Tell me if this sounds familiar: you’ve sunk hours and hours into that new RPG you’ve been waiting for. You love the world, enjoy the combat, picked some favorite characters, and even the story isn’t half-bad. It’s everything you were hoping for and you’re enjoying it, but something feels off. You’re not just not really feeling it anymore; even though you know that you absolutely should. Well if that’s the case, then perhaps what you need is a palette cleanser. 

In my own experience, I’ve found that RPGs tend to wear out quickly without something to break up the action. It’s just their nature I think. They’re so broad and time-consuming to play that getting tired of them is an inevitability. So, to stave off that stale taste and keep your RPGs feeling fresh, here are seven great RPG palette-cleanser games for you to try!

7. (Your favorite multiplayer shooter)

Okay, yeah this first one is kind of a cheat. I think multiplayer shooter games are a great way to break up the monotony of a long RPG since they’re almost the exact opposite, but I hesitate to recommend just one title since the genre is wide enough to suit most tastes. That said, if your game is getting boring, why not test your mettle against your fellow players?

6. Shadow Complex

I’m generally of the opinion that the best way to break up a big, slow game is to play something segmented and faster paced. This is why Shadow Complex isn’t higher on the list. It’s a great Metroidvania game that strikes a quite fun balance between quiet exploration and shooty mayhem. Give it a whirl if you’re looking for something different, but don’t want to do a full 180 into fast-paced action.

5. Crash Bandicoot 2: Wrath of Cortex

Just about every Crash game winds up being an action-packed dive into utter zaniness, but I recommend this one if you can get your hands on it. It’s structured in a way that makes it easy to just pick-up and play every so often, and offers enough level variety to keep return visits from getting stale themselves. Start it up if you’re looking for some simple and silly fun!

4. Rayman Origins

Okay, this one I haven’t actually played, but I still feel like it deserves a spot on this list. Everything I’ve seen and read of this game tells me that it’s not only a great game in it’s own right, but also one that’s very much suited to be a great palette cleanser. It’s levels are short, the gameplay is nice and simple, and there’s enough simple objectives in each level to keep you playing a little bit longer than you originally meant. Perhaps not the best game to play if you really want to make progress on that RPG, but it definitely sounds like an excellent choice if you’re looking to take your mind off that other game!

3. Yoshi’s Island

Another great example of a game that’s easy to pick up and play, Yoshi’s Island is still one of the best options out there if you want to make a complete departure from your standard RPG. Light puzzles, solid platforming, a level-based structure, a unique art-style packed with bright colors, this game is a feast for both the eyes and the mind! It’s probably not as addictive as Rayman Origins can be, which makes it a great choice for when you’re only looking for a short break from your RPG world.

2. Super Smash Bros.

There’s just something so cathartic about choosing your favorite Nintendo characters and throwing them into an all-out brawl! If your RPG has got you feeling down, just get your friends together and have a smashing good time!

1. Sonic Generations

Sonic game have everything you need to take a solid break from your RPG. They’re conveniently broken up into stages. They give you an objective to strive for in each stage. They’re often quite colorful, and they’re FAST! The “good” ones might only be the first 3 or so, but I think that none of them achieve that wonderfully freeing sense of speed like Sonic Generations does. There’s no “friends” to play as, you barely even have to think about the story, the music is catchy…it’s got everything you need. If your RPG is starting to feel slow and boring, this might just be the change you need!

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What games do you like to play in order to break up the action? What type do you think is best?

*Screenshot from Flickr User: PSMANIA