10 Video Game Spinoffs We Need

One of my favorite things to do in my free time is think up video games I want to exist, then feel sad that they likely never will. But a man can dream! Today I want to share some of the ideal video game spin-offs that I’d love to one day see happen at some point.

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Pokémon Crossing

Building up a community of animals is already delightful, but surrounding yourself with adorable Pokémon would be a match made in Nintendo heaven! Every day you would scour your town digging up fossil Pokémon parts, interacting with your villagers, saving up Pokédollars to pay off your house debt, and fishing for Water Pokémon (maybe for a digital display in the museum- it would be weird to have some monsters living alongside you and others in a glass tank). And perhaps if you help your villagers out enough, they are able to evolve into new forms! I’d love to see this game happen some day and out of this whole list, it feels like one of the more possible options.

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Metroid Roguelite

Samus is already a master of 2D exploration, so why not expand her repertoire to an ever-changing planet? Each run would see Samus venturing across the various biomes that would shuffle themselves into new configurations, with each area bringing harder enemies and new obstacles to overcome. Getting far enough would unlock new beams, ammo expansions, abilities, and even suit upgrades that would help players progress even further on the next run. I also like the idea of upgrades being hidden and found naturally during runs rather than being purchased with currency. Gaaaaah we’re only two entries in and I’m already sad that I can’t stop writing and go play this game now!

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Zelda x Fire Emblem

The Legend of Zelda is no stranger to spinoff titles, such as Hyrule Warriors in the musou action genre and even the rhythm-based Crypt of the Necrodancer Zelda DLC. Playing as Link and Zelda to build up an army of Gorons, Zoras, Hylians, Koroks, Dekus, Minish, and Gerudo to face off against the forces of evil would be a perfect addition to the Zelda franchise. Each race would have its own battlefield abilities and weapons/magic to use, while Link and Zelda would join the fray as your two protagonists. Much as in the Hyrule Warriors games (and Majora’s Mask), it would be a blast to play as and experience more of the various races of Hyrule and give them the spotlight they deserve.

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Dragon Quest Souls

FromSoftware’s legacy with its Dark Souls series, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring is one to be admired. However, most of these games rely on dull coloration and dim environments to help sell the precise combat and make it feel more dangerous (not to say there aren’t exceptions). I’d love to experience a Souls game set in the Dragon Quest universe- a setting full of vibrant colors, chipper music, and more varieties of monsters than you can shake a Black Knight’s Glaive at. Being able to build a protagonist from scratch and choose your playstyle would be a perfect fit for a Dragon Quest spinoff with Souls-like combat.

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Mario x Story of Seasons

You’re a Toad (or Toadette)- a loyal retainer of Princess Peach in the Mushroom Kingdom- and you’ve been entrusted a farm on the outskirts of Toad Village. Each day you wake up and tend to your fields, which are filled with rows of Fire Flowers, Mushrooms (Super and Mini), 1-Ups, and Boomerang Flowers. After that you’re free to wander to your heart’s content. Will you spend the day fishing for Cheep-Cheeps and Bloopers, or perhaps wandering the woods in the hopes of finding a Super Leaf? And who knows- once you save up enough coins, maybe you could even afford a Yoshi to ride around and save time on errands?

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LEGO DOOM

Okay, let’s get REAL dumb for this one. The DOOM series has always been full of over-the-top violence, especially with the newest DOOM 2016 and DOOM Eternal. But what if instead of blood and guts, your bricky demon enemies burst into thousands of LEGO pieces? Players could customize the look of their weapons with different colors and pieces, many of which would add different bullet types and extra abilities. And imagine all the mini-figs you could discover in the secret passages and hidden areas! LEGO DOOM doesn’t NEED to happen, but I’d be over the moon if it ever somehow did!

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Shovel Knight Kart

Are you really a proper video game franchise if you don’t have a crappy kart racer? Shovel Knight, Shield Knight, and the Order of No Quarter would all get together for some not-so-friendly racing on karts- all courtesy of Tinker Knight, of course- in order to acquire the world’s ultimate treasures! Each Knight would have a unique power they could use based on a cooldown timer, and you could also collect Relics/Artifacts/etc. from Treasure Trove’s four campaigns to help shift the races in your favor. Steel thy Kart!!

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Paper Luigi’s Mansion

Luigi’s Mansion is one of the most unique series in modern gaming, and why not change up the formula even more by giving the Green Goober’s paper incarnation a chance to tear it up (HA!)? Paper Mario and Luigi’s Mansion both have a high focus on humor, and the charming Paper art style would be a perfect setup for a variety of new ghosties to track down and capture! Perhaps Mr. L could make a cameo appearance, or even be a “lingering spirit” that must be tracked down for the story? Please, Nintendo- make this one happen!

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Banjo-Kazooie x ANYTHING

Please for the love of the gaming gods, just give us back the Bear and Bird!

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Assassin’s Creed Metroidvania

Venturing through immersive 3D cities has always been a blast, but what if we took the usual formula and flattened it into an open 2D environment? Mark of the Ninja (an indie game that released in 2012) offered open-ended levels that players had to stealth their way through, and expanding the large levels into a fully-explorable map would be a great fit for Assassin’s Creed. The environments could range from city areas, building interiors, secret passages, hidden tombs, and even some natural areas to tie it all together. A new side-scrolling Assassin’s Creed would be a great way to diversify the long-running series.

I’m not holding my breath on any of these spinoffs to actually happen, but it sure would be nice! What about you? Are there any video game spinoffs you’d love to see happen someday? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading, and take care!

-Brink