Video Games with Great Replay Value

Ever beat a video game and realize you never want to play it again? With games as expensive as they are, replay value is a perk no gamer can overlook. A game with great replayability can be enjoyed months or even years after the release. These are my picks for video games that can replayed over and over again.

Lego Video Games

Games like Lego Star Wars, Batman, and Harry Potter are cute, fun, and have plenty of replay value. Each game has two modes of play. One is story mode where you play through the levels with predetermined characters. The other is free play where you can pick from any unlocked character and replay the levels. In free mode, you can get collectibles and bonuses that were unavailable during story. There are studs, red bricks, gold bricks, and in some games there are mini-kits to collect. In addition, bonus levels are able to be unlocked and there's a percentage meter to show your progress.

Wii Sports Resort

When the original Wii Sports was released, my friends and I would gather on a regular basis to play a round of golf or bowling. This went on for years until Resort was released. With more mini-game choices, the sequel is still replayed often. Players can use any Mii that's saved to the Wii and keep stats on performance. It's also a fun game to throw in and just play without worrying about save points or beating that tough boss.

Super Smash Bros Brawl

Fast and frantic, SSBB is a game begging to be replayed. Besides the regular fighting mode, there are tons of other modes and challenges. Adventure mode follows individual storylines of the Nintendo characters fighting Tabuu to save the universe. There are also 40+ events in Brawl mode, plus mini-game challenges. Players are able to build their own stages and hundreds of trophies are collectible. Playing the game in order to collect, unlock, and beat every challenge takes awhile and never gets boring.

Fallout 3
It's been two years since its release and I'm still replaying Fallout 3. The game is massive and can be played many times with different results. Players have the entire wasteland of Washington D.C. and its surrounding areas to explore. In every new section, there's something to find, fight, or do. Besides all the regular and side missions, there's Bobbleheads and special weapons to collect. Fallout 3 also has five downloadable contents that open up new areas, missions, and in the case of Broken Steel, raises the level cap. Another reason to play again is the Karma system. There are three types of Karma, good, bad, and neutral. Depending on what your Karma is, the game changes. In order to experience everything, you need to replay the game and it's a blast.

Left 4 Dead 2

The campaign of Left 4 Dead 2 is short and even with the Passing DLC, it's still short. Why do I keep playing L4D2? It's exciting. Every time I play, it feels like a different game. The bite sized campaigns are perfect for when you don't have much time, but want to shoot zombies. If one difficulty level gets too easy, just try another one out of five. With the Passing, a new mutiplayer mode called Mutations adds different ways to play and lets you vote for favorites.

Tetris

It's been out for over 20 years and I'm still playing Tetris or some incarnation on a regular basis. Tetris is another game that can be picked up and played quickly. It's also slightly addictive and available everywhere. From consoles, to free flash games, and cell phones, you're sure to find a Tetris game. It's still just as good as it was back in the 1980's.

Halo 3
With four different difficultly levels and 13 hidden skulls to find, Halo 3 has plenty of replay value. Besides the Halo 3 campaign, there is several multiplayer modes to play. Forge lets players change the multiplayer maps by adding and subtracting items, weapons, and vehicles. The game also has four multiplayer DLCs Heroic, Legendary, Mythic, and Mythic II map packs. Each pack includes new maps and some expand what can be done in Forge. Mythic II contains the ODST only maps. With all there is to do in the campaign and multiplayer, it's no wonder Halo 3 is still replayed three years after its release.

There are other games like Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 or any Legend of Zelda that are able to be replayed again and again. What makes a game have great replay value is different for everyone, but the ability to explore and discover new places and items are high on my list. Games that also can be played online are highly replayable, as well as games that you can just pick up and play quickly.

Sources:

Personal Experience