What constitutes a spin-off may differ from person to person. For some, when a game series takes on a new entire genre, it’s given that label, however, some spin-offs are still very similar to the parent franchise. Whatever the definition, we’re going to look at the best of the best. Here are 10 video game spin-offs that were better than the main franchise.
10 Persona
For about a decade, Shin Megami Tensei was developer Atlus’ golden goose. Popular in Japan, the franchise, originally based on the sci-fi novels Digital Devil Story, allows players to fight and collect demons similar to Pokémon, but with a little more variety in terms of gameplay. As a more experimental franchise, it was only a matter of time before a spin-off came around. That’s essentially Persona.
While the franchise doesn’t differ too much from Shin Megami Tensei, these games do come with a different visual style with a more jazzy soundtrack. These were enough to really set it apart, however, and now Persona is probably more popular than the series that it spawned from.
9 Apex Legends
Look, we here at GameRant adore the Titanfall series, but its spin-off, Apex Legends, has taken off way more than the original franchise could have ever imagined. Developed by Respawn Entertainment, Titanfall captivated gamers with its unique blend of first-person shooting action and sci-fi mech-based combat. Despite this, however, its lack of a single-player campaign turned fans off. So, they decided to give it another shot with a sequel, but going up against other massive games that holiday season left Titanfall 2 feeling like one of the most overlooked games of the decade.
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So, without any marketing behind it, Respawn brought us back to the same world, but for free (and fewer mechs), with the battle royal Apex Legends. Piggybacking on the popularity of titles like PUBG and Fortnite, Apex Legends became one of the most popular games of the decade and is still enjoyed by a thriving online community.
8 Hyrule Warriors
Koei Tecmo stumbled onto a pretty popular formula when they released Dynasty Warriors 2 in 2000. Moving away from the straight-up fighting genre, the second game in the franchise worked as a hack-and-slash, giving players waves of enemies to take on in a franchise that is incredibly deep despite its shallow appearance. While popular, however, the series does get a lot of flack for its repetitive nature, but one spin-off appears to be almost universally beloved — Hyrule Warriors.
Taking the basic run to location, fight enemies gameplay model, Hyrule Warriors is a love letter to anyone who adores The Legend of Zelda. With an overwhelming number of characters to choose from and countless weapons from Nintendo’s series, there’s a lot to love with this one.
7 Forza Horizon
When Forza Motorsport was first introduced to Xbox players back in 2005, it always felt like Microsoft’s answer to Gran Turismo. While that label could be debated, there’s no doubt that this franchise became the premiere driving series with an emphasis on realism and accuracy — right down to the stitching on the steering wheel. For gearheads, Forza is a dream come true, but for fans of a more arcade-centric experience, it was a little too intense.
That could be why we got the Forza Horizon series. Taking players away from the professional tracks, Horizon is street centric with a big open world to drive through across various locations throughout the series. In many ways, Horizon’s approach to the genre made it much better than Motorsport.
6 Fallout: New Vegas
Bethesda Softworks’ revival of Interplay’s Fallout universe in Fallout 3 resulted in one of the most beloved RPGs of an entire generation. With a massive open-world full of interesting characters just waiting to be explored, players spent hundreds of hours traversing the wasteland. No one could have imagined another developer topping it, but no one counted on Obsidian taking a stab at the world.
The result was Fallout: New Vegas, a spinoff that does everything the third game in the series did, but better. With an unforgettable cast, an intriguing plot where you try to solve your own murder and sidequests that deserve their own game, New Vegas is a favorite in the Fallout community.
5 Final Fantasy: Tactics
Regardless of how you feel about some of the more recent Final Fantasy games, one thing is for sure — it is one of the most enduring franchises of all time. Part of that has been accomplished by strong writing featuring memorable characters, but another factor is the series’ ability to stay fresh by introducing new elements in every game. A result of this mindset created Tactics.
Jumping away from the traditional JRPG formula that fans adored by 1997, Tactics earned its name by taking inspiration from titles like Fire Emblem and other Tactical RPGs. With an isometric gameboard, some random encounters, and beautiful visuals, Final Fantasy Tactics is an experience unlike any other.
4 Super Smash Bros.
It may be unfair to call Super Smash Bros. a spin-off, but it is difficult to classify it as anything else. A true love letter to the most ridiculous things in gaming, this franchise is the biggest crossover in the industry with the most recent game featuring 74 fighters across multiple franchises.
While the online play can be a little intimidating with one of the most competitive scenes around, this series has something for everyone, even if you’re not a fan of fighters. While it’s not a spin-off of a specific franchise, Super Smash Bros. is a must-play series for anyone who enjoys gaming.
3 Metroid Prime
The Metroid franchise was so influential when it released that it helped spawn a whole genre — the Metroidvania. This type of game is essentially shorthand for 2D action platformers with RPG mechanics and non-linear map progression, and Super Metroid could be considered the very best the genre has to offer. So, when Nintendo announced that a new developer would handle the franchise and put it in a 3D world, people were nervous.
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The result, however, was a trilogy that rivals the very best, topping what we could ever expect from the franchise. The worlds were bigger and better than ever before, the lore was richer than we ever imagined, and the gameplay was incredibly satisfying to boot.
2 Portal
Believe it or not, Portal takes place in the Half-Life universe. Though, if you didn’t believe us, it would be kind of strange since the series is riddled with references to the popular franchise. Still, nods to the past aside, Portal really feels like its own experience compared to the two games that came before it. With a much heavier focus on puzzle-solving and no real combat to speak of, this game feels as far away from Gordon Freeman’s adventure as possible.
We know saying any game is better than Half-Life is heresy, but from a pure gameplay perspective, Portal is a little more polished and plays a little better to modern gamers. Plus, its take on the genre is so incredibly fresh, its hard to find any criticism in either game in the series.
1 Super Mario Bros.
When we were first introduced to the world of Mario was in the famous Donkey Kong arcade game. In this title, players took control of Jumpman as he tried to save the damsel in distress, Paulina, from a dangerous ape, Donkey Kong. The franchise was popular and spawned some sequels that altered the gameplay a little bit, but no one could ever imagine the franchise spinning off and becoming as popular as it did.
The result was Mario Bros. and eventually Super Mario Bros. which, like Donkey Kong before it, focused heavily on platforming. However, the latter of the Mario games shook things up with a focus on home-console play. Not only did this franchise spawn the most recognizable gaming character ever, but it also changed how we play video games.
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