History Main / RatchetScrolling

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, in defiance of all logic.

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

** The older ''Franchise/{{Castlevanias}} employed this as well. This gimmick didn't leave until ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight''.

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

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

* ''SuperCastlevaniaIV'' has vertical ratchet scrolling, making for a few obnoxious challenges if you jump to an area and it ratchets due to overjumping.
** The older Castlevanias employed this as well. This gimmick didn't leave until CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight
* ''Mega Man X'' In Mega Man X6, in Metal Shark Player's level, the second section has you ratcheted, in contrast to the rest of the game (note that if taking the "alternate" second section, it will be auto-scrolling instead.)

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

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

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[[AC:{{Pinball}}]]

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* The original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros.'', the ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels Lost Levels]]'' MissionPackSequel, and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand''. The way the levels were compressed required this.
** ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' has "Challenge Mode". On side-scrolling levels it enables this, on vertical-scrolling levels it becomes an ''IceClimber''-style RiseToTheChallenge.
** The ''Deluxe'' port of the original game lets you backtrack to a certain extent, because the game is pixel-for-pixel and the Game Boy screen is smaller than the NES output screen.
* Usually averted in the ''{{Sonic the Hedgehog}}'' games, but the Master System version of the first game has Bridge Zone Act 2 and Jungle Zone Act 2; the former automatically scrolls right and the latter doesn't scroll down.
** The latter is thankfully averted in the {{Game Gear}} version.
* ''Syobon Action'' abuses it to [[PlatformHell torment the player]].
* ''Ninja Commando'' is a ShootEmUp that does this.
* ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}'' for the GameBoy, NES, etc. However, some levels were free-scrolling.
* ''[[RenAndStimpy Ren & Stimpy: Space Cadet Adventures]]''
* The original ''VideoGame/{{Glider}}'' had this.

* [[GameMaker Shoot 'em up Construction Kit]].
* A ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'' level entitled "When things don't go right, go left" is effectively a basic platformer, apart from the fact you scrolled ''left''.
* Walking your dog in {{Nintendogs}} does this.
* Pretty much all ''VideoGame/{{Action 52}}'' side scrollers. Can get you stuck in an {{Unwinnable}} situation, as in ''Dam Busters'' and ''Non Human''.
* 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.
* ''VideoGame/AdventureIsland I'' and ''III'' feature this. ''II'' has arbitrary points after which the screen couldn't scroll backwards anymore, but otherwise scrolling is two-directional. ''III'' has two-directional ''vertical'' scrolling and the only time there was two-directional horizontal scrolling was in stage 2-6.
* ''VideoGame/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 was removed in the sequel, ''Of Myths and Monsters''.
** ''SuperCastlevaniaIV'' has this also, making for a few obnoxious challenges, if you jump to an area and it ratchets due to overjumping.
* ''Layla'' for the NES, which can lead to some {{unwinnable}} situations.
* ''Kid Kool'', obviously modeled on the example of ''Super Mario Bros.'', disallowed going backwards. Its SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/PsychoFox'' followed suit.

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* ''Kid Kool'', obviously modeled on the example of ''Super Mario Bros.'', disallowed going backwards. Its SpiritualSuccessor ''Psycho Fox'' followed suit.

* ''Mega Man X'' In Mega Man X6, in Metal Shark Player's level, the second section has you ratcheted, in contrast to the rest of the game (note that if taking the "atlernate" second section, it will be auto-scrolling instead.)

* {{Played with}} in ''BunnyMustDie''. You start out unable to move to the right '''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]].

* The original ''{{Glider}}'' had this.

* An Upward example appears in the infamous ''"Jungle Zone Act 2"'' in the 8-bit Master System version of ''[[Videogame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog]]''.

** '''SuperCastlevaniaIV'' has this also, making for a few obnoxious challenges, if you jump to an area and it ratchets due to overjumping.

* ''VideoGame/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.

Lesser versions may allow the player some degree of backtracking, but only to a certain distance or recent checkpoints.

In a video game, RatchetScrolling occurs when the game screen only scrolls in only one direction and prevents the player from backtracking.

* The infamous ''"Jungle Zone Act 2"'' in the 8-bit version of ''[[Videogame/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog]]''

* The infamous ''"Jungle Zone Act 2"'' in the 8-bit version of ''[[Videogame/SonicTheHedgehog]]''

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

* A {{LittleBigPlanet}} level entitled "When things don't go right, go left" is effectively a basic platformer, apart from the fact you scrolled ''left''.
* Pretty much all ''{{Action 52}}'' side scrollers. Can get you stuck in an {{Unwinnable}} situation, as in ''Dam Busters'' and ''Non Human''.

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