(Creating page for a TLP soon)
Passing checkpoints to mark your progress is essential to many video games, marking where you return when you die or that you've reached the end of the level.
Some characters seem to take these checkpoints personally, and won't just pass the checkpoint. They'll do something to mark it as theirs to show that they reached that point or managed to beat the level.
This can come in different forms. Frequently, a checkpoint is a flag, so when passed, the character replaces the checkpoint with their own flag instead. Other times, it's a billboard or something else showing an image, leading to the character replacing the existing image with their own face or logo.
Compare Claiming Via Flag, which this trope may overlap with.
Examples:
- At the end of levels in Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!, the Kongs raise a flag, with the color on the flag indicating if Dixie (pink) or Kiddy (blue) was in the lead when you reached the end.
- In Jazz Jackrabbit, shooting the checkpoints or end of level signs will replace the turtle face with Jazz's face.
- Zigzagged with most 2-dimensional Sonic the Hedgehog games. Passing the midpoints in the level just causes them to spin around and light up. At the end of non-boss levels, there is a sign with Dr. Robotnik's face on it. When reaching the sign, it spins around and when it stops, it has Sonic's face on it instead.
- Super Mario Bros.:
- In Super Mario Bros, reaching the flagpole at the end causes Mario to raise a flag to show the level has been beaten.
- New Super Mario Bros. brings back the flag at the end of the levels, as well as making the midpoint of the level a Bowser flag that is replaced with a Mario (or other character) flag when you touch it.
- In Super Mario Odyssey, there are several checkpoints throughout each level that are Bowser flags that get replaced with Mario flags when you run into them.
Laconic: A character leaves their mark on a level checkpoint to show they made it there.
