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{{trope}}{{Needs Image}}
An infrequent method for [[Painting the Fourth Wall]] in video games is to disguise a menu interface as a level unto itself, which the player can navigates using their game character and actual gameplay controls.
So, instead of navigating an abstract cursor across a set of icons and text labels that correspond to the various menu options, the protagonist essentially ''is'' the cursor, and the player approaches and interacts with menu options the same way they would interact with actual, in-universe objects. "New Game" and "Load Game" might be presented as literal doors for the player character to walk through, literal buttons to [[Goomba Stomp|stomp]] [[Ground Pound|on]], literal [[Crate Expectations|crates to smash]], literal [[Block Puzzle|blocks to slide around]], or so on.
'''Note:''' This is distinct from games featuring creative menu-cursor icons (such as the protagonist's head, hand, or full body sprite) but whose menus are still navigated in the traditional manner of highlighting/clicking on text labels or icons; a
Also note that the following tropes, while related to the concept of [[Painting the Fourth Wall]], are not considered examples of a
* [[Justified Save Point]]: Checkpoints and/or [[Save Point
* [[Attract Mode]]: Demo gameplay that proceeds automatically, even if it takes place in the background while the player navigates a traditional menu overlay
* [[Hub Level]] / [[World Map]]: An actual level used to connect other levels via pathways, warps, or portals (possibly with a [[Save Point]] for good measure). Please describe the hybrids between main menu and the [[Hub Level]] only if it's indeed something special (and not just save/load screen).
* [[Mini Game Credits]]: Playable credits (''[[The House of the Dead (
* ''Earth 2140'' uses fully panoramic menus ''and'' briefing screens, all movable with mouse. Yes, of course, you still use your mouse to pan the camera and press these "heavy concrete panels", but you sure get into the skin of commander already, huh?
* ''[[Super Cosplay War Ultra]]'', partially as the result of being programmed on ''Fighter Maker 2002'' engine, allows you to choose one of the four singleplayer modes... by hitting cosplayers that represent these modes. Oh yeah.
** A bland ''[[Street Fighter (
* ''[[
* The pause menu of ''[[
* ''[[Doctor Brain|The Time Warp of Dr. Brain]]'' had the Space Invaders section.
* ''[[
* ''[[Bit
* ''[[McDonald's|McKids]]'' allows you to control the character on the main menu this way also.
* ''[[Time Traveler|If this is your first adventure, select "Learn"!]]''
** Or, if you won't move him left to the above mentioned tutorial, Marshal will automatically enter the "Play" portal.
* The first ''[[Quake
** ''Quake'' takes it to the next level by allowing you to play the Hub Level ''in deathmatch mode.''
* ''[[Spyro the Dragon
** Likewise, Zoe will do the same in the first homeworld of the third game.
* Used in a little Game Maker fangame, ''Bowser Jr.''.
* Latest versions of ''[[Cube Engine|Sauerbraten]]'' do throw you into the "multiplayer map by default", should only you run the executable, but the catch is this: press ESC to summon the options menu, and you not only may point the menu buttons with your crosshair... you may actually '''freely walk''' around them.
** Remember, though, like in ''[[Cube (
** If you have "2D menus" on, then it's simply averted.
* Several ''[[
** Subverted in ''I Wanna Be The Shrine Maiden'': you have two options to choose from: "Start" and "Tutorial". "Start" is self-explanatory, but when you try to jump on "Tutorial"... [[But Thou Must!|Splat.]] Okay, let's just say the main menu '''IS''' the first level after all.
** ''I Wanna Be The Better Er- Engine'' has got a regular Load Game menu, but, at the same time, allows its
** ''[[I Wanna Be the Fangame]]'' starts the player out in a difficulty selection room. The harder the difficulty, the more [[Spikes of Doom]] you have to jump over to get there.
* ''Takeshi's Challenge'', [[He Also Did|from the creator of]] [[
* Sachen's NES games that require lightgun tend to do this for the game selection screens.
* ''[[
* ''[[Magi Nation]]'' uses it. You can even reach the [[New Game+]] option by a secret area that you need a later-game item to access.
* ''[[
* The bar/starship in ''[[
* ''[[Indiana Jones and
* ''[[
* ''[[Call of Duty: Black Ops
* The menu of ''[[
* Sometimes used in ''[[ZZT]]'' to overcome limits of the system.
{{reflist}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Video Game Tropes]]
[[Category:Video Game Interface Elements]]
[[Category:
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