Video game development is notoriously expensive and difficult. With crunch culture becoming ever more prevalent in the world of video games, it comes as no surprise that some triple-A developers have turned to making indie games. However, while stories about rushed developments and last-minute fixes are commonplace now, it isn't a new occurrence.
With games taking upwards of a decade to develop and budgets in the realm of $300 million, it is hard to believe that games in the past were made in a matter of months. However, from beloved JRPG classics to legendary platformers, there have been multiple instances of games with incredibly short development cycles.
8 Super Smash Bros. Melee - 13 Months
Super Smash Bros. Melee is still played and beloved by many today, with many fans still playing it competitively. Its influence on its genre and the gaming world is immeasurable and it led to one of the best Nintendo Switch games being made. However, what may surprise many fans is that this masterpiece only took 13 months to make.
After the success of the first Super Smash Bros. Nintendo and developer Masahiro Sakurai wanted to make a bigger and better sequel. While they most certainly achieved that, it came at the cost of a nightmarish development, with holidays and weekends being used up to complete the final product.
7 Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped - 10.5 Months
Crash Bandicoot is one of the most iconic platformers and remains a hugely influential part of the PlayStation brand. Following on from the critically acclaimed Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, the third game in the iconic series had to be just as good if not better. With a limited budget and reportedly only ten and a half months to develop it, Naughty Dog somehow managed to get it out.
More impressively, Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped is widely considered to be one of the best in the series and is one of the best-selling PlayStation games. With impressive sales figures and critical acclaim, the series was able to continue and has captivated fans ever since.
6 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - 15 Months
Unsurprisingly, Naughty Dog managed to produce not one but two games in an astonishingly short space of time. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is the standalone expansion to Uncharted 4: A Thief's End that saw the player take control of Chloe Frazer instead of the series' previous protagonist, Nathan Drake.
The short development time is incredibly impressive when you consider the scope and scale of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Not only is it a fairly lengthy game, but it also features expansive locations and a compelling narrative for you to get lost within. It is amazing that despite the standalone expansion's ambitions it only took 15 months to develop.
5 GTA: Vice City - 9 Months
There are lots of interesting details about GTA: Vice City’s development, however, by far the most interesting is that it only took 9 months to develop. Of course, there was some preliminary development done on some of the 3D models for the game. However, for the most part, development didn't begin until 2002 at which point it took 9 months to make.
For a game of its size and scale, 9 months seems like an incredibly short development time. GTA: Vice City did both critically and financially well after its launch and continues to be one of the more innovative titles in the series. Fans still return to roam the streets of Vice City to this day for good reason.
4 Fallout: New Vegas - 18 Months
Fallout: New Vegas is widely considered to be the pinnacle of the Fallout series and is praised for its innovations in the RPG genre and impressive storytelling. However, despite many lauding it as a masterpiece, it only took 18 months to develop.
Of course, developer Obsidian Entertainment was able to borrow a lot from the previous installment into the Fallout series. Additionally, due to the limited development time, many cuts were made including additional companions and settlements. However, while some fans likely wish this content was present, Fallout: New Vegas' world, characters, narrative, and quests are critically acclaimed and still beloved to this day.
3 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask - 12 Months
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a truly legendary entry into the series and is well known for its iconic and unique time-traveling mechanic. However, while many praised its distinct approach to storytelling, it was born of necessity in order to make the game in an extremely short time window.
According to various interviews, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask was designed around creating a short experience that could be enjoyed multiple times in multiple different ways. In some interviews, it is even stipulated that this idea took inspiration from Tom Twyker's 1998 German film Run Lola Run. Regardless, the fact that such a unique and well-received game was developed in such a short amount of time is incredibly impressive.
2 Final Fantasy 6 - 12 Months
Despite the overwhelming success and pop culture fame of Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 6 is still widely considered to be one of the best in the series. Its incredible music, memorable story, and impactful moments made it stand out in the JRPG sphere. However, despite its numerous successes, it only took a year to develop.
Unlike some short development cycles, Final Fantasy 6 was reportedly a more collaborative and "hybrid process". Nevertheless, to create a lengthy and ambitious title such as Final Fantasy 6 in a year is an incredibly admirable achievement.
1 Mega Man 7 - 3 Months
While Mega Man 7 isn't everyone's favorite in the series, it is still a noteworthy entry. This is mostly due to the fact that it only took three months to make. While it certainly isn't the shortest development time in the history of video games, it absolutely comes close.
Mega Man 7 fared relatively well for a game developed in such a short space of time. It introduced numerous new mechanics that were both lauded and criticized by fans and featured impressive visuals and music. Despite many citing it as one of the worst Mega Man titles, Mega Man 7 is still an impressive feat of video game development nonetheless.