History Main / SprintMeter

* As a first in the series, ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'' has a general Stamina Meter used for sprinting (which lets you run a short distance up walls to reach somewhat higher ledges and go up steeper hills), climbing, spin attacks (but not regular attacks), [[ShiftingSandLand and keeping yourself afloat in sand.]] Drain it completely and Link can't do anything but move around slowly until the bar refills, even things that don't normally run off the meter. There's a specific potion that slows how fast stamina is burned for three minutes, which conveniently only becomes available after you complete a dungeon with a large number of stamina-based puzzles that would be broken by that potion.
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* ''VideoGame/QuakeWars'' subverts this. You can sprint as long as you have an open path in front of you, but your character will pant loudly after a time, which will alert other players.

* ''ShadowOfTheColossus'' has a variant that indicates your stamina: your ability to hold onto stuff without falling off, your ability to hold your breath underwater, etc. An interesting example as more often than not this meter is considered to be more important than the LifeMeter.

* Averted in ''MirrorsEdge'', where Faith can sprint for as long as she needs to and never gets tired. Instead, it simply takes a short time for her to accelerate to a sprint (save for abuse of [[GoodBadBugs a certain glitch which allows you to instantly achieve full speed from a stop]]). There is also a less obvious meter that fills up when sprinting and allows you to briefly activate [[BulletTime Runner Time]] for tricky jumps or disarms. This meter is not visible on the screen, but your screen will flash blue once it is filled.

* ''JadeEmpire'' has a variant. Instead of your character speeding up, [[BulletTime time slows down]], [[RuleOfFun enabling the player to run around pretending they're Keanu Reeves]].

* In ''DemonsSouls'' and its SpiritualSuccessor ''DarkSouls'', the stamina meter goes down with ''everything'' your character does except magic and walking. Attacking, blocking, rolling, and running all drain stamina while holding a shield up makes it recover far slower. Stamina is based on Endurance, which is why most players make raising Endurance a high priority.

* In ''BatenKaitos: Origins'' you have a bar that represents the power of your "wings of the heart" which allow you to dash around. If the bar runs out your wings disappear and the character has to stumble around until the bar refills.

* In ''BarkleyShutUpAndJamGaiden'', a sprint meter appears when Barkley is running, indicated with a sneaker image. It depletes quickly ''and'' recharges slow, forcing the player to walk aside from running.

* An unusual FightingGame example, the ''VideoGame/MortalKombat3/[=UMK3=]/MK Trilogy'' games had a Run meter, which allows you to dash forward for a brief while until the meter runs out. It also worked as a {{Cap}} for combos, so that you (supposedly) can't do a combo or run immediately after doing the other.

* ''MagicalBattleArena'' has a Sprint Meter that doubles as a ManaMeter for your normal ranged attack. When [[MagicalGirlLyricalNanoha Fate]] switches to her [[FragileSpeedster Sonic Form]], not only does her speed increase, but her Sprint Meter's rate of consumption while dashing drastically decreases as well.

* Inverted with some character archetypes in the MMORPG ''CityOfHeroes'' who have inherent powers -- like Domination for Dominators -- that have corresponding bars on the interface to indicate their level of effectiveness. Most of the the time these bars run ''down'' if the player isn't doing something to keep it up (such as engaging in combat for Brutes).

* Running in ''{{Runescape}}'' goes on a sprint meter, which refills faster as you level up in Agility. Your character can also recover "run energy" by resting, listening to music (by bards), drinking potions, or getting help from a SUMMONED BIRD.
* ''EveOnline'' has a [[ManaMeter general-purpose capacitor gauge]] which effectively functions as a sprint meter when using an afterburner or a microwarpdrive. In addition, warping to a celestial object uses a chunk of the energy stored in the capacitor up front. If you don't have enough, the game drops your ship out of warp prematurely.
* ''{{Vindictus}}''' stamina meter goes down when you sprint, pick up heavy stuff, use magic as Evie, block attacks as Fiona, or use smash attacks.

* ''{{Freelancer}}'' and the ''{{Freespace}}'' series of Space Sims have a meter showing how long you can use the afterburners on your ship. The meter refills over time. (''VideoGame/WingCommander'' had a similar meter for its afterburners, but they wouldn't recharge during a mission.)
* Like the space sim examples mentioned above, ''AirRivals'' has a boost bar that allows players to [[OverDrive temporarily fly faster]].

* Just about every sports game features some variation on this trope.
* In ''[[BackyardSports Backyard Baseball]]'', you have a juice meter which measures your stamina.
* In both the NES and Wii ''[[PunchOut Punch-Out]]'' games, Little Mac's stamina is indicated by a heart gauge with a number. Blocking a punch the opponent throws or having one of your punches blocked takes away one heart, and getting hit takes away three. When the gauge hits 0, Little Mac becomes tired and can't throw any punches. He has to either dodge the opponent's punches or recover from a knockdown for the heart gauge to refill. There's nothing special that having stamina enables you to do, so it's more like one half of a Sprint Meter.

* In ''[[EternalDarkness Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'', you don't have a visible meter. You have different characters, and the amount of time each can sprint is roughly proportional to the size of the person's health bar.

* The protagonists of the SilentHill games have a hidden stamina statistic that would eventually force you to walk. It is only really noticeable in ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'', as the protagonist had the misfortune of being a smoker AND having a sedentary job of a truck driver. Suffice to say, it limits his running time A LOT.

* In ''S4League'', you have a SP gauge which allows you to perform tricks like sprinting, dodging, wall jumping, and using skills. Because such usage of the skills makes it hard for any player to be hit, when carrying the ball, your SP is depleted so that it would be easier for the opposing team to kill you.

* The ''JaggedAlliance'' series feature an energy bar beside the life bar. Running for too long, carrying too heavy a load, or getting hit by stun grenades and tear gas would deplete it. (In the latter two, almost all in one shot.) If it ran out, your character would pass out until it refilled, though you could drink water to speed up the process. In ''[=JA2=]'', the maximum energy would deplete over time, representing how tired your character was. You could only raise the maximum back up by sleeping.

* One of the rewards in the flash game ''{{Amorphous}}+'' allows you to sprint and outrun the nastier {{Blob Monster}}s. Unfortunately, that took up your sprint bar, which would only recharge if you stood still.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}} 2'', competely depleting the SprintMeter means having to wait for it to fill up completely before sprinting again. Potions exist to temporarily nullify it. (Also, the game is kind enough to freeze the meter in the non-combat areas, allowing you to sprint all you like.)

* ''ArcanumOfSteamworksAndMagickObscura'' had separate meters for HitPoints and Fatigue. The latter would run down when running, fighting, heavily encumbered or casting spells, [[JustifiedTrope justifying]] the RobeAndWizardHat since robes were among the lightest non-technological apparel in the game.

* There's a Stamina meter in the ''SaintsRow'' games, and in IV also allows you to glide in the simulation. Upgrades increase the size and eventually give you unlimited meter.

* Done somewhat differently in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}''. Your Hunger Meter (which can be refilled by eating) is made of ten muttonchops. If the top one is not empty, you'll slowly heal. If three or less are full, there's no way to sprint. If it's empty, you start to starve to nothing (in Hard [or ''HarderThanHard Hardcore''] difficulties only)

* ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' features this, along with a potion or two that will make it unlimited for a minute or two. Bonus: If you're carrying a heavy object and you deplete your sprint meter (called 'stamina') entirely, you drop the item, it shatters, and you have to start over again. It should be noted that "sprinting" while carrying a heavy object is akin to the speed of walking when not carrying one, so...

A brother to the LifeMeter and ManaMeter, the SprintMeter is a graphical depiction of some aspect of a character's condition other than his remaining health. In most cases, this is his ability to run at high speed; when the meter is empty, he must walk until it is recovered. This allows a game to put a limitation on a player's ability to flee from danger, which makes such meters popular for SurvivalHorror games.

A SprintMeter can also be used to indicate the capacity for a swimming character to hold his breath (where it's called an OxygenMeter) or other quantities. The defining characteristic of the SprintMeter is that it [[GradualRegeneration refills automatically over time]] when it's not in use. Since dashing while swimming is often impossible anyway, the sprint and oxygen meters can share real estate on the screen.

* In ''[[DefJamSeries Def Jam: Fight For New York]]'', the player's Momentum (which controls when you can use the character's "Blazin'" (super) move) also controls how long they can run. Apparently, you can only run for long periods with the consent of the crowd.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Crysis}} 2'', sprinting draws energy from your [[PoweredArmor nanosuit's]] energy reserves.

* The endurance meter in ''VideoGame/{{STALKER}}'' works for sprinting and jumping, if exhausted you can do neither. It refills slowly when walking and much faster when standing still. However, if you are encumbered by exceeding the weight capacity for your inventory, it will refill even slower and even start running down just from walking if you don't shed some weight.

* ''StarTrekOnline'' features a sprint meter in ground missions but only when you're actually in combat. Out of combat, it never appears, allowing you to sprint to your liking.

* In ''DemonsSouls'' and its SpiritualSuccessor ''DarkSouls'', the stamina meter goes down with ''everything'' your character does except magic and walking. Attacking, blocking, rolling, and running all drain stamina. Stamina is based on Endurance, which is why most players make raising Endurance a high priority.

* Averted in ''MirrorsEdge'', where Faith can sprint for as long as she needs to and never gets tired. The sprint meter measures how fast she is currently going, which affects the [[LeParkour Parkour]] moves she can pull off. There is also a less obvious meter that fills up when sprinting and allows you to briefly slow down time for tricky jumps or disarms.

* Done somewhat differently in ''Minecraft''. Your Hunger Meter (which can be refilled by eating) is made of ten muttonchops. If the top one is not empty, you'll slowly heal. If three or less are full, there's no way to sprint. If it's empty, you start to starve to nothing (in Hard [or ''HarderThanHard Hardcore''] difficulties only)

* ''TombRaider'' has a sprint move (and meter) from the third game until Legend. Underworld brought back the sprint with no visual gauge (although you can still only do it a certain amount of time).

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' brings back a Fatigue-draining sprint (which drains faster than ''Morrowind'' sprinting), and is otherwise similar to ''Oblivion''.

* In ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'', your character does not have a visible sprint meter, but he will get winded if you force him to run for too long. This distance eventually gets longer as the game goes on, and can become unlimited by finishing the Paramedic side missions (which require you be in an ambulance).

* There's a Stamina meter in the SaintsRow games, and in IV also allows you to glide in the simulation. Upgrades increase the size and eventually give you unlimited meter.

** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena Arena]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Arena]]'' have a Fatigue meter that drains slowly but surely over time and can only be restored by resting, casting a spell, or drinking a potion. Sprinting makes it drain much faster. Running out of Fatigue makes your character fall unconscious for an hour. Also has a minor interface version of DamnYouMuscleMemory in that Fatigue is the ''red'' bar with the ''green bar'' indicating health, unlike the later games.

* ''HalfLife 2'' made the odd decision to have running, the flashlight, and oxygen be a single "Auxillary power" meter. Dashing causes your flashlight to run out, swimming with the flashlight on reduces your time underwater, etc. In Episode 2, however, the flashlight energy is separated, to allow the player to run in a certain underground section when they are expected to have their flashlight on.

** A way to HandWave that decision is that, since the suit power's auxillary power is used to help Gordon Freeman both sprint and use a flashlight; Freeman doesn't want to tire himself out and make himself incapable of fighting, and so, refuses to sprint outside of being aided from the suit.

* ''FarCry'' has a Sprint Meter that also functions as a Jump Meter and OxygenMeter. If it depletes your character won't be able to sprint, jump, or [[SuperDrowningSkills hold his breath underwater]] until after it at least partially restores itself. Jogging also slows down the meter's regeneration speed.
** The [[InNameOnly "sequel"]], ''Far Cry 2'', has a SprintMeter that functions much like the above. While it's not actually represented by the interface, you can tell you're about to tire out when the edges of the screen start to blur, resulting in the entire screen becoming blurry when you're completely exhausted.
*** The game also gives a convenient explanation on why the player character, who is by all accounts a baddass, can't sprint for more than 50 meters. It's because you are dying of malaria, the amount of sprinting you can do decreases as your disease worsens.

* ''HaloReach'' features a meter that gauges the energy of armor abilities, one of which is a sprint ability. Like most examples, it recharges with time.
* ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'' games from the fourth onward add the ability for the player character to sprint for short durations, which is useful as your AI allies have always typically run faster than you can and rarely wait for you to catch up. The perks from multiplayer's Create-A-Class also have frequently included ones that allow you to sprint faster and/or longer than normal.

* One of the unlockable abilities in ''NoMoreHeroes'' is the ability to run on a SprintMeter, stopping in exhaustion for a few seconds should you sprint the meter completely empty. The SprintMeter shares real estate with the beam sword charge gauge, so you can't actually run while in battle. It's still a good way to get around the alleys in town that a bike has trouble maneuvering in.

* Travis in ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'' would get exhausted after a ridiculously short running time; one LetsPlay [[EpilepticTrees posits that]] he has asthma.
** The protagonists of the other games do also have a hidden stamina statistic, but since they don't do a lot of running around it's not as noticeable and their idea of a light jog is still faster than Travis'.

* ''MassEffect1'' had an odd example of this: The ability to sprint (ie, move faster than normal) was only available during combat (ie, once enemies were actively trying to hurt you). Shepard could then sprint for a short period until the bar was depleted or combat ended, abruptly ''turning off your ability to sprint''. This was changed in ''MassEffect2'' so that Shepard could sprint on command, in or out of combat, but still at the mercy of a Sprint Bar. Still helped get around faster. ''MassEffect3'' removed the Sprint Bar, allowing the player to sprint as long as they pleased.