Press X to Die: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

The player is given the option to perform an action that can only ever result in failure or otherwise hinder progress. Rather than simply disabling the action, the developers instead let the player try it, and then punish them for it. Most of the time it's just [[Schmuck Bait]] included as a joke, but some especially sadistic developers add such things with [[Trial and Error Gameplay|no, or little, warning]] in games where [[Continuing Is Painful]].

 

{{examples}}

== Anime and Manga ==

* In ''[[Fate/Zero]]'' and ''[[Fate/stay night]]'', Masters have Command Seals (3 per contract) that force their Servants to do exactly what the Masters say, even if the only possible outcome of said action is losing the Holy Grail War. In ''[[Fate/Zero]]'', {{spoiler|Kayneth}} force his Servant {{spoiler|Lancer}} to commit suicide, as part of the deal to let him walk away unmolested<ref>Unmolested by the other party of the contract, [[Loophole Abuse|but not necessarily from anyone else.]]</ref> from the war after he's crippled.

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

** However, they avert this with vowels. If every vowel in the puzzle is revealed, the host informs the players that there are no more vowels left, even if the puzzle doesn't have all five vowels in it. (They are also dimmed on the used-letter board at this point.)

* As seen on ''[[The Colbert Report]]'': [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z86V_ICUCD4 The Machine That Turns Itself Off].<ref>Doesn't seem like an example of this trope? Consider it from the machine's perspective.</ref>

* The ''[[Death Gate]]'' adventure-game. Among the spells you learned along the way was 'Self-Immolate', which does [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]] - using the spell would instantly kill you. It did, however, turn out useful when fighting a mirror image of yourself. Just scribe a mirrored version of the spell's runes - which does nothing - and your copy would dutifully flip it and kill himself.

* ''[http://www.rrrrthats5rs.com/games/dont-shoot-the-puppy/ Don't Shoot the Puppy]'' is a parody of these: once you've started a level, any action (including moving the mouse by ANY amount) results in failure—the only way to not shoot the puppy is to leave your computer alone.

* In ''[[Fallout]]'', you can set the timer on a nuclear warhead to 30 seconds. Try to [[Outrun the Fireball|outrun ''that'' fireball]].

** In the sequel, you can try to manually arm a nuclear warhead. While a high science skill character will succeed at this, a character without... Won't.

* In ''[[Mech Assault]]'', in the multiplayer Grinder mode if you play with a friend you are able to walk around as a regular human. Press a certain button? [[Ludicrous Gibs]]!

* ''[[Mother 3]]'': While playing as Duster in Osohe Castle in Chapter 2. In order to get inside the castle, you must open a hole to get to the floor below. Fortunately, there's a conveniently placed statue holding a large iron ball. Dash into it, and it'll drop the ball, which crashes through the floor. Dash into it from the right, and it'll drop the ball which crashes through ''you''.

* In the adventure game ''KGB'', you can use your gun on yourself. The game even asks you if you really want to do it. Of course, if you do, you die.

* The game ''[[Wax Works]]'' has, in the Egyptian level, the option to knock down a supporting pillar. This is required; however, the game makes no effort to dissuade you from standing beside said pillar while knocking it down. Oops.

* Blowing up your own starbases in the ''[[Star Trek Text Game]]'', possibly the [[Ur Example]] from 1971.

* Something of a brilliant subversion in Yahtzee Croshaw's graphical adventure game, with text input, [[Chzo Mythos|Trilby's Notes]]. {{spoiler|At the very end of the game when Trilby is severely injured and barely holding onto life, you can decide to just stop trying and enter 'Die'. However, this is actually the CORRECT solution (as your life was needed for a sacrifice).}}

** [[Completely Missing the Point|You still need to pick up the die to finish the game?]]

* ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'' has the Day of Lavos. The [[New Game+]] lets you take on Lavos alone, or just with Marle.

* ''[[Europa Universalis]]'', being based on history, has a number of events where one country can chose to merge with another (eg. Lithuania merging with Poland to form the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth). If the player happens to be controlling the country in question, choosing to merge is an instant game-over.

* In ''[[Resident Evil 4]]'', you can kill yourself in a number of stupid ways, such as shooting fish in the lake and causing Del Lago to swallow you whole, dropping a boulder trap on yourself, pissing off Luis by shooting him, etc.

 

== Web Original ==