History VideoGame / GotchaForce

[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/GotchaForce.png]]
[[caption-width-right:310:A ninja and a cowboy gang up on a tank.]]

Based loosely upon toy fights that children have and ''gatchapon'' [[note]]capsule toys, usually from coin-operated machines [[/note]] with gameplay derived heavily from ''VideoGame/VirtualOn'', ''Gotcha Force'' is a game from Creator/{{Capcom}} released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube in 2003.

A big draw for the game is that you bring in a small squad into every battle -- when one robot goes down, the next in the squad takes its place. Moreover, more frequently-used robots gain levels, increasing their durability. Finally, a huge draw is that there are over 200 of the Borgs, each with their own fighting style, allowing for a great deal of customization and strategy for teams (and if you have the resources, nothing prevents anyone from using multiple copies of the same robot). The game is heavily {{Troperiffic}}, taking inspiration from a variety of sources and distilling all the delicious clichés into individual Borgs--{{Ninja}}, [[TheWestern cowboys]], [[EverythingsBetterWithSamurai samurai]], [[KnightInShiningArmor knights]], [[TankGoodness tanks]], [[RealRobot mecha infantry]], [[TransformingMecha transforming mecha]], [[CoolPlane jet planes]], [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils dark monsters]], [[HenshinHero tokusatsu heroes]], and so many more...

* MindControlEyes: Not seen until the ending, [[spoiler: even if you win all of the optional fights against her and she joins you]], but Orochi bears these the whole game - her RedEyesTakeWarning is due to the Galactic Emperor's influence. Her natural eye color is purple.

** Claw Robots as well, Though Kitsune's [[LawOfChromaticSuperiority Isaac]] has two eyes instead of one.

** Metal Hero is designed after the ''Franchise/MetalHeroes'', as if the name wasn't obvious enough.

** Acceleration Ninja is [[SonicTheHedgehog spiky, blue, fast, and attacks while moving.]]

* CripplingOverspecialization: Many powers that would otherwise be completely overpowering are compensated by the borg in question having almost no ability outside of it. Copy Robot for example has no offense when it isn't using PowerCopying, and there are several borgs it can't copy. Gatling Gunner has lots of power and an insane rate of fire, but it reloads slow and its only other offense are basically the same bombs as a Normal Ninja. Ultimate Cannon is capable of performing a OneHitKO on pretty much anything in the game, but it literally takes a minute to fully charge and it has little offensive or defensive power while it does so.

* CyberNinja: All of the ninja borgs have details that indicate that they're manufactured, but the one that most clearly fits is obvious [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Cyber Ninja]], who shoots lasers, has HardLight FuumaShuriken on its arms, and can cause damage with a series of tackles from multiple angles augmented by a ForceField.

** Kakeru: A happy go lucky boy who likes using [[GratuitousNinja Ninja Borgs]], low-cost borgs that allow Kakeru to have the most Borgs out of any partner.

** [[TheDragon Orochi]]: A girl who serves the Galactic Emperor. She uses a lot of Borgs from the [[DarkIsEvil Demon Tribe]]. Borgs that gain strength through defeated enemies
** [[FatBastard Tama]]: A condescending boy in a sailor suit. He specializes in using [[AirborneAircraftCarrier Fortress Borgs]], gigantic flying Borgs that barely move but have the highest health and firepower among Borgs.

** The Hero Borg Unit missions put you against five enemies arranged and presented [[SuperSentai much like a Japanese hero squadron]].

* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler: If you manage to beat him every time throughout the game, during a mission late in the game against the Death Force, Sho will appear midway though the battle to help and become an ally afterwards. Kou even notes how he seemed to take his time coming to help. Made all the more [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome epic]] by the game's [[SoBadItsGood sub-par]] voice acting. Still manages to skirt being ThatOneLevel despite this, due to all the Cyber Ninjas and Beam Gunners, as well as the fact that it climaxes with a CombiningMecha]].

* ButtMonkey: Nekobe has shades of this.

* ChargedAttack

* DoppelgangerSpin: The Double Ninja's special ability.

* HoistByTheirOwnPetard: One level involves taking out a few Akuma Samurai while Death Bombs spawn in unlimited numbers - the Death Bombs [[TakingYouWithMe attempt to kamikaze against the player]] while their souls power up the Akuma Samurai's swords (to the extent that they can literally melee the entire map if they survive long enough). There are two ways to abuse this - one, Death Bombs will also damage the Akuma Samurai, so DeadlyDodging can work. Two, a player can bring in their own Akuma Samurai or Demon Samurai, and they'll absorb the souls (and thus power up) any of the bombs that explode closer to the player, meaning the player can abuse the mechanic and similarly gain the ability to melee anything in the stage.

Based loosely upon toy fights that children have and ''gatchapon'' (capsule toys, usually from coin-operated machines) with gameplay derived heavily from ''VideoGame/VirtualOn'', ''Gotcha Force'' is a game from Creator/{{Capcom}} released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube in 2003.

* EmergencyShortRangedWeapon: Many gun and girl borgs have a fairly weak melee attack that they can whip out at foes who close in on them. These tend to have a small amount of knockback (enough to push their foes to a range where they'll instead use their more potent ranged attacks) and hitstun to open their foe up for further attack - one effective tactic is to dodge attacks to close in (while using low-power projectiles to provide cover fire), tap the foe to stun them, and unload with powerful attacks while they're stunned.

* FuumaShuriken: The Shuriken Ninja, who has one mounted [[SticksToTheBack on his back]], and actually uses it [[EverythingsBetterWithSpinning just like that]].

* HitodamaLight: The demonic samurai borg has two floating skull ghost lights that can be used for attacks.

* HourOfPower: Gold Hero can only stay in his transformed state for a limited amount of time. His base state has a very slow projectile and only average melee attacks, plus cannot stay in the air as long.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Dragon Borgs - incredible firepower, but slow as dirt and one of the biggest targets in the game. The 'impractical' part can be heavily reduced by tapping the jump button before firing their BreathWeapon, though.

* FireIceLightning: The design concept for the three ([[GiantMook or six]]) most common Dragon Borgs.

** Met: A girl with a soldier motif that likes using Borgs that [[TrapMaster restrict the opponent's movement]].

** [[CloudCuckoolander Yuki]]: A bizarre boy that specializes in using [[ConfusionFu Knuckle Borgs]] which have quirky gimmicks.

** [[TheDragon Orochi]]: A girl who serves the Galactic Emperor. She uses a lot of Borgs associated with [[DarkIsEvil the undead and darkness]].

* LawOfChromaticSuperiority: Gold-palette borgs have more extra health than Silver-palette ones, which in turn have more extra health than Shadow-palette ones.

* MagicSkirt / PantyShot: Many Angel borgs have very, very short skirts, but they never move. You can still peek under them in the status screen by swinging the camera directly under them. [[DevelopersForesight The Nurse Borgs' panties have a]] [[VisualInnuendo screwhead design on the bottom.]]

* MagicSkirt / PantyShot: Many Angel borgs have very, very short skirts, but they never move. You can still peek under them in the status screen by swinging the camera directly under them. [[TheDevTeamThinksOfEverything The Nurse Borgs' panties have a]] [[VisualInnuendo screwhead design on the bottom.]]

* AmplifierArtifact: G Red's missing code. After he finds it, he becomes a bona-fide BadAss.

* LaserBlade: Very common with the Machine Borgs, or the higher-tech Ninja/Musha/Knight borgs.

* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Most of the Knight Borgs carry a shield that can completely negate the damage from frontal attacks, though it's a bit of a crapshoot how often they'll actually intercept them.
* MadBomber: The Remote Bomber and the Time Bomber. As they only take [[ScratchDamage one hit point of damage]] from their own explosions, a viable strategy is to have them close with the enemy and deliberately drop bombs to hit everyone. Another involves using a bomb as a shield (which triggers the bomb, thus taking much less damage from the attack).

* SkirtOverSlacks: Usagi

* SpiritualSuccessor: To the VideoGame/VirtualOn series, in many ways. Its direct relative is the ''VideoGame/GundamVsSeries'', also being made by Capcom. Any GF veteran will find many similarities in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uclrFM1Y7u4 this footage]], down to the position of the health bar, ammo meters, and the same camera effects when killing the final enemy.

* SuperMode: Named [[AllThereInTheManual "Power Burst"]], by utilizing ThePowerOfFriendship, Commanders can give their Borgs instantly-reloading ammo, massive speed, and the capacity to deal ''much'' more damage.

* LevelFiveOnix: Fortress Borgs other than the Galactic Emperor.

* ActionGirl: Usagi tends to prefer Borgs of this style, possibly making her an example by extension.

* AnIcePerson: Anything with Ice or Blizzard in its name.

%%* FatBastard: Tama.
%%* FemBot: The Cyber Girls.
%%* FragileSpeedster: The various {{Ninja}}, Girl, and Angel Borgs.
* FriendlyFireproof: [[IncrediblyLamePun Toyed]] with. While you and your allies aren't invincible to each others' attacks, they only do 1 damage per hit.
** This doesn't apply with the "near OHKO" attacks like [=ICBMs=] and Ultimate Cannon's Charge X.

* HenshinHero: Gold Hero and Metal Hero.

%%* MightyGlacier: The various Knight Borgs, and some of the Musha and Machine Borgs. All the Fortress/Dragon borgs.
%%* {{Mooks}}: The Death Borg units. MechaMooks, specifically.

** [[spoiler: If you manage to beat her every time you fight her, you do a couple of missions that you have to save her from the Death Force, before she joins you]].

* SpinAttack

* SwordBeam: Musha Borgs and Vampire Knight.

* WeCannotGoOnWithoutYou

* NewGamePlus: You keep all your Borgs, your experience, ''and'' rare Borgs appear more frequently. You actually get a new save file each time, denoting further levels of "plus-ness," up to a maximum of eight. Defeating additional playthroughs also nets you rarer and rarer [[PaletteSwap Palette Swaps]] of G Red.