History Main / TreeTrunkTour

Simply said, this is when a video game leads your character to adventure through a gigantic tree. For whatever reason, the insides of the tree in question are hollow and [[BenevolentArchitecture carved just right enough]] for you to advance through, frequently by climbing up the whole thing. A common variant includes paths carved or built on the outer trunk itself, allowing the tree to be climbed from the outside, but not in the way most would expect.

->''It's so spacious in here! I can't believe we're inside a tree right now.''

* ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'': The Tree Tops level of the original game is mostly a TreeTopTown, but there are a few sections where Spyro has to go through paths carved inside the level's trees.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'': One section of Hyrule Field is dominated by gigantic hollow tree trunks, many of which lie on their sides.

** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'' features levels taking place inside really big, hollow trees, including one with a [[RiseToTheChallenge gigantic ripsaw cutting through them]].

This setting might be its own level or part of a greater LostWoods or JungleJapes level. It might even lead to a TreeTopTown and is sometimes found in the MacroZone. Common obstacles include tree-living creatures such as [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant bugs]] (like {{spiders|AreScary}} or {{bee|Afraid}}s), [[ManiacMonkeys angry monkeys]] or [[FeatheredFiend territorial birds]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Prehistorik}}'': ''Prehistorik Man'' has three such levels: first a RiseToTheChallenge in the aftermath of the volcano eruption, then an AirAidedAcrobatics level, and finally a BlackoutBasement ending with the second boss (the last level in Easy mode).

** ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'': You can create a hidden base, which you can then send to another player. One of the location types available for this are large trees.

** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'': There's an unusual example in Tall Trunk Galaxy. Mario never gets inside the level's resident big tree, but he climbs it throught its branches. He also does get to traverse a giant log and slide down a long, hollow tree in the same level.

** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime': Link starts the game inside an ArborealAbode, since the Kokiri live in them (although Link isn't one) and you can enter some of them. The very first dungeon is located inside the Great Deku Tree, where Link has to find and slay the parasitic GiantSpider Gohma.

* ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'': The Frontier Village is a nine-level village found within a massive hollow tree. The game's resident {{Ridiculously Cute Critter}}s Nopons live there.

** In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', Link starts the game inside an ArborealAbode, since the Kokiri live in them (although Link isn't one) and you can enter some of them. The very first dungeon is located inside the Great Deku Tree, where Link has to find and slay the parasitic GiantSpider Gohma.
** In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', Link ends up in Termina after entering a tree (which functions as a portal between that world and Hyrule).
** Happens a lot in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap The Minish Cap]]'' due to Link's ability to shrink himself and the fact that the game's featured race, the Minish, mostly live inside {{Arboreal Abode}}s.
** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'' also has a large tree, with a hollow section that must be entered in order to reach the top. Besides more common overworld foes, Link will have to fight his way through giant hornets, [[BatOutOfHell bat-like Keese]] and wall-creeping spiders.
** One section of Hyrule Field in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild Breath of the Wild]]'' is dominated by gigantic hollow tree trunks, many of which lay on their sides.
* Four screens of ''VideoGame/AnUntitledStory'''s world take place inside its gigantic tree.

* Much of [[FourSeasonsLevel Click Clock Wood]] in ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' takes place in a giant tree, with such inhabitants as [[VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry Gnawty the Beaver]], Nabnut the Squirrel, Eyrie the Eagle, and [[BeeAfraid The Zubbas]].

** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'' featured levels taking place inside really big, hollow trees, including one with a [[RiseToTheChallenge gigantic ripsaw cutting through them]].

* The ''VideoGame/TheJungleBook'' LicensedGame has The Great Tree. In most versions of the game, it serves as the second level[[note]]It serves as the third level of the [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendoEntertainmentSystem SNES]] version[[/note]]. Certain versions of the game have entrance holes that serve as elevators when Mowgli goes into them. The boss of the level is [[SnakesAreSinister Kaa]]. There is also a later level called The Tree Village that acts similarly.

** The first level of ''Videogame/KirbysDreamLand'' ends with you entering a tree from below, going up the insides of the tree (which contains enemies) and then going out from above to encounter Whispy Woods.
** The latter half of the second level in ''VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards'' has Kirby climbing up and down the insides of two trees.

* In ''VideoGame/MalditaCastilla'', the second part of stage 5 takes place inside a tree where the witch practices the dark arts.

** In ''VideoGame/MegaManX2'', Wire Sponge's stage contains small sections where you have to get inside (metal) trees in order to destroy the mechanisms that control the stage's weather system. Some of the trees also have additional rooms in their upper parts.

* In ''VideoGame/McDonaldsTreasureLandAdventure'', in the [[GreenHillZone Magical Forest]], Ronald comes across a giant tree, which he must climb to the top of.

* The Tree Tops level of the original ''VideoGame/SpyroTheDragon'' game was mostly a TreeTopTown, but there were a few sections where Spyro had to go through paths carved inside the level's trees.
* Both Angel Island Zone and Mushroom Hill Zone in ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' have Sonic running up large trees from the inside.

* In the first area of ''VideoGame/{{Seiklus}}'' is a tree you can enter and from there drop down into the caverns or climb on top where you can get {{kidnapp|ingBirdOfPrey}}ed by an eagle that drops you off at a volcano.
* The Ginso Tree in ''VideoGame/OriAndTheBlindForest'' is a massive tree full of portals containing the Element of Water, which needs to be fixed in order to purify the waters of [[TheLostWoods Nibel]], about two thirds of the way up. The game [[EverythingTryingToKillYou being what it is]], this summons a massive torrent of water that chases you the rest of the way to the top. Expect to die a lot during this part, especially if you don't quite have the game's JumpPhysics down yet. The tree is a OneTimeDungeon in the original version while the [[UpdatedRerelease Definitive Edition]] allows you to revisit it.

** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'' also has a few areas found within trees during World 3. Paper Mario really likes this setting.

** In ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'', you are able to create a hidden base, which you can then send to another player. One of the location types available for this are large trees.
** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite2'': White Treehollow, an area exclusive to ''White 2'', is a postgame level-grinding facility located in White Forest. It is located in a giant tree, and the player can battle other strong trainers and progress up the tree. Its counterpart in the slightly more technologically forward ''Black 2'' universe is Black Tower.
** The Tree of Life from ''VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon''. The player and partner [[spoiler: in their evolved forms using the power of their Harmony Scarves]] go up the tree first at the roots and then inside the tree trunk in order to reach the final boss, [[spoiler: Dark Matter]].

** The Guardian Tree from ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'', which contains the four crystals of Galuf's World.

* The Frontier Village from ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' is a 9-level village found within a massive hollow tree. The game's resident {{Ridiculously Cute Critter}}s Nopons live there.
* In ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'', a large hollow tree can be found and entered in Noctilum, and it's connected to a network of trunk bridges that lead to other areas of the continent. Notably, a sidequest involving Mia starts here.
* ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsI'' has a hidden BrutalBonusLevel named "The Great Hollow", which is set inside a colossal Archtree and populated by basilisks and other nasty monsters.
* The majority of ''VideoGame/{{Faxanadu}}'' takes place in a giant tree. The tree is so massive, the protagonist's home town is housed within.
* ''VideoGame/TheHeartPumpsClay'': The whole story involves climbing the Tree of Life.

[[caption-width-right:256:Kiddy and Dixie in the [[IncrediblyLamePun Wood]].]]

[[caption-width-right:256:Kiddy and Dixie In The [[IncrediblyLamePun Wood]].]]

[[caption-width-right:256:Don't look so smug, Kiddy. [[PlayerTic You're probably in the lead so you'll soak up the first hit]].]]

** The area before you meet Raphael the Raven in Chapter 5 takes place inside a rather spacious tree.
** The final area of Chapter 2 in ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' (appropriately called "The Great Tree") takes place in an enemy base built within said tree by the game's main antagonists, the X-Nauts. It's home to two tribes of insects, the Punis and the mosquito-like Jabbis, the latter of which allied with the X-Nauts against the former, as well as to spider-like enemies Mario will have to fight.
** Chapter 3-3 of ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' takes place entirely within the Dotwood Tree within the pixelated Bitlands.

** The Battle Tree from ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', the game's version of the usual post-game battle areas, is a giant tree building where you can fight other trainers.

** White Treehollow, an area exclusive to ''[[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite2 Pokemon White 2]]'', a postgame level-grinding facility located in White Forest. It is located in a giant tree, and the player can battle other strong trainers and progress up the tree. Its counterpart in the slightly more technologically forward ''Black 2'' universe is Black Tower.

** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'': The second part of the path to the Spring of Jungle Mist climbs up and around the trunk of an immense tree, over which Mario, Olivia and Kamek must pick their way through a chain of narrow platforms and rope ladders. They're intermittently chased by a gigantic Chain Chomp during this trip, and eventually lose it by swinging across to another tree and letting the beast plummet to its doom.

This setting might be its own level or part of a greater LostWoods or JungleJapes level. It might even lead to a TreeTopTown. Common obstacles include tree-living creatures such as [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant bugs]] (like {{spiders|AreScary}} or {{bee|Afraid}}s), [[ManiacMonkeys angry monkeys]] or [[FeatheredFiend territorial birds]].

** The last level of World 5 in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' eventually takes Mario and his friends into an underground area that provides access to the interior of a large tree, which is explored similarly to a Tower or Castle. It's overrun by Sparks, Bob-Ombs and Pansers.
** One of the levels of Tree Zone in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' takes place inside an enormous tree. The other levels are set in the top or bottom areas of it.
** There's an unusual example in Tall Trunk Galaxy from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2''. Mario never gets inside the level's resident big tree, but he climbs it throught its branches. He also does get to traverse a giant log and slide down a long, hollow tree in the same level.

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Exaggerated in the ''TabletopGame/WorldTreeRPG'', which takes place entirely inside a tree that is thousands of miles tall, with branches that are just as long, if not more.
[[/folder]]

[[quoteright:256:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/donkey_kong_country_3_barrel_shield_bust_up.png]]

** In ''[[ VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', Link starts the game inside an ArborealAbode, since the Kokiri live in them (although Link isn't one) and you can enter some of them. The very first dungeon is located inside the Great Deku Tree, where Link has to find and slay the parasitic GiantSpider Gohma.
** In ''[[ VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', Link ends up in Termina after entering a tree (which functions as a portal between that world and Hyrule).