As games have leveled up, the virtual realms we dive into have become crazy real. And hey, what’s a world without games, right? In the gaming design world, there’s this cool tradition of packing games within a game. Talking about alternative modes, mini-puzzles, or games that just amp up the world’s reality, or totally stand-alone titles.
Some of these mini-games are super fun and addicting, snagging a few hours before you know it. Others? They keep you hitting replay or even outshine the main game. It would also help to note that you can bet on mini online casino games on top sites like Betway. Meanwhile, here are eight of the best mini-games you should consider.
Gwent
Game: Witcher 3 (2015)
Gwent in Witcher is probably the most addictive and captivating strategy card game to ever hit an RPG. It’s so beautifully balanced and a blast to play. The game features familiar faces and artwork from Geralt of Rivia’s world. Players feature as one of two armies, battling it out with different cards and capabilities.
Playing Gwent adds this whole new layer to the Witcher experience (yeah, it’s in the original books, too). However, it’s also a super entertaining game on its own. Sure, Gwent birthed a stand-alone game, but I’m all about that stylish in-game version. Easy to get, but a hard one to master.
Survival Cops Chase
Game: Driver (1999)
This adrenaline-filled driving game for the OG PlayStation throws you in the shoes of undercover cop John Tanner on a mission to infiltrate a crime syndicate by being the ultimate poser getaway driver. Manage to dodge that insanely maddening tutorial and escape the parking garage, and you’re in for a treat with massive maps covering Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.
As Tanner, you get to choose different driving modes that double as mini-games, like checkpoint races. But for me? Survival takes the cake. It’s straightforward: try to stay alive as a never-ending swarm of cop cars attempt to bash you off the road.
Terminal Hacking Pip-Boy App
Game: Fallout 4 (2015)
Mention “mini-games” and “Fallout 4,” and boom – Terminal Hacking instantly pops up. Need to crack into secured terminals? Gear up for mini brain teasers to sniff out the right password from a messy mash of words and codes. Wrong picks show how many letters you got right. And hey, click on matching brackets to boot out incorrect options.
Now, Fallout 4’s wastelands are stashed with full-blown mini-games for your Pip-Boy, that slick wrist-worn computer managing your stash and stats. Kick off with Atomic Command, a doppelganger for Missile Command. Scour the wastelands and snag cartridges for other Pip-Boy twinning games like Pipfall (think Pitfall!), Red Menace (hello, Donkey Kong), Zeta Invaders (akin to Space Invaders), Grognak & the Ruby Ruins (like The Bard’s Tale), and Automatron (Robotron’s twin). Bethesda even rolled out a nifty, underrated mobile application for Android, iOS, as well as Windows Mobile that morphs your phone into a Pip-Boy, mini-games and all.
Voight-Kampff Test
Game: Blade Runner (1997)
As a fervent Blade Runner enthusiast, you must have spent countless hours probing homicides on the rain-drenched avenues of Los Angeles. Westwood’s 1997 point-and-click adventure positioned you as detective Ray McCoy, unraveling a unique story intertwined with the movie’s narrative.
The quest to hunt down replicants was intricate, offering occasional opportunities to employ a Voight-Kampff test on suspects to ascertain their human or replicant status. The game presented a detailed eyeball view, challenging you to craft questions that induce anxiety yet avoid shutting down their responses before determining their true identity.
Taxi Driver
Game: Grand Theft Auto III (2001)
Amidst the pandemonium that ensues in GTA, the alternate choice to embrace a side job is not only a skill enhancer but also a modest earning opportunity. Oddly enough, navigating the city streets transporting people amidst your chaotic schedule of mob clashes and illicit deals brings a sense of calm. The GTA series is bursting with mini-games.
Early editions permit embodying a paramedic or firefighter role, while the latest sequels flaunt detailed golf, bowling, tennis, and dart games. GTA V even introduces serene yoga sessions, yet the allure of working as a taxi driver retains its charm for a tranquil respite from the intense aggression.
Poker
Game: Red Dead Redemption (2010)
Passing time in the neighborhood tavern has demonstrated the ease of playing until dawn. In Red Dead Redemption, your virtual poker playtime surpasses your real-life experience, presenting a brilliantly executed mini-game epitomizing the excitement of no-limit Texas Hold’Em. If you enjoy poker on platforms like Betway, you’ll enjoy this mini-game!
Wearing the refined suit in the original title, you can slyly draw an additional card from the deck’s bottom. However, maintaining a steady arrow is essential to avoid detection of your deceit by fellow players. Unfortunately, the sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, omitted this cheating feature.
Fishing
Game: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (2006)
Peaceful, leisurely, perhaps deemed dull by some, it’s peculiar how fishing has emerged as a standard mini-game in expansive virtual worlds, with The Legend of Zelda series largely to thank. Across various entries in the series, fishing appears in diverse forms.
Amidst thrilling quests, a tranquil afternoon devoted to fishing offers delightful respite. The mechanics of fishing may vary, but Twilight Princess particularly elevated this aspect. The game allows fishing in any water body, using assorted bait, hooks, or lures. Success hinges on the correct combination, with factors like weather, time, and season influencing the catch, demanding both knowledge and skill for the prime haul.
Wolfenstein 3D
Game: Wolfenstein: The New Order (2014) and The Old Blood (2015)
Wolfenstein takes the crown for the best meta mini-game with its splendid nightmare sequences in The New Order and The Old Blood. Opt to catch some shut-eye at specific spots, and you’ll unlock nightmare scenarios for BJ Blazkowicz. Embarking on these nightmares, you’re thrust into the harsh, classic terrains of Wolfenstein 3D, tasked with defeating Nazis, attack dogs, and SS troopers, culminating in a showdown with the formidable Hans Grösse. An interesting tidbit: Wolfenstein 3D holds the honor of being the inaugural first-person shooter game!
