Video games usually demand time. You grind for levels, gather loot, and spend hours mastering mechanics before you finally see the credits roll. But a handful of titles throw that formula out the window, letting you finish the game in just minutes – sometimes even before you’ve had the chance to figure out the controls.
These “quick endings” aren’t accidents or glitches. They’re deliberate secrets built by developers, often hidden as Easter eggs or playful experiments. Some are jokes that parody gaming itself, while others are alternate routes that technically fulfill your objective right away.
Here are 14 games you can beat in minutes, with the exact ways to trigger their short endings and why they stand out.
1. The Stanley Parable – The Office Door Ending
The Stanley Parable is a game built entirely around breaking expectations. Right from the start, you play as Stanley, a man in an empty office guided by a narrator. Most players follow his instructions – but what if you don’t?
One of the fastest endings comes from simply shutting your office door at the beginning. Instead of venturing out, you close yourself in, and the narrator cuts the story short. The credits roll almost immediately.
This meta ending is a perfect introduction to the game’s humor: it proves that sometimes the “wrong” choice is the most entertaining.
2. Far Cry 4 – Pagan Min’s Peaceful Ending
Ubisoft shocked players with this one. At the very start of Far Cry 4, you’re kidnapped by the flamboyant dictator Pagan Min. He invites you to dinner before leaving the room. Most players, assuming they should escape, slip out and begin the long rebellion storyline.
But if you wait patiently in the dining room for about 15 minutes, Pagan Min returns. Instead of violence, he takes you to the family shrine to scatter your mother’s ashes, which was your original mission all along. The game ends peacefully in under 20 minutes.
It’s one of the cleverest hidden endings in gaming, rewarding patience rather than aggression.
3. Far Cry 5 – Refusing to Arrest Joseph Seed
Ubisoft repeated the trick in Far Cry 5. The story begins with you confronting cult leader Joseph Seed. The sheriff orders you to arrest him – the obvious next step. But if you refuse, standing still without cuffing him, the sheriff eventually calls it off.
The team leaves quietly, Joseph is left unpunished, and the credits roll. The entire game ends before it even starts.
Players were stunned to discover this, and it quickly became one of the most shared secrets in Ubisoft history.
4. Far Cry 6 – Sailing Away Instead of Fighting
Ubisoft clearly loved the early-ending formula, because they did it a third time. In Far Cry 6, the prologue sets you up as part of a rebellion against dictator Antón Castillo. Early on, you’re given a chance to escape by boat.
If you choose to sail away to America, you abandon the fight. A brief cutscene shows your character living safely abroad while Yara continues to suffer under Castillo’s rule. The credits then roll.
It’s a tongue-in-cheek reminder that not every hero sticks around to save the world.
5. Devil May Cry 5 – Defeating Urizen Early
Not every quick ending is about inaction. In Devil May Cry 5, you face Urizen – the main villain – very early in the story. This fight is meant to be impossible, designed so you lose and continue the narrative.
But if you’re skilled enough to actually beat him in that first encounter, the game skips straight to the ending. The story is resolved right away because you’ve already accomplished what would normally take the entire campaign.
This is one of the rare secret endings that rewards extraordinary skill instead of passivity.
6. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – The End’s Natural Death
Hideo Kojima is known for his creativity, and one of his best tricks is hidden in Metal Gear Solid 3. You face a sniper called The End in a long, tense battle. Normally, this fight can drag on for hours as you stalk each other across a massive map.
But there’s a shortcut: if you save your game during the fight and don’t return for a week, The End dies of old age. Alternatively, you can simply change your console’s internal clock forward. When you reload, Snake finds The End’s body, and the battle is over.
It’s both darkly funny and uniquely clever – a true Kojima moment.
7. Nier: Automata – Joke Endings Everywhere
Nier: Automata is famous for its 26 endings, many of which can be triggered almost instantly. While some are serious, others are pure comedy.
A few examples:
- Eat a mackerel fish early in the game, and your android character dies, rolling the credits.
- Remove your OS chip – essentially your brain – and you shut down, ending the game.
- Disobey certain mission instructions and you can trigger joke endings within minutes.
These endings became a fan-favorite feature, blending humor with bleak storytelling.
8. Undertale – Ending It Early with Violence
Undertale is built around choice – you can show mercy or embrace violence. If you kill Toriel, one of the first major characters you meet, the story can end abruptly, leading you down the “bad” path in record time.
It’s shocking for first-time players, especially since Undertale’s message revolves around compassion. Choosing violence too early flips the game’s tone completely.
9. Chrono Trigger – Fighting Lavos from the Start
Chrono Trigger is legendary for its multiple endings. One of the most unique comes from New Game+, where you can challenge Lavos – the final boss – almost immediately. If you manage to win, you unlock an alternate ending without experiencing the rest of the story.
Back in 1995, this was groundbreaking, showing that player choice and replay value could be just as important as a linear plot.
10. Shadow Complex – Walking Away from Danger
Shadow Complex, a Metroidvania-style action game, also hides a quick ending. Early in the story, when your girlfriend is kidnapped, you’re expected to fight through a massive underground base to rescue her.
But if you decide to walk away, return to your car, and leave, the credits roll. Your character simply abandons the mission.
It’s a clever subversion of the “hero must act” trope and a wink at players who wonder, “Why wouldn’t he just leave?”
11. Saints Row IV – Self-Sacrifice Ending
Saints Row IV is packed with over-the-top humor, and one of its endings is both dramatic and ridiculous. Early on, you can choose to sacrifice yourself. If you pick this option, the game ends abruptly.
It’s not the true story path, but it’s so in line with the series’ chaotic spirit that players love stumbling into it.
12. Disaster Report (SOS: The Final Escape) – Abandoning Companions
In Disaster Report, a survival game set in a crumbling city, your decisions directly affect the outcome. If you choose to abandon your companions or lie to save yourself, you can get rescued early.
The game ends while others are left behind, a brutal reflection of selfish survival instincts. It’s one of the darkest quick endings on this list.
13. We Happy Few – Taking Your Joy
In We Happy Few, society survives by taking a pill called Joy, which keeps everyone blissfully ignorant. The main story begins when you refuse it. But if you take it at the start, your character drifts back into delusion, and the credits roll.
It’s a perfect alternate ending: short, simple, and thematically powerful.
14. 9:05 – The Five-Minute Text Game
Unlike most here, 9:05 was designed to be short. This interactive fiction game can be completed in about five minutes, depending on your choices. Some endings are dark twists, while others loop you back into the story.
Despite its length, it leaves a lasting impression and is often used as an example of how minimal design can deliver maximum impact.
Why Developers Add These Endings
Quick endings aren’t just jokes. They serve multiple purposes:
- Surprise Factor: They reward curiosity and experimentation.
- Replay Value: Encourage players to test new paths.
- Satire: Games like The Stanley Parable use them to parody gaming itself.
- Choice: Reinforce that your actions truly matter.
- Buzz: Hidden endings spread fast online, keeping games in discussion for years.
Sites like HowLongToBeat show normal playtimes for these games, and spotting a “5-minute completion” entry always makes fans laugh.
Speedrunning and Community Reactions
Quick endings are also beloved in speedrunning communities. Titles like Far Cry 5 can technically be “beaten” in under 10 minutes thanks to these routes. On leaderboards, these runs often get their own categories.
Community reactions vary. Some players feel cheated when they accidentally stumble into an early ending. Others love the creativity and share clips online. Memorable moments like Far Cry 4’s dinner ending or MGS3’s sniper trick became legendary because fans kept talking about them.
Should You Try Them?
If you’re playing for the first time, it’s usually better to experience the full story before chasing quick endings. But on replays, they’re fantastic for laughs and surprises. They also make great conversation pieces with friends – nothing beats showing someone how you can “beat” Far Cry 6 during the tutorial.
Wrap-Up
Most games ask for time, patience, and effort. But these 14 titles prove that sometimes the shortest journeys are the most memorable. Whether it’s eating a fish in Nier: Automata, refusing to arrest Joseph Seed in Far Cry 5, or simply closing a door in The Stanley Parable, these endings remind us that choice defines gaming.
So next time you start a new adventure, don’t just follow the script. Try saying no, waiting, or walking away. You might just find yourself rolling credits in less time than it takes to microwave your dinner.
