It has been suggested that this article be split into1-Up Cloud. (discuss)

This article is about the number of retries the player is given throughout the game, sometimes referred to as "1-Up". For other uses of the term "1-Up", see1-Up.

Mario acquiring an extra life by picking up a1-Up Mushroom inSuper Mario Bros.

Mario gatheringcoins to eventually have 99 lives to defeat aReznor inSuper Mario-kun

Anextra life, also known as a1-up (alternatively1-Up,1-UP,1UP, or1up) orLife Up, is a mechanic used in video games, especially platformers, such as those in theSuper Mario franchise. A 1-up awards the player an extra chance to beat the game. If a player loses a life, they are able to start from the beginning of thelevel (or sometimes at the level'scheckpoint, if it has been reached) without losing a significant amount of progress. When a player loses all of their lives, aGame Over results, and the game must either be played again from the beginning or be restarted from the last save point.

Players can lose lives by being defeated by anenemy; falling into hazards such aspits,lava, andpoison; getting crushed by an obstacle; or running out oftime. In most games of theSuper Mario franchise, players typically start with three to six lives and can usually earn more during the course of the game. Many of the games play the "1-Up" fanfare when a character of theSuper Mario franchise receives an extra life. Some games (such asSuper Mario Land) play a different sound when a 1-up is earned.

Some games in multiplayer mode may feature different extra life mechanics. In games such asMario Bros. (and all its ports),New Super Mario Bros. Wii, andNew Super Mario Bros. U, each player has their own life counter, though inNew Super Mario Bros. 2,Super Mario 3D World,Super Mario Bros. Wonder, andDonkey Kong Country Returns, all players share a single life counter. However,New Super Mario Bros. 2 does not deduct lives if only one player dies in a level or if both playersbubble themselves. In the case ofSuper Mario 3D World, the life counter has a combined total depending on the number of players rather than starting at six.

Extra lives are surpassed only by the "Continue" option, which grants an entire new set of extra lives instead of just one while allowing the player to continue from where they left off. In earlier games, continues are often limited, and losing all of them also results in a Game Over and causes the player to be sent back to the beginning of the game.

Obtaining lives[edit]

Early arcade games, such asDonkey Kong, typically award an extra life after a large number ofpoints is acquired by the player. However, the 1-up independent of score did not emerge until the originalSuper Mario Bros., which introduced other methods of obtaining lives such as collecting 100 of a certain collectible (typicallycoins), obtaining1-Up Mushrooms, and defeating several enemies in succession. Such trends continued in other platformers and adventure games, even those outside theSuper Mario series. As ofSuper Mario Bros. 2, bonusminigames are introduced, and they can reward players with extra lives based on how well they did.

The most common methods of obtaining extra lives include the following:

1-Up Mushrooms and similar items[edit]

A1-Up Mushroom, an item that usually grants an extra life

Super Mario Bros. introduced an item that grants an extra life upon collection, that being the 1-Up Mushroom. 1-Up Mushrooms are often hidden in variousHidden Blocks in levels, in a way that the player must deviate from their usual path to obtain these items at their own risk. Similar items such as1 UP Hearts would also be introduced in mainline games such asSuper Mario Land.

1-Up Mushrooms are often the rewards of various bonus minigames, such as thebonus game inSuper Mario World, as well as the greenToad Houses in various entries in theNew Super Mario Bros. series. They also appear in smaller challenges such asRed Coins andRed Rings in some levels, and may also pop up from certain areas once a player walks over them, such as inSuper Mario 64.

TheDonkey Kong Country series hasExtra Life Balloons provide lives just like 1-Up Mushrooms. The gamesDonkey Kong Country Returns andDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze present Red Balloons as extra lives in a very literal manner, as the animations for being defeated universally involve falling or sinking and the player uses up a Red Balloon to float up and back into the level.

Games that do not utilize an extra-life system (such asSuper Mario Odyssey) typically do not feature 1-Up Mushrooms or similar items at all. If they do appear, they are used for different reasons. For example, theMario & Luigi series has 1-Up Mushrooms revive fallenparty members.

Defeating several enemies in succession[edit]

Mario defeating several enemies in a row with aRed Shell to earn an extra life inSuper Mario World

Another method to earn extra lives is by defeating several enemies in succession, whether bystomping them or usingKoopa Shells orBuzzy Shells to defeat several enemies in a row. Initially, doing such starts with several increments of points (combo text inSuper Mario Bros. Wonder), eventually earning the player several extra lives (represented by "1UP"). Starting withSuper Mario World, this can also be done by running into enemies whileinvincible, and it can also be done bysliding, starting withNew Super Mario Bros.

As ofSuper Mario World, the player simply needs to defeat eight enemies in succession to start earning extra lives. This is also applied to other platformers outside theSuper Mario series such as the firstDonkey Kong Country, as well asDonkey Kong Country Returns andDonkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. InSuper Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins andSuper Mario 3D Land, the fifth enemy defeated onwards earns the player an extra life. InSuper Mario 3D World andSuper Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, the combo resets upon every life obtained only when the player performs such while invincible. This trick does not work if the player is in theirShell form or uses assist forms (e.g.,White Tanooki Mario).

This method of getting extra lives is oftentimes used to set up infinite life tricks, allowing the player to farm as many lives as they can in some main series games. For example, an infinite life trick done inSuper Mario Bros. is done by kicking Koopa Shells (and occasionally Buzzy Shells) repeatedly against staircases, such as at the end ofWorld 3-1. The trick was removed fromVS. Super Mario Bros. by having mostKoopas orBuzzy Beetles descending staircases in some levels replaced byGoombas.

Collecting a certain number of collectibles[edit]

Mario collecting several coins in aCoin Heaven inSuper Mario Bros.

In games with common collectibles such as coins, collecting 100 of such grants the player an extra life. This mechanic was introduced inSuper Mario Bros. and gives players another incentive to collect coins across several levels. This method varies differently in games such asSuper Mario 64 (where a life can be gained for every 50 coins collected upon clearing a mission, up to three lives), as well as inSuper Mario Galaxy andSuper Mario Galaxy 2, where every 50 or 100Star Bits collected also grant an extra life.

Other games may use different objects for the same purpose. TheDonkey Kong Country series usesbananas, and the first twoWario Land games usehearts.

Some games may feature rarer collectibles to obtain such asDragon Coins,Ace Coins, andAdvance Coins. Collecting at least five of them grants the player an extra life. This is not to be confused with obtaining 1-Up Mushrooms as rewards spawned by collecting all Red Coins from Red Rings. Similar items such asKONG Letters in theDonkey Kong Country series also grant the player an extra life upon collection.

Miscellaneous methods[edit]

Other methods of gaining extra lives in games include the following:

• Some games feature minigames the player can partake in to earn more extra lives, such as theSpade Panel fromSuper Mario Bros. 3. This also encompasses minigames where 1-Up Mushrooms can also be rewarded, such as the Green Toad Houses inNew Super Mario Bros. Depending on how well the player has done in a minigame, the number of extra lives they can earn varies.
• Starting inSuper Mario Bros. 3, there are different conditions for the player to earn extra lives when reaching thegoal. In this game's case, the player can earncards from levels' end roulettes and match their symbols to earn many extra lives. Additionally, since this game, if five or more enemies are present on the screen while the player touches a goal, the player can also earn extra lives from them.
  • Super Mario World gives three extra lives once the highest number ofBonus Stars from aGiant Gate is obtained (50).
  • Starting inSuper Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (exceptSuper Mario 3D World), it is possible to earn an extra life upon hitting the top of aGoal Pole.
  • Super Mario Maker andSuper Mario Maker 2 feature slightly altered mechanics for getting extra lives from a goal, with theSuper Mario Bros. 3 roulette goal having a 1-Up Mushroom as one of the symbols and the method of hitting the tape at the top of the Giant Gate in theSuper Mario World style giving only one extra life.
• The player may earn extra lives based on how far they have progressed or how many points they have received. For example, in various games in theWarioWare series, beating a bossmicrogame can grant the player an extra life.

Extra-life counter[edit]

Early arcade games such asDonkey Kong feature an extra-life counter, often represented by the player's head or similar symbols. If no more heads are displayed and the player is defeated on the next life, they get aGame Over. This method of displaying extra lives would still be used in games such asWarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, with four symbols displayed on the screen that gray out if the player fails a microgame (which can eventually be restored if a boss microgame is beaten).

Later games such asSuper Mario Bros. introduced a numerical version of the extra-life counter. Initially, earlier games displayed such on the level's starting screen, and it would not be integrated into the heads-up display in gameplay untilSuper Mario Bros. 3. With this new system, earning multiple lives at once is also gradually introduced in the games through performing stomp combos, collecting 1-Up Mushrooms, and completing bonus minigames such as theBonus Chance.

The maximum number of lives the player can earn is also displayed on the numerical life counter, and it varies between each game:

• The maximum number of lives the player can earn in the NES version ofSuper Mario Bros. is 127, but going above that number results in a Game Over on the next death due to a signed integer overflow. TheSuper Mario All-Stars version does not go above 127.
  • If the player receives 10 or more lives, a crown and a symbol are displayed instead of the number due to the symbols being pulled from a second CHR table,^[1] but the actual numerical value is correctly displayed in theAll-Stars version.
• The NES version ofSuper Mario Bros. 2 allows players to earn up to 255 lives (though "0" on the life counter is the last life). InSuper Mario All-Stars andSuper Mario Advance, however, the life counter is maxed out at 99 instead (and "1" on the counter is the last life instead).
  • Earning more than 100 lives in the NES version causes the tens digit to display letters fromA toP instead. For example, "P4" means the player has 254 lives remaining.
• The NES version ofSuper Mario Bros. 3 maxes out lives at 100 (shown as "99" due to "0" being the last life), but the maximum number is slightly reduced to 99 in theAll-Stars version (due to "1" on the counter being the last life).
• Starting with games such asSuper Mario World, the life counter is maxed out at 99.
  • If this maximum number is attained inNew Super Mario Bros. Wii,Mario also appears withouthis cap.
• Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island (andits reissue),Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2, andSuper Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 all max out lives at 999.
• InSuper Mario 3D Land,New Super Mario Bros. 2, andSuper Mario 3D World, players can have up to 1,110 lives, with the hundreds, tens, and ones digits turning into crowns when the player reaches 1,000, 1,100, and 1,110 lives, respectively. InSuper Mario 3D Land andSuper Mario 3D World, "0" on the life counter is the last life.
  • Maxing out the life counter inSuper Mario 3D Land andNew Super Mario Bros. 2 causes Mario andLuigi to appear without theircaps when starting a level (they still have their caps in the former game if they aresmall or inFire form).
• InSuper Mario Maker's 10/100 Mario Challenge,Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS's Super Mario Challenge, andSuper Mario Maker 2's Story Mode and Endless Challenge, up to three extra lives can be received per course/job, with a maximum of 100 (in the first two games) or 99 (inSuper Mario Maker 2). However, inSuper Mario Maker 2's Story Mode, the current number of lives always defaults to five when the player enters a different job.
• Some sequences in games such asPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door may opt to display a life counter despite having no life system at all, such as in theBowser segments. However, in such cases, due to such having infinite lives, an infinity symbol is displayed on the life counter instead.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

In theSuper Smash Bros. series, lives, referred to in-game asstocks, can be used as an optional additional rule. How many stocks characters have left is represented by small icons under the damage meter, and inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, during a 1-on-1 battle, the stock count of both fighters is briefly displayed onscreen whenever a stock is lost (except when it is the final stock). InThe Subspace Emissary fromSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, stocks can also be restored by obtainingStock Balls.

Gallery[edit]

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  Super Mario Bros.

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 1UP (gameplay)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 1UP (stage end or minigame match)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 2UP (stage end or minigame match)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 3UP (stage end or minigame match)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 5UP (stage end or minigame match)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 1UP (battle game)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 2UP (battle game)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 3UP (battle game)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 5UP (battle game)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 (life counter)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 (life counter)

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  Super Mario Bros. 3 (N Mark Spade Panel)

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

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  Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

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  Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

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  Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

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  Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

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  Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

Names in other languages[edit]

Extra Life[edit]

1UP[edit]

Notes[edit]

• "1UP" can be seen on a license plate of acargo truck on theMario Kart: Double Dash!! courseMushroom City.
• According toSuper Paper Mario, when someone runs out of lives, they get aGame Over and move on to the afterlife, either toThe Underwhere or toThe Overthere.
• InSuper Mario World, if the player somehow manages tojump on aWiggler during a combo of eight or higher, the game shows "2UP" and "3UP," and then the gameglitches: It shows a corrupted sign that grants 5UP (first only) and some coins and/orpoints.
• InSuper Mario 3D Land, the extra life sound effect plays whenPrincess Peach defeats aGoomba Tower in theletter Mario receives before reachingWorld 6.

See also[edit]

• 1 UP Heart
• Smiley Flower
• 100-Coin
• Goal (Super Mario Bros. 3)
• Gold Bone

References[edit]

• Terms
• Game mechanics

• Pages with split suggestions
• Articles with unsourced foreign names
• Articles with poor sources