Video games often utilize common storytelling elements known as ‘tropes’. Tropes are familiar patterns, themes, and plot devices that frequently recur in various media forms. Examples of commonly used tropes in video games include the hero’s journey, the damsel in distress, and the chosen one. These elements help create a sense of familiarity and comfort for players, allowing them to understand and engage with the game’s story easily.
Another common trope found in video games is the ‘A Wizard Did It’ trope, which attributes fantastic events or technological advancements to the work of magic or some sort of wizardly intervention. This trope is often used to explain the presence of magic or futuristic technology in a world and can serve as a convenient plot device for game developers. While some players may find the ‘A Wizard Did It’ trope lazy storytelling, others may appreciate its ability to add a sense of mystery or wonder to the game world. Let’s look at a few games that use the trope hilariously.
10 Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. is a classic video game franchise that has entertained audiences for over three decades. With its fantastical setting and whimsical characters, the franchise invites players to explore a world of absurdity and unpredictability. From the physics-defying mechanics of jumping to the quirky power-ups, much in the Super Mario Bros. universe seems to operate by its own logic.
While some fans may struggle to make sense of it all, the franchise explains this apparent chaos. In the world of Super Mario Bros., magic is real, and it’s all thanks to the wizard Kamek, who is responsible for much of the physics-breaking madness. Whether it’s Bowser’s black magic or Princess Peach’s mysterious abilities, the trope is a recurring element in the Mario franchise.
9 NetHack
NetHack is a classic rogue-like game that has been around for over three decades. The game is known for its challenging gameplay, randomized levels, and permadeath. One of the interesting features of NetHack is the use of the trope. Whenever something unexplainable occurs during normal gameplay, it is attributed to a mysterious force.
For example, if the player tries to teleport on a level where teleportation is not allowed, they are prevented from doing so by this mysterious force. Similarly, if the player attempts to descend the stairway to their quest without permission, the mysterious force blocks their progress. Even in the endgame, a mysterious force can form a cave when the player is digging with a blessed pickaxe.
8 World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft, the massively multiplayer online role-playing game, has captivated millions of players since its release. The game has evolved over the years, with developers constantly striving to make the gameplay more enjoyable.
However, in the process of doing so, they have often retconned much of the story established in the earlier RTS Warcraft games. This has led to a popular explanation amongst players and moderators, who use the trope to explain any inconsistencies in the game’s mythology. This trope is used to deflect criticism and create a humorous, lighthearted explanation for any retcons in the game.
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion is an action role-playing video game released in 2006. It is set in the fictional province of Cyrodiil, and players can explore and interact with a vast, open world filled with numerous quests, dungeons, and characters. One of the expansion packs for Oblivion, Shivering Isles, introduces a new mission where the player must deal with a town filled with duplicates.
The quest-giving NPC simply states that a wizard is responsible for the duplicates, using the trope. In this case, it serves as a convenient way for the game developers to explain the duplicates without having to delve too deeply into the science or magic behind it.
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is a popular open-world RPG that takes place in the fictional land of Tamriel. One of the game’s key features is the presence of dragons, which are depicted as powerful and fearsome creatures. However, their abilities are often explained through the use of the trope.
The trope is used to explain how dragons can fly despite their large size and non-aerodynamic shape and how they can speak without lips. Essentially, the dragons in Skyrim are given a natural affinity for magic, which allows them to perform these seemingly impossible feats. This trope adds a fantastical element to the game, making it a unique and enjoyable experience for players.
5 Team Fortress 2
Team Fortress 2 is a popular multiplayer first-person shooter game. One of its unique features is the Medieval Mode, where players are transported to a medieval world using medieval weapons and speaking in Ye Olde Butchered English.
The reason for this change is humorous, as it is explained that the Soldier character angered a wizard. Despite the medieval setting, the game still takes place in a high-tech spy base. The wizard who the Soldier initially angered is revealed to be his roommate, who later summons a demon, MONOCULUS.
4 Dragon Age 2
Dragon Age 2 is a role-playing game set in the world of Thedas. The game follows the story of Hawke, a refugee who rises to become the Champion of Kirkwall. In the game, Hawke is tasked with finding and handing over the Deep Road maps to Bartrand for his expedition. During this quest, Bartrand asks how Hawke came by the maps.
If Anders, the mage from Dragon Age Origins: Awakening, is in the party, he quips, ‘A wizard did it.’ This phrase is a play on the trope, which is often used to explain away magical or impossible events in fiction. In this case, Anders is the wizard who stole the maps, making the joke both a reference to the trope and a nod to Anders’s background as a rogue mage.
3 Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts is a popular action role-playing game that combines the worlds of Disney and Final Fantasy. The game follows the journey of Sora as he travels across different Disney worlds and battles the forces of darkness.
One level of the game, Atlantica, takes place underwater and features characters from The Little Mermaid. In this level, the player is able to use fire and lightning spells even though they should not work underwater. This is an example of the trope, as a convenient explanation is provided without any scientific basis.
2 20XX
20XX is a highly engaging roguelike video game with a unique and innovative storyline. The game is set in a futuristic world where players must navigate through various challenges and obstacles to reach their ultimate goal. One of the most interesting elements of 20XX is the use of the trope.
For example, if players try to jump out of bounds, they will receive the message ‘Black magic bars your way’. This message is a nod to the classic trope of a wizard casting a spell to prevent the player from escaping.
1 City Of Heroes
City of Heroes is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that allows players to create their superheroes and embark on various missions. One of the iconic characters in the game is Nemesis, a supervillain known for his intricate and convoluted schemes.
Players have coined a popular phrase, ‘If it doesn’t make sense, it’s a Nemesis Plot’. Which has become a meme among the community. The statement highlights the infamous reputation of the character, who is often behind many conflicts. The trope, where an all-powerful entity is responsible for events without explanation, is exemplified by the character of Nemesis in the game.
