SAVE

In Undertale, SAVE (JP: セーブ) is the in-universe name given to save files and the ability to overwrite them. There is one SAVE slot in the game (one per user), which can be overwritten by interacting with SAVE Points or by autosaving. In the dialogue, "SAVE" is noticeably written in capital letters, and it can be conjugated.

Load

A SAVE can be loaded via the game's menu. The game automatically loads the most recent SAVE whenever the protagonist's HP reaches 0. Meta knowledge plays a heavy role in this since the protagonist and several other characters have memories of events that occurred before resetting their SAVE. For example, Toriel remarks that speaking with the protagonist is like speaking with an old friend, while Papyrus feels that they look familiar.

If the player tries to load the SAVE in an inaccessible room (if the "Dogcheck" was not turned off) or with corrupted data, the game shows the Annoying Dog in the middle of a black screen, rendering the game unplayable until it is fixed with a functional room or a new SAVE.

Reset

Start menu with the Reset option.

The Reset function is found in the game's menu. This function erases most information stored in a SAVE, such as the protagonist's LV and EXP; resetting, however, does not erase certain variables such as the name. Similarly to loading a SAVE, some characters in the game act differently after a reset.

True Reset

A True Reset is a function available after completing the True Pacifist Route. It erases most data from the undertale.ini file, exceptions including the mysterious door opening and border data on console. The state of the game post-Genocide Route is in a separate file and thus unaffected by a True Reset.

If the Genocide Route is completed, the fallen human destroys the world. They then offer the player to recreate the world in exchange for their SOUL. Other than manipulation of the files using a file editor, this is the only way to reset the game. However, accepting this offer also activates a permanent flag in the game's files which affects all subsequent True Pacifist and Genocide endings.

Main story

The power to reshape the world...
Purely by your own determination.
The ability to play God!
The ability to "SAVE."

Flowey

In the universe of Undertale, SAVING the game manipulates timelines. The use of this ability is exclusive to the character with the highest determination in the underground. The first character known to acquire this ability is Flowey, because of the determination he was injected with. His ability to SAVE is lost when the protagonist enters the underground, as the protagonist's determination is greater than his. Flowey is also the only character who retains full knowledge of the protagonist's actions before and after loading a SAVE, as opposed to other characters who only have vague memories.

At the end of the Neutral Route, Flowey regains his ability to SAVE after absorbing the six human SOULs, and uses it to overwrite the protagonist's SAVE. His use of the SAVE ability in this state is analogous to save-states, which he uses in battle to disorient the player. Another noticeable difference is the number of save slots; while the protagonist can only use one SAVE file, Omega Flowey can seemingly use at least six, though only four (files 2, 3, 6, and an unspecified one) are used in the battle.

Save data

The SAVE files, in-universe, are created by the characters that can SAVE. There are three SAVE files in the game files:

These files can be directly found at the following PC directories:

Operating System	Filepath
Windows	%LOCALAPPDATA%\UNDERTALE
macOS	~/Library/Application Support/com.tobyfox.undertale/
Linux	~/.config/UNDERTALE

Filename	Role
file0	When a SAVE point is used, the actual state of the world is saved to this file. When the player quits and reloads the game, the game loads this file.
file8	This file is created when Flowey absorbs the six human SOULs and persist in the game files even after a True Reset.
file9	This file is used by the game to save the actions of the protagonist automatically at hidden autosaves. It is reloaded after the protagonist receives a Game Over. The game copies file0 and pastes it in file9 whenever the game is reloaded.

No SAVEs

It is optional to SAVE, and it is possible to reach all endings of the game without SAVING. Towards the end of the Neutral or Pacifist Routes, the game acknowledges that the protagonist has not SAVED at all.

Neutral Route

Before the battle with Omega Flowey, Flowey mocks the protagonist for having made no SAVE files. He makes use of his ability to SAVE and load as usual.

In the post-ending phone call, Sans may jokingly suggest that the protagonist should SAVE. If the player reaches the end of the route without kills, Flowey says the protagonist will have to start over in his monologue.

After completing the game on the Neutral Route, the game restarts, and without any SAVE file, the player is prompted to begin a game in the menu.

True Pacifist Route

If the game has been completed at least once in the Neutral Route, Alphys's side quests are made available, making it possible to play through the game on the True Pacifist Route. All of this can be done without manually SAVING the game.

During the final battle, the protagonist considers SAVING over Asriel's file to defeat him, but it is stated that since they never SAVED before, they lack the power to do so. The story continues as usual, but the game secretly SAVEs itself, preventing the timeline from being lost after the game is closed.

See also

• SAVE Point
• SAVE article on the Deltarune Wiki