Nidiogames: Original, playable video games inside other games

Basically, games within games.

Check Notes for nidiogame names.

Things not in this list:
- Previously released games (e.g. Celeste Classic within Celeste, NES games in Animal Crossing)
- Collections of games (e.g. Super Mario All Stars, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection)
- Games that serve as a one-time plot point (e.g. the punch-out arcade game in Deltarune Ch2, the dating simulator section of Super Paper Mario)
- Games about games (e.g. Moon RPG, Inscryption)

Boomerang Bandit
Aircelios
Hama of the Dead
Earth Born
Mite Knight
Flower Journey
Kabufuda Solitaire
Kamuro of the Dead
HACK*MATCH
Galf
Galf Seasons
Galf Nights
Cities of the Doomed
Poopek Loves it all
The Caves of Al Dajjal
Pie or Anus
Harmadillo
Turbo Track Ultra Race
Squid Beatz 2
Shenzhen Solitaire
Journey of the Prairie King
Junimo Kart
MesuKing
Atomic Command
Grognak & the Ruby Ruins
Pipfall
Zeta Invaders
Red Menace
Squid Jump
Squid Racer
Squid Beatz
Squidball
Don't Cross the Line
Invade and Persuade II
Street Crimes: Gang Wars Edition
Badlands Revenge II
Space Monkey 3: Bananas Gone Bad
The Wizard's Ruin
Defender of the Faith
Monkey's Paradise
Race And Chase: Street Legal
Race And Chase: Get Truckin'
Race And Chase: Crotch Rockets
Camhedz
Mall of the Spook
Mrs. Spook
Spooky Kart
Flappy Goat
Steamworld Goat
Box Pusher
Gunrhein
PR3
Mukimuki SD: Memorial
Boxcelios 2 Turbo
Rapunzel
Dead Ops Arcade
Untitled arcade machine game
Boxcelios 2
My Blaster Runs Hot - The Game
Hero Klungo Sssavesss Teh Universsse
Boxcelios
Hero Klungo Sssavesss Teh World
Zombie Uprising
Math Kickers featuring the Algebros
Limozeen's Hot Babelien Odyssey
Space Circus Catastrophe
Snake Boxer 5
Gel-Arshie's Pro Fruitboarder
Pure White Tiny Giant Glastonbury
ConSumo
Future Street Racer 2165
Future Street Racer 3D
Monkey Fling
Nut Shots
Armies of the Night
They Crawled from Uranus
Go Go Space Monkey
Let's Get Ready to Bumble
Duality
Super Turbo Turkey Puncher 3
Swimmer's Itch
Barnacle Blast
Anaconda
RetroRacer
AstroLander

24 Comments


10 months ago

This is a fantastic list. Glad to see Golf Story and TimeSplitters are already here! I replied on Discord with the info for Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People, will come back if I think of more!

10 months ago

Nice! I have a similar (but not exactly equivalent) list Games Within Games. You might find something in there that fits for this. I'm definitely stealing some of yours.

9 months ago

@thealexmott thank you!
@cowboyjosh ha, I figured someone else would have done the same thing. I will definitely be perusing yours for additions to my own

9 months ago

Great list! What about Shenzhen Solitaire in Shenzhen I/O or Sigmar’s Garden in Opus Magnum?

9 months ago

@Patteca Shenzhen Solitaire is worth an add, but Sigmar's Garden is not a video game within the gameworld of Magnum Opus

9 months ago

Maybe patched in after you played Opus, but the two main characters have a conversation about Sigmar’s Garden being a game that kids play. Dialogue can be seen ~33s into this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUd9nX54_Zo#t=33s

9 months ago

(Err, it’s arguably a board game in their world and not a video game though, which is probably your point. Nvm!)

9 months ago

@Patteca Yeah, I tried to be careful with how I titled the list, because I'm interested in finding video games that were placed inside other video games, and are considered video games inside the world.

9 months ago

This is a really cool list idea!

9 months ago

Cute list! I think Banjo Kazooie nuts and bolts might fit cause its got an in world arcade game made by Klungo that you play.

9 months ago

@silvernevermind Yes, that's a good add, thanks!

9 months ago

In MediEvil on PS4 if you 100% the game you can unlock the entirety of MediEvil on PS1

9 months ago

Yakuza 3, 4, and Dead Souls have an original game in their in-universe sega arcades called Boxcelios with a sequel/new version in each game; a time-based scrolling space shooter with mechanics I’ve never seen in a similar game (not that i’m by any means an expert in that genre)

9 months ago

I don't know the name of it, but Super Scribblenauts has an arcade game you can play if you summon an arcade machine in any level

9 months ago

@poyfuh Lost Judgment has another evolution of that series called "Aircelios"

9 months ago

And oh yeah, Judgment and Lost Judgment both have a faux light gun shooter in the in-game arcades called "Kamuro of the Dead" reusing assets from Yakuza Dead Souls.

9 months ago

another one (sorry for all the comments): Space Quest III has a Lunar Lander clone called "Astro Chicken"

9 months ago

@STRM thanks for the suggestion, but I'm just looking for original video games
@poyfuh Thanks!
@tangysphere Looks like it doesn't have a proper name, but I added it
@DJSCheddar Thanks, I tried to add all of the various Yakuza/Judgment games that applied. Also, Space Chicken is a cool addition, the oldest one so far

9 months ago

Obviously it's your list, but you might want to reconsider MesuKing from Yakuza Kiwami. In the plot it's presented as a card game you play with children, even though when you actually play the game it's rendered as some sort of live action costumed wrestling match. It's... weird. Basically, not a video game.

Great job building up this list! I have so many more I have to steal now hahaha!

9 months ago

Oh yeah I also added Hi Fi Rush because in the latest update they added an arcade cabinet that you use to access the new modes. They're basically just alternate modes for the main game, though (like score chases and stuff) so I dunno if it qualifies here.

9 months ago

va11hall-a has a danmaku minigame called Model Warrior Julianne in it! its hard as balls tho

9 months ago

@cowboyjosh Actually, I think MesuKing is based on Mushi King, which is a hybrid card/arcade game. It's presented as a video game in Yakuza so it's enough to count for me! I think I'm going to pass on the arcade mode in Hi-Fi Rush however, as it is more of a game mode despite having an arcade machine as the way you enter it.

9 months ago

missing ridge racer 7

9 months ago

@Deepest_roots added, thanks!
@tarnkappe I'm not sure what game you are referring to


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