Best & Worst Minigames: 2000-Present

The minigame can be one of the most successful or infuriating elements of a video game. No matter how successful a title is, if its series of minigames derail the main plot, send characters down a useless side quest, or are simply hard to understand, then they take players out of the game.

However, when a minigame is well-placed and on theme, it feels like a seamless extension of the main action. Not only does it add to the game’s realism, but minigames are often important ways for characters to build resources, like money or luck. If a game is popular enough, it could even see its own adaptation as a video game.

This is the case with The Witcher: Wild Hunt. Developers invented a collectible card game titled Gwent. The game proved so popular with characters that it’s since seen its very own independent game adaptation. But not all minigames will see the same level of success. Looking back over the last twenty-three years of gaming, here are our favorite and least-favorite minigames.

Red Dead Redemption 2, Poker (Best)

Released in 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 has benefited from the poker boom. Today, virtual platforms like PokerStars allow players to try out different variations of the game, along with unique formats like home games or tournaments. But the game’s true origin stretches back to the era depicted in the Red Dead franchise.

Players must navigate the American frontiers of the Wild West as they seek to survive and thrive in a highly unpredictable time. And the game includes the same dusty saloons that hardened cowboys would find back then. Players can play poker and earn in-game funds, which directly affects their success throughout the game.

 Elder Scroll IV: Oblivion, Speechcraft (Worst)

Anyone who has ever wondered about the logistical dynamics of persuasion can try their hand at this Elder Scroll minigame. This ‘social’ minigame is known as speechcraft, which conveys the challenges of convincing someone to do something… and that’s about as straightforward as this game gets. Players have to tinker around with dialogue until an NPC appears persuaded, but the clunky and confusing mechanics only take this minigame from bad to worse. 

 GTA V, Triathlon (Best)

The Grand Theft Auto franchise is known for being a no-holds-barred romp. Players can do whatever they want with very few restraints in this open-world game. But one of the most brilliant minigames has characters attempting the incredibly mundane: to finish a triathlon. Unsurprisingly, players won’t have a lot of equipment to help them swim, run, and bike their way to glory.

In fact, just about all they’ll have is an energy gauge—and it still manages to be a highly successful and entertaining adventure. Much of this is thanks to developer Rockstar Games knowing how to make audiences laugh. Still, even down to the mechanics, this triathlon minigame hits the mark. 

Mass Effect 2, Hacking (Worst)

Hacking is a common minigame that developers rarely seem to get right. In the case of Mass Effect 2, it seems like creators took a leap away from what hacking actually looks like—which is a travesty considering Mass Effect is one of the best sci-fi titles of all time. So, why did developers choose to present this minigame as an endless, confusing string of hard-to-read codes?

Worst of all, why was the game’s primary challenge to line up these codes? First, it isn’t how hacking works in any capacity—certainly not in 2011 when the game was released. Second, the lines were physically hard to read, giving many a headache. 

Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Orlog (Best)

Similar to the creators of The Witcher’s Gwent, developers of this iteration of Assassin’s Creed opted to create their own game. While it’s not based on any game played by Vikings back in the day, it’s proved incredibly popular. Rather than use cards, players must collect dice, then roll them to collect small stones.

Just like Gwent, the game has become popular enough that developers decided to create a physical version of the game. And, though not based on archaeology, the game’s title relates to Norse beliefs. Orlog, or ørlög, is one-half of the perception of fate (alongside wyrd). In this case, ørlög is the inevitable element of fate.