Tools Of The Trade: The 7 Most Essential Video Game Mechanics

Double jumps and cover systems are great and all, but gaming as we know it would be nothing without these fundamentals.

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Image via Complex Original
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7. The Multiple-Choice Question

First Appeared In:The Oregon
Trail

The Oregon
Trail
Mass Effect. The only difference? You
make calls for a galaxy, not five Conestoga wagons.

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6. The Save Point

First Appeared In:Pitfall II: Lost Caverns
Chrono Trigger

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5. The World Map

First Appeared In:Dragon Warrior
Dragon
Warrior
Final Fantasy VII

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4. The Healing Item

First Appeared In:pedit5
Streets of Rage

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3. The Key

First Appeared In:The Legend of Zelda
Fable III<.i> has an Xbox achievement for—wait for it—finding every single key in the game.

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2. The Mount

First Appeared In:Golden Axe
thatOcarina of TimeSuper
Mario World
Golden Axe

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1. The Jump

First Appeared In:Frogs
PitfallPlayboyCastlevaniaFinal FightBatman: Arkham CityPitfall

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