History SpiritualSuccessor / VideoGames

* The ''{{Trackmania}}'' series is considered to be the SpiritualSuccessor of an early 90's game called ''[[http://zakstunts.cjb.net Stunts]]'', which not only has the merit of sporting super-sleek 3D graphics (for the time of course), but is about clearing obstacle-laden tracks on powerful sports cars. Coincidentally, ''Trackmania Nations'', to put an example, is about clearing obstacle-laden tracks in an Formula-1-lookalike racing car.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'' bears the distinction of being the spiritual sequel of ''VideoGame/TheElderScrolls'' series while itself being an ''actual'' sequel to another game.

* ''VideoGame/SystemShock'' has two. ''BioShock'' retains the gameplay of ''System Shock 2'', and ''VideoGame/DeadSpace'' retains the horror atmosphere and setting.

* The open-source game ''{{Naev}}'' is this [[WordOfGod explicitly]]. It's meant to be what ''VideoGame/EscapeVelocity 4'' might have been if Ambrosia Software hadn't stopped making games.

* ''VideoGame/StarCitizen'' is the successor to Chris Roberts' earlier titles ''VideoGame/WingCommander'', ''VideoGame/{{Starlancer}}'', and ''VideoGame/{{Freelancer}}''. The single-player "Squadron 42" portion is more like ''WC'' and ''Starlancer'', while the MMO half is more like ''Freelancer''.

* ''VideoGame/SmashTV'' is a spiritual successor to ''VideoGame/{{Robotron 2084}}'', both games being twin-stick shooters created by EugeneJarvis.

* ''Obliterator'', a PlatformGame by Creator/{{Psygnosis}}, features a slightly more refined form of the mouse-based control system and gameplay of their earlier game ''Barbarian'' (not to be confused with ''Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior''), but takes place in a science fiction setting instead.

* ''Pochi & Nyaa'', the last game {{Compile}} was working on before they went bankrupt, was an obvious attempt to recapture some of the gameplay and aesthetics of the ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'' CashCowFranchise which they no longer owned.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' can be seen as ''LiveALive's'' SpiritualSuccessor due to the similarities of both games.

* ''Obliterator'', a PlatformGame by {{Psygnosis}}, features a slightly more refined form of the mouse-based control system and gameplay of their earlier game ''Barbarian'' (not to be confused with ''Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior''), but takes place in a science fiction setting instead.

* ''Project Exonaut'' is this to ''{{Fusionfall}}''. Both are online games revolving around redesigned CartoonNetwork characters.

* When developers leave their parent company to start a new studio or otherwise lose the rights to their previous intellectual properties, it's not uncommon for them to create spiritual successors. For example, when the development team responsible for ''VideoGame/{{Xenogears}}'' and ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' left SquareSoft to form MonolithSoft, they created successors to those games in the form of the ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' and ''BatenKaitos'' games, respectively. When the developers behind ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'', ''PN03'', ''VideoGame/ViewtifulJoe'' and ''GodHand'' left {{Capcom}} to form PlatinumGames, they created ''{{Bayonetta}}'', ''{{Vanquish}}'', ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101'' and ''VideoGame/MadWorld'', respectively.

* Rareware's ''Goldeneye 007'' and ''PerfectDark'' are likely the prime video game examples. Perfect Dark is built on Goldeneye's game engine, so it feels like a natural extension of the same game, despite [[JamesBond Bond]] being nowhere in sight. They even use RareGuns and settings from Goldeneye with the names slightly changed. Goldeneye had another SpiritualSuccessor in the form of the ''TimeSplitters'' games, done by the core team behind Goldeneye. TimeSplitters 2 is extremely similar to Goldeneye and with the use of the Map Maker, one can get extremely close to it.
* Fumito Ueda's ''ShadowOfTheColossus'' was thought to be a SpiritualSuccessor to his previous game, ''{{Ico}}''. However, he revealed a direct connection between the two games in an interview several months after the game's release: [[spoiler: the protagonist of Shadow of the Colossus is actually a direct ancestor of the protagonist in Ico]]. However, the two play very differently and have no further storyline connections.

* [[http://www.teamfortress.com/post.php?id=6105 Parodied by Valve]], who tried to pass off ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' as the spiritual successor to Midway's Rail Shooter ''RevolutionX'', starring Aerosmith.

* ''GodHand'' is said to be a better [=3D=] version of ''FinalFight'' than either of the actual [=3D=] ''Final Fight'' games (one which was a competitive fighting game, and other a ''GTA''-clone).
** ''MadWorld'' appears to be a SpiritualSuccessor to ''GodHand'', being made by [[PlatinumGames the reassembled remains of Clover Studios]], creators of the original game.
* ''SuperRobotWarsW'' for the NintendoDS is the SpiritualSuccessor to ''[[SuperRobotWarsJudgment Super Robot Wars J]]'' for the GameBoyAdvance. Despite being in separate continuities, they both share many of the same series' (''FullMetalPanic'', ''MartianSuccessorNadesico'', ''GundamSEED'', and ''Anime/TekkamanBlade'' are the standouts), with units even using the same sprites and attacks. W also has many of the same features as J, such as Unit Switching with battleships, altering background music, and series favorites. A common [[EpilepticTrees fan theory]] is that the other race ''J's'' Fury mention they're avoiding is in fact ''W's'' Database, or at least will be once their storylines come up in the Original Generation series. Similarly, ''K'' has a similar engine and graphics, but series-wise it really only shares ''SEED'' This all culminates in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars High School'', which combines all three.

* DataEast's NeoGeo platformer ''Spinmaster'' stars the same characters from the SegaGenesis game ''Dashin' Desperadoes'', but plays more like a modernized version (literally and figuratively) of the original ''VideoGame/JoeAndMac'' (aka ''Caveman Ninja'') than the game it's supposed to be a sequel to (which was more of a racing platform game). ''Spinmaster'' might as well had been called ''Joe & Mac'' [[RecycledInSpace AS INDIANA JONES-STYLE TREASURE HUNTERS]].

* The 1995 pinball machine ''Attack From Mars'' turned out to be a huge seller, but didn't get a proper sequel until the Pinball 2000 machine ''Revenge From Mars''. In the meantime, the 1997 pinball ''Medieval Madness'' was created by the same developers and, despite the different premise, was far more similar to the original game's structure than the sequel was.
* Konami's ''DanceMasters'' is sort of a spiritual successor to ''Para Para Paradise'', and even has several parapara/eurobeat songs, including the famed "Night of Fire".

* ''VideoGame/MarsMatrix'' is a spiritual sequel to the ''GigaWing'' games.
* ''{{Strikers 1945}} series'': Successor to the ''AeroFighters'' series, but more BulletHell-ish.

* ''HellgateLondon'' to ''{{Diablo}}''.

* ''{{Rampage}}'', to ''CrushCrumbleAndChomp''.

* ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' (2006) to the SonicAdventure series. Featuring similar gameplay styles, multiple playable characters, HubWorlds and attempts of a more serious storyline.

* ''Ciel no Surge'' is one to the ''[[ArTonelico Ar tonelico]]'' series. It takes place in a different solar system in the same universe and shares many of the same themes, but has no direct ties as far as characters and setting go.

* The ''TokimekiMemorial'' series got, [[LongRunners during its 15 years-long run and ongoing]], three Spiritual Successors:

** ''MeineLiebe'' in 2001, using too the same game engine than Tokimemo but in a [[GenderFlip Gender Flipped]] version, making it the predecessor of the ''Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side'' branch of the series ;
** ''LovePlus'' in 2009, reducing the datable characters to a measly three of them, but with lots more development around them and an ''After Story'' of sorts where the player can interact with the girl long after having they have confessed their feelings (a system which got a lot of controversy, especially with some {{Otaku}} [[http://kotaku.com/5409877/the-one-about-the-guy-who-married-a-video-game pushing the thing]] a bit too far).
** In 2007, Konami released ''Brooktown High'' in English. It was an InNameOnly successor to the ''Tokimeki Memorial'' series. It received mixed reviews and weak sales.

* ''JadeEmpire'' is either the successor to ''BridgeOfBirds'', or the only game adaptation it's ever going to get.

** Speaking of ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'', the series also started out as this to ''BodyHarvest''.

* {{Casual Video Game}}s are the spiritual successors to {{Arcade Game}}s.

* CasualVideoGames are the spiritual successors to arcade games.

* ''VideoGame/CodeOfPrincess'' to ''VideoGame/GuardianHeroes''. Some of Creator/{{Treasure}}'s former employees [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2011/11/28/guardian-heroes-devs-working-on-code-of-princess are the ones working on the game]].