As the decades roll by, beloved franchises might be tempted to deviate from the status quo. Change is important to remain relevant, but there is always the risk that a significant divergence from the path could turn away long-time supporters of a property. That is where spin-off games come in, as they provide developers with the perfect opportunity to really think outside of the box.

While spin-offs such as Crash Team Racing and Daxter are not too much of a stretch, others come completely out of leftfield and catch everyone by surprise. As Resident Evil and Silent Hill fans surely know, not every spin-off is a winner; that said, sometimes they are unexpectedly good.

10 Pokémon Snap

While players have been clamoring for a new Pokémon Snap since 1999, the Nintendo 64 classic was hardly a logical next step for the iconic franchise. With a proper Pokémon RPG yet to be released on the Nintendo 64, a spin-off with very little gameplay outside of taking snapshots of roaming Pokémon was a bizarre substitute.

Pokémon Snap is by no means a masterpiece and has not aged especially well, but it holds a special place in the hearts of many fans of the series. Pokémon Snap might not be an RPG but it delivered on its promise.

9 Hyrule Warriors

While Mario has yet to find a sports spin-off that he cannot master, Link is a bit more selective. Nintendo does not slap The Legend of Zelda brand on just anything, a lesson presumably learned after the CD-i debacle. Created by Omega Force and Team Ninja, Hyrule Warriors combines The Legend of Zelda’s world with Dynasty Warriors’ gameplay to create a fun, if shallow hack and slash experience.

Hyrule Warriors was so unexpected, the reveal that a sequel is on the way also caught the gaming world by surprise.

8 Persona 4 Arena

A spin-off of a spin-off, Persona 4 Arena marked the first time Atlus’s beloved RPG series tackled a different genre. Atlus enlisted the help of Arc System Works to put together this fighting game, ensuring Arena launched with smooth animation and tight mechanics.

Persona 4 Arena is an incredible anime fighter, one that can stand alongside Arc System Works’ other genre masterpieces. Its story is also a highlight, echoing the fantastic writing of the mainline entries.

7 Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Be it Final Fantasy Tactics or the Dissidia series, Square Enix’s franchise has a solid track record when it comes to spin-offs. Most of these side-games tend to still be RPG-adjacent, but Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is first and foremost a rhythm game. While there are some RPG elements, the focus is squarely on the music.

Even if nobody asked for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, the fact it ended up being brilliant was far from a surprise. After all, Final Fantasy is responsible for some of the greatest gaming soundtracks ever, and this spin-off brings together two decades of awesomeness.

6 The Misadventures Of Tron Bonne

As the Mega Man Legends games were already quite a departure for Capcom’s iconic property, The Misadventures of Tron Bonne was a release that came and went without much fanfare.

Although it has its issues and could benefit from being a touch more focused, this forgotten gem does exactly what a spin-off should do. The Misadventures of Tron Bonne expands on the Mega Man universe while exploring different gameplay styles that would feel out of place in the main games. A must-try for fans of the series.

5 Metal Gear Acid Series

The PlayStation Portable was THE console for weird spin-offs, and quite a number of them ended up being surprisingly great. Metal Gear Acid turned Konami’s genre-defining stealth franchise into a turn-based tactics game revolving around trading cards that determine a character’s actions. It is just as bizarre as it sounds, but Metal Gear Acid retains the charm of the main series.

The sequel refines and improves its predecessor’s ideas in almost every way, making it one of the standout games on the Sony system.

4 Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Sticking with Hideo Kojima’s epic franchise, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance took one of Metal Gear Solid’s most detested characters, Raiden, and transformed him into a cyborg with a really cool sword. PlatinumGames is the ideal studio for high-octane action games with mostly non-sensical storylines, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance comes close to reaching the lofty heights seen by Bayonetta and Vanquish. The combat is brilliant, the story is suitably outlandish, and the enemies hit hard.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance redeemed Raiden in the eyes of many and is the main reason the character is remembered at all fondly.

3 Luigi’s Mansion

While a proper game starring Luigi was long overdue, a horror-ish spin-off reminiscent of Ghostbusters was not what anyone anticipated. Released on the GameCube, Luigi’s Mansion wisely decided to not compete with the Super Mario titles, opting for a gameplay style and tone completely removed from Nintendo’s popular platformers.

Luigi’s Mansion is a truly unique and atmospheric experience, something quite unlike anything else Nintendo’s license has produced. It is a genuine Luigi game, rather than a Mario adventure that happens to star his brother instead.

2 Maximo: Ghosts to Glory

Ghosts ’n Goblins garnered a reputation for its controller-shattering difficulty, but the franchise would persist long past 1985. As the series often tried on new names, quite a few of its spin-offs went by unnoticed. Out of all of them, 2001’s Maximo: Ghosts to Glory might be the best.

A 3D action game with fun hack and slash combat, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory retains Ghosts ’n Goblins’ spooky aesthetic and crushing difficulty. Its gameplay holds up surprisingly well, and it spawned a sequel, Maximo vs. Army of Zin, that is also worth checking out.

1 Doom RPG

Released on mobile devices in 2005, Doom RPG does an admirable job of adjusting the franchise’s visuals and lore to suit the stylings of a turn-based RPG. Doom has occasionally tried to elevate the importance of its story, but the main games are generally at their best when the plot amounts to little more than “kill all the demons.”

Doom RPG’s slower pace allows the narrative to breathe, producing one of the franchise’s better storylines in the process. While dated by modern standards, Doom RPG was a welcome surprise in 2005.

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