When selecting a video game to play, the amount of commitment required to complete it is an important factor. Time is finite, and with so many games it’s physically impossible to play them all. For example, genres likeRPG’s typically provide lengthier experiences, while a platformer is going to likely be shorter.
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The developer can also be an indicator. Ubisoft or Square Enix will typically create games that are much longer on average.Nintendo, on the other hand, can be more expected to create fulfilling, but shorter games. Despite that, there are a shocking number of Nintendo games that will require the player to invest a bit of time.
10Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War (54h 49m)
TheFire Emblemseries is likely not a surprise to see here. As Nintendo’s premiere series of turn-based tactics titles,Fire Emblemprovides some meaty experiences. Even the first title,Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light, averages at around 34 hours. However, of the two entries on this list, it may be surprising to seeGenealogy of the Holy Waras the first. It clocks in at 54 hours and 49 minutes on average across playstyles.
The fourth entry in the series,Genealogy of the Holy Wartold an epic fantasy story spanning two generations of nobility. Its narrative is a touch darker than most of the more recent entries, but its gameplay is still top-notch. The maps are huge, with a great emphasis on mobility and long-term strategy to complete the map’s objectives. It’s unfortunate this title has still not legally made it to Western shores.
9Advance Wars: Dual Strike (55h 18m)
Another series from Intelligent Systems,Advance Warsgives a different flavor of turn-based tactics than the Fire Emblem series. With an aesthetic of more modern warfare and a greater focus on strategy and unique map objectives, Advance Wars provides plenty of variety for its players.Dual Strikewas the third entry in the series in the West, and it clocks in at 55h and 18 minutes averaged.
Dual Strikewas the first entry for the DS, and it made use of both screens to enhance the information the player would get. Some missions would use the second screen to show a battle on a second front, and the player would have to navigate both simultaneously. The campaign itself isn’t too long, but completionists will find themselves with a lot of content to keep them interested.
8Mainline Pokemon Games (~65h)
While this is technically not a fair entry, the reality isthat most Pokemon games are in the upper-end of playtime on average. Some titles, likePokemon Let’s Go, will still have completionists clock in 55 hours. Other titles, like HeartGold and SoulSilver, will are recorded to offer 221 hours of gameplay. The average of the averages, based on a statistical technique known as “eyeballing it”, lands around 65h on average across all playstyles.
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The main story of Pokemon titles are not really that long. A casual player can beat one within 20 hours easily. However, this list accounts for the average across all playstyles. The meat of the playtime comes from completing the Pokedex, which gets harder and harder the more games get added. For those who are interested in catching them all, it will likely end up being an ordeal. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be as fun.
7Super Smash Bros. Melee (69h 46m)
The Super Smash Bros. series might not be the first to come to mind when it comes to long games. After all, is there even really a “main story” to complete? How do you evaluate it? The math is unclear, but these titles actually ended up towards the upper half of Nintendo’s library. The longest, somehow, isSuper Smash Bros. Melee, which clocked in at a nice 69 hours and 46 minutes.
Melee,of course, offers a lot of playtime for those who wish to play competitively. However, aside from competitive play, there’s a surprising amount to unlock. Charactersall have special conditions to unlock, and there are still trophies, event matches, and multiple minigames to get clear times on with each character. It still doesn’t make sense how the average is higher than titles likeUltimate, but that’s just how the number shook out.
6Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (75h 11m)
Xenoblade Chroniclesis widely regarded as one of the finest RPGs of all time, and certainlyone of the finest on the Nintendo Switch. It, and its sequels, are also notoriously long games. The shortest is, unsurprisingly, the original. Shulk’s classic adventure to defeat the Mechon and save his people clocks in at an average of 75 hours and 11 minutes.
Xenoblade Chronicles' main story would barely not clear the list. However, the extra content in side quests,repairing Colony 6, finding Heart-to-Hearts, battling every Unique Monster, and so many other activities elevate the playtime tremendously. There’s always something to do when playing Xenoblade Chronicles, even though the main story is thoroughly engaging. That’s part of the charm of the game, and a reason why so many people hold it in high regard.
5Fire Emblem: Three Houses (77h 52m)
The other Fire Emblem title isThree Houses, the latest entry in the series. This Nintendo Switch title fixed many of people’s problems with entries likeFatesorAwakening, even thoughit still had its own issues. However, as a game split into three (or four) plotlines, a main story of roughly 48 hours is going to get rather long for completionists. The average lands at a more reasonable 77 hours and 52 minutes.
Three Housesis a game loaded with unique missions, fun characters, and twists and turns to keep the player engaged. Its combat is streamlined in a way that is a great help for both new and old players. There are also a whole collection of support conversations between characters, and getting all of them in one playthrough is impossible. To see everything is an investment, but fans will find that worth it.
4Breath of the Wild (97h 44m)
Games inThe Legend of Zeldaseries aren’t too long, but also not too short on average. The main story for some titles may be brief, but collecting everything the games have to offer adds on a lot of extra time for exploration. This time spent exploring is the name of the game inBreath of the Wild, the series’s first foray into the modern open-world genre. It clocks in at an average of 97 hours and 45 minutes.
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Breath of the Wildis a game that is as long as the player wants it to be. The speedrun for the game dips as low as 25 minutes, which is actually shorter than the originalZeldagame on NES. However, players will certainly be inclined to do more than just run straight at Calamity Ganon. With so many collectibles and Shrines, the average player will be chipping away at this game for months.
3Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (106h 05m)
The firstXenobladegame was rather long, even for RPG standards. Its direct sequel decides that it still wasn’t long enough.Xenoblade Chronicles 2tells an epic story across the vast land of Alrest, centering on Rex and Pyra’s journey to reach Elysium. However, their journey is not so simple, and there are a lot of things to do along the way. The main story alone would be on this list, and on average it lands at 106 hours and 3 minutes.
The reason for this is, again, the sidequests. Lengthis not an indicator of quality, but the quantity is still great. Each of the Rare Blades Rex’s party can bond with have their own sidequest to complete, among the others that exist within the world already. A full clear of just the sidequests is going to take a while. The other activities added on top make is just that much more daunting.
2Xenoblade Chronicles X (126h 09m)
The WiiU hardly holds space in the minds of the gaming public. Its best titles have, at this point, all been ported to other, newer consoles. There’s genuinely no reason to pick one up aside from novelty and Nintendo Land. That, and Xenoblade Chronicles X, which is the most massive traditional game Nintendo has in their library.
XC:Xtooksome liberties with the mechanics of the core series, but a fascination with side quests is something this game embraces. The game’s style is more akin to an MMO, with the player doing whatever quests they stumble upon in the massive hub area. It has dozens of playable characters, each with their own missions and goals. Its average of 126 hours is not a joke; this game is long.
1Animal Crossing (205h 59m)
It’s hardly fair to compare other games in terms of length withAnimal Crossing. The series of cozy life simulator titles are, on average, longer than every other Nintendo game. That applies to every game in the series. The only game that sits below this entry isNew Horizons. The GameCube original, withall of the weirdness fans adore, is the longest at an average of 205 hours and 59 minutes.
Animal Crossing is a game that players take a day at a time. There are things to do, but not really that often. It’s a miniature town that the player can interact with. Those who are committed to the game will find themselves overwhelmed by just how much there is to collect and how long, realistically, it would take. That’s why it’s probably better to just take it slow and relax.
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