A Quick History of Gambling Themed Mini Games
Some of the greatest video games in history came with exciting, rewarding yet compulsory mini games. In Red Dead Redemption 2, you must complete six mini games before you’re done with the game. In Shenmue’s forklift truck racing, mini games make up the game.
As a gamer, mini games can be a meaningful way to take a break from the usual gameplay and try out something new. In this article, we explore casino-themed mini games and why they’re so popular.
Why Mini Games?
There are many reasons why a video game developer may choose to add a mini game. First, it introduces a new angle to the storyline. In Witcher 3, the game is all about a skilled swordsman who traverses countrysides to kill and hunt for bounties.
He can use his resources for many reasons, which is why he’s always finding them. Thanks to the presence of mini games like Gwent card game within, the protagonist can earn extra money once in a while.
As a gamer, you’re always looking forward to these mini games. Instead of ride miles, use up your health fighting and waste a lot of virtual money, a mini game can help you find what you’re after easier. While not every mini game is appreciated, some like Gwent, became so successful afterward that they inspired complete games titled after them. Many mini games are entertaining anyway. So, when taking your character to a pub within a video game, coming across a parlor where you can enjoy poker or blackjack is never a bad thing.
History of Gambling Mini Games
Video games have been using casino-themed mini games since the 1980s. They were created for the same reasons they are used today. But back then, mini games only appeared once. If you came across a fruity slot and played it, you were deemed to have passed that level.
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Many 90s video games adopted mini games, helping the then small niche go mainstream. Again, gambling-related mini games took after fruity slots, which were the most popular casino games back then. In the 2000s, mini games saw a decline in popularity but were kept alive by top tier developers that would add one or two mini games to their franchise video games.
Best video Games with Mini Games
Pokemon Stadium’s Old School Fruit Machines
Before Pokemon Go came along, there was a colorful strategy game called Pokemon Stadium. The game had a lot of storylines, including competing in large stadiums, one on one battles and pub games. Pokemon Stadium 2 continued with the trend by introducing a lot more games.
Most of the mini games required skills to win but also had multiple casino themes. The “Egg Emergency” game, for example, saw players compete in slot style games. Eggs dropped top-down in four reels and the winner was whoever amassed the highest number of eggs. Read more here to see the old school slots that inspired Nintendo to create the mini games.
Red Dead Redemption: Table Games
Red Dead Redemption 2 was so popular in 2018 that a lot of people were heartbroken when it did not win the Video Game of the Year Award. Like its prequel, RDR2 is an adventure game that mimics the life of a cowboy in the countryside.
The game has six mini games, four of which are gambling games. Blackjack is played by the standard rules. Beat fellow competitors at producing cards whose value are closest but not beyond the number 21.
Five finger-fillets is the knife game played running the knife between your fingers without stabbing yourself. In RDR2, you can bet on your character and earn money you could use for other things. The fourth game is poker. If you’re skilled at it, RDR2 gives you the chance to test your skills and win a lot of money. Keep in mind it’s compulsory to win all six mini games in Red Dead Redemption to complete the game.
The Witcher 3: Gwent
We already introduced The Witcher 3 and Gwent. You’re a powerful swordsman that can control crowds. You can kill, rescue the kidnapped and chat with merchants. But when you need money and resources, you either hunt for them as bounties or play a simple card game. What would you choose?
Most people say both, but Gwent lets you win money easier and without sacrificing your virtual health and time. The game is a mixture of gambling and skills. There’s a time when collecting cards give you an edge over opponents. At times you can buy Gwent cards but you must go through a competition.
Fable ii: In-Game Gambling
Fable II stole everyone’s attention with its ability to make gamers form connections with characters. Killing people or even raising rent turned you into a monster. Being nice to people made you a hero albeit not for a long time. There were always people who were never happy, which is why the game developed some gambling games to relax.
Their mini games are played in pubs and have names like Fortune’s Tower and Keystone. Winning the casino-style games earned you money for your character. Losing leaves you indebted to the pub owner. Playing the games multiple times gave you experience points and access to tournaments where you could win substantial amounts.
Grand Theft Auto San Andreas
San Andreas is one of the best games in the Grand Theft Auto Series. Like all its brothers, this game is all about road rage, drive-by shootings, and other vices. When it came to mini-games, San Andreas had dedicated casinos where you could frequent to gamble. Inside the games are table games like blackjack, slots, and roulette. High rollers even earned bonuses and free playing credit from casino operators.
In Conclusion
Casino games are a big inspiration for video games that want to build mini-games. Since the 1980s, most mini games included some form of gambling. GTA San Andreas did it best with fully fledge gambling establishments. Red Dead Redemption’s table games were also impressive. However, these games can all trace the history of mini games to classic slots, one of the most played games to date.