History Main / MiniDungeon

** ''Nexus'' has, in addition to full-fledged labyrinths, sub-dungeons of varying sizes (though all of them are still only one-floor tall). They're placed not too far from the main dungeons in the overworld map, and employ the same gimmicks seen in them (though often employed to provide much harder puzzles, as seen with the Blossom Bridge which requires a much more clever use of the transport platforms than in the Petal Bridge). These sub-dungeons are the setting for unique sidequests involving the game's supporting characters.

* From ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' onwards, it has been a tradition in subsequent 2D ''Mario'' games to have a midway-placed Fortress or Tower level in each world (''two'' in some cases), often guarded by a MiniBoss that appears recurringly through the game. In the case of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', in addition to having fortresses, it also introduces Ghost Houses, and one of them is guarded by a mini-boss (Big Boo). By extension, this also applies to the ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' games, though the mini-boss in each fortress is unique to it; there's also the level "KEEP MOVING!!" in the first game, played right before the final level, that has the castle[=/=]fortress theme heard.

** Southern Face Shrine in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]''. It houses the Face Key that gives access to the northern Face Shrine (main dungeon). Also the Moblin Cave, where you save an NPC that allows you to access the Bottle Grotto, and Kanalet Castle, where you acquire {{Plot Coupon}}s needed to obtain the key to the Key Cavern.

** The Bokoblin's fortress in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', immediately preceding the Arbiter's Grounds. There are also some long, dark caves with rewards at the end.
** The pyramidal tombs in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' where the corresponding four Cobble Knights rest, in them Link has to '''1)''' find a way to the isle where Mutoh's Temple is, '''2)''' enable said way in that island, and '''3)''' enter the temple.

* Inverted in ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', as the main dungeons in the game (the satellital regions of Dinosaur Planet, as well as the Force Point Temples) are always accessed and completed before the mini-dungeons (the Krazoa Shrines). The reason is because, during his quest, Fox alternates between looking for the Spellstones and looking for the Krazoa Spirits; so whenever he finds a Spellstone and puts it where it belongs, his next objective is to find a Krazoa Spirit and take it back to Krazoa Palace, so proceed then to the next Spellstone and repeating the process. This is the reason why the last thing pending before facing the FinalBoss is to retrieve the remaining Krazoa Spirits, as by that point all Spellstones have been retrieved.

* The entirety of Challenge Mode in ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}} 2'' is about exploring 30 miniature caves, most of which are only 1-3 floors deep, and derive from the Story Mode caves whose depths range from 5 to 15 floors except the Emergency Cave, which is a NoobCave and thus another mini-dungeon.

* Aside from [[BonusStage Bonus Stages]], the first three games in the ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' series have special mini-stages that are accessed through special means: Collecting N. Brio or Neo Cortex icons ([[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996 first game]]) and stepping on a colored platform or skull-patterned platform, aside from other things ([[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack second]] and [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped third]] game). These stages - often called "Gem Routes" or "Skull Routes" - are much harder than the actual levels and rarely have a checkpoint. In the case of Skull Routes, you also have to reach the place without dying beforehand. Completing succesfully the Neo Cortex stages will net you keys that open secret levels; completing the Skull Routes will net you gems (in some rare cases colored ones, which are the ones that give access to the Gem Routes). The Gem Routes themselves only have regular gems as rewards.

** ''Nexus'' has, in addition to full-fledged labyrinths, sub-dungeons of varying sizes. They're placed not too far from the main dungeons in the overworld map, and employ the same gimmicks seen in them (though often employed to provide much harder puzzles, as seen with the Blossom Bridge which requires a much more clever use of the transport platforms than in the Petal Bridge). These sub-dungeons are the setting for unique sidequests involving the game's supporting characters.

* Most games in the ''Etrian Odyssey'' series avert this trope as, instead of exploring a set of mini- and main dungeons, the player's party has to explore a gigantic meta-dungeon (Yggdrasil Labyrinth). However, the following games play it straight:

** ''Nexus'' has, in addition to full-fledged labyrinths, sub-dungeons of varying sizes. They're placed not too far from the main dungeons in the overworld map.

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey IV'' has the Caves, single-floored ecosystems with a relatively compact explorable area (usually a 3 x 3 map of quadrants worth 25 spaces each). And each of them has a specific purpose related to a request accepted in the Dancing Peacock in Thardis, though a few of them are also linked to the main story. The main dungeons are the much more complex Mazes, or Labyrinths, which are multi-floored locations with mini-bosses and a boss each. And every floor has its own large area (whose map dimensions are also bigger: 7 x 6 at most). The remaining games in the ''Etrian Odyssey'' series avert this trope, as in them the player's party has to explore instead a meta-dungeon (Yggdrasil Labyrinth).

** The Bokoblin's fortress in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', immediately preceding the Arbiter's Grounds.

* Aside from [[BonusStage Bonus Stages]], the first three games in the ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot'' series have special mini-stages that are accessed through special means: Collecting N. Brio or Neo Cortex icons ([[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996 first game]]) and stepping on a colored platform or skull-patterned platform, aside from other things ([[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack second]] and [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped third]] game). These stages - often called "Gem Routes" or "Skull Routes" - are much harder than the actual levels and rarely have a checkpoint. In the case of Skull Routes, you also have to reach the place without dying beforehand. Completing succesfully the Neo Cortex stages will net you keys that open secret levels; completing the Skull Routes will net you gems (in some rare cases colored ones, which are the ones that give access to the Gem Routes). The Gem Routes themselves only have regular gems as rewards.

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey IV'' has the Caves, single-floored ecosystems with a relatively compact explorable area (usually a 3 x 3 map of quadrants worth 25 spaces each). And each of them has a specific purpose related to a request accepted in the Dancing Peacock in Thardis, though a few of them are also linked to the main story. The main dungeons are the much more complex Mazes, or Labyrinths, which are multi-floored locations with mini-bosses and a boss each. And every floor has its own large area (whose map dimensions are also bigger: 7 x 6 at most).

* ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey IV'' has the Caves, single-floored ecosystems with a relatively compact explorable area (usually a 3 x 3 area of quadrants worth 25 spaces each). And each of them has a specific purpose related to a request accepted in the Dancing Peacock in Thardis, though a few of them are also linked to the main story. The main dungeons are the much more complex Mazes, or Labyrinths, which are multi-floored locations with mini-bosses and a boss each. And every floor has its own large area (whose dimensions are also bigger: 6 x 6).

* From ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' onwards, it has been a tradition in subsequent 2D ''Mario'' games to have a midway-placed Fortress or Tower level in each world (''two'' in some cases), often guarded by a MiniBoss that appears recurringly through the game. In the case of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', in addition to having fortresses, it also introduces Ghost Houses, and one of them is even guarded by a mini-boss (Big Boo). By extension, this also applies to the ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' games, though the mini-boss in each fortress is unique to it; there's also the level "KEEP MOVING!!" in the first game, played right before the final level, that even has the castle[=/=]fortress theme heard.

** Ice Cavern and Bottom of the Well in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]''. The former is necessary as Link earns there the Iron Boots, which are required for tackling the [[UnderTheSea Water Temple]]. In the latter, the Lens of Truth lies within, and is necessary for navigating the [[BigBoosHaunt Shadow Temple]]. To a lesser extent, there's the Thieves' Hideout, inside which the young hero has to rescue the four carpenters before he can proceed into the desert.

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' had The Fade, the realm where spirits, demons, and dreaming human reside. You enter it completely out of nowhere, while exploring a tower where demons have overrun the mages within, and once you're in, you must complete it to continue. The stage itself is a repetitive puzzle maze, your player character is completely alone, there is next to no dialogue or plot progression, and the entire place is intentionally blurry and out of focus. It is so infamous to DA fans that several mods exist which allow you to bypass the mini-dungeon completely while collecting every reward from it.

* ''WorldOfWarcraft'' used to have several places commonly referred as mini dungeons or outworld dungeos. These were areas in the main game world (rather than being instances like proper dungeons), that othervise functioned similar to dungeons, with elite enemies designed to be fought as a group. They usually had quests associated with them with rewards similar to ones you'd get from actual dungeons. However, in later expansions most of the enemies in them lost their elite status, making them easier to solo and not any different from normal areas.
* Aside from [[BonusStage Bonus Stages]], the first three games in the ''Franchise/CrashBandicoot'' series have special mini-stages that is accessed through special means: Collecting N. Brio or Neo Cortex icons ([[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996 first game]]) and stepping on a colored platform or skull-patterned platform, aside from other things ([[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack second]] and [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped third]] game). These stages - often called "Gem Routes" or "Skull Routes" - are much harder than the actual levels and rarely have a checkpoint. In the case of Skull Routes, you also have to reach the place without dying beforehand. Completing succesfully the Neo Cortex stages will net you keys that open secret levels; completing the Skull Routes will net you gems (in some rare cases colored ones, which are the ones that give access to the Gem Routes). The Gem Routes themselves only have regular gems as rewards.

** Ice Cavern and Bottom of the Well in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]''. The former is necessary as Link earns there the Iron Boots, which are required for tackling the [[UnderTheSea Water Temple]]. In the latter, the Lens of Truth lies within, and is necessary for navigating the [[BigBoosHaunt Shadow Temple]]. To a lesser extent, there's the Thieves' Hideout, inside which the young hero has to rescue the four carpenters before he can proceed into the desert. Finally, there's the Gerudo Training Ground, which while lacking any definitive boss battle, mini or otherwise, does still contain a wealth of puzzles and enemies to overcome, and an addition to your inventory as a reward for success (as well as the technicality that, like the proper dungeons containing a map and the like, the game puts you at the entrance if you save and quit here). Unlike the others, this one is completely optional though.

** Ice Cavern and Bottom of the Well in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]''. The former is necessary as Link earns there the Iron Boots, which are required for tackling the [[UnderTheSea Water Temple]]. In the latter, the Lens of Truth lies within, and is necessary for navigating the [[BigBoosHaunt Shadow Temple]]. To a lesser extent, there's the Thieves' Hideout, inside which the young hero has to rescue the four carpenters before he can proceed into the desert.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime 1'' and ''3'' have, respectively, the sunken ''Orpheon'' Frigate and the wrecked ''GFS Valhalla'' as relatively large and intrincate mini-dungeons, which respectively precede the Phazon Mines and Pirate Homeworld as ''huge, gargantuan'' dungeons.

** Southern Face Shrine in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]''. It houses the Face Key that gives access to the northern Face Shrine (main dungeon). Also the Moblin Cave, where you save an NPC that allows you to access the Bottle Grotto, and Kanalet Castle, where you acquire {{PlotCoupon}}s needed to obtain the key to the Key Cavern.

** Southern Face Shrine in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Link's Awakening]]''. It houses the Face Key that gives access to the northern Face Shrine (main dungeon).

** The Savage Labyrinth in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', whose first 30 floors are required to get the chart that leads to one of the Triforce fragments to enter the VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon. The game also has [[LethalLavaLand Fire Mountain]] and [[SlippySlideyIceWorld Ice Ring Isle]], which are short but contain items (the Power Bracelets and the Iron Boots, respectively) necessary to access through main dungeons ([[UndergroundLevel Earth Temple]] and [[GustyGlade Wind Temple]], again respectively).

* The Spacestation in ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini''. It's played akin to the cargo ships visited by Juno, Vela and Lupus through their individual routes, but it's severely wrecked and the only relevant thing to do is rescue Tribals.
* Inverted in ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', as the main dungeons in the game (the satellital regions of Dinosaur Planet, as well as the Force Point Temples) are always accessed and completed before the mini-dungeons (the Krazoa Shrines). The reason is because, during his quest, Fox alternates between looking for the Spellstones and looking for the Krazoa Spirits; so whenever he finds a Spellstone and puts it where it belongs, his next objective is to find a Krazoa Spirit and take it back to Krazoa Palace, so proceed then to the next Spellstone and repeating the process. This is the reason why the last thing pending before facing the FinalBoss is to retrieve the remaining Krazoa Spirits.

* From ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' onwards, it has been a tradition in subsequent 2D ''Mario'' games to have a midway-placed Fortress level in each world (''two'' in some cases), often guarded by a MiniBoss that appears recurringly through the game. In the case of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', in addition to having fortresses, it also introduces Ghost Houses, and one of them is even guarded by a mini-boss (Big Boo). By extension, this also applies to the ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' games, though the mini-boss in each fortress is unique to it; there's also the level "KEEP MOVING!!" in the first game, played right before the final level, that even has the castle[=/=]fortress theme heard.

* Inverted in ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures''. The first PlotCoupon Fox looks for is a Spellstone, so he makes his way towards one of the satellital regions of Dinosaur Planet to retrieve it. After he does so and gives it back to its corresponding Force Point Temple, the next thing he tries to find is a Krazoa Spirit, which lies within one of the Krazoa Shrines, and then puts it back into Krazoa Palace. In other words, he first goes to the dungeon areas and then goes to the mini-dungeons, the Shrines, which are little more than obstacle courses compared to the clusters of puzzles and obstacles that constitute the floating parts of Dinosaur Planet.

* ''NetHack'' has a few side branches, such as the dwarf caverns, a couple towers and the quest.

* From ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' onwards, it has been a tradition in subsequent 2D ''Mario'' games to have a midway-placed Fortress level in each world (''two'' in some cases), often guarded by a MiniBoss that appears recurringly through the game. In the case of ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'', in addition to having fortresses, it also introduced Ghost Houses, and one of them is even guarded by a mini-boss: Big Boo.
* By extension, this also applies to the two ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' games, though the mini-boss in each fortress is unique to it. There's also "KEEP MOVING!!" in the first game, played right before the final level, that even has the castle[=/=]fortress theme heard.

* ''[[VideoGameDeadlyRoomsOfDeath DROD: The Second Sky]]'' has a couple of examples:

* The Spacestation in ''VideoGame/JetForceGemini''. It's pretty much like the cargo ships visited by Juno, Vela and Lupus through their individual routes, but it's severely wrecked and the only relevant thing to do is to rescue Tribals.

* ''StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' has an odd play on this trope. There are "story areas" walled off to anyone but a character on a certain point in their class quest. The character enters them and has to fight through some level-appropriate mobs to get to the story goal and progress. You can ride shoutgun on another class's story with someone you're grouped with, but you won't be able to interact with the {{Cutscene}} parts at the end.

If the place is optional to begin with, then it's either a BonusStage or BonusDungeon (depending on how and when it's accessed). Compare DungeonTown.

* By nature, almost any NoobCave is in and of itself a mini-dungeon, unless the first area in the game happens to be of a caliber as high as that of any further level.

* ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime 1'' and ''3'' have, respectively, the sunken Orpheon Frigate and the wrecked GFS Valhalla as relatively large and intrincate mini-dungeons, which respectively precede the Phazon Mines and Pirate Homeworld as ''huge, gargantuam'' dungeons.

* As mentioned before, it's less complex and intrincate than main dungeons. As a general rule, it's not guarded by a boss, but rather a mini-boss.

** Royal Crypt in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap The Minish Cap]]''.