History Main / FollowTheMoney

* The tings and lums in the ''Franchise/{{Rayman}}'' games.

* Wumpa Fruit in ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot'' would often guide the way through various platforming setpieces and the quickest route through a multi-path level. Certain areas in the original game would only hint at a secret path [[GuideDangIt by leaving some Wumpas floating in mid-air]], implying invisible platforms.

* Gems in the ''Franchise/SpyroTheDragon'' series, which can lead players into more covert areas, whereas much of the game itself is very free-roaming in nature. The origin of the gems is briefly explained in the first game: [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal Gnasty Gnorc]] has turned all the gems into monsters. Guess who has to get them back. Picking up the gems on the floor also presumably prevents further monstrism.

They always look the same whether you're jumping through the Intro Level or the [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Final Castle]], and no explanation is ever offered as to what they're doing floating in the air throughout the whole of the game's world and why hasn't anyone else collected them already. They're just ''there'', and you just ''grab them''. It's just what you do. Also, don't ask [[HammerSpace where the character stores all of them in his pockets.]]

* Wumpa Fruit in ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot''.

Most PlatformGame[==]s feature a type of very common [[SelectiveGravity gravity-defying]] pickup item that levitates in the air and populates all the game's stages. They're always small, shiny, and make a catchy sound when you grab them. Additionally, there's always a counter, usually shown on-screen, of how many of these items you've currently picked up. Levels can contain ''hundreds'' of these items just begging you to [[GottaCatchEmAll grab them all]], and you may see ''tens of thousands'' of them over the course of the entire game.

The name comes from the coins in the ''SuperMarioBros'' series, unarguably the most well-known version of this type of pickup. [[FollowTheLeader You might even say the rest of the games ripped them off.]]

* In the ''Pac-Man World'' series, certain pellets cause Pac-Man to automatically devour his way across a twisting path of pellets. It's like Follow the Money on autopilot.

* The tings and lums in the ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'' games.

* Pearls in the ''[[TheLegendaryStarfy Densetsu no Starfy]]'' games.

* The developer's commentary in ''VideoGame/{{Half-Life 2}}: Episode 1'' reveals that the designers place health and armor strategically through the more hectic parts of the game so that the player will run in the right direction, if a certain path or jump wouldn't otherwise be obvious.

* In the ''[[LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman]]'' game, a trail of studs can often show you exactly how and where Batman's Glider suit is best used.

* Parodied on [[GTARadio Chatterbox FM]] in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'', where a caller complains about how video games are teaching children to go around chasing money.

[[quoteright:256:[[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/followthemoney2.bmp]]]]

* The bananas in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games. One of the rare situations where the bananas (but not the floating) is explained: in the first game the bananas were the colossal mess the Kremlings made while trying to steal DK's Banana Hoard and get away with it. In the later games they were dropped by the kidnapped DK to lay a path, making this an InvokedTrope. Throughout the series, Bananas are often used as hints to where the bonus stages are; in some areas, they spell out letters suggesting a specific controller button to press. Chances are if grabbing that banana will be [[ViolationOfCommonSense hazardous to your health]], it may be prepping you for a LeapOfFaith.

* Gems in the ''SpyroTheDragon'' series, which can lead players into more covert areas, whereas much of the game itself is very free-roaming in nature. The origin of the gems is briefly explained in the first game: [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal Gnasty Gnorc]] has turned all the gems into monsters. Guess who has to get them back. Picking up the gems on the floor also presumably prevents further monstrism.
* Used with Precursor Orbs in ''JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy''. The game doesn't have lives, but you trade orbs for power cells.
* Opals in ''TyTheTasmanianTiger''. They changed color depending on the area for the first game, but obstinately stay red in the second and third.
* Dream Stones in ''VideoGame/{{Klonoa}} 2'': Lunatea's Veil give you a OneUp when you get 100, but if you collect 150 in one level then you unlock bonus stuffs.

* The bananas in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games. One of the rare situations where the bananas (but not the floating) is explained: in the first game the bananas were the colossal mess the Kremlings made while trying to steal DK's Banana Hoard and get away with it. In the later games they were dropped by the kidnapped DK to lay a path, making this an InvokedTrope. Throughout the series, Bananas are often used as hints to where the bonus stages are. Chances are if grabbing that banana will be [[ViolationOfCommonSense hazardous to your health]], it may be prepping you for a LeapOfFaith.

* ''VideoGame/FurFighters'', a third-person shooter for Dreamcast, later the PlayStation2, and recently various iOS platforms, had the [[SarcasmMode inventively-named]] Tokens. Little golden pyramids, they both provided health and opened the route to later levels, with each level requiring a certain number to unlock (meaning you sometimes had to replay levels to find Tokens you missed). Since the game's levels were huge, and often partly non-linear, the Tokens often indicated the way you should be headed next.

* Used with Precursor Orbs in ''JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy''. The game doesn't have lives, but you trade orbs for power cells. * Opals in ''TyTheTasmanianTiger''. They changed color depending on the area for the first game, but obstinately stay red in the second and third.

* Diamonds in ''KidChameleon''. Unique in that they gave you unique powers depending on what [[MaskPower mask you were wearing]]. Also unique in that there was a 99-diamond cap, after which point no more could be collected.

* Inverted with ''Streemerz'' on ''{{Action 52}}'', where [[EverythingTryingToKillYou the money kills you]].

* In ''[[BackyardSports Backyard Skateboarding]]'', collecting 150 coins on each level unlocks [[CosmeticAward T-shirts]].

* ''FurFighters'', a third-person shooter for Dreamcast, later the PlayStation2, and recently various iOS platforms, had the [[SarcasmMode inventively-named]] Tokens. Little golden pyramids, they both provided health and opened the route to later levels, with each level requiring a certain number to unlock (meaning you sometimes had to replay levels to find Tokens you missed). Since the game's levels were huge, and often partly non-linear, the Tokens often indicated the way you should be headed next.

* The frozen bubbles ''{{Icycle}}'' are just there to guide you and for OneHundredPercentCompletion, though they were apparently the inspiration for the game.

* It could be said that ''{{Pac-Man}}'' uses this Trope, as his pellets were chiefly undefined and were basically just collected like games which made heavy use of this trope in more modern ways (Mario's coins, for example).
** In the ''Pac-Man World'' series, certain pellets cause Pac-Man to automatically devour his way across a twisting path of pellets. It's like Follow the Money on autopilot.

* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' takes this to a new level by having different colors of bananas - one color for each playable character. The bananas end up not only outlining paths, but also indicating which character you have to use for each area.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'' adds Star Bits, but keeps the coins, making it one of the few examples of a game having multiple kinds of this.
*** In this instance, both items have an additional use, however. Coins refill your health meter, while star bits can be used as weapons and chucked at enemies, are the game's currency and give you extra lives if you pick enough of them. Oddly, the first ''Galaxy'' has very few coins around, which looks odd on a Mario game; the sequel has more coins.

*** Same thing in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2''. The coins (pulled out like vegetables while in Sub-Space) are used for extra turns on the slot machine.
*** ''[=SML2=]'' did, incidentally, give you the same effect for defeating 100 ''enemies.''

*** Also started in ''Sonic Adventure'' were missions where you'd have to collect a certain amount of Rings.
** Let's not forget the Ring Races in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes''.
* The bananas in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games. One of the rare situations where the bananas (but not the floating) is explained: in the first game the bananas were the colossal mess the Kremlings made while trying to steal DK's Banana Hoard and get away with it. In the later games they were dropped by the kidnapped DK to lay a path, making this an InvokedTrope.
** You'd think all the bananas would've, you know, ''gone off'' by the time DK gets to them.
** Well the game can be beaten pretty quickly so not necessarily. DK island isn't exactly huge.
** Bananas are also prevalent in ''VideoGame/SuperMonkeyBall'', but it's not necessary to get them to do well, since every stage is a very tightly TimedMission.
** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' took this to a new level by having different colors of bananas - one color for each playable character. The bananas ended up not only outlining paths, but also indicating which character you should use for each area.
** Throughout the VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry series, Bananas are often used as hints to where the bonus stages are. Chances are if grabbing that banana will be [[ViolationOfCommonSense hazardous to your health]], it may be prepping you for a LeapOfFaith.

* Gems in the ''SpyroTheDragon'' series, which can lead players into more covert areas, whereas much of the game itself is very free-roaming in nature.
** The origin of the gems is briefly sorta explained in the first game: [[AddedAlliterativeAppeal Gnasty Gnorc]] has turned all the gems into monsters. Guess who has to get them back. Picking up the gems on the floor also presumably prevents further monstrism.
*** That and, you know, ''dragons.'' Having ludicrous amounts of gemstones just lying around to jog the memory is the sort of thing they'd do.
* Used with Precursor Orbs in ''JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy''. The game didn't have lives, but you traded orbs for power cells. This became frustrating when people would ask you for 90 Orbs while several would be dotted within reach around the village -- why didn't they ever get their own and have done with it? Lazy bums.
* Opals in ''TyTheTasmanianTiger''. They changed color depending on the area for the first game, but obstinately stay red in the second and third.

* The coins in ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' would often point out exactly where you needed to throw eggs to ricochet them off walls and into bonus items. In addition, some coins were actually disguised red coins, which are needed for HundredPercentCompletion (the others are only used to get extra lives, like normal ''Mario'' coins.)

* Heavily inverted with ''Streemerz'' on ''{{Action 52}}'', where [[EverythingTryingToKillYou the money kills you]].

* The collectibles in ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' bear similarities to these, appearing as glowing blue orbs that are scattered all over the landscape, occasionally in lines and trails. You get a random item from each one you pick up, which can then be used to fill out a collection page for rewards, given as gifts to party members, traded to townsfolk, or sold for money. It can be a little hard to resist the urge to gather every last one of them.
** In one instance, they are actually used to provide a clue to a secret area, however. [[spoiler: There's one levitating off the edge of a particular platform in the Mechonis Field that's indicating a spot you can safely jump off at for the purpose of reaching an unique monster far, far below.]]

* Musical notes in the ''{{Banjo-Kazooie}}'' games, though collecting them is justified by certain numbers of notes being needed to open {{Locked Door}}s in ''Banjo-Kazooie'' and acquire necessary moves in ''{{Banjo-Tooie}}''.

* The tings and lums in the ''{{Rayman}}'' games.

* The collectibles in ''XenobladeChronicles'' bear similarities to these, appearing as glowing blue orbs that are scattered all over the landscape, occasionally in lines and trails. You get a random item from each one you pick up, which can then be used to fill out a collection page for rewards, given as gifts to party members, traded to townsfolk, or sold for money. It can be a little hard to resist the urge to gather every last one of them.

* Coins in the first ''SlyCooper'' game; while they still exist in later games, the move towards a stealth-platformer discarded this trope. Interestingly, the coins have different designs on their faces in each stage.

* ''FurFighters'', a third-person shooter for Dreamcast and later the PlayStation2, had the [[SarcasmMode inventively-named]] Tokens. Little golden pyramids, they both provided health and opened the route to later levels, with each level requiring a certain number to unlock (meaning you sometimes had to replay levels to find Tokens you missed). Since the game's levels were huge, and often partly non-linear, the Tokens often indicated the way you should be headed next.

* The developer's commentary in ''HalfLife 2: Episode 1'' reveals that the designers place health and armor strategically through the more hectic parts of the game so that the player will run in the right direction, if a certain path or jump wouldn't otherwise be obvious.

* In [[LittleBigPlanet]], one can place Score/Prize Bubbles anywhere in Create Mode, so it's possible to go this route. It also works for multipliers-5 score bubbles, prize bubbles, or enemy brains increases the multiplier by one.

* The bananas in the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' games. One of the rare situations where the bananas (but not the floating) is explained: in the first game the bananas were the colossal mess the Kremlings made while trying to steal DK's Banana Hoard and get away with it. In the later games this was forgotten and the bananas were just...there.

* In [[LittleBigPlanet]], one can place Score/Prize Bubbles anywhere in Create Mode, so it's possible to go this route. It also works for multipliers-5 score bubbles, prize bubbles, or enemy brains increases the multiplier by one.

* The developer's commentary in ''HalfLife 2: Episode 1'' reveals that the designers place health and armor strategically through the more hectic parts of the game so that the player will run in the right direction, if a certain path or jump wouldn't otherwise be obvious.

* In the first ''VideoGame/HarryPotter'' game for the PC, Harry had to escape from the rampaging troll set loose in the school on Halloween. The route he must follow is extremely dangerous, and includes a staircase with many holes in the floor. Luckily for the player, someone has already traced out the safest path using a trail of Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans (the game's currency), so all he needs to do is dash along, scooping up beans.
* In the ''[[LegoAdaptationGame Lego Batman]]'' game, a trail of studs can often show you exactly how and where Batman's Glider suit is best used.
** In fact, all the LEGO games do that and sometimes lead to minikits, from whom there are 10 in every level, which give you... MORE STUDS.
** Inverted with the unlockable extra "stud magnet", where money follows you.
* In an unusual RPG example, ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' features mini-games in 100-Acre Wood where you have to guide Sora through some sort of obstacle course. In each case, following the "honey spheres" which line the way is the best way to figure out how to avoid obstacles.

* In ''[[BackyardSports Backyard Skateboarding]]'', collecting 150 coins on each level unlocks [[CosmeticAward T-shirts]].

* ''VideoGame/RuleOfRose'' has a very cruel version of this, where sometimes trails of health restoring items can lead you to get swarmed by a group of enemies.

* ''FurFighters'', a third-person shooter for Dreamcast and later the PlayStation2, had the [[SarcasmMode inventively-named]] Tokens. Little golden pyramids, they both provided health and opened the route to later levels, with each level requiring a certain number to unlock (meaning you sometimes had to replay levels to find Tokens you missed). Since the game's levels were huge, and often partly non-linear, the Tokens often indicated the way you should be headed next.
* ''VideoGame/{{Turok}} 3: Shadow of Oblivion'' had Life Force, floating, rotating yellow diamonds. Collecting 100 of them would actually [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin increase your health]] by 20, but for the most part, they often lead you on the obscure paths forward, including climbing up and walking across the girders of a building under construction to jump onto a rooftop in a small section of city whose focus is on the zombie-ridden streets.
** ''Turok: Evolution'' would use a more subtle version of the trope with small ammo pickups.

* The collectibles in ''XenobladeChronicles'' bear similarities to these, appearing as glowing blue orbs that are scattered all over the landscape, occasionally in lines and trails. You get a random item from each one you pick up, which can then be used to fill out a collection page for rewards, given as gifts to party members, traded to townsfolk, or sold for money. It can be a little hard to resist the urge to gather every last one of them.
** In one instance, they are actually used to provide a clue to a secret area, however. [[spoiler: There's one levitating off the edge of a particular platform in the Mechonis Field that's indicating a spot you can safely jump off at for the purpose of reaching an unique monster far, far below.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Glider}}'' has clocks as bonus items, though none of the games keep count (in fact, ''Glider PRO'' allows them to be destroyed by triggers).
* Parodied on [[GTARadio Chatterbox FM]] in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'', where a caller complains about how video games are teaching children to go around chasing money.

** Inverted with the unlockable extra "stud magnet", where [[InSovietRussiaTropeMocksYou the money follows YOU!]]