The 10 Shortest Games Ever.

This is an article from NowGamer. BTW, feel free to name some of the short games you have played too.

Before we dive head-first into this morass of short games, we have to point out why we chose the titles we did. For starters, score attack games like Space Invaders or short arcade experiences like Sega Rally and Street Fighter II don't qualify. We're also not counting multiplayer modes, only story campaigns with a definitive end-point.

10. Fable

Approx time: 7 hours
The original Fable isn't a small game by any means but if you're talking key quests, which we are here, then the core campaign is incredibly short when compared to other RPGs available at the time. Molyneux and company addressed the piddling story length in re-release Fable: The Lost Chapters. While gamers appreciated Lionhead's efforts to address the problem, the lack of acorns still left a sour taste in the mouth. Acorn DLC for Fable III Peter?

9. Wanted: Weapons of Fate

Approx time: 4 hours
As movie tie-ins go, Grin almost knocked it out of the park with Wanted. Weapons of Fate was a genuine effort to emulate the insane bullet-fu of the graphic novels and movie, unfortunately cut down to size by a rather guff campaign length. Kudos to Grin however, for keeping the action churning at a relentless pace for the duration, but this would have been a more impressive feat had the story been longer.

8. Pokemon Snap

Approx time: 1 hour
It might be a bit unfair that we've singled Pokemon Snap out from the rest of the series canon, but while the Pokemon RPG titles were chock full of depth and things to do, Pokemon Snap is bite-sized by comparison. We can see them now, the tear-streaked faces of every child who got Pokemon Snap for Christmas, only to complete it before the turkey and stuffing was served. Heartbreaking.

7. Quantum of Solace

Approx time: 4 hours
Yes it's a movie license and we shouldn't expect the world from it, but Treyarch really did a number on Bond enthusiasts with Quantum of Solace. The real problem isn't that the game lasts a mere three hours, it's that Quantum of Solace actually had decent gameplay that mirrored Call of Duty, but with a scant campaign and none of the excitement the movies are known for. It's a shame that the game could have been so much more.

6. Army of Two: The 40th Day

Approx time: 5 hours
One particular NowGamer team member can't rant enough about how much he detests Army of Two 2, claiming that he finished the entire single player campaign in just over three hours. Size aside, the motives of the generic rent-a-villain are revealed in a rapid burst of exposition right at the very end, rendering the whole thing as a confused, ambiguous mess. Maybe keeping this game short was a good thing in the end.

5. Yoshi's Story

Approx time: 4 hours
Another game we enjoy yet simply have to include on the list, Yoshi's Story is rammed to capacity with charm and neat design, but the story length pales in comparison to its forebear Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. While Yoshi's Story was brilliant for the duration, it was over too soon, leaving us wanting to experience more of the rich, colourful world it portrayed. Thankfully Yoshi's Island DS was massive and gave us another reason to jump back into Yoshi's world.

4. Mirror's Edge

Approx time: 4 hours
It's a game that centres on the concept of speed-running, but we at least expected the campaign to be of a decent length, not to mention deliver a strong story. While NowGamer enjoyed the concept of Mirror's Edge, it ended so abruptly after about the four hour mark, leaving an impression that developer DICE had either run out of ideas, or that it was pretty sure it was getting to make a sequel. Due to lacklustre sales, the latter seems unlikely.

3. The Bouncer

Approx time: 1 hour
On paper, the concept of a Final Fight-StyIe brawler built around Final Fantasy sensibilities sounds like a dream ticket. But the reality of The Bouncer is middling graphics, characters with daft hair and even dafter names, as well as a ropey fight mechanic and fleeting story mode. The whole thing was a sloppy lesson in how not to do scrolling beat-em-ups in 3D, and regrettably, one of the NowGamer team bought it on launch day. Ouch.

2. Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days

Approx time: 3-4 hours
This one is well documented seeing as Kane & Lynch 2 only came out recently. It's true that the campaign can be rinsed in just over the three hour mark on normal setting, but no matter how much anyone tells you otherwise, the multiplayer mode simply cannot justify the levels of repeat playing that warrant a full price-tag. We keep finding ourselves asking how this is possible in today's industry.

1. Rogue Warrior

Approx time: 4 hours
Oh dear, oh dear, oh bloody dear. Rogue Warrior simply has to be a mainstay of top ten lists with negative connotations due to how utterly shoddy it is. Based on the 'real-life' military escapades of Dick Marcinko, the guy is allegedly hard as nails and no stranger to dishing out pain. We reckon he'd crack and start weeping like a child after playing this total waste of time for its measly sub-four hour campaign. We urge you to go out and buy copies only to destroy them.

BlayzBloo - 10 minutes

There are definitely other games out there that are shorter than Fable's 7 hours.

Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. Could have been a bit more on the big marine levels.

How is the Sega Genesis version of Dark Castle not on there, you can beat it in 2 minutes!

wheres MW2 on that list?

They could probably havethe first Kane and Lynch on there also. I beat it in less than five and a half hours.

That list is really stupid. I thought that they were just putting up quality games on the list (even though QoS is pretty bad but still) and then they pull out rogue warrior at the end wtf. No thought was put into this what so ever.

Yeah Mirror's Edge was short but I enjoyed it so much that I replay the levels quite a few times. And there is a sequel in the works.

Limbo for XBLA was extremely short. Just when it started to get really good, it ended.

That list is really stupid. I thought that they were just putting up quality games on the list (even though QoS is pretty bad but still) and then they pull out rogue warrior at the end wtf. No thought was put into this what so ever.

iBear-

wolfenstein should be on that list. it took me about 5 and half hour to complete. can be done easily in 4 hours if you dnt mess around

The Graveyard should be on there. You can beat it within 5 minutes.:P

It's really sad to see so many games from this generation on there. It really says a lot about this current gen. majadamus

i dont find last gen games to be any longer then current gen

Jaws for the NES... Once you know how to beat it.. Which takes a WHILE to figure out lol.. You can beat it in 4 minutes... And Strider for genesis is like half an hour regardless of how bad you are lol thats the length.

Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days :P

how isnt dantes inferno on this list? first time i played it i was trying to collect all collectibles and stuff and still finished it in 6 hours... then on my second playthrough i finished it in 4 hours without bothering about collectibles....campzor

incorrect. nothing is shorter and more horrible than Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days.

seriously, try to enjoy it.

i dare you.

call of duty should have got a mention

wasnt there a PS3 game that was only like 4-6 hrs long? it had a female as the lead...cant remember the name

Super Mario Bros. (NES) I can complete it in 5 minutes 19 seconds. But I saw it completed in 5 minutes 5 seconds that is the fastest I saw it completed that is with taking shortcuts everywere.

wasnt there a PS3 game that was only like 4-6 hrs long? it had a female as the lead...cant remember the name

gamer-adam1

I love it when posters complain about lists on SW. The sentiment is usually that if the list doesn't match said fanboy's viewpoint almost to a tee, it's the worst list ever and the people who put it together are stupid and should all be fired because they don't know what they are talking about. Basically, every list ever made about gaming can be considered a fireable offense.incuensuocha

yup, how is a 1 hour game length, not the number 1 shortest game on the list

[QUOTE="gamer-adam1"]

wasnt there a PS3 game that was only like 4-6 hrs long? it had a female as the lead...cant remember the name

Nintendo_Ownes7

omg thank you....would of driven me insane all day, dam thats short

The Conduit and Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars both end after about 5 hours. I still like those games though, and I've replayed both.

None of those 10 are the shortest games ever tbh :)

I've seen SMB3 completed in little over than 10 minutes (although it was **** insane :P).

And cut The Bouncer some slack. I liked it.

List is fail.

My friend/cousin has cleared REmake in under 2 hours....

His time was like 1:53 if I remember correctly....

Where's Portal? I beat it in two hours.aaronmullan

I dont think they play PC games, infact I think they dont even own a PC, they probably do everything on a ipad, and they get a third party to work on there website

None of those 10 are the shortest games ever tbh :)

I've seen SMB3 completed in little over than 10 minutes (although it was **** insane :P).

And cut The Bouncer some slack. I liked it.

Filthybastrd

Where's Portal? I beat it in two hours.aaronmullan

1st Gears of War had an extremely underwhelming length

[QUOTE="Filthybastrd"]

None of those 10 are the shortest games ever tbh :)

I've seen SMB3 completed in little over than 10 minutes (although it was **** insane :P).

And cut The Bouncer some slack. I liked it.

Nintendo_Ownes7

he should of died sooo many times

1st Gears of War had an extremely underwhelming length

krunkfu2

I think gears 2 was shorter

Maybe it's just me but there were plenty of SNES games I could probably beat in an hour or maybe even a half-hour. I guess they just included recent games?

[QUOTE="Nintendo_Ownes7"]

[QUOTE="Filthybastrd"]

None of those 10 are the shortest games ever tbh :)

I've seen SMB3 completed in little over than 10 minutes (although it was **** insane :P).

And cut The Bouncer some slack. I liked it.

gamer-adam1

he should of died sooo many times

It's really sad to see so many games from this generation on there. It really says a lot about this current gen. majadamus

That is unbelievable. The reason so many current gen games are on there is that they are fresh in people's consciousness, that is it. During the 16bit era it was common for games to last an hour or so. This generation we have come to expect games to last 10 hours plus. Back in the day this was only really going to happen for RPGs and strategy games and certainly not for action games.

Believe me, we've never had it so good in terms of content.

Call of Duty 3 on my PS2. The campaign took me about 5 hours to beat on Easy mode, but I think its a great game, and I'm currently on my second playthrough, soon for a third on hard. Maybe when I unlock Veteran I'll play it again, but I'll probably get bored of it by then.

MGS...four hours maybe less if you skip all the cut scenes.

I thought you could beat bouncer in 30 minutes.

Where's Portal? I beat it in two hours.aaronmullan

why is Fifa not on the list. the average game i play lasts 20 mins.

I agree with those who've questioned the lack of classic games. I can beat Mega Man 2 in well under an hour, it's a great game, and way shorter than anything on this list. I know it's old, but if they were only going to consider new-ish games, then they shouldn't have used the word "ever".