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Body armor in games acts as additional protection. In most cases, when a player takes damage that would completely affect their health, their body armor reduces the damage taken or takes the damage instead.
A sport in which the player throws a ball down a lane in order to knock over 10 pins that are set up in a triangular shape.
A concept in games with multiple characters, a screen with pictures of all playable characters with the possibility of stat listings.
A character in a game who uses unorthodox moves, and who likes to play 'practical jokes' on opponents. This makes losing to him/her all the more humiliating.
Typically found in fighting games, combos are a series of strung-together moves.
The comic relief is a character, other than the main character, who is meant to add humor and lighten the mood of the game. These characters are usually very dumb or very witty, and are usually very talkative.
The cinematic "Ultimate Attack" unique to each character in SoulCalibur 4. Using it while the opponent is in a "Soul Crush" will end the match in one deadly blow.
First appeared in the Tekken series but later crossed over to the Soul Calibur series of fighting games.
Used as a last ditch effort the desperation move is often a single, powerful attack that hits multiple enemies on screen. The attack is executed at the cost of a percentage of the user's total hit-points.
The wear and tear of a character's outfit as he or she receives damage. It can be done for realism, but often serves to titillate.
Many video game villains oftentimes laugh in evil ways, be it a vicious cackle, a sneering chuckle, or a booming laugh. Common evil laughs often include "Bwa-ha-ha", "Mwa-ha-ha", or "Ho ho ho".
A characteristic many game characters share when their eyes emit a colored light instead of what a regular eye should look like. This is often evident in robots and characters possessed by some evil force.
A counter system in the Soul Caliber series that give the performer an opening in the opponent.
Ritualistic suicide, specifically to use a blade across the belly.
An attack that is fueled by the attacker's own health, causing it to decrease each time the attack is used.
The Izuna Drop's origin began in the 1969 manga called Ninpu Kamui Gaiden OP (The Legend of Kamui). Kamui learned this move from watching weasels leap from trees and attack birds. Many fictional ninja and/or video game characters use Kamui's move to this day, such as Vega (Street Fighter), Ryu Hayabusa (Dead or Alive / Ninja Gaiden), and Kage-Maru (Virtua Fighter).
A character that deliberately destroys themselves in order to kill their enemies. This can be something like letting a grenade kill yourself and your enemy in a first person shooter.
A process by which one player/creature's health points are transferred to another, particularly via a spell, technique or item.
Martial arts are a popular set of skills that many video game characters possess. Martial arts are the cornerstone of any fighting game, and have influenced many platforming and adventure games.
Legendary, stealthy assassins from Japan's feudal era, who are well-trained in the art of the sword, and who may or may not have access to magical powers.
A Palette Swap is when two or more characters share the same style sprite or character model with only minor color or cosmetic changes. Although visually similar, palette swap characters may have very different moves and personalities.
A character that appears in many games, often unrelated. For an example, Cid from the Final Fantasy series.
A slightly modified version of an already existing character, often in fighting games. Also known as a "clone".
Regenerating health is a gameplay mechanic which automatically refills the players health bar after successfully escaping damage for a set amount of time. It is typically seen in RPGs and modern first/third-person shooters.
If a person is made of metal and has circuitry instead of a circulatory system, then their game belongs on this list.
Samurai, or Bushi (literally, "warriors") were a social class in feudal Japan, equivalent to Western aristocracy, knights.
A person leading a double life. Many comic book characters have one and sometimes the plot of their stories is keeping their secret identities a secret.
Common concept in 3D fighting games that allows you to side step around your opponent avoiding his attacks.
Slashing weapons are designed to cut and slice rather than causing blunt trauma. Examples include swords, axes, claws, naginatas, or even whips.
Spamming, in video games, refers to the rapid, repeated use of the same item or action. For instance, "grenade spamming" in COD4 is the act of a player throwing a large amount of grenades in succession into an area so that they may get a lucky kill or simply distract the enemy.
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