Top 10 Spin-Off Games No One Asked For!

Top 10 Video Game Spin-Offs No One Asked For

We've heard of stepping into different genres, but were these games really necessary? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today, we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Video Game Spin-Offs No One Asked For.

For this list, we’re taking look at spin-off games that had most fans saying: “What were they thinking!” We'll be looking at games that just felt out of place with previous titles, and continue to confuse fans to this day.

#10: “Link’s Crossbow Training” (2007)

“The Legend of Zelda” has provided great memories and fun adventures to gamers across the globe. So, it’s only fitting to make a spin-off game all about target practice, right? Wrong. We’ll give the game points for being a somewhat enjoyable experience, but it doesn’t even last very long. You can beat the entire game in about an hour, and possibly another hour if you want to go for that completionist rating. You may be asking yourself: why was the “Zelda” franchise chosen for a shooting gallery game? And since when does Link use a crossbow? Well, Nintendo had to sell all those Wii Zappers somehow, right?

#9: “Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures” (1994)

“Pac-Man is fun and all, but what’s the world like outside of the maze?”...asked nobody ever. Giving Pac-Man a break from eating Power Pellets and running from ghosts, “Pac-Man 2” has the player babysitting Pac-Man. You do nothing but follow him around, manipulating the environment, and watching Pac-Man do anything but what you want him to do. Also, what’s with the gibberish voice acting? If you’re looking for a good “Pac-Man” game, just play the original.

#8: “Uncharted: Fight for Fortune” (2012)

What's this? A new Uncharted game? Filled with daring adventures, smarmy banter, and a massacre of bandits? Nope, even better! It's...a collectible card game! Yayyyyyyy! And you can only get it on the PS Vita! Alright, no, this is anything but “Uncharted”. Naughty Dog created this franchise for cinematic narrative and thrilling adventures, not to see Nathan Drake’s face in what is essentially Magic: The Gathering. If you forgot this was even a thing, then props to you, because we sure as hell didn't want this.

#7: “Mega Man Soccer” (1994)

Hey, kids, did you know Mega Man is a huge soccer fan? ...Yeah, well, neither did we. “Mega Man Soccer” lets you manage your own team of Robot Masters and...that's pretty much it. Really, it's as if someone saw SEGA’s “Football Manager” series and said, “Mega Man needs a game like this!” But, did we really need this? Mega Man has been known for difficult platforming, run-&-gun gameplay. Why are we recruiting Robot Masters with terrible stats and AI for a few games of soccer? Eh...guess this one was to appeal to the kids and encourage them to get outside more.

#6: “Resident Evil: Survivor” (2000)

One of the best things about “Resident Evil” is how the series manages to scare the pants out of us with each new installment - with the exceptions of Resident Evil 5 & 6, obviously. We’ve even had some interesting spin-offs, but one that was not so great was “Resident Evil: Survivor,” a light gun shooter with terrible shooting mechanics and some of gaming’s slowest combat. It starts off scary - you know... because it’s “Resident Evil” - but with enemies that take an eternity to turn around and attack you, all sense of danger is lost, despite the infuriating controls.

#5: “Street Fighter: The Movie” (1995)

Yeah, its a game that's based on a movie that's based on a game, and, just like the movie, it sucks. Just from looking at the footage, you can get a sense of how dull this atmosphere is compared to a regular Street Fighter game. The animation is all choppy, the visuals are bland, and the gameplay is seriously lacking. We understand this game was made in a time where movie tie-in games were a thing, but did nobody stop and think this might be a little ridiculous? If we wanted a “Street Fighter” game, we'd buy the actual games. This… well, this looks more like an unholy marriage between “Street Fighter” and “Mortal Kombat.”

#4: “Hotel Mario” (1994)

Mario: carpenter, plumber, racer, partier, doctor, baker, and now, professional door shutter. “Hotel Mario” doesn't task you with managing a hotel or traveling the world. No, “Hotel Mario” tasks you with closing doors. Not only is this an incredibly tedious game, but this just isn't Mario. It may talk the talk, but it certainly does not walk the walk. Of course, Mario wasn’t the only one who had a rough go on the CD-i…

#3: “Metroid Prime: Federation Force” (2015)

Name us one person - ONE PERSON - who said they wanted a Metroid game without Samus Aran! Well, their wish was granted when “Federation Force” launched in 2015. Hardcore Metroid fans, on the other hand, did not give the game a warm welcome. The game was lauded for its chibi-like visuals, reliance on multiplayer gameplay, which ruined the experience for the solo players, and for how small of a role our favorite bounty hunter had this time around. We'll happily accept “Samus Returns” as an apology for this.

#2: “Bridge Constructor Portal” (2017)

You know, Valve, you could have come out with news on a “Portal 3”, a new “Team Fortress” or even some small hint on “Half-Life 3”. An “Orange Box” remaster... something! And we get “Bridge Constructor Portal." Okay, we'll admit the game is somewhat mildly entertaining and the concept is kind of interesting, but this didn't need to be a "Portal" game. What's particularly irritating about it is this is a case of “shoulda-coulda-woulda.” Valve should have and could have done something more ambitious with any one of their franchise, but they didn't. Instead, we got a brand new game with the "Portal" name tacked-on.

#1: “Pokémon Channel” (2003)

What...what even is this? Can you take a guess? Well, it's practically a TV simulator, for lack of a better term. Instead of filling out a Pokedex, Professor Oak asks you to sit through a marathon of Pokemon anime, news reports, and gags. So, the million-dollar question is…”Is this even a game??” There are already DVDs of Pokemon anime! Why charge us fifty dollars--FIFTY dollars for what is a glorified DVD anthology?! ...You know what, we’ll just stick with the main games. Thank you.