The Best Surprise Gaming Spin-Offs

Mario has spawned a litany of popular spin-offs from sports to puzzle games, but none hold a candle to the mammoth success of Mario Kart. From its first iteration on Super Nintendo to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch, putting Mario and his friends in the driver seat of go-karts ranks has continually proven to be among Nintendo’s greatest gambles. Mario Kart utilizes and celebrates the worlds, power-ups, and characters from the main platforming games in its inventive courses, weapons, and roster. Given its staggering sales numbers and universal popularity, Mario Kart may well be the greatest spin-off series of all time.