History Main / MutuallyExclusivePowerups

** In the arcade version of ''Super Contra'', as well as ''Contra 4'' for the DS, all of the weapons in the game can be upgraded once by picking the same one twice in a row. However, the extra firepower is lost when the player picks up a different weapon.

* In the NES version of ''{{Contra}}'', and its sequel ''Super C'', the bullet speeds of all of your weapons can be increased with the "Rapid Bullets" power-up. However, this upgrade is lost when the player changes to another weapon. This doesn't apply to the arcade version of the first game, in which the increased bullet speed is carried over from one weapon to another until the player loses a life due to the rarity of the Rapid Bullets power-up.

* In ''{{Contra}} 4'' at least, the guns can be powered up to a second level; this extra power-up is lost if the player switches weapons.

The case in video games where picking up one weapon or powerup results in losing another. This makes control schemes simpler, but may be more annoying. This is particularly aggravating if the game allows you to increase the level of a weapon or powerup only to lose it later. In some scenarios, the player must have a certain powerup to progress, and "[[PowerupLetdown wrong]]" powerups are effectively {{Poison Mushroom}}s.

More merciful games have the player drop the old weapon rather than having it vanish on them. This variation works like an [[InventoryManagementPuzzle inventory limit]] of one.

Doesn't count if it involves having to explicitly trade the old weapon away, or being explicitly given a choice between two weapons at a certain point (e.g. the sword/esper choice in ''FinalFantasyVI'', or the various choices between starters and fossils in the ''{{Pokemon}}'' games).

Doesn't count if it involves having to explicitly trade the old weapon away, or being explicitly given a choice between two weapons at a certain point.

* ''FinalFantasyVI'' has, late in the game, the option to choose between a sword or an esper. The sword is one of the most powerful in the game, but the esper teaches Ultima, the most powerful spell in the game. This is the only way to teach the spell, besides the somewhat tedious Paladin Shield quest, and so casual players are recommended to get the esper.

** Better example. Some point into the game, you find a stockpile of [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One Weapons]]. You only get to take one with you. (If your class can't equip the weapon you want, you get one normal weapon training instead)

* Obscure NES game "Twin Eagle" had four different weapon power-ups--conveniently color coded--that could be powered up three times. Getting the same power-up would increase it, but getting a different power-up would change weapon type while keeping the equivalent level.
* "Raiden Trad" for Sega Genesis had this for both the player's main weapon (guns) and sub-weapon (missiles).

* Gauntlet: Dark Legacy. The items seemed to be divided into ten groups, but there were far more than ten items. So you could easily end up replacing a very good item with a very bad one.

Doesn't count if it involves having to explicitly trade the old weapon away, or being given a choice between two weapons at a certain point.

Doesn't count if it involves having to explicitly trade the old weapon away at a certain point.

* The first three generations of ''{{Pokemon}}'' have two Pokemon that are revived from fossils. Taking one of the fossils means you lose the other one and have to trade for it (Diamond/Pearl have fossil Pokemon as well, but what fossils you can dig up in the underground depends on which version you have).
** There's also the choice between Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan as your reward in the Fighting Dojo in generations 1 and 3. Eevee's evolutions also count to a degree, and heck, even the choice of your starter Pokémon can be viewed like this!
** The trope's use in regards to the fossils is subverted in ''Emerald Version'', where choosing one of the two fossils will cause the Mirage Tower that contains them to sink into the sand with the other, seemingly gone forever. However, after the Elite Four is beaten, one can travel through the Desert Underpass in which the other fossil can be found.
** The 4-move limit could also count; if a Pokemon knows 4 moves and reaches a point where they would learn another, one of their 4 current moves must be dropped in order to learn the new one.

* In ''{{Final Fantasy VI}}'', if you go to Narshe in World of Ruin and talk to the sick weapon smith, he offers you either the Ragnarok esper or sword. Both cannot be found anywhere else in the game, except that you can steal the sword from the third form of the final boss, but at that point it doesn't matter anymore.

Doesn't count if it involves having to explicitly trade the old weapon away.

* ''CaveStory'' with the myriad of weapons you could put in the first weapon slot. Each one is gotten at a certain point, too, so no switching! And then there's [[MagikarpPower the Spur]]

* Obscure NES game "Twin Eagle: Revenge Joe's Brother" had four different weapon power-ups--conveniently color coded--that could be powered up three times. Getting the same power-up would increase it, but getting a different power-up would change weapon type while keeping the equivalent level.
* Sega Genesis game "Raiden Trad" gave the player's craft two separate categories (guns and missiles), both of which could be powered up six times.
** For the guns, you choose between the Spread bullets, which could fill the screen at max level; and the laser, which was tight but extremely powerful.
** For the missiles, you choose between powerful, unguided rockets and agile, homing missiles.

*** Even better, the lightning shield effect is ''not'' mutually exclusive with Super Sonic, making the form quite easy to maintain if you find one.

* ''Tyrian'''s Arcade Mode and Super Arcade Mode required to you start over from level one in efficacy when you picked up a different weapon powerup than the one you currently had. This could get...annoying...when it was accidental.

* In ''{{Purple}}'', you can't pick up another weapon without losing previous one on the way.

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* ''EarthwormJim 2'', while not causing you to lose weapons outright, had any new gun you picked up automatically equip itself, and lacked any ability to switch your equipped weapon. This was quite annoying with most weapons, but still managable. Except for the [[JokeItem Bubble Gun]] which was rendered a PoisonMushroom because of the lack of weapon-switching ability.

** Averted in ''{{Super Mario 64}}''. The special caps can be worn together. [[spoiler: It's possible to get one Star by wearing a Vanish Cap and Metal Cap together, but it's easier to take only the Vanish Cap because you can swim faster than if you were walking on the ocean floor.]]