The first time we really noticed it was in Shenmue, but having a way for players to access retro or mini arcade games within the virtual world of a larger game has become an increasingly familiar trope. Now, you can play arcade games within the world of games like Grand Theft Auto IV to pass the time between missions.

The danger of employing this gameplay bonus is that, as a game designer, there’s always the danger that the mini game inside will be more fun to play than the $60 title the customer originally bought. That certainly happened in Project Gotham Racing 2, anotherwise stellar game that was overshadowed by Geometry Wars, an arcade game you could play in the garage. It was so good, that it was spun off into its own highly successful franchise.

So game designers take note: if you’re going to put a video game within your game, make sure it sucks just enough to keep your own game looking spiffy.