History VideoGame / Bayonetta

Starting with the Wii U exclusive ''Bayonetta 2'', Nintendo began licensing the series from Sega, funding the development of and serving as publisher for all future installments of the franchise. A third game, ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'', was released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on October 28, 2022. A spin-off prequel, ''VideoGame/BayonettaOriginsCerezaAndTheLostDemon'', is scheduled to release on March 17, 2023, also for the Switch. This partnership with Nintendo (and a fan-poll) also led to Bayonetta joining the roster of the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, becoming the last DLC fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' and returning in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.

** In a rather bizarre moment, [[SlapstickKnowsNoGender Bayonetta and Jeanne can be flattened like a cartoon character]] when they are crushed by round objects. It is most likely that the Umbran Witches have the ability to flatten themselves so they can reduce the pain and impact, because if the angels are crushed by the Golem, they still stay three-dimensional, and take lots of damage in the process. That, or RuleOfFunny.

* SlapstickKnowsNoGender: Every time the eponymous protagonist gets squashed by anything round, we can see a nice slapstick animation, in which she gets [[SquashedFlat flattened]] in the "paper leaf" type.

** Every time a new type of enemy appears (except Gracious and Glorious, whose intro got cut out simply because the developers didn't have time to get it in), they're accompanied with a short cutscene and a PastelChalkedFreezeFrame that displays the name and class of the enemy. It's also used to remind the player to put on an appropriate OhCrap face when [[spoiler:'''Umbra Witch: Jeanne''' finally gets her subtitles after you've already fought her three times, and '''[[PhysicalGod Dea:]] Jubileus''' heralds the FinalBoss battle]]. Also, all the enemies in the game show up in alphabetical order, with the exception of "Ardor," who doesn't show up until Chapter V, and "Irenic," which is only in Chapter VIII. They start with "Affinity" and "Applaud" and go all the way up to "Kinship."

* DegradedBoss: After you [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill completely brutalize]] a Cardinal Virtue ([[MyFriendsAndZoidberg or a Golem]]), weaker versions will appear later in the game. Mostly during the BossRush. Clones of Temperentia in particular are fought four times throughout the game. The clones have significant, though subtle, variations in character design, that denote their lower status, as well as "plain English" versions of their Latin names. As an example, Iustitia appears as a sphere covered in fifteen faces; its degraded version is called Justice and only has three faces on the side facing you (with the rest of it being simply a sphere of light).

* EverythingsBetterWithPenguins: Rodin, the resident ScaryBlackMan and SatanicArchetype, is implied to be ''very'' fond of penguins. In his bar, we get to see an apron with cute little baby penguins with "I LOVE CHICKS" written under it in demonic alphabet. Made even more hilarious in some flavour text from ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101'' where he is stated to seek any kind of penguin statues, plushies and goodies to add them to his collection.

* SexyWalk: Bayonetta swings her hips and arches her back a little when she walks normally. Jeanne walks like this too, especially when you unlock her as a playable character because she will have the same animations of Bayonetta.

* SuperheroPackingHeat: Bayonetta and Jeanne with their witch powers and pistols.

Starting with the Wii U exclusive ''Bayonetta 2'', Nintendo began licensing the series from Sega, funding the development of and publishing for all future installments of the franchise. A third game, ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'', was released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on October 28, 2022. A spin-off prequel, ''VideoGame/BayonettaOriginsCerezaAndTheLostDemon'', is scheduled to release on March 17, 2023, also for the Switch. This partnership with Nintendo (and a fan-poll) also led to Bayonetta joining the roster of the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' series, becoming the last DLC fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'' and returning in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.

An anime film adaptation called ''Anime/BayonettaBloodyFate'' (produced by Creator/{{GONZO}}) was released in November 2013.

The original game got an UpdatedRerelease in 2014 for the UsefulNotes/WiiU, coinciding with the release of ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2''.[[note]]First-run physical copies of ''2'' came with the first game, with the digital versions of both games being available as a discount if bought with the other.[[note]] It received a PC port via UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} on April 11, 2017. A UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch version alongside ''Bayonetta 2'' on February 16, 2018. It was also released with ''VideoGame/{{Vanquish}}'' on the [=PlayStation=] 4 and Xbox One on February 18, 2020 in a 10th anniversary launch bundle.

Starting with the Wii U exclusive ''Bayonetta 2'' in 2014, Nintendo began licensing the series from Sega, funding the development of and publishing for all future installments of the franchise. A third game, ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'', was released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on October 28, 2022. A spin-off prequel, ''VideoGame/BayonettaOriginsCerezaAndTheLostDemon'', is scheduled to release on March 17, 2023. This partnership with Nintendo and a fan-poll also led to Bayonetta being announced as the last DLC fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', and she would go on to return in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''.

In 2014, Nintendo published the sequel ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'' as an exclusive for the UsefulNotes/WiiU (Sega still owns the property). For Wii U owners who never played the first game, initial copies of ''Bayonetta 2'' came with an UpdatedRerelease of the original ''Bayonetta'', effectively giving two games for the price of one, though later copies only have ''Bayonetta 2'' on its own.[[note]]The retail version has it on a separate disc, while the digital version has it as a digital download from the eShop, available at a discount if you buy it with the sequel.[[/note]] This partnership with Nintendo and a fan-poll led to Bayonetta being announced as the last DLC fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', and she would go on to return in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''. A third game, ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'', was released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on October 28, 2022. A prequel, ''VideoGame/BayonettaOriginsCerezaAndTheLostDemon'' was announced on the Game Awards 2022 to release on March 17, 2023.

An [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-09-18/bayonetta-game-gets-anime-film-by-gonzo-in-november anime movie adaptation]], called ''Anime/BayonettaBloodyFate'' and produced by Creator/{{GONZO}}, was released in November 2013.

The original game got [[http://store.steampowered.com/app/460790/ released]] on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} for the PC on April 11, 2017. It would later see a UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch release alongside ''Bayonetta 2'' on February 16, 2018. It was also released with ''VideoGame/{{Vanquish}}'' on the [=PlayStation=] 4 and Xbox One on February 18, 2020 in a 10th anniversary launch bundle.

In 2014, Nintendo published the sequel ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'' as an exclusive for the UsefulNotes/WiiU (Sega still owns the property). For Wii U owners who never played the first game, initial copies of ''Bayonetta 2'' came with an UpdatedRerelease of the original ''Bayonetta'', effectively giving two games for the price of one, though later copies only have ''Bayonetta 2'' on its own.[[note]]The retail version has it on a separate disc, while the digital version has it as a digital download from the eShop, available at a discount if you buy it with the sequel.[[/note]] This partnership with Nintendo and a fan-poll led to Bayonetta being announced as the last DLC fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', and she would go on to return in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''. A third game, ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'', was released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on October 28, 2022. A prequel, ''Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon'' was announced on the Game Awards 2022 to release on March 17, 2023.

In 2014, Nintendo published the sequel ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'' as an exclusive for the UsefulNotes/WiiU (Sega still owns the property). For Wii U owners who never played the first game, initial copies of ''Bayonetta 2'' came with an UpdatedRerelease of the original ''Bayonetta'', effectively giving two games for the price of one, though later copies only have ''Bayonetta 2'' on its own.[[note]]The retail version has it on a separate disc, while the digital version has it as a digital download from the eShop, available at a discount if you buy it with the sequel.[[/note]] This partnership with Nintendo and a fan-poll led to Bayonetta being announced as the last DLC fighter for ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', and she would go on to return in ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate''. A third game, ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'', was released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on October 28, 2022.

* {{Gainaxing}}: Not much from our heroine, but it happens with the Joys occasionally, especially during their Torture Attack animations.

** The first game uses a modern pop arrangement of Frank Sinatra's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEcqHA7dbwM "Fly Me to the Moon"]] as its main battle theme, features the original song at the end of the story credits, and sneaks in many references to the song and lyrics throughout the story. The second game does the same thing with Andy Williams' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_jgIezosVA "Moon River"]].

* ImpossiblyCoolWeapon: The weapons that you can wield in this game include; Guns with BottomlessMagazines, {{Absurdly Sharp Blade}}s, [[ImprobableWeaponUser Weaponized ice skates]], [[FightingWithChucks bullet-firing nunchaku]], [[MacrossMissileMassacre rocket launcher tonfas]], [[WhipItGood snake whips]], {{Laser Blade}}s, [[PlayingWithFire element]] [[ShockAndAwe shifting]] [[WolverineClaws claws]], [[SwissArmyWeapon and a shape-shifting angelic weapon]].

* BossInMookClothing: [[EliteMooks Gracious and Glorious]] are exactly the same as Grace and Glory but are faster, more aggressive, deal more damage, ''and'' can't normally be [[BulletTime Witch Timed]] off from. Expect to see the four of them ''a lot'' in Hard mode. They even have no problems with breaking out of your combos, while theirs (particularly their midair ones) require equal parts '''perfect''' timing and sheer luck to dodge out of.

* EverythingsBetterWithSpinning:
** Bayonetta and Jeanne spin their guns after every attack if they have those equipped in their hands. The Breakdance attack also makes you perform multiple windmills while firing off any guns on their feet in every direction. There's also the Witch Twist, wherein you dodge an attack by spinning, before spiralling into the air and summoning a Wicked Weave.
** Picking up the staff dropped by angels lets you do a spinning stripper pole dance that hits everything on the screen at once, though it uses up the weapon in the process.
** The rocket [[DoABarrelRoll does a 360-degree turn]] whenever you push either of the evade buttons.
** You can also pick up an Enchant and spin it around before flinging it like an angelic frisbee.

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: The bosses' deaths and just about all the Torture Attacks, but especially on the Joys. Taunt one, then finish with a Torture Combo. See where the spike on the horse is sticking in?
* CrystalDragonJesus: The game involves Heaven and Hell, but calls them [[Literature/TheDivineComedy Paradiso and Inferno]]. Plus, the angels here don't really look or act conventionally compared to modern Christianity depictions (they're closer to the traditional Abrahamic angels who are actually far more [[EldritchAbomination scary looking]], and [[HolyHandGrenade scary acting]]), and [[spoiler:God is a woman]].