Video game with switchable collision graphics

A method for displaying a video game character traversing a video game playfield, for use with a system which includes a video screen display, a user-controlled graphics controller and digital memory;

• wherein the playfield is displayed as a series of scrolled screen displays;
• and wherein the video game character follows a path within the playfield;
• and wherein progress of the game character in traversing the playfield is indicated by scrolling the playfield relative to the game character, the method comprising the steps of:
• storing in the digital memory multiple collision blocks that define respective path segments;
• dividing the playfield into multiple path blocks that comprise the path;
• storing in the digital memory character collision type information which corresponds to a character and which indicates for that character either a first character collision type or a second character collision type;
• storing in the digital memory references from individual path blocks to individual collision blocks wherein for at least one path block, the reference is dependent upon the character collision type information for a character traversing that at least one path block;
• displaying character movement through the playfield from path block to path block along the path in response to user input to the graphics controller;
• controlling the display of character movement from path block to path block by causing the character image to follow a path defined by the path segments of individual collision blocks referenced to individual path blocks that comprise the path;
• and
• changing the stored character collision type information when the character passes a prescribed location on the playfield such that after the change, the stored character collision type information indicates a different character collision type than before the change.