The Pokémon Company’s games have touched almost every genre, we’ve seen its characters rendered in almost every art style, and we’ve seen them battle a pantheon of gods and monsters. With Pokemon: Legends Z-A just around the corner, this is the perfect time to rank the top 10 Pokemon spin-off games.

IGN presents a ranked list of the top 10 Pokémon spin-off games, focusing on titles that depart from the core series' traditional turn-based RPG format. These games are celebrated for their fresh approaches, such as the strategy-based Pokémon Conquest, the immersive photography of Pokémon Snap, and the real-world exploration of Pokémon Go. 

The list includes fan favorites like Pokémon Ranger, Pokémon Stadium 2, and the Mystery Dungeon sub-series, each praised for their unique gameplay mechanics and contributions to Pokémon lore. The ranking culminates with Pokémon Legends: Arceus, recognized for its open-zone design and significant impact on the franchise's evolution.

Top 10 best Pokémon spin-off games ranked

When a franchise reaches the hulking size of Pokemon, it finds its way into everything. The Pokemon Company's games have touched almost every genre, we've seen its characters rendered in almost every art style, and we've seen them battle a pantheon of gods and monsters. A whole universe of Pokemon games exists outside of the core series, and this month we're tweeted to a new, major spinoff from the franchise in Pokemon Legends ZA. Some may bristle at ZA being labeled as a spinoff, as developer Game Freak itself considers Legends a main series. But for the purpose of simplifying this list, we're considering any game that isn't part of the core mainline series, Red and Blue through to Scarlet and Violet, as a spinoff. By moving away from the classic turn-based RPG formula, spinoff games allow us to see different shades of the Pokemon universe and experience it in a wondrous new light. With ZA just around the corner, this is the perfect time to celebrate all the different ways the Pocket Monsters have deviated from their usual turn-based RPG roots, and rank the Top 10 Pokemon Spinoff Games. The best spinoffs approach Pokemon from a fresh direction, and instead of playing as a trainer in Pokemon Ranger, you're, well, a ranger. Your job is essentially taking care of your local community. If a Pokemon is distressed, you're tasked to calm it down. If one goes missing, you have to go find it. If there's a fire, you can use a nearby water Pokemon to help put it out. Cute missions like these are strung together in a run, which replicates the sort of little tasks you'd see in cozy games. And they're funny, too. Pokemon has always been fun, but rarely has it displayed actual comedic chops in the way it does here. While Ranger definitely has its fans, it's not higher on this list because the missions can get repetitive. The main gameplay loop is literally about loops. You have to physically draw circles around the Pokemon you want to temporarily capture for each task, using the Nintendo DS's stylus. This has more depth than it sounds, but even the most challenging captures don't feel completely satisfying. It's an example of a really fun idea that doesn't quite fully hold up in execution. Nonetheless, Pokemon Ranger benefits from that funny dialogue and some cool world-building, allowing you to experience the universe from a very different, more vocation-focused perspective. During the Nintendo 64 era, the Pokemon Stadium series was the best visual representation of our beloved little monsters we had in the video games. Taking advantage of Nintendo's first true 3D system, we were treated to detailed, tactile character models and unique attack animations that brought the worlds of the games and the anime as close together as they had ever been. Though lacking in significant story beats for lore-hungry fans, Stadium 2 in particular was a dream for the most competitive members of the fanbase, offering a myriad of battle formats. It also introduced Earl's Pokemon Academy, which both taught battle strategies and tested newfound skills. But there's more to Stadium 2 than just the stadium itself. Let's not forget the endlessly entertaining Pokemon mini-games and quizzes of the Kids Club, or the returning magic trick introduced in the first game, importing the exact same Pokemon you had raised in Game Boy games straight into the Nintendo 64. Taking your favorites on a cross-console journey to the big stadium hit upon one of the core appeals of the series, strengthening the lasting connection you have with these digital creatures. Even as graphics have improved, nothing has compared to the thrill of seeing your original Game Boy Starter duke it out on the TV screen for the very first time. When Pokemon Colosseum arrived on the GameCube in 2003, it was an important first. Finally, a 3D Pokemon game that featured a full storyline. With its double battle format, lack of random encounters, and a compelling plot, it was an exciting evolution beyond Stadium's battle-focused format. While it's a similar style of RPG to the classic games, instead of starting out as a young trainer with a level 5 starter looking to become the Pokemon champion, you're dropped into the shoes of a more experienced protagonist who uses the decidedly cool and level 25 Espeon and Umbreon. Your adventure begins right after escaping from the nefarious Team Snaggum with stolen technology. A story setup that, along with the Star Wars-inspired desert community setting, ensures Colosseum occupies its own distinct space in the Pokemon library. Colosseum was also where Shadow Pokemon were first introduced to the franchise. These are Pokemon who have been closed off from their hearts, and need to be purified before they can properly be used in battle. This system offers a unique slant on Pokemon's classic collect-and-train gameplay, forcing you to balance leveling up your team with purifying it, too. Improving on the solid foundations of Colosseum, Pokemon XD Gale of Darkness deepens the lore around Shadow Pokemon, and has become a bit of a cult classic amongst fans. It lends new weight to the idea of Shadow Pokemon, explored through the addition of Shadow Lugia, the only pocket monster to get a full, dark redesign, and said to be the ultimate Shadow Pokemon unable to be purified. Set five years after the events of Colosseum, you're tasked with taking down the Cypher criminal syndicate and purifying Pokemon across the Ore region. While inheriting Colosseum's gameplay style, complete with the excellent double battle system that brings Pokemon a little closer to feeling like a party-based JRPG, Gale of Darkness differentiates itself from its predecessor by casting you as a rookie trainer. This change means the experience falls more in line with the typical Pokemon journey, which arguably robs the game of a bit of originality. However, the 3D world and continued exploration of the Shadow Pokemon phenomenon makes up for any feeling of repetition. With each new story beat deepening the world-building and adding more layers to the Ore region. All that, in tandem with the excellent battle system and that carefully balanced purification mechanic, makes Gale of Darkness a Pokemon spinoff worth seeking out. Developed by Koei Tecmo, Pokemon Conquest is a crossover with the historical Nobunaga's Ambition franchise, a line of strategy games that have a very different feel to Pokemon. This crossover introduces a variety of elements you'd never expect to see in a Pokemon game, such as Daimyo Oda Nobunaga himself. It also combines Pokemon's traditions with very non-traditional characters, art style and dialogue. This makes for an unusual game, but it becomes easy to accept such a strange mixture as soon as you jump into battle. Pokemon fits the strategy game genre like a glove. Conquest's tight matchups, interactive battlefields and each Pokemon's hidden abilities all make for a compelling strategy battle system that can, at times, feel even more engaging than the core series' turn-based combat. Conquest may not scratch the itch of those looking to immerse themselves further in the traditional world of Pokemon, as the game probably takes place in its own universe with its own rules. However, its completely fresh approach makes it a genuinely unique prospect in a franchise that can often fall foul in delivering the same experience over and over again. It's a real shame that the franchise has never returned to the strategy genre since. What better way to immerse yourself into the world of Pokemon than to become one yourself? Blue Rescue Team kicks off the Mystery Dungeon sub-series with one of the coolest ideas Pokemon has ever had. What if you played as a human who was transformed into an amnesiac Pokemon and now works as a bounty hunter in a little community, all while attempting to work out how on earth you became a Pokemon to begin with? It's a completely ridiculous premise, but one that's endlessly charming in practice. In some Pokemon games, it's easy to feel as if the story is simply happening around you rather than you having any agency in it. Blue Rescue Team doesn't just bring you closer to the mythos of the Pokemon world, it makes you feel like you're at the very center of it, with each of your actions crafting new lore that'll be etched into the history of this world. Its roguelike gameplay sees you explore randomly generated dungeons, rescuing stranded Pokemon, delivering items, and completing other simple tasks. This approach has its merits and faults, and the dungeon crawler design is certainly an acquired taste, but Blue Rescue Team's story makes up for any shortcomings by being imbued with such a strong sense of wonder. The great thing about a fictional world as fleshed out as Pokemon's is that you could be tasked with doing any job and it would still be interesting. Working as a wildlife photographer in the Pokemon universe is a vocation guaranteed to further immerse you in the world, allowing you to get much closer to its magic thanks to the power of a camera zoom and see Pokemon like you'd never get to see otherwise. By framing its Pokemon as wildlife rather than collectible fuzzy warriors whose lives are filled with adorable small interactions between each other, Snap makes it feel like the world of Pokemon still lives and breathes even after you power down your console. That approach meant Pokemon Snap was a cozy game before cozy games really became a thing, with relaxing gameplay and a calming set of tasks you can tick off in each play session. As is true of real wildlife photography, many of your snaps will be of common creatures you've seen dozens of times before, but every now and then your camera lens will catch a rare glimpse of a legendary or mythical Pokemon, which immediately evokes that sense of wonder that powers the best games in the franchise. It's become a meme to say that the summer Pokemon Go dropped was the closest we ever got to world peace, but the fact this simple augmented reality mobile game became as ubiquitous as it did is a testament to something only this franchise could do. Any adult Pokemon fan will tell you if a genie came to them as a child, their number one wish would be for Pokemon to be real. Go is the closest we'll get to that, barring any Jurassic Park-style scientific abominations. An incredible idea that could only be realized through mobile phones, Niantic's pioneering design sees you explore your actual surroundings in search of digital Pokemon, which can then be battled at virtual gyms that are linked to real-world locations. As physical requirements, you actually have to walk around to find randomly spawning new Pokemon, genuinely manifest the adventurous spirit of Pokemon in your own neighborhood. It is wish fulfillment for those who dreamt about running around catching Pokemon, building a connection with these creatures, and exploring the world around you with wide-eyed wonder. Mobile gaming comes with so much baggage, often representing the worst of the gaming industry, but Pokemon Go is its most pure innovation. The Mystery Dungeon sub-series has evolved over the years, and Explorers of the Sky is one of the best examples of how it's improved and expanded. An enhanced version of 2007's Explorers of the Time and Explorers of Darkness, it takes everything that makes the Mystery Dungeon series great, combines it with one of the best stories the franchise has seen, and adds a number of much-appreciated quality-of-life improvements. Despite starting with a familiar premise, you're once again a human-turned-Pokemon, Explorers of Sky quickly morphs into a time-bending tale true to the new lore introduced in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl. It's a story that actually showcases the mystical abilities of the world's legendary creatures, rather than leaving them as descriptions in a Pokedex entry. And while this story is mostly a retread of Explorers of Time, five new special episodes enhance the tale with additional storylines that explore the lives of side characters. All of the feelings we associate with a good Pokemon game are successfully evoked here, right down to your partner genuinely feeling like your best friend. Mystery Dungeon excels here because your partner Pokemon is someone you can actually speak to, and that communication really cements your bond. When the credits roll, you really feel like you've gone through something life-changing together, a feeling many Pokemon games try to create but don't always succeed at. The Mystery Dungeon games offer a peek into the Pokemon world unlike any other strand of the franchise, and this is the best of them. We're way overdue a new one, and this is the one to beat. Lifelong Pokemon fans will forever be chasing the high of booting up Legends Arceus for the first time. The opening cutscene sees you meet Arceus, the Pokemon god himself, before being plunged back in time to the ancient Sinnoh region, Hisui. But the moment that really sets fireworks off in your brain is the instant you take control of your character and throw a Pokeball. Legends Arceus is the first open-zone game in Pokemon history, and that new approach to world design made it feel like the franchise had finally been unshackled from the classic Formula mainline games, which had become increasingly restrictive since they transitioned to 3D. Having the freedom to run up to a Pokemon in the overworld and capture them without having to endure multiple battle turns felt like tasting seasoned food after years of eating only boiled chicken. Legends Arceus' modernized design makes for the most satisfying and immersive gameplay loop the Pokemon series has ever had, and that's paired with dozens of captivating lore revelations. Our task in Legends Arceus is to construct the first-ever Pokedex, to use the first-ever Pokeballs, and create the bond between man and monster that forms the basis of every game in the series. It's a prequel to the entire franchise, and just as brilliant as such a position would demand. With a wondrous setting and compelling gameplay, Pokemon Legends Arceus is the very best like no spinoff ever was. And those are our picks for the 10 Best Pokemon Spinoff Games. Did we miss your favorite, or would you rank one of these games higher or lower? Let us know in the comments. For more from Pokemon, check out 10 Best Legendary Pokemon, and for everything else, stick with IGN.

U.S. President Donald Trump is heading back to the U.S. after his whirlwind trip to the Middle East, where he celebrated the first phase of a peace plan between Israel and Hamas.

Sharm El-Sheikh

Middle East Conflict

Trump, world leaders sign Gaza peace plan and discuss next steps

The government shutdown entered its third week on Monday as the Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday. CBS News' Nikole Killion has more from Capitol Hill.

Washington

Shutdown drags into third week as Senate set to reconvene

Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina has been flown out of the country in a French military plane, officials have said, after an elite army unit defected to join thousands of protesters demonstrating against corruption and poverty.

Antananarivo

Madagascar's president has fled, officials say, amid Gen Z protests

U.S. President Donald Trump was greeted in Tel Aviv with cheers and a military ceremony as he met families of hostages held in Gaza and addressed Israel's parliament. He now travels to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to join world leaders in discussions on Gaza's future.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Trump meets with Israeli leaders and hostage families

Twenty living hostages were released by Hamas after more than two years in captivity as a ceasefire continues to hold. Families in Israel describe emotional reunions while others continue to await confirmation about missing relatives.

Families reunite as ceasefire brings hostages, prisoners home

Israeli officials have confirmed that all 20 living captives have been released in Gaza.

Israel confirms all 20 living captives in Gaza have been released

The carefully choreographed Israel-Hamas exchange is underway, with Israel set to release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners following the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square.

Israel-Hamas swap begins as 2,000 Palestinian prisoners set for release

Following his visit to Israel, President Trump will stop in Egypt to co-host a major summit in Sharm el-Sheikh alongside Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The meeting will bring together leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss efforts toward peace in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

Donald Trump to co-host chair Gaza peace summit in Egypt

The French presidency announced Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's new cabinet line-up on Sunday (October 12), with most top jobs remaining unchanged at a time when opponents are demanding a political shift to win their support for urgent budget talks.

Paris

French presidency unveils new cabinet as budget pressure intensifies

Seven captives have been handed over to the Red Cross, who will facilitate their transfer to Israeli forces.

Israeli military says Red Cross has received 7 captives in Gaza

On his way to the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he expects the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to hold, despite concerns Hamas won’t abide by the deal.

Trump says the 'war is over', Gaza rebuild to start immediately

China on Sunday (October 12) called U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical and defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, but stopped short of imposing new levies on U.S. products.

Beijing

Global Tariffs

Beijing blames U.S. for trade tensions, defends rare earth curbs

Afghanistan and Pakistan said they killed dozens of each other's troops during a night of heavy border clashes between the two countries. Afghanistan's Taliban forces launched attacks on Pakistani troops along their shared border in what it called "retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul".

Chaman

Border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan leave dozens dead

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and an address by U.S. President Donald Trump to Israel's parliament.

Ceasefire holds in Gaza ahead of hostage release, Trump visit

Zelenskyy called Trump for a second consecutive day to discuss defence and Ukraine's energy sector. It comes as Russia further intensifies its attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure ahead of its harsh winter.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy has second call with Trump amid Russian strikes

On Sunday, the minister of armed forces in Madagascar acknowledged an officer selected by a military group supporting demonstrators calling for President Andry Rajoelina to resign as the country's new army chief.

Madagascar’s president says coup underway

With a trade war between the U.S. and China intensifying ahead of a Nov. 1 tariff deadline, there’s growing concern Beijing will use Taiwan as a bargaining chip.

Taipei City

Growing fear China will use Taiwan to bargain with U.S.

In a televised address ahead of the planned release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for unity despite ongoing divisions.

Netanyahu urges Israel put aside ‘differences’ with Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump blamed Democrats for his decision to lay off thousands of workers across the U.S. government as he followed through on his threat to cut the federal workforce during the government shutdown.

Trump lays off thousands of U.S. government workers amid shutdown

Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv as 48 of the last remaining hostages are expected home after two years of the Israel-Hamas war. The crowd cheered Donald Trump as the peace deal's broker but there were jeers for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Tel Aviv braces for hostage release planned for Monday

Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and The Godfather films, died Saturday at the age of 79, according to U.S. media reports. Entertainment journalist Johanna Schneller remembers Keaton as 'feisty and funny'.

Hollywood

Oscar winner Diane Keaton dead at 79

Former President Biden is now receiving radiation and hormone therapy to treat his prostate cancer, an aide said. The cancer is considered aggressive.

Biden receiving radiation, hormone therapy to treat aggressive cancer

It is unclear how many people were inside the Tennessee plant that exploded on Friday, but at least 16 people were reported on Saturday. Sheriff Chris Davis announced that there are no survivors. Nicole Valdes reports.

Tennessee

No survivors in Tennessee plant explosion, sheriff says

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters in London marked two years since the War in Gaza. However, the British government has seen enough. Haley Ott reports that police have been given sweeping powers to curb repeated demonstrations.

London

British Parliament designates Palestine Action a terrorist organization

Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff has addressed hundreds of thousands of Israelis in what's known as “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv. Witkoff hailed President Donald Trump for securing the ceasefire. The crowd was less receptive to his praise for Benjamin Netanyahu.

U.S. envoy booed for praising Netanyahu at Tel Aviv rally

A ceasefire is in effect between Hamas and Israel after just over two years of war. An exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinians held prisoner is set to take place in the coming days, and U.S President Donald Trump is set to visit the region on Monday.

Trump set to visit Middle East as peace plan take effect

The families of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 are eagerly awaiting the return of their loved ones. The peace deal between Israel and Hamas would see the hostages returned within 72 hours of its implementation Friday.

Families of hostages in Gaza await their release

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's had phone calls with Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump about defence and energy infrastructure. Russian strikes have led to widespread blackouts in Ukraine.

Trump holds call with Zelenskyy after Russian strikes

Gaza City lies in devastation — returning Palestinians find their homes reduced to rubble and familiar streets erased. It comes after a U.S-brokered peace deal came into effect.

Sderot

Gaza City in ruins as Palestinians return to find only rubble

About 200 U.S. troops have begun arriving in Israel to set up a coordination center aimed at facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid, as well as logistical and security assistance into Gaza. They are not expected to enter the territory.

Breakdown