The AI-powered English dictionary
plural subgames
(game theory) A subset of a game that can be considered a game in its own right. quotations examples
A subgame is a piece of a game—the piece that remains to be played beginning at any point at which the complete history of the game thus far is common knowledge among the players.
1992, Robert Gibbons, A Primer in Game Theory, Prentice-Hall, page 94
(video games) A minor or incidental game within a larger video game; a minigame. quotations examples
There was a subgame that was very well-recieved [sic] in the previous Paper Mario RPG [Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door], where you would play through this side-scrolling stage as a gigantic Bowser.
2007, Nintendo Power, volumes 214-216, page 78