Summary
- Certain spinoffs are essential to franchise lore and explain key events (e.g., Crisis Core, Birth by Sleep).
- Spinoffs can be excellent games in their own right and introduce key mechanics (e.g., Peace Walker, Pre-Sequel).
- Many handheld spinoffs and remasters make vital stories playable again (e.g., Daxter, KH remasters).
Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Mario, Sonic, and so many other giant franchises are loaded with spinoffs. Spinoffs are often a great thing, as they give other developers a chance to stretch their creative juices. What would the gaming world be without Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars or Final Fantasy Tactics?
While great, these games stood on their own and didn’t officially come into play in their franchise’s timelines. Are there any spinoffs out there that matter so much to the lore that not playing them would be a mistake? And beyond the story, are they good games to play? These examples set a high bar for their respective franchises.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
The Squat Master Returns
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- March 24, 2008
- ESRB
- Teen // Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
The Final Fantasy series easily has the most spinoffs that matter to the story. These include some direct sequels, including Final Fantasy 10-2 and Final Fantasy 13-2. Among the best of the franchise's spinoffs is Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, a prequel to Final Fantasy 7 detailing what happened to Zack leading up to the main game.
Anyone who has unlocked the secret episode with Zack in the main game knows his fate, but the prequel does a good job filling in the gaps to make him an even more likable protagonist than Cloud. With solid action and plenty of quests, it’s a remarkable game from the PSP era that has been made more accessible with the remaster, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Building Big Boss’s Legacy
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
- Released
- June 8, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood, Drug Reference, Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Stealth
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was the first game about the origins of Big Boss, which then led to two PSP spinoffs highlighting more of his career before the events of the first Metal Gear on MSX. Of those two games, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is considered the essential hit.
Beyond the story, it was a mechanically important game that then gave birth to most features found in Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Players go on missions, recruit new members via a balloon system, and use them to build gear back at HQ.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
Three Destinies
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
- Released
- January 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Fighting, Action-Adventure
The Kingdom Hearts franchise is comprised of mostly spinoffs, as there are only three numbered sequels, with the fourth on the way. And in this series, all those spinoffs matter. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is definitely the most important, as it’s a prequel from the PSP era about three Keyblade wielders who dealt with the franchise’s overall villain first, Xehanort.
8 Best Handheld Spin-Offs From Major Nintendo Franchises
Nintendo has delivered some great spin-off games on their handheld devices over the years. These are some of the best.
Players will through three action-based campaigns starring Aqua, Terra, and Ventus in some familiar Disney worlds based on films like Peter Pan and Lilo & Stitch. It’s easily accessible now via the remastered collection, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Gives Rise To The Franchise’s Greatest Villain
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel!
- Released
- October 14, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Many fans consider Borderlands 2 to be the pinnacle of the series for many reasons, including giving rise to the villain Handsome Jack. In Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Jack becomes a playable character in his early career as a Vault Hunter. He’s not the same charismatic man that fans saw in 2, but by the end, players will start to see the turn. It’s one of the more forgotten games in the series, but still a good one with unique moon-based mechanics like low gravity and the need for oxygen.
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
Claire’s Spinoff Destiny
Resident Evil: Revelations 2
- Released
- February 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Claire Redfield was one of the playable characters in Resident Evil 2, making her important in the series. Despite this, that’s the only numbered game she was featured in. The rest of her appearances were relegated to spinoffs like Resident Evil - Code: Veronica and Resident Evil: Revelations 2.
While both of those games are good, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is the better game to play today, thanks to its updated features like shooting mechanics and co-op. It also highlights another forgotten character, Barry Burton, who was in the first game as Jill Valentine’s campaign partner.
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Sailing For Adventure
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
- Released
- February 21, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is the latest entry in the Yakuza series, which takes place after Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. It explores what happened to fan favorite bad boy Goro Majima after the events of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Suffering from amnesia, Majima gets roped into a literal pirate adventure with treasure, giant galleons, and sea shanties. As one would expect from a Majima-led game, it’s over-the-top in the best ways possible with nonstop action and seafaring shenanigans.
Persona 5 Strikers
A Beach Adventure
Persona 5 Strikers
- Released
- February 3, 2021
WHERE TO PLAY
Omega Force’s Musou-style games, like Dynasty Warriors, get a lot of stigma for being repetitive. However, they are all solid action RPGs. Among them, the game that is most worth playing is Persona 5 Strikers, which served as a direct sequel to the events in Persona 5.
After Ren, the main character, goes back home, he returns to visit his friends for a summer vacation. Unfortunately, more demonic trouble follows, and the Phantom Thieves have to reassemble to save the day this time in a series of action-based dungeons.
Daxter
Slapstick Comedy
Daxter
- Released
- March 14, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Daxter is Jak’s furry little companion from Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. In Jak 2, the two find themselves in the future, followed by a further time-skip. Daxter is a PSP spinoff that explores what Daxter was doing while Jak was locked up and experimented on.
While his adventure is tinier, the humor is on point as Daxter was always the soul of the series. Players will run around town exterminating bugs and other small critters while trying to gather a group of resistors to help free Jak.
6 Nintendo Franchises That Would Make Great Roguelike Spinoffs
The roguelike formula could be a fun way to spice up these Nintendo franchises in the form of a special spinoff.