The closest thing i remember to a minigame in morrowind was a really stupid shell game in Mournhold... and then in Oblivion you could bet on the arena battles.

In Skyrim i think there should be more minigames like the following:

There should be something like an Archery range (perhaps a horseback archery course if we have mounted combat). Getting a perfect score gets you a really good bow.

There could be a hunting competition of some type.

Maybe a long-distance race with no rules (meaning you can "slowdown" your opponents by any means necessary). well 1 rule: no fast travel or youll come in last automatically or something. Winner gets a really fast horse

These are just my first ideas, if you have any more or you can expand on these ideas please share.

Only if they require no new UI, so not stuff like the disposition or lockpick systems from Oblivion, but maybe tasks or things you can do that aren't just running around hitting things or talking to people, sure.

Those ideas sound amazing!

Minigames is a horrible definition, but love the idea.

I really liked the dice game from The Witcher.

If they're fun, I like minigames. The problem with the minigames in Oblivion was that most were very repetitive and some just generally awful (Speechcraft). I'd like some minigames that actually can be considered games.

I don't really care, but it couldn't hurt.

Only if it is based more on character skill, and not player skill. (so, nothing like the Oblivion lockpicking thingy).

Yes, as long as it's not another lock picking mini game that you, gods forbid, can't skip. The mini games may be fun once of twice, but not as a part of day to day game play.

Those sound more like side quests than minigames to me. The lockpicking system in Oblivion was a minigame.

hahaha i thought the same thing, but another word for them escaped me. There's a reason a ask people to read the post before voting, i didn't want people to get the wrong idea.

I didn't consider that lock picking thing a "minigame" even though thats what they called it. it wasn't fun like a game... but i guess it was technically

Those would be event games not mini games..but hell yeah!

Fishing yeah, Ice hockey no, speechcraft wheel no, lockpicking yeah if it's absolutely loads harder when you are a novice. Mammoth racing might be fun.

Extra combatular activities

It's weird... back when i played zelda 12 years ago archery courses, races, and fishing competitions were minigames... now they are "event games"

Came in, voted no. Read your post, changed my vote. Activities and Events such as these would be awesome so long as they didn't require a Mini-Game to accomplish.

ok, sounds good. I like the archery contest idea.
but how far would it go? Downhill skiing?

There's the word i was looking for... ACTIVITIES!

Got to be so careful, minigame=lockpicking, achievement=xbox gamerscore, dodge=press button to do evasive roll, not duck or twist to avoid blow, the list goes on
and on.........

Contests.

Would be nice.

Most definitely no. It's a fantasy rpg, not a lottery, or carnival.

No. There are no need for any kind of minigames. There is plenty to do without them.

No one suggested a lottery, but a carnival is the right idea. Real medieval cities would provide entertainment to its citizens from time to time in the form of carnivals, races, or competitions. especially with the introduction of children there could definitely be such a thing in a fantasy RPG if it is trying to be realistic.

hmm... playing cards or something with a drunk nord then get into a fist fight cause i won

Wasn't there supposed to be festivals in Oblivion.
I remember something like that being mentioned by Bethesda before that game came out.