--- key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-lava type: mechanic id: game-mechanics--gm-lava lang: en title: Lava summary: >- A hazardous surface limits safe routes. The player uses platforms or searches for a detour while accounting for the cost of contact. updatedAt: '2026-10-21' status: active url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-lava/' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-lava.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-lava.md aliases: [] tags: - Game design techniques - Environmental hazards sourceIds: - source-6e0a44ec6120a3aa - source-ec323aec82bbfeac - source-eef5cf1ea98184bb - source-de5d18b331904472 - source-5d696261b6b0cdf3 - source-81a86212dd56ea9f - source-76b17960f4beebf0 - source-8acd296040247f95 sources: - id: source-6e0a44ec6120a3aa title: 'Game Mechanics: Lava' url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava' verifiedAt: null - id: source-ec323aec82bbfeac title: Doom (2016) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/doom-2016' verifiedAt: null - id: source-eef5cf1ea98184bb title: Mass Effect (2007) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/mass-effect' verifiedAt: null - id: source-de5d18b331904472 title: Helldivers 2 (2024) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/helldivers-2' verifiedAt: null - id: source-5d696261b6b0cdf3 title: 'Tom Clancy''s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (2019)' url: >- https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint verifiedAt: null - id: source-81a86212dd56ea9f title: Elden Ring (2022) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/elden-ring' verifiedAt: null - id: source-76b17960f4beebf0 title: Apex Legends (2019) url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/apex-legends' verifiedAt: null - id: source-8acd296040247f95 title: Spelunky url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: game-mechanics id: gm-lava title: Game design techniques url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-lava' categoryIds: - gm-category-environmental-hazards supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-21' title: Lava description: >- A hazardous surface limits safe routes. The player uses platforms or searches for a detour while accounting for the cost of contact. image: src: images/mechanics/spelunky-lava.webp width: 1280 height: 720 game: Spelunky sourceUrl: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/' originalUrl: >- https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/239350/ss_5a77c050e2855d7e98b7a89f152e7a34082c77c7.1920x1080.jpg?t=1632912566 credit: Mossmouth rights: © Mossmouth. All rights reserved. caption: A hazard beneath the arena alt: >- Spelunky: a wide strip of glowing lava lies beneath platforms occupied by several characters. markers: - x: 51 'y': 81 label: Lava below the safe platforms - x: 42 'y': 47 label: A foothold above the hazard tips: - 'Distinguish hazardous liquid through shape, motion and sound.' - Show safe footholds before the first risky jump. examples: - title: Spelunky url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/' endsAt: null provenance: >- Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/game-mechanics --- # Lava id: game-mechanics--gm-lava type: mechanic key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-lava lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-lava/ A hazardous surface limits safe routes. The player uses platforms or searches for a detour while accounting for the cost of contact. ## At a glance ![Spelunky: a wide strip of glowing lava lies beneath platforms occupied by several characters.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/spelunky-lava.webp) [Spelunky](https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/) · © Mossmouth. All rights reserved. 1. Lava below the safe platforms 2. A foothold above the hazard - Distinguish hazardous liquid through shape, motion and sound. - Show safe footholds before the first risky jump. - [Spelunky](https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/) ## How it works Molten material defines a hazardous part of a level. ## Variants ### How the technique works - Molten material defines a hazardous part of a level. ## Context and limits All 199 Game Mechanics entries at the check date: player actions, systems, presentation techniques and contested patterns. Entries are grouped by their first source-card category; all categories appear in their descriptions. Definitions use original wording. References link to game-specific galleries; images and videos remain at the source. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Editorial reference index based on the 199 public Game Mechanics pattern pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; pattern names, category associations and game-reference URLs retained from gamemechanics.org. The source gallery includes a film analogy. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification. - [Game Mechanics: Lava](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava) (id: source-6e0a44ec6120a3aa) - [Doom (2016)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/doom-2016) (id: source-ec323aec82bbfeac) - [Mass Effect (2007)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/mass-effect) (id: source-eef5cf1ea98184bb) - [Helldivers 2 (2024)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/helldivers-2) (id: source-de5d18b331904472) - [Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint (2019)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/tom-clancys-ghost-recon-breakpoint) (id: source-5d696261b6b0cdf3) - [Elden Ring (2022)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/elden-ring) (id: source-81a86212dd56ea9f) - [Apex Legends (2019)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/lava/game/apex-legends) (id: source-76b17960f4beebf0) - [Spelunky](https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/) (id: source-8acd296040247f95) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors