Board 8 > What is the shortest game you would truly call great?

(+) Yeah! (+)

my first thought was A Short Hike

LeonhartFour posted...

A game where your only goal is a high score isn't the same thing as a game with a definite ending point

People are clearly using time played to first completion, or you'd be getting a bunch of Super Metroid answers.

MacArrowny posted...

People are clearly using time played to first completion, or you'd be getting a bunch of Super Metroid answers.

I don't remember how long it took me to beat Mario 1 the first time since I was 4 when I originally played it

I'd still consider it a short game, even if you're doing a playthrough where you don't skip any levels

MacArrowny posted...

People are clearly using time played to first completion, or you'd be getting a bunch of Super Metroid answers.

Yeah, I considered like Sonic 2 but that doesn't seem right here.

There are too many Arcade games to name lol

It said shortest, not least time to complete.

Journey

LeonhartFour posted...

I don't remember how long it took me to beat Mario 1 the first time since I was 4 when I originally played it

I'd still consider it a short game, even if you're doing a playthrough where you don't skip any levels

Dunno how I'd feel if I tried to play it legit today, but as a kid, Mario 1 felt endless if you didn't use the warp zones. I mean gawd, that's thirty-two whole levels! And if you don't know them already, your tendency is to go slow and explore and try to drop down every pipe and bash every block, etc.

GreenMario posted...

It said shortest, not least time to complete.

Sorry, you're going to have to explain because I'm not picking up what you're implying here. Isn't least time to complete how one defines if a game is short? Or are you measuring the heights of the cartridges?

It's 32 levels with a time limit of a few minutes each. Yeah, it feels like a lot, partly because of the tension of limited lives and the fact that you don't have a chance to take a breather (unless you pause), but it's still not that much time to do.

azuarc posted...

Sorry, you're going to have to explain because I'm not picking up what you're implying here. Isn't least time to complete how one defines if a game is short? Or are you measuring the heights of the cartridges?

In other words, don't include all the time you spent screwing up in the final total.

Just finished watching Barry. Great show, would definitely recommend it!

Journey, Star Fox 64 are definitely the ones I'd pick. Or like, Metal Gear Rising.

So how long would it take someone to complete if they were already competent with the game. Which is obviously not how I was viewing SMB1.

azuarc posted...

So how long would it take someone to complete if they were already competent with the game. Which is obviously not how I was viewing SMB1.

In that case I am windmill slamming Outer Wilds as the answer to this question as I could probably beat the game in 20 minutes

azuarc posted...

So how long would it take someone to complete if they were already competent with the game. Which is obviously not how I was viewing SMB1.

The poll question indicates that there's more than one way to define "short" game.

Although even if you're playing Mario 1 for the first time, I doubt it takes you that many hours to figure it out and beat it.

what if you're playing the All-Stars version of SMB

Having spent the last couple of decades invested in the experimental/hobbyist/free games community, I've played hundreds of games that can be completed in less than 20 minutes that I would truly consider great. The absolute shortest I can think of is Run Jesus Run a.k.a. The 10 Second Gospel, which as the title implies can be completed in under 10 seconds.

For anyone curious, it can be played at https://molleindustria.org/runjesusrun/run_jesus_run.html or, if you can't be bothered to download a 10 second game in this post-Flash era, watched here: https://youtu.be/2_fneen2G2k

Time Crisis

Probably Star Fox 64

Leonhart4 posted...

The poll question indicates that there's more than one way to define "short" game.

Although even if you're playing Mario 1 for the first time, I doubt it takes you that many hours to figure it out and beat it.

Took me about 5 years, but that was starting when I was in first grade, and I didn't own an NES. Even so, I think SMB1 is significantly harder than later classics like SMB3 and SMW.

Anyway, to the people who are picking games that are normally longer but can be completed quickly, I have to pose the question: are they great when you're beating them that swiftly? Or is their greatness and their shortness independent? When plum "windmill slammed" Outer Wilds a couple posts ago, my knee-jerk reaction was "well, yeah, but you miss the entire point of the game in the process."

azuarc posted...

Took me about 5 years, but that was starting when I was in first grade, and I didn't own an NES. Even so, I think SMB1 is significantly harder than later classics like SMB3 and SMW.

Anyway, to the people who are picking games that are normally longer but can be completed quickly, I have to pose the question: are they great when you're beating them that swiftly? Or is their greatness and their shortness independent? When plum "windmill slammed" Outer Wilds a couple posts ago, my knee-jerk reaction was "well, yeah, but you miss the entire point of the game in the process."

You literally have to beat Outer Wilds in under 22 minutes

Aisle

MacArrowny posted...

You literally have to beat Outer Wilds in under 22 minutes

Yes, in one loop.

That was kind of my point in why contra and Mario brothers dont really count for this question, because if you are counting those you cant exclude outer wilds

Dkc 1 or 2

you don't even have to be good at it to beat Contra in 30 minutes. Just use the Konami code. It definitely counts for this

WazzupGenius00 posted...

you don't even have to be good at it to beat Contra in 30 minutes. Just use the Konami code. It definitely counts for this

Using cheat codes makes games easier. More at 11

masterplum posted...

Using cheat codes makes games easier. More at 11

This topic has nothing to do with whether or not you use cheat codes to beat a game, especially a widely known and avaliable one like the Konami Code.

Ability to beat the game fast does not translate directly to it being a short game.

HanOfTheNekos posted...

Ability to beat the game fast does not translate directly to it being a short game.

Which is why most people aren't counting speedrunning for this, yeah

Leonhart4 posted...

Which is why most people aren't counting speedrunning for this, yeah

But some people are discounting "time spent screwing up", when difficulty is itself a factor in game length.

HanOfTheNekos posted...

But some people are discounting "time spent screwing up", when difficulty is itself a factor in game length.

Not sure why familiarity with a game is being discounted entirely. If it's a game I can play normally and beat in one sitting, I'd consider it short, whether I'm playing it for the 1st time or the 100th time.

Do you consider Breath of the Wild a short game?

HanOfTheNekos posted...

Do you consider Breath of the Wild a short game?

No, because I wouldn't play it normally and beat it in one sitting.

See, I find it interesting because the game is specifically designed for someone with familiarity to be able to beat it in one sitting, if they so choose, without even considering it to be "speedrunning".

Anyway, my original post wasn't really directed to what you said at all, it was in relation to the discussions of Outer Wilds and cheat codes. I just thought your response was miscategorizing what I said as being about speedrunning, when it's a pretty applicable statement across game design.

Breath of the Wild allows for it, but I still wouldn't consider it to be playing the game normally.

Something like Sonic 2, I can sit down and beat it in an hour or two without having to do anything out of the ordinary, so to me, that's a short game.

And to actually respond to something:

Leonhart4 posted...

Not sure why familiarity with a game is being discounted entirely.

It is indisputable that familiarity with a game tends to lead to you being able to complete it faster. Even without speedrun strats. Biggest example of this would be something like Dark Souls.

Leonhart4 posted...

Breath of the Wild allows for it, but I still wouldn't consider it to be playing the game normally.

Something like Sonic 2, I can sit down and beat it in an hour or two without having to do anything out of the ordinary, so to me, that's a short game.

Yes, to you its a short game.

Its not a short game

Oh, I know it's indisputable, but familiarity is a plus for me if I want to play something for a short period of time and be able to finish it in one go.

Leonhart4 posted...

Oh, I know it's indisputable, but familiarity is a plus for me if I want to play something for a short period of time and be able to finish it in one go.

I think an answer like this is why I, personally, am more interested about games where familiarity has lesser effect. And for old games like Sonic 2 or SMB1, there is surely bias when viewing those as games I played young, but even still, Star Fox 64 still gives the impression of a shorter game. At least, to me.

Star Fox 64 is also an easier and more forgiving game than those two (especially if you take the "easy route"), so you're more likely to finish it quicker, even as a first time player.

I'll say Radiant Silvergun.

While a run of it on Saturn Mode may only be about 1 hour, it's one nonstop challenge all the way through, with a lengthy boss list from start to finish. [I believe it's 20+ bosses in total.]

Actually, after I looked at my save, Radiant Silvergun averages about 80-85 minutes on one full run on Saturn Mode.