History Main / ExplodingBarrels

* ''VideoGame/LordOfTheRingsTheTwoTowers'' has an entire level with explosives (And Orc suicide bombers!). Moreover, these items will explode when hit by swords or arrows...

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' series, the countless abandoned nuclear-powered cars act like these, exploding with miniature mushroom clouds. In ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', the generator room at Nellis Air Force Base is littered with howitzer shells that will go off in a massive explosion if shot, possibly starting a chain reaction killing everyone in the room, AND it is infested with [[ActionBomb exploding giant ants]] that can set them off as well.

The first instance of Exploding Barrels in video games can be traced back to ''VideoGame/TheSpeedRumbler'' from 1986 but it gained popularity a few years later. Exploding Barrels is a well-worn trope, but with [[UndeadHorseTrope no signs of going away]]; sure, the presence of these barrels may be inexplicable at best, but RuleOfFun is king, and players will never get tired of having convenient sources of StuffBlowingUp lying around.

This is a [[DeadHorseTrope well-worn trope]], but with [[UndeadHorseTrope no signs of going away]]; sure, the presence of these barrels may be inexplicable at best, but RuleOfFun is king, and players will never get tired of having convenient sources of StuffBlowingUp lying around.

* The ''Franchise/{{Doom}}'' series.
** ''VideoGame/DoomII'' has an entire level packed with them named "Barrels O' Fun". As the first FPS to feature exploding barrels, ''Doom'' also bears honorable mention for filling them with something other than implied gasoline. They were filled with ''nuclear waste'' instead... [[MadeOfExplodium that somehow explodes when shot]].
** ''VideoGame/Doom3'': They're present in two flavors in the game: the red ones labeled HIGHLY VOLATILE, that explode instantly when damaged in any way, and the yellow FLAMMABLE ones that catch fire and explode a fair few seconds after if they're shot, but go boom right away if caught in an explosion. They tend to be placed most often in places where demons teleport in, for added fun. ''[[ExpansionPack Resurrection of Evil]]'' introduces the [[WreakingHavok Grabber]], with which you can pick up and throw the barrels for an instant dose of kablooie.

* At least two instances shows up in ''Film/TheKiller''. The beach shootout have Ah Jong blowing up a mook by shooting a stack of drums that just ''happens'' to be right there (probably gasoline for boats) and the climatic church shootout somehow contains propane tanks outside, which explodes when shot at incinerating a few thugs.

* ''VideoGame/TurboOverkill'' features red barrels that explode upon taking damage. They're usually clustered together and are located near enemies.

* ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' has red white and blue barrels filled with fireworks in early levels. The Result of shooting them is a rather spectacular light show that deals deceptively high damage.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bulletstorm}}'s'' developers [[http://www.peoplecanfly.com/blog/2011/01/we-had-to-use-red-barrels/ found that making them]] not red doesn't really work.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}}'', they are spread around as expected, and when shot burst into flames and then explodes. But what deserves the mention are a few facts together: the game is highly mod-able, Crytek provides the map editor and the physics engine is very advanced. Cue user created maps filled with kilometer high buildings made of barrels and then set to explode, or a tornado throwing barrels around and then set to explode, the sky's the limit. Just search Website/YouTube.

** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'' fulfills this trope with its phazon containers. Should a space pirate be standing next to one while Samus destroys it, they will be promptly evaporated.

** ''VideoGame/BioshockInfinite'' has red white and blue barrels filled with fireworks in early levels. The Result of shooting them is a rather spectacular light show that deals deceptively high damage.
* ''VideoGame/BattlefieldBadCompany 2'' has explosive crates and barrels as well as gas tanks scattered around the maps causing great damage on the destructible scenery (and players) when destroyed. However, for some reason, many players seem to think they are great to hide behind, with predictable results.
** Lampshaded in the campaign, with one of the conversations between Haggard and Sweetwater: "So here we are, in South Americastan or wherever, all [=SpecOps=]'d up... and we're still blowin' up barrels." "What would you rather be doing?" "I'm just sayin'... rescuin' hostages, doin' slo-mo weapons kills on terrorists, tellin' people to 'Get off my plane'." "You wanna be Harrison Ford in Film/AirForceOne?" "Don't you?"

** Ditto for ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor'', and any game using the ID Tech 3 engine. The research facility level in ''Frontline'' has lab vials that explode violently when shot, as well as gas cylinders.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' series. ''VideoGame/DoomII'' had an entire level packed with them named "Barrels O' Fun". As the first FPS to feature exploding barrels, ''Doom'' also bears honorable mention for filling them with something other than implied gasoline. They were filled with ''nuclear waste'' instead... [[MadeOfExplodium that somehow explodes when shot]]. In ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'', the barrels are back... and upgrades make them ''give ammo, regenerate and only hurt bad guys'', meaning that you can exploit them even without bad guys around.

** They're present in two flavors in ''VideoGame/{{Doom 3}}'': the red ones labeled HIGHLY VOLATILE, that explode instantly when damaged in any way, and the yellow FLAMMABLE ones that catch fire and explode a fair few seconds after if they're shot, but go boom right away if caught in an explosion. They tend to be placed most often in places where demons teleport in, for added fun. ''[[ExpansionPack Resurrection of Evil]]'' introduces the [[WreakingHavok Grabber]], with which you can pick up and throw the barrels for an instant dose of kablooie.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' frequently has explosive barrels -- bright red, with a skull-and-crossbones marking -- around enemy camps, which will violently explode on contact with fire or when struck with sufficient force. If they're within each other's explosion radii, blowing one up will set off an explosive chain reaction. By sneakily repositioning these and detonating them with Fire Arrows or Bomb Arrows, Link can take out all the monsters without them ever detecting him.

* This happens in the WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries episode "[[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE56HarleyAndIvy Harley and Ivy]]". The Joker winds up setting the former toxic waste dump on fire by shooting at some barrels.

* Spoofed in the ''Half-Life 2'' webcomic ''Webcomic/{{Concerned}}''

** Several strips later, he uses them to launch his boat over a barrier. Instead of creating a ramp with weighted barrels.

[[folder:Action Adventure]]

* ''VideoGame/Carmageddon'' series has red explosive barrels. Driving into them damages the car, launching it in the air.