Checkpoint

A checkpoint is a marker – sometimes visible, sometimes silent – that tells the game where to put you back after a defeat. Pass a checkpoint, fall into a pit a minute later, and you restart from the checkpoint instead of the start of the level. Visible checkpoints might be flags, glowing stones, campfires or statues; invisible ones simply trigger an autosave icon in the corner of the screen.

Checkpoints differ from full saves. A checkpoint often only lasts while you are playing that session or level, whereas a save writes your progress to storage so you can switch off and return later. Many modern games combine the two, autosaving every time you reach a checkpoint.

How checkpoint spacing affects difficulty

Where designers place checkpoints changes how hard a game feels. Frequent checkpoints make mistakes cheap and encourage experimentation. Sparse ones raise the stakes, because a slip near the end of a long stretch sends you a long way back. Some challenging games deliberately place a resting point before a boss, then make you walk a short route back to the fight after each defeat, which gives you time to calm down and think.

Players also use checkpoints strategically. Speedrunners learn exactly where they trigger so they can plan deliberate defeats that respawn them further ahead, a classic speedrunning trick.

A practical note for families

That last sentence is one most parents will recognise, and it is often a fair request. Stopping between checkpoints can mean replaying several minutes. If a game does not make checkpoints obvious, look for an autosave icon, or check the options menu, where many games explain how saving works. Agreeing “finish at the next checkpoint” is a clear, fair rule that avoids lost progress.