instadeath
Gaming slang for a mechanic or situation that kills a player character instantly rather than depleting health gradually.
Definitions
Gaming slang for a mechanic or situation that kills a player character instantly rather than depleting health gradually. Instadeath zones, traps, or enemies are a common design feature, adding sudden high-stakes tension. The term also appears frequently in discussions of game balance and design, where instadeath mechanics are sometimes criticized as unfair or frustrating, giving players no chance to react or recover.
The pit at the end of the level was an instadeath -- fall in and you start the whole thing over.
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Gaming slang for any mechanic, enemy, trap, or environmental hazard that kills your character instantly — no health bar, no warning, just game over. Instadeath moments are the stuff of gamer nightmares: bottomless pits, one-shot bosses, timed traps. Some games are designed around instaDeaths to keep tension high; others include them as punishing optional challenges. Either way, they're memorable, usually in the worst way.
That section had an instadeath spike pit right after a fake floor — I lost count of how many times I respawned.
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(video games, slang) instant death.
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