Video game development is notoriously expensive and difficult. With crunch culture becoming ever more prevalent in the world of video games, it comes as no surprise that so many triple-A developers are jumping ship to other companies. However, while stories about rushed developments and last💎-minute fixes are commonplace now, it isn't a new occurrence.
168澳洲幸运5开奖网: 8 Short Games With Great Storieꦗs
Don't have time for l𒁃ong plot-driven games? Check out these short games wit꧂h excellent stories.
With games taking upwards of a decade to develop and budgets in the realm of $300 million, it is hard to believe that games in the past were made in a matter of months. However, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:from beloved JRPG classics to legendary platformers, there have been multiple instances of gam🌠es with incredibly short development cycles.
Updated on September 16, 2024, by Dominic Allen: Modern video games take a ridiculous amount of time to develop nowadays. That's why video games that take such a short time to develop are so cool and interesting. Most of these games are stellar, with some being all-time greats in their respective genres. Since this was such an old list, it had to be updated to modern standards along with some new entries.
10 Final Doom: The Plutonia Experiment - 4 Months ♕
It Took Only 4 Months To Create The Best Official Doom Game Up To That Point
Final Doom
- Released
- May 31, 1996 ꦯ
- ESRB
- m
- Publisher(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:id Software
- Engine
- 🦂 ddom engine, unity ꧅
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer 💙
- Franchise
- DOOM
- Developer
- id Software, TeamT𒊎NT, Casali brothers
- How Long To Beat
- 13 Hours
After Doom 2, the final official Doom PC release of the 90s was 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Doom. It contained two 32-map megawads created by the Doom community, with TNT Evilution being signed on first. However, Dario and Milo Casali, two developers for TNT, wanted to make their own 32-map add-on, and after impressin📖g id Software with a han🔴dful of maps, they got the job.
Since the scheduled release for Final Doom was fast approaching, they only had four months to create The Plutonia Experiment. Despite the setback, Plutonia Experiment remains a fan-favorite ♊out of the official Doom add-ons, with its brutal but fun challenge and fꦫantastic map design.
9 Left 4 Dead 2 - 12 🎉Months
The Last Time Valve Will Ever Make Something This Fast
- Released
- ♋ November 17, 20🎀09
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language 🌸
- Developer(s)
- Valve
- Publisher(s)
- Valve
- Engine
- Source
- Multiplayer
- Local Co-Op, Local Multiplayer, Online Co-Op, Onli♐ne Multiplayer
- Franchise
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Left 4 Dead
- Number of Players
- 2 (Lo𓄧cal Co-Op), 4 (Online Co-Op)
- Split Screen Orientation
- Vertical Or Horizontal 🌳
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Metascore
- 89
It was a complete shock when Left 4 Dead 2 was aꦏnnounced at E3 2009, coming only a year after the original. The game did, in fact, only take a year to make. Valve was and still is notorious for taking forever to make its games, and now, all of a sudden, this project comes out only a year later.
There was even a 𝔉boycott, but when the game droppedꦍ, you realized this ain't no cash grab. Left 4 Dead 2 is a complete evolution coming off of Left 4 Dead with a wild amount of additions and refinements. The cooperative gameplay was tuned to perfection, and the fact that Left 4 Dead 2 still sees immense play to this day is a testament to how much Valve nailed it here.
8 🦩 ♏ Super Smash Bros. Melee - 13 Months
Just Little Over A Year To Make One Of The Greatest Fighting Games Ever
- Released
- 🏅 December 3, 2001
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Comic Mischief, Mild Violence 𝄹
- Developer(s)
- HAL Laboratory 🌃 🗹
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- Havok
- Multiplayer
- 🌱 Local Co-Op
- Franchise
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Super Smash Bros.
- Platform(s)
- GameCube
Super Smash Bros. Melee is still played and beloved by many today, with many fans still playing it competitively. Its influence on its genre and the gaming world is immeasurable, and it led to one of the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:best Nintendo Switch games being made. However, what may suꦚrprise many fans is that this masterpiece only took 13 months to mak🐽e.
After the success of the first Super Smash Bros. Nintendo and developer Mas🗹ahiro Sakurai wanted to make a bigg🐻er and better sequel. While they most certainly achieved that, it came at the cost of a nightmarish development, with holidays and weekends being used up to complete the final product.
7 ꩲ Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped - 10.5 Months
A Very Appropriate Title
Crash Bandicoot: Warped
- Released
- Noveಞmber 3, 1998 🌌
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- 🧸 Sony C🐓omputer Entertainment
- Engine
- unreal engine 🥂
- Franchise
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Crash Bandicoot
- Platform(s)
- PS1
- How Long To Beat
- 30 hours
168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Crash Bandicoot is one of the most iconic platform♔ers and remains a hugely influential part of the PlayStation brand. Following on from the critically acclaimed Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, the third game in the iconic series had to be just as good if not better. With a limited budget and reportedly only ten and a half months to develop it, Naughty Dog somehow managed to get it out.
More impressively, Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped is widely considered to be 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:one of the best in the series and is on💦e of the best-selling PlayStation games. With impressive sales figures and critical acclaim, the series was able to continue and has cap🎉tivated fans ever since.
6 🐼 🌳 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - 15 Months
A Triple-A Expansion In Record Time
- Released
- ไ August 22, 2017
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Game Experience May Change During Online Play,♚ Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Engine
- Naughty Dog Engine 2.ও0 ꦡ
- Multiplayer
- ไ Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Uncharted
- Platform(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:PlayStation 4, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:PlayStation 5, PC
- How Long To Beat
- 7 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- ꦫ Extra & Premium🎃
- How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs)
- 17 Hours
Unsurprisingly, Naughty Dog managed to produce not one but two games in an astonishingly sh𒁃ort space of time. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is the standalone expansion to Uncharted ♍4: A Thief's End that saw the player take control of Chloe Frazer instead of the series' previous protagonist, Nathan Drake.
The short development time is incredibly impressive when you consider the scope and scale of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Not only is it a fairly lengthy game, but it also features expansive locations and a compelling narrative for you to get lost within. It 🧸is amazing that despite the standalone expansion's ambitions it only took 15 months to develop.
5 Grand Theft Auto: Vice C🐭ity - 9 Months
You Wish You Had Development Times Like This Today
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Released
- Oc🔴tober 29, 2002
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Violence 🥃
- Developer(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Rockstar Games
- Engine
- RenderWare ♛ 𓂃
- Franchise
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Grand Theft Auto
- Platform(s)
- PS2, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Xbox (Original), PC, iOS, Android, macOS
- How Long To Beat
- 18 Hours
There are lots of interesting details about 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’s development, however, by far the most interesting is that it only took nine months to develop. Of course, there was some prelimin𒁏ary development done on some of the 3D models for the game. However, for the most part, development didn't begin until 2002 at wh๊ich point it took nine months to make.
For a game of its size and scale, nine months seems like an incredibly short development time. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City did both critically and financially well after its launch and continues to be one of 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the more innovꦚative titles in the ꦅseries. Fans ꦉstill return to roam the streets of Vice City to this day for good reason.
4 Fallout: New Vegasꦍ - 18 Months ♎
An Incredibly Impressive Feat By Obsidian
Fallout: New Vegas
- Released
- October 19, 2010 💦
- ESRB
- M ⛄for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, St💎rong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda
- Engine
- Gamebryo
- Franchise
- Fallout
- How Long To Beat
- 28 Hours
- Metascore
- 84
- PS Plus Availability
- Premium
168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Fallout: New Vegas is widely considered to b❀e the pinnacle of the Fallout series and is praised for its innovations in the RPG genre and impressive st✤orytelling. However, despite many lauding it as a masterpiece, it only took 18 months to develop.
Of course, developer Obsidian Entertainment was able to borrow a lot from the previous installment into the Fallout series. Additionally, due to the limited development time, many cuts were made including additional companions and settlements. However, while some fans likely wish this content was present, Fallout: Neꦫw Vegas' world, characters, narrative, and quests are critically acclaimed and still beloved to this day.
3 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask - 12 Months
Yes, It's More Of An Expansion Pack, But A Great One
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
- Released
- 𒐪 O✅ctober 26, 2000
- ESRB
- 𝓡 E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Nintend⭕o EAD
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo
- Engine
- ꦍ 𝓡 Proprietary Engine
- Franchise
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Legend of Zelda
- Platform(s)
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Nintendo 64, GameCube
168澳洲幸运5开奖网:The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a truly legendary entry into the series and is well known for its iconic and unique time-traveling mechanic. However, while many praised its distinct approach to storytelling, it was born of necessity in order to make the game in an extreme💛ly short time window.
According to various interviews, The Lege🍷nd of Zelda: Majo🐠ra's Mask was designed around creating a short experience that could be enjoyed multiple times in multiple different ways. In some interviews, it is even stipulated that this idea took inspiration from Tom Twyker's 1998 German film Run Lola Run. Regardless, the fact that such a unique and well-received game was developed in such a short amount of time is incredibly impressive.
2 Final Fantasy 6 - 1🧸2 Months ౠ
One Of The Greatest 16-Bit RPGs Made In Record Time
Final Fantasy 6
- Released
- 𓄧 ✅ October 11, 1994
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Partial Nudity 🦹
- Developer(s)
- 𒊎 Square Enix, Square ꧑
- Publisher(s)
- ꦡ Square Enix, Square 😼
- Engine
- Unity
- Franchise
- 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy
- How Long To Beat
- 35 Hours
- Metascore
- 92
Despite the overwhelming success and pop culture fame of Final Fantasy 7, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy 6 is still widely considered to be one of the best in the series. Its incredible music, memorable story, and impactful moments made it stand out in the JRPG sphere. However, despite its numerous successes, it ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚonly took a year to develop.
Unlike some short development cycles🍸, Final Fantasy 6 was reportedly a more collaborative and hybrid process. Nevertheless, to create a lengthy and ambitious title such as Final Fantasy 6 in a year is an incredibly admirable achievement.
1 𒅌 Mega Man 7 - 3 Months
Capcom Going For A World Record Speedrun
Mega Man 7
- Released
- March 24, 19﷽95 ꦬ
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Publisher(s)
- Capcom
- Engine
- ꦡ mt framework ܫ
- Franchise
- Mega Man
- Platform(s)
- SNES, Microsoft Windows, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Nintendo Wii U, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Nintendo 3DS
- How Long To Beat
- 5 hours
While 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mega Man 7 isn't everyone's favorite in the series, it is still a noteworthy entry. This is mostly due to the fact that it only took three months to make. While it certainly isn't the shortest development time in the history of video games, it absolutely comes close in regards to triple-A tiꦕtles.
Mega Man 7 fared relatively well for a game developed in such a short space of time. It introduced numerous new mechanics that were both lauded and criticized by fans and 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:featured impressive visuals and music. Despite many citing it as one of the weaker Mega Man titles, Mega Ma🐓n 7 is still an impressive feat of video game development nonetheless.
168澳洲幸运5开奖网: 10 Mo♏st Underrated Capcom Games
We take a deep look at some hidden gems and other titles by Capcom that weren't loved when they were launched. We thought they deserved just♛ice.
