History Main / PlotCoupon

%%* The tape in ''Film/EnemyOfTheState''.

%%* ''VideoGame/TheDig''

* ''[[FanFic/SonicGenerationsFriendshipIsTimeless Sonic Generations: Friendship is Timeless]]'' combines the plot coupons from [[VideoGame/SonicGenerations both]] [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic works]], for a grand total of 13: the 7 Chaos Emeralds and the 6 Elements of Harmony.
* ''WebAnimation/SuperMarioBrosZ'' has the Chaos Emeralds, as you would expect from a crossover with the ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'' franchise and a story based on ''Franchise/DragonBall.''

* The Jiggies in ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', which are used to complete the jigsaw puzzles in Gruntilda's Lair to open new worlds. Used again in ''VideoGameBanjoTooie'' as proof that you are worthy to complete the challenges of Jiggywiggy, who seems to be the master of all things Jiggy, whose completion opens new worlds. They return in ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts'', and are gained during the challenges settled by the Lord of Games.

* The Jiggies in ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'', which are used to complete the jigsaw puzzles in Gruntilda's Lair to open new worlds. Used again in ''Banjo-Tooie'' as proof that you are worthy to complete the challenges of Jiggywiggy, who seems to be the master of all things Jiggy, whose completion opens new worlds. They return in ''Nuts and Bolts'', and are gained during the challenges settled by the Lord of Games.

** ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'' features ''Your Sanctuaries'', eight locations where Earth's Power was the strongest. Each also had a melody associated with it, and when Ness uses the Sound Stone to play them all back, he goes to his own version of {{Magicant}}. [[spoiler:Unlike the first game, however, the eight melodies, nor the power of Magicant are used against Giygas. Paula has to pray nine times instead.]]

** ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' makes you rescue the seven Star Spirits. Unlike most examples, the Star Spirits actually unlock usable moves in standard gameplay.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** Almost every game has used the Chaos Emeralds (or "Time Stones" in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'') as plot coupons. In the earlier games, they were not necessary to complete the game, they just made it easier and gave you the good ending. However, since ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', they have, in nearly every game, been necessary elements of the plot, often being the goals for completing the level.

A plot coupon might just as easily be one item in a series of {{MacGuffin}}s, where the things themselves are not important, it is the ''seeking'' of them that moves the story along (indeed, the two terms often get used interchangeably). See also PlotCouponThatDoesSomething, and SwordOfPlotAdvancement for the the Plot Coupon is a weapon or a piece of armor.

A plot coupon might just as easily be one item in a series of {{MacGuffin}}s, where the things themselves are not important, it is the ''seeking'' of them that moves the story along (indeed, the two terms often get used interchangeably). See also SwordOfPlotAdvancement.

* Used in three of the seven episodic games of ''VideoGame/CommanderKeen'' games (ship parts in ''Marooned on Mars'', guardians in ''Secret of the Oracle'', and bombs in ''Keen Dreams'').

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': The four [[AnimalMecha Divine Beasts]] (and, by extension, the sacred skills given to Link by their former Champions), as well as the 12 captured memories. In a twist, however, thanks to the games [[SequenceBreaking nonlinear structure]] you can actually skip collecting these. After the introductory level, it's entirely possible to head straight to the [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon final dungeon]] and take out the BigBad. Doing so requires [[NintendoHard tremendous skill]] and good equipment though so the game actively encourages you to seek these out first.

%%* [[UltimateBlacksmith Shikizaki Kiki's]] twelve Perfected Deviant Blades in ''LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}}''.

* The five Weapons of Light in the third season of ''LightNovel/{{Slayers}}''; most of the time, the one we see is the Sword of Light wielded by [[IdiotHero Gourry]]. And it isn't just for the third season either, the Sword of Light is the key to a lot of storyline events.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'': Four Elements to access Hyrule Castle after Vaati takes over.

** ''VideoGame/MarioPartyDS'': The Sky Crystals fell from the sky and are now in hands of different characters. Mario and his friends receive the first four Crystals as reward for helping them, while the fifth is retrieved from Bowser.

* Inverted in Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Forever After'', in which the group of heroes who originally gathered the five sacred weapons/armor pieces, must return them to hiding, to keep the world from tearing itself apart from the strength of the combined energy.

** Zelazny's ''Changeling'' had the hero going on a quest to find the three pieces of his father's magical staff, the only tool powerful enough to defeat the villain.

* Every ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' RPG uses this.

* The music notes of ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonMagicalMelody'' and the harvest sprites of ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonDS''

* ''Film/MenInBlack'' had the Galaxy "on Orion's Belt" [[spoiler: or rather, on the cat Orion's collar

* ''WebAnimation/SuperMarioBrosZ'' has the Chaos Emeralds, as you would expect from a crossover with the VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog franchise and a story based on ''Franchise/DragonBall.''

* ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' games generally have a set of special stars (or Crystal Shards in [[VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards the game with that title]] that you must collect to actually face the real BigBad -- who will only show himself after you complete everything else. However, these items are generally used to make the [[EleventhHourSuperpower weapon]] he needs in the final fight.

** ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginning'' features the ''Eight Melodies'', or the 8 parts of a song that the mysterious Queen Mary of {{Magicant}} has forgotten. The Melodies aren't actually items. Instead, various [=NPCs=] or Items sing them to you, [[spoiler:you even get one melody from a cactus.]] In order to proceed to the BigBad, you have to sing all eight melodies to Queen Mary. [[spoiler:It turns out that Mary is actually Maria, Ninten's great-grandmother, who was abducted by aliens. Gigyas was a baby she volunteered to raise, and the song you have spent the whole game learning is a lullaby she used to sing to him. Singing the lullaby to Gigyas is the only way to actually defeat him.]]
** ''VideoGame/EarthBound1994'' features ''Your Sanctuaries'', eight locations where Earth's Power was the strongest. Each also had a melody associated with it, and when Ness uses the Sound Stone to play them all back, he goes to his own version of {{Magicant}}. [[spoiler:Unlike the first game, however, the eight melodies, nor the power of Magicant are used against Gigyas. Paula has to pray nine times instead.]]

%%* ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity'': The fragments of the Spectrum Key.

* The Eye of Rom, the single ruby earring used in Haldane empowering rituals, becomes one of these in ''[[Literature/{{Deryni}} Deryni Rising]]''. During their preparations for Kelson's ritual, Morgan and Duncan learn from Kelson that it was buried with his father. The trio has to pay a visit to the royal crypt to retrieve it before they can begin the ritual sequence. [[RuleOfDrama Of course, it isn't as simple as that...]]
* Helen Hawthorn, the narrator of Ni Claydon's ''Literature/HandOfMercy'', is increasingly annoyed when she realises that the [[DismantledMacGuffin scattered bones of Clem's severed hand]] are effectively Plot Coupons.

* In Austin Grossman's ''Literature/SoonIWillBeInvincible'', [[MadScientist Doctor Impossible]] must collect three of these to construct his latest DoomsdayDevice.
* {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d and double-subverted in ''Literature/UnLunDun'' by Creator/ChinaMieville. The book of prophecy claims that, in order to defeat the BigBad, they must collect a chain of these. The initial subversion comes when the protagonist decides this will take too long, and skips to the last link in the chain. The double-subversion comes when she realizes that she actually ''needed'' the Plot Coupons after all. Fortunately, she is able to TakeAThirdOption to get around this.
* In ''Literature/KeysToTheKingdom'', there are parallel sets of Plot Coupons such that one of each set must be retrieved in each book: the Key held by that day's Trustee, and the [[DismantledMacGuffin portion of the Will of the Architect]] being held prisoner by said Trustee.

* EVERY book in the ''Literature/RainbowMagic'' series has one of these. No exceptions. For example, whatever items Jack Frost stole are these.
* Inverted in Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Forever After'', in which the group of heroes who originally gathered the five sacred weapons/armor pieces, must return them to hiding, to keep the world from tearing itself apart from the strength of the combined energy.

* ''Literature/{{Coraline}}'' had to recover the souls of three dead children as part of the game to escape the Other World.
* ''Literature/TheAdversaryCycle''. In ''Nightworld'' the protagonists have to assemble a sword of the kind used to defeat Ransolm in ''The Keep'', using the broken parts of prior magic artifacts. This is made more difficult than usual given that TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt is happening and giant flesh-eating monsters are roaming the earth gobbling up anything that moves, [[GiantFlyer including aircraft]].
%% * ''Literature/TheLandOfStories'':
%% ** The items needed for the Wishing Spell.
%% ** As well as those for the Wand of Wonderment.
* The image above is of a Golden Ticket from ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''. In the opening stretch of the novel, virtually everyone in the world wants to find one of these -- there are only five, each of which is hidden beneath the wrapper of a Wonka chocolate bar. A ticket will grant its finder a tour of the titular, long-closed-to-the-public (and seemingly people in general as no one ever sees workers enter or leave it) factory chaperoned by LivingLegend / ReclusiveArtist Willy Wonka himself, along with a lifetime supply of sweets. PinballProtagonist Charlie is lucky enough to find the last of these tickets, kicking off the rest of the novel.
* Elijah spends a good part of ''Literature/LastMage'' locating and securing the mage towers against the BigBad. [[spoiler: JustAsPlanned]].
* ''Literature/VillainsByNecessity'': The fragments of the Spectrum Key.
* ''Literature/{{City of Bones|1995}}'' by Creator/MarthaWells: The main characters and the villains are both searching for a set of three relics that they hope will fit together to activate a piece of Ancient {{Magitek}}.
* ''Literature/RaceToTheSun'': The three main characters need to collect four objects (a perfect shell, jet, turqouise and abelone) from the four sacred mountains of the Navajo to give to Spider Woman because otherwise she won't help them find the Rainbow Road. And they need to find the road to go to the House of the Sun to get weapons to fight monsters.

* Creator/WilliamsElectronics' ''Pinball/TalesOfTheArabianNights'' features seven magic jewels, which must be collected before the player can confront the evil genie who's kidnapped the princess.
* ''[[VideoGame/ProPinballTimeshock Pro Pinball: Timeshock!]]'' has Tachyonium, which are needed to travel in time, and the Time Crystals, which are needed to prevent the destruction of all of existence.
* Creator/DataEast's ''[[Pinball/StarTrekDataEast Star Trek]]'' pinball requires the player to collect Dilithium Crystals to power the transporter.
* In ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimePinball'', you must collect twelve Chozo Artifacts to reach the final two boards.

* ''VideoGame/JinniZeala'' requires the player to collect various objects before he can visit the Flying Harem.
* In the VideoGame/NightsIntoDreams table of ''VideoGame/SonicPinballParty'', players must collect Ideyas before he can challenge the Nightmaren of that level.

* Both ''Pinball/{{Corvette}}'' and ''Pinball/MustangStern'' require the player to collect the various automobiles before reaching the final WizardMode.

%%* Shards of the Shikon Jewel in ''Manga/InuYasha''.
* The ''Franchise/LupinIII'' series makes liberal use of them, usually as the catalyst, ChekhovsGun, and the eventual resolution of each caper.
** ''Anime/TheCastleOfCagliostro'': The sigil and the inscription on Clarisse's ring set the adventure in motion because it's how Lupin realizes Clarisse is the crown princess. Later in the film, Lupin tells Jigen and Walter that it also reminded him that [[spoiler: he first saw Clarisse when she was a child because she was wearing the ring at that time]].
** ''[[Anime/LupinIIITheSecretOfTwilightGemini The Secret of Twilight Gemini]]'' begins with Dalune giving Lupin his half of the titular diamond. However, he tells Lupin that the diamond itself is merely "the key" to a much bigger prize: the hidden treasure of the Geltic Tribe, that was lost over 300 years ago. Finding the treasure would require him to find [[TwoHalvesMakeAPlot the Twilight's missing half]], which Dalune says is somewhere in [[CityOfAdventure Morocco.]]

%%* The Jewel Seeds in ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha'', and season 3 has the very-similar Relics.

%%* The Clow Cards in ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura.''
%%* The Crests in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure.''
%%* [[UltimateBlacksmith Shikizaki Kiki's]] twelve Perfected Deviant Blades in ''LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}}''.
%%* The Philosopher's Stone from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist''.

* ''.hack//ROOTS'' initially has a set of items that the Twilight Brigade were collecting because they think it will lead to the [[CosmicKeystone Key of Twilight]]. Ovan claims that the items are leftover data from the previous iteration of The World and [[MacGuffin have no in-game purpose]] anymore. [[spoiler:They turn out to be the breadcrumb trail for a trap laid by Yata but there's also no reason to assume Ovan's explanation is wrong since he had to fool Yata about not recognizing the trap but being interested in the items.]]

* ''ComicBook/RedSonja'': ''The Art of Blood and Fire'' has Sonja collecting six artisans to showcase their skills at an emperor's farewell party.

* ''[[Fanfic/PokemonMysteryDungeonReflectingBalance Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Reflecting Balance]]'' has the eight Axis Tower crystals, which were stolen from said tower and need to be returned there.
* ''FanFic/CrownsOfTheKingdom'' has the titular crowns, each one representing an era of Disneyland.
* ''Fanfic/KeysToTheKingdomKingdomHearts'': Sora's quest is to find the "Thirteen Keys" to Kingdom Hearts, scattered across different worlds.

* In ''WesternAnimation/RankinBassJackFrost,'' Father Winter agrees to turn the title character into a human, but he can only remain that way if he collects "the four human essentials" by spring: a house to live in, a horse to carry him, a bag of gold to sustain him, and a wife to make it all worthwhile. [[spoiler:He literally gets EverythingButTheGirl]].

* ''Film/MenInBlack'' had the Galaxy "on Orion's Belt" [[spoiler: or rather, on the cat Orion's collar.]]
* ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' had this in each movie. The cursed coins of Cortez needed to lift the curse in the [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl first]], the key to open Davy Jones' chest in the [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMansChest second]], and the Pieces of Eight in the [[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd third]]. And the [[spoiler: [[SwissArmyTears mermaid's tear]], Ponce de Leon's [[ArtifactOfDoom chalices]]]] in ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanOnStrangerTides On Stranger Tides]]'' and Trident of Poseidon with the Diary of Galilei in ''[[Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanDeadMenTellNoTales Dead Men Tell No Tales]]''.
* TheArkOfTheCovenant, the Sankara Stones, the HolyGrail, and the CrystalSkull in ''Franchise/IndianaJones''. Also the headpiece of the Staff of Ra, Grail Diary and Grail Markers.

* The Death Star plans in ''Franchise/StarWars: Film/ANewHope''. Luke's original quest was to get them into the hands of the rebels.
** Similarly, the map leading to Luke Skywalker in ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' is an example.

* The tape in ''Film/EnemyOfTheState''.
* The floppy disk in ''Film/TheNet1995''.

* The Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse centers around the Infinity Stones, six gems that control various aspects of the universe. Whoever brings all six together would essentially become the most powerful being in the universe. Thanos, the GreaterScopeVillain of the MCU, wants the Stones for his own purposes, and ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'' sees the Avengers and their allies fighting to stop Thanos from obtaining them all.

* In Creator/TeresaEdgerton's ''[[Literature/{{Celydonn}} The Grail and the Ring]]'', the titular grail. (It is not the Holy Grail, but a grail carved out of a single large sidhe-stone, a substance that grants it magical powers.) Subverted in that [[TheWisePrince Prince Tryffin]], when tracing the object's history in [[AlternateUniverse the Inner Celydonn]], [[spoiler:actually collects a "shadow" of the grail, not the original]]. It's strongly implied that [[TheWatcher Dame Ceinwen]] [[spoiler:disposed of the original in the Marches-Between-Here-and-There to keep it from making any more trouble, then couldn't find it again when it might have been useful]].
* In ''Literature/TheAncestralTrail'', the pods and, later, omni pieces.

* Justified in ''Literature/BridgeOfBirds'' by Barry Hughart -- the story is structured as an elaborate, carefully-scripted quest, and it turns out that there's a reason why it's structured that way.

%%* ''VideoGame/SpaceQuest''
%%* ''VideoGame/TheDig''
%%* ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice''
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland'' by Creator/TelltaleGames:
** The second episode, "The Siege of Spinner Cay", did some LampshadeHanging with this with a local bait shop that will ONLY accept literal coupons to purchase bait. One of these three coupons leads to a (literal) RedHerring, but the other two are quite essential to progress in the plot.
** "The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood" has the ingredients for the Feast of the Senses, which are needed to power up La Esponja Grande. After [[spoiler: [=LeChuck=]]] steals it in "Rise of the Pirate-God", you need to de-power it again by gathering ingredients for a Diet of the Senses.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog'':
** Almost every game has used the Chaos Emeralds (or "Time Stones" in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'') as plot coupons. In the earlier games, they were not necessary to complete the game, they just made it easier and gave you the good ending. However, since ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', they have, in nearly every game, been necessary elements of the plot, often being the goals for completing the level.
** [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] in ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed'' where Sonic has all the Chaos Emeralds from the start and has to place them in temples across the world to reassemble Earth.

* Elemental crystals in many ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' games.

* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' has the eponymous large coins, each with an engraved icon representing the world where they're found. These are special coins from boss battles, not the normal kind found in ?-Boxes. Collecting all six of them is necessary to unlock the last, single-level world (Wario's Castle).
** ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' set the tradition in itself and subsequent 3D ''Mario'' platformers of emploiyng a FractionalWinningCondition to progress by collecting a specific type of item, usually replacing the LevelGoal format seen in the 2D games. ''Super Mario 64'' itself, as well as the two ''Galaxy'' games, all have you looking for 120 Power Stars (the minimum required to unlock the last level is 70 in two cases, and 60 in the other). In ''Super Mario 64'', the Power Stars are the energy that protect Princess Peach's castle, hence why Bowser hides them in the various playable courses in order to overtake the castle (though certain Stars remain hidden in the Castle itself, something Bowser comes to lament when he's defeated in the final battle).
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'' replaces the stars with Shine Sprites, which retain the purpose of collection and are justified in-game for being the source of solar energy in Isle Delfino. Instead of a specific number of them, what unlocks the last level is the collection of the Shine Sprites guarded by Shadow Mario, one per world, and in turn you must have collected the Shine Sprites of the preceding to unlock the Shadow Mario episodes themselves.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy'': The game introduces Grand Stars, a higher tier of Power Stars within the total of 120 Plot Coupons alongside the regular kind. The Grand Stars provide enough energy to activate the sections of the Comet Observatory in the first game, from which Mario can access to further galaxies. In turn, each galaxy can only be accessed when a certain number of Power Stars is retrieved, as they serve as fuel to the Observatory. Three Power Stars are green-colored, and though they can still count for the minimum total it takes to unlock the last level (60), they're optional otherwise as they have a different primary purpose. In the long run, [[spoiler:you even have to get them all a second time with Luigi to unlock the ''121st'' star (for both characters) for the 100% completion]].
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'': Power and Grand Stars make a return to play this trope's role, but their justification is different. While they still serve as fuel, in this case to the Faceship, the Power Stars are only required to open the path in certain world maps, usually near the major boss level of a world. Then, every time a Grand Star is obtained, the Faceship will be able to reach a new galaxy cluster. To achieve 100% completion, you also have to collect [[spoiler:120 green-colored stars to unlock the Grandmaster Galaxy, which has the last two stars, leaving you with a grand total of 242 stars]].
** ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'': The game wants you to collect 1,000,000 coins (regular coins) for no apparent reason. If this is achieved, it then challenges you to find 99,999,999 coins (enough to fill the coin meter with all 9's, basically). You are then rewarded with [[spoiler: a new title screen]].
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioOdyssey'' has Power Moons, of which there are 880 unique samples in total (more Moons can be eventually bought in the shops). The game justifies the Power Moons as being a fuel source for the Odyssey (New Donk City is even powered by a seemingly-endless supply of them). Some of the moons come in groups of three, and are called Multi-Moons; they're either guarded by bosses or obtained by completing certain special objectives (collecting them is also necessary to complete the individual side stories of the Kingdoms).
* Every ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' RPG uses this.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioRPG: The Legend of the Seven Stars'' has you locating the seven pieces of the broken Star Road.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMario'' makes you rescue the seven Star Spirits. Unlike most examples, the Star Spirits actually unlock usable moves in standard gameplay.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' has you locating seven Crystal Stars. Like the original, the Crystal Stars also unlock moves. [[spoiler: Peach is also a MAJOR plot coupon, but for a different reason. A bad one.]]
** ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' mixes it up a little, you need ''eight'' Pure Hearts. [[FreeSamplePlotCoupon You're given one when you start the game,]] though, so you still only actually need to find seven.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'' has you hunting down shards of the Sticker Comet and the six Royal Stickers that came from it. Comet pieces open up paths to new levels, while Royal Stickers add a page to your sticker album. Unfortunately, the Royal Stickers are also empowering the game's bosses, so you have to deal with them first.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioColorSplash'' has you locating Paint Stars, which come in Mini and Big flavors. The Mini Paint Stars open up paths to new levels, just like the comet pieces from ''Sticker Star''. The six Big Paint Stars each clear out a major obstacle, clue you in on what happened before you arrived on Prism Island, and toss you a health upgrade.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'': There are five streamers that cover Princess Peach's Castle, but unlike the other games, you're actually trying to ''destroy'' the Plot Coupons rather than collect them. Since they're blocking the way to Peach's Castle and thus the BigBad, they're also guarded by the game's bosses.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga'' has you collect the four pieces of the Beanstar after it shatters.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime'' has you collecting the six pieces of the shattered Cobalt Star. Played for laughs in this one, as the number of shards you have goes up and down wildly throughout the game, until you get them all [[spoiler:which is worse than useless; it actually ''frees'' the FinalBoss]].
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'' has the three Star Cures.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam'' has the five Ultibed parts and the Dream Stone. The villains steal the last one before you get there though.
** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPaperJam'' has the Paper Toads scattered across the Mushroom Kingdom. In this case, you really just need them for free labor so Toadette can build the papercrafts you need to fight Bowser's creations.

* ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'' has the Bells of Awakening, that must be rung to reveal the purpose of the Undead. And then, after that, [[spoiler: you retrieve the Lordvessel and then kill some gods for their Lord Souls.]]
* Most Bioware games are, to a large extent, about retrieving plot coupons rather than the plot itself:
** In ''VideoGame/BaldursGateII'', many quests can be completed only after retrieving particular artifacts. Alternatively they are optional, but you are HIGHLY suggested to get them, otherwise the challenge will be too hard. Some examples: before facing the Shade Lord that plagued Imnesvale, you have to pass past a shadow dragon, which can be difficult at the beginning of the game, so you must first find a magical gem that makes you undetectable by him (unless you deliberately decide to attack anyway); in order to destroy the Cult of the Eyeless, you must retrieve the two pieces of a magical rod and assemble it to decisively weaken the final boss, an elder beholder that could slaughter your party otherwise.
** The plot itself of ''Baldur's Gate II'' requires you to get a certain high amount of money before being able to pursue the villain. Doing quests for business is your main way to earn money - the other being selling any item you find meanwhile.
** In ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', the player has to find all Star Maps to get behind the villain's military strength; to retrieve these Maps, he/she always has to do something that involves finding out about the game's background and/or solving problems unrelated to the actual plot, like a Wookiee civil war or a conflict with Tusken raiders. The main plot will only go on after finding one of these coupons.
** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' has the player finding a few rather large coupons in the form of allied armies - to get these, he, just like in KOTOR, has to solve several local problems unrelated to the main plot.
** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', most of the game revolves around finding living breathing coupons aka squad members - the actual plot is few and far between and only moves on after gathering a certain amount of members.
** In ''VideoGame/NeverwinterNights'', the game is divided into chapters which are all about collecting different plot coupons as the situation warrants. Chapter 1 has you tracking creatures who are needed to cure the Wailing Death plague, in chapter 2 you have to collect evidence that the villains are operating out of Luskan and in chapter 3 you must collect the artifacts known as the "Words of Power" that the villain needs to enact her plan of world domination. As with KOTOR and Dragon Age, the player must often solve problems often unrelated to the main plot before getting the coupon.
* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' has several:
** 201 Golden Bananas, with 25 available per level: Four bananas per each of the five Kongs, plus one per Kong from "Blueprints", which themselves are also Plot Coupons due to not only being traded for Golden Bananas sometime after collection, but also for their usefulness to gain extra time during the TimedMission of the final world. The special 201st Banana is obtained after rescuing all Banana Fairies in the worlds. A minimum of 100 is required to clear the game.
** There are also "DK Coins", which feature heavily in minigames and races. While not traded directly, the races / [[MinecartMadness minecart sections]] require a certain number of these to be in your possession by the end of the section to receive the Golden Banana; so even if you win the race or make it out alive through the minecart ride, [[DoubleUnlock you won't be rewarded if you don't have enough coins]].
* ''VideoGame/HypeTheTimeQuest'' has the Jewels, which each allow Hype to move to the next Era.
* ''VideoGame/SkyOdyssey'' has the four pieces of the Lost Map, hidden in ruins scattered throughout the Islands of the Dark Sea. The player needs to find these map pieces in order to discover the only way into the Tower of Maximus, the games final level.
* ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini'' has the missing twelve pieces of the ancient Tribal spaceship. It has to be rebuilt to intercept Mizar before his asteroid impacts Earth.

* ''VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomInfinite'' has the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Infinity Stones]]. [[BigBad Ultron-Sigma]] has two, leaving the heroes to find the remaining four in order to defeat him.
* ''Videogame/CrashBandicoot'': The second game and the third have the Power Crystals.
** In the second, Cortex asked Crash to help him gather the crystals so that he can avert a cosmic disaster; N. Brio (Cortex's former underling), however, wants Crash to collect the gems instead, and swears to stop Crash if he goes after the crystals. Collecting the crystals is more necessary as you'll need them to advance to the later levels, while the gems seem like a CollectionSidequest at first; but to achieve 100% completion you have to gather the gems as well. [[spoiler:Turns out, there's a good reason Brio tries to stop you: as Crash's sister Coco reveals at the climax, [[MacguffinDeliveryService Cortex has been duped Crash the whole time]] as he wants to use the crystals to power his MassHypnosis satellite to brainwash the entire earth. Cue Crash chasing Cortex in space to prevent him from escaping with the crystals. The gems, meanwhile, get used to power Brio's laser cannon, which he and Crash then uses to blow Cortex's space station to smithereens.]]
** The third game has Cortex and his boss, a magical sentient mask named Uka-Uka, planning to gather crystals from the past and future, and their newest colleague N. Tropy builds a TimeMachine for that purpose. Uka-Uka's good twin, Aku-Aku, brings Crash and Coco to the time machine to gather the crystals (and gems, and time relics) before the baddies could do so.
** ''Videogame/CrashTeamRacing'', in its Adventure Mode, has the trophies, then the boss keys, CTR Tokens, the Relics, and the 5 gems. You'd need the trophies from the race tracks to race the boss, which grants you the boss key if successful, which lets the player access new worlds with more race tracks and new bosses. All 4 keys are needed to race the FinalBoss, Nitros Oxide. But after you won, Oxide demands you to gather the relics and then race against him again if the people of the earth wants him to go away (he's an alien); so now you have to gather the Tokens and Relics from the same tracks you played before, which also unlocks the Gem Cups that give you the gems necessary to open the last secret track to get one extra relic.
* The first half of ''VideoGame/Fallout1'' concerns itself with the [[PlayerCharacter Vault Dweller]] being tasked with locating a water chip to replace that of Vault 13, which has broken irreparably. The game is on a strict 150-day time limit until it's found and returned to the Vault.
* In the NES adaptation of ''Film/{{Hook}}'', you need to get four items to proceed past certain areas. Of particular note is Peter Pan's magic sword: it does absolutely nothing combat-wise, but Tinkerbell tells you that [[InformedAbility you'll need it to defeat the dangers that await you after the game's midpoint]].
* ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'':
** The four pieces of the Wizpig amulet in order to unlock the DiscOneFinalBoss race with Wizpig.
** The Silver Coins from the challenge of the same name in order to unlock the Trophy Races, which leads to...
** Four 1st Place Trophies in order to unlock Future Fun Land and race Wizpig again as a TrueFinalBoss.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has, in nearly all mainline games, the Eight Gym Badges in each Generation. In each case, they're required to challenge the Elite Four and the region' current Champion.
* In ''VideoGame/CrystalsPonyTale'', the titular character needs to gather seven crystals to save his friends.
* In the fourth episode of ''VideoGame/FarnhamFables'', Theresa has to collect six Rainbow Keys to create a bridge so she can cross the peanut butter river and meet her friend Andrew (it's a DreamEpisode, in case you're wondering how any of that makes sense).
* ''VideoGame/LegacyOfTheWizard'' has the four Crowns and the Dragon Slayer sword required to kill [[BigBad Keela]], as well as many must-have, rare items such as the High Jump Boots and the Mattock.
* ''VideoGame/{{Okami}}'': The Serpent Crystal (ultimately claimed and used by Waka), and the Tube Foxes (collected by you, but given to and used by Rao, [[spoiler:the fake one]]).
* The ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic'' series has several games with plot coupons
** The third game, ''Isles of Terra'' has the Ultimate Power Orbs. There are 31 of them in total, and the player needs to give 11 of them to either King Zealot, Tumult, or Malefactor in order to get the Blue Priority Pass Card to open the final dungeon. To activate the escape pod to win the game, the player has to pick up the six Hologram Sequencing Cards found in the 6 major dungeons: The Dark Warrior's Keep, the Halls of Insanity, The Fortress of Fear, the Tomb of Terror, the Cathedral of Carnage, and the Maze from Hell
** The fourth game, ''Clouds of Xeen'' have the King's Megacredits. 5 of them are needed to purchase the town of Newcastle, 5 more are needed to renovate the place and turn it into a town, and 5 further are needed to open the basement and gain the SwordOfPlotAdvancement called the Xeen Slayer, to kill the final boss
** The fifth game, ''Darkside of Xeen'' has the Energy Disks, which are given to the wizard Ellinger to restore Queen Kalindra's castle. 5 of them restore one floor, and there are four floors. After this, the player needs the Songbird of Serenity and finally Queen Kalindra's royal crown.
** If ''World Of Xeen'', obtainable by installing both ''Clouds'' and ''Darkside'', are there, the player's final quest requires the Scepter of Temporal Distortion (which is found by killing Xeen) and the Cube of Power (found after killing Sheltem), and then the various ID tags that allow the player to save Prince Roland from his imprisonment.

** ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER1}}'' features the ''Eight Melodies'', or the 8 parts of a song that the mysterious Queen Mary of {{Magicant}} has forgotten. The Melodies aren't actually items. Instead, various [=NPCs=] or Items sing them to you, [[spoiler:you even get one melody from a cactus.]] In order to proceed to the BigBad, you have to sing all eight melodies to Queen Mary. [[spoiler:It turns out that Mary is actually Maria, Ninten's great-grandmother, who was abducted by aliens. Gigyas was a baby she volunteered to raise, and the song you have spent the whole game learning is a lullaby she used to sing to him. Singing the lullaby to Gigyas is the only way to actually defeat him.]]
** ''Mother 2[=/=]VideoGame/EarthBound'' features ''Your Sanctuaries'', eight locations where Earth's Power was the strongest. Each also had a melody associated with it, and when Ness uses the Sound Stone to play them all back, he goes to his own version of {{Magicant}}. [[spoiler:Unlike the first game, however, the eight melodies, nor the power of Magicant are used against Gigyas. Paula has to pray nine times instead.]]

* ''TabletopGame/MysteryDate'' used outfit pieces as the coupon. If you have the three cards in a set, and it matches the date showing up, you win.

** ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'': [[UptoEleven Taken to the extreme]]. The game wants you to collect 1,000,000 coins (regular coins) for no apparent reason. If this is achieved, it then challenges you to find 99,999,999 coins (enough to fill the coin meter with all 9's, basically). You are then rewarded with [[spoiler: a new title screen]].

** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'' has you hunting down shards of the Sticker Comet and the six Royal Stickers that came from it. Comet pieces open up paths to new levels, while Royal Stickers add a page to your sticker album. Unfortunately, the Royal Stickers are also empowering the game's bosses.

** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'': The five streamers that cover Princess Peach's Castle.