Item
Barrier
A recurring protective power-up in retro and classic video games that temporarily shields the player's character or vehicle from damage.
Action
About
In the isometric shooter Viewpoint (1992), the Barrier protects the player's ship from enemy fire, while in Super Back to the Future Part II (1993), it shields Marty McFly from hazards. The item also appears in Buster Bros. Collection (1997) to block bubble collisions, in Sonic Heroes (2004) as a defensive energy shield, and in Star Fox Assault (2005) to temporarily absorb damage for vehicles and characters.
Across these diverse genres, the acquisition and visual representation of the item vary significantly. In the Neo Geo release Viewpoint, players obtain the power-up by shooting specific cargo carriers, which release a glowing orb that orbits the ship. For the Super Famicom platformer Super Back to the Future Part II, the item is found within destructible boxes scattered across Hill Valley, instantly wrapping the hoverboard-riding protagonist in a flashing spherical aura.
In the arcade ports of Buster Bros. Collection, the power-up drops randomly from popped bubbles, granting a temporary translucent outline that allows players to survive a single mistake. Sonic Heroes integrates the item into its team-based mechanics through item boxes, where it manifests as a blue spherical field that persists across character swaps until depleted. Within the multiplayer arenas and campaign stages of Star Fox Assault, the item appears as a spinning physical pickup. Once collected, it projects a hexagonal grid pattern around the Arwing, Landmaster, or pilot on foot, serving as a critical tactical asset during high-intensity skirmishes.
Connections
Explore
Tap a bar to narrow the games below. Tap to switch to that page.
Platforms (2)
By decade (1)
Genres (1)
Developers (2)
Publishers (1)
Mechanics (3)
Perspectives (1)
Characters (3)
Games featuring Barrier (2)
Include special editions
