Hey Does anyone have any links relating to percentages of people who replay their games over and over again? Failing that, how many of you here will play the same game over more than once?? Thanks

Depends on the game. I have certain games that I play annually (like clockwork) : CastleVania : Symphony of the Night, Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time, Half Life, to name a few.

Other games I will play when I buy it, and then maybe a few years later or maybe never again (though usually again right before I get the sequel): Kingdom Hearts, Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time, Ratchet and Clank (though I play each of these twice back-to-back, since it unlocks a bunch of new stuff the second time through).

Some of my favorite games are short but can be played over and over again: Ikaruga is only 25 minutes long, but I've played it probably 50 times. Crazy Taxi, Super Mario World, and my personal favorite Rumble Box (UGH, shameless... :) ).

To me it all depends on the game.

It totally depends on what kind of game you're talking about. How many games of an arcade game? Hundreds, maybe thousands. How many games of a 60-hour RPG? 1, rarely 2 or 3.

Don't know of any links/studies, sorry.


I almost always replay my favorite games, even if they are completely linear and I know exactly what happens. I think I've replayed every RPG that I've played on the SNES at least once, and some several times, like FFIV and Chrono Trigger. I usually only play it after 2-3 years have passed since I last played the game though, although FFVIII was a rare exception. That was the only game that I played through right over again once I beat it the first time (I loved the story).


Maybe some people here will say "Well I only re-play a game if there's something I haven't done in it and it's non-linear." That's fine, but realize that replaying a game is similar to reading a book a 2nd or 3rd time, or watching a movie you've already seen. Humans love to hear tales of inspiration, etc. so we're willing to re-experience things we've already done.


Okay I'll stop talking now. [smile] Hope that helps.

Maybe you should take a poll here and at various gaming websites, and publish a study online for the rest of us unenlightened fools ;)

Some games such as Fable, Fallout(1&2), and Morrowind are great games to replay because of customizability and the ability to follow a different path.

Most FPS games have the same story no matter how you play it which basically doesn't promote replayability on a surface level, however since storyline doesn't dictate most of this genre players will play through normal and then possibly attempt a harder mode and replay it for the thrill of beating it that way (I did this with perfect dark for the n64 and no other FPS even though I am primarily a PC gamer...) With halo I've replayed parts in cooperative mode because it's more fun with a friend. Counterstrike has no end or beginning, but lots of people play it daily anyway. With FPS games it's the gameplay, not the customizability or room for collecting new items that brings people back.

Other games you replay because they are short and sweet. Puzzle games usually fall under this category. I've played Tetris attack a number of times for the Super Nintendo and you can beat that game in under an hour. It's simple, addictive, low-time-investment gameplay that brings you back.

But it totally depends on the game.

OK thanks for your help guys

But to be more specific - RPG or FPS single player games... how often will you replay through them?

Thanks again

The only RPG I've played through multiple times was Arcanum. Once for the rest.
FPS single player? I don't think I've ever played through any FPS, let alone replayed it... Oops, not true. I played through Serious Sam once. And I've replayed some of the mechwarrior games, though they're not traditional FPS...

[edit: Though games like Sim City, or any 4X game I'll replay often.]

I play through Half Life every year, and Half Life 2 will probably also go on that list. I don't like any other shooters enough to even play all the way through them once, definitely not multiple times.

As far as RPGs go, I don't replay many of them, but then again many of the games that I like the best and replay constantly have some RPG elements fused with action/adventure (see Zelda and CastleVania). I've never necessarily "replayed" Morrowind, because the 300+ hours I've spent on it have all been on the same character.

It depends on the game...a story driven RPG? I MIGHT play through it once.

But a gameplay driven shooter like Ikaruga or Mars Matrix? I'll play through those hundreds of times...in a way those types of games are like sports, always calling you back. afterall nobody just stopes playing baseball/football because they beat thier opponets.