Checkpoint

Checkpoints are objects within a level which mark the point where the player can continue from after losing a life.

In Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Super Mario Land, checkpoints are unmarked, with the player simply resuming from a place in the level they had passed; while in Super Mario Bros. 2, every Warp Door serves as a checkpoint, as do the rockets from Worlds 4-2 and 7-1; Super Mario Bros. 3 has no checkpoints due to having shorter levels.

The first Super Mario game to feature a physical checkpoint, i.e., an object which did not serve any other purpose, is the Midway Gate of Super Mario World. Subsequently, other variations were used, including the Bell of Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and the Middle Ring of Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. Since the release of New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS, however, Super Mario games have largely standardized on the use of Checkpoint Flags.