10 Gameplay Mechanics That Completely Changed Our Favorite Series

As a game series ages, new ideas are introduced
to keep the franchise
fresh.

As a game series ages, new ideas are introduced
to keep the franchise
fresh. Some concepts flop or are forgotten while others flourish. A select few
even manage to redefine the way players engage with that series. Here’s a list
of mechanics that accomplished the latter for their respective properties.

Spin Dash – Sonic the Hedgehog (Introduced in Sonic 2)
Anyone who’s ever booted up Sonic 1 after
playing the subsequent entries knows how jarring it is to revisit it because of
the absence of the spin dash. The maneuver became the most effective method of
instant propulsion, getting the blue blur up and around platforms quickly and
easily. Before that, Sonic had to build a running start that took seconds
(basically forever in this series) to get the lead out. Spinning is also handy
as a semi-invincible form of travel, efficiently taking out enemies that lie in Sonic's path. As far as we’re concerned, Sonic wasn’t truly about speed until he
started revving up the spin dash.

Tranquilizer Gun – Metal Gear (Introduced in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty)
Metal Gear emphasizes silent, clean infiltrations,
so this useful weapon quickly became a godsend upon its introduction. Instead
of having to always carefully circumvent enemies, players can fulfill their
trigger-happy tendencies and just shoot them down without making a racket or
feeling like a murderer. The Tranquilizer Gun is a prime case of having your
cake and eating it too, and may as well be grafted to Snake’s palm as it’s
remained one of the few must-have items in the series.

Economy – Assassin’s Creed (Introduced
in Assassin’s Creed II)
One of Assassin’s Creed II’s most engrossing
aspects was, surprisingly, building up Ezio’s Monteriggioni
Villa. Since then, every Assassin’s Creed has included a form of economy, from
purchasing property to sending recruits to fulfill contracts in other lands.
The prospect of earning extra dough to unlock and upgrade additional
headquarters greatly incentivizes side-activities. I remember going out of my
way to earn enough dough to buy every piece of artwork and weaponry to display
in my Assassin pad. Best of all, owned establishments generate perpetual
income, creating a strong hook to amass more property and, in turn, money.

Super Combo – Street Fighter (Introduced in Super Street Fighter II Turbo)
One of the most dramatic additions to Street
Fighter II during its long phase of updated installments was these special
attacks. Filling a meter while fighting allowed world warriors to unleash a
devastating super attack, giving them a strategic ace-in-the-hole to work
towards instead of just hitting each other until someone lost. The Super Combo
is irreplaceably woven into fabric of Street Fighter, appearing in every major
entry since. The concept has also taken various forms in other fighting games,
like Mortal Kombat’s X-Ray attacks.

Sliding/Charge Attack – Mega Man (Introduced in Mega Man 3 & 4, respectively)
It would take three games before the Blue Bomber
gained two of his most invaluable maneuvers. Sliding bestowed players with a
needed form of evasion in a game known for lobbing tons of projectiles at
players. It also facilitated more creative level design, such as narrow
passages accessible only by sliding. Mega Man’s Charge Shot provided a
powerful, built-in weapon capable of annihilating foes quicker. In Robot Master
battles, the Charge Shot’s powerful wallop makes it an effective backup option
when you’ve exhausted the chosen special weapon’s ammo.

For more game changing mechanics, head to page two.