In
video games,
power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a
game mechanic. This is in contrast to an
item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player. Although often collected directly through touch, power-ups can sometimes only be gained by collecting several related items, such as the floating letters of the word 'EXTEND' in
Bubble Bobble. Well known examples of power-ups that have entered
popular culture include the power pellets from
Pac-Man (regarded as the first power-up) and the Super Mushroom from
Super Mario Bros., which ranked first in
UGO Networks'
Top 11 Video Game Powerups.