History Main / RatchetScrolling

This is similar to {{fixed scrolling|Level}}, except that the scrolling does not occur by itself, but in response to the player's movement through the level. Like the nature of a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_%28device%29 mechanical ratchet]], it scrolls forward freely as the player moves, but 'locks' in place and prevents the player from backtracking.

* {{Played with}} in ''BunnyMustDie''. You start out unable to move to the left '''at all''', [[YouHaveResearchedBreathing but the first available power-up gives you this ability]]. [[SelfImposedChallenge It's still possible to clear the game without it, though]].

* ''{{Battletoads}}'' for the GameBoy, NES, etc. However, some levels were free-scrolling.

* All Nintendo-era ''{{Contra}}'' games featured both varieties of this. Not funny when in a vertical shaft, and you fell off the platforms...

* ''{{Layla}}'' for the NES, which can lead to some {{unwinnable}} situations.

* The Kaizo Mario inspired level of {{Pickory}} will only scroll to the right, but you can backtrack up to half a screen. One trap can only be avoided by exploiting the scrolling and the fact that anything that goes off the left side of the screen is destroyed.

* ''KidIcarus'' is notorious for its vertical ratchet scrolling - if you fall (and don't have a feather) you die instantly and have to repeat the level. Even if there was a platform just off the screen. Your little wings are no good for flying.

* {{This Troper}} once played a {{LittleBigPlanet}} level entitled "When things don't go right, go left." It was effectively a basic platformer, apart from the fact you scrolled ''left''.

In early video games, Ratchet Scrolling was a way to improve performance. If the player could only scroll in one direction, game objects and enemies could be created when they enter the screen and erased as soon as they scroll out, reducing memory usage. A DeadHorseTrope now, but was once common, particularly in {{Platform Game}}s.

* ''{{Battletoads}}'' for the GameBoy, NES, etc.

* The original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros.'', the ''[[SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels Lost Levels]]'' MissionPackSequel, and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand''. The way the levels were compressed required this.

** ''NewSuperMarioBros'' has "Challenge Mode". On side-scrolling levels it enables this, on vertical-scrolling levels it becomes an ''IceClimber''-style RiseToTheChallenge.

* Almost all BeatEmUps and {{Action Game}}s with platforming elements in [[ArcadeGame the arcade]] will do this to you.

* Almost all arcade {{BeatEmUp}} games.

-->'''Rob Balder''' as [[SuperMarioBros Bowser]], ''[[{{Portal}} Still Annoyed -]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MQ9wSfuFPI The Bowser Song]]''

This is similar to [[FixedScrollingLevel fixed scrolling]], except that the scrolling does not occur by itself, but in response to the player's movement through the level. Like the nature of a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_%28device%29 mechanical ratchet]], it scrolls forward freely as the player moves, but 'locks' in place and prevents the player from backtracking.

* The original ''SuperMarioBros.'', the ''Lost Levels'' MissionPackSequel, and ''Super Mario Land''. The way the levels were compressed required this.

* ''AdventureIsland I'' and ''III'' feature this. ''II'' has [[spoiler: invisible]] points after which the screen couldn't scroll backwards anymore, but otherwise scrolling is two-directional.

** ''NewSuperMarioBros.'' has "Challenge Mode". On side-scrolling levels it enables this, on vertical-scrolling levels it becomes an ''IceClimber''-style RiseToTheChallenge.

''Think you're the good guy?\\

A DeadHorseTrope, but was once common in {{Platform Game}}s.

* All Nintendo-era ''Contra'' games featured both varieties of this.

Easily becomes a form of FakeDifficulty, especially when the screen is ratcheted vertically, where any platforms that disappear even a few pixels off the screen edge may leave {{Bottomless Pit}}s in their wake, [[WallBanger in defiance of all logic]].

* ''AdventureIsland I'' and ''III'' feature this. ''II'' has [[supersecretspoiler:invisible]] points after which the screen couldn't scroll backwards anymore, but otherwise scrolling is two-directional.

** The ''Deluxe'' port of the original game lets you backtrack to a certain extent.

In a video game, Ratchet Scrolling is where the scrolling (or screen-flipping) is not continuous but controlled by the player's movements, but only allows you to go forward, never backward. A lesser version allows limited backwards movement, such as half-a-screen.

Generally becomes a form of FakeDifficulty, especially when the screen is ratcheted vertically, where any platforms that disappear even a few pixels off the screen edge leave {{Bottomless Pit}}s in their wake, in defiance of all logic.

The name refers to the nature of a mechanical [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratchet_%28device%29 ratchet]], which spins freely in one direction only, and locks when attempting to spin it the other way. The name has nothing to do with a certain [[{{Transformers}} Autobot Medic]] or a [[RatchetAndClank well-armed Lombax]].

Generally becomes a form of FakeDifficulty. This becomes particularly frustrating when the screen is ratcheted vertically, so that the bottom of the screen becomes a death zone in defiance of all logic. A DeadHorseTrope, but was once common in {{Platform Game}}s.

Has nothing to do with [[{{Transformers}} Autobot Medics]] or [[RatchetAndClank Well-armed Lombaxes]], but rather refers to the way a ratcheting tool will freely turn in one direction, but lock in the opposite direction.