Summary
- Enjoy immersive mini-games like shooting contests, dominoes, fishing, poker, and horse racing in RDR2 for a break from action-packed missions.
- Engage in various mini-games for fun or leisure, such as fishing for different fish species or outwitting opponents in poker for big stakes.
- Play complex and replayable mini-games like shooting contests or horse racing, offering unique experiences in the game.
There is no shortage of things to do in Red Dead Redemption 2, from the main missions to dozens of side quests, random interactions, and even just enjoying the fantastic scenery. There are also a number of mini-games that players can engage in, with some of these being carried over from the first game.
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The best mini-games in RDR2 are easily accessible, complex enough to make them replayable, and most importantly fun. Small activities such as fishing can also be considered mini-games as players might engage in them for sport, even if such activities are usually engaged in to provide wealth or food.
1 Shooting Contests
Hit The Most Bottles Or Birds For Money
Locations:
- Players should listen out for gunshots and then approach the NPCs
For those who love slinging guns in Red Dead Redemption 2, one of the best mini-games is the shooting contests that are held all around the map. To find one, players simply need to listen out for gunshots while traveling and approach to be challenged.
The challenger will wager money on who can shoot more bottles from a set distance, and after this round, they will offer to raise the stakes with a bet on who can shoot the most birds out of the sky. Each shooting contest and opponent is slightly different, adding replayability to this activity.
2 Dominoes
A Rare Experience In Video Games
Locations:
- Can be played at the camp during the day
- Emerald Ranch's train station
- Saint Denis, under a green pavilion
- Blackwater, by the tents
Although dominoes might not sound like the most exhilarating pastime, it is certainly immersive for the game's historical setting, and it offers a way to engage with members of the gang who are often overlooked. Dominoes are also a rare sight in video games, making for a unique experience for those who have never played dominoes in real life.
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The aim of dominoes is to get rid of the dominoes held, and this is done by placing them so that the number of spots matches on adjacent tiles. While there is certainly an element of luck in this simple game, tactics such as counting tiles and thought-out planning can be used to come out on top.
3 Fishing
There Are 15 Species Of Fish To Catch & Legendaries Too
Locations:
- Unlocked during the "A Fisher of Men" quest
- Players can stand next to most rivers and lakes.
- Some fishing holes can be accessed on boats.
While in some ways fishing in RDR2 is more of a source of sustenance and income for the camp, it can also be seen as a sport or mini-game, engaged in for leisure. After completing the mission "A Fisher of Men," players can go fishing anytime they want, although they will need to stay stocked up on bait. There are fifteen species of fish of varying sizes found in the bodies of water throughout the game, and players will often access these on foot. Skilled players will even be able to catch legendary fish.
If players enjoy fishing in the game, they will want to acquire a camp upgrade from the ledger, which purchases a boat for the camp. However, this is only available once Clemens Point has been reached, as this camp is situated next to a lake. This small boat allows players to row out to superior fishing holes.
4 Poker
Play The Popular Card Game In First-Person & Try To Outwit Opponents
Locations:
- Played in the missions "Who is Not Without Sin" and "A Fine Night of Debauchery"
- Can be played at most saloons
- Can sometimes be played at camp
The classic card and gambling game poker is first introduced in the mission "Who is Not Without Sin," and this is a great way to get to grips with the game and mechanics, especially for those unfamiliar with the real-life equivalent. However, poker can practically be played at any time in most of the game's many saloons and was also featured in the first game.
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With luck, skill, and deception all playing a large in this mini-game, and with big stakes often on the line, it is certainly one of the most engaging. Thankfully, for players new to poker, the games can be played with lower stakes, meaning they won't lose too much of their hard-earned cash. Winning games of poker is also part of the gambling challenge in RDR2.
5 Horse Racing
Accept Offers From NPCs To Race To A Certain Location
Locations:
- During the missions "American Distillation" and "Fatherhood, for Beginners"
- Random encounters on the road
Easily one of the most fun mini-games in RDR2 is horse racing, especially once players have acquired the game's best horses, allowing them to ride at adrenaline-inducing speeds. While two missions include a quick race back to camp, horse races are otherwise initiated by random NPCs found on the road.
These strangers will approach the player and ask if they are interested in a race to a certain location, with a small wager on the outcome. While it would be great to have a dedicated way to arrange more horse races, this feature is nonetheless fun.
Red Dead Redemption 2
- Released
- October 26, 2018
