Games that change genre

[Johnny]

Most games will stay the same genre through every game in the series (e.g. Ridge Racer has always been a racing game, Devil May Cry has always been a 3D action/adventure and so on) but from time to time a game will come along only to change dramatically in future titles in the series.
The best example I can think of is Dynasty Warriors. It started out on the PS as a one on one fighter and has become an epic hack and slash series from that game.

Not counting spin-offs, anyone know of any other games/series like this?

[tuffy]

Panzer Dragoon is another obvious example, going from rail shooter to RPG and then back again over the course of 4 games.

[ADC]

Street Fighter was a side-scrolling bmup (beat-em-up instead of shoot-em-up) which didn't get any remakes or new characters because it was kind of lame.

[Chacranajxy]

Arc the Lad I was a turn based strategy game while Arc 2 and 3 were real RPGs. Not sure if it counts, but I think Tsukihime began as a graphic adventure and then the fan-made Melty Blood was a fighting game.

Edit: Oh yeah, there's also Area 51 which started out as a shitty lightgun shooter and turned into a shitty FPS. At least Midway's consistant.

[ADC]

There's also the matter of Metroid, which went from 2D action-adventure to 3D FPS. And Zelda's mercifully brief foray into side-scrolling dungeon-crawler business. And holy hell, Mario's done everything except an ero-game (which he still might, now that Nintendo's all edgy and courting the older gamer).

[joelgundam01]

The Jak series comes to mind. The first game (Jak and Daxter) was a platformer, while the second (Jak 2) and third (Jak 3) games became more of combination of action and adventure. And let's not forget Jak X, which is a racing game.

[ilmaestro]

First of all, ADC, the 3D Metroids are not FPSs, they are just 3D Metroid games, but I can see why you might put them in.

I'm not quite sure what is meant by 'not including spinoffs', (I'd consider Shin Sangoku Musou to be a 'spin off' of Sangoku Musou, rather than part of the exact same series) but I'd include the Mana series either way. What was a bunch of action RPGs now includes a pretty much solely action/adventure game in Dawn, and a forthcoming RTS in the form of Heroes.

Final Fantasy XI is an MMORPG in amongst a bunch of 'regular' RPGs.

DQIX will be an action/online RPG in a line of 'regular' RPGs.

Killzone: Liberation is almost an isometric tactical shooter sandwiched between (soon to be) two FPSs.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a card based RPG as opposed to the action RPGs that precede and succeed it.

I guess those last two are what you might consider spin offs, in that they are not numbering titles, but certainly CoM is very much part of the main KH series, especially now with the PS2 remake coming.

[Leon_Belmont]

Originally Posted by ilmaestro

First of all, ADC, the 3D Metroids are not FPSs, they are just 3D Metroid games, but I can see why you might put them in.

True that, but glad it was mentioned for "changing genre", because it truly melded an entire genre into its own (rather than simply switching gears to an entire genre). At its core it looks similar to an FPS, but start playing it and it feels entirely different. It's not about aiming like every other FPS, and yet it succeeds at being fairly challenging.

[FigNewton]

Originally Posted by ilmaestro

First of all, ADC, the 3D Metroids are not FPSs, they are just 3D Metroid games, but I can see why you might put them in.

How is Metroid Prime not an FPS? It is dominantly in first person perspective, and the action primarily constists of shooting enemies.

[ADC]

Originally Posted by FigNewton

How is Metroid Prime not an FPS? It is dominantly in first person perspective, and the action primarily constists of shooting enemies.

It's not an FPS because (1) most FPSs suck ass; (2) Metroid is a sacred cow among the fanboys/girls/others; (3) nobody wants to lump the Metroids Prime into the 'suck ass' category even though, well, they at least lick the rim a bit. Of course, Nintendo calls them "first-person adventure" games, and you don't question the Mother Brain. :roll:

They're FPSs by the strict definition of FPS, just as you suggest.