Is there a name generally for...

[Roxianna]

... the little bits and pieces one picks up from platform and side scrollers? I want to call them "pips" because you collect them by running and jumping around a map or level moving through them so they ding and disappear. Accumulating a certain amount sometimes gives you access to a power-up, additional life or what not. There has got to be an industry term for this and I NEED to know it. You know like how the little dudes that move around are called "sprites."

HELPPLZ WHAT???

[Scick]

Do you mean the things like rings in Sonic the Hedgehog? I don't know what they're called, but I'd like to find a name for them. "Pips" sounds like a good name for them, so why not just start spreading the word?

[Retodon8]

I figured they would fall under the power-up category, but in that article Wikipedia calls them tokens.
The actual ability you get after collecting X amount is called the power-up.
Power-ups are contrasted with items/pick-ups which don't auto-activate but which can be used at the player's leisure.

The word token means sign, or symbol, so I guess that works.
A token is a symbol of 1/100 of your extra life, or something like that.

Even if that is the common term in the industry (no idea either, and no source references at Wikipedia), what about point/score items?
At the moment I can't actually think of a game where point items don't eventually lead to an extra life, but there have to be some, right?
Actually Tomb Raider: Legend and following TR games have hidden in-game items that can be collected, but which do absolutely nothing gameplay-wise.
They unlock concept art accessed from the menu... and actually they do unlock new outfits, so perhaps you could argue that influences the game a bit.
Perhaps a good name for those things would be "collectables"?

Edit: I just noticed Sonic's rings are actually listed in the items article, since you can use them as currency.
I only knew one or more ring meant you could be hit once, losing all your rings, in stead of dying right away.
Nope, I didn't play much Sonic.

[Hagan]

You mean "Pick-ups"? Items/Tokens that unlock parts of the game/extra content/power ups and boosts etc. I don't know if they do have a standard common name across the platforms though.

[Kjallstrom]

I would call them tokens... although because I played Mario games first, I might call them coins even when they're not coins.

Pips makes me think of Star Trek: The Next Generation rank insignia... but I'm a huge nerd, so...

[sororitygirl]

I'm no expert on the subject but token sounds right to me.
Plus pips are health/energy regen, roxi... you know that =P

[Mumbo]

Token sounds like it would work fine, but I'm pretty sure there is no industry standard for what they are called.

[Roxianna]

"Tokens" duh. I don't know why I could not come up with the word. Thanks so much.

[snowkissed]

"Tokens" makes me want to run to a carnival and play games to win tickets to trade in for prizes.

Then again, I can't come up with a better term. I think it depends on the game...