by JameWith news that Gwent, the mini-game from The Witcher, is getting its own standalone game called Project Golden Nekker, we thought it would be a good time to look at other mini-games that have caught our attention.
Gwent was a hugely popular mini-game in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and its appeal resulted in CD Projekt Red creating a spin-off. While details of the upcoming Project Golden Nekker are thin on the ground, the fact that the collectible card game is getting another release cements its place as probably the best and most successful mini-game in video game history.
If Gwent takes the title, these are some other mini-games that were a memorable distraction from the core gameplay.
Red Dead Redemption II – Poker
“Red Dead Redemption II (30 von 36)” (CC BY 2.0) by @yakobusan Jakob Montrasio
Rockstar Games are thoughtful in their development of mini-games within their creations and they provided a range of options in Red Dead Redemption 2 due to their popularity. Dominoes, blackjack and Five Finger Fillet were all memorable pursuits, but poker was king. Online casinos have taken a similar approach as they aim to attract as diverse an audience as possible and this can be seen with the vast number of titles at Paddy Power online slots where customers can choose from a variety of themes.
For those unfamiliar, playing poker on Red Dead was actually a decent way to learn the game, as covered on IGN, and really captured the spirit of playing no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em till the cows come home. With AI opponents you can’t read emotions, which is an important feature of poker, but you could try your hand at bluffing to force a digital opponent into folding.
For many of us, we’ve played more hands of poker at camp, Valentine, Tumbleweed, Blackwater, or Flatneck Station than we have in real life.
Grand Theft Auto V – Taxi Driver
In GTA, players can use taxis to get to their desired location when a rest from driving was required, but taxi driving was also a good way to make a few bucks.
You needed to acquire a taxi first and then by pressing the appropriate button you could take on the assigned taxi assignments provided by the dispatcher. Working as a taxi driver was often a welcome distraction and one of the several professions you could partake in. The GTA series, in general, is often crammed with fun mini-games and while we’ve highlighted the taxi driving, being a paramedic or firefighter was also fun. There were also yoga, golf, tennis, and dart games too just to name a few.
Project Gotham Racing 2 – Geometry Wars
“Geometry Wars Galaxies” (CC BY 2.0) by ManuelSagra
Head to the garage and try the arcade cabinet to delightfully discover this series of top-down multi-directional shooter video games. Similar to the progression of Gwent, Geometry Wars was popular enough to generate stand-alone games. This technicolor shooter used simple shapes and exploding colors to create a feast for the eyes that could be making a swift return. With dormant Activision franchises being reviewed as reported by Eurogamer, it could be one of several classic titles to make a comeback.
As always with these features, we’ve definitely forgotten a gem or two that was beloved by many. The success of Gwent is good news for gamers, as developers will surely look to replicate CD Projekt Red’s hit and therefore continue creating outstanding mini-games.
