You know you’ve succeeded when your game is so successful that you get a spin-off — and many of the biggest games in the industry have done exactly that, from the Musou crossover and the universe from sports to rhythm and strategy games. And you know what? They often pretty good.
We’ve compiled a list of the best of the best – 8/10 and up in the subspace, suitable for those new to the series as well as those with experience.
If you’re wondering about the process for deciding what counts as our subsidiary — for example, why we don’t have a mario kart 8 on this list? Or character 5? — we are counting games that are the first or second installment of a popular series, and we are also counting the best game only if there are two games (such as river city girl finish City Girls On The River 2).
If you think we’ve missed a gem or if you want to argue about whether the games are likeable or not Producer Super Mario counted as a spin-off, go into the comments!
Publishing company: Nintendo / Developers: Mental preparation game
From the open menu use Not Zelda world music is vibrant but underrated theme from Ocarina of timeyour title screen, you know you’re about to go on a special journey. Hyrule’s Rhythm (we won’t mind its ridiculously long official moniker) take the music we all know and love and remix it with the gameplay itself, stitching those tunes into the texture by Hyrule in a way that is completely natural, yet also energetic and refreshing.
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Publishing company: SEGA / Developers: P-Studio
If you were expecting this Atlus/Koei Tecmo crossover to become a Musou spin-off style, one Dynasty War-esque effort with a fancy personality skin hastily slapped on the head, you’re in for a bit of a surprise. What we really have here is a fun and engaging action RPG that is able to preserve many of the Persona series’ signature dialogues, characters, and friendships while successfully combining them. with hack-and-slash combat that’s a bit more strategic and varied than we expected it to be.
Publishing company: CD Projekt Red / Developers: CD Projekt Red
Throne Breaker not a spin-off but a cross between the main Witcher games, Gwent and other turn-based RPGs. Instead of following the exploits of Geralt of Rivia, the modern man of pop culture, the game instead revolves around Meve, Queen Lyria, and Rivia, who face an impending invasion. from the warming Nilfgaardian region. With The Witcher already generating renewed interest in Andrzej Sapkowski’s vast fantasy world, the timely arrival of this Switch port offers the perfect opportunity to see another female warrior deal with the onslaught. of war and political intrigue.
Publishing company: Capcom / Developers: capcom
Monster Hunter is a series with a long tradition of being impenetrable to casual first-timers, with stacked systems and tough combat. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin could be a sequel, but it should be said right away that you don’t have to play this one spin-off debut to move to a new release — this is a welcome portal for newcomers.
Wings of Ruin is full of charm and boasts a depth that can keep committed people immersed or smitten with those who just want to experience the story. A blend of Monster Hunter with a traditional RPG approach, it’s a well-rounded attempt and offers the kind of fun experience that will keep most players busy for weeks.
Publishing company: Nintendo / Developers: Koei Tecmo
You know the Gerudo Valley theme from Ocarina of time? that is a kickass tune — possibly Zelda’s top five — and one that’s sure to make you bleed. Hyrule Warrior: Age of Calamitya Zelda Flavored Warrior game, is all of Gerudo Valley, an exciting number that will fuel your journey ahead. Age of Calamity very successfully combines many elements of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and deliver a satisfying, combat-focused backstory to the content.
Publishing company: Square Enix / Developers: Platinum Game
NieR:Automatic perhaps a story about the power of word of mouth. The sequel in an IP (itself a spin-off of Drakengard) with a devoted but modest following by Square Enix’s standards, it became a notable commercial success over time. when the early fans convinced the neutrals that something special had arrived.
And they were right — NieR: Automata is a great piece of sci-fi storytelling wrapped up in a successful action-adventure RPG. Like its predecessors, NieR: Automata continuously meets your expectations as you play. Mostly a 3D action title, with loads of RPG ideas, however, it constantly surprises you and introduces new twists. Sometimes it’s in the storytelling, but also in the gameplay; we won’t spoil anything other than the prologue, but you have elements of shooting them, solving puzzles, etc.
Publishing company: Ubisoft / Developers: Ubisoft
When Mario Kingdom Battle + Rabbids was revealed to the world through a leaked image of a ‘Rabbid Peach’ taking a selfie, it’s fair to say not all are thrilled. It seems like a terrible piece of fan art, especially since the next piece of art shows Mario and his teammates aiming guns at enemies; however, when the game was revealed, many raised eyebrows and it became clear that Ubisoft had embarked on an ambitious quest to combine Mario, Rabbids and turn-based tactical battles – and better yet, they were successful.
Publishing company: Nintendo / Developers: Atlus
Although the game’s original operating title is Fire icon Shin Megami Tensei X, Tokyo Mirage Edition #FE Encore is more of a Shin Megami game than a Fire Emblem game. The inclusion of those Fire Emblem characters and frequent bursts of the familiar Fire Emblem theme suggest that the game represents Nintendo and Intelligent Systems’ series, while having more links to its games. Atlus is here, especially of all combat systems.
Still, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore remains one of the colorful, accessible, and downright adorable RPGs you’ll find on the Switch. Its new story chapter, soundtrack, and character support are improved to some extent compared to the original, but not enough to greatly affect its overall quality. Thankfully, what’s there is already amazing, meaning that those who missed it the first time really have no reason not to be stuck right now.
Publishing company: Square Enix / Developers: Square Enix
Through the Minecraft the formula has been repeated over and over again, Square Enix has managed to come up with a fun way to sandbox classic with Dragon quest builder. All of the open-ended crafting and cubic aesthetics are present and taken into account, but all of these sit within a broader storyline that includes many of the RPG pitfalls from the Square franchise.
It takes a lot of effort to beat Minecraft in its own game, but we suppose Dragon quest builder 2 in many ways surpassing its inspiration for the element of fun and replayability. The combination of JRPG conventions with the open sentiment and creative focus of sandbox gameplay proves to go a lot smoother than you’d expect, especially now that Square Enix seems to know they’re doing it. with this sub-series.
