9. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon
Spike Chunsoft is responsible for one of the longest-running spin-off series in all of Pokémon, and given how good the Mystery Dungeon games are, it’s not surprising that the dungeon crawlers have had over 15 years of staying power. The series puts the player in the shoes of a Pokémon in a world completely separate from humanity and explores the most fantasy JRPG-inspired storytelling the series has ever had (short of Pokémon Legends: Arceus). Each game has you form teams to enter hazardous zones with to rescue other Pokémon, leading to leaps in status, growth, and clientele. The series’ remixes mainline Pokémon mechanics to fit a dungeon crawling format, and in doing so, are able to carve out an identity distinct from Game Freak’s entries, while maintaining the RPG spirit fans love.
