History Main / RocketJump

[[folder: Film ]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' was one of the first [=FPSs=] to feature this, albeit as a horizontal push rather than vertical jump. This was particularly notable as Doom didn't have any actual jump button. ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' (with grenades), ''Quake'', and ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' followed.
** ''Doom'' episode 3 has an exit to a secret level that is supposed to be accessed with this method. An invulnerability powerup is provided to assist the player in doing so. However, it is also possible to strafe-run into the secret, though much more difficult.
** ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheTriad'' featured the first vertical rocket jump.
** While it was possible to do a literal rocket-jump in ''Unreal Tournament'', the method recommended by the game's tutorial was to use the Impact Hammer -- a melee-only weapon that was essentially a powerful pneumatic piston which inexplicably could cause splash damage (including a slight push) to the wielder if "fired" at a nearby surface (like, say, the ''ground''). ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004'' continued this with its replacement Shield Gun, even going so far as to let you cushion some of the damage from landing after a "shield jump" with its eponymous SecondaryFire.
** Taken to its logical conclusion with the practice of "trickjumping", in which rocket damage is turned off for the purpose of setting up complicated and difficult jumps. [[RuleOfCool Need we ask why?]] Multiple examples can be found in [[http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4242993143278425715&hl=en-GB this video,]] by the ambitiously-titled ''Infinite Trajectory'' team.
** Several secrets in the ''Quake'' games, including a secret level in the second game, require rocket or grenade jumping to reach.
*** ''VideoGame/QuakeII'' had an area that could only be reached by rocketjumping. It contained several goodies, and would trigger the message "You crazy rocket jumpers!".

** An open-source game [[http://www.xonotic.org Xonotic]] has a laser gun designed for this. Minimal damage, but quite a lot of push. Rockets will get you even higher.
* In ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'', the Soldier and the Demoman can do this with rockets and stickybombs respectively. In theory, every class can do it, but only if an enemy shoots them (since there is no friendly fire). Of course, the technique was already present in the original. Both classes since received weapons specifically designed to be used to train this technique, as they deal no damage, and a sufficiently skilled player can cross the map in seconds.
** The Soldier was consciously designed to rocket jump. ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h42d0WHRSck Meet the Soldier]]'' features a rocket jump, and one game update even gave rocket jumping Soldiers a neat visual effect (their shoes catch fire, which somehow jets downwards like rocket exhaust). Becoming the final winner of the "War!" update gave him the Gunboats: shoes that replace his secondary weapon and reduce damage from his own rockets by 60%. The Uber Update also gave the Soldier the Mantreads, which adds GoombaStomp to his Rocket Jumps.
*** The Beggar's Bazooka has a less intended, but even more effective, version: The explosions caused by overloading the launcher are much stronger than a normal rocket, and set off right next to the Soldier even while airborne. The result is essentially an explosion-powered jetpack that lets him cross the map in seconds.
** Pyros can launch themselves with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQeyNmKKcVY the assistance of an explosive projectile belonging to the other team]]. It actually ends up requiring even more effort than a regular rocket jump, due to the tighter timing, greater need for coordination, and the generally increased chance of being messily reduced to bits of asbestos suit and rubber. So-called W+M2 Pyros are known for such stunts, among others.
*** The Pyro later got a flare gun called The Detonator, which allows players to rocket jump with relative ease. Compared to rockets and stickies, the distance the Pyro can fling himself is extremely small. It's closer to the Scout's DoubleJump than the Soldier's rocket jump. Applications are limited, but it ''can'' allow Pyros to access routes that were otherwise just barely out of reach.

** Since his update, the Engineer can manually fire his sentry's rockets to use them for rocket jumping. That way, he can reach places inaccessible for most classes (and place a teleporter exit on there). This is only one method of the "Sentry Jump", but the others are non-explosive and thus not this trope.
*** Engineer has one additional trick up his sleeve. After the Jungle Inferno update, he can equip the [[ArtificialLimb Short]] [[ShockAndAwe Circuit]] and fire an explosive energy ball. Under highly specific circumstances[[note]]fire the exploding energy ball down at the ground so the explosion happens under you, while jumping, while there is an enemy within the explosion's blast radius, while having more than 25% health[[/note]] the explosion will fling the Engineer into the air much like a rocket jump. This can disorient enemies for a second, or allow particularly wily Engineers to retreat via an unexpected route when cornered.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': There are multiple ways to pull this off. The sanest version combines bombs with the Statis Rune, which stops an object's movement for a time but it gains momentum when it is hit. Bomb blasts also count, so Link can use bombs to give the Statised object momentum, climb onto the object, then fly away on the object as the Statis ends. The second requires that you just use a bomb rune to blow yourself up while above it, launching yourself away at the cost of a lot of health. The third requires that you fire a bomb arrow at your feet then quickly doing a shield surf to gain a bit more distance.

* ''LightNovel/BofuriIDontWantToGetHurtSoIllMaxOutMyDefense'': Maple has a skill called Machine God which gives her a mech suit armed with lots of guns. She can fly into the air by shooting onto the ground. This move would hurt most other players without her high amount of defense.

* ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'' popularized the modern concept of aiming a rocket at your feet, jumping, and firing a rocket immediately after to gain a much higher altitude. It was initially discovered as a glitch, but was left in the game for one reason or another. Also a very important staple of Quake's sequels. It is used extensively [[http://youtu.be/cALELmIo8zk?hd=1&t=3m20s here, especially after 3:20]]. A more unorthodox way to achieve the effect is to use a Spawn's death explosion for a similar boost. It's tricky to pull off, but can be a game changer in {{speedrun}}s.

* At some point, somebody realized that the SplashDamage from the Phoenix in ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'' (which is fairly minor compared to other explosives) could be used to propel the player forward at greater than normal speeds. This has little utility outside of speedruns, though.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' has a glitch involving quickly switching to the Hoverboots immediately after taking damage from a bomb. It's been used in speedruns occasionally.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': There are multiple ways to pull this off. The sanest version combines bombs with the Statis Rune, which stops an object's movement for a time but it gains momentum when it is hit. Bomb blasts also count, so Link can use bombs to give the Statised object momentum, climb onto the object, then fly away on the object as the Statis ends. The second requires that you just use a bomb rune to blow yourself up while above it, launching yourself away at the cost of a lot of health. The third requires that you fire a bomb arrow at your feet then quickly doing a shield surf to gain a bit more distance, which is required to complete certain shrines in a few SelfImposedChallenge runs like no pause runs. The ''extreme'' way used by speedrunners, the "Wind Bomb"[[note]]Also known as Bomb Impact Launch and "Boomy Zoomy"[[/note]], consists in using one bomb in midair to propel ''another'' midair bomb into you while in BulletTime.

** Proper timing and bomb placement can even allow you to chain these explosions together into a triple bomb jump (Bomb-Trick) in the ''Prime'' series, and ''unlimited'' bomb jumps (Infinite Bomb Jump) in the 2D games, making it one of the key techniques used in SequenceBreaking and {{Speedrun}}s.[[note]]There are even different techniques for doing [=IBJs=], from a slow and easy method to quick but more difficult ones, as demonstrated by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq5gp6srJwg this tutorial]].[[/note]] The only game in the series where this technique is impossible is ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', due to bombs taking longer to detonate in that entry.

* The opening for the second season of the ''LightNovel/KonoSubarashiiSekaiNiShukufukuO'' anime contains two examples. First, Darkness stacks an iron door on top of some [[DefeatEqualsExplosion explosive monsters]] and has the party stand on the door. Detonating the monsters launches the party into the sky. Seconds later, Megumin casts her explosion magic, and Aqua catches the backdraft in her raiment, slowing the party's descent.

* In {{VideoGame/Nefarious}}, Crow can bounce off of his own grenades to reach higher locations. Justified in that his PoweredArmor absorbs the shock of the explosions.

* ''VideoGame/{{ShovelKnight}}'': Though boasting few of an average rocket jump's characteristics, Plague Knight's Bomb Burst is implied to be one of these. After charging up an explosion, he can let it go while still holding it to fling himself into the air. It doesn't hurt him, although given his mad scientist characterization that's to be expected.

* A particularly interesting example is used in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'', where [[TheChessmaster Sumeragi]], when the [[CoolShip Ptolemaios]] is surrounded at sea, uses the force of several exploding torpedoes below the ship to propel it into the air, allowing it freedom to use the Gundams' [[SuperMode Trans-Am]] to launch the Ptolemaios into space, effectively [[UpToEleven ROCKET JUMPING INTO ORBIT.]]

** ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda'' cartoon. link tosses a bomb ahead, and then jumps on it while holding his shield under him, similar to the ''Breath of the Wild'' shield technique .

* In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' you can do a bomb jump by dropping a bomb and powering up one of your jumping techniques. If you time it just right, you can reach various ledges you weren't meant to walk on. Most of the time falling out of bounds though as the ground isn't completely solid up there.
** On the other hand, the ''other'' kind of bomb-jumping used in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' (using a bomb to propel you horizontally, ignoring pits and other hazards), while not required, was useful in a couple stages--at the least, Dark World Level 3 to escape from that one room (you know the one), and in Ganon's Tower to access a faerie spring. A lot of romhacks of the game ''do'' require it, to the annoyance of {{No Damage Run}}ners.
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' had a glitch involving quickly switching to the Hoverboots immediately after taking damage from a bomb. It's been used in {{Speed Run}}s occasionally.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', there are multiple ways to pull this off. The sanest version combines bombs with the Statis Rune, which stops an object's movement for a time but it gains momentum when it is hit. Bomb blasts also count, so Link can use bombs to give the Statised object momentum, climb onto the object, then fly away on the object as the Statis ends. The second requires that you just use a bomb rune to blow yourself up while above it, launching yourself away at the cost of a lot of health. The third requires that you fire a bomb arrow at your feet then quickly doing a shield surf to gain a bit more distance, which is required to complete certain shrines in a few SelfImposedChallenge runs like no pause runs. The ''extreme'' way used by speedrunners, the "Wind Bomb"[[note]]Also known as Bomb Impact Launch and "Boomy Zoomy"[[/note]], consists in using one bomb in midair to propel ''another'' midair bomb into you while in BulletTime.
** However, Link [[OlderThanTheyThink first did this kind of thing]] in the ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfZelda'' cartoon. He tossed a bomb ahead, and then jumped on it while holding his shield under him, similar to the [[HilariousInHindsight to the Breath of the Wild shield Technique stated above]].

* In ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' ''Generations'', Light Bowgun users have access to a special move called "Bullet Geyser" which is basically a rocket jump in all but name. The one difference is that unlike most incarnations of the trope, the hunter isn't damaged by the blast. The "Blast Dash" available to Gunlance users is similar, but tends to be used for hurling a hunter towards a monster in an attempt to mount it instead of blasting them backwards as the Bullet Geyser does.

* In the Special Edition of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry 4'', [[BadassNormal Lady's]] double jump is just her shooting Kalina Ann into the floor or ground while she's in the air.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', there are multiple ways to pull this off. The sanest version combines bombs with the Statis Rune, which stops an object's movement for a time but it gains momentum when it is hit. Bomb blasts also count, so Link can use bombs to give the Statised object momentum, climb onto the object, then fly away on the object as the Statis ends. The second requires that you just use a bomb rune to blow yourself up while above it, launching yourself away at the cost of a lot of health. The third requires that you fire a bomb arrow at your feet then quickly doing a shield surf to gain a bit more distance, which is required to complete certain shrines in a few SelfImposedChallenge runs like no pause runs. The ''extreme'' way used by speedrunners, the "Wind Bomb", consists in using one bomb in midair to propel ''another'' midair bomb into you while in BulletTime.

** ''Metroid Prime: Hunters'' includes a bona fide Rocket Jump in addition to her standard bomb jumps: if Samus fires a missile (or certain other weapons) at the ground, she takes damage and gets knocked into the air a bit. Once again, this is useful for SequenceBreaking and speed running. It ''doesn't'' work in any other ''Metroid Prime'' game, though (then again, most of the good tricks in those games don't work in ''Hunters'' either).

** [[{{VideoGame/Metroid}} Samus]] has this with the down-special Bomb in ''Melee'' and ''VideoGame/ProjectM'', and so do [[{{Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda}} Link, Young Link, and Toon Link]] (though the applications of the latter work differently).

* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' has Samus' Bomb Jump, which is used in her Morph Ball form. In [[VideoGame/Metroid1 the first game]], as well the original [=GameCube=] releases of ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' and ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes'', it was the only way to jump in that form. Other games give Samus the ability to jump normally with the "Spring Ball" power-up at some point during her adventure, but the bomb jump is still useful; because the bombs can be laid in midair and they [[SelectiveGravity don't obey gravity]], you can jump into a bomb to get extra air.
** Proper timing and bomb placement can even allow you to chain these explosions together into a triple bomb jump (Bomb-Trick) in the ''Prime'' series, and ''unlimited'' bomb jumps (Infinite Bomb Jump) in the 2D games, making it one of the key techniques used in SequenceBreaking and {{Speedrun}}s. The only game in the series where this technique is impossible is ''VideoGame/MetroidFusion'', due to bombs functioning differently in that entry.
*** ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq5gp6srJwg three different Infinite Bomb Jump techniques]]: single bomb, double bomb, and triple bomb. The single bomb technique is showcased in the game's AttractMode and is the the easiest (but slowest) of all of them.
** In ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, her bomb move can be used to aid in recovery, both due to knockback and the act of laying one in mid-air slowing her fall.

* ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'' has Samus' Bomb Jump, which is used in her Morph Ball form. It's often the only way to jump in that form, or normal ball-jumping isn't available until later. Unlike the other examples, this doesn't hurt Samus.
** There are two peculiar intricacies to the Morph Ball Bomb: they can be laid in midair, and they [[SelectiveGravity don't obey gravity]]. This results in a technique known as the Double Bomb Jump, which requires timing bombs so that she gets propelled up to a midair bomb just as it goes off, propelling her even further. In some of the ''Metroid'' games, it's possible to do a triple, or even ''[[SequenceBreaking unlimited]]'' bomb jump, with the right timing of bomb placement and the bomb-restock counter.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' has several Infinite Bomb Jump techniques, the easiest (but slowest) of which is shown in the game's AttractMode.
** In ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' and ''Brawl'', the bomb move can be used for recovery.
** ''Metroid Prime: Hunters'' also includes a bona fide Rocket Jump: if Samus fires a missile (or certain other weapons) at the ground, she takes damage and gets knocked into the air a bit. This is useful for SequenceBreaking and speed running. It ''doesn't'' work in the console ''Metroid Prime'' games (but in turn, most of the good tricks in those games don't work in ''Hunters'').

* ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'': The Prospector Zombie does this with a stack of TNT strapped to his leg. It launches him to the end of the yard, where he turns around and starts eating your plants from behind.

* A particularly [[CrazyAwesome interesting]] example is used in ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam00'', where [[TheChessmaster Sumeragi]], when the [[CoolShip Ptolemaios]] is surrounded at sea, uses the force of several exploding torpedoes below the ship to propel it into the air, allowing it freedom to use the Gundams' [[SuperMode Trans-Am]] to launch the Ptolemaios into space, effectively [[UpToEleven ROCKET JUMPING INTO ORBIT.]]

** ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' has several Infinite Bomb Jump technique, the easiest (but slowest) of which is shown in the game's AttractMode.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', there are multiple ways to pull this off. The sanest version combines bombs with the Statis Rune, which stops an object's movement for a time but it gains momentum when it is hit. Bomb blasts also count, so Link can use bombs to give the Statised object momentum, climb onto the object, then fly away on the object as the Statis ends. The third requires that you just use a bomb rune to blow yourself up while above it, launching yourself away at the cost of a lot of health. The third requires that you fire a bomb arrow at your feet then quickly doing a shield surf to gain a bit more distance, which is required to complete certain shrines in a few SelfImposedChallenge runs like no pause runs. The ''extreme'' way used by speedrunners, the "Wind Bomb", consists in using one bomb in midair to propel ''another'' midair bomb into you while in BulletTime.

** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', there are multiple ways to pull this off. The sanest version combines bombs with the Statis Rune, which stops an object's movement for a time but it gains momentum when it is hit. Bomb blasts also count, so Link can use bombs to give the Statised object momentum, climb onto the object, then fly away on the object as the Statis ends. The third requires that you just use a bomb rune to blow yourself up while above it, launching yourself away at the cost of a lot of health. The third requires that you fire a bomb arrow at your feet then quickly doing a shield surf to gain a bit more distance, which is required to complete certain shrines in a few SelfImposedChallenge runs like no pause runs. The ''extreme'' way used by speedrunners, the Wind Bomb", consists in using one bomb in midair to propel ''another'' midair bomb into you while in BulletTime.

* Can be done in ''VideoGame/{{TitanFall 2}}'' with properly-timed grenade. It's notable that this trick is usually used by players to gain ''speed'', not height. It's a very useful tactic to use in order to shave off the time in the Pilot's Gauntlet. This also gets a DeconstructiveParody in Octane's backstory in ''VideoGame/ApexLegends'' [[note]]Which is set around 30 years after ''Titanfall 2''[[/note]], where he broke the world record in the gauntlet using grenade boost to soar past the finishing line...[[RealityEnsues and lost both of his legs]] in the process. Not that that matters to him, of course: he then just guilt trip Lifeline into building him a pair of prosthetic legs, then proceed to enter the Apex Games because he think the old stunts aren't enough for him.

* In ''Webcomic/Level30Psychiatry'' [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 The Soldier]] [[http://lvl30psy.thecomicseries.com/comics/pl/185079 attempts this but]] RealityEnsues.

* In an episode of Manga/MyHeroAcademia, Izuku uses mines from a minefield to propel himself to the leading position in a race, however, he uses a part of a fallen robot as a shield to protect himself from the blast.