History Main / OnlyOneSaveFile

* ''VideoGame/EuropaUniversalis IV'' has an "ironman mode," which does not allow more than one save for a game at a time and auto-saves every six months. Achievements could only be acquired in this mode.

* ''VideoGame/CardCityNights1'': Has only one save file because the only CharacterCustomization is in physical appearance, and UnintentionallyUnwinnable is impossible.

* ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'' has only one save file, a stark contrast to its predecessor which had ''30''; this is because the game was released on the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS and, on a technical level, it already pushes the system's capacity to the limit (the first game, meanwhile, was benefited by the vast space and specs provided by the UsefulNotes/Playstation2 and the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}). Unfortunately, there's a good deal of collectibles that are {{Permanently Missable|Content}} -- some of which are tied into NewGamePlus functionality.
* The ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'' series has started doing this with its later UsefulNotes/PlayStation3 games, having one save per account. This changed after ''Into the Nexus'' when fans asked for multiple saves like in the older titles, so starting with ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankRiftApart Rift Apart]]'', multiple saves have returned. Of the Ratchet games that only have one save, there are a few variations:

* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': The series started as cartridge games for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy with ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'', and this trope is now presumably tradition:

** ZigZagged for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch games, where the device can have multiple save files by switching over to a different account. One save per account.

* The first four ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' games only have one save slot. The UsefulNotes/Nintendo3DS games upgrade to two saves.

* The three Creator/{{INiS}} [[UsefulNotes/NintendoDS DS]] [[RhythmGame Rhythm Games]], the ''VideoGame/OsuTatakaeOuendan'' duology and ''VideoGame/EliteBeatAgents'', only allow you to keep one save file per copy of the game. ''Agents'' only allows you to save one replay per mission, while ''Ouendan 2'' lets you save up to 20 replays of any mission without such restriction.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'', in both Fortress Mode and Adventure Mode, uses a save system that is under normal condition effectively the same as most {{roguelike}}s: saves are not deleted when you load them, but you can't stop the game without saving it (or finishing it, if you lose) and selecting "quit" from the main menu. SaveScumming is still possible by forcing the computer to close the program or manually copying the same file, but is considered cheating.

* In ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'', you are allowed one ''town'' per disc or cartridge, with up to four player characters being allowed to live in a single town; ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'' increases this limit to eight. In most games, these characters can be deleted and swapped in for new creations whenever you desire, though ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewLeaf'' and ''New Horizons'' disallow you from [[CantDropTheHero deleting the first created character]] (who serves as the mayor/island representative) without erasing the town/island entirely. ''New Horizons'' also [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggerates]] this trope since unlike most Switch games that have one save per profile it has one save per ''console'', that increase from four players to eight, that's actually the maximum number of profiles on the Switch.

* ''VideoGame/OneShot'' makes this a plot point: You, the player, only have one chance to complete the game. The original version even went as far as to lock you into a game over if you closed the game outside of designated {{Save Point}}s.

* In ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossing'', you are allowed one ''town'' per disc or cartridge, with up to four player characters being allowed to live in a single town; ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'' increases this limit to eight. In most games, these characters can be deleted and swapped in for new creations whenever you desire, though ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewLeaf'' and ''New Horizons'' disallow you from [[CantDropTheHero deleting the first created character]] (who serves as the mayor/island representative) without erasing the town/island entirely.
** ''New Horizons'' also [[ExaggeratedTrope exaggerates]] this trope since unlike most Switch games that have one save per profile it has one save per ''console'', that increase from four players to eight, that's actually the maximum number of profiles on the switch.