The best spin-offs and crossovers on Switch
You know you’ve succeeded when your game is so successful that you get a spin-off – and many of the biggest games in the business have done just that, from Musou crossovers and alternate universes with sports games to rhythm and strategy games. . And you know what? They usually damn good.
We have compiled a list of the best of the best – 8/10 and above in the spin-off, which are good for both newcomers to the series and experienced players.
If you’re interested in our process for deciding what counts as a spin-off, for example, why isn’t Mario Kart 8 on this list? Or Persona 5? – We count games that are the first or second spin-off of a popular series, and we also count the best one only if there are two (e.g. River City Girls instead of River City Girls 2).
If you think we’ve missed a gem, or if you want to argue about whether games like Super Mario Maker count as spin-offs, leave a comment!
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Get Ready Games
From the opening menu which uses No awakening Zelda overworld music, but low-key theme from ocarina of timetitle screen, you know you’re about to embark on a special journey. Cadence of Hyrule (we won’t mess around with his ridiculously long official moniker) takes the music we all know and love and remixes it with the gameplay itself, sewing those melodies into the fabric of Hyrule in a way that feels completely natural but also energetic and fresh. .
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Publisher: SEGA / Developer: P-Studio
If you expected this Atlus/Koei Tecmo crossover to be straight Musou spin-off style, Dynasty Warriors-esque effort with fantasy A person skin hastily stuck on top, a little surprise awaits you. What we’ve really got here is a slick and addictive RPG that manages to retain a lot of the Persona series’ signature dialogue, characters, and camaraderie, while successfully pairing them with hack and slash combat that’s a bit more strategic and varied. than we expected it to be.
Publisher: CD Project Red / Developer: CD Project Red
Thronebreaker is not so much a spin-off as it is a cross-fertilization of ideas from the main games of The Witcher, Gwent, and other turn-based RPGs. Instead of following the exploits of contemporary pop culture man Geralt of Rivia, the game instead focuses on Meve, Queen of Lyria and Rivia as she faces an imminent invasion from the warlike region of Nilfgaard. As The Witcher rekindled interest in Andrzej Sapkowski’s vast fantasy world, the timely arrival of this Switch port offers the perfect opportunity to see another female warrior monarch handle the onslaught of war and political intrigue.
Publisher: Capcom / Developer: Capcom
Monster Hunter is a series with a long tradition of being impenetrable to casual novice players, with systems overlaid on systems and challenging combat. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin may be a sequel, but it’s worth saying upfront that you don’t have to play the spin-off’s debut to jump into the new installment – it’s a welcome gateway for newcomers.
Wings of Ruin is full of charm and boasts a depth that can immerse both the dedicated and those who just want to feel the story. As a blend of Monster Hunter with a traditional RPG approach, it’s a job well done and offers the kind of meaty experience that will keep most gamers busy for weeks.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Koei Tekmo
You know the Gerudo Valley theme from ocarina of time? it awesome tune – probably the top five Zelda tracks – and one of them is sure to get your blood pumping. Hyrule Warriors: Age of CalamityWarriors Zelda Flavor Game, Everybody Gerudo Valley, an incendiary number that will energize you for the upcoming journey. Age of Calamity combines many elements very well The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and offers an enjoyable, combat-focused spin-off with a whole bunch of content.
Publisher: Square Enix / Developer: PlatinumGames
NieR:Assault Rifles perhaps this is a story about the power of word of mouth. The IP sequel (which itself was a Drakengard spin-off), with a dedicated but modest audience by Square Enix standards, became a notable sales success over time, as the original fans convinced the neutrals that something special was coming.
And they were right – NieR: Automata is a wonderful piece of sci-fi storytelling wrapped up in the ultimate RPG adventure. Just like its predecessors, NieR:Automata constantly turns your expectations around as you play. For the most part, the game is a 3D action game with lots of RPG ideas, however, it constantly surprises you and introduces new twists. Sometimes it has to do with storytelling, but also with gameplay; we won’t spoil anything other than the intro, but you have shooter elements, puzzle solving, and more.
Publisher: Ubisoft / Developer: Ubisoft
When Mario + Bunny Kingdom Battle was revealed to the world through a leaked image of “Rabbit Peach” taking a selfie, it’s fair to say that not everyone reacted with joy. It seemed like terrible fan art, especially since later works had Mario and company pointing guns at enemies; however, when the game was unveiled, many raised their eyebrows in surprise, and it was clear that Ubisoft had embarked on an ambitious quest to combine Mario, Rabbids, and turn-based tactical combat – and better yet, they succeeded.
Publisher: Nintendo / Developer: Atlus
Despite the game’s original working title Fire Emblem Shin Megami Tensei X, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore is more like a Shin Megami game than a Fire Emblem. The inclusion of these Fire Emblem characters and the occasional splash of the familiar Fire Emblem theme is about introducing a Nintendo game and the Intelligent Systems series, while there are many more references to Atlus games here, not least. the entire combat system.
That said, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore is still one of the most colorful, accessible, and utterly compelling RPGs you’ll find on Switch. Its new story chapter, music tracks, and character assistants improve upon the original to some degree, but not enough to greatly affect its overall quality. Luckily, what was there was already fantastic, meaning that those who missed it the first time really have no reason not to get stuck now.
Publisher: Square Enix / Developer: Square Enix
Although mine craft The formula was repeated to hell and back, Square Enix managed to offer an interesting take on the classic sandbox with Dragon Quest Builders. All of the blocky aesthetic and open layout was present and accounted for, but all of these things were articulated within a larger narrative arc that included many RPG trappings from the legendary Square franchise.
It takes a surprising amount of effort to beat Minecraft at its own game, but we argue that Dragon Quest Builders 2 surpasses its inspiration in fun and replay value in many ways. Merging JRPG conventions with open and creative sandbox gameplay turns out to be a lot smoother than you’d expect, especially now that Square Enix seems to know what it’s doing with this subseries.
