History Main / DestructibleProjectiles

This mechanic is also known as "bullet canceling." {{Painfully Slow Projectile}}s or BulletTime are usually the reason this is possible. {{Homing Projectile}}s and grenades are the most common targets for this. In some games, this also provides a renewable source of health or ammo pickups, especially in extended {{Boss Battle}}s (where it may overlap with BossArenaRecovery).

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* In various ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' games (''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' in particular), certain boss battle projectiles can be destroyed for health or Missile refills for BossArenaRecovery.
* The last Ganondorf fight in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' uses this. You have to play "tennis" with his energy balls.

* Bullet Bills in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series are a gray area between "lifeless projectile" and "enemy character", considering that in the sidescrolling games you can GoombaStomp them like any other enemy. However, it might be worth noting that in ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'', Bullet Bills can deflect ''off each other'', whereas in the 8- and 16- bit sidescrollers they simply passed through. Bullet Bills in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' can be destroyed ''by spraying water at them.''
* In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', you can destroy certain projectiles (like the fireballs and bones enemies throw) with the cape spin, which is useful if you've got nowhere to run.

* Homing missiles in ''VideoGame/SolarJetman''.
* ''VideoGame/HeroCore'' homing missiles.

* VideoGame/CommandAndConquer:

* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 5]]'' you can shoot down thrown weapons like sickles or crossbow bolts. There is even an achievement/trophy for using your knife to deflect a crossbow bolt in ''Resident Evil 5''.
* The Torpedo sub weapon in ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' can be shot down, causing it to explode harmlessly in midair. While it only takes a small amount of damage to destroy it, doing so is definitely in your best interest if you find one is targeting you -- aside from this weakness, it is otherwise a rather devastating HomingProjectile that not only explodes ''non''-harmlessly on impact, but also [[RecursiveAmmo spreads several explosive pellets]] into the area around it.

* In various ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' games (''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' in particular), certain projectiles can be destroyed for health or Missile refills during boss battles.

* A standard part of gameplay in the ''VideoGame/{{Touhou}}'' fighting side-games. An important part of play skill is knowing which bullets are "tough" enough to cancel which ones.

* In ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', many projectiles can be shot and drop hearts, energy crystals or ammo, which makes them a useful source of BossArenaRecovery. [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] on a few occasions, with enemy bullets that can block the player's.
* In the ''Videogame/{{Clonk}}'' military packs "Eke Reloaded" and "Codename: Modern Combat", grenades and rockets can be shot to safely destroy them.

* Bullet Bills in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series are a gray area between "lifeless projectile" and "enemy character", considering that in the sidescrolling games you can GoombaStomp them like any other enemy. However, it might be worth noting that in VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros, Bullet Bills can deflect ''off each other'', whereas in the 8- and 16- bit sidescrollers they simply passed through. Bullet Bills in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' can be destroyed ''by spraying water at them.''

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', held and thrown grenades can be shot to make them detonate prematurely. Of course, it's darn near impossible what with combat being so hectic and them being so small and fast. However, using [[BulletTime VATS]] mode allows you to select them and shoot them with far greater accuracy. There's something ''[[VideogameCrueltyPotential special]]'' about the first time you detonate a wastelanders arm by shooting the grenade they planned to lob at you. [[CatharsisFactor And the following fifty as well]].

* Missiles in ''Videogame/MechWarrior'' can be shot down, but only by the automated (Laser) Anti-Missile System. In ''[=MechWarrior=] Living Legends'', the LAMS is an actual turret mounted on [[HumongousMecha battlemech's]] head which benefits from steady piloting, so staring down incoming missiles can increase the number shut down. Static LAMS mounted in bases can even shoot down Long Tom Artillery shells to prevent camping with the [[DeathFromAbove finger-of-god]] artillery tank.

* Certain projectiles act this way in the ''VideoGame/StarFox'' games, allowing you to destroy them for health power-ups.

[[folder:Third Person Shooter]]
* In ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 5]]'' you can shoot down thrown weapons like sickles or crossbow bolts. There is even an achievement/trophy for using your knife to deflect a crossbow bolt in ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5''.

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals'': The Paladin tank has a laser that shoots down enemy missiles. Problem is, the laser's rate of fire is slower than most missiles, so countering a MacrossMissileMassacre requires BeamSpam. Base defenses will also try to shoot down GLA Scud missiles and Chinese nukes, but they're onscreen for too little time for it to matter.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'':
** With enough AntiAir defenses (or Yuriko), it's possible to shoot an aircraft carrier's drones midair. This won't prevent the carrier from attacking since it just produces new ones, but will prevent it from doing damage.
** With a ridiculous amount of anti-air defenses, it's possible to shoot down the delivery aircraft for support powers (the bombers for Precision Strike and Desolator airstrikes, Sunburst Drones).

* ''VideoGame/Doom3'' includes this for both enemy projectiles and the player's. While one of the video logs mentions the {{BFG}}'s shots being vulnerable to stray fire, the ability to destroy other types of projectiles is something [[GuideDangIt you'll have to find out on your own]]. In fact, destroying a projectile will cause it to explode, allowing you to kill a demon [[HoistByHisOwnPetard with its own fire]]. That said, it's usually easier to just dodge most projectiles, the two main exceptions being the Revenant's homing missiles and the Cacodemon's giant (and thus impossible to miss) energy balls.

* Shielded tears in ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'' destroy projectiles they come in contact with. This carries over with any tear effects that Isaac gets, such as lasers from Technology items or Trisagion's light blasts. The Bot Fly familiar is very specifically this trope, as it circles around Isaac and fires shielded tears to intercept any projectiles that come near him, but otherwise ignores enemies.

[[folder:RPG]]