Dynasty Warriors is a long-lasting series, having debuted in 1997. It was a fighting game spun off from Koei's strategy game, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which was based on a Chinese novel focusing on the end of the Han dynasty. However, the series really hit its stride with Dynasty Warriors 2. This sequel took what was originally a fighting game, and transformed it into a hack-and-slash beat-em-up where a singular warrior could take on hundreds of foes with their sheer power. This mechanic, combined with the free-roaming elements of the game, made a successful formula that produced numerous sequels and spin-offs.

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Many of these spin-offs were based on third-party properties, starting with Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage, a Warriors-style game making use of characters originating from the Fist of the North Star manga. Since then, numerous Japanese properties have been given a similar spin-off, such as One Piece, The Legend of Zelda, and Fire Emblem. Many of these games also received sequels of their own. With the continued longevity of the greater Warriors franchise, it seems these spin-offs also won't be going anywhere soon. Here are some franchises that deserve the Warriors treatment.

1 Kirby

Star Warriors, Anyone?

As mentioned above, there are multiple licensed Warriors franchises based on Nintendo properties. In a way, Kirby could be a fairly unique choice to focus on for such a game. With a variety of possible enemies to translate over, Kirby could adhere to the strategy of his previous games, and take on numerous forms during a battle based on enemies he inhales, with each having a signature combo attack.

Other notable Kirby characters like King Dedede, Meta Knight, and perhaps even Bandana Waddle Dee, could also be playable characters. Meta Knight in particular seems like he could pull off some pretty devastating combo attacks. However, these additional fighters should not be as huge as the average Warriors roster (preferably sitting somewhere closer to Hyrule Warriors), as a greater amount of focus should go towards Kirby's various forms. If this game were pulled off correctly, it could be a fun, unique addition to the catalog of licensed Warriors spinoffs.

2 Samurai Shodown

An Edge In Combat

The SNK series Samurai Shodown is a pioneer in weapon-based fighting games. The series is rife with anachronisms ranging from mythical monsters to a Western outlaw with a Winchester rifle. It has accumulated an incredible cast of characters in its several decades of existence. With conventional combatants like Haohmaru, the flagship fighter with a sword that can cause tornados; the priestess whose moveset makes heavy use of her hawk, Mamahaha; and the gigantic Texan ninja with a surprising amount of stealth. As such, many characters have attacks that could translate well into an open-world setting.

Although an exact ideal antagonist is hard to pinpoint, the game has a variety of villains, from which lesser foes can be extrapolated. Whether it's the corrupting influence of the demon Ambrosia, an evil sorcerer known as "Yuga the Destroyer," or perhaps a more mortal foe like the military mastermind, Golba, there's plenty of evil to go around. The only potentially offputting aspect of the affair would be the prospective spinoff's name, as Samurai Warriors already exists as a sister series to Dynasty Warriors.

3 Dragon Ball

Clashes On A Planetary Scale

Dragon Ball would fit like a glove with the Warriors mechanics on the merits of the characters' power alone. Many of its weaker characters (such as Krillin and Tien) are already capable of taking on numerous enemies at once. Its strongest characters (including Goku, Vegeta, and the various God-tier fighters) are capable of wiping out entire planets.

With antagonists such as the Red Ribbon Army, the Freiza Force, and Babidi's unnamed organization, there are many potential characters to fulfill the archetypal grunt roles of various Warriors games as well as make up the antagonistic forces.

This fact, alongside the series' numerous iconic attacks, already maps out several potential ways in which the game could play out. Like many established Dragon Ball games, it could be an original story, making use of the various available characters from throughout the franchise. With the One Piece spin-off franchise, Pirate Warriors laying the groundwork for what a shonen Warriors game could be, a Dragon Ball-themed Warriors certainly could prove entertaining.

4 Super Mario

A Party Game? An Adventure? Something In Between?

The greater Super Mario series is shown to maintain an audience even when it comes to spin-offs. Whether it's one of the numerous RPG spin-off games, the Mario Party games, or even just games focusing on characters from other connected series. This diversity leaves several angles from which to go about creating a spin-off.

Bits and pieces of a potential blueprint are mapped out in the form of various abilities several characters have shown throughout the years, in part accumulated from their various games. Whether it's Donkey Kong letting foes have it with both barrels, Luigi making good use of his poltergust, or even something simpler like Mario flooding foes with flames, the potential for field-clearing finishers persists throughout.

The games also feature a variety of generic enemies to build up the forces with, as well as definite boss units, generally appearing in Bowser's army. While the variability of the Mario series leaves an exact shape hard to predict, a Warriors spinoff could be an interesting prospect for the series.

5 Dissidia Final Fantasy

A Hack-N-Slash With RPG Characteristics

Final Fantasy is a series that has existed since the late 80s. It has since expanded into numerous mediums, including shows, movies, and radio dramas, among others. It tends to contain a variety of different characters within each installment, making which cast to draw from hard to determine. However, to some extent, a blueprint for such a crossover exists within Dissidia, a spinoff fighting game series, which features a few characters from each Final Fantasy game to create a substantial cast.

Like other Warriors spin-offs from licensed RPGs (such as Fire Emblem and Persona), Dissidia also contains RPG elements within its gameplay, allowing for some synergy to the respective games' roots even when the exact genre is different. Dissidia's newest installment, NT, emphasizes a 3v3 system that lets AI control two characters on the player's side. This mechanic is similar to many Warriors games where computer-controlled allies act alongside the player in many scenarios.

While not every element in Dissidia immediately translates over to a proper Warriors spin-off game, certain aspects overlap, many with the same general goal of giving an RPG feel to a game in an entirely separate genre.

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