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)

Space Quest III: The Pirates Of Pestulon
Space Quest III: The Pirates Of Pestulon
Astro Chicken
Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers
Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers
Ms. Astro Chicken
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Beetle Mania
TimeSplitters 2
TimeSplitters 2
Anaconda
RetroRacer
AstroLander
Project Gotham Racing 2
Project Gotham Racing 2
Geometry Wars
Yume Nikki
Yume Nikki
NASU
Doom 3
Doom 3
Super Turbo Turkey Puncher 3
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
They Crawled from Uranus
Go Go Space Monkey
Let's Get Ready to Bumble
Duality
The Warriors
The Warriors
Armies of the Night
Bully
Bully
ConSumo
Future Street Racer 2165
Future Street Racer 3D
Monkey Fling
Nut Shots
Yakuza 2
Yakuza 2
YF6
No More Heroes
No More Heroes
Pure White Tiny Giant Glastonbury
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
QUB3D
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People
Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People
Math Kickers featuring the Algebros
Limozeen's Hot Babelien Odyssey
Space Circus Catastrophe
Snake Boxer 5
Gel-Arshie's Pro Fruitboarder
Saints Row 2
Saints Row 2
Zombie Uprising
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Hero Klungo Sssavesss Teh World
Yakuza 3
Yakuza 3
Boxcelios
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - L.O.G.'s Lost Challenges
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts - L.O.G.'s Lost Challenges
Hero Klungo Sssavesss Teh Universsse
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
My Blaster Runs Hot - The Game
Yakuza 4
Yakuza 4
Boxcelios 2
Super Scribblenauts
Super Scribblenauts
Untitled arcade machine game
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Call of Duty: Black Ops
Dead Ops Arcade
Catherine
Catherine
Rapunzel
Yakuza: Dead Souls
Yakuza: Dead Souls
Boxcelios 2 Turbo
La-Mulana
La-Mulana
PR3
Mukimuki SD: Memorial
Yakuza 5
Yakuza 5
Gunrhein
Goat Simulator
Goat Simulator
Flappy Goat
Steamworld Goat
Box Pusher
Grand Theft Auto Online
Grand Theft Auto Online
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
Splatoon
Splatoon
Squid Jump
Squid Racer
Squid Beatz
Squidball
Fallout 4
Fallout 4
Atomic Command
Grognak & the Ruby Ruins
Pipfall
Zeta Invaders
Red Menace
Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza Kiwami
MesuKing
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley
Journey of the Prairie King
Junimo Kart
Fallout 4: Automatron
Fallout 4: Automatron
Automatron
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
VA-11 Hall-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action
Model Warrior Julianne
Shenzhen I/O
Shenzhen I/O
Shenzhen Solitaire
Night in the Woods
Night in the Woods
Demontower
Splatoon 2
Splatoon 2
Squid Beatz 2
Dujanah
Dujanah
Cities of the Doomed
Poopek Loves it all
The Caves of Al Dajjal
Pie or Anus
Harmadillo
Turbo Track Ultra Race
Golf Story
Golf Story
Galf
Galf Seasons
Galf Nights
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Tiger! Tiger!
Exapunks
Exapunks
HACK*MATCH
Judgment
Judgment
Kamuro of the Dead
Eliza
Eliza
Kabufuda Solitaire
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling
Mite Knight
Flower Journey
No More Heroes III
No More Heroes III
Deathman
Eastward
Eastward
Earth Born
Lost Judgment
Lost Judgment
Aircelios
Hama of the Dead
Grapple Dog
Grapple Dog
Boomerang Bandit

24 Comments


8 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!

8 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.

8 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

8 months ago

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

8 months ago

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

8 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

8 months ago

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

8 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.

8 months ago

This is a really cool list idea!

8 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.

8 months ago

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

8 months ago

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

8 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)

8 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

8 months ago

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

8 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.

8 months ago

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

8 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

8 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!

8 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.

8 months ago

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

8 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.

8 months ago

missing ridge racer 7

8 months ago

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


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