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Sometimes the spinoff does the impossible and becomes better than the original. In this video, we count down the Top 10 Video Game Spinoffs That Are BETTER Than The Original, featuring side titles that improved gameplay, storytelling, or replay value.

From unexpected hits to genre-defining surprises, these games proved that going off-mainline can pay off big.

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Transcript
00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the video games and game series
00:13spun off from other games or series that exceeded their predecessors in quality and or popularity.
00:19Now, after all the long centuries, you kept me chained in darkness. It is only fitting that I bury you in turn.
00:31Number 10, Donkey Kong Country Series
00:33The original Donkey Kong games are important milestones in the development of platforming
00:45video games and were wildly popular arcade titles, but Donkey Kong Country is unquestionably a major step up.
00:52The original Rare series revolutionized pre-rendered graphics on home consoles
00:57and packed each title with incredibly challenging levels with amazing music.
01:08Retro Studios revived the franchise and carried on its legacy of precision gameplay,
01:13while also including a high degree of variety within each stage.
01:17The DKC games may drive us bananas sometimes, yes, but they're also a barrel of fun and then some.
01:29Number 9, Mega Man X Series
01:31The OG Mega Man games are fantastic games for their simple yet fun premise.
01:36Kill eight bosses, get their weapons to use against each like basically rock, paper, scissors.
01:40However, they are prone to difficulty spikes, and they're often limited by hardware or design choices.
01:55Then along comes Mega Man X.
01:57This spin-off series features crisper graphics, better movement options, a more in-depth story,
02:02and a more rock-inspired soundtrack.
02:04The X Series took everything great about the original games and turned it all up to 11.
02:08Not that Capcom remembers, since they haven't released a game in this series
02:12that wasn't a mobile title or a collection in 20 years.
02:15Why do you insist on sitting on gold mines, Capcom?
02:18Come on now.
02:25Number 8, Fallout New Vegas
02:27Bethesda taking over the Fallout series brought the franchise to a whole new audience
02:31and increased its popularity many times over.
02:33You've got to stop it so this can't happen to anyone else's family ever again.
02:38I wish I had met you a long time ago.
02:41And then maybe my dad would still be alive.
02:43And yet, another developer managed to beat them at their own game, literally.
02:47Obsidian Entertainment's Fallout New Vegas is the perfect Fallout experience.
02:51The story is rich, the settings and characters are memorable,
02:55and the RPG elements are just right.
02:57New Vegas offers an unparalleled level of choice and consequences for the franchise,
03:01resulting in a unique post-apocalyptic adventure for practically every player out there.
03:06The series has never managed to recapture the magic of this surprisingly great spinoff.
03:10Basically, what happens in New Vegas stays in New Vegas.
03:13Number 7, Portal series
03:22It can be hard to remember, but Portal is actually set in the same world as Half-Life.
03:27The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world.
03:34And while the latter is something of a sacred cow in the gaming community,
03:37we'd still argue that Portal is better in some regards at least.
03:40The darkly comedic edge the Portal games have is incredibly enjoyable.
03:44Plus, the puzzle platforming and use of the titular gateways is downright fantastic.
03:49Please take me down.
03:53The game's controls are a bit more polished than their predecessors,
03:56which makes them a bit more approachable for casual gamers.
03:59Portal is also better at releasing new games,
04:01but then again, most series are, so yeah.
04:04The birth parents you are trying to reach do not love you.
04:08Please hang up.
04:10Number 6, The Sims series
04:12Ow!
04:14Ow!
04:15Ow!
04:17Ow!
04:18Ow!
04:18The SimCity games are among the most popular simulation games.
04:22However, managing a cityscape, while cool, yes,
04:25is tough for most people to connect with.
04:27The franchise's spinoff, The Sims, instead brings the emphasis on simulated people and their homes,
04:32which has helped it achieve a far greater and more consistent level of success.
04:43Running the lives of simulated people can be played out endlessly,
04:47and yet, expansion packs are still being released for games that came out well over a decade ago,
04:52offering even more options to players.
04:54The Sims took a niche franchise and brought it right into the mainstream.
04:57Boop of Glandys!
05:01Gripalook!
05:02Goons Lokedava!
05:03Bloop of Dark Nakeda!
05:05Two shots of good!
05:06Number 5, Pokemon Legends Arceus
05:08Given that Pokemon is the single highest grossing media franchise, well, ever,
05:12you'd think that it'd be impossible for one of their spinoffs to actually exceed them,
05:16but you'd be wrong, of course.
05:17The main Pokemon games have stagnated as time has gone on,
05:20both graphically and in terms of gameplay.
05:22But then, Game Freak decided to go against their own mold and release Legends Arceus.
05:34It has a large open setting to catch Pokemon in.
05:37Battles and catching Pokemon are much faster,
05:42leading to less downtime spent mindlessly pressing A until you can move on.
05:50Even the graphics, while not really up to the industry standards,
05:53are still at least a step up.
05:55Granted, Game Freak may have set the bar low,
05:57but Legends Arceus still leaps it higher than we expected.
06:06Number 4, World of Warcraft
06:08The Warcraft games are real-time strategy titles through and through.
06:12Although relatively popular in their genre, of course,
06:14they weren't exactly well-known among non-gamers.
06:16Now, hurry. Illidan has a considerable lead on us.
06:21We must capture him before he causes any more harm.
06:24But when Blizzard decided to break into the MMORPG market,
06:27World of Warcraft eclipsed not only its predecessors,
06:30but also every other MMO out there.
06:32Its minimal load times, massive world, and fun gameplay loop
06:36proved popular, successful, and downright addicting.
06:38WoW has even spawned spin-offs of its own.
06:46World of Warcraft is a household name at this point in time,
06:49while the original games that spawned it
06:51are practically forgotten by everyone but the hardcore fans.
06:54Number 3, Metroid Prime Series
07:03The 2D Metroid titles revolutionized platformers
07:06with their sprawling interconnected worlds
07:08filled with upgrades and secrets to discover.
07:10However, the franchise's transition to three dimensions
07:22with the sub-series improved upon that already stellar legacy
07:25and increased the scale and scope overall.
07:34The Metroid Prime games are primarily in the first-person perspective,
07:38which only serves to heighten the immersion they offer.
07:40The huge, gorgeous worlds, fantastic graphics, and amazing music
07:43are all an improvement on what the earlier games were capable of.
07:47The Metroid Prime games live up to their name
07:49because this is Prime Metroid right here.
07:57Number 2, Persona Series
07:59The Megami Tensai franchise is a long-running and prolific JRPG series
08:03with many devoted fans.
08:10However, one of its spinoffs, Persona, has eclipsed it by a considerable margin.
08:17While Persona maintains a similar combat style to Megami Tensai,
08:21its other elements have helped to become much more popular.
08:24The games have style and flair for days,
08:33and their more light-hearted tone and humor
08:35make them more approachable to new fans.
08:37Additionally, their high school settings and emphasis on social simulation
08:40are other factors in their broader appeal.
08:43It's these differences in Persona's approach
08:45that have helped it become a much greater hit internationally
08:47than its parent series.
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09:09Number 1, Super Mario Series
09:11Yep, Mario is a spinoff, who would have thought?
09:14Video gaming's favorite plumber began his life
09:16as the protagonist of Donkey Kong,
09:18but once the mustachioed hero got his own games,
09:21he quickly left DK in the dust.
09:29Nearly every single Super Mario game
09:31has been a genre and or era-defining title.
09:33Super Mario Bros. laid the template for 2D platformers,
09:36while Super Mario 64 became the gold standard
09:39for 3D games that followed in its wake.
09:41Its own spinoffs are Legion,
09:43have become wildly successful in their very own rights.
09:46And Mario himself is basically the face of not only Nintendo,
09:49but video games in general.
09:51Not too shabby.
09:58So, is there a video game spinoff
10:00that overtook its predecessor to become Top Banana
10:03that we forgot to mention?
10:04Share your picks in the comments.
10:05See ya next ceux- qui-
10:19.
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