several extra hoops to remain with [[spoiler:Edelgard after she declares war on the Church]].[[labelnote:The Requirements]]First, you need at least a C+ support with Edelgard, which shouldn't be too difficult if you regularly train and fight alongside her. Second, you need to accompany her to the capital at some point during Chapter 11. Third, once the previous two requirements are fulfilled, you must choose "I must protect Edelgard" after defeating her in the Holy Tomb.[[/labelnote]] |
| 355 | * ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'' has Nell, and the sequel adds Hachi. Both are {{Game Breaker}}s. |
| 356 | [[/folder]] |
| 357 | |
| 358 | [[folder:Visual Novel]] |
| 359 | * ''VisualNovel/DracuRiot'', you cannot pursue [[spoiler:Nicola's route]] unless you finished at least one other |
| 360 | * ''VisualNovel/DramaticalMurder'' lets you play [[spoiler:Ren]]'s route only after you've completed all other characters' routes. The Platform/PlayStationVita port adds one more, accessible after every ending in the original has been acheived.route. |
| 361 | * In ''VisualNovel/FrozenEssence'', not completing the requirements for any character's path unlocks [[spoiler:Zareh]]'s path. |
| 362 | * In ''VisualNovel/{{Machi}}'', you unlock [[spoiler: Norio's]] route after completing the game with every other character. Despite this, the route still takes place at the same time as everyone else's, meaning that some of the other characters' seemingly irrelevant multiple-choice questions, which one might have previously assumed to be just flavor text, suddenly become relevant again. |
| 363 | * In ''VisualNovel/MagicalDiary'': ''Horse Hall'', [[spoiler:Big Steve]] now has a partial romance path as of the latest patch. Reaching it is ''much'' more difficult than any of the other characters. |
| 364 | ** In ''Wolf Hall'' there are several "side routes" that aren't as obvious as the main romance paths. In particular, [[spoiler: Raven, Corrinna, and Suki]] require very specific and unlikely steps to be taken to even be aware that they're possibilities. |
| 365 | * ''VisualNovel/TogainuNoChi'' has [[spoiler:Nano]], the final love interest, that can only be pursued once you've played everyone else's routes. And before him, while Shiki is already established to be one of the love interests based on the opening sequence, his route is only unlocked after the player has completed Rin's route. |
| 366 | * In ''VisualNovel/UnderTheMoon'', Unan, a character introduced as an impartial messenger of the king of the demon world, becomes a potential love interest after clearing all previously available routes. |
| 367 | * Cecil of ''VisualNovel/UtaNoPrincesama'' is unlocked in the original game after finishing the routes for the other boys. He still makes a cameo in all of them, though. |
| 368 | [[/folder]] |
| 369 | |
| 370 | [[folder:Non-Video Game Examples]] |
| 371 | * ''Literature/MyMentalChoicesAre'': The DatingSim in the OVA has a secret route (accessed through impressions amassed on the other love interests' routes) where the "male best friend" character comes out as a trans girl. |
| 372 | * In ''Literature/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'', the {{fictional|VideoGame}} {{otome game}} ''Fortune Lover'', which is where the story is set, has four men for the heroine to romance -- Geordo, Keith, Alan and Nicol. However, "the monkey girl", who later reincarnated as the villainess Catarina, heard about the existence of a fifth capture target from her friend, but insisted that her friend not spoil the plot. The name of the fifth possible suitor is [[spoiler:student council president Sirius Dieke]], and Catarina realizes, much to her horror, that [[spoiler:he's actually a dark magic user who kills Maria and all her friends in the bad ending of his route]]. |
| 373 | * As a GameBook, ''Literature/RomeoAndOrJuliet'' has a secret character whom the narrator will only inform the reader of their existence [[spoiler:if they reach the canonical ending of ''Romeo and Juliet'', as Rosaline, the secret character, is concerned with the aftermath of the lovers' double suicide.]] |
| 374 | * A number of ''Toys/{{Tamagotchi}}'' toys have specific breeds like this, often requiring you to raise the Tamagotchi in unusual ways to obtain them. Others require using rare items, feeding certain foods, or connecting to other Tamagotchis. The series mainstay Kuromametchi debuted on the Version 5 as an example of the latter case, being obtained from feeding sesame pudding to a Hatugatchi. |
| 375 | [[/folder]] |
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