History Main / GuerrillaBoulders

* Happens on some levels in ''VideoGame/CrystalCaves'', always helpfully featuring a sign saying "Falling Rocks." They stop falling if you are near the top of the level.

* In the last part (before the FinalBoss) of the last level ''VideoGame/TheSmurfs'' on SNES and Genesis, various things are tumbling down the stairs you're climbing. While this could be the BigBad's doing, he has no reason not to simply wait for you, especially considering his tactics and placement in the BossBattle.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'': While Link is going up Death Mountain, a volcano erupts boulders onto him when he specifically stands on the road in front of it. Getting to the wall means that the volcanic activity stops. Link later learns the mountain's fury is exacerbated by a vengeful dragon with a penchant for dropping fiery rocks on people.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'': In addition to Link-seeking magma bombs in a few areas of Death Mountain (also triggered by a dangerous lizard), boulders will often tumble down ravines while Link is trying to climb them; the same happens with giant snowballs in cold areas. In many cases, there are enemies nearby who could conceivably be responsible, but in others there are no living things nearby.

[[caption-width-right:256:[-Not even looking into the mirror at an angle will show you who is doing this.-] ]]

The hero is busily traversing across the mountains. It shan't be too long before reaching their destination. Aside from the common mountain mooks and a few BottomlessPits, this mountain isn't so bad.

Except now they're being pelted with boulders! It's a weak avalanche that they can tell is coming from higher up the mountain. Something has to be causing all these boulders to fall down on them. After a short detour up the mountain, they were expecting to find the source of the boulders. It'd only make sense for there to be a reason for this avalanche, right?

Nope! Upon locating what would've been the source of the boulders falling down, the hero not only finds themselves without an answer as to why rocks rained on them, but now [[StealthHiBye the boulders have simply stopped.]]

Enter Guerrilla Boulders, a form of obstacle in video games. Commonly being boulders, balls of snow, or even mook attacks coming from off screen, these obstacles ruthlessly attack the playable character until the player is close enough to the source, at which point the obstacle simply disappears without explanation. Usually at least two of the following conditions are in play:

The name derives from guerrilla warfare, referring to how the obstacle tends to attack in set amounts before retreating or stopping altogether. Given the invincible nature of these attacks, [[GoddamnedBats they are often regarded negatively]].

* ''[[VideoGame/SystemShock System Shock 2]]'' features a room with a cyborg ninja and a wave of never-ending metal crates falling down in it. The crates fell down on you, which only mysteriously stopped once you actually killed the ninja.

* In the last part (before the FinalBoss) of the last level ''TheSmurfs'' on SNES and Genesis, various things are tumbling down the stairs you're climbing. While this could be the BigBad's doing, he has no reason not to simply wait for you, especially considering his tactics and placement in the BossBattle.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'': While Link is going up Death Mountain, a volcano erupts boulders onto him when he specifically stands on the road in front of it. Getting to the wall means that the volcanic activity stops. This even happens [[FridgeLogic after Link rids the Gorons of their problem in Dodongo Cavern]].

[[caption-width-right:256:[-Not even looking into the mirror at an angle will show you who is doing this is.-] ]]

[[caption-width-right:256:[-Not even looking into the mirror at an angle will show you whose doing this is.-] ]]

[[quoteright:256:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/088_5840.png]]

Except, [[HomingBoulders now they are being pelted with boulders!]] It's a weak avalanche that they can tell is coming from higher up the mountain. Something has to be causing all these boulders to fall down on them. After a short detour up the mountain, they were expecting to find the source of the boulders. It'd only make sense for there to be a reason for this avalanche, right?

'''[[LaughingMad HAHAHA,]] [[SarcasmMode YEAH,]] [[BigNo NOPE]]'''.

Upon locating what would've been the source of the boulders falling down, the hero not only finds their-self without an answer as to why rocks rained on them, but now [[StealthHiBye the boulders have simply stopped.]]

Enter Guerrilla Boulders, a form of obstacle in video games. Commonly being boulders, balls of snow, or even mook attacks coming from off screen, these obstacles ruthlessly attack the playable character until the player is close enough, in which case the obstacle simply has disappeared, despite nothing being done to remove it. At least two conditions for this YKTTW must be met, of which include:

# '''You cannot see why the obstacle happens.''' Is someone tossing the boulders down? Are natural forces at work during this? Is there a reason why this only happens when you're in the way? You don't ever find out the exact cause.
# '''It stops as soon as you get close enough.''' Whatever the cause, as long as you're close enough to the source (but not out of range or sight), it will cease to attack. Think removing enemies by bringing them off-screen, only [[InvertedTrope inverted]].

The name derives from guerrilla warfare, referring to how the obstacle tends to attack in set amounts before retreating or stopping altogether. Given the invincible nature of these attacks, they are often regarded [[GoddamnedBats negatively within levels]].

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' has a few of these.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG'' has Booster Hill, where an endless number of barrels roll down. As they're part of a mini-game, they don't hurt Mario, but they do cause him to stumble back.

The name derives from guerrilla warfare, referring to how the obstacle tends to attack in set amounts before retreating or stopping altogether. Given the invincible nature of these attacks, they are [[{{Understatement}} often regarded]] [[GoddamnedBats negatively within levels]].

* Guerilla boulders are an occasional obstacle in DynastyWarriors, SamuraiWarriors, and WarriorsOrochi. Squads of {{Mooks}} are generally stationed in the area where the rocks apparently come from, but nobody is seen actually chucking them. (In at least one case, however, the rocks are magically conjured.)

* ''TheLegendOfZelda'' has a few of these.

* Happens on some levels in ''VideoGame/CrystalCaves'', always helpfully featuring a sign saying "Falling Rocks." They stop falling if you are near the top of the level.

The name deprives from Guerrilla Warfare, referring to how the obstacle tends to attack in set amounts before retreating or stopping altogether. Given the invincible nature of these attacks, they are [[{{Understatement}} often regarded]] [[GoddamnedBats negatively within levels]].

* ''[[TheLegendOfZelda The Legend of Zelda]]'' has a few of these.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast A Link to the Past]]'': On the way to the Tower of Hera, boulders will fall down on Link when crossing a certain area on Death Mountain. These boulders fall until Link reaches the summit, where, despite the boulders clearly coming from there, become barren of all activity.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'': While going up Death Mountain, a volcano erupts boulders onto you when you specifically stand on the road in front of it. Getting to the wall means the volcanic activity stops. This even happens [[FridgeLogic after Link rids the Gorons of their problem in Dodongo Cavern.]]
* During a few levels of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'', there is water along the bottom of the level, and when you pass through a certain region, the water level starts to raise and lower only to stop again at a certain point. Also, Bowser's Castle has some horizontally traveling jets of flame that come from nowhere.

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[[caption-width-right:256:Not even looking into the mirror at an angle will show you whose doing this is.]]