History Main / ItemDropMechanic

If you're looking for some straight ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' examples, I've got plenty.

** ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'', ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'', and ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi''. Because all the processing power and memory is dedicated to [[TheWarSequence rendering hundreds]] of {{Mook}}s, all three employ this trope. GrandfatherClause applies too as it has always been this way since ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 2'' in the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2. Fallen {{Mook}}s sometimes {{Randomly Drop|s}} PowerUp items. Officers both Generic and Playable will ''always'' drop [[ExperiencePoints XP bags]] (or Stat Up items like "Defense up" depending on the game) and sometimes RandomlyDrops treasure like mounts or weapons.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* ''LightNovel/IveBeenKillingSlimesFor300YearsAndMaxedOutMyLevel'': "Monsters" in the RPGMechanicsVerse drop crystals upon death, which are [[ShopFodder good for money]] at the AdventureGuild. Azusa's titular LevelGrinding comes from killing 25 low-level [[CuteSlimeMook slimes]] every day for petty cash.
* ''LightNovel/LogHorizon'' takes place in something of an RPGMechanicsVerse, including item drops. This is eventually justified as some sort of powerful spell that sends gold to the dying monsters. It ends up being a plot point.
[[/folder]]

* {{Experience| Points}}: enemies turn into experience upon death.
* [[HyperactiveMetabolism Food]]: They turn to food which replenishes either HitPoints or ManaMeter.

* Equipments, such as weapon or armor.

* RandomDropBooster: You get dropped items more frequently and/or of higher quality.

!!Videogame Examples

!!Non-Videogame Examples

* EssenceDrop: Their life force explode upon their death.

* EssenceDrop: Their life force explode upon their death. (any example on this fits better there)

* OrganDrops: they vanish and ''sometimes'' inexplicably drop their guts.

* RandomDrop: where the items that are dropped are random, or some certain things only drop at a fixed chance.

[[AC:Beat 'em Up]]

Very prevalent in [=RPGs=] - in fact, the UrExample is ''Videogame/DragonSlayer'', an ActionRPG - but can appear in any other game genre.

[[folder:Non Videogame Examples]]

[[AC:Anime/Manga]]
* LightNovel/LogHorizon takes place in something of an RPGMechanicsVerse, including item drops. This is eventually justified as some sort of powerful spell that sends gold to the dying monsters. It ends up being a plot point.

[[AC:Comic Books]]
* Volume 2 of ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'' features Ramona's second Evil Ex, Lucas Lee, dropping a {{Mithril}} skateboard when he is "[[HoistByHisOwnPetard defeated]]" by Scott. +4 Speed, +3 Kick, +1 Will, but Scott can't use it because he forgot to pick up skateboard proficiency in fourth grade.

[[AC:Webcomics]]
* ''Webcomic/KidRadd'' is set in a {{Cyberspace}} populated by characters from various video games, who retain many of the mechanics that governed them in their original games, so some of them still drop items when killed. PlayedForDrama in the FinalBattle when [[spoiler:Bogey forces his friend Radd to kill him in order to claim a {{Power Up|s}} that lets Radd survive and defeat the BigBad]].
* In ''Webcomic/SanThreeKingdomsComic'', People dying and turning into meatbuns are a RunningGag. Taishi Ci in particular dies in [[http://san.paulguo.com/?id=192 page 192]] and turns into one. Which was then ''eaten'' by Sun Quan who was beside him in his death bed.

[[folder:Videogame Examples]]

[[AC:Action Adventure]]
* In ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series, enemies sometimes drop rupees, hearts, or item pickups upon being killed.
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD]]'', enemies don't drop hearts if you're playing on Hero Mode (unless you have the Heart Medal in ''Skyward Sword'').
** In ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', defeated enemies will typically drop weapons, food, and body parts.

[[AC:Action RPG]]
* In ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' enemies explode into "prizes", which are categorized differently depending on games, but the staples are treasure (which could be spells or weapons or crafting materials), HP, MP, and Munny.
* Variant in ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'': In this case, you'll get some rewards whenever you beat a RandomEncounter battle. Typically it's small amounts of Zenny, but sometimes it could be a Battle Chip, Bugfrags, or (if your HP's low enough) HP recovery. Some installable programs for Mega Man can turn any rewards into just zenny, or just battle chip.

[[AC:BeatEmUp]]
* The main Creator/{{Koei|Tecmo}} Warriors games: ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'', ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'', and ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi''. Because all the processing power and memory is dedicated to [[TheWarSequence rendering hundreds]] of {{Mook}}s, all three employ this trope. GrandfatherClause applies too as it has always been this way since ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 2'' in the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2. Fallen {{Mook}}s sometimes {{Randomly Drop|s}} PowerUp items. Officers both Generic and Playable will ''always'' drop [[ExperiencePoints XP bags]] (or Stat Up items like "Defense up" depending on the game) and sometimes RandomlyDrops treasure like mounts or weapons.
* Koei's other Warriors type games have dropped different items depending on the game.
** ''VideoGame/FistOfTheNorthStarKensRage'' has defeated enemies dropping Scrolls, restoration items, or 'karma,' sort of like experience points.
** ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam'' has defeated enemies mostly dropping restoration items or temporary power-up items due to the 'blueprints' system used in that game. Defeating any mobile suit, even the common {{Mook}}s, may grant the player a mobile suit blueprint, though the drop chance is something around 0.5% per generic enemy mobile suit. This is not as bad as it sounds, as you will destroy hundreds of them in a single mission and so likely earn at least one and probably several blueprints from them. Enemy aces always give up a blueprint upon defeat.
** ''VideoGame/WarriorsLegendsOfTroy'' is unusual in that it really doesn't have enemy drops per se, but rather the Kleos system which functions at experience points, a form of currency to purchase items in the item shop, and ties into your health restoration.

[[AC:DrivingGame]]
* In ''{{VideoGame/Carmageddon}}'', each pedestrian the protagonist reckless driver wastes during a race -- "drops" some in-game money as well as adds some [[TimedMission extra time to spend]].
* In ''VideoGame/{{Vigilante 8}}'', destroying your enemy vehicles will make them drop their current weapons as well as some buffs (such as endurance or speed).

[[AC:Fighting Game]]

[[AC:FirstPersonShooter]]
* There's a "Drop weapon" action in most of the games of the genre, which can be bound to a key, usually Backspace. Depending on the game, there are also key binding options for armor dropping, powerup dropping and even mission-vital key dropping. And a general "Drop" action in games with [[UseItem inventory]] such as ''VideoGame/QuakeII''.
* In ''Videogame/{{Doom}} II'', enemies will drop medkits and/or ammo. Even from the demonic enemies.

* ''VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh'': When you de-rez an enemy, there's a "core dump" left behind containing subroutines, permissions, and small {{EssenceDrop}}s of energy and health. Yes, this counts even for the digitized human Datawraiths. [[FridgeHorror Try not to think TOO much about the implications]], especially given humans are {{PhysicalGod}}s in {{Cyberspace}}.

[[AC:PlatformGame]]
* ''Franchise/MegaMan'' series
** ''VideoGame/MegaManClassic'': enemies will sometimes drop weapon energy or health energy. Same goes to ''VideoGame/MegaManX''.
*** ''VideoGame/MegaManAndBass'' adds bolts (to be used for your upgrades) to the mix.
** ''VideoGame/MegaManZero'' omits the weapon energy but adds [[EnergyEconomy E-crystals]] to the mix. The first three games also have some Cyber Elves dropped from certain enemies, while the third also had Data Disks, and the fourth adds enemy parts.
*** ''VideoGame/MegaManZX'' follows the above, but with weapon energy added again.
* The NES ''Videogame/{{Metroid|1}}'' manual stated Samus's suit was able to take the power of "his" enemies. Regular enemies turned into health or missile pickups but bosses did not, recharging her ammo automatically on death. Later games would just make bosses drop larger amounts of pickups. All but two enemies encountered in ''Videogame/MetroidFusion'' are duplicates created by X parasites, whom became living pickups that flee from you once the false body is destroyed. In ''Videogame/MetroidPrime3Corruption'', the nature of the drops change as with Samus's condition.
* In ''Videogame/MiniNinjas'', defeated enemies turn into animals (whom you can possess with a special spell and use it to sneak around) and also drop glowing orbs that increase your experience.

* In ''VideoGame/Sonic3DBlast'', destroying a robot will set a Flicky free. These are needed to get through the goal rings. In Panic Puppet Zone, however, the Flickies are in capsules. [[AllThereInTheManual The game's manual explains]] that Sonic got to that zone early enough and as a result, Robotnik didn't have time to put the Flickies in the robots.
* In ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', destroying a robot will release a small animal inside, much like [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 the classic]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Genesis]] [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog3 games]]. However, these small animals can be taken to the Chao Garden and used to improve your Chao's stats, [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience depending on the color]] (Red for Strength, Yellow for Swim, Green for Speed, and Purple for Flight).
* ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' retains this feature with Dr. Robotnik's robots and expands upon it with the G.U.N. robots. Destroying a G.U.N. robot releases a Chaos Drive, which, like the animals, increases your Chao's stats depending on the color.
* In ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes'', destroying one of the more powerful enemies in the game will release a colored sphere. These spheres will upgrade your teammate's stats depending on the color (Blue for Speed, Red for Power, and Yellow for Flight).
* In ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'', an enemy carrying a weapon will drop their weapon if Shadow defeats them. Shadow can then collect the weapon and use it against other enemies.
* In ''VideoGame/AHatInTime'' enemies will drop Health or Money pons when they die. Notably these seem to exist and be acknowledged in universe, in the final battle [[spoiler: all of the recurring characters in the game, realizing Hat Kid's victory would Retcon their deaths, effectively ''[[BlackComedy commit mass suicide]]'' so Hat Kid is gaining infinite health pons as an EleventhHourSuperpower]] and a shockingly dark scene where [[KnightOfCerebus The Empress]] murders an underling she suspects of stealing from her by throwing him against a wall hard enough to kill him has some of the edge taken off when he comically pops into money pons.

* ''VideoGame/AndroidHunterA'': Defeated enemies have the chance to drop items.

[[AC:RealTimeStrategy]]
* In ''{{Videogame/Sacrifice}}'', killed creatures leave "souls" behind for any wizard to gather and use in summoning something new. The souls left by creatures that belonged to other wizards -- appear red in color, which means they would take longer to collect.

[[AC:RoleplayingGame]]
* In ''Videogame/NeverwinterNights2'', defeated enemies lie as corpses for some time, but eventually turn into loot bags containing their stuff. It makes it difficult to tell which bag belonged to who...
* Most monsters in ''VideoGame/{{Miitopia}}'' can drop loot in the form of [[PowerUpFood grub]] representing their species.

[[AC:{{Roguelike}}]]
* In most {{Roguelike}}s the enemy will drop whatever it was carrying when it dies. For humanoid enemies this includes the equipment that they were wearing, which can then be used by the player. It also includes things like potions of healing, but in cases like that you have to kill the enemy ''before'' it uses the item for it to drop.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Elona}}'' each item an enemy is carrying only has a chance to drop upon its death, with that chance depending upon the LuckStat of the one who landed the killing blow.
* In ''VideoGame/PandorasTower'', [[MookArmy Servant Beasts]] drop items, in addition to the Beast Flesh you need to [[spoiler: reverse Elena's curse]]. Master Flesh is dropped by Tower Masters, the equivalent of a boss in this game.

[[AC:ThirdPersonShooter]]
* In ''VideoGame/MegamanLegends'', enemies always explode into refractors, crystal shaped objects that work as [[EnergyEconomy Zenny and power sources]]. Some enemies only drop {{Mana}} and HitPoints crystals.

[[AC:WideOpenSandbox]]
* In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' games, beating people to death/unconsciousness will make them drop money and sometimes weapons and ammo.
[[/folder]]

[[AC:Webcomics]]
* In ''Webcomic/SanThreeKingdomsComic'', People dying and turning into meatbuns are a RunningGag. Taishi Ci in particular dies in [[http://san.paulguo.com/?id=192 page 192]] and turns into one. Which was then ''eaten'' by Sun Quan who was beside him in his death bed.

* The main Creator/{{Koei}} Warriors games: ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'', ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors'', and ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi''. Because all the processing power and memory is dedicated to [[TheWarSequence rendering hundreds]] of {{Mook}}s, all three employ this trope. GrandfatherClause applies too as it has always been this way since ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 2'' in the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2. Fallen {{Mook}}s sometimes {{Randomly Drop|s}} PowerUp items. Officers both Generic and Playable will ''always'' drop [[ExperiencePoints XP bags]] (or Stat Up items like "Defense up" depending on the game) and sometimes RandomlyDrops treasure like mounts or weapons.