---
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice
type: mechanic
id: game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice
lang: en
title: Walking on ice
summary: >-
  A slippery surface changes grip and braking. The player must stop earlier and
  account for momentum near platform edges.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice/
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice.md
aliases:
  - Moving on ice
tags:
  - Game design techniques
  - Movement
  - Weather
sourceIds:
  - source-219894753d776bd3
  - source-777edaa1b5158b75
  - source-ff0ffc9486798aa2
  - source-8acd296040247f95
sources:
  - id: source-219894753d776bd3
    title: 'Game Mechanics: Walking on ice'
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-ice'
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-777edaa1b5158b75
    title: Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019)
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-ice/game/red-dead-redemption-2
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-ff0ffc9486798aa2
    title: Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025)
    url: >-
      https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-ice/game/assassins-creed-shadows
    verifiedAt: null
  - id: source-8acd296040247f95
    title: Spelunky
    url: 'https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: game-mechanics
    id: gm-walking-on-ice
    title: Game design techniques
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/game-mechanics/#gm-walking-on-ice'
    categoryIds:
      - gm-category-movement
      - gm-category-weather
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
    title: Moving on ice
    description: >-
      A slippery surface changes grip and braking. The player must stop earlier
      and account for momentum near platform edges.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/spelunky-ice.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_cd898bb5ce94c255d7e3ef17caecc157f6af535b.1920x1080.jpg?t=1632912566
      credit: Mossmouth
      rights: © Mossmouth. All rights reserved.
      caption: Ice platforms in the cavern
      alt: >-
        Spelunky: bright blue ice covers the floor and overhead platforms; the
        explorer is above the lower platform.
      markers:
        - x: 40
          'y': 78
          label: An extended icy surface
        - x: 83
          'y': 26
          label: The same ice material marks upper platforms
    tips:
      - Introduce the changed grip on a section without a lethal edge.
      - Keep braking feedback readable.
    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
---
# Walking on ice

id: game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/game-mechanics--gm-walking-on-ice/

A slippery surface changes grip and braking. The player must stop earlier and account for momentum near platform edges.

## At a glance

![Spelunky: bright blue ice covers the floor and overhead platforms; the explorer is above the lower platform.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/spelunky-ice.webp)

[Spelunky](https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/) · © Mossmouth. All rights reserved.

1. An extended icy surface
2. The same ice material marks upper platforms

- Introduce the changed grip on a section without a lethal edge.
- Keep braking feedback readable.

- [Spelunky](https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/)

## How it works

An icy surface changes traction and movement control.

## Variants

### How the technique works

<a id="gm-walking-on-ice-rule"></a>

- An icy surface changes traction and movement control. <a id="gm-walking-on-ice-definition"></a>

## 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: Walking on ice](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-ice) (id: source-219894753d776bd3)
- [Red Dead Redemption 2 (2019)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-ice/game/red-dead-redemption-2) (id: source-777edaa1b5158b75)
- [Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025)](https://gamemechanics.org/patterns/walking-on-ice/game/assassins-creed-shadows) (id: source-ff0ffc9486798aa2)
- [Spelunky](https://store.steampowered.com/app/239350/) (id: source-8acd296040247f95)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors