A spin-off is a series that gets significant elements from an other series to make them its own.
For a list of spin-off series see: Category:Spin-off series.
A typical example is the Mario series, that features Mario, a character originally from the Donkey Kong series, and makes it its own character.
Types[]
Spin-offs may be of any link type:
- Type 1: a series takes characters, enemies or any other "physical" element from a series to make it its own. (see Type 1 link#Type 1 spin-off)
- Type 2: a series takes elements from another series to make them fictional elements in its own. (see Type 2 link#Type 2 spin-off)
- Type 3: a series only takes stylistic elements from another series to make them its own. This includes a spiritual successors and parodies (see Type 3 link#Type 3 spin-off)
- Type 1.5: a series takes fictional elements from a series to make them real elements in its own. (see Type 1.5 link#Type 1.5 spin-off)
- Type 2.5: a series takes ideas of elements from another series to make them fictional elements in its own. (see Type 2.5 link#Type 2.5 spin-off)
Spin-offs and sub-series[]
Sometimes the term spin-off is used to identify a series that's actually part of the original series, like in the case of the Mario Kart series, considered a spin-off of the Mario series, but in this wiki we actually call that Sub-series as it is entirely included in the original series.
However it might also happen that a sub-series becomes a spin-off series after some time. This happens when the sub-series gets one or more releases that can't be included in the parent series.
An example is the Rabbids series of games that was originally created as a sub-series of the Rayman series with the release of Rayman Raving Rabbids and Rayman Raving Rabbids 2, but from Rabbids Go Home afterwards, the series stopped being called "Rayman" and no more featured the Rayman character, so it started being considered a spin-off instead.