Favorite minigames/side modes

[twilitfalchion]

What are some of your favorite minigames/side modes across the games you've played? Whether it's the classic fishing minigame or something simple like bowling, or even something much more unique depending on the game.

I've enjoyed my fair share of fluff minigames (spent a stupid amount of time in Yakuza 0's bowling mode, for example), but I do tend to prefer modes that are combat focused. Pretty much anything that involves fighting wave after wave of enemies, or a one-on-one boss rush mode usually is right up my alley.

 

[ExLight]

I remember Professor Layton having some fun minigames.
Persona 5 Royal and Yakuza are also two games that have plenty of entertaining side games.

Oh yea, TWEWY had the fun pin minigames, and MMBN6 had a fun puzzle thing where you could set a field with viruses to win, which was also very fun.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

speed in Xenogears, the computer has an unfair advantage but that just makes me want to beat it more

 

[Grogson]

Sort or 'Splode, Pair-a-gone and Lakitu Launch from Super Mario 64 DS.

Dr. Max Stat and fiddling with the red man from The Urbz for the GBA. Motocross Mayhem, basically a poor man's Excitebike, from is also worth mentioning from that game.

The last puzzle from 999 is quite something, mostly for the story context and framing even though I do enjoy

Spoiler

a sudoku in its own right.

 

[LegendOfMeesh]

fiddling with the red man from The Urbz for the GBA.

I pictured this in my mind as soon as I read it. I used to LOVE that game and part of the game.

 

[5teelPriest]

I and a friend of mine had a LOT of fun with the co-op on Splinter Cell Blacklist. Especially the wave fights.

I also like the flying minigame in Super Monkey Ball.

 

[Grogson]

I pictured this in my mind as soon as I read it. I used to LOVE that game and part of the game.

Yes!! The music was awesome, too.

 

[MightyMario]

the urbz gba was awesome, my favorite minigame was the bumper hovercraft one in the swamp

 

[Chevywolf30]

I actually really enjoy rollgoal in TP. And the fishing hole from TP. And the hidden village reprise minigame. I especially love how it has the same song playing when you find the cats as it does when you're sniping all the Bokos. Sploosh Kaboom in WW is also fun.

 

[MW7]

The minigames in Pokemon Stadium 2 are amazing. I like a few of them more than the game itself and any minigame across all Mario Party games that I've played.

I love Voltorb Flip in Pokemon Soulsilver. I've had playthroughs of Soulsilver where I've spent like 30-40 hours just playing that minigame. I wish it was a little less luck-based, but there is more skill involved than I think people give it credit.

In Zelda games I think my favorites are all the archery minigames in Majora's Mask, and Thrill Digger in Skyward Sword.

 

[Hyrulian Hero]

Shadow Battle from FSA was simple and shallow but memorable. Pazaak from KOTOR was one of the very few parlor games I've enjoyed in a video game (the coin game from Fable being a rare exception). The best mini game though, the best mini game...the #/BEST\# mini game man has ever encountered is the Luigi's Mansion mini game from Nintendo Land.

 

[Bowsette Plus-Ultra]

There's a surprisingly engaging survival rogue-like mode in Rise of the Tomb Raider. You're dropped into a somewhat randomly generated wilderness and tasked with raiding as many tombs and collecting as many treasures as you can without dying. Survival mechanics are introduced in the form of hunger and temperature meters, and you're always at risk of freezing or starving to death. As more in game days pass, enemies become progressively stronger, are eventually replaced by undead samurai things that start killing the normal enemies, and wildlife becomes sparser.

I genuinely recommend it if you own the game.

 

[thePlinko]

It took me way too long to think of a response to this thread, but every single one of the minigames in the original Plants Vs Zombies is top notch.

Actually, I take that back. Pogo Party and Bobsled Bonanza are literally just normal levels but now with a single Zombie type showing up 99% of the time. It’s kinda lame.

 

[Deleted member 96199]

The minigames in Pokemon Stadium 1 were fun and I spent a lot of time playing minigames in Super Smash Bros Melee too but I think that the Merceneries from Resident Evil (originally 3) 4 and 5 (and later 6) are the best minigames that I have played. They were so good that the Nintendo 3DS launched with only three titles The Mercenaries 3D being one of them which I bought at full price and didn't regret. A minigame which actually made it to become a full-blown title. Which I don't see like this (I still consider it a minigame) but it happened.
Side modes I'd say Ocarina of Time 3D Master Quest if it counts. Definitely "Real Survival Mode" in Resident Evil Remake. Having to move your items from one item box to another and the resources being really scarce make the game hard. Also you don't have any of your unlockables. It's ideal if you want that survival feeling. Some times hard difficulty can add to the experience.

 

[Vanessa28]

I actually really enjoy rollgoal in TP. And the fishing hole from TP. And the hidden village reprise minigame. I especially love how it has the same song playing when you find the cats as it does when you're sniping all the Bokos. Sploosh Kaboom in WW is also fun.

Oh! I used to save the game after the Goron chief smashed the rocks so I could enter the area. And then I refused to save because that way I could play the Bulblins shooting game over and over and over. I even made challenges how to shoot them, beat them all in a certain time, beating them without hitting anything else etc. I still love that game. I never care for the cats game but the Bulblin shooting.....best time ever