It's not odd nowadays for video games to evolve into major franchises that slowly build up a wealth of games under their belt. After all, there's no better way to guarantee the success of a new title than to make it a part of a series that players are invested in, with soft reboots and the like existing if said series ends up stagnating after a few games.
These video game franchises have main entries where developers go all out, but there are always avenues open for spin-off titles that build up on the worlds developed here while adding unique gameplay elements of their own. In fact, there are some games that have become so popular that their spin-offs are more favored than the parent series itself!
6 Shin Megami Tensei
Shin Megami Tensei is the poster child for a franchise whose spin-offs have eclipsed the parent series in both quality and popularity. After all, most people are well aware of the Persona series, which has become one of the most popular JRPG series of all time. In comparison, Shin Megami Tensei has a relatively smaller group of hardcore fans who love the tough-as-nails gameplay.
The best part is that Persona is not the only spin-off series to branch out of Shin Megami Tensei. Others include the Devil Summoner and Devil Survivor games, along with other one-off games that are also pretty great in their own right. Trying to get into these titles can be a chore, but their amazing gameplay and familiar faces will make things easier for players.
5 Resident Evil
Resident Evil is a franchise that needs no introduction, with many players loving this series for its tense zombie shooting gameplay and survival elements. While the series has gone through its fair share of ups and downs, the recent resurgence of the franchise, courtesy of the quality shown in both its remakes and the new entries, has proven that Resident Evil is more than capable of living up to the lofty heights of its reputation.
The franchise also features several spin-offs of varying quality, with some of them being touted as great entries to the series. However, others have been labeled as some of the worst video games ever made, meaning that players should be wary and do their research before trying out a Resident Evil spin-off to see if it's worth their time.
4 Mario
It would be impossible to talk about a series and its spin-offs without mentioning Mario, the iconic Italian plumber everyone knows and loves. From the Super Mario games to the many sports titles that have Mario's face plastered on them, the immense presence of this particular mascot in gaming simply can't be stated enough.
The plumber has been a driving force in the industry, and players can be assured of the highest level of polish and quality whenever his name is mentioned in the title of any game. While it's true that the Mario sports games on the Switch have been pretty lean in terms of content, the gameplay and its technical excellence have always remained consistent.
3 Pokemon
Since the franchise is through a rather tough time right now, fans of the Pokemon games are split down the middle when it comes to the recent direction that the games have taken. While the evolution in the games should be lauded, the fact is that Pokemon should've kept up with the times a long while ago. The downright broken nature of some of these releases shouldn't be understated either.
Players who hate the direction the main series has taken can always try out the quality spin-offs that have come out over the many consoles. Most of these titles are excellent and worth checking out for Pokemon fans who are starving for good content, although the vast majority of them are on older consoles, making them rather hard to access and play.
2 Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is a franchise that has been through many trials and tribulations, most of which are of its own making. There's no denying that the games in the series served as a driving force for how to integrate parkour naturally in an open-world game, but the formula present in the series slowly became stale as the games started looking and feeling the same.
Players who want to try something new that still has the Assassin's Creed branding can always check out one of the many spin-offs that cover the same kind of gameplay in different ways. After all, the world created by this IP still has a ton of potential.
1 Final Fantasy
It was only a matter of time before Final Fantasy's name would be mentioned when talking about spin-offs. Each mainline entry in the series tackles a completely different story, with a new world and characters to keep things fresh and engaging. What makes things rather complicated is when some of these games get direct sequels, especially if they're on a different system like Final Fantasy 12: Revenant Wings.
The sheer number of spin-offs this series has is crazy, with titles like Final Fantasy Tactics and Crisis Core serving as some of the very best things in this franchise that fans can experience. Most of these spin-offs ooze quality... although there are others that could've used more time in the oven.