Health Meter: Difference between revisions

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In ''[[Super Mario 64]]'', [[Mario]]'s '''Power Meter''' is normally not displayed on the screen until he takes considerable damage from falling or touching enemies, etc. When it does appear, it is displayed in the top middle of the screen. When Mario takes damage, it appears by popping up a short distance below the top middle of the screen, and shortly, it moves to the top middle of the screen. Once it is full again, it disappears, except when Mario is in [[water]]. In this game, it is a wooden profile shaped like Mario's head, with a circle in the middle that displays eight wedges. When he takes damage, some of the wedges gradually disappear. As this happens, the color of the wedges changes to correspond to the number of them remaining: The wedges are blue when there are at least seven, green when there are five or six, yellow when there are three or four, and red when there are no more than two.
In ''[[Super Mario 64]]'', [[Mario]]'s '''Power Meter''' is normally not displayed on the screen until he takes considerable damage from falling or touching enemies, etc. When it does appear, it is displayed in the top middle of the screen. When Mario takes damage, it appears by popping up a short distance below the top middle of the screen, and shortly, it moves to the top middle of the screen. Once it is full again, it disappears, except when Mario is in [[water]]. In this game, it is a wooden profile shaped like Mario's head, with a circle in the middle that displays eight wedges. When he takes damage, some of the wedges gradually disappear. As this happens, the color of the wedges changes to correspond to the number of them remaining: The wedges are blue when there are at least seven, green when there are five or six, yellow when there are three or four, and red when there are no more than two.


Mario can refill his Power Meter by collecting various coins: [[Coin|Yellow Coins]] replenish one wedge, [[Red Coin]]s replenish two wedges, and [[Blue Coin]]s replenish five wedges. He can also refill it by [[dash|running]] through [[Spinning Heart]]s, which can be found in most if not all of the levels. The faster he runs through them, the more health he regains. The Power Meter also automatically refills immediately after Mario exits a level after collecting a [[Power Star]] if it is not already filled.
Mario can refill his Power Meter by collecting various coins: [[Coin|Yellow Coins]] replenish one wedge, [[Red Coin]]s replenish two wedges, and [[Blue Coin]]s replenish five wedges. He can also refill it by [[dash|running]] through [[Spinning Heart]]s, which can be found in most if not all of the levels. The faster he runs through them, the faster they spin, but they gradually slow down. For every full spin they make, Mario heals one wedge. The Power Meter also automatically refills immediately after Mario exits a level after collecting a [[Power Star]] if it is not already filled.


In this game, Mario's Power Meter also acts as his breath meter when he is floating on the water. When he enters the water, the Power Meter shows at the top middle of the screen, even when he is on the surface of the water. After he goes underwater, the wedges gradually disappear. On the flip side, if Mario remains in the water with his head above it, the Power Meter completely refills to eight wedges. The [[freezing water]] in [[Snowman's Land]] and [[Chief Chilly Challenge]] (''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'' only) depletes his wedges three times faster than normal water, even if he is on the surface of the freezing water, and the Power Meter cannot be replenished when Mario has his head above the freezing water.
In this game, Mario's Power Meter also acts as his breath meter when he is floating on the water. When he enters the water, the Power Meter shows at the top middle of the screen, even when he is at the surface of the water. After he goes underwater, he takes one wedge of damage every eight seconds. On the flip side, if Mario remains in the water with his head above it, the Power Meter completely refills to eight wedges, even if the damage was not caused by water. The [[freezing water]] in [[Snowman's Land]] and [[Chief Chilly Challenge]] (''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'' only) depletes his health three times faster than normal water, even if he is on the surface of the freezing water, and the Power Meter cannot be replenished when Mario has his head above the freezing water.


When the Power Meter has one or two wedges remaining, Mario begins to pant when standing still on the ground. This is only a cosmetic effect as he can still perform moves. When Mario is underwater, an alarm goes off. If the Power Meter runs out at any time, Mario loses a life and forcibly exits whatever level he is currently in (excluding the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]], where he is just placed outside the building). When Mario lands on the ground after he is forced to exit the level, the Power Meter refills all of the wedges, starting from one wedge. If Mario loses his last life, he is given a [[Game Over]].
When the Power Meter has one or two wedges remaining, Mario begins to pant when standing still on the ground. This is only a cosmetic effect as he can still perform moves. When Mario is underwater, an alarm goes off. If the Power Meter runs out at any time, Mario loses a life and forcibly exits whatever level he is currently in (excluding the [[Peach's Castle|Mushroom Castle]], where he is just placed outside the building). When Mario lands on the ground after he is forced to exit the level, the Power Meter refills all of his health, starting from one wedge. If Mario loses his last life, he is given a [[Game Over]].


In ''Super Mario 64'', when Mario gets swallowed by [[Cheep Chomp|Bubba]], all of the wedges remaining disappear simultaneously. This instant depletion does not happen in the DS remake, although the player character still instantly loses a life.
In ''Super Mario 64'', when Mario gets swallowed by [[Cheep Chomp|Bubba]], all of the wedges remaining disappear simultaneously. This instant depletion does not happen in the DS remake, although the player character still instantly loses a life.
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====''Super Mario Odyssey''====  
====''Super Mario Odyssey''====  
{{image|more=yes|Image of the Health Meter after collecting a Life-Up Heart in Assist Mode.}}
After an absence in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' (due to those games using the power-up system of the 2D platformers in the ''Super Mario'' franchise), the Health Meter reappears in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'' with three sections of health, as in ''Super Mario Galaxy''. This time, [[Heart (item)|Heart]]s are required to restore lost health instead of [[coin]]s. Collecting [[Power Moon]]s, going inside the [[Odyssey]], or touching an unused [[Checkpoint Flag]] restores Mario's health to full. It can be extended to six with a [[Life-Up Heart]]. Unlike prior iterations, the meter has a flat, solid color appearance, and the cyan and green colors are swapped from their ''Super Mario Galaxy'' positions. As in ''Super Mario Sunshine'' and the ''Super Mario Galaxy'' games, Mario has a separate air meter while underwater. Upon dying, Mario loses ten coins instead of a life, as lives and [[Game Over]]s are absent in this game. The coins land in a circle around the place Mario died, so if they land on solid ground, he can pick them back up.
After an absence in ''[[Super Mario 3D Land]]'' and ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'' (due to those games using the power-up system of the 2D platformers in the ''Super Mario'' franchise), the Health Meter reappears in ''[[Super Mario Odyssey]]'' with three sections of health, as in ''Super Mario Galaxy''. This time, [[Heart (item)|Heart]]s are required to restore lost health instead of [[coin]]s. Collecting [[Power Moon]]s, touching a [[Checkpoint Flag]], or going inside the [[Odyssey]] can also restore health. It can be extended to six with a [[Life-Up Heart]]. Unlike prior iterations, the meter has a flat, solid color appearance, and the cyan and green colors are swapped from their ''Super Mario Galaxy'' positions. As in ''Super Mario Sunshine'' and the ''Super Mario Galaxy'' games, Mario has a separate air meter while underwater. Upon dying, Mario loses ten coins instead of a life, as lives and [[Game Over]]s are absent in this game.


In [[Assist Mode]], Mario starts with a default of six health wedges, which is extended to nine when he collects a Life-Up Heart. Also, the Health Meter refills itself if he is idle, and if he falls into a pit, he loses only one section (instead of all of them and ten coins) and is sent in a [[bubble]] back to his previous location (instead of the most recently activated checkpoint).<ref>{{cite|language=en|author=TheMightyTammos|date=October 15, 2017|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUHl52HLOM0|title=Super Mario Odyssey - Travel Hints and Map|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=October 15, 2017}}</ref> The meter is green when at six sections, lime green at five sections, yellow at four sections, amber at three sections, orange at two sections, and red at one section.
In [[Easy Mode#Super Mario Odyssey|Assist Mode]], Mario starts with a default of six health wedges, which is extended to nine when he collects a Life-Up Heart. The Health Meter refills itself if he is idle for long enough. If he falls into a pit or poison, he loses one section (instead of dying and dropping ten coins) and is sent in a [[bubble]] back to his previous location (instead of the most recently activated checkpoint).<ref>{{cite|language=en|author=TheMightyTammos|date=October 15, 2017|url=www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUHl52HLOM0|title=Super Mario Odyssey - Travel Hints and Map|publisher=YouTube|accessdate=October 15, 2017}}</ref> The same occurs for Mario touching lava, though lava does not defeat him on contact. The meter is green when at six sections, lime green at five sections, yellow at four sections, amber at three sections, orange at two sections, and red at one section.
<gallery>
<gallery>
SMO Six Health Pre-release.png|Early version
SMO Six Health Pre-release.png|Early version
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SMO Health Meter Blue Extra Health.png|Mario's Health Meter in ''Super Mario Odyssey'' after he has collected a Life-Up Heart
SMO Health Meter Blue Extra Health.png|Mario's Health Meter in ''Super Mario Odyssey'' after he has collected a Life-Up Heart
SMO Assist Mode Health Meter.png|Mario's default Health Meter in ''Super Mario Odyssey'' while playing in Assist Mode
SMO Assist Mode Health Meter.png|Mario's default Health Meter in ''Super Mario Odyssey'' while playing in Assist Mode
Life Meter Assist Mode + Life Up SMO.jpg|Mario's Health Meter in ''Super Mario Odyssey'' while playing in Assist Mode, after he has collected a Life-Up Heart
</gallery>
</gallery>


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==Names in other languages==
==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
{{foreign names
|Jap=パワーメーター<ref>{{cite|url=m1.nintendo.net/docvc/NUS/JPN/NSMJ/NSMJ_J.pdf|format=PDF|language=ja|date=1996|publisher=Nintendo|title=スーパーマリオ{{ruby|64|六十四(ろくじゅうよん)}} (''Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon'') instruction booklet|page=16 and 17}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario 64'')</small>
|Jap=パワーメーター<ref>{{cite|url=m1.nintendo.net/docvc/NUS/JPN/NSMJ/NSMJ_J.pdf|format=PDF|language=ja|date=1996|publisher=Nintendo|title=スーパーマリオ{{ruby|64|六十四(ろくじゅうよん)}} (''Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon'') instruction booklet|page=16 and 17}}</ref>
|JapN=''Super Mario 64''
|JapR=Pawā Mētā
|JapR=Pawā Mētā
|Jap2=にこにこメーター <small>(''Yoshi's Story'')</small>
|Jap2=にこにこメーター
|Jap2N=''Yoshi's Story''
|Jap2R=Nikoniko Mētā
|Jap2R=Nikoniko Mētā
|Jap3=ハート<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land Advance: Yōki no Otakara'' instruction booklet|page=16|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo|date=2001}}</ref> <small>(''Wario Land 4'')</small>
|Jap3=ハート<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land Advance: Yōki no Otakara'' instruction booklet|page=16|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo|date=2001}}</ref>
|Jap3N=''Wario Land 4''
|Jap3R=Hāto
|Jap3R=Hāto
|Jap4=ライフ<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land Shake'' instruction booklet|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo|date=2008|page=16}}</ref> <small>(''Wario Land: Shake It!'')</small>
|Jap4=ライフ<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land Shake'' instruction booklet|language=Japanese|publisher=Nintendo|date=2008|page=16}}</ref>
|Jap4N=''Wario Land: Shake It!''
|Jap4R=Raifu
|Jap4R=Raifu
|JapM=Power Meter
|JapM=Power Meter
Line 185: Line 189:
|Jap3M=Heart
|Jap3M=Heart
|Jap4M=Life
|Jap4M=Life
|Fre=Jauge de Vie<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land 4'' European instruction booklet|date=2001|language=fr|page=52|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref> <small>(''Wario Land 4'')</small>
|Fre=Jauge de Vie<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land 4'' European instruction booklet|date=2001|language=fr|page=52|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref>
|FreN=''Wario Land 4''
|FreM=Life Gauge
|FreM=Life Gauge
|Ger=Herzleiste<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land 4'' European instruction booklet|date=2001|language=de|page=32|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref> <small>(''Wario Land 4'')</small>
|Ger=Herzleiste<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land 4'' European instruction booklet|date=2001|language=de|page=32|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref>
|GerN=''Wario Land 4''
|GerM=Heart bar
|GerM=Heart bar
|Ita=Livello di vita<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' Italian manual|page=10}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario Bros. 2'')</small>
|Ita=Livello di vita<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' Italian manual|page=10}}</ref>
|Ita2=Contatore di vita<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' Italian manual|page=14}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario All-Stars'')</small>
|ItaN=''Super Mario Bros. 2''
|Ita3=Segna Potenza<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario 64]]'' European manual|date=1997|page=37|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario 64'')</small>
|Ita2=Contatore di vita<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario All-Stars]]'' Italian manual|page=14}}</ref>
|Ita4=Misuratore del Sorriso<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Yoshi's Story]]'' European manual|page=122|date=1998|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref> <small>(''Yoshi's Story'')</small>
|Ita2N=''Super Mario All-Stars''
|Ita5=Energimetro<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'' Italian manual|page=12}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario Sunshine'')</small>
|Ita3=Segna Potenza<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario 64]]'' European manual|date=1997|page=37|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref>
|Ita6=Misuratore vita<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Advance]]'' European manual|page=107|language=it|date=2001|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario Advance'')</small>
|Ita3N=''Super Mario 64''
|Ita7=Cardiometro<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Wario Land 4]]'' European manual|page=112|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|date=2001|language=it}}</ref> <small>(''Wario Land 4'')</small>
|Ita4=Misuratore del Sorriso<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Yoshi's Story]]'' European manual|page=122|date=1998|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref>
|Ita8=Indicatore di energia<ref>{{cite|date=2005|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=it|title=''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'' European manual|page=99}}</ref><ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' Italian manual|page=13}}</ref><ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' Italian manual|page=14}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario 64 DS'' manual, ''Super Mario Galaxy'', ''Super Mario Galaxy 2'')</small>
|Ita4N=''Yoshi's Story''
|Ita9=Indicatore Energia<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''|author=[[Sign]]|quote=Le Monete riempiono il tuo Indicatore Energia, prendine il più possibile! Anche i Cuori Rotanti ti fanno recuperare Energia. Più corri veloce attraverso un Cuore Rotante, più Energia recuperi.|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|date=2005|language=it}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario 64 DS'' in-game)</small>
|Ita5=Energimetro<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Sunshine]]'' Italian manual|page=12}}</ref>
|Ita10=Contatore di energia<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition]]'' Italian manual|page=31}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition'')</small>
|Ita5N=''Super Mario Sunshine''
|Ita11=Indicatore di salute<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' Italian e-manual|page=6}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario Bros. 2'', [[NES Classic Edition]] e-manual)</small>
|Ita6=Misuratore vita<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Advance]]'' European manual|page=107|language=it|date=2001|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref>
|Ita12=Barra della salute<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' (3DS - [[Virtual Console]]) Italian e-manual|page=10}}</ref> <small>(''Super Mario Bros. 2'', [[Virtual Console]] e-manual)</small>
|Ita6N=''Super Mario Advance''
|Ita7=Cardiometro<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Wario Land 4]]'' European manual|page=112|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|date=2001|language=it}}</ref>
|Ita7N=''Wario Land 4''
|Ita8=Indicatore di energia<ref>{{cite|date=2005|publisher=Nintendo of Europe|language=it|title=''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]'' European manual|page=99}}</ref><ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' Italian manual|page=13}}</ref><ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Galaxy 2]]'' Italian manual|page=14}}</ref>
|Ita8N=''Super Mario 64 DS'' manual, ''Super Mario Galaxy'', ''Super Mario Galaxy 2''
|Ita9=Indicatore Energia<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario 64 DS]]''|author=[[Sign]]|quote=Le Monete riempiono il tuo Indicatore Energia, prendine il più possibile! Anche i Cuori Rotanti ti fanno recuperare Energia. Più corri veloce attraverso un Cuore Rotante, più Energia recuperi.|publisher=[[Nintendo]]|date=2005|language=it}}</ref>
|Ita9N=''Super Mario 64 DS'' in-game
|Ita10=Contatore di energia<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition]]'' Italian manual|page=31}}</ref>
|Ita10N=''Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition''
|Ita11=Indicatore di salute<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' Italian e-manual|page=6}}</ref>
|Ita11N=''Super Mario Bros. 2'', [[NES Classic Edition]] e-manual
|Ita12=Barra della salute<ref>{{cite|title=''[[Super Mario Bros. 2]]'' (3DS - [[Virtual Console]]) Italian e-manual|page=10}}</ref>
|Ita12N=''Super Mario Bros. 2'', [[Virtual Console]] e-manual
|ItaM=Life level
|ItaM=Life level
|Ita2M=Life counter
|Ita2M=Life counter
Line 213: Line 231:
|Ita11M=Health indicator
|Ita11M=Health indicator
|Ita12M=Health bar
|Ita12M=Health bar
|Spa=Medidor de Corazón<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land 4'' European instruction booklet|page=92|language=es-es|date=2001|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref> <small>(''Wario Land 4'')</small>
|Spa=Medidor de Corazón<ref>{{cite|title=''Wario Land 4'' European instruction booklet|page=92|language=es-es|date=2001|publisher=Nintendo of Europe}}</ref>
|SpaN=''Wario Land 4''
|SpaM=Heart Meter
|SpaM=Heart Meter
}}
}}

Latest revision as of 10:32, October 11, 2024

"Health" redirects here. For the item also referred to as "Health" from Wario Land 4, see Full Health Item.

The Health Meter is an onscreen indicator of how much health the player character currently has. It usually appears somewhere on the top of the screen as part of the HUD, but it can also appear in other locations on the screen. The Health Meter varies from game to game on how many sections it has.

History[edit]

Super Mario series[edit]

Super Mario Bros. 2[edit]

SMB2 Healthmeter.png
The Health Meter from Super Mario Bros. 2 and its Super Mario All-Stars remake, and Luigi sprites to reflect its status.
The Life Gauge from Super Mario Bros. 2 and its Super Mario All-Stars version, with Luigi sprites reflecting its status

In Super Mario Bros. 2, the Health Meter (known as the Life Meter[1] or Life Gauge[2]) appears in the top left corner of the screen at the start of each level, and it consists of two hexagons arranged vertically. These hexagons were later changed to hearts in the Super Mario All-Stars remaster of the original game as well as in Super Mario Advance. Each section of the Life Gauge represents one hit point. Normally, the hexagons or hearts are red. When the player is damaged, however, one health section is lost, and it turns white instead of red (in the All-Stars remaster and Super Mario Advance, it turns concave and empties). The character shrinks when they have one hit point left; this state persists between levels and is the starting form for each life in Super Mario Advance. This is the only game to feature both the Small form and a Health Meter, as well as the only 2D Super Mario game with a Health Meter.

Sections of the Life Gauge can be replenished by collecting small hearts (which are bigger in Super Mario Advance). These hearts can often be found floating upward from the ground after eight enemies have been defeated (in the original and All-Stars versions) or floating in place, appearing after a thrown object beats two enemies in a row, from Big Shy Guys or Big Ninjis thrown to the ground or beaten, from enemies beaten with shells, from beaten Ostros, or by pulling them up from grass (in Super Mario Advance).

In most levels, there are up to two (three in Super Mario Advance) Mushrooms hidden in Subspace, which refill the Life Gauge and each increase its sections by one, up to four (five in Super Mario Advance). It then reverts to just two health sections at the beginning of the next level.

Super Mario 64 / Super Mario 64 DS[edit]

Power SM64.pngSM64DS Healthmeter.png
Mario's Power Meter from Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS, respectively
“Return to the surface for air when the Power Meter runs low.”
Sign in the Castle Grounds, Super Mario 64

In Super Mario 64, Mario's Power Meter is normally not displayed on the screen until he takes considerable damage from falling or touching enemies, etc. When it does appear, it is displayed in the top middle of the screen. When Mario takes damage, it appears by popping up a short distance below the top middle of the screen, and shortly, it moves to the top middle of the screen. Once it is full again, it disappears, except when Mario is in water. In this game, it is a wooden profile shaped like Mario's head, with a circle in the middle that displays eight wedges. When he takes damage, some of the wedges gradually disappear. As this happens, the color of the wedges changes to correspond to the number of them remaining: The wedges are blue when there are at least seven, green when there are five or six, yellow when there are three or four, and red when there are no more than two.

Mario can refill his Power Meter by collecting various coins: Yellow Coins replenish one wedge, Red Coins replenish two wedges, and Blue Coins replenish five wedges. He can also refill it by running through Spinning Hearts, which can be found in most if not all of the levels. The faster he runs through them, the faster they spin, but they gradually slow down. For every full spin they make, Mario heals one wedge. The Power Meter also automatically refills immediately after Mario exits a level after collecting a Power Star if it is not already filled.

In this game, Mario's Power Meter also acts as his breath meter when he is floating on the water. When he enters the water, the Power Meter shows at the top middle of the screen, even when he is at the surface of the water. After he goes underwater, he takes one wedge of damage every eight seconds. On the flip side, if Mario remains in the water with his head above it, the Power Meter completely refills to eight wedges, even if the damage was not caused by water. The freezing water in Snowman's Land and Chief Chilly Challenge (Super Mario 64 DS only) depletes his health three times faster than normal water, even if he is on the surface of the freezing water, and the Power Meter cannot be replenished when Mario has his head above the freezing water.

When the Power Meter has one or two wedges remaining, Mario begins to pant when standing still on the ground. This is only a cosmetic effect as he can still perform moves. When Mario is underwater, an alarm goes off. If the Power Meter runs out at any time, Mario loses a life and forcibly exits whatever level he is currently in (excluding the Mushroom Castle, where he is just placed outside the building). When Mario lands on the ground after he is forced to exit the level, the Power Meter refills all of his health, starting from one wedge. If Mario loses his last life, he is given a Game Over.

In Super Mario 64, when Mario gets swallowed by Bubba, all of the wedges remaining disappear simultaneously. This instant depletion does not happen in the DS remake, although the player character still instantly loses a life.

The Power Meter appears again in the remake Super Mario 64 DS, now with a black outline around it. It acts the same, though with two additions: When the player changes characters or when they grab a Power Star that does not force the character out of a level, such as a Bowser stage Red Coin Star or a 100-Coin Star, the Power Meter fully refills. Also, if the player is under the strange toxic cloud and one or two wedges are left, the alarm that sounds while the player is underwater sounds. The Power Meter depletes or replenishes multiple wedges at a slower speed than in Super Mario 64.

While the Power Meter shows only eight wedges, Mario's health actually ranges from 0 to 2,176, with each wedge representing 256 units of HP. In most cases, the lower limit is 255, at which point Mario loses a life.[3]

Super Mario Sunshine[edit]

Mario's life meter in Super Mario Sunshine

In Super Mario Sunshine, Mario's life meter is shaped like a stylized sun, with a polygonal spiral shape at the center. Again, it does not visibly appear onscreen until Mario takes damage. When it appears, it is positioned in the top right corner of the screen. There are once again eight sections of health, with each section represented as a sunray around the central spiral.

The life meter is normally a golden orange color when completely filled, and each individual section "flashes." When Mario takes damage, the rays of the sun gradually become blacked out to signify the loss of energy. When they have been blacked out, they no longer flash. He can regain energy by collecting normal coins, which refill one section, or Red Coins and Blue Coins, which refill two sections. Energy can also be regained by collecting a 1-Up Mushroom, which completely replenishes every section of the life meter immediately upon collection.

When the life meter has lost five sections of energy, an alarm starts to sound for the remaining three sections of health. As each section after this is gradually lost, the alarm sounds faster, and the energy sections flash to match its warning. As it gets gradually lower, Mario starts to droop lower and lower, visibly getting weaker from the lack of energy. When it has been completely depleted, Mario loses a life. If he has no remaining lives, he receives a Game Over. The life meter is automatically fully depleted if Mario falls in lava or toxic water, gets crushed, fails a timed Red Coin challenge, or loses a race to Il Piantissimo. Also, if Mario touches open flames or spikes in Corona Mountain, his health is rapidly depleted, usually resulting in quick life-loss.

Mario's life meter in Super Mario Sunshine as it is displayed when he is underwater

Unlike in Super Mario 64, there is a separate meter for Mario's air meter when he is underwater. This meter is blue, and the health sections continually deplete underwater. Air can be replenished by surfacing, touching air bubbles, or collecting coins or 1-Ups (which restore air at an equivalent rate to health). Mario also flashes red and an alarm sounds as the meter depletes. If the air meter is fully depleted, Mario immediately loses a life, regardless of his remaining health. When the meter is depleted to three sections, an alarm sounds as it gets steadily lower, and it continues to do so until Mario collects a coin or 1-Up, returns to the surface, or loses a life.

Super Mario Galaxy[edit]

Life meter from Super Mario Galaxy
Mario's life meter in Super Mario Galaxy

In Super Mario Galaxy, the life meter appears in the top right-hand corner of the screen if Mario or Luigi's health is not at three, or after Mario/Luigi has remained inactive for a certain period of time. It is shaped like a circle and has a total of only three health wedges as opposed to eight in the previous two games. However, in exchange, any damaging event that does not make the player lose a life removes only one health wedge (as opposed to the variable amounts of damage that attacks can inflict in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine), and falling from high heights no longer inflicts damage at all.

One of the new features of this game involves the inclusion of a new item called the Life Mushroom, which increases Mario's life meter from three to six when it is collected. However, if at any time the health sections drop back below four, the life meter will revert to a maximum of three sections until another Life Mushroom is collected.

The coloration of the regular life meter in this game is as follows: Three sections are cyan, two are yellow, and one is red. The additional three sections that are added as a result of the Life Mushroom are all colored in green, and they do not change the color unless the life meter drops below four.

As in previous games, coins can be collected to refill one section of Mario's life meter, and they can be found by stomping enemies and hitting certain Bricks or ? Blocks, among many other methods. Purple Coins do not affect the life meter in any way.

When the life meter has one wedge left, a warning alarm begins to sound, and Mario will breathe heavily in exhaustion if he stands still. This continues until Mario is able to pick up at least one coin, which fills the life meter up again. Also, as in Super Mario Sunshine, the life meter is separate from Mario’s air meter when he swims underwater. The meter that does appear when he is underwater is similar to the meter that appears when Mario is flying as Bee Mario. Mario starts taking damage underwater only when his air gauge has been fully depleted, at which point his life meter is quickly depleted as well.

At the beginning of every Daredevil Comet mission, Mario's life meter is automatically decreased to just one health wedge (the only difference being that no alarm sounds under these conditions), forcing Mario to complete the mission without taking damage once.

Mario's life meter will be depleted immediately if he falls into a black hole; is crushed by a Thwomp, a Whomp, a Rhomp, a Tox Box, or solid objects colliding with him stuck between them; falls into quicksand or poison; touches dark matter; or fails a timed Purple Comet, Speedy Comet, or Romp Comet challenge.

Super Mario Galaxy 2[edit]

Mario's life meter in Super Mario Galaxy 2 under Daredevil Comet conditions
Mario's life meter after he has collected a Life Mushroom
Mario's life meter in Super Mario Galaxy 2 after he has collected a Life Mushroom

The life meter in Super Mario Galaxy 2 looks and behaves in the same way as it did in its predecessor, although this time the black outlines surrounding the numbers are thicker. One minor difference is that if the player collects another Life Mushroom while one is still in effect, and all six sections of the life meter are filled, the player will receive a 1-Up. If the life meter is at fewer than six sections, it will instead be refilled to that number.

Super Mario Odyssey[edit]

After an absence in Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World (due to those games using the power-up system of the 2D platformers in the Super Mario franchise), the Health Meter reappears in Super Mario Odyssey with three sections of health, as in Super Mario Galaxy. This time, Hearts are required to restore lost health instead of coins. Collecting Power Moons, going inside the Odyssey, or touching an unused Checkpoint Flag restores Mario's health to full. It can be extended to six with a Life-Up Heart. Unlike prior iterations, the meter has a flat, solid color appearance, and the cyan and green colors are swapped from their Super Mario Galaxy positions. As in Super Mario Sunshine and the Super Mario Galaxy games, Mario has a separate air meter while underwater. Upon dying, Mario loses ten coins instead of a life, as lives and Game Overs are absent in this game. The coins land in a circle around the place Mario died, so if they land on solid ground, he can pick them back up.

In Assist Mode, Mario starts with a default of six health wedges, which is extended to nine when he collects a Life-Up Heart. The Health Meter refills itself if he is idle for long enough. If he falls into a pit or poison, he loses one section (instead of dying and dropping ten coins) and is sent in a bubble back to his previous location (instead of the most recently activated checkpoint).[4] The same occurs for Mario touching lava, though lava does not defeat him on contact. The meter is green when at six sections, lime green at five sections, yellow at four sections, amber at three sections, orange at two sections, and red at one section.

Yoshi's Story[edit]

The Smile Meter as seen in Yoshi's Story
“Eating Shy Guys wearing Yoshi's favorite color will add a bonus to your Smile Meter!”
Message Block, Yoshi's Story

In Yoshi's Story, the Smile Meter (or Smilometer)[5] is a version of the Health Meter depicted as a smiling flower with white petals and a round nose that appears in the upper left-hand corner of the screen during gameplay. Normally, the Smile Meter has a total of eight sections, signified by the eight white petals positioned around the circular center of the smiling flower. In addition to displaying the health of the Baby Yoshis, the Smile Meter also represents their current mood.

When a Baby Yoshi takes damage from touching enemies or other hazards or eating certain items or enemies such as peppers or Black Shy Guys (unless the Black Yoshi or White Yoshi eats them), the petals gradually fall away from the center of the flower, starting with the topmost left petal and going counterclockwise. The color and expression of the flower also change. The face when the meter is at full health is red with a big smile, at partial health is yellow with a slight smile, and at no hit points remaining or the Baby Yoshi's loss is blue with a frowning, lip-biting face with hair-like filaments on it. Two additional expressions for the flower are available: One expression involves its eyes being closed while wearing a huge grin with its petals rapidly shrinking and growing when the Baby Yoshi is Super Happy, and the other expression is a green, shocked expression used as a transition when the last few (or all if a Baby Yoshi falls down a pit or otherwise instantly loses) hit points on the meter are lost before the flower's face turns blue and frowns. The music in the levels is also affected by certain states of the Smile Meter. The music remains unchanged when the meter is at full or partial health, but when there are no petals remaining, the music slows down to a slower, more lethargic and somber version of the level's music. Conversely, attaining the Super Happy status changes the music to a rock arrangement of the level's theme.

The Baby Yoshis can take damage only up to nine times. The Smile Meter loses one petal when a Baby Yoshi eats something he dislikes. The Smile Meter loses three petals when a Baby Yoshi touches an enemy or a certain hazard. Being hit one additional time while the flower's face is frowning results in the Baby Yoshi fainting and being captured by Baby Bowser's Toadies. The Baby Yoshis can regain their health by eating fruit or enemies or collecting a Special Heart, regenerating lost petals and making the flower begin smiling again.

A flower that resembles the Smile Meter appears in the minigame Loves Me...? from Super Mario 64 DS and New Super Mario Bros.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

SmashWiki article: Damage

In the Super Smash Bros. series, the Health Meter always appears at the bottom of the screen, except in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, in which it is displayed on the Touch Screen. It acts as a damage counter that displays the amount of damage that a particular character has taken as a percentage. The higher the percentage goes, the more damage the character has taken. As the character takes more damage, the color of the percentage gradually changes from white to a dark red, with yellow being a middle gradient introduced in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, and the character simultaneously becomes easier for the opponents to KO them. The highest amount of damage a character can possibly take is 999%. Food, Heart Containers, Fairy Bottles, and Maxim Tomatoes can help reduce the amount of damage that a character has taken. In all games, the Health Meter appears for each character that participates in a match. Starting in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, characters with 100% of damage or higher begin to emit smoke. Starting in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the percentage is displayed to one decimal place.

Aside from displaying the damage of a character, the Health Meter also displays other information. For example, in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the name of the character is always displayed directly under the damage percentage, and an icon of the character's face is displayed to the left of the damage percentage (at the top in the earlier games). The symbol signifying the series that the character comes from appears behind the damage percentage. In Stock matches, up to five circles (represented as character heads in every game except Super Smash Bros. Brawl) appear above the damage percentage, representing the amount of stock that the character currently has left. One of the circles disappears for every time that the character is flung off the screen. When the character has no circles left, the character is defeated and is out for the remainder of the match. In Time matches, the number of KOs is shown above the damage percentage. A point is earned or lost if the character KOs an opponent or gets KO'd, respectively. In Coin Matches, the number of coins in hand is displayed.

There is a second type of damage counter in the series: hit points (HP). This is used for some bosses (such as Master Hand and Crazy Hand) and, starting in Super Smash Bros. Melee, players in Stamina Mode. When a character is hit by an attack, their HP decreases. If a character's HP reaches zero, they will enter a fainting animation. Bosses will be defeated, and players will lose their stock.

Mario Party series[edit]

The Health Meter appears in various boss minigames throughout the Mario Party series. It can be represented as hearts or a bar. In most boss minigames, the boss's health is at least halfway gone when the health bar drops past the white line in the middle and turns red. Once the boss's health is depleted, the minigame is won. As of Mario Party 9, the player who deals the final blow gets an extra point bonus to their score. In some minigames, players also have a Health Meter, and when they lose all health, they lose the minigame.

Yoshi Topsy-Turvy[edit]

YNG Health Meter 1.png

In Yoshi Topsy-Turvy, the Smile Meter appears in the top left corner of the screen as a smiling orange sun with eight white triangle-shaped rays around it. Each of these triangle rays represents one section of health, for a total of eight sections. This variation of the Smile Meter is very similar to the one from Yoshi's Story in both shape and color.

When Yoshi touches an enemy or other obstacle, health is lost, signified by some of the white triangle rays falling away from the sun in a counterclockwise direction. As more and more health sections fall away, the loss of energy begins to be reflected by the sun's expression. It starts out being orange with sunglasses and a large smile. When some rays have been lost, its color fades to yellow, it loses its sunglasses, and its smile diminishes slightly.

If Yoshi sustains more damage, the expression of the sun will remain the same, though more of the sun's rays will be lost. When no more of the sun's rays remain, the face of the sun turns blue and begins frowning. If Yoshi sustains any more damage after this, the face of the sun will turn green, then gray, resulting in Yoshi losing a life, or a Game Over if Yoshi loses all of his lives.

Super Princess Peach[edit]

Vibe Gauge.png

In Super Princess Peach, the player's Health Meter starts with three hearts (equal to six points of health) on it, but the player can get more from Toad's Shop by buying Tough Coffee, although each level is started with only three full hearts filled in. When the player takes damage or falls into a bottomless pit, they lose half of a heart on the Health Meter. When Princess Peach's Health Meter is fully depleted, the Game Over screen appears, and she must return to the map screen to try again. Perry refers to health as HP.

Donkey Kong Country series[edit]

Donkey Kong's and Diddy Kong's health bar, with a filled banana gauge
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong's health bar

In Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (and its Nintendo Switch port), the Kongs' health is measured in hearts. Donkey Kong naturally has two hearts—two more if he carries a partner with him, as well as an additional one if a Heart Boost is equipped. Banana Juice adds ten (five in "New Mode" in Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D) non-refillable hearts to the Health Meter. Each time the Kongs get damaged, they lose one heart from their Health Meter. If all of their hearts have been depleted, they lose one life. Their health is instantly depleted if they fall into a pit or lava or hit anything while riding a Mine Cart or a Rocket Barrel. Hearts can be found along the way and are used to replenish the primates' health bar. The latter game also has separate Health Meters for Mine Carts and Rocket Barrels, with two hearts each; in Donkey Kong Country Returns and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, they have only one heart each, despite the Kongs' current health.

Mario Sports Mix[edit]

The Health Meter in Mario Sports Mix
Behemoth's Health Meter

The Health Meter in Mario Sports Mix is used only in dodgeball matches, as well as the dodgeball minigame Bob-omb Dodge. It is shaped like a circle with a black line going down the top half of its middle and ending at the circle's center. Depending on the character that the player is currently using, the icon shown in the top corner of the Health Meter changes accordingly. The player should note that in this game, the Health Meter appears along the top of the screen for every character that is currently playing. This Health Meter also appears in the game's final battle against Behemoth and the Behemoth King.

When the player's character is hit by a dodgeball or another item, such as a Bob-omb, some health is lost. The amount of health lost depends on the item the character is hit with, as certain items cause more or less damage than others. In any case, when a character is hit with an item, the chunk of health that is lost flashes red briefly before disappearing completely, leaving a black space in its place. If a character catches the ball before it hits the ground, the character that was hit by the ball will not lose health. If a character is hit by a special attack, a large amount of health will be lost. When their health is fully depleted, they are out, and sent into the box (the rest of the minigame if Bob-omb Dodge is played). The character's health will be instantly depleted if they fall into the water in DK Dock. To get back in, the player in the box must hit their target. When they do so, they are back in and get a small amount of their health regained. Getting hit even once causes them to be out again.

Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition[edit]

In Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, the HP bar is used. As Mario takes damage, the HP bar drops. When there is only one-fifth remaining, the HP bar turns orange and the heart pulses. When the HP bar is depleted, the Too Bad sequence plays, in which all the orbs fall down from the board. A Game Over occurs if the player chooses not to continue, or if the player runs out of HP when there are zero remaining lives. However, there is an exception. Unlike in Super Mario Sunshine and the Super Mario Galaxy series, the HP bar is not automatically fully depleted when the player runs out of time in Score Attack modes, but the Too Bad sequence still plays.

Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World[edit]

In Yoshi's Woolly World and its 3DS port, when Yoshi takes damage, the Health Meter appears around him as a circle of hearts. One heart represents one health section, up to 20 hearts. When one heart is left, the heart looks cracked and the Health Meter always shows, alerting the player to get more hearts. If all hearts are lost, the player must restart the level from the beginning or the last checkpoint they touched.

In Classic Mode on both the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, the player begins each level with 10 hearts and loses five hearts every time they take damage, unless they have two to five hearts left, in which case they go down to one heart. In Mellow Mode, the player begins each level with 20 hearts and loses five hearts in the Wii U version but only one heart in the 3DS version when they take damage.

Yoshi's Crafted World[edit]

The Health Meter in Yoshi's Crafted World looks the same as in Yoshi's Woolly World, except the hearts are made out of paper to match the game's style. If Yoshi completes a level with all 20 hearts, he receives a Smiley Flower.

Super Mario-kun[edit]

The Health Meter in volume 16 of the Super Mario-kun
The Power Meter in Super Mario-kun. The Japanese text translates to Mario exclaiming "I'll die if I continue this way!"

In various volumes of Super Mario-kun, a Health Meter is occasionally shown to display Mario's power level, usually at a very low point, most prominently in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine adaptations.

Unused appearances[edit]

Yoshi Demo[edit]

Yoshi Demo also features the Smile Meter, which functions identically to its appearance in Yoshi's Story, though the faces used, all of which are also from Yoshi's Story, for the different states of the meter are different. At full health, the Smile Meter's face is its Super Happy face, seven to five petals is its face at full health, four to one petal is its face at partial health, no petals remaining is the same as in Yoshi's Story, and Yoshi's defeat is its transitional shocked face.

See also[edit]

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Japanese パワーメーター[6]
Pawā Mētā
Power Meter Super Mario 64
にこにこメーター[?]
Nikoniko Mētā
Smiley Meter Yoshi's Story
ハート[7]
Hāto
Heart Wario Land 4
ライフ[8]
Raifu
Life Wario Land: Shake It!
French Jauge de Vie[9] Life Gauge Wario Land 4
German Herzleiste[10] Heart bar Wario Land 4
Italian Livello di vita[11] Life level Super Mario Bros. 2
Contatore di vita[12] Life counter Super Mario All-Stars
Segna Potenza[13] Power Sign Super Mario 64
Misuratore del Sorriso[14] Smile Meter Yoshi's Story
Energimetro[15] Energy-meter Super Mario Sunshine
Misuratore vita[16] Life/Health meter Super Mario Advance
Cardiometro[17] Cardiometer Wario Land 4
Indicatore di energia[18][19][20] Energy indicator Super Mario 64 DS manual, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2
Indicatore Energia[21] Energy Indicator Super Mario 64 DS in-game
Contatore di energia[22] Energy counter Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition
Indicatore di salute[23] Health indicator Super Mario Bros. 2, NES Classic Edition e-manual
Barra della salute[24] Health bar Super Mario Bros. 2, Virtual Console e-manual
Spanish Medidor de Corazón[25] Heart Meter Wario Land 4

Trivia[edit]

The second pre-release Health Meter design from Super Mario Galaxy

References[edit]

  1. ^ 2001. Super Mario Advance manual. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 18.
  2. ^ 2010. Super Mario All-Stars Limited Edition manual. Nintendo of America (American English). Page 31.
  3. ^ UncommentatedPannen (July 21, 2016). HP. YouTube (English). Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  4. ^ TheMightyTammos (October 15, 2017). Super Mario Odyssey - Travel Hints and Map. YouTube (English). Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  5. ^ February 1998. Official UK Nintendo Magazine Issue 65. Page 28.
  6. ^ 1996. スーパーマリオ64六十四(ろくじゅうよん) (Sūpā Mario Rokujūyon) instruction booklet (PDF). Nintendo (Japanese). Page 16 and 17.
  7. ^ 2001. Wario Land Advance: Yōki no Otakara instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 16.
  8. ^ 2008. Wario Land Shake instruction booklet. Nintendo (Japanese). Page 16.
  9. ^ 2001. Wario Land 4 European instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (French). Page 52.
  10. ^ 2001. Wario Land 4 European instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (German). Page 32.
  11. ^ Super Mario Bros. 2 Italian manual. Page 10.
  12. ^ Super Mario All-Stars Italian manual. Page 14.
  13. ^ 1997. Super Mario 64 European manual. Nintendo of Europe. Page 37.
  14. ^ 1998. Yoshi's Story European manual. Nintendo of Europe. Page 122.
  15. ^ Super Mario Sunshine Italian manual. Page 12.
  16. ^ 2001. Super Mario Advance European manual. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 107.
  17. ^ 2001. Wario Land 4 European manual. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 112.
  18. ^ 2005. Super Mario 64 DS European manual. Nintendo of Europe (Italian). Page 99.
  19. ^ Super Mario Galaxy Italian manual. Page 13.
  20. ^ Super Mario Galaxy 2 Italian manual. Page 14.
  21. ^ "Le Monete riempiono il tuo Indicatore Energia, prendine il più possibile! Anche i Cuori Rotanti ti fanno recuperare Energia. Più corri veloce attraverso un Cuore Rotante, più Energia recuperi." – Sign (2005). Super Mario 64 DS. Nintendo (Italian).
  22. ^ Super Mario All-Stars - 25th Anniversary Edition Italian manual. Page 31.
  23. ^ Super Mario Bros. 2 Italian e-manual. Page 6.
  24. ^ Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS - Virtual Console) Italian e-manual. Page 10.
  25. ^ 2001. Wario Land 4 European instruction booklet. Nintendo of Europe (European Spanish). Page 92.