Systems and methods are provided for playing a video game in which a user is associated with a particular gaming level in a plurality of gaming levels and is subjected to one or more challenges. The user responds to the challenges. The user is provided with a first mechanism for acquiring a first subpart, from among a plurality of subparts, at a time when the user has collected none of the subparts. The subparts collectively define a virtual composite item that has functional value within the game and the subparts do not have functionality within the game until the user has collected the entire plurality of subparts. Subsequently, the user is provided with a second mechanism for acquiring a second subpart from among the plurality of subparts. Use of a virtual composite item is enabled when the user has collected all the subparts of the composite item.