History Main / GameWithinAGame

* {{Catherine}} has Rapunzel, which allows the player to practice several block climbing puzzles akin to the ones in the Nightmare stages. Of course, [[{{Understatement}} they get harder]] [[NintendoHard as they go along.]]

* In ''MarioAndLuigi: Superstar Saga'', you can play ''Star Stache Smash'' at the arcade in Little Fungitown. The first time you play that game, it's actually a plot point.

* ''{{Timesplitters}}'' had three games that could be found (via cartridges hidden in levels in story mode) that could be accessed by pressing the reload button with the Temperol Uplink out.

* In ''SuperMarioRPG'', you can buy a Game Boy off a guy in Mushroom Kingdom and start playing ''Beetle Mania''.

* In ''SystemShock 2'' the [[PlayerCharacter PC]] finds some memory sticks with useful programs ? and games. Just plug one into your interface and play.

* ''RatchetAndClank Up Your Arsenal'' had the Captain Qwark Vid comics, which are a side-scroller similar to ''Game/MegaMan''.
** The newest of the series ''RatchetAndClank Future: A Crack in Time'' features ''My Blaster Runs Hot'', an arcade game you can play.

* {{Starcraft}} 2: Wings of Liberty's Campaign Mode will feature Hyperion's Cantina, which, among other things like mercenary recruiting, a giant TV screen and others, it will also feature an arcade machine with ''TheLostVikings'' on it. Not THAT Lost Vikings though, it is a Space Shooters with a Viking(ingame unit) with the enemies resembling Protoss and Zerg units.

* Occurs in ''NoMoreHeroes''; whilst travelling via train during on of his missions, Travis pulls out a hand-held console and starts playing Pure White Tiny Giant Glastonbury (which itself is a spin-off of a fictional anime Travis is obsessed with). Once the game is complete, the mission continues and the game is unlocked at his home for future playing.

See also EmbeddedPrecursor for those sub-examples.

* Left 4 Dead 2 brought us the sideshows in Dark Carnival. The Peanut Gallery, which was a shooting gallery (and unlocked the box with Gnome Chompski for an Achievement). There was Stache Whacker (a Whack-A-Mole game which, when beaten, would break the machine, spew winner tickets, and alert the horde as it dings happily). And there was the Strength Test which, when hit correctly, would knock the bell clean out and alert the horde. This one was also achievement-worthy.

* Subverted in ''DukeNukem 3D'': "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IjLXvxFiMc Hmmm, don't have time to play with myself.]]"

* ''{{Penumbra: Black Plague}}'' includes a shooter minigame in one of the PC´s.

* ''RatchetAndClank Up Your Arsenal'' had the Captain Qwark Vid comics, which are a side-scroller similar to ''MegaMan''.

(Fun Fact: NamcoBandai actually holds a literal patent on this trope, which explains why their games usually feature fully-realized minigames that resemble some of their classic hits.)

* You can play The Lost Viking, a ShoutOut ShootEmUp in the Hyperion's cantina in StarcraftII.

* ''RatchetAndClank Up Your Arsenal'' had the Captain Quark Vid comics, which are a side-scroller similar to ''MegaMan''.
** The newest of the series ''RatchetAndClank Future: a Crack in Time'' features ''My blaster Runs Hot'' an arcade game you can play.

* Not yet released, but {{Starcraft}} 2: Wings of Liberty's Campaign Mode will feature Hyperion's Cantina, which, among other things like mercenary recruiting, a giant TV screen and others, it will also feature an arcade machine with ''TheLostVikings'' on it.