side quests
Secondary game objectives
Side quests are optional tasks in video games that exist alongside the main storyline.
Players can complete them for extra rewards, character development, or world-building, but skipping them doesn't prevent finishing the game.
The term has spread beyond gaming to describe any secondary pursuit that distracts from a primary goal: I went to the store for milk but got lost on a side quest in the snack aisle.
- boss battlesConfrontations with powerful enemies
- hidden treasuresValuables kept from view
- loot dropsIn-game item rewards
- dungeonsUnderground prison chambers
- collectiblesItems people amass
optional · dungeon crawling · exploration · NPCs · escort missions · character arcs · world building · filler · completionist · mission objectives · cryptic clues · riddles · mentorship opportunities · leveling · skill trees · role-playing · experience points · training exercises
- gamingvideo games, buff, games, PlayStation 4, gameplay
- game mechanicslevels, rules, cooldown, points, health points
- game contentDLC, expansions, boss fights, levels, missions
- extrasextra, add-ons, add-on, extras, addition
- game narrativestory, narrative, plot, storyline, dialogue tree
- GMingworld building, campaign planning, pacing, rulings, fudging