History Main / GaidenGame

* ''VideoGame/ArtOfFighting 3''[='s=] Japanese name is ''ART OF FIGHTING: Ryūko no Ken Gaiden'', instead of being a numbered sequel. The game itself reflects its Gaiden status, as only Ryo and Robert return from the previous games (Yuri still hangs around as a non-playable NPC, though, and Kasumi is PromotedToPlayable) and the plot revolves around Garcia going to Mexico to help out an old friend, with no real connections to the plot of the previous two games.

* ''VideoGame/ArtofFighting 3''[='s=] Japanese name is ''ART OF FIGHTING: Ryūko no Ken Gaiden'', instead of being a numbered sequel. The game itself reflects its Gaiden status, as only Ryo and Robert return from the previous games (Yuri still hangs around as a non-playable NPC, though, and Kasumi is PromotedToPlayable) and the plot revolves around Garcia going Mexico to help out an old friend, with no real connections to the plot of the previous two games.

* ''VideoGame/AbsoluteDespairGirls'' is this to the ''Franchise/{{Danganronpa}}'' series, being a story-heavy ThirdPersonShooter rather than a VisualNovel set between the [[VisualNovel/DanganronpaTriggerHappyHavoc first]] and [[VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2 second]] games and not having a mutual killing game, starring the first game's protagonist's sister and a secondary character from the first game.

* There's a couple in the ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' series. ''VideoGame/TailsAdventure'' springs to mind. In the Japanese manual its said to take place before Tails' fateful meeting with [[HeterosexualLifePartners his iconic partner in crime fighting]]. In the Western version it's treated as a BusMansHoliday but in both, its still Tails's [[ADayInTheLimelight day in the limelight.]]

* The handheld titles of the ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'' series are frequently considered Gaiden Games to the "main" series, perhaps because of their tendency towards {{Word Salad Title}}s and the fact that they're on handhelds, rather than consoles. This is not the case; these games are all full installments of the series which build upon the story of the games and lead directly into the next "main" game. ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII'' makes more sense if you've played ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'' and the games released after ''Kingdom Hearts II'' are ''quite clearly'' building up to a climax that will be resolved in ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII''.

** Warhammer Fantasy's games include TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay, the gang-based ''TabletopGame/{{Mordheim}}'', American football parody ''TabletopGame/BloodBowl'' (even referring to the mystical god 'Nuffle'), the naval fleet based game ''TabletopGame/ManOWar'' and massive-battle ''TabletopGame/{{Warmaster}}''. 40k has the large-scale "narrative wargame" ''TabletopGame/{{Inquisitor}}'', space combat ''TabletopGame/BattlefleetGothic'', massive-battle ''TabletopGame/{{Epic}}'', all-Ork ''TabletopGame/{{Gorkamorka}}'', air-battle ''TabletopGame/AeronauticaImperialis'', gang-based ''TabletopGame/{{Necromunda}}'' and the role-playing game ''TabletopGame/DarkHeresy''.
** ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' was originally supposed to be this, creating an all-new SpaceMarine chapter, the Blood Ravens, to avoid stepping on continuity's toes. The fans liked them so much that Games Workshop [[AscendedFanon went ahead and canonized them, the games, and the events therein.]]

* ''VideoGame/AbsoluteDespairGirls'' is this to the ''Franchise/DanganRonpa'' series, being a story-heavy ThirdPersonShooter rather than a VisualNovel set between the [[VisualNovel/DanganRonpa first]] and [[VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2 second]] games and not having a mutual killing game, starring the first game's protagonist's sister and a secondary character from the first game.

** The numbering of the four * .5 games (''Immaterial and Missing Power'', ''Shoot the Bullet'', ''Scarlet Weather Rhapsody'', ''Double Spoiler'', ''Hopeless Masquerade'' and ''Urban Legend in Limbo'') would imply that they're all gaiden games to the main series (Touhou 12.3, ''Hisoutensoku'', is an ExpansionPack to SWR), especially since none of them use the same gameplay system ([=IaMP=], SWR, HM and [=ULiL=] are 2D {{Fighting Game}}s, and [=StB=] and DS are {{Boss Rush}}es where you take pictures instead of fighting back). However, of the six, [=StB=] and DS are the only ones [[ExcusePlot without an actual plot]] -- whereas the events and new character introduced in [=IaMP=] are acknowledged in the [[AllThereInTheManual canon books]] ''Perfect Memento in Strict Sense'', ''Bohemian Archive in Japanese Red'', and ''Silent Sinner in Blue'' (SWR was made after those books came out).

* When Koji Igarashi took over as producer of the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' games (starting with 2002's ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaHarmonyOfDissonance''), he declared that the Nintendo 64 games ( ''VideoGame/{{Castlevania 64}}'' and its UpdatedRerelease ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLegacyOfDarkness''), and ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaCircleOfTheMoon'' for the Game Boy Advance were side-stories to the main ''Castlevania'' storyline. The GameBoy game ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLegends'' on the other hand, is no longer part of the canon.

** The ''Boku Dracula-kun'' games for the Famicom and GameBoy (the latter brought over to the U.S. as ''Kid Dracula'') were never intended to be canon, though the BigBad, Galamoth, would later appear in the regular series.

[[folder:Real Time Strategy]]

[[folder:RPG]]

* The handheld titles of the ''VideoGame/KingdomHearts'' series are frequently considered Gaiden Games to the "main" series, perhaps because of their tendency towards {{Word Salad Title}}s and the fact that they're on handhelds, rather than consoles. This is not the case; these games are all full installments of the series which build upon the story of the games and lead directly into the next "main" game. ''Kingdom Hearts II'' makes more sense if you've played ''Chain of Memories'' and the games released after ''Kingdom Hearts II'' are ''quite clearly'' building up to a climax that will be resolved in the future ''Kingdom Hearts III''.

[[folder:Turn Based Strategy]]

* The ''{{VideoGame/Yakuza}}'' series has ''Dead Souls'', which, as opposed to the main games which feature crime drama stories and brutal hand-to-hand fighting gameplay, takes place in the midst of a ZombieApocalypse and prominently features gunplay.

** Also there is ''Kill Team'' for 40k [[note]] ''not'' the videogame[[/note]] that has a small team of elite units infiltrating and completing a objective.

* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar Gaiden'' was originally intended to fill in some side events to the series to act as the lead-in to an earlier concept for ''Phantasy Star 4''. As that game ended up using a different storyline in the final version, and there hasn't been a single game released in that continuity since, said Gaiden is now [[LeftHanging meaningless to the overall continuity.]]

* Every ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' game between ''[[VideoGame/GrandTeftAutoIII III]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV IV]]'' (''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity Vice City]]'', ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'', ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoLibertyCityStories Liberty City Stories]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCityStories Vice City Stories]]'') was a gaiden game; they all took place in the same universe and had some recurring characters, but took place in three different decades (''VCS'' in 1984, ''VC'' in 1986, ''SA'' in 1992, then ''LCS'' in 1998, leading up to ''III'' in 2001) and locations. Other than a few characters who appear in multiple games, the storylines are completely unrelated and don't affect one another. ''Grand Theft Auto IV'' totally remakes the universe with a brand new Liberty City, though Vice City and San Andreas are confirmed to exist. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' in turn is a Gaiden Game for IV, not being officially confirmed to be a separate continuity from ''IV'' like it was from ''III''.

** ''The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard'' is a spin-off ActionAdventure game with very few RPG elements. Some 400 years before ''Arena'', a Redguard by the name of Cyrus travels home to find his sister missing and himself embroiled in a web of political intrigue. It was well received by critics and fans, but due to the cost of production and being built on outdated technology, it was a financial flop. The ''Pocket Guide to the Empire'', [[{{Feelies}} which came with the game]], gave one of the first comprehensive looks at the series' [[{{Backstory}} background lore]], which would be greatly expanded on in future games.

** ''An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire'' is an action-oriented DungeonCrawler with downplayed RPG mechanics. Originally planned as an expansion to ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]'', it was released as a stand-alone game and takes place during the time frame of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena Arena]]''. The Battlespire, a WizardingSchool for Imperial [[MagicKnight Battlemages]], comes under attack by the forces of [[DestroyerDeity Mehrunes Dagon]], who seek to use it as a conduit for invading Tamriel. A single student (the PC), must fight through the Battlespire to defeat Dagon and [[ItsPersonal free their partner]]. A good chunk of the information of the things known about the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedra]] originates in this game.

* There are two Japan-only games in the ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series called, quite simply, ''Suikogaiden volumes 1 and 2''. These games are basically side-stories featuring a previously-unknown character from Harmonia named Nash Latkje (who would later appear as a Star of Destiny in ''VideoGame/SuikodenIII''). The two games take place around the time of ''Suikoden II'', the first starting before and during ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'', and the second taking place shortly after the end of ''VideoGame/SuikodenII''. In both games, Nash interacts with various characters from ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'', giving more perspective on many of the lesser-known characters. Lastly, ''[[VideoGame/SuikodenTactics Suikoden Tactics/Rhapsodia]]'' is another example, set just after ''VideoGame/SuikodenIV''.

Subtrope of SpinOff. Sister trope to PinballSpinoff. Also of note is that having Gaiden in its
title doesn't necessarily mean the game pertains to this trope. Even if you exclude ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'', which has a troubled approach with its ''gaiden'' status. See the respective entry below.

* ''VideoGame/MetalGearGhostBabel'' and the two ''VideoGame/MetalGearAcid'' games are officially recognize as "Gaiden" games in the ''Franchise/MetalGear'' series ([[http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20050917/mgs23.htm see here]]), even though they don't really fit in the series' canon in any way.

* The ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' series has ''VideoGame/VirtuaQuest'' (released in Japan as ''Virtua Fighter: Cyber Generation''), a beat-em-up set in the {{Cyberspace}}. The original ''Virtua Fighter'' roster appears as ghost data that bestow their fighting techniques upon the player.

* Every ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' game from GTA III to Vice City Stories was a Gaiden Game; they all took place in the same universe and had some recurring characters, but took place in three different decades (the Stories games took place a few years before Vice City and III) and locations. Other than a few characters who appear in multiple games, the storylines are completely unrelated and don't affect one another. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'' totally remakes the universe with a brand new Liberty City, though Vice City and San Andreas are confirmed to exist. ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoV'' in it's turn is a Gaiden Game for IV.
** There's also ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoAdvance'' for GBA that takes place before the events of [=GTA3=] and features some of the characters.
** The main reason for Vice City becoming a Gaiden Game (and thus initiating a sequence of Gaiden Games) is most likely because it was initially planned to be an expansion pack for GTA III instead of a Stand-Alone game, with early announcements in game magazines calling it "Grand Theft Auto III: Vice City".

** The ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Gun Survivor'']] series could also count, though they have slightly more credible ties to the Canon. Some even seem to be retcon vehicles.
** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis'' may be considered a gaiden to the second game. ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilOutbreak'' and its sequel are gaidens to both ''2'' and ''3''.

* There are two Japan-only games in the ''VideoGame/{{Suikoden}}'' series called, quite simply, ''Suikogaiden volumes 1 and 2''. These games are basically side-stories featuring a previously-unknown character from Harmonia named Nash Latkje (who would later appear as a Star of Destiny in ''VideoGame/SuikodenIII''). The two games take place around the time of ''Suikoden II'', the first starting before and during [[VideoGame/SuikodenII SII]], and the second taking place shortly after the end of [[VideoGame/SuikodenII SII]]. In both games, Nash interacts with various characters from ''VideoGame/SuikodenII'', giving more perspective on many of the lesser-known characters. Lastly, ''[[VideoGame/SuikodenTactics Suikoden Tactics/Rhapsodia]]'' is another example, set just after ''VideoGame/SuikodenIV''.

* ''VideoGame/AbsoluteDespairGirls'' is this to the ''Franchise/DanganRonpa'' series, being a story-heavy ThirdPersonShooter rather than a VisualNovel set between the [[VisualNovel/DanganRonpa first]] and [[VisualNovel/SuperDanganRonpa2 second]] games and not having a mutual killing game, starring the first game's protagonist's sister and and secondary character from the first game.

* The GBA remake of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' contained a short quest after beating the game, detailing [[WhatHappanedToTheMouse what happened to all the dead party members after they died]].

* The GBA remake of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' contained a short quest after beating the game, detailing [[WhathppanedToTheMouse what happened to all the dead party members after they died]].

* The GBA remake of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyII'' contained a short quest after beating the game, detailing what happened to all the dead party members after they died.

* The ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'' series has ''Virtua Quest'' (released in Japan as ''Virtua Fighter: Cyber Generation''), a beat-em-up set in the {{Cyberspace}}. The original ''Virtua Fighter'' roster appears as ghost data that bestow their fighting techniques upon the player.

* Because EverythingsBetterWithPenguins, TurnBasedStrategy series ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}'' has a platformer spin-off for the PSP called ''Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero?'' starring everyone's favorite explosive waterfowl squad.