History Main / Checkpoint

Checkpoints may either be explicit, in the form of some sort of door the player must pass through or a station he must touch, or can occur implicity as the player reaches some point in the narrative or geography of the game. Sometimes, more often in older games, the player isn't informed at all when they reach a checkpoint.

A subversion is a TreacherousCheckpoint. Also see CheckPointStarvation, when checkpoints are few and far-between or nonexistent.

Compare {{Autosave}}.

* ''VideoGame/AyoTheClown'': These appear in the form of giant flowers holding a pie. They bloom , splat [[PlayerCharacter Ayo]] in the face with said pie, and activate when he gets close.

* A game may set independent checkpoints for player death and for failing to complete some task (As in ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'', where death returns the player to a minor checkpoint, but running out of time returns him to the beginning of the GameLevel. Versions of the game which allow continues return the player to an even more senior checkpoint, which occurs at the beginning of each "world" grouping of levels).

** The original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'', as well as ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels The Lost Levels]]'' and the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'', have each an implicit minor checkpoint about halfway through each GameLevel (except the last level of each world, every level in the last world, and all bonus worlds in the second game).

** 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, 2015 (the 3DS port, as well as ''VideoGame/SuperMarioMaker2'', have them present in the base content).

* In games which do not scroll (that is, each screen is a set piece, a discreet chunk of game, where the player transitions from one to another atomically), each room serves as a CheckPoint. Examples include ''The Adventures of Lolo'', ''Bubble Bobble'', and ''Berzerk''.

** The original ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros'', as well as ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels The Lost Levels]]'' and the first ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'', have each an implicit minor checkpoint about halfway through each GameLevel (except the last level of each world, every level in the last world, and all bonus worlds in the second game). ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' provides a checkpoint every time the player enters a door, reaches a new area after boarding a rocket, or enters a boss room upon entering the Mask Gate's mouth; while ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' [[CheckpointStarvation has no checkpoints in any of its 90 levels]] (though it's hardly a problem since the levels themselves are usually short). By ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', this evolved into a gate through which the player has to run to activate the checkpoint -- if the player misses breaking the tape across the gate, death will return them to the beginning of the level. ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'' has a bell that has to be rung for its midway checkpoint (which is not to be confused with the bell at the end that triggers a bonus game if rung).

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Legacy of Lunatic Kingdom]]'' has frequent checkpoints under the justification that the characters have been granted CombatClairvoyance. This is somewhat necessary as the game is ''incredibly hard''.

* ''VideoGaqme/GingerBeyondTheCrystal'': These take the form of a circle of light with an intricate pattern inside it on the ground. They're activated when a little blue creature settles in them.

* ''VideoGaqme/GingerBeyondTheCrytsal'': These take the form of a circle of light with an intricate pattern inside it on the ground. They're activated when a little blue creature settles in them.

* The PC version of ''VideoGame/HarryPotterAndTheSorcerersStone'' 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.

* ''VideoGame/AyoTheClown'': These appear in the form of giant flowers. They bloom and activate when [[PlayerCharacter Ayo]] gets close.

* ''VideoGame/MailMole'': Checkpoints in this game are indicated by a giant envelope. Collecting them activates them.

* ''VIdeoGame/{{Pankapu}}'': These appear in the form of a collection of yellow pieces that, when the checkpoint is activated, come together to form a circular ring connected by magic lines. When activated, they restore [[PlayerCharacter Pankapu]]'s health, and act as respawn points when he's out of health.

* ''VideoGame/FoxNForests'': Retro the Raccoon serves this role. If you give him a set amount of coins, he will activate the checkpoint for you.

* ''VideoGame/RadRodgers'': The game has checkpoints in the form of floppy disks. Dusty shouts "Checkpoint!" when you reach one.

* ''VideoGame/RadRogers'': The game has checkpoints in the form of floppy disks. Dusty shouts "Checkpoint!" when you reach one.