---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces
lang: en
title: Squeezing through narrow spaces
summary: >-
A narrow passage changes the character’s posture and restricts movement. The
player moves sideways between obstacles while controlling direction.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces.md
aliases:
- Squeezing through a gap
tags:
- Game design techniques
- Movement
sourceIds:
- source-dbc8e516b1022bb6
- source-b9bc1f7efa60d46e
- source-63e222d0d03e6cde
sources:
- id: source-dbc8e516b1022bb6
title: 'Game Mechanics: Squeezing through narrow spaces'
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-b9bc1f7efa60d46e
title: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces/game/tom-clancys-splinter-cell
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-63e222d0d03e6cde
title: Outlast (2013)
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces/game/outlast
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: game-mechanics
id: gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces
title: Game design techniques
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces
categoryIds:
- gm-category-movement
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
title: Squeezing through a gap
description: >-
A narrow passage changes the character’s posture and restricts movement.
The player moves sideways between obstacles while controlling direction.
image:
src: images/mechanics/traversal-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces.webp
width: 600
height: 328
game: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)
sourceUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces'
originalUrl: 'https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/splinter_cell_narrow.webm'
sourceFrameSeconds: 3.92
credit: Ubisoft Montréal; clip via GameMechanics.org
rights: >-
© respective game rights holders. Clip source: GameMechanics.org. All
rights reserved.
caption: Moving sideways between walls
alt: >-
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Sam presses against a wooden wall in a tight
gap between two surfaces.
markers:
- x: 48
'y': 69
label: The character adopts a sideways posture
tips:
- Make the entrance to the narrow section visible and predictable.
- Check camera placement and collisions along the whole passage.
examples:
- title: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)
url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces'
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
---
# Squeezing through narrow spaces
id: game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-squeezing-through-narrow-spaces/
A narrow passage changes the character’s posture and restricts movement. The player moves sideways between obstacles while controlling direction.
## At a glance
[Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces) · © respective game rights holders. Clip source: GameMechanics.org. All rights reserved.
[Source recording](https://cdn.gamemechanics.org/webm/splinter_cell_narrow.webm), 3.92 s
1. The character adopts a sideways posture
- Make the entrance to the narrow section visible and predictable.
- Check camera placement and collisions along the whole passage.
- [Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces)
## How it works
A special pose enables passage where normal movement does not fit.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- A special pose enables passage where normal movement does not fit.
## 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: Squeezing through narrow spaces](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces) (id: source-dbc8e516b1022bb6)
- [Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (2002)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces/game/tom-clancys-splinter-cell) (id: source-b9bc1f7efa60d46e)
- [Outlast (2013)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/squeezing-through-narrow-spaces/game/outlast) (id: source-63e222d0d03e6cde)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors