Checkpoint

From the Super Mario Wiki, the Mario encyclopedia
Revision as of 09:23, August 22, 2024 by Dwhitney (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigationJump to search
This article is about checkpoints in general. For the checkpoint from Yoshi's Woolly World, see Checkpoint (Yoshi's Woolly World). For the checkpoint from Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, see Checkpoint (Yoshi Topsy-Turvy).
A checkpoint in Bowser's Galaxy Generator
A checkpoint in Super Mario Galaxy 2

Checkpoints appear in the Super Mario franchise as objects within a level where the player can continue from after they lose a life. If the player gets a Game Over, they lose their progress in a level. Finishing a level traditionally resets checkpoints, so replaying the level starts from the beginning.

In Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, Super Mario Land, and Super Mario Galaxy, checkpoints are unmarked, with the player simply resuming from a place in the level they had passed. In Super Mario Bros. 2, every Warp Door serves as a checkpoint, as do the rockets from World 4-1, World 4-2, and World 7-1. Super Mario Bros. 3 has no checkpoints due to having shorter levels, while Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine typically lack them due to most levels having a sandbox structure; however, after warping to a few exceptional areas in the former, the player returns directly to that point upon reentering the level, such as in the volcano of Lethal Lava Land, and similarly for "secret" areas in the latter, an unmarked checkpoint is used instead of returning the player to Delfino Plaza, as would normally happen upon life-loss. In Super Mario Odyssey, some side areas have unmarked checkpoints.

Super Mario World is the first game of the Super Mario franchise to have an object functioning as a checkpoint, the Midway Gate. Subsequently, other variations were used, including the bell of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and the Middle Ring of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Since the release of New Super Mario Bros., however, Super Mario games have largely standardized on the usage of Checkpoint Flags.

Gallery

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese チェックポイント[1]
Chekku Pointo
Check Point

References

  1. ^ 1988. Famicom Grand Prix II: 3D Hot Rally manual (PDF). Nintendo (Japanese). Page 21.