The Best Games within Games

There’s a particular kind of joy that comes from discovering a really good game inside another game. Over the years, some developers have packed in these mini marvels so well that players end up getting hooked on them just as much, if not more, than the core adventure itself.

Gone Fishin’ for Treasure in The Wind Waker

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is a game practically drowning in ocean–like, water makes up 99% of its real estate. You'd expect to do some fishing, right? Maybe catch a tuna or two? Nope. The only thing you’re casting your line for is treasure. Yep, Wind Waker is less about fish and more about scooping up rupees, maps, and mysterious Triforce shards from the watery depths.

The whole treasure-hunting mechanic becomes this weirdly satisfying routine, especially once you’ve upgraded your grappling hook and start hauling up riches like some sort of seafaring raccoon. And let’s not forget the talking fish, because, of course, the only fish you do encounter are the ones that give you advice and fill in your sea charts. That’s peak Zelda. But if you want to catch a virtual fish, iGaming expert Pride Kazunga recommends his list of fish table games in 2025, where you can combine the thrill of arcade-style action with a casino prize. You might want to try out demos to get a feeling and develop a strategy before you go for the real thing.

Gwent: Born from a Weekend and Now a Legend

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is full of monster contracts, moral choices, and vast, war-torn lands. But what really caught players off guard was Gwent, a full-blown card battler with the potential to consume hours of your life. Born from a caffeine-fueled 48-hour design sprint by Damien Monnier and Rafał Jaki, Gwent took inspiration from a dwarf card game in the original Witcher novels. What was meant to be a small side activity became so popular that it spawned a standalone game.

Gwent’s brilliance lies in its simplicity with depth. Players act as battlefield generals, deploying melee and ranged troops over multiple rounds. Strategy, bluffing, and deck composition all come into play. The original three-row layout has since been streamlined, but the magic remains. It became a cornerstone of the Witcher experience. And honestly, more than a few players would admit they were less concerned with saving Ciri and more obsessed with collecting every last card.

QUB3D: GTA IV’s Tetris Tribute

While Liberty City might be overwhelmed with crime and chaos, sometimes a weary criminal just wants to chill and play some puzzles. Enter QUB3D, an arcade cabinet found throughout Grand Theft Auto IV. It’s Rockstar’s tongue-in-cheek love letter to tile-matching games like Tetris, Puyo Puyo, and Klax. The game even mocks itself in promotional posters: “the puzzle game you’ve played before.”

Still, QUB3D delivers something oddly compelling. As the colors multiply and the speed ramps up, lining up matching tiles becomes a tense, addictive little break from blowing up cars. It's a reminder of an era when devs snuck in fully functional side games just because they could. It’s simple, sure, but it’s also sneakily hard to put down once you start climbing that high score list.

Blitzball: A Sports Game in an RPG’s Clothing

Some people dove into Final Fantasy X for the emotional story and epic summons. Others ignored all that drama to focus on one thing: Blitzball. A bizarre mashup of soccer, water polo, and RPG menus, Blitzball had surprising depth and strategy. There were leagues. There were tournaments. There were players to scout and stats to grind.

For sports fans trapped in a JRPG, Blitzball was the sweet spot. You could spend hours managing your team and climbing the ranks, much to the annoyance of anyone waiting for you to move the main story along. It didn’t matter that you were technically trying to stop a world-ending monster–your team needed a new midfielder.