Summary
There’s something special about those little side activities tucked away in big games. Whether it’s a quirky card game, a fishing simulator, or a full-blown pet-raising system, minigames have a way of stealing the show. Sometimes, they’re so good that I forget about the actual game I’m supposed to be playing.
Growing up, I spent countless hours playingSonic Adventure 2on myDreamcast. But oddly enough, my fondest memories aren’t of dashing through levels or smashing robots. It’s all the hours I spent caring for my Chao in the Chao Garden.
For those of you who are unfamiliar,Sonic Adventure 2has a pet simulator minigame called the Chao Garden that you can unlock by collecting a key in the main game. In this Chao Garden, you can raise “Chao”—adorable little critters that you can find and collect in the main game.
Once you hatch your Chao, there are all sorts of things you may do to help them grow. You can feed them, pet them, take them to kindergarten, name them, and take them to the doctor when they aren’t feeling well. You can even breed new Chao and make them compete in races and karate.
From the moment I discovered this minigame inSonic Adventure 2, my priorities shifted. I started spending most of my time in the garden instead of the main game, and I found myself replaying levels I’d already completed just to get enough rings to fund my Chao purchases. With the way I treated it, the Chao Garden might as well have been the main game, and the Sonic levels were just a way to support my Chao addiction.
It wasn’t just Sonic’s Chao Garden that hooked me either. I’ve always been a sucker for good minigames. I remember having so much fun with theSushi-Go-Roundminigame inPokémon Stadiumand spending multiple hours playing Picture Poker inSuper Mario 64 DS.
Mini Games Are the Best Kind of Extra Content
I think part of the reason why I love minigames so much is that they give you so much bang for your buck entertainment-wise. Discovering a new minigame is kind of like downloading an expansion pack, except what comes with it is a whole other game, and you don’t have to pay anything for it.
Different games have different strategies for introducing extra content through minigames. Many RPGs use them to add a whole new level of depth and immersion. That’s why you’ll notice that so many of them have some sort of board or card game that’s deeply intertwined with their lore. ForThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it’s Gwent, forStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, it’s Pazaak, and forHorizon Forbidden West, it’s Machine Strike.
Other games, however, will sometimes add minigames that have nothing to do with the main game or that clash with its tone. The minigames might even be in a completely different graphic style to the main game. These are my favorite.
One game like this that immediately comes to mind isYakuza 0. The main game is a standard action-adventure gangster game, but the minigames are all over the place. There’s fishing, bowling, darts, and baseball, but alsoTelephone Club,where you attempt to set up telephone dates,Japan Catfight Club,where you make bets on an underground fighting club, andDisco,where you bust out some moves.
Another game that makes liberal use of minigames is theFinal Fantasyseries. The main game is combat-oriented, but the minigames let you do everything from racing to sports to card games. InFinal Fantasy VIIspecifically, there are all sorts of minigames, including Chocobo Racing, Blitzball, and Galactic Saviors.
Some Minigames Bring Back Classic Retro Titles
Sometimes developers will hide retro games inside much bigger and advanced games as minigames. It’s always cool to find these Easter eggs. You get a nice bit of nostalgia, or you get toplay retro gamesfrom before your time that you’d probably never get a chance to play otherwise.
For example,DOOM Eternalsneaks both the classicDOOMandDOOM 2as minigames in the main game.
Also, inCyberpunk 2077, you’re able to play aWolfenstein 3D-inspired retro game calledArasaka Tower 3D, and inCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, you canplay an interactive fiction gamecalledZork.
I Play Minigames When I Want a Break From the Action
These days, video games are longer than ever, and it is now practically impossible to find new games that you canfinish in a weekend. I have split feelings about that. On the one hand, I love expansive worlds, and getting so much value out of my money, but on the other, at some point, playing the same game for hours on end starts to feel like a slog.
Instead of playing the game until I get burned out on it, or switching to another game and risking abandoning the one I’m currently playing, I intersperse my playthrough with regular minigame deviations. The minigames act like breaks and give my brain a chance to recover from the stimuli of the main game.
I find that after spending a couple of minutes indulging in a minigame, I come back to the main game with a greater appreciation of the gameplay instead of just playing for completion’s sake.
Look out though; not all minigames improve your enjoyment of the game. Sometimes developers add minigames just to pad your game hours, while others exist solely to convince you to spend money in the game. Don’t fall for those games thatdon’t respect your time. As a rule of thumb, if a minigame has microtransactions then it’s probably not worth your time.
Some Games Are So Good, They Spill Into the Real World
I’ve played my fair share of minigames, and a couple of them were so good that they took on a life of their own. A perfect example is card game Gwent, fromThe Witcher 3.
The game was so popular that CD Project RED, the developers behind the game, released it as a stand-alone game calledGwent: The Witcher Card Game.Even today, several years after its release, there’s still hype around it. In fact,Hachette board gamesrecently revealed that there will be a physical release of the game later this year, and lots of people are looking forward to it.
I’ve also heard about people creating physical games out of video game minigames. Over on Reddit, you can find projects dedicated to creating custom card sets for minigames likeTriple TriadfromFinal FantasyandOrlog, fromAssassin’s Creed Valhalla. Someone even went as far as 3D printing the board and pieces forMachine Strike.
Personally, the minigame that’s got me hooked right now is Dice fromKingdom Come: Deliverance, and fortunately for me, it has the benefit of being easy to play—all you need is a few dice and a cup. Now that I’ve learned the rules and gotten used to the game, I’m seriously considering buying a pair and introducing the game to my friends during game night.
Minigames might be a small part of video games, but they have a huge impact. They add depth, fun surprises, and a welcome break from the main action. Game worlds are richer for them, especially when they can stand apart on their own.
