Alternate attack

Video game concept

An alternate way to perform the same or similar attack (e.g. light and heavy punch), without being entirely different attack on its own (e.g. kick and punch).

107
games
14
platforms

Alternate names: Alternate fire mode
Name variations: alt fire, altfire

Related:
* Selective fire - single, burst, auto.
* Secondary attack
This NOT for using scopes or iron sights on the guns.

Note that this is alternate attack with the same thing, not alternate attack with something else.

So player having a punch attack and kick attack do not count. Player having a light punch and heavy punch would.

Commonly the alternate attack is more powerful but slower, has fewer ammo, may be potentially harmful for the player and so forth.

Examples:
* Primary attack is weak punch/kick, alt attack is heavy punch/kick
* Short zap with a laser (pulsed), alt attack is constant burn beam

Limitations:
* Combo weapons: although alt-fire is often the key called when firing the secondary weapon, this is not really alt fire any more than wielding two pistols and claiming the second pistol is alt fire.

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Parent group

Attacking

Games by year

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The first Alternate attack video game was released in 1987.

Tripwire Interactive, Sierra and Valve published most of these games.

Platforms

Windows 44
Linux 18
Mac OS X 12
X360 8
PS3 7
Mac OS Classic 5
PS2 3
PS4 2
Pandora 2
Xbox 2
Wii U 1
Xbox One 1
MS-DOS 1
N64 1