History Main / RandomEncounters

* ''VideoGame/SigmaStarSaga'' for the GBA justifies this trope. Your allies have unmanned ships flying around above, and when they see something they don't like, they get spooked and summon up the nearest available pilot to help.

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' had an unconventional take on RandomEncounters (which is ironically [[OlderThanTheyThink close to how random encounters are handled in tabletop RPGs]]): while traveling across the PointAndClickMap, you could be interrupted by encounters ranging from a peaceful traveling dwarf merchant who had nice items to sell, through regular enemy ambush, to unique (i.e. not revisitable) levels that were part of a party member's character arc (and only triggered if he or she was in the active party). Furthermore, the regular enemy encounters varied depending on your progress in the main quest: for instance, you could encounter Darkspawn and receive help from a group of mages or knights if you have helped them earlier. All such instances were hand-built but they were still triggered randomly, so you couldn't anticipate which one you will blunder into next. Moreover, some of them (particularly in Denerim) were [[BeefGate considerably harder]] than enemies in static levels, and the fact that you were transported directly to your original destination after them without a chance to resupply meant that you could run into a second tough battle straight away. Also, since even the character arc-relevant encounters were random, it was possible to go through the entire game (or, particularly, the expansion) and never get a chance to finish a companion's personal assignment.

Monster battles that spontaneously occur at random intervals while the player travels across an RPG. They are the same thing to video game {{RPG}}s that ConstructAdditionalPylons mechanics are to RTS games, VideoGameLives are to Platformers, and [[TheManyDeathsOfYou dying every ten minutes]] is to {{Creator/Sierra}} [[AdventureGame adventure games]]: practically synonymous with the genre, and annoying as often as not.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] the music group of the same name, who does a lot of video game based {{Parody}} songs.

* There's a reason why ''VideoGame/MOTHER1'' is considered the [[OddballInTheSeries black sheep]] in the ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER}}'' trilogy, and that's due largely in part to the numerous (almost never-ending) random encounters thrust upon the player.

* ''VideoGame/LufiaAndTheFortressOfDoom'' had a frustratingly-high encounter rate, with enemies regularly jumping you just 2 or 3 squares after the last batch were disposed of. It could be temporarily alleviated with Pure Water (or ''increased'' with Foul Water if you desperately wanted to farm), but you couldn't block them out completely. Thankfully, ''LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'' replaced this with [[PreexistingEncounters enemies being visible on the dungeon screen]], who would freely move around as you did with varying levels of aggression, with your party having the ability to stun them with tools such as arrows if you didn't want to fight (although you still faced random encounters on the overworld map).

'''Vaarsuvius:''' I believe this is why they have been dubbed 'Random Encounters', rather than 'Statistically Probable Encounters'.

->'''Durkon''': Izzit just me, or does this boat seem ta get attacked by monsters WAY too often?\\
'''Vaarsuvius''': I believe this is why they have been dubbed 'Random Encounters', rather than 'Statistically Probable Encounters'.

[[IThoughtItMeant Not to be confused with]] the music group of the same name, who does a lot of video game based {{Parody}} songs.

* ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' games are fairly reasonable with the Random Encounters in general, but the ''VideoGame/SuikodenIV'' has rather high encounter rate to the point of frustrating. The encounter rate in ''SuikodenTierkreis'' is nowhere as bad as the former, but it can be annoying as well.

* ''VideoGame/WildARMs2'' and ''VideoGame/WildARMs3'' had an interesting variation on this called "Migrant Points". Just before a random encounter, you would be alerted and given the chance to skip the battle by spending Migrant Points (which could be restored by fighting battles or picking up crystals). At higher levels, you could even skip low-level encounters for free. This system was also used in the remake of ''[[VideoGame/WildArms1 Wild ARMs]]'', ''Alter Code F''.
** ''VideoGame/WildARMs4'' and ''VideoGame/WildARMs5'' allow you to turn off random encounters in a particular area after you've "cleared" a save point (usually by fighting a battle of some kind).

->'''Durkon''': Izzit just me, or does this boat seem ta get attacked by monsters WAY too often?
->'''Vaarsuvius''': I believe this is why they have been dubbed 'Random Encounters', rather than 'Statistically Probable Encounters'.
-->-- '''''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'''''

*** Similar items exist in many other games, such as ''StarOcean'', including items that increase the chance of an encounter. The ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' series of games all have an ability or item (sometimes multiple ones) that instantly summoned a random encounter; handy when looking for RandomlyDrops.

** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' has forsaken random encounters entirely. While scripted encounters still exist, such as NCR or Legion death squads if either of them dislike you, [[PreExistingEncounters they happen at fixed points]]. The weirder Special Encounters largely replace more mundane ones, and are accessed via the [[WeirdnessMagnet Wild Wasteland Trait]] (for example, Wild Wasteland replaces an ambush by some well-equipped Mercenaries with a battle with three crash-landed aliens).

* In ''Videogame/YuGiOhMonsterCapsuleGB'', random encounters are are decided by dice rolls and the number of steps you've taken—for instance, every 10 steps is a 30% chance to be attacked.

*** Similar items exist in many other games, such as ''StarOcean'', including items that increase the chance of an encounter. The ''DragonQuest'' series of games all have an ability or item (sometimes multiple ones) that instantly summoned a random encounter; handy when looking for RandomlyDrops.

Subtrope of RandomEvent. Contrast PreexistingEncounters, a specific aversion where enemies can be seen (and avoided) on the field, RoamingEnemy, which is for enemies that move (which also may be a PatrollingMook), or appear to move from place to place, are triggered by events, or anything which is neither this or PreexistingEncounters. There's also the FairyBattle, a variation where the random encounter isn't hostile but actually helps the player along. See also EncounterBait and EncounterRepellant for the mechanics of adjusting the rate of encounters, as well as EscapeBattleTechnique, for the mechanics of avoiding them once they've started. Compare BigLippedAlligatorMoment, where as that trope is about a single random occurrence that goes unmentioned, this trope covers repeating events that are rarely, if ever, mentioned by the story. Has a pinch of ButThouMust, because players trying to EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame can find this infuriating.

* ''VideoGame/SilentStorm'' has these on the map in real-time. The frequency and types of encounters are dependent on the current region. Some appear for up to a minute, while others show up for only a few seconds. Two of the rarer kind of encounters are of note. One pits you against an enemy squad, commanded by a Japanese officer (in Western Europe!). Killing him nets you his shurikens and [[KatanasAreBetter katana]]. Another encounter involves a [=UFO=], surrounded by [=THO=] troops in [[PoweredArmor Panzerkleins]]. Additionally, an [[GameBreaker energy rifle]] can be found near the craft that is the über version of the single-shot energy weapon carried by some [=THO=] troops, as it has [[MoreDakka full auto]] and a 50-shot power cell. That cell can then be taken back to the base and replicated for use by the said rifle, as well as energy cannon Panzerkleins. The energy rifle is an obvious ShoutOut to ''{{X-Com}}''.

* ''VideoGame/GoldenSun'' used random encounters to an annoying degree, where you'd get into fights every few steps if your party's level was below or around the levels of the enemies. Being higher leveled reduces the encounter rate. Using a certain spell/item also helped reduced the encounter rate, depending on your level. One piece of equipment actually ''increases'' the encounter rate.

** Lampshaded by Amiti in ''VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn'' when [[spoiler: The Luna Tower is activated and unleashes dark monsters on the world. He complains that the party could not walk five feet without being attacked.]]

* In ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', random encounters are justified by having TheHeartless drawn irresistibly towards keyblades and their wielders. They are then subverted entirely, because on any given world, TheHeartless always appear in exactly the same place every time. What kinds of Heartless appear, however, changes as you progress.

Monster battles that spontaneously occur at random intervals while the player travels across an RPG. They are the same thing to video game {{RPG}}s that ConstructAdditionalPylons mechanics are to RTS games, VideoGameLives are to Platformers, and [[TheManyDeathsOfYou dying every ten minutes]] is to {{Sierra}} [[AdventureGame adventure games]]: practically synonymous with the genre, and annoying as often as not.

* ''Destiny of an Emperor'' has these in spades. There's an item called the Smoke Pot that prevents random encounters from happening, but it doesn't last very long, and you'll often have to cross vast expanses of overworld and dungeon between towns and fortresses.

** ''BreathOfFireII'' was so bad about this that it even had a little dancing imp in its pause screen to indicate the level of "monster activity" in the area (and a "smoke" item that supposedly reduced it).

Subtrope of RandomEvent. Contrast PreexistingEncounters, a specific aversion where enemies can be seen (and avoided) on the field, RoamingEnemy, which is for enemies that move (which also may be a PatrollingEnemy), or appear to move from place to place, are triggered by events, or anything which is neither this or PreexistingEncounters. There's also the FairyBattle, a variation where the random encounter isn't hostile but actually helps the player along. See also EncounterBait and EncounterRepellant for the mechanics of adjusting the rate of encounters, as well as EscapeBattleTechnique, for the mechanics of avoiding them once they've started. Compare BigLippedAlligatorMoment, where as that trope is about a single random occurrence that goes unmentioned, this trope covers repeating events that are rarely, if ever, mentioned by the story. Has a pinch of ButThouMust, because players trying to EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame can find this infuriating.

Subtrope of RandomEvent. Contrast PreexistingEncounters, a specific aversion where enemies can be seen (and avoided) on the field, and FairyBattle, a variation where the random encounter isn't hostile but actually helps the player along. See also EncounterBait and EncounterRepellant for the mechanics of adjusting the rate of encounters, as well as EscapeBattleTechnique, for the mechanics of avoiding them once they've started. Compare BigLippedAlligatorMoment, where as that trope is about a single random occurrence that goes unmentioned, this trope covers repeating events that are rarely, if ever, mentioned by the story. Has a pinch of ButThouMust, because players trying to EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame can find this infuriating.

* ''BreathOfFireII'' was so bad about this that it even had a little dancing imp in its pause screen to indicate the level of "monster activity" in the area (and a "smoke" item that supposedly reduced it).

* ''VideoGame/BreathOfFireI'' has a pretty ridiculous encounter rate, even when held against other similar games. The developers must have realized this, since they included a merchant in the ''very first town'' that sells [[EncounterRepellant Monster-repelling marbles]]. Smart players should stock up immediately for the sake of their sanity.