History Main / RecruitmentByRescue

This trope has long been a staple of the RolePlayingGame and Action Platformer genres, as well as games in other genres where team-based gameplay is mixed with a narrative. For the action platformers in particular, it's a bit of a tradition that you'll have to complete some challenge with the characters you have to acquire new characters.

* The UpdatedRerelease of ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' for the NintendoDS has the player start out with Yoshi, who was [[GoodMorningCrono sleeping]] and has to rescue Mario, Luigi and Wario in order to get through Peach's castle.

* ''VideoGame/TearsToTiara2'': Hamil rescues first Artio then Elissa and Daphnis from slavers working for TheEmpire. They quickly join TheParty, though not for this reason alone.

*** Sabin is re-recruited in the WorldOfRuin after Celes relieves him of the burden of holding up a collapsing building by rescuing the child trapped inside.

** ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' DS as well had the Yoshis collect the baby superstars (No that's literally what they're called) who are kidnapped by Kamek. Even Baby Bowser joins in, because he wound up in a jungle whilst [[TimeTravel Bowser from the future]] was trying to kidnap all the heroes who'd oppose him in the future.

* Starting with ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIII'', this was the standard way to gather party members. Almost [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV every]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyV game]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI since]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII then]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII has]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX had]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyX some]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII party]] [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII members]] [[FinalFantasyTactics recruited]] [[FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance in]] [[Franchise/FinalFantasy this way.]]

* A) Captured by the EvilOverlord specifically [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy to prevent them from helping]],

*** Locke, who definitely has a "[[ChronicHeroSyndrome saving people thing]]," recruits Celes to the team by saving her from-- you guessed it-- Imperial captivity.

* ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''. Dorothy rescues the Scarecrow from hanging in a field, oils the Tin Woodsman to rescue him from rust, and talks the Cowardly Lion out of his insecurities. All of them join her on her journey to the Emerald City.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': This is [[MagneticHero Luffy's]] recruitment MO. Pretty much every member of his crew got a StoryArc dedicated to [[LotaltyMission solving some problem of theirs]] that prevented them from committing fully to Luffy's quest to find [[MacGuffinTitle the titular One Piece]].

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': This is [[MagneticHero Luffy's]] recruitment MO. Pretty much every member of his crew got a StoryArc dedicated to solving some problem of theirs that prevented them from committing fully to Luffy's quest to find [[MacGuffinTitle the titular One Piece]].

** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' has about half the party members recruited this way. Of the group, one needs to be gotten out of prison, another has to be unfrozen, a third is missing his wife, and a fourth is stuck in a tower full of possessed mages and won't leave until it's been reclaimed. There's also a poisoned war dog who needs an antidote.

* Pretty much everyone you recruit into your group in ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' has to be rescued from the TV world and their Shadow taken down so that they can gain a Persona to join you in the hunt for the killer who's been throwing people into the TV world. With the exceptions of your two starting party members, all of them were thrown into the TV world by the killer. The only playable character who does not have to face his or her Shadow is the protagonist, and that's because [[spoiler:Izanami gave him the power to manifest Personas]].

* ""Manga/OnePiece'': This is [[MagneticHero Luffy's]] recruitment MO. Pretty much every member of his crew got a StoryArc dedicated to solving some problem of theirs that prevented them from committing fully to Luffy's quest to find [[MacGuffinTitle the titular One Piece]].

* This is Captain Luffy's recruitment MO. Pretty much every member of his crew got a StoryArc dedicated to solving some problem of theirs that prevented them from committing fully to Luffy's quest to find the titular OnePiece.

* RoninWarriors started with all five heroes being sealed away. [[TheConfidant Mia]] and [[TagAlongKid Yulie]] rescued Ryo in the second episode, and then Ryo proceeded to rescue the other four Ronins.

* Franchise/{{Batman}} recruited what was essentially his own Franchise/{{Justice League|of America}} in ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'' by rescuing ComicBook/PlasticMan, TheAtom, and other heroes from government prisons.

* Two of your companions in ''VideoGame/DiabloIII'' are recruited this way:

* In a late episode of ''TheAdventuresOfBriscoCountyJr'' Brisco & Bowler recruit two of their MagnificentSevenSamurai plotmates in this fashion: they promise Pete Hutter he'll be given a full presidential pardon for all crimes outstanding (he's in prison sharing a cell with a ScaryBlackMan who forces him to press his pants), and they pick up Whip Morgan as he's in the middle of being lynched by a sheriff for dating (or more) the sheriff's daughter.

* Franchise/{{Batman}} recruited what was essentially his own JusticeLeague in ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'' by rescuing ComicBook/PlasticMan, TheAtom, and other heroes from government prisons.

* This is how Leia is recruited in the first ''Film/StarWars'' movie. She went from DamselInDistress to ActionGirl as soon as they got her out of her cell aboard the Death Star and continued to be an active member of the Rebel Alliance and Luke's team of friends.

* The MountAndBlade series allows you to recruit soldiers you rescued from imprisonment by an enemy army. Doing so is free and allows you to replenish your army during prolonged wars, or at least get some free cannon fodder in the form of rescued bandits.

* In ''MarvelUltimateAlliance'', for some reason [[{{Blade}} Blade]] is trapped in an oversized claw game in [[AmusementParkOfDoom Murderworld]]. After the heroes rescue him, he joins them (and becomes a playable character).

It's that [[ExtyYearsFromNow time of the millenium]] [[ViciousCycle again]], where the EvilOverlord comes out of his [[SealedEvilInACan can]] and starts wreaking havoc. [[AngstWhatAngst No worries]], we gave TheHero a [[CallToAdventure call]], and he's [[JumpedAtTheCall jumping]] to it. Now he just needs a {{team}}, but there's a problem. Some (or, in extreme cases, ALL) potential allies are:

* Inverted in ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'', where both Frog and Ayla are (seperately) recruited after ''they'' save ''you''.