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[[File:lostvikings.png|frame]]
{{quote|
'''Olaf:''' ''[[If You Die, I Call Your Stuff|I got dibs on his helmet.]]''
'''Baleog:''' ''Okay, but I get his boots.''
'''Erik:''' ''[[Sarcasm Mode|It's great to have such good friends.]]''
In a frozen village in the far north, three Vikings of great skill and strength live quiet lives, spending their days hunting for meat in the surrounding woods. They are Erik the Swift, known far and wide for his [[Fragile Speedster|great speed]] and incredible jumping ability; Baleog the Fierce, whose skill with a [[Bow and Sword
One cold night, the trio finds themselves kidnapped by an evil green alien known as Tomator, who wants to use the Vikings as exhibits in his intergalactic freak show. The trio aren't about to take this lying down and immediately bust out. Their escape attempt goes a bit awry, however, resulting in them being hurled through time. It's up to you to lead them home.
''The Lost Vikings'' (developed by the team that would later become [[Blizzard Entertainment]], released for the [[SNES]] in 1992, and later ported to other systems) is a hard game to classify. At first glance, it looks like a simple [[Platformer]], but it's more complicated than that
The big draw to the series is how each character's abilities are used in unique ways and in combination with each other to allow for safe progress. For example, one early puzzle requires Olaf to use his shield as a platform for Erik to jump from, giving him the extra height he needs to vault a locked gate. On the other side, Erik can find a key to unlock the door and allow his companions to progress. Some of the puzzles are quite devious, and the game is ruled by [[Trial and Error Gameplay]]. Lots of it. ''Lots'' of it.
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In addition, the game has a quirky sense of humor of the type rarely seen in this era of video games (which were usually lucky to get any text at all). It's an absolute joy to guide the bumbling, bickering Vikings through each stage.
In 1995, a long-awaited sequel was finally released (initially for the SNES and later [[Video Game Remake|remade]] for the Playstation, Saturn and PC). In this game, the Vikings are again ambushed by Tomator, but the Vikings respond by mugging Tomator's minions and taking their gear, giving them new abilities. Erik gains rocket boots (which allow him to [[Double Jump]]) and a scuba helmet (which removes his [[Super Drowning Skills]])
Fun and funny, but surprisingly deep; well worth a try.
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The series also [[media:lostvikingswarcraftshoutout_5772.png|contains]] a [[Shout-Out]] or two to Blizzard's more famous series, ''[[Warcraft]]'', which later returned the favor.
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{{tropelist}}
* [[Adaptation Expansion]]: The Genesis version has six levels the Super Nintendo one doesn't, and replaces the music from the demo in Wacky World with an awesomely bizarre remix of the SNES version of the Factory theme that suits the place perfectly.▼
* [[Ambidextrous Sprite]]: Played straight throughout both games, but curiously, Baleog's portrait in the first game shows his sword in the opposite hand from his sprites.
** In the second game, Baleog's robotic arm switches arms depending on which way he's facing. A bit more obvious when climbing ladders.
* [[Arbitrary Headcount Limit]]: 3 max in the sequel. [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] constantly.
** Justified in-universe by the teleportation magic/technology used by the various characters helping our heroes along being amateur or otherwise faulty; they all get where they're going eventually, but periodically, a flub-up sends them off to the bean aisle.
*** The sisters on the pirate ships aren't sending you straight to where you need to go because they wanna get rich. It takes a threat to convince them to get you there.
* [[Arrows on Fire]]: One of the powerups for Baleog in the first game.
▲* [[Adaptation Expansion]]: The Genesis version has six levels the Super Nintendo one doesn't, and replaces the music from the demo in Wacky World with an awesomely bizarre remix of the SNES version of the Factory theme that suits the place perfectly.
* [[Blatant Item Placement]]: It's good that all the food being mid-air isn't taken by someone else.
{{quote|
'''Baleog:''' [[Medium Awareness|No one else in videogames wonders about that stuff]].
* [[Bottomless Magazines]]: Quoting Baleog, "a lifetime supply of arrows
* [[Bottomless Pits]]: Averted, since you may clearly see what is situated on the bottom of these, and in just half of the cases, these are shock barriers, lava or spikes.
* [[Bow and Sword
* [[Bratty Half-Pint]]: In the second game, the vikings come across one of these a few times. {{spoiler|He turns out to be [[Big Bad|Tomator]]
* [[Cartoon Bomb]]: One of the items you can collect.
* [[Character Roster Global Warming]]: Part one had only one ''clearly'' offensive guy
* [[Circling Birdies]]: Or stars. They can be seen after a headbutt or fall from a great height. On Erik, specificially.
* [[Classic Cheat Code]]: On the second game, kill one of your vikings in the intro level. Every character will gain a new ability. {{spoiler|To pull it off, have Olaf stand on the highest part of the ground with his shield up. Have Eric double jump off of him and land on the lowest part. Repeat two more times
** [[Easy Mode Mockery]]: Even though there's practically no way to do it by accident, the game treats it as though you're just ''that'' incompetent, and treats it like giving you the new abilities is taking pity on you.
* [[Convection, Schmonvection]]: The lava pits, as per video game law, only hurt if you fall in them.
* [[Deadpan Snarker]]: Erik and Baleog.
* [[Death Trap]]: Lots of 'em. In the first game, a lot of them are [[One-Hit Kill|One Hit Kills]], necessitating [[Trial and Error Gameplay]].
* [[Eternal Engine]]: The Great Factory in the first game.
* [[Everything Trying to Kill You]]: Robots, blob things, slimes, mummies, scorpions
* [[Fartillery]]: Olaf in the second game can use his gas for an aerial boost. He can also use it to destroy blocks!
* [[Five-Man Band]]:▼
** [[The Hero]]: Erik (self-proclaimed leader, and the most concerned with keeping the group together.)▼
** [[The Lancer]]: Baleog (grumpy and doesn't get along well with the others.)▼
** [[The Smart Guy]]: Fang (definitely one of the brighter characters, and he shows an interest in working on the time machine.)▼
** [[The Big Guy]]: Scorch (has the game's best attack, and is a [[Proud Warrior Race Guy]].)▼
** [[The Chick]], [[Distaff Counterpart|male version]]: Olaf (lacks any form of offense and is [[The Millstone]] story-wise.)▼
* [[Fireballs]]: Some enemies and obstacles fire them.
▲* [[Five-Man Band]]:
▲** [[The Hero]]: Erik (self-proclaimed leader, and the most concerned with keeping the group together
▲** [[The Smart Guy]]: Fang (definitely one of the brighter characters, and he shows an interest in working on the time machine
▲** [[The Chick]], [[Distaff Counterpart|male version]]: Olaf (lacks any form of offense and is [[The Millstone]] story-wise
* [[Floating in A Bubble]]: One of the obstacles encountered in the first game.
* [[Gang Plank Galleon]]: The third area in ''Lost Vikings 2''.
* [[Guest Fighter|Guest Racer]]: Olaf becomes this in ''[[Rock
* [[Have a Nice Death]]: Fail enough times on a single level, and the
{{quote|
'''Erik:''' "Yeah, it's too bad the player keeps trying to prove the same thing."
* [[Hitbox Dissonance]]: Those bubbles in prehistoric and wacky world. Many lives were lost when trying to get into/onto them.
* [[Hyperactive Metabolism]]: Because we all know, food heals.
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* [[Level Goal]]: Clearly marked in the first installment.
* [[Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me]]: Olaf with his shield.
* [[The Many Deaths of You]]: Every different way to die has its own animation. The
* [[Medium Awareness]]: Very much so!
* [[Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot]]: The cast of the second game, as described above.
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* [[No One Gets Left Behind]]: Even if you manage to make it to the exit from a level, it's considered a loss unless all three characters get out alive.
* [[Obstructive Foreground]]: In a few places. Most notably in factory levels in the original game.
* [[One-Hit Kill]]: Spikes, grinders, electricity
* [[Parasol Parachute]]: Olaf does this with his shield, somehow.
* [[Plot-Driven Breakdown]]: This is how the boys escape ending up in a cell in the beginning of ''both'' games.
* [[Plot Tailored to the Party]]: This is more or less the entire point.
* [[The Power of Friendship]]: Done as a game mechanic.▼
* [[Prehistoria]]: A separate world in the first game.
* [[Punny Name]]: The shamans from the second game's jungle world have such names as Comonawannago, Kumonankikme and Dakindagaiyuluftahait.
* [[Puzzle Boss]]: Tomator, in both games.
* [[Quicksand Sucks]]: There's only one pit of the stuff in the SNES game (more in the Genesis version, which has more levels), but later levels have other hazards that have the same death animation (falling into chocolate, for example, in the second-to-last "wacky" levels, see [[Magicant]]).
* [[Schmuck Bait]]: In one of the Egyptian levels, there's a sign that reads "(Skull and crossbones) ->, (Key) <-". True to form, smashing the wall on the right will
▲* [[The Power of Friendship]]: Done as a game mechanic.
▲* [[Schmuck Bait]]: In one of the Egyptian levels, there's a sign that reads "(Skull and crossbones) ->, (Key) <-". True to form, smashing the wall on the right will {{spoiler|cause a boulder to roll out and insta-kill Eric}}.
* [[Sdrawkcab Name]]: In ''Norse By Norsewest'', one of the items you must collect for a potion in the first level is an Oiramrepus mushroom. Not surprisingly, it looks not unlike something out of [[Super Mario Bros.|that other video game]].
* [[Selective Gravity]]: [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] at the end of one of the prehistoric levels in the original game.
* [[Shifting Sand Land]]: Egypt worlds.
* [[Shout-Out]]: Blizzard's other games and many more.
** Half of the Wacky World levels are [[Shout-Out|Shout Outs]] to [[Green Hill Zone]] in ''Sonic'' series.
** Also: the "[[Back to The Future|Flush Capacitor]]".
** The dialogue preceding the first jungle level in the second game contains at least three.
* [[Smart Bomb]]: One of the items you can collect.
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* [[Stone Wall]]: Olaf, naturally.
* [[Straight Man]]: Erik, and later, Scorch.
* [[Super Drowning Skills]]: Everyone. Except Erik in ''Lost Vikings 2''.
** [[Super Not-Drowning Skills]]: Erik in ''Lost Vikings 2'', thanks to his helmet.
* [[Teamwork Puzzle Game]]
* [[Temporary Platform]]: More prominent in the first game.
* [[Tempting Fate]]: "Life is good. I hope I never have to leave my beloved village." Ten seconds later, they were abducted by aliens.
* [[Trial and Error Gameplay]]: Sometimes it can take a few playthroughs before you figure out which path which
▲* [[The Many Deaths of You]]: The vikings can turn into skeletons, get burned with only eyeballs being "untouched", turn into a pile of ashes after an unsuccessful falling, [[Squashed Flat|get into the second dimension after being smashed by a crusher]]... You only name it.
▲* [[Trial and Error Gameplay]]: Sometimes it can take a few playthroughs before you figure out which path which viking's supposed to take. More noticeable in the first game due to a higher prevalence of one-hit kills and Fang and Scorch in the second game.
* [[Use Your Head]]: Erik uses headbutts to attack and smash walls. Ceilings are added to the list in the sequel.
* [[Video Game Flight]]: Scorch can use his wings to glide as well as quadruple jump. {{spoiler|Scorch can actually fly (not get tired) if the [[Classic Cheat Code]] is activated
* [[Wackyland]]: The second to last set of levels is split between striped levels with balloons, spikes
* [[Wall Jump]]: Fang.
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[[Category:Platform Game]]
[[Category:Puzzle Platformer]]
[[Category:
[[Category:Super Nintendo Entertainment System]]
[[Category:Game Boy Advance]]
[[Category:Sega Genesis]]
[[Category:Blizzard Battle.Net]]
[[Category:Video Games of the 1990s]]
[[Category:Blizzard Entertainment]]
[[Category:Video Game]]
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