History Main / MiniGame

* The ''KingdomHearts'' series features quite a few, especially the sequels. Many of them are mandatory, and all of them are required for OneHundredPercentCompletion:

* {{Vexx}} includes two different varieties of mini-game in the main game, with several different levels: A "ring battle" game, and a "platform battle" game. While they're single-player only, they pit you against three CPU enemies, which suggests that multiplayer might have been planned at one point.

* ''TheConduit'' requires the player to solve a minigame to unlock secret weapons caches.

* In ''[=McDonald's=] Treasure Land Adventure'', you can play the "Block Game" (very similar to ''VideoGame/{{Columns}}'') to win items.

Fun Fact: [[BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco Bandai]] actually [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope held a U.S. patent]] on using this trope in a LoadingScreen, which explains why their games usually feature fully-realized minigames that resemble some of their classic hits. Thankfully, [[https://www.eff.org/fr/deeplinks/2015/12/loading-screen-game-patent-finally-expires said patent expired in 2015]].

Fun Fact: NamcoBandai actually [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope held a U.S. patent]] on using this trope in a LoadingScreen, which explains why their games usually feature fully-realized minigames that resemble some of their classic hits. Thankfully, [[https://www.eff.org/fr/deeplinks/2015/12/loading-screen-game-patent-finally-expires said patent expired in 2015]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'': Various human parameter increasing activities like the batting cages and video games involve lining up ui elements, hitting buttons at the right time or hitting them as fast as you can. This is a notable evolution from previous Franchise/{{Persona}} games, which featured no such thing when doing after-school activities (other than ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'''s FishingMinigame) and were instead passive. Mini-games include a FishingMinigame, BettingMiniGame, RacingMiniGame and a PopQuiz.

* The ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' series had the toy/souvenir room, which came with various weird interactive stuff to mess around with and quite a few full length mini games of some of the microgames in the main game itself. Two of these that appeared quite often, Paper Plane and Pyoro, were actually made into standalone games and released for the DSi's download service.

(Fun Fact: NamcoBandai actually [[DisneyOwnsThisTrope holds a U.S. patent]] on using this trope in a LoadingScreen, which explains why their games usually feature fully-realized minigames that resemble some of their classic hits.)

* ''VideoGame/{{Persona 5}}'': Various human parameter increasing activities like the batting cages and video games involve lining up ui elements, hitting buttons at the right time or hitting them as fast as you can. This is a notable evolution from previous Franchise/{{Persona}} games, which featured no such thing when doing after-school activities (other than ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'''s FishingMinigame) and were instead passive.

* ''{{Shenmue}}'' had a variety of minigames to play, including darts, pool, a QTE-based boxing game, and fully emulated versions of classic Sega games like ''SpaceHarrier'' and ''HangOn''.

** The MegaDrive version has "Runaway Train", where Psycho has to run across the top of a locomotive; "Whale's Belly", where Psycho jumps across floating rings to throw crabs at a whale's ulcers; and "Moonsquares", where Psycho must travel across a set of disappearing platforms.

* ''RomancingSaGa3'' had 3 of them 2 were limited only to Mikhail's Scenario: A War Game in which you could control an army which starts off as retaliation against a coup to actually assailing an enemy fortress and holding it for a brief time. You could play the game with other characters but it could only be played twice; one is being paid as a mercenary for an army, and the other is distracting the enemy forces to allow you to sneak into the PointOfNoReturn. Another was a simulation where you control the kingdoms' assets and rule over provinces, this also allowed you to make armor; some that required materials. The third MiniGame involved you creating a company and buying out commodities in 3 rounds; [[spoiler: The first was to make your company large, the second was to defeat a company importing illegal goods, and the last was to defeat human businesses that allied themselves with the Abyss demons. You get paid 10,000 after completing each round and it also allows you to recruit a character after you clear the first round.]]

* {{Vexx}} includes two different varieties of mini-game in the main game, with several different levels: A "ring battle" game, and a "platform battle" game. While they're single-player only, they pit you against three CPU enemies, which suggests that multiplayer might have been planned at one point.

* The ''VideoGame/QuestForGlory'' series has a number of mini-games, most relating to the Thief and his abilities. ''Shadows of Darkness'' and ''Dragon Fire'' each had separate mini-games used to disarm traps, while ''Trial by Fire'' had a tightrope-walking mini-game that appears optional at the start, but makes a comeback as part of the Thief's endgame. ''Wages of War'' had Awari, a boardgame based off of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oware Oware]], a real game played in Ghana.
* ''VideoGame/EscapeFromTheMindmaster'' had five mini-games that tested your memory and reflexes.

* ''AnimalCrossing'' had "minigames" that were entire NES games.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' EdutainmentGame ''The Doctor and the Dalek'', the minigame is the whole point. It's a platformer intended to teach kids the basic concept of programming. So every level has a point where you're suddenly no longer controlling the Dalek directly and instead giving it a series of commands to follow in order to reach a goal. Then it's back to the platforming.

GameWithinAGame is a subtrope in which Mini Game is a in-{{Verse}} game playable by PlayerCharacter. VideoMode is a common type of Mini Game for PhysicalPinballTables.

* ''SteambotChronicles'' had a stellar 9-ball minigame, as well as rhythm minigames for all sorts of instruments from a humble harmonica to an accordion.

* ''MadWorld'' has 'Bloodbath Challenges', [[CrossesTheLineTwice incredibly bloody]] sessions of cruelty that involve killing {{Mooks}} with special props and weapons. Some are more difficult than others.

* It has been argued that ''VideoGame/{{Portal}}'' is a mini game. Short? Yep. Side-story to an existing series? Yep. Same engine as an existing series? For the most part. Released in a package alongside various other games, including a continuation of the previously mentioned existing series? Yep.

** ''Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards'' had no real minigames to speak of in the main game, but included 3 little multiplayer mini-games in a side mode. They actually had their own little goals to complete, but didn't affect the main game.

* The ''VideoGame/WarioWare'' series had the toy/sovenir room, which came with various weird interactive stuff to mess around with and quite a few full length mini games of some of the microgames in the main game itself. Two of these that appeared quite often, Paper Plane and Pyoro, were actually made into standalone games and released for the DSi's download service.
* A few characters who started out as platformers are now in the minigame business, namely VideoGame/{{Rayman}} (''VideoGame/RavingRabbids'') and Wario (''Warioware'')

Some [[Main/PartyGame Party Games]] even consist entirely of Mini Games, usually bizarre and highly varied - such as ''VideoGame/MarioParty'', ''VideoGame/WarioWare'', ''VideoGame/CookingMama'', ''VideoGame/BishiBashi'' and the ''Ape Academy'' series. You might not get the same mileage out of a Mini Game package as you would from a hundred-hour RPG, but that doesn't mean they're not fun.

See also: