History Main / Roboteching

* In ''VideoGame/AngryBirds'', the main gimmick of the boomerang bird is to do this.

* The early UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh game ''Airborne!'' (lone anti-aircraft gunner in the corner vs. the world) gave you the option of guided or unguided shells. With the former, the mouse controlled all friendly bullets on the screen as a unit, turning them into an undulating wave.

* Being the source show for ''Anime/{{Robotech}}''[='=]s Macross Saga, ''Anime/SuperDimensionFortressMacross'' is perhaps the "true" [[TropeCodifier codifier of this trope]].
* Used in ''Anime/ProjectAKo'' -- though, oddly, a freeze-frame reveals the missiles to be cans of Coca-Cola. This is a parody of several missiles fired in ''Anime/MacrossDoYouRememberLove'', where some of the missiles were drawn as cans of beer.
* In ''Anime/TransformersEnergon'', [[CombiningMecha Wing Optimus's]] "Meteor Attack Mode" fires a BeamSpam along with a small ChestBlaster, which then absorbs the individual streams of energy to form an insanely powerful WaveMotionGun.

* In ''Anime/SpaceRunawayIdeon,'' the missiles Ideon fires act like this. When they are powered by the god-like Ide, they then fire off as beams of light, with 90-degree angles.
* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'' :
** In her ''Pactio'' powered-up form, Chachamaru from the anime is seen using a roboteching BeamSpam attack that emerges from her back.
** Most of Negi's magic missiles act this way too.
* Done in ''Anime/{{Vandread}}'' with any kind of missile spam. The ''Nirvana'' does this with energy shots that can ''dodge friendly vehicles'' when properly targeted on the way to the enemy. An extreme example of gravitational lensing perhaps, although given the abilities of the show's AppliedPhlebotinum, the Pixis, it could easily not have even a dubious scientific explanation. Then again, the standard guns of the Dread fighters display a more limited, but similar, principle.
* In ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundamZZ Gundam ZZ]]'', the Psyco Gundam Mark II is supposed to do something similar with its beam weapons. It releases "mirrors" which are used to redirect the beam weapons around obstacles and from angles which regular pilots wouldn't expect.
** Perhaps the first straightforward example of this for beam weapons goes to the Forbidden Gundam from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed'' which featured the deadly ability to curve its beam cannon shots using its Mirage Colloid technology to bend the particles around the attack. On the flip side, it did the same thing to incoming beam attacks, bending them away from it so they couldn't hit.
** The same system appears again in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamUnicorn'', as part of the Shamblo. Here, as well as using it to confuse the opponent, it was also used to reflect incoming beam attacks back at the attacker.
** This was touched on again in ''[[Anime/MobileSuitGundam00 Gundam 00]]'', where [[spoiler:[[TheWoobie Louise Halevy]]'s]] [[LightningBruiser Regnant]] is shown to be extremely dangerous due to the fact that that the shots from its main beam cannon were able to change their paths multiple times.
*** From the same series, the Fangs: basically funnels with beam sabers built into them, designed to slice their target to pieces in close combat. It takes [[SuperSoldier Soma Peries]] and a BiggerStick mobile suit's inhuman reaction speed to even ''hit'' them.
** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamAGE'' continues it with SID's beam weapons, which robotech all over the place. {{Justified|Trope}} in that SID is using LostTechnology that is far more advanced than what anyone else has.

* The Divine Shooter/[[MidSeasonUpgrade Axel Shooter]] spell of ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha''--magic missiles whose individual flight paths Nanoha can control to streak towards different targets. Teana's Cross Fire Shoot can also do this, but she doesn't have the same level of finesse that Nanoha demonstrates.
* The beam fired by the [[ArmCannon Psychogun]] in ''Manga/SpaceAdventureCobra'' can swerve around obstacles to strike unerringly its target. Justified by it being a completely mind-controlled weapon, projecting his Qi life force as deadly beams.
* In ''Manga/Reborn2004'', Gokudera's Rocket Bomb attack does this with hand-thrown dynamite by having secondary and tertiary charges explode to allow him to control the trajectory. At least some mention is made of how difficult a technique this is.
* [=TenRyuJin=]'s 'Hikari to Yami no Mai' in ''Anime/GaoGaiGar FINAL'' does this -- she fires off chaff missiles, then bounces maser shots off the chaff (based on an attack the first BigBad of the series used). And yes, she does comment on how hard the calculations are. When EI-01 used it originally, he was using every computer in Tokyo as a distributed computing network to handle them.

* In ''Anime/StrikeWitches'' the neuroi attack using ''beams'' that robotech, even when the targets are very close.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** In ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', the Kanto Elite Four all have special powers from out of freaking nowhere, and Lance's is that his {{mon}}s' Hyper Beams can robotech. (Even when they're not controlled by the computer, [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard the Elite Four are cheating bastards]]!)
** And then in ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesBlackAndWhite'', there's the two-part special wherein Landorus' Therian Forme uses Stone Edge, and the rocks fly all over the place seeking out Iris' Dragonite. Especially bizarre given ''no other Stone Edge has been shown to have this effect.''

* In ''Anime/SpaceBattleshipYamato'', Gamilus uses mirror satellites to direct their reflex cannon at the Yamato even when it is on the other side of a planet from their base. FridgeLogic asks, if they have something that [[EnergyWeapon Frickin' Laser Beams]] just bounce right off of, why not use it for shields? [[spoiler: Eventually the good guys do exactly this to defend against the Desler Cannon. It's a pretty awesome DeusExMachina, but it doesn't explain why the Gamilusians didn't think of it first.]]
** Of course, any surface that can reflect combat lasers is scientifically wrong. Only partially focused beams would be reflected easily (which is how mirror satellites would work); fully focused beams used to cause actual damage would roast any mirror in microseconds.
** In ''Yamato 2199'', the Reflex Satellites are a force field based satellites - same effect, but no mirror.
* The first ''Anime/RebuildOfEvangelion'' film features a bunch of missiles fired at Ramiel that behave this way--fired straight up into the sky and suddenly execute a 90-degree turn to aim at the target.
** [[spoiler:And the third film follows right up with an Angel-like entity that behaves not unlike a [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam funnel]], repeatedly pulling off downright insane high-speed turns as it charges at Unit-02.]]
* Similarly, some robot-controlled planes in ''Anime/RahXephon'' are launched straight upwards and suddenly turn downwards to attack their target from above.
* Beams fired by Nobles' ships in ''Anime/WolfsRain'' will maneuver quite extensively to track their target, if they don't hit it straight. At one point, a single beam splits in two to hit different targets.

* In ''Manga/KenichiTheMightiestDisciple'', Shigure managed to pull this off with [[RuleOfCool shuriken]]!
* In ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders'', the "cowboy" [[CasanovaWannabe Hol Horse]] has the Emperor a [[BlingBlingBang stylish]] [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolver]] that lets Hol robotech his bullets mid-flight. It helps that Emperor is a [[FightingSpirit Stand]], rather than an actual revolver.
* Also in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'', the Stand Sex Pistols/Six Bullets can intercept bullets mid-flight and redirect them wherever they need to go. This may not technically be Roboteching, but it will appear that way to those who don't have a Stand.
* ''Literature/FateZero'': The dogfight between Gilgamesh and Berserker has the former's StormOfBlades and the latter's Knight of Owner-corrupted missiles changing trajectory wildly in a deliberate ShoutOut to ''Macross''.

* In the film adaptation of the comic book ''Film/{{Wanted}}'', this is [[ImprobableAimingSkills the power]] of all the main characters. They do it with ''bullets.'' Fired from ''regular guns.''

%%* There looks to be some of this in ''Film/BattleLosAngeles''

* ''Series/RedDwarf'': The episode ''Polymorph'' features bazookoid weapons that fire ''heat-seeking laser bolts'', which are eventually trapped going round and round in a circle on a deserted deck [[spoiler:and eventually pop up as a ChekhovsGun to kill the enemy]]. Unusually, the novelization still calls them laser bolts and does not substitute something more scientifically accurate, which it does for several other technologies from the series.

* ''Series/UltramanMax'': DASH's missiles curve and follow their targets, or randomly fly before hitting them. And it's awesome.
* ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'''s Luna Trigger form fires Roboteching [[EnergyWeapons energy bullets]]; its [[FinishingMove Maximum Drive]], Trigger Full Burst, fires a barrage of them.

* Tau Smart Missile Systems in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' are said to work like this. Units with a Markerlight can designate a target, allowing a nearby Skyray to shoot it even without line of sight.
** Several other factions have their own analogues, like the Imperial Hunter-Seeker missiles or Ork Grot [[FunetikAksent Bomms]]. That latter is particularly notable since it is actually piloted by a [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent Grot]], each one is a volunteer that the Ork meks conveniently forget to tell, or just won't bother informing, that it's a one way trip.
* Rare fantasy example: The Egyptian-themed undead Tomb Kings in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' field archers equipped with magic arrows that, in the fluff, do exactly this- at some points they even soar past the target entirely, only to change direction in mid-air and hit enemies in the back. In the actual game, this is represented by their having no positive or negative modifiers to hit, ever.

* While standard ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' missiles are generally not depicted as doing this, ''capital'' missiles (used by large spacecraft) of the tele-operated kind maneuver more like fighters and can execute course corrections for as long as their fuel lasts. ''Strategic Operations'' adds more options such as bearing-only launches (where a capital missile flies to a predetermined waypoint and only then goes live and locks onto the nearest eligible target).

* In ''VideoGame/GunstarHeroes'', the Chaser weapon homes in on enemies. Combined with lightning, you have a laser that makes constant 90-degree turns.
* The Flash game ''The Arrow Of Time'' has rockets that fly from the bottom of the screen and then turn to hit you. [[SchizoTech On firework rockets in 1746]].

* In ''VideoGame/ProjectSylpheed'', there was a dumb-fire rocket with no visible exhaust that after a couple of seconds would explode into 4 smaller homing missiles with huge streaking contrails. You could truly robotech by firing dozens of the dumb-fire rockets at a time with missiles targeted to home on multiple different enemy fighters.
* The Annihilator Beam in ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime 2: Echoes'' is capable of this.
** Also occurs with missiles and the wave beam in the first.
* ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragons: The VideoGame/TempleOfElementalEvil'' had the Magic Missile spell animated like this. Considered [[RuleOfCool a very cool effect]] for the spell by even table-top D&D players. The effect is similar to the spell's depiction in ''VideoGame/BaldursGate'', and ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights''.
** And ''[[VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsChroniclesOfMystara Shadow Over Mystara]]''.
* Similar to the Magic Missiles, one of the Ghost elemental mage spells, Soul Strike, in the MMORPG ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' summons a varying number of white glowing orbs which then streak towards the target.
* The swarm-firing missiles in [[SimulationGame space sim]] ''[[VideoGame/{{Freespace}} Descent: Freespace]]'' and its sequels. More advanced versions even ''corkscrew'' all the way to their targets. Later games in the ''VideoGame/WingCommander'' series also included this trope.
** The GameMod ''VideoGame/WingsOfDawn'', which was already in love with roboteching {{Macross Missile Massacre}}s, also had homing lasers attached to one capital ship class.
* ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders'' and its sequel had Jehuty, the player's HumongousMecha, equipped with a laser weapon whose beams Roboteched out of thin air to home in on locked targets, in a bright-blue rendition of a MacrossMissileMassacre.
* A weapon type in the ''VideoGame/GalaxyAngel'' games known as a "laser phalanx" is a {{Roboteching}} [[EnergyWeapon beam shot]]. [[CoolBigSis Forte Stollen's]] LimitBreak is a whole MacrossMissileMassacre of them.
* Several warships in the ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' series fire beams at angles away from the ship, which then make a sharp angled turn straight ahead.
* Taito's Ray Series (''VideoGame/RayForce'', ''VideoGame/RayStorm'', and ''VideoGame/RayCrisis'') and several other shmups by them have Roboteching lasers sometimes fired by enemies.
** ''VideoGame/CrimzonClover'' took heavy inspiration from this, but with ''more lasers'' - an adept player can fire about 30 homing lasers in one second.

* ''VideoGame/QuakeIV'' has a modification to the nailgun that allows doing this with nails, and a laser dot guidance system a la ''Half-Life'' for the rocket launcher. One of the recurring enemies, that looks like a SpiderMech, does a two-rocket version of this to you. What said barrage does in quality-per-missile makes up for its quantity.
* In the ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration Divine Wars'' (yes, [[WordSaladTitle that's the title]]) [[BlowYouAway Cybuster's]] Cosmo Nova special attack is depicted as a Roboteched BeamSpam.
* You can Robotech the shots of the [=RPG=] in both ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' and ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' by waving the laser targeting. It's actually necessary in the second generation, as gunships will try to shoot your missiles down, and they ''will'' succeed if you aim them in a straight line. This, interestingly, is an AscendedGlitch: the gunships are programmed to attack the most dangerous target in sight, which is usually the player, but the AI is good enough to register the ''rockets'' as more dangerous once they're close enough.

* ''VideoGame/{{Ikaruga}}'' features a cluster of lasers fired from the ''back'' of the ship, which arc around towards its targets.
* The Homing Laser in ''VideoGame/LostPlanet'' does this, but with four lasers at once.
* In ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'' (through the [[ExpansionPack ECE Bonus Pack]]) and ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII'', the Cicada's rockets robotech somewhat madly, but, if given enough time, usually end up at the spot crosshair.
** Likewise in both games, the [=AVRiL=] anti-vehicle missiles only home in on a vehicle while you're aiming at it, allowing you to turn them at the last minute, making them harder to dodge or shoot down. Further, the target only receives a "Missile Lock" warning when you are tracking them, making it a viable strategy to dumb-fire a rocket to near the target and only lock on when it is close by.
* A late weapon in the ''[[VideoGame/XCOMUFODefense X-COM]]'' games is a guided rocket launcher which sets waypoints for the rocket to pass through before striking its target. The missiles didn't corner especially well, meaning that you couldn't just spam it indoors. More specifically, the first game had the Blaster Launcher while the [[VideoGame/XCOMTerrorFromTheDeep second]] had the similar "Disruptor Pulse Torpedo".
** ''X-Com Interceptor'' had a missile with vector thrusters. It was designed to be capable of extremely sharp 180° turns thus outmaneuvering it is impossible.
* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' had a missile that, once fired, the player would control in first person view. One puzzle in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' required the player to guide said missile through a maze of ventilation ducts. The original ''VideoGame/MetalGear1'' had one as well.
%%** The same in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl''.
%%** The concept of player-guided missile is [[Main/OlderThanTheyThink older than that]], though. It was used at least in the 1986 Commodore Amiga classic ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starglider Starglider]]''.
%%** And earlier, in the 1984 classic ''Archon II: Adept'', for the titular game piece.
* Shows up to an extent in the early ''VideoGame/HarryPotter'' games, where spells will curve toward the nearest available target.
* ''VideoGame/Homeworld2'''s Vaygrs love to use missiles. Their missiles often overshoot their targets. What does the missile do? Robotech their way to the original target. Original target died before the missiles reach? Robotech ''again'' to the nearest enemy craft.
** Eh, not really. The missiles of the Hiigaran Torpedo Frigate are the only ones which find a new target if the original is gone. Vaygr fusion missiles are not that advanced. On the other hand, missiles in the first two games also did this, though the Missile Destroyer's SecondaryFire greatly decreased their Roboteching capabilities in favor of a [[MacrossMissileMassacre higher output rate]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Fable}}'', the arrows generated by the "multi-shot" spell do this on their way to the target.

* ''VideoGame/{{Worms}} 2'' and ''Armageddon'' have a homing missile which does this -- the best method is to fire it straight up in the air at maximum power, then watch it lock on and abruptly change direction half a second later.
** ''Armageddon'' also has the Magic Bullet that is Roboteching set to ''eleven''. It's basically impossible to get it to hit a wall, no matter how much it has to weave and bob around the place. Best seen when aimed at a mid-air spot, where it'll start literally flipping out, doing 180 degree turns in a space of a few inches.
* The Drunken Missile launcher in ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheTriad'' fires a salvo of missiles which fly in random directions until they sense a target, at which point they converge on the target from all angles making it difficult to avoid all of them.
* Missiles in ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars'' are one of the few weapons that don't need a direct line of sight to the target and robotech to their target after clearing the firing ship. Beware that they don't crash into other ships before they can start turning if your formation's too tight, though. Planetary defense missiles take it further: they not only robotech after launching from the poles of the planet, but if their target is destroyed, they glide for a bit, crisscrossing where the last target was if they were close enough, and robotech to the next target. Against a fleet of weak destroyers, a planetary defense missile may do this several times before hitting something.
* In ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty 4: VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' the Javelin missile launcher does this, quickly popping up after being fired and then slamming down on the targeted tank from almost directly above; see Truth in Television examples.
* ''[[VisualNovel/HigurashiWhenTheyCry Higurashi Daybreak]]'' has this, in the form of Rika's charged ranged attack. She fires a bunch of purple missiles that robotech to the person you're currently locked on to.
* Every single ranged attack in the MassivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame ''VideoGame/CityofHeroes'', without fail, will do this if the mob moves. Then again, this is less deliberate than the result of locked-on targeting -- even if the damage of the attack misses the animation usually won't.
** Especially obvious if the target teleports while the attack is in flight; partnering a [[MightyGlacier sniping power]] with [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Teleport Foe]] often resulted in the overpowered attack making a U-turn.
** The Bullet Rain power in the Dual Pistols set does this whether or not the target moves; your character fires a spray of bullets in a cone, which then all arch back toward your target, hitting them and the targets around them.

* The Wind Laser in ''VideoGame/{{Axelay}}'' shoots four beams from the aft of the ship, then they curve forward to hit what's in front.
* Hit detection for non-ballistic long-range attacks in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' is done upon firing. If the target moves, the projectile will track the target until it hits, even ignoring obstacles. In earlier patches, this also applied to beam-type spells like the Warlock's Drain Life or the mage's Arcane Missiles. As long as the magic-user could start casting the spell, it would continue to hit the target, no matter how far the target moved.
** Fun fact: a player on an upgraded flying mount (which allows one to travel at about 4x normal speed and... well, fly) is ''faster'' than most spell "missiles". It's possible to actually string missiles along behind you if you fly far enough. You'll take damage from the spell pretty soon even if it doesn't catch you, but the visual effect will keep following.

* The early UsefulNotes/AppleMacintosh game ''Airborne!'' (lone anti-aircraft gunner in the corner vs. the world) gave you the option of guided or unguided shells. With the former, the mouse controlled all friendly bullets on the screen as a unit, turning them into an undulating wave.
* This trope is practically [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI Kefka's]] entire moveset in ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy''.
** Also, if [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX Jecht's]] LimitBreak is successfully pulled off, rather than simply kicking a meteor into an opponent it splits into several fireballs which all robotech into the opponent for massive damage.
* ''VideoGame/RType'':
** Your "lasers" sure do make some fancy designs when they're fired. For example, red lasers fires twin, interlocking sine waves of red and blue energy, blue lasers [[ReflectingLaser bounce around the environment]], and yellow lasers WallCrawl the floor and ceiling. Later installments include powerups that include green lasers which change direction 45 degrees to hit enemy ships, and grey lasers that act like shotgun shells.
** By ''R-Type Final'', every one of the 101 ships have some physics-defying effect that comes from a so-called "laser", although this may have something to do with filtering the light through a colored crystal and a baby EldritchAbomination. One of the ships in ''R-Type Final'' has a slow-moving charge shot that can be steered with the right analog stick. [[AwesomeButImpractical You have to reconfigure your entire control setup to be able to use this without losing all self-defense by taking your thumbs away from the face buttons.]] Other ships have wave cannons that chase the closest enemy ship.
** Battleship broadside guns in ''R-Type Command / Tactics'' fire in an "X" pattern, then ''all four shots bend 90°'' to hit their intended target.
* Infantry anti-tank missiles in ''[[VideoGame/{{Battlefield}} Battlefield 2]]'' and ''2142'' can be guided in-flight by the player. While their turning ability is limited, it is quite possible to jink them around corners and low walls to hit a target behind it. The helicopter-mounted TV-guided missiles in the hands of a skilled player is capable of some pretty impressive roboteching, such as turning around and hitting targets behind the helicopter, and maneuvering around buildings to hit a hiding tank.
** In ''[[VideoGame/BattlefieldBadCompany Battlefield: Bad Company 2]]'', players can unlock a dart gun that allows friendly engineers to lock their missile launchers on to enemy vehicles... Or other enemy players. Because the dart gun is so accurate, it makes it an effective way of dealing with snipers.
*** The fact that the Tracer Dart would appear as a giant flashing light in the Sniper's screen would also make him well aware of his [[OhCrap inevitable]] [[YouCantFightFate fate]].
* ''VideoGame/{{Battlefront}} 2'' plays this trope straight and averts it. Interceptor fighters' and Imperial and CIS shuttles have small guided missiles that can sometimes dodge around things to catch their targets (though their targets are more maneuverable), while normal anti-tank rockets mostly just travel in a straight line. Though, both of them can curve automatically with a lock-on, so its not wholly unjustified.
* The Bullseye of VideoGame/{{Resistance}} does this with bullets much like The Fifth Element. You shoot a tag onto an enemy and all bullets head directly to said target regardless of trajectory.
** A particularly amusing trick is as follows: tag a wall. Fire off a clip or so and watch as the bullets swarm around the tag. Tag an enemy and see ''all'' the bullets head to their new target en masse.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tyrian}}'' calls these 'semi-seeking missiles'. They fly vertically down the screen, in the scrolling direction, then when they're level with the player, they turn through 90 degrees and fly towards him.
* In ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', thanks to a [[GoodBadBugs Good Bad Bug]] that involves the lead character's BulletTime, you can induce this behavior in thrown projectiles and explosives, making them perfect anti-air and anti-ground weapons.
* ''VideoGame/{{Genetos}}'', as a {{homage}} to ''Ikaruga'', features the same style of weapon, simply called ''Laser'', and unlocked in stage 3.
* ''VideoGame/{{Otomedius}}'' features Roboteching in the form of Anoa Aoba's [[SuperMovePortraitAttack Dynamic Burst]], which combines roboteching lasers with StuffBlowingUp.
* In the Website/FunOrb game "Arcanists," several arcane spells fire homing energy attacks that can turn on a dime to hit enemies around a corner.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Conduit 2}}'', Shrieker shots can be steered by the player after firing.
** Also, the [[BeeBeeGun Hive Cannon]] allows targets to be tagged with sticky bait; subsequent shots will veer around obstacles as needed.
* In ''VideoGame/ShadowsOfTheDamned'', The Teether's final upgrade, The Dentist does this.

* Another non-missile example is shown in ''[[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork Mega Man Network Transmission]]''. Both Brightman and Bass use lasers that adjust angle mid-flight; Bright's lasers adjust themselves once by 45-degree angles, and Bass's twice by 90-degree angles.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Bulletstorm}}'' you can robotech your sniper rifle bullet, in BulletTime.

* Guided missiles in the ''[[VideoGame/{{X}} X-Universe]]'' games fire from ventrally-mounted, forward-facing tubes (or flank-mounted tubes, in the case of missile frigates) and immediately curve off after the target. There's some [[RecursiveAmmo swarm missiles]], which tend to fly in a spiral pattern and close in on their target from all directions.
* Missiles in ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity'' likewise fire forward, then curve off after their target.
** Averted in the open-source ''EV'' clone ''VideoGame/{{Naev}}''. Missiles require a lock, and a lock requires a ship to be pointing in the target's general direction. Due to the difficulties [[MightyGlacier capital ships]] have with this, if they carry missiles they're usually mounted on turrets.

* Missiles and other homing projectiles in ''VideoGame/{{PN 03}}'' usually behave like this.
* The Missile weapon in ''VideoGame/FestersQuest''.
* The scram cannon in ''VideoGame/{{Oni}}'' does this. The small [[MacrossMissileMassacre Macross missiles]] fire out lazily in an unfocused ring, then after about half a second the warheads arm and the missiles lock on to anyone nearby.
* In ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance'', the Thunderaffe Dream Eater's Refract Beam attack does this constantly, pausing each time it moves to readjust its trajectory so it's heading straight for the target.
* Minogame's "[[SignatureMove Reality Hedge]]" from ''VideoGame/{{Hellsinker}}'' cranks this trope up a notch. Not only dont the lasers fly straight, they home in on targets and when they reach one they stick to it and tears its health down until the target dies. After that the lasers dislodge themselves and then moves over to other targets and repeats the cycle.
* The [[KillSat Bradley-Hercules satellite]] in ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}: Broken Steel'' fires missiles in this manner, as seen when it destroys Liberty Prime and when you use it on the Enclave's BaseOnWheels at the end.
* ''Videogame/{{Rollcage}}'' has the Leader missile, which will home in on the first car in the race. It has perfect guidance and follows the track exactly, cannot be diverted or shot down, and when it reaches the leading car it'll overtake, pull an instant 180° and slam into its target. If you hear the telltale warning sound and you're first, you can either allow someone to pass you or try to get as much distance between you and the second as you can so you can recover in time. Needless to say, firing the Leader missile when you're the leader is... counter-productive.
* In ''VideoGame/GateOfThunder'', the Stage 2 boss fires [[SlowLaser Slow Lasers]] which move straight left and then turn towards your ship at a 90° angle.
* ''VideoGame/{{Dogyuun}}'' has red HomingLasers that move along straight horizontal and vertical lines and can make multiple 90° turns to follow their target.
* ''VideoGame/{{Infamous}}'' and its [[VideoGame/{{Infamous2}} sequel]] allow Cole [=MacGrath=] to fire electric rockets that, with the proper upgrades, will change direction and fly towards a target that Cole specifies with his regular shock attack.
* ''VideoGame/CubeColossus'': If there are missiles on the field when enemies appear, the missiles will turn to hit them, even if it means turning 180 degrees.

* ''VideoGame/EarthDefenseForce'': Missile weapons with a low-grade lock on rating will fly in a straight line before actively tracking and chasing their targets leading to an abundance of the trope. This also turns out to be quite useful in areas with lots of hills or buildings, as the initial shot up can allow the missiles to arc over most obstacles and hit the target you are locked onto.

* ''Webcomic/SchlockMercenary'' touches on this behavior at some points, with a possible [[JustifiedTrope justification]]. Missiles can be fired in "random walk" mode, presumably involving repeated and sudden changes in velocity as they close with their targets, in order to make it harder for point defense to shoot them down.

* Subverted in an episode of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''. A humongous mecha tries to perform a MacrossMissileMassacre, but all of the missiles just fly straight past its target, or in some cases, curve wildly and hit anything else.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', the best tactic when facing Combustion Man's [[HavingABlast explosive beams]] is to take cover outside his line of sight. In ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', however, combustion bender [[ColdSniper P'Li]] can actually ''curve'' her beams, putting even solid cover in the danger zone.

* The AGM-114 Hellfire antitank missile can be launched without a target lock. In LOAL (Lock-On After Launch) attack mode it will shoot high (up to 2300 feet/700 meters) and after the aircrew or a land-based crew designates its target it will robotech downwards to attack the target from above. Very handy if the helicopter pilot wants to hide behind a mountain to avoid enemy AntiAir defenses.

* The latest in HomingProjectile technology is [[http://io9.com/5880884/this-self+guided-bullet-can-chase-you-down-from-over-a-mile-away a self-guiding bullet]] equipped with a targeting laser, an eight-bit CPU, and movable fins.
* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EXACTO EXACTO]] project funded by DARPA is this for ''bullets'', and they've even tested [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vX8Z2MDYX3g working prototypes.]]
** In the meantime, the Italians already field it for their [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OTO_Melara_76_mm#DART Super Rapid 76mm]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otobreda_127/64 127/64 Lightweight]] multi-purpose naval guns (the guided munitions are for long-range point defence).
** And to continue the long Italian tradition of CombatPragmatism in an era where some of the earlier tricks are done by everyone or would be war crimes, Iveco (maker of the Centauro tank destroyer) and OTO Melara gave us the [[http://www.military-today.com/artillery/porcupine.htm Porcupine]]: a prototype consisting of a Centauro chassis mated with a 155/39mm howitzer capable of firing homing shells to targets up to 60 km away. And the ability to hit the poor target with four of them ''at the same time''. Let's face it: when they go at war, the Italians are assholes.
* A [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_turn gravity turn]] is visually similar even if the intended outcome is a bit different.
* The [[UsefulNotes/IndiansWithIglas Indian]]/Russian anti-ship cruise missile, the [=BrahMos=] block 2, is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMkr_3_CZO4&t=40s launched vertical and then performs an extremely sharp 90-degree turn via a nose-mounted rocket]], before kicking in its main thruster and flying straight along the horizon.
* The page image is a test of a [[UsefulNotes/RussiansWithRustingRockets Russian]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-300P_Bastion-P Bastion coastal defence battery]] armed with the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P-800_Oniks P-800 Oniks]], a missile on which the aforementioned [=BrahMos=] is based, and thus displaying virtually the same launch behavior.
* This submarine-based [[http://imgur.com/oVKZ4ku missile launch]] is cool looking for a great many reasons, one being the amazing engineering tech behind it.
* The Israeli ''Iron Dome'' system boasts [[https://www.reddit.com/r/CombatFootage/comments/13dyxei/thermal_footage_of_iron_dome_intercepting_rockets/ some very impressive]] capabilities for maneouvering and simultaneous target engagements.

* ''Film/TheFifthElement'' has the Zorg ZF-1, a ''{{BFG}}'' that, among other functions, has a recall feature that does this with bullets. Simply fire one round at your target and the ZF-1 will send each subsequent round to the same location as the first.

* ''Film/TheFifthElement'' has a ''{{BFG}}'' that, among other functions, does this with bullets.
** Notably though, one has to make the first shot connect. After that, aiming becomes irrelevant.