I’ve had a considerable reference to the Ultimate Fantasy franchise. Whereas I could not adore each entry equally, I’ve performed all of the mainline video games. There’s all the time one thing charming in them that brings a smile to my face. Nevertheless, with the discharge of Ultimate Fantasy 7 Rebirth, one factor has turn into clear: I’m merely not a fan of mini-games.
A Mini Historical past Of Mini Video games
My initiation into Ultimate Fantasy was via Ultimate Fantasy 8. It took me some time to play and end as a result of, at first, I had no concept what I used to be doing. Much like studying to trip a motorbike, I persevered till I grasped the sport mechanics. Though it was irritating, it was nothing in comparison with the problem of mastering Triple Triad.
Triple Triad was my first encounter with a mini-game. I vividly recall being launched to it within the early levels of Ultimate Fantasy 8, controlling Squall, who reluctantly agrees to compete. After almost breaking my controller in an try to know it, I resorted to GameFaqs to defeat my first opponent.
I stumbled via the cardboard sport, not investing a lot in it till I found that Ellone, a vital character within the sport’s narrative, possessed the coveted Laguna card. I wished it for Quezacotl’s Card Mod skill to acquire 100 Heroes, granting occasion invincibility — important for defeating the sport’s tremendous bosses. Nevertheless, acquiring that card proved to be a substantial problem, and to this present day, I chuckle at my quite a few failed makes an attempt to amass it.
Subsequently, many different Ultimate Fantasy video games launched me to their mini-games. Nevertheless, if there are two video games that stand out as the most important culprits of this torment, it is Ultimate Fantasy 10-2 and Ultimate Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
“YRP, In Place, It is Showtime Ladies!”
Ultimate Fantasy 10-2, on some stage, seems like one of many funniest jokes ever performed on me. Being an enormous fan of Yuna, one in every of my favourite fictional characters, I used to be thrilled when 10-2 was introduced and nonetheless contemplate it one in every of my favourite video games within the franchise. Nevertheless, it is also one in every of my least favourite video games to replay.
Again within the day, I performed and replayed 10-2 obsessively. The sport’s fight system, in my view, is without doubt one of the greatest within the collection, and seeing Yuna and her pals rework into totally different jobs was a supply of pleasure. Nevertheless, the abundance of mini-games grew to become a major draw back. To witness Tidus once more, you needed to play virtually all of them. With a method information on my lap, I meticulously adopted each tedious rule to realize the coveted 75-99% story completion for the great ending.
Through the pandemic quarantine, I revisited 10-2, aiming for 100% story completion to get the most effective ending, however the gaming panorama has modified. What was acceptable again then does not maintain up now. If 10 and 10-2 had been remastered at present, many irritating obstacles would probably be trimmed down for a extra beginner-friendly expertise. Nevertheless, because the remaster was one of many first of its variety, the sport stays largely the identical, and my aversion to mini-games resurfaces shortly.
It wasn’t till final summer time that I lastly accomplished a full playthrough, reaching solely 99%. “Properly, not less than I accomplished it,” I instructed myself. However it took so lengthy as a result of the mini-games simply do not enchantment to me.
These experiences got here to thoughts as Ultimate Fantasy 7 Rebirth launched extra mini-games, placing me in an analogous scenario.
Ultimate Fantasy 7 “Re-Mini Video games”
From the beginning of the sport, I knew I wasn’t all in favour of studying the brand new card sport, Queen’s Blood. By chapter 3, varied mini-games began showing: racing a dolphin, marching in a parade, capturing bins with Barrett’s gun arm, and slicing others with Yuffie’s shuriken whereas on a harmful rail cart.
The one mini-game I managed efficiently was Fort Condor, and even that required turning down the problem to Straightforward and spamming principally archers. Profitable did not really feel satisfying after I felt the necessity to manipulate the sport for achievement.
This is not to say I do not take pleasure in Rebirth; I like the story and anticipate that the trilogy’s conclusion will break my coronary heart, similar to the unique did within the early 2000s. I am an enormous Aerith and Zack fan, and I consider they have been portrayed properly this time. Nevertheless, every time a mini-game seems, I discover myself rolling my eyes, sighing, and reminding myself to do the naked minimal. Happily, in lots of circumstances, you needn’t excel in them for the sake of the story.
I acknowledge that I am simply not a fan of mini-games, and that is utterly advantageous.
