The other day I went through Saints Row 2. And the whole game consists of mini-games. Or not mini-games? And I was wondering, what can be considered a mini-game at all? Are these activities in Saints Row 2 mini-games or not? If not, then what is a mini-game? Is pouring human waste on cars and houses a mini-game?
I went to the internet for answers
The first link on the query, “What are mini-games”, was the Wikipedia article, which reads:
- A short computer game that is part of another computer game. A minigame is always smaller and simpler than the game in which it is contained.
It seems to fit, but something still doesn’t feel right. So I decided to look for a less abstract explanation. There has to be some kind of criteria, right?
I guess there are, and I guess there aren’t. I found a lot of different assumptions that sometimes contradicted each other. For example, one source says that the mini-game must be on a terminal/phone screen/computer within the game (like the terminals in the Fallout series), and another says that the mini-game can be just a side activity, like collecting collectibles. Utterly confused, I fell into contemplation.
Okay, I couldn’t find an adequate and complete concept of mini-game. And if to come from the other side? Not what mini-games are, but why they are needed.
It seems simple, to diversify the gameplay. And variety, in my opinion, is bringing something new. It should be something different from the gameplay of the main game. For example, a game of a different genre altogether.
A mini-game differs significantly in gameplay from the main game. Take the same Gwint in The Witcher.
There, the first point is done. However, Saints Row has racing. Saints Row is action-adventure, and racing is racing. It fits the description that it’s a different genre, doesn’t it? Something wasn’t adding up here, so I decided to add one more point. If a mini-game uses the core – mechanics of the main game, then it’s a side activity. Here comes the second point.
I sorted it out, I don’t have any more complaints. Now (for me, of course) I will be able to divide mini-games and side-activities. It turns out that in Saints Row 2 it is side activities, not mini-games.
With Saints Row all became clear, so I decided to run through my library and remember, where else have I seen mini-games?
Going through the list of games and remembering where and what is where, I concluded that there are minigames that make me feel good, and vice versa, that trigger creepy memories and nervous tics.
Maybe then I can try to define what are good minigames and what are bad ones?
After figuring it out in my head, I made a little list for myself. I’ll go by criteria so it’s easier to see where the bad ones end up.
Bad examples
- Bioshock. A mini-game with pipes. Interesting and engaging at first, the difficulty ramps up over time. But after a couple to three hours, it gets so boring that you don’t want to go to the vending machine. But it is worth to pay tribute, it fits perfectly into the entourage.
- Mass Effect: Andromeda. Sudoku? In a game about space? Albeit with alien symbols, but how badly it fits into the overall gameplay.
- Mass Effect. Opening locks with an arrow that just has to get from the edge to the center. Perhaps someone thought this was something amazing and unique, but in my humble opinion, it was done just for a tick.
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. A game of persuasion. What was that all about anyway? Maybe I’m not seven eyes in the head, but still I couldn’t figure out how to play it properly. It was easier to just bang it with a stick and problem solved.
- Batman: Arkham Knight. Just a couple words here. To get the true ending you have to complete all the mini-games. ALL OF THEM.
Good examples
- GTA San Andreas. The variety of mini-games is very satisfying. Billiards, basketball, game console, yes, even rocking with a stretch can be considered a mini-game. But there is still a spoon of tar. Damn dancing, where you have to press the arrow in time. How many nerves were killed there.
- Fallout: New Vegas. Caravan, in my opinion, is just a gorgeous fit into the world of the game. Card games have always been honored in the Wild West, the spirit of which permeates the whole game. And how exciting it was to find cards for the Caravan in the most unexpected places.
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Who doesn’t know about Gwint. Honestly, I’m afraid to imagine how much effort the developers put into it. And they did it so well that there is one more independent card game. That’s what it means to be made with soul.
- Alien: Isolation. Perfect balance of difficulty, as far as I’m concerned. The hacking itself is simple, but it happens in real time and the main character can get eaten at any moment.
I can give a lot of examples here. The same GTA with its bunch of minigames, RDR with poker, again the Witcher with its Gwint. All these activities are not mandatory, so the player does not have time to get tired of them.
Bottom line
Mini-games are a small, but very important part of gameplay, which requires good implementation. It should give you a break from the main gameplay and help you look at the game world from a different perspective. Don’t forget that mini-games have a great effect on the atmosphere, both positively and negatively. In general, mini-games are good, if they are made qualitatively and with a soul.
