History Main / Checkpoint

[[folder: General]]

[[folder: Action Adventure Game]]

[[folder: Action Game]]

[[folder: Adventure Game]]

[[folder: Platform Game]]

[[folder: Puzzle Game]]

[[folder: Survival Horror]]

[[folder: Third Person Shooter]]

[[folder: Non Video Game Examples]]

[[folder: Role Playing Game]]

* ''VideoGame/SamuraiRevenge'': These take the form of a tall structure that glows yellow when [[PlayerCharacter Kabuto]] gets near them. Kabuto will respawn at the last one he activated whenever he dies.

** In ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' and ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', the checkpoint has the form of a flag that turns from a Bowser icon to a Mario/Mushroom one when activated ([[HealingCheckpoint and acts as a Super Mushroom if Mario is small]]). Interestingly enough, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' became the first 3D Mario to use this kind of checkpoint (without the PowerUp effect).

** The second game has more normal checkpoint in the form of bells that save your progress when you pick them up.
** Ditto for the third game, but in the form of tents that Kao goes into to take a nap.

[[folder: Racing Game]]
* Racing games occasionally feature a checkpoint at the beginning of each lap or race course.
[[/folder]]

* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedAltairsChronicles'' has a couple. One involves [[{{Pickpocketing}} removing a key from an enemy's bag]], and another involves pressing pressure points on an enemy's back to make him yield to Altair.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' once had a standard lamppost-style checkpoint in his levels. Moving into 3D, the two ''Adventure'' titles turned this into a similarly-looking gate (which returned in the 2006 game). Other games throughout the series have used similar objects, but the limited 8-bit games instead depicted checkpoints as breakable computer monitors (like the items throughout the series). Also, if you made it to the checkpoint in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'' with enough rings, the lamppost-thing would activate a bonus stage, necessary to collect the chaos emeralds and become Super Sonic.

* Before Raz undergoes the climactic battle with the brain-tank and then with his own subconscious in ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'', the game automatically saves itself as a check point, and its location is listed as "The Point of No Return".
** Justified in Black Velvetopia. Getting caught by the Bull in the street effectively knocks Raz back to the previous checkpoint.

* ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'', as noted, featured an implicit minor checkpoint about halfway through each GameLevel (except the last level of each world, and every level in the last world). By ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', this had evolved into a gate through which the player had to run to activate the checkpoint -- if the player missed breaking the tape across the gate, death would return him to the beginning of the level.
** In ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' and ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'', this checkpoint becomes a flag that turns from a Bowser icon to a Mario/Mushroom one when activated ([[HealingCheckpoint and acts as a Super Mushroom if Mario is small]]). Interestingly enough, ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' became the first 3D Mario to use this kind of checkpoint (without the PowerUp effect).
** In ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker'', [[PlayEveryDay the sixth deliverly of new game features]] includes an Arrow Sign. Shaking it turns it into a Checkpoint Flag. Up to two of these flags can be placed onto the course. Uploading courses with Checkpoint Flags requires you to clear them from the flag(s) onward. Note that the ability to turn Arrow Signs into Checkpoint Flags wasn't present when the game was originally released, but it (among others) was added in a free software update released on November 4th.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' had a bell that had to be rung for its midway checkpoint (which is not to be confused with the bell at the end that triggered a bonus game if rung).

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' once had a standard lamppost-style checkpoint in his levels. Moving into 3D, the two ''Adventure'' titles turned this into a similarly-looking gate (which returned in the 2006 game). Other games throughout the series have used similar objects, but the limited 8-bit games instead depicted checkpoints as breakable computer monitors (like the items throughout the series).
** Also, if you made it to the checkpoint in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'' with enough rings, the lamppost-thing would activate a bonus stage, necessary to collect the chaos emeralds and become Super Sonic.

* The checkpoints in ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' are barrels decorated with stars.
* ''VideoGame/ToyStory'' had flags as checkpoints.

* In ''VideoGame/BioShock1'', you can save everywhere, but that didn't stop it from having numerous checkpoints that the player would respawn from after dying.
** ''[=BioShock=]'' (and its predecessor, ''VideoGame/SystemShock2'') is notable in that there's an in-universe explanation of how the checkpoints work.

* In the ''Crash Bandicoot'' platformers, checkpoints come in the form of boxes with yellow C's on all sides. You activate the boxes [[DieChairDie by attacking them]], and should you die, you will be returned to the last checkpoint you activated. The game also features distinct {{Save Point}}s; Checkpoint Boxes only appear in the levels, {{Save Point}}s only occur in the Warp Rooms.

* ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}!'' featured unique checkpoints for each level. [[GreenHillZone Insectia]] used a flower that opened, [[ShiftingSandLand Reptilia]], [[BubblegloopSwamp Splot]] and [[UnderTheSea Quaria]] used signs, [[SlippySlideyIceWorld Burrubs]] had a snowman who raises a flag, and [[LethalLavaLand Arachnia]] used a pillar that lights up on fire.

* In the GameboyAdvance port of Infogrames' ''VideoGame/TheSmurfs1994'', due to CheckPointStarvation in the Super NES and Mega Drive versions, golden Smurf hats are added into the levels to serve as check points.

* The PC version of ''VideoGame/HarryPotter and the Sorcerer's Stone'' had "save books" scattered throughout the (very linear) gameplay, which were incredibly frustrating in that they were fairly far apart. Getting to the next save book was occasionally a severe test of patience. The subsequent games avoided the frustration by drastically reducing the required linearity and providing a few permanent save books in different parts of the school, such as the Gryffindor common room.
* The [=PS2=] game ''{{Primal}}'' used teleportation gates called "rift gates." These were a last resort checkpoint only. How it worked was that if Jen (the main character) ran out of energy gems and health in a monster form, she'd revert back to human form. If she ran out of health as a human, she'd be put into a "near death" state in her physical body (the game was taking place in a spirit world). At that point, you, as Scree, would have to race to the nearest rift gate to bring her back. Although there was no visible clock, this was a TimedMission, so if you didn't make it, [[GameOver Jen died]]. (If you did, then once Scree brought her back through, he'd admonish her, "Take better care of yourself!")

* ''SonicTheHedgehog'' once had a standard lamppost-style checkpoint in his levels. Moving into 3D, the two ''Adventure'' titles turned this into a similarly-looking gate (which returned in the 2006 game). Other games throughout the series have used similar objects, but the limited 8-bit games instead depicted checkpoints as breakable computer monitors (like the items throughout the series).

* ''VideoGame/{{Ballance}}'' has checkpoints in the form of round bowls flanked with a pair of torches, which light up with purple flame when your ball passes through. If you lose a life you respawn at the checkpoint, but if you lose all lives you need to restart the elvel. (Extra life bonuses DO respawn when you lose a life, thus theoretically allowing you to remain immortal if you are careful.)

Also see CheckPointStarvation, for when these are few and far-between, or nonexistent, and {{Autosave}}.

* ''[[EndersGame Ender's Game]]'' describes the checkpoint system of a FictionalVideoGame:

* ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet'' has an interesting variety of checkpoint. Walking by one activates it, and each checkpoint has a set number of lives. If a player dies and uses all the lives, they have to restart the entire level. The life count is reset after activating a new checkpoint. Also, the game has not one, but ''three'' (four since Creator Pack 1 came out) types of checkpoints: Entry Barrel (also the initial spawn point; four lives), normal Checkpoints (also four lives; not as fancy-looking as an Entry Barrel), Double Life Checkpoints (ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin; eight lives, and has two glowing rings instead of one. All Checkpoint types have one (or two) rings around them that show the number of lives. When it's flashing red, you're on your last life and must get to a new checkpoint or reach the Scoreboard fast!), and the new Infinite Life Checkpoint, which has one ring but allows infinite respawns, and has the infinity symbol on it. There is no Infinite Life Entry Barrel. Another interesting twist is that (in local multiplayer at least, possibly also in online multiplayer) players ''share lives''. Each player death means one less for the whole group. But there is a bit of a breather: If all but one player dies when a Checkpoint is flashing red, but the last player reaches a new one, all players respawn. Prize Bubbles (the items that hold new collectibles, like stickers and objects to use in level creation) are stil retained even if the player has to restart a level. The Try Again action (which sends a player back to the last Checkpoint by [[spoiler:literally popping the Sackboy]]) uses one of the available lives. All Story mode (and most player-created) levels, excluding Survival Challenges, have a "No Lives Lost" prize if a player survives a whole level without dying or resetting. (Survival Challenges don't have this because to finish the level, the player ''must'' die.)

* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', as well as its fan game, ''VideoGame/HaloZero'', use this.

* The PS2 game ''{{Primal}}'' used teleportation gates called "rift gates." These were a last resort checkpoint only. How it worked was that if Jen (the main character) ran out of energy gems and health in a monster form, she'd revert back to human form. If she ran out of health as a human, she'd be put into a "near death" state in her physical body (the game was taking place in a spirit world). At that point, you, as Scree, would have to race to the nearest rift gate to bring her back. Although there was no visible clock, this was a TimedMission, so if you didn't make it, [[GameOver Jen died]]. (If you did, then once Scree brought her back through, he'd admonish her, "Take better care of yourself!")

* In ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'', saving is handled through passing by special lamp posts that turn green when they are finished recording your stats.