Upgrade Complete

Welcome to the trope page for Upgrade Complete!

The goal of this page is to upgrade EVERYTHING!

To view this page, you'll first need to upgrade the game description.

Upgrade Trope Page Description

Upgrade Complete is a shoot-em-up flash game based around the upgrade mechanic found in many video games. Instead of beating the schmup part of the game, the goal is to upgrade everything in the game. And by everything, we mean everything, from the music, sound and graphics, to purchasing the ability to actually play the game.

And of course, you can upgrade your ship as well, the upgrade system allowing you to add various weapons in a grid around the ship (and, of course, upgrade them.) Shooting down ships makes them drop coins that you need to collect in order to afford more upgrades, and if you defeat all the ships in a single wave without any of them reaching the bottom of the screen, you get to the next wave, which throws even more ships (and money) at you.

Play the game here.

A sequel was also made (found here,) offering even more things to upgrade this time around.

Tropes used in Upgrade Complete include:

Upgrade Trope Examples for Both Games

Both games include examples of:

Cosmetic Award: Almost every upgrade in the game is one of these, but the one that really takes the cake is the "Just Upgrade" upgrade in the second game, which upgrades the Just Upgrade level...and does nothing else.
Death Is a Slap on The Wrist: None of the ships can hurt you, and even if you fail to clear a wave, there's no consequences beyond not going to the next wave (you even get to keep your money.)
Grid Inventory: Sort of. All your ship's weapons and various equipment exist as option-style floating objects that have to be placed on a grid around the ship.
More Dakka: If you're getting overwhelmed by the sheer number of ships in a particular wave, just add more guns (or upgrade the ones you have already.)
Stylistic Suck:
- When you initially purchase anything graphics or sound-wise, it will look/sound like crap until you upgrade it some more.
- Upgrade Complete 2 has your first set of music tracks just being the creator humming.
You Have Researched Breathing:
- Taken Up to Eleven. Examples include having to purchase the preloader, the shop to purchase upgrades, the play button (to actually play the game,) and the game's logo and copyright information.
- Also, the super secret upgrade that requires every other upgrade to unlock in the first game is the game over screen.

Upgrade Trope Examples for Upgrade Complete 1

Upgrade Complete 1 includes examples of:

But Thou Must!: Parodied. You're given a yes/no option for if you want to play the game...but to choose the no option, you have to purchase an upgrade for it (which you can't do because you haven't purchased the upgrade shop yet.)

Upgrade Trope Examples for Upgrade Complete 2

Upgrade Complete 2 includes examples of:

Allegedly Free Game: Parodied. With the right upgrades, you'll unlock the "Premium Content" button, which claims to let you purchase (with real life money) extra content for the game. However, upgrading the Premium Content page makes said content cheaper and cheaper, until you can finally get it for free. Turns out the "Premium Content" was just a picture of a sheep, which commentary talking about said sheep.
Beam Spam:
- The Smart Bomb weapon.
- Also, if you amass enough lasers, you can easily do this.
Damage Sponge Boss: The final (and only) boss of the game does nothing but very slowly move forward...and have a bajillion hit points.
Deliberately Monochrome: "Indie Mode"
Hey, It's That Voice!: Egoraptor, is that you?
Jerkass: The upgrade window will insult you regularly. You'll have to purchase upgrades to make it less surly.
Jittercam: One of the many upgrades, causing the screen to shake whenever a ship explodes or the player fires off a smart bomb. The fully upgraded Jittercam will sometimes shake violently for no reason (like at the end of a wave.)
Large Ham: The male pilot, after you completely upgrade his voice acting.
Loads and Loads of Loading: Of course, you can always decrease the loading times. Three guesses as to how you accomplish that.
No Plot, No Problem: Lampshaded by your pilot (with a full voice acting upgrade) on occasion when you clear a wave.

"Take that, evil space aliens...or whoever you are!"

Screamer Prank: If you upgrade your heart rate.
Small Name, Big Ego: The first-level credits page has the creator taking credit for everything in the game. Upgrading it further adds more names to the credits, until it's finally a complete credits list.
Speaking Simlish: First-level voice acting is just incomprehensible muffled talking.

Congratulations! You've upgraded everything!

You've now unlocked the index bar!