View source for Invincibility (video game terminology)

[[Image:Starman.png|thumb|256x256px|"Starman" is a popular invincibility power-up from ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]''.]]

'''Invincibility''' is a [[video game]] term and mechanic used in a wide variety of games. Invincibility is typically used as a blanket term to describe a variety of ways in which the player's character cannot be damaged by enemies or hazards, however, there are multiple variations of invincibility and each pertains to a different game mechanic. I differentiate between three distinct forms: invincible, invulnerable, and indestructible.

Speed runners will often calculate precisely how long a character remains invincible to see if a they can use the invincibility to shave off the time it takes to beat the game. They will count the exact number of video refresh frames that the character is invincibility and call them "i-frames."

==Type 1: Invincibility==
[[Image:Pac-Man - ARC - Screenshot - Power Pellet.png|thumb|256x256px|''[[Pac-Man]]'' is briefly invincible upon eating a power pellet.]]

When invincible, a character is not only immune to damage from colliding with enemies, but also hurts the enemies they touch. This type is what most people think of when they think of invincibility in a video game. Invincibility typically only lasts for a brief period of time and there is usually both an auditory and visual cue notifying the player that their character is invincible. This could also be described as "offensive invincibility" and, in some games, it is called "death touch." 

'''How it's used:''' Invincibility is typically awarded as a special power-up bonus. It can be awarded randomly, but it is far more likely to be placed by a map designer in a specific location to help the player get through a particularly difficult section. Invincibility power-ups are frequently hidden and serve as a reward to observant or tenacious players.

'''Examples:'''
* ''[[Pac-Man]]'' - When Pac-Man eats a power pellet, he becomes invincible for a short period of time.
* ''[[Super C]]'' - The eagle with a B gives the character an energy barrier making them invincible.
* ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' - The starman power-up is an iconic invincible power-up.

==Type 2: Invulnerability==
[[Image:Legend of Zelda, The - NES - Screenshot - Invulnerable.png|thumb|256x256px|In ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'', if Link gets a magic clock, he becomes invulnerable and can walk through enemies.]]

While invulnerable, a character cannot be damaged and enemies and the the player can simply walk through enemies and their projectiles. Audio cues are rare for invulnerability, but a visual cue is almost always applied; usually the character will flicker. This can also be described as "defensive invincibility."

'''How it's used:''' Invulnerability can be awarded as a power-up, but it is far more common to see it used after the player takes a hit. In this case, invulnerability is used as a mechanic to solve a problem with enemy collision. Video games are usually programmed to check for collisions between the player's character and enemies several times a second, however, if the character were to lose health on each one of these checks, even a seemingly short collision with an enemy would do a lot of damage. Some early video games were programmed this way, much to the chagrin of the player. This problem can easily be solved with enemy projectiles because they can be made to disappear the moment they hit the player, but making a large enemy disappear when it hits the player looks silly, so game designers started making the character invulnerable for just enough time to let the player recognize they were hit and move to safety before becoming vulnerable again.

'''Examples:''' Thousands of games use invulnerability as a mechanic to prevent multiple collisions, but the following games also use it as a power-up:
* ''[[Castlevania]]'' - The invisibility potion lets you walk through enemies without taking damage.
* ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]'' - The magic clock makes Link immune to damage, stuns all enemies, and lets Link walk through them.

==Type 3: Indestructibility==
[[Image:Doom - DOS - Screenshot - Invulnerability.png|thumb|256x256px|The green sphere in ''[[Doom]]'' shields you from damage, but explosions still knock you back.]]

Indestructibility describes when a character still collides with enemies and their attacks still cause knock-back, but the character doesn't actually lose any health. This is distinct from invulnerability by how if affects game play. When a player's character is invincible or invulnerable, they can simply run though the level with ease, but an indestructible character's movement is still impeded, so the player must still avoid or destroy enemies to make progress. This is the least common of the three types and is only employed in a handful of games. Being indestructible typically has a visual cue, and sometimes an auditory cue.

'''How it's used:''' Indestructibility is typically given as a temporary power-up to help a player pass though a difficult section. Any cheat code which grants the player infinite hit points (while still letting them take hits) will also act as indestructibility.

'''Examples:'''
* ''[[Doom]]'' - The green artifact shields against all damage, but enemies can still trap you, and explosions still blow you back.
* ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' - The shield monitor makes Sonic indestructible to the next single hit, but Sonic will still be knocked back.

==Other Types==
[[Image:Super Mario Bros. - NES - Screenshot - Death While Invincible.png|thumb|256x256px|There are often ways to die even while invincible.]]

While the three types of invincibility listed above describe the majority used in video games, there are still others, like "partial invulnerability," which describes when a character is immune to damage from some things, but still takes damage from others. For example, in ''[[Bomberman (1990 video game)|Bomberman]]'', you can get a fire-proof vest which makes you invulnerable to bomb blasts, but you will still die if you're touched by a monster. Another example can be found in the game ''[[Secret of Mana]]'', characters can wear a barrel which makes them invulnerable to mundane attacks, but they can still take damage from some magic attacks, and monsters still can't be walked through.

There are also forms of death that are not typically protected against even while invincible like falling off the screen, being crushed by a wall in a map with [[auto scrolling]], or being [[telefrag|telefragged]].

==Links==
{{Link|TVTropes|https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/InvincibilityPowerUp}}


[[Category: Game Terminology]]
[[Category: Game Mechanics]]