A "power meter" is a device used in many
fighting games and now
RPGs that
increments when you successfully
attack, use
special moves, sometimes get
hit, or
defend (all depending on the game), has a
limit, and allows one to perform a
strong attack of some sort when it is at a certain point.
Examples:
- In the King of Fighters series, a power meter can give you the choice of using desperation moves (one per power bar), a "max" (get really strong, and use unlimited DMs for a short time), or increased defense for a period of time.
- In the Samurai Shodown series, a power meter is strange :)
- In the Seiken Densetsu series, the power meter enables you to use special attacks.
- In Chrono Cross, you must use up a certain number of power bars to cast a spell (use an element).
IMHO, power meters make a game much cooler than it could be without them!
Note that there has been some confusion about this term since I wrote the node. The issue that comes up is "Why is that a power meter and not a xxx?" The answer is that (to borrow a Final Fantasy term) there are "limit break" systems, which have one principle difference: a limit is a concretely defined by getting just one kind of ability. It's not "special" ;)
Conversely, the power meter enables several different choices, and may be one-shot sometimes.