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Checkpoint

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An activated Star Post checkpoint with orbiting Star Circle in Sonic 2's Emerald Hill Zone.

A checkpoint, first introduced as a lamppost in Sonic the Hedgehog, will save the player's progress throughout a level. The player can restart from an activated checkpoint if they die. Checkpoints also serve as the entrance to a Special Stage in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the entrance to a Bonus Stage in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Sonic & Knuckles and Sonic Mania

Types of checkpoints

Lampposts

In the original Sega Mega Drive Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog CD, the position in the level is saved by Sonic running past a LamppostMedia:Sonic1 MD US manual.pdf[1]Media:SonicCD MCD US manual.pdf[2] (or Restart Marker (再スタート・マーカー) in JapanMedia:Sonic1 MD JP manual.pdf[3]Media:SonicCD MCD JP manual.pdf[4]), causing the color of the bulb to change from blue to red. The bulb uses the same palette line as Sonic, and the pole uses the same palette line as Rings.

Marker monitors

The 8-bit version of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Blast use Marker[5] monitors, also known as Arrow MonitorsMedia:Sonic1 GG US manual.pdf[6] (Point Markers (ポイントマーカー) in JapanMedia:Sonic 1 GG JP Manual.pdf[7]) as checkpoints. Destroying the monitor creates a checkpoint; however, the current time is not recorded and the player starts with 1:30 minutes after a death.

Star Posts

The Mega Drive version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 introduced the Star PostMedia:Sonic2 MD US manual.pdf[8] (again called Point Markers (ポイントマーカー) in JapanMedia:Sonic2 MD JP manual.pdf[9]), with a look quite similar to Sonic 1's Lampposts, except that the bulb is replaced by a star disc. When Sonic or Tails runs past the Star Post, the disc starts flashing and, if the player has enough Rings, revolving stars appear which enable access to a Special Stage.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles also use Star Posts to access the Bonus Stage. In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles, three different types of Bonus Stages can be entered. The Bonus Stage offered by a given Star Post is indicated by the color of the stars, which is determined by how many Rings the player has collected in multiples of 15, starting from 20 Rings:

In Sonic Mania, the player is teleported to a Bonus Stage that varies by game mode. In Mania Mode, Star Posts will transport the player to the Blue Spheres Bonus Stage when at least 25 Rings have been collected, and in Encore Mode they will offer the Pinball Bonus Stage with at least 50 Rings.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 also uses this version of the checkpoint without the revolving stars.

Point Markers

Sonic Adventure introduced the 3D Point MarkerMedia:SonicAdventure DC US manual.pdf[10] (ポイントマーカー)Media:SonicAdventure DC JP manual.pdf[11], two double-lampposts bent at 90-degree angles, with their blue tops facing each other. Running through point markers causes these tops to spin quickly, turn yellow, and bend to a standing straight-up position. For the first time the name of this style of checkpoint was consistent in both Japan and overseas.

Point Markers were also used in Sonic Adventure 2Media:SonicAdventure2 DC US manual.pdf[12] and the 2006 Sonic the HedgehogMedia:Sonic06 360 US manual.pdf[13].

Later games

Most later Sonic the Hedgehog games gave checkpoints which serve little else than to save progress. They take a variety of forms and use different names, but the result is the same.

Sonic Heroes uses Check PointsMedia:SonicHeroes GC US manual.pdf[14] (チェックポイント)Media:SonicHeroes PS2 JP manual.pdf[15] indicated by a floating yellow star enclosed in a red circle, though E3 builds such as the GameCube port had the fade effect yellow. These return as Checkpoint Markers in Sonic Rush in the WestMedia:SonicRush DS US manual.pdf[16], but are once again called Point Markers (ポイントマーカー)Media:SonicRush DS JP manual.pdf[17] in Japan.

Sonic Advance, Sonic Advance 2 and Sonic Advance 3 simply have CheckpointsMedia:SonicAdvance GBA US manual.pdf[18]Media:SonicAdvance2 GBA US manual.pdf[19]Media:SonicAdvance3 GBA US manual.pdf[20] which function similarly to how they did in the original Sonic the Hedgehog. Japan calls them Point Markers (ポイントマーカー)Media:SonicAdvance GBA JP manual.pdf[21]Media:SonicAdvance2 GBA JP manual.pdf[22]Media:SonicAdvance3 WiiUVC manual.pdf[23].

Sonic Unleashed and Sonic Colours have "Check Points"Media:Unleashed 360 US manual.pdf[24] or "Checkpoints"Media:SonicColours Wii US manual.pdf[25] which behave similarly to those found in Sonic Adventure.

References

Items in the Sonic the Hedgehog Game Series
Collectibles   Ring | Super Ring | Special Ring | Rich Ring | Heal Ring | Red Star Ring | Number Ring | Silver Moon Ring | Sonic Medal | Sun Medal | Moon Medal | Sun Tablet | Moon Tablet | Planet Tablet | Secret Item | Secret Mission | Red Orbs | Blue Orbs | Green Orbs | Emblem | Chaos Drives | Special Stage Key | Material | Portal Gear | Memory Token | Vault Key | Red Seed of Power | Blue Seed of Defense | Dream Orb
Power-ups   Shield (Water, Lightning, Fire, Gold, Magnetic) | Invincibility | Power Sneakers | Rocket Shoes | Propeller Shoes | Hyper Heli-Tails | Eggman Mark | Super Ring | Combine Ring | Forcejewel | Power Core | Light Cores | Special Combination
Level Objects   Item Box | Item Panel | Spring | Spring Pole | Crane Lift | Accelerator Gun | Rocket | Bobsled | Buggy | Dash Rail | Spikes | Checkpoint | Time Warp Plate | Signpost | Goal Ring | Hidden Treasure Ring | Giant Ring | Dash Ring | Rainbow Ring | Capsule | Water Barrel | Ice Generator | Fire Generator | Crate | Door | Button | Dark Energy Key | Bumper | Speed Booster | Air bubbles | Chao container | Exploding Balloon
Powerful Items   Chaos Emeralds | Super Emeralds | Master Emerald | Time Stones | Chaos Rings | Precioustone | Sol Emeralds | Jeweled Scepter | World Rings | Excalibur | Phantom Ruby | Reverie | Dream Core
Weapons   Piko Piko Hammer | Chaos Energy Cannon | Caliburn | Wispon
Devices   Remote Robot | Combi Confiner | Mother Computer | Nega's Camera | Arks of the Cosmos | Miles Electric
Other   Chili Dog | Fortune Cards | Speed Down Boots | Chao Egg | Scepter of Darkness | Cacophonic Conch