'''Basic Trope''': A VideoGame switches the characters that you're playing as.
* '''Straight''': After playing as [[BoisterousBruiser Chance]] for some time, the first "chapter" of the game ends... and control abruptly switches to [[CuteWitch Ichigo]], who has ''very'' different [[LittleMissBadass strengths]] and [[GlassCannon weaknesses]] compared to [[LightningBruiser Chance]]. You'll eventually switch back to Chance.
* '''Exaggerated''': After playing as Ichigo for a while, the game kicks you over to [[HumanAlien Chittar]], then [[CombatMedic Claudia]] and her friend [[ActionGirl Lanna]] for the next chapter. Then [[SquishyWizard Leon]]. Then...
* '''Downplayed''':
** After playing as Chance for a while you switch to [[LadyOfWar Diana]], who uses a spear instead of a sword and thus has different attack hit-boxes that favor reach over broad coverage, but functions generally the same way.
** You normally play as Chance for the whole game. In Chapter 3, you play as [[CuteWitch Ichigo]] for a cutscene, after which you play as Chance again.
* '''Justified''':
** Each of the characters is one of {{The Chosen One}}s meant to help [[TheHero Sol]] defeat Emperor Evulz.
** {{The Hero Dies}} and someone takes his place.
** The game aims to tell a story from multiple perspectives as opposed to just Chance's
** It is a historical war game following several different conflicts across the world.
** The character switch follows a sidequest to give the TheHero a powerful weapon or clue (without making too easy for the player).
* '''Inverted''': The game enforces hotseat multiplayer, causing the players to change as the character stays the same.
* '''Subverted''': The game switches to another character, but it turns out that it's the same character you've been playing as, disguised as someone else.
** It's a super hero game and you're playing as the hero's SecretIdentity
* '''Double Subverted''': The game switches to another character, but it turns out that it's the same character you've been playing as, disguised as someone else. Then you eventually end playing as who you were disguised as for real.
** The secret identiy turns out ''not'' to be the hero in disguise in a shocking PlotTwist
* '''Parodied''': Each time you level up, [[DittoFighter Steve]] turns into a different character.
* '''Zig Zagged''': Chance and Ichigo are members of the same heroic party, but handle different missions. The player constantly switches between the two through the course of the game.
* '''Averted''': The game never switches the viewpoint character.
* '''Enforced''': "We need a way to show the story from different perspectives."
* '''Lampshaded''':
** During a cutscene
-->'''Chance:''' [[AgonyBeam ''AAAAAUUUUGGHHH!!'']].\\
'''Emperor Evulz: What's wrong? No one hiding in the vents to save you?\\
(Gameplay starts)\\
'''Ichigo:''' *Hiding in the vents* [[NarratingTheObvious Need to rescue Chance]].
* '''Invoked''': The last game was criticized for only having Chance playable.
* '''Exploited''': The game features a multiplayer mode where players can control different characters, and savvy players strategically switch between characters to maximize their strengths and overcome specific challenges.
* '''Defied''': Every EagerRookie or action-oriented supporting character is killed off by Emperor Evulz so he can focus his efforts on Chance.
** Chance makes sure to follow Ichigo so you never have to play as her alone.
* '''Discussed''': '''Evulz''': "Yeah, that Ichigo girl seems important enough to kill too."
* '''Conversed''': "Ah damn! I wa having so much fun with [[ActionGirl Lanna]], and now the game switches back to [[CombatMedic Claudia]]!"
* '''Deconstructed''': At the beginning of each chapter, you have to switch to a new character because the game takes place over several decades and the previous character you played was caught and killed by TheEmpire in a suicide attack to complete a piece of the puzzle that will defeat them.
* '''Reconstructed''': Your gameplay switches between many characters being dispatched by TheEmpire one by one; however, they frequently remind everyone around them and the player that their battle will not be for naught, fighting harder and more valiantly with every passing year. At the ending, your rebellion stands triumphant due to the sacrifices of true heroes who will be remembered for all of history.
* '''Played For Laughs''': Bob is playing ''[[ShowWithinAShow Chronicles of Troperia]]'' and enjoying tearing things up as Chance. He keeps trying to call Alice over, but she isn't paying any attention... until the game kicks him into Ichigo's shoes, and his shouts of surprise draw her over. Meaning that naturally, her first impression of the game he's been raving about involves a little [[{{Kawaiiko}} cutesy girl]] in a [[PimpedOutDress pretty red-and-pink dress with lots of frills]].
* '''Played For Drama''': Chance has been doing well on his quest to stop Emperor Evulz' forces so far, but runs into trouble when he discovers a burning village. While trying to defend the survivors, he's surrounded, seriously wounded, and falls unconscious... and the game [[MoodWhiplash switches focus]] to Ichigo [[GoodMorningCrono waking up in her sweetly decorated room]].
** Chance gets captured by Evulz, so you play as Ichigo attempting to rescue him. But, like the player, Chance's old comrades keep comparing her to Chance and finding her lacking, soon growing to despise her. Ichigo has a massive crisis of confidence and fails to achieve anything, leading to a mental breakdown, taking the damper off her powers and leading to her unintentionally casting an Apocalypse Spell, which was Evulz's ultimate aim and the real reason he captured Chance. Chance then breaks out and you use him to kill Ichigo before she can end the world, [[PlayerPunch having to kill the character you previously despised in a deliberately painful way that makes you realise how much you'd bonded to her.]]
* '''Played For Horror''': Chance is captured and executed by Emperor Evulz. Ichigo, a SpoiledBrat, tastes the horrors that Evulz wreaks first hand after Chance's death. She tries to stand up to him, and suffers the very same fate. [[ViciousCycle it goes on]], getting increasingly worse.
* '''Implied''': The game hints at the possibility of switching characters through subtle cues and hints in the narrative or gameplay, but doesn't explicitly show the switch on screen. Players have to infer the character switch based on context or dialogue.
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AndNowForSomeoneCompletelyDifferent. You can have a break now, Chance. Ichigo will take over for a while.
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%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion: