---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal
lang: en
title: Overhead traversal
summary: >-
The character hangs by their hands and moves beneath a horizontal support. The
route depends on usable overhead grips.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal.md
aliases: []
tags:
- Game design techniques
- Movement
sourceIds:
- source-90b5e5b4c5b1aeb5
- source-1c88f2ac69a10d9b
- source-46170f1512a6315c
- source-0370316af9c6e112
sources:
- id: source-90b5e5b4c5b1aeb5
title: 'Game Mechanics: Overhead traversal'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-1c88f2ac69a10d9b
title: Tomb Raider III (1998)
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal/game/tomb-raider-iii
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-46170f1512a6315c
title: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal/game/tom-clancys-splinter-cell
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-0370316af9c6e112
title: 'Uncharted: Drake''s Fortune (2007)'
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal/game/uncharted-drakes-fortune
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: game-mechanics
id: gm-monkey-bar-traversal
title: Game design techniques
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-monkey-bar-traversal
categoryIds:
- gm-category-movement
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
title: Overhead traversal
description: >-
The character hangs by their hands and moves beneath a horizontal support.
The route depends on usable overhead grips.
image:
src: images/mechanics/traversal-monkey-bar-traversal.webp
width: 598
height: 334
game: Tomb Raider III (1998)
sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal'
originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/tomb_raider_3_over_head.webm'
sourceFrameSeconds: 3.88
credit: Core Design; clip via GameMechanics.org
rights: >-
© respective game rights holders. Clip source: GameMechanics.org. All
rights reserved.
caption: Moving beneath an overhead structure
alt: >-
Tomb Raider III: Lara hangs by her hands beneath an overhead structure
in a cave passage.
markers:
- x: 49
'y': 48
label: Hands support the character beneath the structure
tips:
- Mark the usable overhead grip area.
- Check letting go and landing from each part of the route.
examples:
- title: Tomb Raider III (1998)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal'
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
---
# Overhead traversal
id: game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-monkey-bar-traversal/
The character hangs by their hands and moves beneath a horizontal support. The route depends on usable overhead grips.
## At a glance
[Tomb Raider III (1998)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal) · © respective game rights holders. Clip source: GameMechanics.org. All rights reserved.
[Source recording](https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/tomb_raider_3_over_head.webm), 3.88 s
1. Hands support the character beneath the structure
- Mark the usable overhead grip area.
- Check letting go and landing from each part of the route.
- [Tomb Raider III (1998)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal)
## How it works
The character traverses beneath overhead supports using handholds.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- The character traverses beneath overhead supports using handholds.
## 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: Overhead traversal](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal) (id: source-90b5e5b4c5b1aeb5)
- [Tomb Raider III (1998)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal/game/tomb-raider-iii) (id: source-1c88f2ac69a10d9b)
- [Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal/game/tom-clancys-splinter-cell) (id: source-46170f1512a6315c)
- [Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/monkey-bar-traversal/game/uncharted-drakes-fortune) (id: source-0370316af9c6e112)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors