History Main / ArenaShooter

* A SinglePlayerGauntlet which uses the game's multiplayer maps, with a ''very'' barebones ExcusePlot that is usually a TournamentArc, if they feature such a mode, as well as an "Instant Action", "Skirmish" or "Practice" mode that allows the players to set their offline matches with the rules they pick. NoPlotNoProblem is also found in these games, especially in the [[UsefulNotes/FreeLibreOpenSourceSoftware FLOSS]] games. Very rarely there's a more developed plot.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy'' - Built in idTech 3 and thus has an arena component [[RecycledInSPACE but with Lightsabers]]! Also featuring several different deathmatch and team-based modes.
** ''VideoGame/JediKnightIIJediOutcast'' - Same as above.

* ''VideoGame/JediKnightIIJediOutcast'' and ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy'' - Also built in idTech 3 and thus has an arena component [[RecycledInSPACE but with Lightsabers]]! Also featuring several different deathmatch and team-based modes.

* VideoGameItemsAndInventory:

** EmergencyWeapon: Players usually spawn with these.

** RealTimeWeaponChange: While discouraged in TournamentPlay, there's the option to cycle between previous and next weapons as well as individually pick up an already owned weapon.
** ShortRangeShotgun: Expect these kinds of weapons as the go-to weapon for close-range combat.
** SniperPistol: Usually an EmergencyWeapon with ''very'' low damage output (even with QuadDamage) will be quite accurate.

** StandardFPSGuns: Every conceivable weapon archetype will be present in the game, alongside other weapon types that may not fit any of the archetypes.
** StarterEquipment: Usually players spawn with either a melee weapon as their EmergencyWeapon and a ranged weapon with limited ammo, or just a ranged weapon with infinite ammo.

* ''VideoGame/{{Reflex}}''

A multiplayer-based subgenre of the FirstPersonShooter genre, the Arena-Based FPS subgenre (known colloquially as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_shooter Arena Shooter]] or its shortened form AFPS) is billed as being focused on "skill" rather than "perks", an allusion to the scoring system not granting in-game unbalancing bonuses for kill streaks, kill {{combos}} or just scoring, with "skill" being the actual ability to score frags, in comparison to other multiplayer shooters that contain such {{Comeback Mechanic}}s.

The origins of the subgenre can be found in ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' in 1993. The game has a synchronic multiplayer mode where players battled until the one with the highest amount of points (or the one who reached the score limit) was declared the winner. This is the basis for the "Deathmatch" mode, which itself later became the basis for every other gamemode. Later games introduced a team-based variant (usually called "Team Deathmatch") where [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin players were grouped in teams]] and the team that reached the score limit or made the highest amount of frags was declared the winner. Both ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'' and especially ''VideoGame/QuakeI'' later introduced and popularized Z-axis gameplay or "vertical" gameplay, with the latter game also popularizing DropInDropOutMultiplayer as the standard for AFPS, ditching the synchronic model used up to then. While almost every other FPS released in TheNineties would come with a multiplayer mode in an attempt to catch new players and increase the replayability of their games, the subgenre would finally explode (and the e-Sports scene blossom as a consequence) with the advent of two games released with two days of difference that would create the (then) biggest [[DuelingGames videogame feud]] for quite some time: Creator/EpicGames's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' and Creator/IdSoftware's ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'', released in 1999. These games, alongside the ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' mod ''VideoGame/CounterStrike'' (which isn't exactly an AFPS, but which still caused an impact that in no way should be underestimated) popularized online gaming.

In an AFPS, all players in a match start with the same StarterEquipment. Also, more powerful weapons, health/armor items, ammo boxes and powerups are scattered across the level, requiring players to travel through the maps and collect them to get better firepower and other advantages over their enemies. Note that this doesn't apply to [[MacGuffin key game objectives]] such as [[StrategicAssetCaptureMechanic control points]] or the flags in CaptureTheFlag.

As for the levels, they don't tend to have big, game-changing features outside of the usual level hazards such as lava/slime pits and death pits/the void. However, some games play with features such as death traps and area-wide or level-wide environmental hazards such as fog.

Movement physics also plays an important role in these games, where players aren't restrained to just walk/run, sidestep, turn, jump and crouch, but also can do [[JumpPhysics stunts]] like {{double jump}}s, {{wall jump}}s, [[RocketJump weapon-based jumping]], VideoGameDashing and other special moves. Expect game physics to be abused for the sake of competition, leading to CasualCompetitiveConflict.

For replayability purposes, these games contain an integrated AI designed to mimic human players, as otherwise, you need to be online at all times just to play them. Because the nuances of playing against human players are usually difficult to translate into game code, this AI is often quite basic, being able to move, shoot at opponents, jump, and almost nothing else. Some games, in the higher difficulty levels, even give the AI SecretAIMoves, allowing them to use features the human players can't. Seldom the AI is programmed to take advantage of the actual JumpPhysics, or use RocketJump.

Standalone games of the genre (and some of which aren't standalone) contain two singleplayer-based modes:

A specific subgenre of AFPS (which nonetheless can also be found in proper AFPS) is the "Vehicular AFPS", effectively [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin AFPS that includes vehicles]] in open maps.

Once a mainstay of the TournamentPlay scene, due to ToughActToFollow regarding ''UT'' and ''[=Q3A=]'', the AFPS genre didn't reach the same impact since then. With the release of the source code of the first three games in the ''Quake'' series between 2002 and 2005 allowing the rise of free FPS (most of which were ''Quake III Arena'' [[FollowTheLeader clones]]), the multiplayer FPS scene going down the class-based/realistic path, and the lack of proper commercial AFPS releases, the scene never managed to reach that peak. The sheer steepness of the learning curve (not helped by {{Tutorial Level}}s ''not'' teaching advanced moves to new players), as well as the rise and popularity of other subgenres of multiplayer FPS led to the subgenre dwindling in popularity by the time TheNewTens rolled around, with the commercial underperforming of 2007's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' being the final nail in the coffin. Attempts have been made since (especially with the short-lived ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament4''[[note]]announced in 2014 as a free-to-play game, defunct at the end of 2022 when Creator/EpicGames removed the entire ''Unreal'' series from all storefronts[[/note]] and 2017's ''VideoGame/QuakeChampions''), but they always fumbled, even when more "classic" or "arcadey" shooters ''did'' manage to make something of a comeback.

[[folder:Common tropes associated with Vehicular AFPS]]

[[folder]]Common tropes associated with Vehicular AFPS]]

!! Common tropes associated with this kind of FPS include

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!! Common tropes associated with Vehicular AFPS in addition to the above include:

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!! Game Index

!!! Standalone AFPS games

!!! Games with an AFPS component

The origins of the subgenre can be found in ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' in 1993. The game has a synchronic multiplayer mode where players battled until the one with the highest amount of points (or the one who reached the score limit) was declared the winner. This is the basis for the "Deathmatch" mode, which itself later became the basis for every other gamemode. Later games introduced a team-based variant (usually called "Team Deathmatch") where [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin players were grouped in teams]] and the team that reached the score limit or made the highest amount of frags was declared the winner. Both ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'' and especially ''VideoGame/QuakeI'' later introduced and popularized Z-axis gameplay or "vertical" gameplay, with the latter game also popularizing DropInDropOutMultiplayer as the standard for AFPS, ditching the synchronic model used up to then. While almost every other FPS released in TheNineties would come with a multiplayer mode in an attempt to catch new players and increase the replayability of their games, the subgenre would finally explode (and the e-Sports scene blossom as a consequence) with the advent of two games released with two days of difference that would create the (then) biggest [[DuelingGames videogame feud]] for quite some time: Creator/EpicGames's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' and Creator/IdSoftware's ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'', released in 1999. These games, alongside the ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' mod ''VideoGame/CounterStrike'' (which isn't exactly an AFPS, but which still caused an impact that in no way should be underestimated) popularized online gaming, however, due to ToughActToFollow both genre-wise and franchise-wise, the AFPS genre didn't reach the same impact since then. With the release of the source code of the first three games in the ''Quake'' series between 2002 and 2005 allowing the rise of free FPS (most of which were ''Quake III Arena'' [[FollowTheLeader clones]]), the multiplayer FPS scene going down the class-based/realistic path, and the lack of proper commercial AFPS releases (with the underperforming of 2007's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' being the final nail in the coffin), the scene never managed to reach that peak.

Online-wise, these games tend to be of the DropInDropOutMultiplayer class, which means players don't need to wait until a round or match ends (except in some round-based gamemodes) to join a match. There are also (usually) no matchmaking features involved so that all players can join any match regardless of skill level. This carries a problem, though, as newbies are usually trounced by seasoned players without any way to make a comeback. This sheer steepness of the learning curve (not helped by {{Tutorial Level}}s ''not'' teaching advanced moves to new players), as well as the rise and popularity of other subgenres of multiplayer FPS led to the subgenre (once a mainstay of TournamentPlay at the beginning of the TurnOfTheMillennium) dwindling in popularity by the time TheNewTens rolled around. Attempts were made to revive the genre now and then, but they always fumbled, even when more "classic" or "arcadey" shooters ''did'' manage to make something of a comeback. On the plus side, they also tend to avoid becoming MisbegottenMultiplayerMode due to the simplicity of its design philosophy (which is why their {{Tutorial Level}}s tend to be quite basic), though they also tend to fall into FollowTheLeader territory due to the genre not having much space for innovation and evolution. Around TheNewTens, when the genre hinted at a comeback, examples that mixed AFPS with [[ThirdPersonShooter a third-person perspective]] also began to appear.

The origins of the subgenre can be found in ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' in 1993. The game has a synchronic multiplayer mode where players battled until the one with the highest amount of points (or the one who reached the score limit) was declared the winner. This is the basis for the "Deathmatch" mode, which itself later became the basis for every other gamemode. Later games introduced a team-based variant (usually called "Team Deathmatch") where [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin players were grouped in teams]] and the team that reached the score limit or made the highest amount of frags was declared the winner. Both ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'' and especially ''VideoGame/QuakeI'' later introduced and popularized Z-axis gameplay or "vertical" gameplay, with the latter game also popularizing DropInDropOutMultiplayer as the standard for AFPS, ditching the synchronic model used up to then. While almost every other FPS released in TheNineties would come with a multiplayer mode in an attempt to catch new players and increase the replayability of their games, the subgenre would finally explode (and the e-Sports scene blossom as a consequence) with the advent of two games released with two days of difference that would create the (then) biggest [[DuelingGames videogame feud]] for quite some time: Creator/EpicGames's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' and Creator/IdSoftware's ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'', released in 1999. These games, alongside the ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' mod ''VideoGame/CounterStrike'' (which isn't exactly an AFPS, but which still caused an impact that in no way should be underestimated) popularized online gaming, however, due to ToughActToFollow both game-wise and franchise-wise, the AFPS genre didn't reach the same impact since then. With the release of the source code of the first three games in the ''Quake'' series between 2002 and 2005 allowing the rise of free FPS (most of which were ''Quake III Arena'' [[FollowTheLeader clones]]), the multiplayer FPS scene going down the class-based/realistic path, and the lack of proper commercial AFPS releases (with the underperforming of 2007's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' being the final nail in the coffin), the scene never managed to reach that peak.

** ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'' - Streamlined and refined Deathmatch of the previous entries to its purest elements, becoming in the process the very basis for a lot of multiplayer-based games. A browser version eventually evolved into a standalone game called ''Quake Live'', as well as several console-based versions (''Revolution'' for [=PS2=], ''Arena Arcade'' for ''Xbox Live'') that didn't take.

* DualMode: There's at least one vehicle with [[StanceSystem multiple driving modes]].

* ArrangeMode: The Botmatch modes usually contain some activable rules aside from the score and time limits such as [[VampiricDraining a "vampire" mode]] that siphons health from the opponents and adds them to your own, RegeneratingHealth, game speed, (re)spawn protection against spawn campers, and a single-weapon rule where all players must use a single weapon throughout the match. These options are also available for online multiplayer matches.

* BottomlessFuelTanks: Should those rare cases where vehicles may be added onto the mix, expect them to never run out of fuel.

* RuleOfCool ''and'' RuleOfFun '' are the priority over realism, as mentioned above.

* VehicularCombat: Some of these games have gamemodes designed for vehicle-based play, with the vehicles complementing the games' mechanics. Vehicles aren't used outside of these dedicated modes (most of the time).

* ''VideoGame/UnrealI'' - In addition to its known contributions to the genre (vast open maps and SecondaryFire) it introduced the "dodging" and "lift jumping" maneuvers that became staples of the series, as well as the "Botmatch" mode, effectively deathmatch played offline with AI human-like opponents. Had 10 multiplayer-specific maps, with 6 more added via a separate "Bonus Pack".

The origins of the subgenre can be found in ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' in 1993. The game has a synchronic multiplayer mode where players battled until the one with the highest amount of points (or the one who reached the score limit) was declared the winner. This is the basis for the "Deathmatch" mode, which itself later became the basis for every other gamemode. Later games introduced a team-based variant (usually called "Team Deathmatch") where [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin players were grouped in teams]] and the team that reached the score limit or made the highest amount of frags was declared the winner. Both ''VideoGame/DukeNukem3D'' and especially ''VideoGame/QuakeI'' later introduced and popularized Z-axis gameplay or "vertical" gameplay, with the latter game also popularizing DropInDropOutMultiplayer as the standard for AFPS, ditching the synchronic model used up to then. While almost every other FPS released in TheNineties would come with a multiplayer mode in an attempt to catch new players and increase the replayability of their games, the subgenre would finally explode (and the e-Sports scene blossom as a consequence) with the advent of two games released with two days of difference that would create the (then) biggest [[DuelingGames videogame feud]] for quite some time: Creator/EpicGames's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' and Creator/IdSoftware's ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'', released in 1999. These games, alongside the ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' mod ''VideoGame/CounterStrike'' (which isn't exactly an AFPS, but which still caused an impact that in no way should be underestimated) popularized online gaming, however, due to ToughActToFollow both game-wise and franchise-wise, the AFPS genre didn't reach the same impact since then. With the release of the source code of the first three games in the ''Quake'' series between 2002 and 2005 allowing the rise of free FPS (most of which were ''Quake III Arena'' clones), the multiplayer FPS scene going down the class-based/realistic path, and the lack of proper commercial AFPS releases (with the underperforming of 2007's ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' being the final nail in the coffin), the scene never managed to reach that peak.

[[caption-width-right:640:''"[[Music/{{Motorhead}} Look over your shoulder, ready to run]]\\
[[Wrestling/TripleH Like a good little bitch, from a smokin' gun]]"'']]

[[Wrestling/TripleH Like a good little bitch, from a smokin' gun]]]]"''

[[caption-width-right:640:[[Music/{{Motorhead}} Look over your shoulder, ready to run]]\\
[[Wrestling/TripleH Like a good little bitch, from a smokin' gun]]]]

[[caption-width-right:640:[[Music/{{Motorhead}} Look over your shoulder, ready to run]], [[Wrestling/TripleH Like a good little bitch, from a smokin' gun]]]]

A multiplayer-based subgenre of the FirstPersonShooter genre, the Arena-Based FPS subgenre (known colloquially as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_shooter Arena Shooter]] or its shortened form AFPS) is billed as being focused on "skill" rather than "perks", an allusion to the scoring system not granting in-game unbalancing bonuses for kill streaks, kill {{combos}} or just scoring, with "skill" being the actual ability to score frags, in comparison to other multiplayer shooters that contain such {{Comeback Mechanic}}s. It's a shooter form that used to be quite prevalent between TheNineties up to half of the TurnOfTheMillennium.

** ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'' - Also features vehicle-based gamemodes, in this case, Warfare and Vehicle CTF. Refined the physics-based jumps and removed the Dodge-Jump. Added the Hoverboard as an alternative movement option in vehicle maps replacing the Translocator. A later update introduced another vehicle-based mode (Greed, but only when played in VCTF maps).

** ''VideoGame/QuakeI'' - Introduced (via [[GoodBadBugs glitches]]) physics-based and weapon-based jumps ("trickjumps") to the genre. Introduced the CaptureTheFlag gamemode via the ''Threewave CTF'' mod. Introduced ''many'' features (both for players and serveradmins) via the official ''[[https://quake.fandom.com/wiki/Quakeworld Quakeworld]]'' source port. All the maps of the single-player portion of the game can be played in multiplayer, and there are 8 multiplayer-exclusive maps grouped under a "Deathmatch Episode". Notable AI mods include Omicron and Reaper Bot, which were created by Mr. Elusive and Steve Polge, future AI programmers for ''Quake III Arena'' and ''Unreal Tournament'' respectively. The 2021 remastered edition of the game added AI bots for offline deathmatch; only the maps from the Creator/MachineGames episodes are bereft from being played in Deathmatch mode; later updates added a [[HoldTheLine "Horde"]] mode and [[AscendedFanfic integrated]] ''Threewave CTF'' into the game.

A multiplayer-based subgenre of the FirstPersonShooter genre, the Arena-Based FPS subgenre (known coloquially as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arena_shooter Arena Shooter]] or its shortened form AFPS) is billed as being focused on "skill" rather than "perks", an allusion to the scoring system not granting in-game unbalancing bonuses for kill streaks, kill {{combos}} or just scoring, with "skill" being the actual ability to score frags, in comparison to other multiplayer shooters that contain such {{Comeback Mechanic}}s. It's a shooter form that used to be quite prevalent between TheNineties up to half of the TurnOfTheMillennium.

In an AFPS, all players in a match start with the same StarterEquipment. Also, items such as more powerful weapons, health/armor items, ammo boxes and powerups are scattered across the level, requiring players to travel through the maps and collect them in order to get better firepower and other advantages over their enemies. Note that this doesn't apply to [[MacGuffin key game objectives]] such as [[StrategicAssetCaptureMechanic control points]] or the flags in CaptureTheFlag.

As for the levels, they don't tend to have big, game-changing features outside of the usual level hazards such as lava/slime pits and death pits/the void. However, there are games which play with features such as death traps and area-wide or level-wide environmental hazards such as fog.

Movement physics also play an important role in these games, where players aren't restrained to just walk/run, sidestep, turn, jump and crouch, but also can do [[JumpPhysics stunts]] like {{double jump}}s, {{wall jump}}s, [[RocketJump weapon-based jumping]], VideoGameDashing and other special moves. Expect game physics to be abused for the sake of competitivity, leading to CasualCompetitiveConflict.

For replayability purposes, these games contain an integrated AI designed to mimic human players, as otherwise you need to be online at all times just to play them. Because the nuances of playing against human are usually difficult to translate into game code, this AI is often quite basic, being able to move, shoot at opponents, jump, and almost nothing else. Some games, in the higher difficulty levels, even give the AI SecretAIMoves, allowing them to use features the human players can't. Seldom the AI is programmed to take advantage of the actual JumpPhysics, or use RocketJump.

Standalone games of the genre (and some of which aren't standalone) contain two single player-based modes:

* A SinglePlayerGauntlet which uses the game's own multiplayer maps, with a ''very'' barebones ExcusePlot that is usually a TournamentArc, if they feature such a mode, as well as an "Instant Action", "Skirmish" or "Practice" mode that allows the players to set their own offline matches with the rules they pick. NoPlotNoProblem is also found in these games, especially in the [[UsefulNotes/FreeLibreOpenSourceSoftware FLOSS]] games. Very rarely there's a more developed plot.
* A Botmatch mode (usually called "Instant Action", "Practice Session" or "Skirmish") for offline play in any of the maps of the game, with the players being able to customize the rules to their liking. Note that this mode may also be present in games which include an AFPS-based component.

Online-wise, these games tend to be of the DropInDropOutMultiplayer class, which means players don't need to wait until a round or match ends (except in some round-based gamemodes) in order to join a match. There's also (usually) no matchmaking features involved, so all players can join any match regardless of skill level. This carries a problem, though, as newbies are usually trounced by seasoned players without any way to make a comeback. This sheer steepness of the learning curve (not helped by {{Tutorial Level}}s ''not'' teaching advanced moves to new players), as well as the rise and popularity of other subgenres of multiplayer FPS led to the subgenre (once a mainstay of TournamentPlay at the beginning of the TurnOfTheMillennium) dwindling in popularity by the time TheNewTens rolled around. Attempts were made to revive the genre every now and then, but they always fumbled, even when more "classic" or "arcadey" shooters ''did'' manage to make something of a comeback. On the plus side, they also tend to avoid becoming MisbegottenMultiplayerMode due to the simplicity of its design philosophy (which is why their {{Tutorial Level}}s tend to be quite basic), though they also tend to fall into FollowTheLeader territory due to the genre not having much space for innovation and evolution. Around TheNewTens, when the genre hinted at a comeback, examples that mixed AFPS with [[ThirdPersonShooter a third-person perspective]] also began to appear.

These games tend to be located in the "Classic" end of the FacklerScaleOfFPSRealism, and differ themselves from games in other genres in the following ways:

* HeroShooter, due to all characters being different only in the cosmetic side, and having the same starting loadouts and abilities.
* BattleRoyaleGame, due to its number of players per match being quite reduced (2-16) in comparison with BRG's humongous numbers (50-100), as well as spawnpoints being predefined, randomized, and instant-use (except in round-based matches or matches with "wave" rules), rather than, well, being able to pick up a spawnpoint and dropping from a bus onto it.

* AcceptableBreaksFromReality: Realism is heavily downplayed or non-existant, with balancing and the so-called "fun factor" taking place up front.
** While in other games and genres a single explosive can decimate anything, [[HoistByHisownPetard even the user]], in these games projectile damage is reduced to a [[SlapOnTheWristNuke slap in the wrist]]. Only {{BFG}}s are exempt of the rule by their very nature as superweapons. This is also what allows RocketJump to exist in these games as an alternate way to travel through the maps. This, however, doesn't prevent [[TooDumbToLive careless projectile fire management to kill its user]], with the usual consequence being a point deducted from their personal score in the scoreboard.
** Rapid-fire bullet-based weapons such as machineguns and chainguns don't need much ammo in real life to decimate a person. In these games, you need a lot of concentrated fire on a single point to down another player.

* ArrangeMode: The Botmatch modes usually contain some activable rules aside of the score and time limits such as [[VampiricDraining a "vampire" mode]] that siphons health from the opponents and add them to your own, RegeneratingHealth, game speed, (re)spawn protection against spawncampers, and a single-weapon rule where all players must use a single weapon throughout the match. These options are also available for online multiplayer matches.
* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: Some maps in these games take place in the outer space, where breathing shouldn't be possible. Some arenas especially allow their combatants to play in the very outer space itself. This doesn't prevent characters from getting outside and kill each other. Falling outside of the arena still kills the players, though.
* BlatantItemPlacement: This subgenre specializes in multiplayer gaming, so it's expected that item/weapon placement obey strategic reasons rather than logical reasons.

* CaptureTheFlag: One of the most common gametypes, alongside regular Deathmatch, featured in these games. While some games have a rule variation, the basic concept (pick the enemy flag and bring it to your own base) remains the same.
* ChargedAttack: In these games, due to their focus on skill also giving a focus on ''speed'', this kind of attacks become DifficultButAwesome, as landing a charged shot at the right moment ''is'' difficult.

* CriticalExistenceFailure: Players can act like normal regardless if their health is between 1% or 100%. Once losing that last point, though...
* DropInDropOutMultiplayer: When playing these games online, you can join matches in-progress rather than waiting for the next match to start.

* GunsAkimbo: Certain weapons can be dual-wielded. Sometimes as a powerup.

* RuleOfCool ''and'' RuleOfFun being the priority over realism, as mentioned above.
* SinglePlayerGauntlet: These games' dedicated single-player mode often features the game's maps sorted in a linear way, and the player must overcome them [[ToBeAMaster to be the ultimate champion]].

** {{BFG}}: Usually called "Superweapon", maps which feature this weapon will place it in a high-risk area.

** GradualRegeneration: Appears in the maps as a powerup that slowly heals the player to a certain extent.

** RealTimeWeaponChange: While discouraged in TournamentPlay, there's the option to cycle between previous and next weapons as well as individually picking up an already owned weapon.
** ShortRangeShotgun: Expect these kind of weapons as the go-to weapon for close-range combat.

** FloatingPlatforms: Expect them to be a feature of space/void themed arenas.

!! Game index

* ''VideoGame/{{Nexuiz}}'' - AFPS running under the ''Quake'' source port ''[=DarkPlaces=]''. Had its own form of RocketJump with the "laser jump", that made small damage and had a greater knockback. Removed the caps on health and armor at the cost of quick decay/regeneration the higher the numbers.

** ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'' - Streamlined and refined Deathmatch of the previous entries to its purest elements, becoming in the process the very basis for a lot of multiplayer-based games. Had a browser version eventually made standalone game called ''Quake Live'', as well as several console-based versions (''Revolution'' for [=PS2=], ''Arena Arcade'' for ''Xbox Live'') that didn't take.

** ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' - Introduced the Translocator as an alternative traveling form. Introduced the Redeemer as a {{BFG}}, and the Impact Hammer replacing the Dispersion Pistol as a melee EmergencyWeapon. Streamlined and rearranged the Unreal weaponry. It had a regular contender to best multiplayer map and best CaptureTheFlag map in "Facing Worlds".

** ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament4'' - Further refined the movement by replacing the DoubleJump with wall-running and crouch-sliding. Extended the weapon roster. Previously free-to-play game that went down when Epic removed the whole series from the storefronts.

** ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' - It had its own form of jumping in "crate jumping" while retaining most of the jumps introduced in the original game, as well as different "hand" options for weapons (in addition to the centered weapon, it had left, right and hidden, all of which had advantages and disadvantages). Also, all the maps of the single-player portion of the game can be played in multiplayer, and a later update added 8 deathmatch-exclusive maps. Notable AI mods include the Eraser Bot and Gladiator Bot, the latter of which was created by the aforementioned Mr. Elusive. The 2023 remastered edition of the game added AI bots for offline deathmatch; but the only maps that can be played via console are the Deathmatch and CTF dedicated maps ([[DummiedOut single-player maps can still be played from console, though]]).