Minigames

A small game played through another game.

Many games simulate a part of reality and one possibility of this is to simulate other games. Another possibility for games is to have the result of other games be the primary input for what happens in the main game. Since in both these cases the inner games are smaller than the game containing them, or at least are subordinate to the outer game for the outcome of the activity, they inner games are referred to as Minigames.

Examples

Games that try to enact whole worlds in great detail, like tabletop roleplaying such as Hârnmaster and GURPS as well as lice-action roleplaying games, can easily end up in situations where games are played. Typically these are small gambling game similar or exact instances of existing games, such as Poker or Craps.

Computer games make it quite easy to contain other games in themselves. The graphical adventure game Day of the Tentacle included its prequel, Maniac Mansion, as a playable Minigame on a computer inside the game. In Fallout: New Vegas the Collectible Card Game Caravan and several traditional gambling games (e.g. Roulette and Blackjack are implemented as Minigames.

Party games mainly consist of smaller games. Examples of this includes the Mario Party series and the whimsical WarioWare series. Single-player versions of games simulating matches and including training and other inter-match activities, e.g. Bloodbowl, are borderline cases of having Minigames.

Using the pattern

The design of Minigames quite obviously required the creation of other games. In addition, one has consider how the outcome of these Minigames translate into Trans-Game Information for use in the outer games, if the inner games should have some effect at all.

Rewards Punishments

Surprises Easter Eggs

Tournaments can be seen as an easy way of creating Minigames but unless there are gameplay components outside the inner games, the outer game will fail to be perceived as a separate entity. Playing Single-Player campaigns in the computer game version of Bloodbowl is an example of how this can function since the training and recruiting of individual players and other team related activities provide additional gameplay opportunities.

Limited Gameplay Time

Consequences

Depending on if the Minigames transmit any Trans-Game Information they either make them have Extra-Game Consequences and the main game be a Meta Game of sorts, or simply be Optional Goals motivating Extra-Game Actions.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Extra-Game Actions Optional Goals

with Trans-Game Information

Extra-Game Consequences Meta Games

Can Be Modulated By

Trans-Game Information

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

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