History Main / NumberedSequels

* The ''VideoGame/SimCity'' series has had a lot of fun with this one: the first sequel was named ''VideoGame/SimCity 2000'', presumably in homage to the year 2000, one of the game's optional starting dates. The third game was then named ''VideoGame/SimCity 3000'', presumably because it would be odd to go from 2000 to 3 in terms of sequel numbering. (Though nobody told that to the ''Film/{{Pokemon}}'' movie people.) Of course, the fourth game was called ''VideoGame/SimCity 4''. The game that should be VideoGame/SimCity 5 is simply titled VideoGame/SimCity because it's a reboot of the series.

* The ''Film/{{Pokemon}}'' movies go like this: "Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie", "[[Anime/Pokemon2000 Pokémon The Movie 2000]]", "[[Anime/Pokemon3 Pokémon 3 The Movie]]", "[[Anime/Pokemon4Ever Pokémon 4Ever]]", and then they stop trying to incorporate the numbers into the title and just go to straight subtitles.

* The ''VideoGame/SimCity'' series has had a lot of fun with this one: the first sequel was named ''VideoGame/SimCity 2000'', presumably in homage to the year 2000, one of the game's optional starting dates. The third game was then named ''VideoGame/SimCity 3000'', presumably because it would be odd to go from 2000 to 3 in terms of sequel numbering. (Though nobody told that to the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' movie people.) Of course, the fourth game was called ''VideoGame/SimCity 4''. The game that should be VideoGame/SimCity 5 is simply titled VideoGame/SimCity because it's a reboot of the series.

* The ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' movies go like this: "Pokémon: The First Movie", "Pokémon The Movie 2000", "Pokémon 3 The Movie", "Pokémon 4Ever", and then they stop trying to incorporate the numbers into the title and just go to straight subtitles.

* The ''Animation/{{Lamput}}'' episode "Glasses" has a follow-up called "Glasses 2" which has a similar setup - Lamput takes off Fat Doc's glasses, but this time he puts them on Slim Doc to distract him, whereas he simply took them on and off of Fat Doc multiple times in the previous episode (Slim Doc doesn't appear in "Glasses 2").

* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', which consists of the [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI original game]], ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'', and ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII''. Also includes a pair of sequels, ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' and ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' to the second game.
** Played with as the next game ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag''.
** And then completely averted with every game since ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRogue''.
** It should be noted that the chronology of the past characters does not always match the sequel numbers. For example, ''IV'' takes place before ''III'', since the Past!protagonist of ''IV'' is the grandfather of the Past!protagonist of ''III''. ''Rogue'' also takes place after ''IV'' but before ''III''.

* ''Franchise/DragonAge'' initially followed this by naming the sequel to ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' ''VideoGame/DragonAge2''; however, that is the only numbered sequel in the game series.

* All the mainline ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' entries have been numbered with a Roman numeral (with the latest one as of this writing being ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXV''; ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXVI'' is currently in production), despite the fact that each entry in the series is essentially a stand-alone story with no ties to previous titles. When it came to make a direct sequel to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'', they titled the game ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' (as in "Ten-Two") and likewise the direct sequel to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' is ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'' (Thirteen-Two), although other sequels/spinoffs to specific entries (such as ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIVTheAfterYears'' and ''VideoGame/LightningReturnsFinalFantasyXIII'') opted to use subtitles instead.

* The ''Franchise/{{Hitman}}'' series of games generally used subtitles for sequels, save for the first sequel ''VideoGame/Hitman2Contracts''. The ''VideoGame/WorldOfAssassination'' trilogy does use numbers though (well, roman numerals). ''VideoGame/Hitman3'' is the sequel to ''VideoGame/Hitman2'', which is the sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Hitman|2016}}''. However, the trilogy is also a continuation of the other games so technically 1, 2, and 3 are actually 6, 7, and 8.

* The original ''[[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Mega Man]]'' sequels used Roman numerals in the actual games, even though the packaging logos always used Arabic numerals. This caused a bit of confusion when the SequelSeries ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' was eventually released, as some people assumed the letter "X" was the Roman numeral for ten and not the letter, even though a ''[[VideoGame/MegaMan7 Mega Man VII]]'' was eventually released for the SNES alongside ''X2'' and ''X3''. Capcom switched to Arabic numerals for the in-game logos starting with ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'', so there wasn't that much of a confusion anymore by the time the actual ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'' came out.

* Most of the ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' mainline games have been numbered, including the prequel ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil0'', up until ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard''. The 8th game dropped the numbering convention, although the roman numeral for eight (VII) is still styled in the game's subtitle "Village".

* The ''VideoGame/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}}'' series has become very cluttered with sequel numbers. The games for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis include ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1'' (also called ''Sonic 1''), ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'', ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles'', [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo the two halves]] of [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles one game]]. Three console generations later, a fourth game was added to the series, called VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4.
** Sonic 1, of course, should not be confused with the [[RecycledTitle identically named]] ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (2006), which is not part of that series of games.

* The ''VideoGame/SimCity'' series has had a lot of fun with this one: the first sequel was named ''VideoGame/SimCity 2000'', presumably in homage to the year 2000, one of the game's optional starting dates. The third game was then named ''VideoGame/SimCity 3000'', presumably because it would be odd to go from 2000 to 3 in terms of sequel numbering. (Though nobody told that to the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' movie people.) Of course, the fourth game was called ''VideoGame/SimCity 4''. The game that should be VideoGame/SimCity 5 is simply titled VideoGame/SimCity because it's a reboot of the series.
* The ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'' series also had its share. The original was called simply ''Unreal Tournament'', the sequel was ''Unreal Tournament 2003'' (to sound like other sports titles such as ''Madden 2004'' - they wanted to emphasize the 'bloody sporting competition' aspect). The [[MissionPackSequel Madden-esque]] sequel/re-tool of that was ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2004''. The next game was originally ''Unreal Tournament 2007'', but now it's just ''VideoGame/UnrealTournamentIII''. Apparently, even the developers didn't think 2004 was that different from 2003.
** The [=200X=] games were both based on the Unreal Engine 2. UT 3 uses an entirely new engine (The Unreal Engine 3, naturally), and is therefore the third generation of the series.
*** There's more reasons, too. [=UT2003=] was rushed, so they released [=UT2004=] as sort of an upgrade. As such, they count as one game. The series also had singleplayer-oriented games, with the original ''VideoGame/{{Unreal|I}}'' and then ''VideoGame/Unreal2TheAwakening'' between ''[=UT2003=]'' and ''2004''. [=UT3=] has both a singleplayer campaign and ''Tournament''-like multiplayer modes, so it counts as Unreal 3 as well as Unreal Tournament 3. Phew.
*** And to cap it all off for extra confusion, ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament2015'' did away with numbers altogether and is just ''[[RecycledTitle Unreal Tournament]]'', with official sites instead retroactively referring to the first game as its post-''2003'' FanNickname of ''Unreal Tournament '99''.
* Depending on which games you count as canon, ''VideoGame/{{Worms}} 4: Mayhem'' was either the sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth Worms game.
* The Japan-only ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei NINE'' is almost a subversion: [[MultipleEndings 'nine' is the number of endings]]. At the time of its release on December 2002, there was the only two mainline entries (both on the Super Famicom), although ''Shin Megami Tensei III'' would be released a few months later on the [=PS2=] in Japan on February 2003.

* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'':
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' is followed up directly by ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''; in Japan, the former two games are known respectively as ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' and ''Super Mario USA'', due to MarketBasedTitle reasons.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld'' had a subtitle when it was first released in Japan, namely ''Super Mario Bros. 4''. Then, for the Western releases of ''Yoshi's Island'', it had the subtitle "Super Mario World 2" to become ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland''. All following games in the ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' series, including ''World 2'' retroactively, are now considered part of a separate subseries.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand'' is followed by ''VideoGame/SuperMarioLand2SixGoldenCoins'', which in turn is followed by ''VideoGame/WarioLandSuperMarioLand3''. The lineage then became its own subseries (''VideoGame/WarioLand''), with sequels being numbered 2-4 (though ''Wario Land II'' is numbered with the Roman numeral unlike 3 and 4). Between the first and second ''Wario Land'' games, Nintendo released ''Virtual Boy Wario Land'', which went unnumbered in its title. All ''Wario'' games after ''4'' used subtitles rather than numbers.
** When the ''Super Mario'' games were rereleased for the UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance, gamers were treated to ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2 Super Mario Advance]]'' ''';''' ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2]]'' ''';''' ''[[VideoGame/YoshisIsland Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3]]'' ''';''' and ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3 Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]''.
** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2'' is the only 3D ''Mario'' game to be a numbered sequel, specifically to ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy''.
** ''VideoGame/MarioParty'': Home console sequels are numbered 2-10 until ''[[VideoGame/SuperMarioParty Super]]'' (the eleventh), while handheld ones are excluded (they started with SuperTitle64Advance with the first two games, but then dropped that in favor of unique subtitles).
** Mostly avoided by ''VideoGame/MarioKart'', which instead went for the SuperTitle64Advance format (though the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo [=GameCube=] installments didn't follow this pattern). It succumbed to this trope starting with ''VideoGame/MarioKart7'', although the numeral in ''VideoGame/MarioKart8'' is shaped like a Mobius strip to highlight the antigravity segments present in some tracks. Technically, ''Mario Kart 7'' would be the ''ninth'' game in the series and ''8'' the 11th if arcade installments were counted.
** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor'' had the WorkingTitle of ''Paper Mario 2'', which explains why people usually refer to the game as such.
** ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion'': ''[[VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon Luigi's Mansion 2]]'' [[MarketBasedTitle is the European and Japanese name]] for what North America knows as ''Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon''. ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3'', meanwhile, is called as such in all markets.
* ''[[VideoGame/{{Contra}} Contra III: The Alien Wars]]'' on the Super NES is the [[MarketBasedTitle U.S. title]] of what was otherwise known as ''Contra Spirits'' in Japan, being the third Contra game on home consoles following the original ''Contra'' and ''Super C'' on the NES. ''Operation C'', a Game Boy title, was not take into account into this numbering (due to Konami's policy at the time of numbering console and portable entries of the same IP separately). A Game Boy port of ''Contra III'' was later released simply titled ''Contra: The Alien Wars'', dropping the numeral. An official ''Contra 4'' was eventually made, ironically as a Nintendo DS game, after several non-numbered Contra sequels have been released on various platforms such as ''Contra: Hard Corps'' and ''Contra: Shattered Soldier''.
* The Anno series started with ''Anno 1602'', then 1503 (yes, exactly like that), then 1701, 1404, and 2070. The only pattern in this sequel numbering is that the numbers add up to 9.

* Subversion: ''VideoGame/{{Marathon}}'' was followed by ''Marathon 2'' which was followed by ''Marathon Infinity''. ''Infinity'' was then given a joke award by ''[=MacFormat=]'' for "largest version number increase." As if this wasn't enough, the game engine for ''Marathon 2'' was subsequently released and developed into an open-source version named ''Aleph One'', thereby restoring sequential numbering at the expense of being understandable by anyone who wasn't a math major. The subversion was partially justified, if that's the right term, in that much of the "plot" of ''Infinity'' was based on [[TheMultiverse universe hopping]] and the game was released with the creators' level-design, physics-editing, and graphics-editing tools so that [[GameMod players could make their own stories]], making the game "infinite."
* The sequel to the original ''VideoGame/{{BioShock|1}}'' was ''VideoGame/BioShock2'', but that was followed by ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite''.
* Creator/{{Infocom}}'s ''VideoGame/{{Zork}}'' series/universe started with ''Zork I'', ''II'' and ''III'', but after that got complicated, with the VideoGame/{{Enchanter}} Trilogy (''Enchanter'', ''Sorcerer'' and ''Spellbreaker'') and then titles like ''Beyond Zork'' and ''Zork Zero''.
* Another bizarre example is the ''VideoGame/LeisureSuitLarry'' series: The first three games were numbered normally, but after the third one the series' primary game designer realized he'd painted himself into a corner by giving the franchise closure in the third game. He then decided to skip the fourth chapter in the series altogether, and went on to make ''Leisure Suit Larry 5'' while leaving the events of the fourth game to the players' imaginations, so that he himself wouldn't have to explain how Larry got to where he was in the fifth game.
* ''VideoGame/HalfLife1'' being followed many years later by ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'', then the sequels (which even Valve admits should be referred to as ''Half-Life 3'') being called ''Half-Life 2: Episode One'' and ''Half-Life 2: Episode Two''.
* ''VideoGame/WizardsAndWarriors'' for the NES was followed by two sequels on the same console, ''Ironsword: Wizards and Warriors II'' and ''Kuros, Visions of Power: Wizards and Warriors III''. There was also a side-game for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy titled ''Wizards and Warriors Chapter X: The Fortress of Fear'', which came out between ''II'' and ''III'', making us wonder where ''IV'' to ''IX'' went.
* The ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic'' series tends to follow this trope but two entries are an exception. The fourth game dropped the number and called ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic: Clouds of Xeen'' while the fifth game was ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic: Darkside of Xeen''. Both can be combined to form one world and were later released as one game called ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic: World of Xeen''. This can be confusing for those who only know of the combined version, as they assume ''World of Xeen'' is #4 then wonder what happened to #5 when the next game in the series is ''VideoGame/MightAndMagic VI''.
* The original ''[[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Mega Man]]'' sequels used Roman numerals in the actual games, even though the packaging logos always used Arabic numerals. This caused a bit of confusion when the SequelSeries ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' was eventually released, as some people assumed the letter "X" was the Roman numeral for ten and not the letter, even though a ''[[VideoGame/MegaMan7 Mega Man VII]]'' was eventually released for the SNES alongside ''X2'' and ''X3''. Capcom switched to Arabic numerals for the in-game logos starting with ''VideoGame/MegaMan8'', so there wasn't that much of a confusion anymore by the time the actual ''VideoGame/MegaMan10'' came out.
** In regards to the Game Boy games, both the ingame titles and the packaging logos always used Roman numerals... except for the fifth game, which still carried a Roman numeral for the title screen, yet the packaging logo had the same Arabic numeral problem as the console games at the time.
** Note that this was never an issue for the Japanese versions, where the ''Rockman'' sequels always used Arabic numerals, while the Game Boy versions were actually part of a separately spinoff line known as ''Rockman World''.
* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' is a notable aversion. Officially, the games are primarily identified by their subtitles, not numbers. However, the internal programming for most of the games [[http://www.nintendo.co.jp/fe/few_series.html and official sites]] do use numbered titles reflecting their placement in the series (i.e: the GBA games are numbered 6 to 8) and the English speaking fandom do use numbered titles as a shorthand for the sake of simplicity due to the lack of any consistent localized titles for the first six games.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** Most games lack numbers in the titles; one of the few exceptions is ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'', which was a direct sequel to the original game. Most of the others are [[AnachronicOrder Nonlinear Sequels]], which probably accounts for the lack of numbers, although older fans sometimes do refer to ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' as "Zelda III".
** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds'' is called "Kamigami no Triforce 2" (Triforce of the Gods 2) in Japan, making it a numbered sequel to ''A Link to the Past''. Strangely, "Triforce of the Gods 2" is also the name used in Korea, even though "1" was released as "A Link to the Past" there, just like the other international releases.
* ''VideoGame/TouchDetective'' called its sequel ''Touch Detective 2½'' as an homage to the Naked Gun.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}}'' franchise has 13 or so full games, and 21 installments if you include expansion packs. Sure enough, it eventually fell into this trope.
** It began with ''Battlefield 1942'', indicating its UsefulNotes/WorldWarII setting by year, and was remade much later as ''Battlefield 1943'' for seventh-generation consoles. They also reused the yearly title format for ''VideoGame/Battlefield2142'' to convey its future setting.
** The straighter example of sequel numbering began with ''Battlefield 2'' and the "modern day" series along with it, although it's the ''third'' game in the franchise after ''Battlefield 1942'' and ''Battlefield Vietnam''. It may have been named that due to being a truly "second generation" of Battlefield, with significant updates to the Refractor engine used at the time while ''Vietnam'' was more or less [[MissionPackSequel a total conversion]] of ''1942''.
** ''VideoGame/Battlefield3'' (the ''eleventh'' game) and ''VideoGame/Battlefield4'' continue the trend of numbered entries being "modern combat" titles, but ''VideoGame/Battlefield1'' [[SubvertedTrope subverts]] it by having a UsefulNotes/WorldWarI setting - essentially the EpisodeZeroTheBeginning clause, but plus one.
** ''VideoGame/BattlefieldBadCompany'' also got a direct sequel called, quite unsurprisingly, ''Battlefield: Bad Company 2''.
* The ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'' episodes have tv-production-style episode numbers, in the form of "101" to "106" for Season 1, "201" through "205" for Season 2, and "301" through "305" for [[VideoGame/SamAndMaxTheDevilsPlayhouse Season 3]].
* ''Anubis II'' is not a sequel to anything - the title is meant to be read as "Anubis the Second".
* Most VideoGame/{{Bemani}} series use "[game title] ''n''th Mix" (such as ''VideoGame/DanceDanceRevolution'', up to 7th Mix), though ''VideoGame/{{beatmania}} IIDX'' used "beatmania IIDX ''n''th Style" up to 10th Style. From IIDX 11 onards, IIDX uses just numbers followed by a subtitle ("RED" for 11, "Happy Sky" for 12, etc). ''pop'n music'' uses numbers too, with the 12th main installment onwards having subtitles ("Iroha" for 12, "Carnival" for 13, and such).
* ''VideoGame/InitialDArcadeStage'' used "Initial D Arcade Stage ver. ''n''" for the first three releases; the fourth game onwards drops the "ver," signifying an overhaul in the game's mechanics.
* ''VideoGame/BubbleBobble'': [[OddlyNamedSequel Oddly named]] [[NonLinearSequel Non Linear]] Numbered Sequels: First there was ''VideoGame/RainbowIslands: The Story of Bubble Bobble II'', and ''Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III'' (whose subtitle was often altered to "Rainbow Islands II" by the European publisher). Then a ''Bubble Bobble '''Part''' 2'' comes out for NES and Game Boy, and then ''Bubble Symphony'' aka ''Bubble Bobble II'' comes out, and ''Bubble Memories: The Story of Bubble Bobble III''. This makes three second-installments and two third-installments.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Wild ARMs|1}}'' sequels are numbered 2 to 5 in America, but in Japan the sequels have the following subtitles: ''[[VideoGame/WildArms2 2nd Ignition]]'', ''[[VideoGame/WildArms3 Advanced 3rd]]'', ''[[VideoGame/WildArms4 The 4th Detonator]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/WildArms5 The Vth Vanguard]]''. Yes, that's a Vth.
** The TurnBasedStrategy game in the series inverts this pattern, being ''VideoGame/WildArmsXF'' in its North American release and ''Wild Arms Crossfire'' in Japan.
* The only numbered sequels to the original ''VideoGame/{{Castlevania|I}}'' were ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest'' and ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse'' for the NES, as well as the oddly named ''VideoGame/SuperCastlevaniaIV'' for the SNES. Ironically ''III'' is actually a ''prequel'' to the first game in terms of setting, while ''IV'' is often seen as a remake; neither had a numbered title in Japan. ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaTheAdventure'' for the UsefulNotes/GameBoy had its own sequel, titled ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIBelmontsRevenge''. The rest of the series simply used subtitles (most of the time), until the ContinuityReboot ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow''.
* The first ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' game is actually the third ''VideoGame/MetalGear'' game, following ''VideoGame/{{Metal Gear|1}}'' and ''VideoGame/MetalGear2SolidSnake'' on the [=MSX2=], but uses the word "Solid" as a substitute for the number "3" in the same manner multiple other games entering their third iteration around that time would [[ThirdIs3D call themselves 3D]]. The subsequent sequels kept the word "Solid" as part of the title and began a new line of numbered sequels (''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty MGS2]]'', ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater MGS3]]'', and ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots MGS4]]''). ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker Peace Walker]]'', a PSP side-entry similar to the earlier ''[[VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps Portable Ops]]'', at one point carried the {{working title}} of ''Metal Gear Solid 5'', likely to emphasize series's creator Creator/HideoKojima's involvement with the title (in contrast to the minimal involvement he had with ''Portable Ops''), but the numbering was dropped from the final title. Despite this, ''Peace Walker'' does set up the plot for what eventually became the official ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidV''.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Metroid}}'' series is a weird example. ''VideoGame/MetroidIIReturnOfSamus'' is the only game in the mainline series that's numbered as part of its official title, but future entries would continue to have them as a ''secondary'' title shown during the game's opening (i.e., the title screen of ''VideoGame/SuperMetroid'' is prefaced by "Creator/{{Nintendo}} presents ''Metroid 3''"). Meanwhile, the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime'' sub-series plays it straight, using both numbers and subtitles for every major entry (i.e., ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes''). The only games in the franchise that aren't numbered in any way are {{interquel}}s such as ''VideoGame/MetroidOtherM'' and {{spinoff}}s such as ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeFederationForce''.
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' can be confusing to people who play it casually, or have little knowledge of it. It started out as ''VideoGame/{{Grand Theft Auto|Classic}}'', then got expansions, and was followed up with ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto2''. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' (notice the change to Roman numerals) was released as a whole new gameplay style. Afterwards, they cut the numbers and started using the fictional city names as subtitles. They also released prequels, with the city name, and "Stories" in the title. Then, they released ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' (thus grouping all the city-ed games together as ''Grand Theft Auto III'' games), and made special episodes. So you can have people who believe that ''Vice City'' is ''GTA I'', ''Liberty City Stories'' is ''GTA II'', ''San Andreas'' is ''GTA III'', and ''Ballad of Gay Tony'' is ''GTA IV''. And if you show them ''Grand Theft Auto 1'' or ''2'', they will assume they are simply handheld ports of whatever they think ''I'' and ''II'' are.
** Rockstar seems to follow the "It's not a sequel unless the engine changes" rule of numbering. Most of the games between ''III'' and ''IV'' are referred to as "the ''[=GTA III=]'' era" for the dual facts that A) all of them use the same engine as ''III'' with minor updates and changes, and B) they're also the first games in the overall ''GTA'' series to have concrete story links to previous games - whereas the first two are entirely self-contained and separate stories, ''III'' ended up with a storyline spanning five distinct points in time over the course of 17 years.
* ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'' has had two numbered sequels with subtitles, ''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape'' and ''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc''. Later for ''Rayman VideoGame/RavingRabbids'' with ''Rayman Raving Rabbids 2'' (''RRR'' itself was tentatively titled ''Rayman 4''). Averted with ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'', which is a prequel to the first game.
* The sequels to ''VideoGame/SakuraWars'' are ''Sakura Wars 2'', ''3'', ''4''... and ''[[VideoGame/SakuraWarsSoLongMyLove V]]''.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Sonic|TheHedgehog}}'' series has become very cluttered with sequel numbers. The games for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis include ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1'' (also called ''Sonic 1''), ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2'', ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles'', [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo the two halves]] of [[VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles one game]]. Three console generations later, a fourth game was added to the series, called VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4.
** Sonic 1, of course, should not be confused with the [[RecycledTitle identically named]] ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' (2006), which is not part of that series of games.
** Numerous other games in the franchise have their own sequels, some more straightforward than others:
*** ''VideoGame/SonicDrift 1'' & 2
*** ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', and ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' ([[UpdatedRerelease rereleased]] as Sonic Adventure DX, and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle) neither of which are connected to ''VideoGame/TailsAdventure'' or ''{{VideoGame/Sonic Rush|Series}}'''s unnumbered sequel ''Sonic Rush Adventure''.
*** ''VideoGame/{{Sonic Advance|Trilogy}}'' 1, 2, and 3
*** And finally, not a direct sequel to anything, ''Sonic 3D'', which was released as ''Sonic 3D Blast'' in America, but ''VideoGame/Sonic3DFlickiesIsland'' in Europe to avoid confusion with the similarly named, but entirely unconnected ''VideoGame/SonicBlast'' for the UsefulNotes/GameGear.
* Creator/{{id Software}} likes to do this with their ''VideoGame/{{DOOM}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}'' games, even if they tend to switch between Arabic and Roman for little reason (e.g. ''Doom II'' followed by ''VideoGame/{{Doom 3}}'', or ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'' followed by ''VideoGame/Quake4''). The ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein}}'' series, however, has generally avoided this since ''[[VideoGame/Wolfenstein3D 3D]]'', probably thanks in part to the fact that it's been switching developers after every game or two - ''3D'' was followed on by ''VideoGame/ReturnToCastleWolfenstein'', then just ''VideoGame/{{Wolfenstein|2009}}'', and now ''VideoGame/WolfensteinTheNewOrder''. Finally averted (well over 30 years after the series started) with the 2017 sequel to ''The New Order'', ''VideoGame/WolfensteinIITheNewColossus''.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Jumper}}'' series, consisting of ''Jumper'', ''Jumper Two'' and ''Jumper Three''[[note]]and ''[[VideoGameRemake Jumper Redux]][[/note]]''.
* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', which consists of the [[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI original game]], ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'', and ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII''. Also includes a pair of sequels, ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' and ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations'' to the second game.
** Played with as the next game ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag''.
** And then completely averted with ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRogue'' and ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedUnity''.
** It should be noted that the chronology of the past characters does not always match the sequel numbers. For example, ''IV'' takes place before ''III'', since the Past!protagonist of ''IV'' is the grandfather of the Past!protagonist of ''III''. ''Rogue'' also takes place after ''IV'' but before ''III''.
* The three Creator/{{Compile}}-developed sequels to ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'' have puns on numbers. ''Tsū'', the Japanese word for expert, also sounds like the English word two; ''SUN'', when pronounced in English, sounds like the Japanese word for three; and the "yon" in ''Puyo Puyo~n'' means four.
* Namco [[FourIsDeath really, really didn't want to make a fourth game]] in the ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' series. When they had to, it was only under condition that its number was padded to ''VideoGame/{{Ace Combat 04|ShatteredSkies}}''. After ''VideoGame/AceCombat6FiresOfLiberation'' they StoppedNumberingSequels for a while, but that's in part because they seemed reluctant to continue the original storyline past ''6'' - between that in 2007 and the announcement of ''VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown'' eight years later, none of the games were set in the same continuity.
* ''VideoGame/{{Gauntlet}}'' was soon followed by ''Gauntlet II'', and the non-arcade sequels valiantly attempted to carry on the numbering. ''Gauntlet: The Third Encounter'' was released exclusively for the UsefulNotes/AtariLynx, while U.S. Gold and Software Creations were authorized to make the entirely different ''Gauntlet III: The Final Quest'' for the European home-computer market. ''Gauntlet IV'' is actually a port of the first arcade game for the UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis with an added quest mode, although the Japanese version had no numbering on the title.
* Two different games titled ''VideoGame/{{Spelunker}} II'' were released in Japan: one for arcades, one for the Famicom.
* ''VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver''[='=]s WorkingTitle was ''Pocket Monsters 2: Gold and Silver''. Years later, sequels to ''[[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite Black and White]]'' were made and titled ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2''.
* The Unnkulia series features "Unnkulian Underworld: The Unknown Unventure", followed by "Unnkulia 2", "Unnkulia Zero", and "Unnkulia One-Half".
* ''VideoGame/ShinobiIIIReturnOfTheNinjaMaster'' is a somewhat confusing title, as considerably more than two ''Shinobi'' titles were released before it. The Japanese title, ''The Super Shinobi II'', marks it as a sequel to the earlier UsefulNotes/SegaGenesis game [[MarketBasedTitle known elsewhere as]] ''VideoGame/TheRevengeOfShinobi''.
* The ''VideoGame/TengaiMakyou'' GaidenGame ''Fuun Kabuki Den'' has a fake title screen reading ''Tengai Makyou III''. The real ''Tengai Makyou III'' was not released until eight years after ''[[VideoGame/TengaiMakyouIVTheApocalypse Tengai Makyou IV]]''.

* The ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' series is an odd case. The first game, ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptunia'', was developed [[NoBudget on a shoestring]], so the game was developed to be a one-off with a completely satisfying GoldenEnding that left no loose ends. When the game turned out to be a SleeperHit in both Japan and the west, a sequel was announced and properly funded. Rather than completely abandon all the characters and/or blatantly RetCon the first game, the developers instead opted to reboot and retell the story while still marketing it as a sequel, branding the result ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaMk2''. When it came time for the third game, a direct sequel to ''mk2'' without any reboots, they simply spared everyone the confusion and titled it ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaVictory''.
* ''Operation Wolf 3'' was the only numbered sequel to ''VideoGame/OperationWolf''.
* None of the ''VideoGame/{{Dizzy}}'' sequels carried numbers in the titles, but ''Treasure Island Dizzy'', ''Fantasy World Dizzy'', ''Magicland Dizzy'' and ''Spellbound Dizzy'' displayed "Dizzy II," "Dizzy III," "Dizzy IV" and "Dizzy V" on the StatusLine.
* The two {{samurai}}-themed {{Platform Game}}s developed by Vivid Image were titled ''First Samurai'' and ''Second Samurai''.

* The fourth ''VideoGame/MagicalDrop'' game was titled ''Magical Drop F'' instead of ''Magical Drop IV'', in a blatant case of [[FourIsDeath tetraphobia]].
* ''VideoGame/FireProWrestling'' had two numbered sequels on the UsefulNotes/PCEngine, and ''Super Fire Pro Wrestling'' had two numbered sequels on the UsefulNotes/SuperFamicom. The rest of the series StoppedNumberingSequels in Japan, though the second UsefulNotes/GameBoyAdvance installment was released as ''Fire Pro Wrestling 2'' in the U.S.
* ''VideoGame/ChaseHQ 2'' is actually the fourth game in the series, after ''Special Criminal Investigation'' and ''Super Chase''.
* The ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'' franchise includes numerous numbered sequels, though the Japanese titles use Sino-Japanese ordinal numbers. The actual Japanese title of ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars2'' is ''Dai-2-Ji Super Robot Taisen'', which is analogous to the Japanese name for UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, "Dai-2-Ji Sekai Taisen."
* The sequel to ''VideoGame/{{Jardinains}}'' was simply called ''Jardinains 2!''.
* The ''VideoGame/SaintsRow'' series went all over the place with its sequel numbering. ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' used an Arabic numeral, but ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'' had no numeral at all (playing on the title gang's full name, "Third Street Saints") and ''VideoGame/SaintsRowIV'' switched to a Roman numeral. The switch from Arabic coincided with the shift in tone from the gritty realistic MobWar of the first two games to the DenserAndWackier epicness of the later titles.
* After dozens upon dozens of ''Franchise/AngryBirds'' games and spin-offs, we finally have an official ''Angry Birds 2''.
* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' qualifies, but only in Japan. The main six games are numbered ''Gyakuten Saiban'' 1 through 6 in Japan, but the second installment onwards get different names in Western countries. The ''[[VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth Ace Attorney Investigations]]'' spin-off series counts as well, with the second installment titled ''Gyakuten Kenji 2''. The FanTranslation follows the precedent set by the main series, giving it the subtitle ''Prosecutor's Path''. ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney'' duology retains its numbering in the localization, with the two games translated as ''The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures'' and ''The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve'' outside of Japan.
* ''VideoGame/OutRun 2'' was finally released to arcades in 2003, though it was actually the fourth Creator/{{Sega}} UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame to have ''[=OutRun=]'' in the title.
* Sony's [=PlayStation=] line of home consoles: UsefulNotes/PlayStation, UsefulNotes/PlayStation2, UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, and UsefulNotes/PlayStation5.
* The sequel to ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon'' has the Roman numeral II followed by the GratuitousGerman "Zwei" on both the cover and title screen. Presumably the latter was intended as the AlternateCharacterReading for the former.
* ''VideoGame/SecretFiles'': The third game is just called ''Secret Files 3''.
* All the ''Franchise/SilentHill'' games developed by KCE Tokyo were numbered, with ''VideoGame/SilentHill4TheRoom'' being the last game developed by the original team. Afterward, the franchise started being outsourced to western developers and the newer titles were no longer numbered, although ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'' by Climax Studios was titled ''Silent Hill 0'' in Japan, being a prequel to the first game. ''VideoGame/SilentHillDownpour'' at one point carried the working title of "Silent Hill 8".
* ''VideoGame/Gamer2'' is an unusual case, as the original ''Gamer'' was an unfinished short story, not a video game.
* The second and third game in ''[[VideoGame/TheRoomMobileGame The Room]]'' series are named simply ''The Room Two'' and ''The Room Three''. However, the subsequent installments drop the numerals (''The Room: Old Sins'', ''The Room VR: A Dark Matter'').
* The ''Franchise/DragonQuest'' series has numbered entries in the mainline series much like its stepsibling ''Final Fantasy'' (as of this writing, the latest entry is ''VideoGame/DragonQuestXI''; ''Dragon Quest XII'' is currently in production), but they’re also subtitled in an {{alliterative|Title}} fashion that relates to the storyline of that particular game (i.e. ''[[VideoGame/DragonQuestIV Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen]]'' refers to TheChosenMany ensemble and the chapter system, ''[[VideoGame/DragonQuestV Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride]]'' refers to the marriage of your character and the heavenly bride). However, only the first three and eleventh games in the series are directly linked to one another, while Zenithian trilogy which follows after it is more vaguely connected, and the other titles are stand-alone.
* ''VideoGame/PrincessRemedyInAHeapOfTrouble'': On the [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/522040/Princess_Remedy_2_In_A_Heap_of_Trouble/ Steam store page]], and an [[http://ludosity.com/2016/06/princess-remedy-2-a-brief-overview/ official blog post]], it's sometimes called "Princess Remedy 2", with or without subtitle.
* Every game in the ''VideoGame/SuperRealMahjong'' series used Roman numbers for the title, until ''P7'' switched to Arabic.

* Interestingly, there are ''two VideoGame/{{Klonoa}}'' games designated as ''Klonoa 2''; ''VideoGame/Klonoa2LunateasVeil'' and ''Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament''.

** ''VideoGame/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles''

* Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s ''Wrestling/WrestleMania'' Pay-Per-View events are normally numbered (although they seem to have trouble deciding whether to use Roman or Hindu\Arabic numerals), with three exceptions: the sixteenth was dubbed ''Wrestlemania 2000'' in reference to the year it took place, and the seventeenth and eighteenth were ''Wrestlemania X-Seven'' and ''Wrestlemania X8'', respectively, for XtremeKoolLetterz effect. Their other Pay-Per-View events don't use any form of numbering, instead being identified by the year in which they were held
** The only other Wrestlemania not to use Roman numerals was 13 - which was promoted with Arabic numerals.
*** 21, 22, and 23 used Hindu\Arabic numerals as well (the installments between 2005 and 2007).
*** 2012 sees a return to Hindu\Arabic numbers with 29, although its logo is still shown as "''[[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/aa/WrestleManiaXXIXlogo.png WrestleMania NY NJ]]''". 29 also began a trend of the logos just dropping the number altogether (31 is "''[=WrestleMania=] Play Button''", 32 is "''[=WrestleMania=] Star''", and 33 will be "''[=WrestleMania=] Sun''"; although all the shows are still appropriately numbered on the WWE Network). 30 is the exception to this, as it's a MilestoneCelebration so they retained the numbering with a Roman numeral (''[=WrestleMania=] XXX'').

* Wrestling/{{WCW}}'s first nine ''Superbrawl'' PPV events were appropriately numbered, then the next was named ''Superbrawl 2000'' much like WWF did with ''Wrestlemania''. This was followed by ''Superbrawl Revenge'', the final Superbrawl before WCW was closed down.
* When Wrestling/{{TNA}} began numbering their annual Slammiversary show (so named because it marks the anniversary of the company's founding) beginning with the 2010 event, they decided to number the shows based on which anniversary they were celebrating rather than how many Slammiversary events had been held. This means that the 2014 event, Slammiversary XII, is the tenth event in the series.

* The UsefulNotes/OlympicGames are officially referred to by Roman numerals. The 2016 Summer Olympics were the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, and the 2018 Winter Olympics were the XXIII Olympic Winter Games. (The Olympics cancelled due to the World Wars still count for the Summer Games, but not for the Winter Games. The 1906 Intercalated Games don't count in the numbering.)
* In boxing and mixed martial arts, rematches between notable competitors are often numbered, such as Ali-Frazier 2.
* The [[UsefulNotes/MixedMartialArts Ultimate Fighting Championship]] began using numbered sequels after the first event, which was retroactively renamed "UFC 1: The Beginning." Interestingly, there was much fanfare over UFC 100, even though it was actually the 105th UFC event due to the fact that five previous events did not follow the traditional numbering scheme. The smaller Ultimate Fight Night series of events used a numbering scheme until UFN 6, after which they were usually named after their headliners. The Ultimate Fighter reality series is numbered based on season. A new line of free events airing on the Versus channel is set to debut with "UFC Live on Versus 1," a rare instance of a work receiving a number before it has any sequels. Many other mixed martial arts promotions have followed suit by numbering each of their events.

* In rugby league, the Super League of Europe (OK, mostly England, but with one team in France) has officially numbered its seasons with Roman numerals since its creation in 1996. The most season of 2015 will be Super League XX.

** Some album titles avert this trope. Their debut is ''The Chicago Transit Authority'' and their second is simply ''Chicago,'' both being [[SelfTitledAlbum self-titled]] with a name change between the two. Their fourth is an internal example without being an example itself, ''At Carnegie Hall, vol. I-IV'' with each of its four records being numbered. They have several [[GreatestHitsAlbum compilation albums]] that are officially numbered, but only the first ''Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits'' has the number in its title. Their twelfth, ''Hot Streets'' and twenty-second ''Night and Day: Big Band'' also don't include numbers in their titles. Most entries with numbers in their titles also use roman numerals, the exceptions being ''13, 16, 17, 18, 19,'' and ''Twenty 1.'' With XXV, they started giving albums with numbered titles subtitles as well, with the most recent (as of July 2021) being ''Chicago XXXVII: Chicago Christmas'', their third Holiday release. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_discography#Canon_albums The other wiki has more data.]]

* Music/MeatLoaf's breakout album ''Bat Out of Hell'' was followed sixteen years later by ''Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell'', with ''Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose'' following thirteen years after that.

** Some album titles avert this trope. Their debut is ''The Chicago Transit Authority'' and their second is simply ''Chicago,'' both being [[SelfTitledAlbum self-titled]] with a name change between the two. Their fourth is an internal example without being an example itself, ''At Carnegie Hall, vol. I-IV'' with each of its four records being numbered. They have several [[GreatestHitsAlbum compilation albums]] that are officially numbered, but only the first ''Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits'' has the number in its title. Their twelfth, ''Hot Streets'' and twenty-second ''Night and Day: Big Band'' also don't include numbers in their titles. Most entries with numbers in their titles also use roman numerals, the exceptions being ''13, 16, 17, 18, 19,'' and ''Twenty 1.'' With XXV, they started giving albums with numbered titles subtitles as well, with the most recent (as of July 2021) being ''Chicago XXXVII: Chicago Christmas,'' their third Holiday release. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_discography#Canon_albums The other wiki has more data.]]

* {{Music/DeepPurple} number their line-ups, though not every line-up change increases the number. Their second line-up "Mk. II" originally split in 1973, and reunited twice, still using the "Mk. II" designation each time (though some sources, such as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Deep_Purple_members#Lineups the other wiki]] refer to them with alphabetical notations as "Mk. II a," "Mk. II b" and "Mk. II c," they are officially considered simply reunions of the "Mk. II" lineup, being followed by "Mk. III," "Mk. V," and "Mk. VII" respectively.

* Each of the sequels to ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious'' uses a different title format, most of which incorporate the movie's number in some way. The [[OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo second movie]] was titled ''Film/TwoFastTwoFurious''. The next two were unnumbered: ''Film/TheFastAndTheFuriousTokyoDrift'' and ''Film/FastAndFurious'' – these names make more sense than it appears, as ''Tokyo Drift'' is a sequel InNameOnly while the fourth film is a return to the original cast and setting. Then the fifth movie goes back to numbers is called ''Film/FastFive'', followed by ''Film/FastAndFurious6'', then ''Film/FuriousSeven''. The eighth movie, ''Film/TheFateOfTheFurious'', is technically unnumbered but does incorporate the sound of the number in its title (i.e. "F'''ate'''").

* The second ''Animation/HappyHeroes'' movie is titled ''Happy Heroes 2: The Battle of Planet Qiyuan''.

This is, if anything, even more common in video games than in movies, although the "Part 2" variation is absent there. Literary examples, on the other hand, are very, very rare. Many video game series also use a variation where numbered sequels denote "significant", or "mainline" games, while other entries like spin-off, side games, or {{Gaiden Game}}s will use subtitles or WordSequel instead. While what distinguishes a numbered and non-numbered sequel is clear in some series, it is more arbitrary in others, leading to [[SequelNumberSnarl the weird phenomenon where some franchises have many more games than the title of the latest numbered sequel would imply]][[note]]The most infamous example of this is probably ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'', which saw numerous games released during the lengthly gap between ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII''. Many assumed that these games were simply spinoffs that didn't convey import story information, only to be surprised when [[ContinuityLockout they were unable to make sense of much of III's plot without having played them]].[[/note]].

* Franchise/ToyStory has: ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'', WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory3'' Toy Story 3'', and finally, ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory4''.

* Franchise/ToyStory has: [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory1 Toy Story,]] ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory3 Toy Story 3,]] and, Finally, [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory4 Toy Story 4.]]

* Many ''Franchise/StarWars'' fans were rather confused when the 1977 original, simply titled ''Star Wars'', was followed by Episode '''Five''', ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. A rerelease of the original rechristened it "Episode Four: Film/ANewHope", paving the way for later prequels. Despite the initial confusion, there was a level of optimism that resulted from the episode numbering system that opened the door for prequels. In the meantime, the Classic Trilogy continued to be marketed by the movies' original release names: ''Star Wars'', ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', and ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', with the episode numbers confined strictly to the opening crawls. ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' began the trend of prominently featuring the episode number in marketing the movies, to the point where theaters often listed it as "Star Wars Episode I" rather than "The Phantom Menace". When the Classic Trilogy received its first DVD release in 2004, the movies were now labeled ''Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope'', etc. The first film of the sequel trilogy was marketed simply as ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', in contrast to the prequel films. Unlike the prequels, this is also its official title – although it is still called ''Star Wars: Episode VII:'' ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' in its opening crawl. Likewise for the next film, ''Film/TheLastJedi''.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek}}'' films seem to be using the same system as ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' as an {{Homage}}: ''Shrek'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Shrek 2}}'', ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'', and ''WesternAnimation/ShrekForeverAfter''.

** ''VideoGame/LuigisMansionSeries'': ''[[VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon Luigi's Mansion 2]]'' [[MarketBasedTitle is the European and Japanese name]] for what North America knows as ''Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon''. ''VideoGame/LuigisMansion3'', meanwhile, is called as such in all markets.

* ''Animation/PleasantGoatAndBigBigWolf'' has a live-action film titled ''I Love Wolffy''. Its sequel is simply titled ''I Love Wolffy 2''.

* The ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' series followed this trope until the sixth installment which was called ''Film/RockyBalboa'' (as if the other movies were about some other guy named "Rocky"). Word of God says that the movie was not called "Rocky VI" to avoid any possibility of another ''Rocky'' installment. That didn't stop Stallone from reprising the role in the spin-off/sequel {{Film/Creed}}, though, which itself got a [[Film/CreedII numbered sequel]].

* ''[[VideoGame/LuigisMansionDarkMoon Luigi's Mansion 2]]'' [[MarketBasedTitle is the European and Japanese name]] for what North America knows as ''Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon''.

* Swedish monarchs are traditionally numbered after an old historical work from the 16th century, it's only that most of the kings mentioned are made-up. So the current swedish king is Carl XVI, but there are only two Carls before Carl IX, so seven are missing.

* Swedish monarchs are traditionally numbered after an old historical work from the 16th century, it's only that most of the kings mentioned are made-up. So the current swedish king is Charles XVI, but there are only two Charleses before Charles IX, so seven are missing.

** Subverted by the ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' series, which labels its sequels ''[[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 Vol. 2]]'' & ''Vol. 3'', emulating the mixtapes seen (and heard) in those movies.

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