Mount abilities
Rideable creatures or vehicles grant the player special traversal or combat capabilities beyond walking — gliding, high jumps, charge attacks — tied to being mounted. Breath of the Wild's horses provide faster travel and a bond mechanic, while Shadow of the Colossus's horse Agro enables specific traversal and combat maneuvers unavailable on foot. Designers use mount abilities to make mounted travel meaningfully different from (and better than) walking for specific purposes, to open terrain otherwise inaccessible, and to give mounts identity beyond being a faster walk cycle. Key decisions: what abilities require a mount versus being available on foot too, mount-specific controls and camera handling, stamina or resource limits on mount abilities, and combat integration (can you fight effectively while mounted?). Pitfall: a mount that's just a speed boost with no unique abilities wastes the opportunity — the best mount systems give riding a distinct feel and distinct capabilities that make choosing to mount up a meaningful decision, not just a default state.
- Dev effort: Medium
- Timing: Real-time or turn-based
- Common in: open-world, action-adventure
Seen in
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Shadow of the Colossus