Developers often find creative ways to make the game more exciting by introducing new mechanics or mini-games. The latter completely changes what you expect from the game by giving players a taste of something different, usually from a completely different genre.
While developers want players to enjoy this, they may not want players to spend more time there than in the main game, as in the examples below. To be clear, all of the games below are still great even without their immersive minigame. Players have already spent their money, so the designers should be happy no matter how gamers use their time after purchasing the product.
8 Gwent: The Witcher 3
To say a minigame inside The Witcher 3 aligned with the rest of the game is quite a challenge. This says something about how good, complex and deep the third game in this franchise is. Gwent has a complex set of rules and requires tact to win, even with a good hand. Players can challenge tons of NPCs around the world.
It may seem inappropriate for Geralt to take the time to find his missing adopted daughter to play some cards, but everyone is allowed to rest here and there. Gwent has since taken on a life of its own, with spin-offs featuring gameplay around the fictional card game.
7 Alien Hominid: PDA Games
Alien Hominid was a small game that became popular thanks to the classic website Newgrounds. The console release significantly expanded the levels in the browser title and cleaned up the graphics. It also added some small minigames. Among them was a platform minigame in which players control stickmen across single-screen levels.
Its simple graphics and gameplay make it accessible to those unfamiliar with platform games. Players can work their way through over a hundred levels in this mode, and players can even create their own levels for friends to try out. I hope the mode stays in the upcoming re-release.
6 Anaconda: TimeSplitters 2
where is the original Time Splitters was a rush job that cut back on launch alongside the PlayStation 2, Time splitters 2 went all out with more content and more complicated single player levels. The objectives were complex and missions often involved a combination of stealth and action. Players had a radar in their inventory and could use the device to access various minigames, provided they found the cartridges for the first time in the world.
There are three mini-games in total, but the one that players probably used the most was Anaconda. The goal is simple; eat as much food as possible on the screen without touching anything else. Each bit the snake needs makes it longer, increasing the difficulty. There is a lot of content in it Time splitters 2but it’s easy to find time for this minigame.
5 Puzzle Kombat: Mortal Kombat: Deception
For 2011 Mortal Kombat brought the series back to basics and focused on creating the tightest fighting game possible, the series used to pack a lot of content and minigames into the package. In addition to the adventure mode called Konquest, the developers have added a few minigames to Mortal Kombat: Deception.
There’s a game that takes inspiration from chess, and then there’s Puzzle Kombat. This mode borrows a lot from the popular puzzle fighter arcade game, just with more pints of blood. It was a completely new way to pass the time and entertain for those not well versed in traditional combat.
4 Monkey Bowling: Super Monkey Ball
If one were to imagine games, Toshihiro Nagoshi, the creator of the Yakuza franchise worked before the debut entry of the aforementioned series, they probably wouldn’t imagine a game about monkeys traversing dangerous mazes in balls. Monkey Ball gets surprisingly challenging though, so don’t let the childish aesthetic fool you.
The main game is complemented by a series of mini-games. One is a surprisingly well-done bowling simulator. The gimmick here is that the monkey is the bowling ball. Another mode features special tracks that change shape and move as the ball makes its way to the pins.
3 Triple Triad: Final Fantasy 8
Most Final Fantasy games come with a mini-game that allows players to play over the course of the entire adventure. These rarely get as much universal acclaim as Triple Triad did from the eighth numbered entry. The card game feels complicated at first, but slowly becomes understandable as players become more involved.
Squall is able to steadily grow his deck and challenge NPCs from the beginning of the journey to the end. Even if there were no rewards for the main game, players would still spend a lot of time in Triple Triad. Most agree that it is much more entertaining than Blitzball from Final Fantasy X.
2 Fort Condor: Final Fantasy 7 Remake
The original Final Fantasy 7 featured a tower defense game in which players defend a bird nesting on a mako reactor from Shinra troops. Pause, the DLC episode featuring Yuffie, includes a minigame based on this side quest. This version gets the nod as it speeds up the pace of gameplay and cleans up the graphics on a smaller playing field.
The side quest with the minigame is long, but even after you conquer it, players want more. Hopefully, future entries in the remake franchise will bring more opportunities for Fort Condor.
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