Heart Point

HP is a term used in each of the Mario Role Playing Games, and many other RPGs as well. It stands for Heart Points, Health Points, or Hit Points, depending on the game using it. It means just as its name suggests; it is points used for health in the RPGs. It can be filled using health Items such as Mushrooms, as well as Heart Blocks (from the Paper Mario series, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, and the Japanese version of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga). It is often a number counter. If it reaches zero, Mario, or any other playable character for that matter, will be KOed. If the last party member is KOed the player will receive a Game Over unless he or she has a Life Shroom (or any other type of life-restoratives) in stock. To decrease the chance of this happening, Mario can choose to increase his maximum HP when leveling up in some games.

In Super Paper Mario, some enemies' HP is listed as "??". This means that the enemy is always defeated with either a set amount of stomps or a special maneuver, no matter what. It is usually impossible to damage these enemies in the conventional way. In a somewhat similar manner, certain Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars enemies (such as Dry Bones) are stated by Mallow's Psychopath ability to have zero HP, although this really means that they are immune to all attacks but Magic ones, which will destroy them in one hit.