Recently, I started to think about old games, specifically how some of them will get another shot at life after a few years away and it made me think about all those series that have not had that.

To be clear when I say another shot at life, I don’t mean via a remaster or a remake, but I mean a from the ground up, original entry in that series. A prime example is F-Zero, that series saw a number of games released over the first 14 years of its life, with F-Zero: GP Legend being the last one to release in the West. But then it went 19 years before it got a new game, or really any game.

So with that in mind, I wanted to have a look through the big publishers to see what series they are leaving behind. There are a few conditions for this list:

There must be at least 2 games in the series, so one off titles are not included.
There must be at least 2 console generations between the last game and now, so if a game was released on PlayStation 4, but there is no entry on PlayStation 5, that does not count.
We are not including Game of the Year, Deluxe, Complete or any other word used to describe a re-issue of the game with DLC or other extra content.
Finally, remakes and remasters do not count, they must be original.

So let us take a look at Capcom

Ōkami

First Release: February 2007 | Last Release: March 2011 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

In 2004 a new studio called Clover was set up inside of Capcom, after the release of Okami on PlayStation 2, the studio was closed down, but in that time, they made a lot of unique games that have stuck with players, Okami being just one of them.

The first game is the only one made by Clover and has you take on the role of Amaterasu, a sun god who comes to Japan in the form of a white wolf in order to save the land. The big draw, pun intended, was that you could use a celestial brush to draw things into the world, need a bomb, then draw one. The PlayStation 2 version was fine, but for me the Wii port that came out a few years later was the best. For those on the go, Okamiden was the option and in this game players were Chibiterasu, a smaller form of Amatersau, with the gameplay being the same just on the Nintendo DS. Both games were received well by players and critics.

Viewtiful Joe

First Release: June 2003 | Last Release: March 2006 | Total Number of Games Released: 4

First conceived as part of the Capcom Five, a line up of games made exclusively for GameCube, Viewtiful Joe took players into the movies, as players attempted to rescue Joe’s girlfriend, it was so well received it got sequels and more.

While the first game was meant to be GameCube exclusive, Capcom did release it on PlayStation 2, the sequel launched on both and the third game was GameCube and PlayStation Portable only. The final game was a Nintendo DS exclusive and made use of the DS’s touch screen for its gameplay. The core aspect to all of the games is that they are 2D platform side-scrolling fighters, where you are in the movies. The series was that popular it got action figures, a manga and a 51 episode anime that released alongside Red Hot Rumble, with aspects from both appearing in the other.

Onimusha

First Release: January 2001 | Last Release: June 2012 | Total Number of Games Released: 8

What started out as a spin-off from the Resident Evil series, Onimusha has players take control over a skilled swordsman and slay demons, while set within the twilight of the Sengoku period.

While the majority of the games follow that basic premise, basically the numbered games, the series did branch out into other genres. Blade Warriors was a fighting game that featured many of the characters from the main games, where Tactics was a turn based tactical game. The main series was meant to have ended after the 3rd game, but the fourth entry kicked off a new storyline, it was the last full game for a while. Between us creating this list though, Capcom went ahead and announced a brand new VR game in the series, but there is no word if that will be a home release or something else.

Dino Crisis

First Release: July 1999 | Last Release: November 2003 | Total Number of Games Released: 4

Not content with creating Resident Evil, Shinji Mikami also created the Dino Crisis series and fans have been starved for a new game in the series for more than 20 year, so much so that when Exoprimal was revealed, many hoped it was actually Dino Crisis, but it was not.

The gameplay was more reminiscent of Resident Evil Code Veronica, well technically this came out first and featured full 3D environments, rather than static backgrounds. Basically, swap out zombies for dinosaurs and you have a good indicator of what is going on here. While the first two games are directly connected, the third game is a light-gun shooter and has a World War 2 pilot shot down and then time travelled to the future and a dino infested island. The third mainline game, or fourth in total, tells an all new story set hundreds of years in the future and returns to the more familiar gameplay. While the first two titles are beloved, the third is not.

Final Fight

First Release: November 1989 | Last Release: April 2006 | Total Number of Games Released: 7

in 1987 a little title called Street Fighter was released and while it was good, the sequel blew the first out of the water. Between the two games those a new series started and that was Final Fight.

Set in the fictional Metro City, within the Street Fighter universe, the games focus on a group of heroic vigilantes who fight against the control and various threats of criminal gangs, primarily the Mad Gear Gang. Unlike Street Fighter, which is about 1 on 1 fights, Final Fight was a side-scrolling beat ‘em up, that set players on a course to take out whatever gang is in the way. While most of the games are 2d in nature, the last entry Streetwise, took the series into the 3rd dimension and it did not go well. The series was also where many now famous Street Fighter characters debuted, like Mike Haggar.

Mega Man Zero

First Release: October 2002 | Last Release: September 2005 | Total Number of Games Released: 4

The Mega Man series has a number of games, but the Zero series is one that is beloved by many fans and for a decent reason, it is kind of good.

The first game tried to change things up from the traditional Mega Man formula, by letting players explore a larger map to find the stages within, but the remaining games dropped that. The game mechanics slightly change with every entry of the series. Zero is given a variety of weapons to use and can level them up to unlock new abilities, although this was removed from Mega Man Zero 3 and onward as the abilities become accessible from the start of the game. The series also brought in level and upgrades, along with an element enhancement system, which gave players a lot of choice on how they went about things.

Darkstalkers

First Release: November 1996 | Last Release: September 2005 | Total Number of Games Released: 6

Darkstalkers is another fighting game series and is set in a pastiche gothic fiction universe with characters based on monsters from international folklore. In addition to the games there are multiple animated series, various comics and plenty of figurines.

Much like the other fighting games from Capcom, this series started out on its own, but some of the features that they developed here, found their way elsewhere, with some of the characters also getting some spotlight time in other games. The series has done well as a fighter, which is why it has multiple animated adaptions, the Japanese made anime sticks to the story outlined in the first two games, but the American made one, does away with that and instead is a generic good versus evil tale. While the series has not had a new entry in quite some time, the love that many fans have for the characters is still as strong today as it ever was.

Lost Planet

First Release: June 2007 | Last Release: August 2013 | Total Number of Games Released: 4

So I bet you know about the Lost Planet series, but you likely had no idea there was a Japan exclusive Nintendo 3DS entry, but that is fine. For many the game they are most familiar with is the first game, as it was at release a Xbox 360 exclusive.

The series biggest impact to gameplay, was that you had to pay attention to the conditions of the weather, if you spent too much time out in the cold, you would lose your stamina and collapse. The first and third games embrace the cold, but the second game has a much more varied environment, even though they take place on the same planet. The Nintendo 3DS entry, E.X. Troopers drops the more ‘realistic’ look for a cel-shaded approach, along with adding a lock-on mechanic to the series. All of the entries scored well in reviews, though the last one was the lowest, but as a whole the series is still fun today as it was when they first released.

Mega Man Battle Network

First Release: November 2001 | Last Release: June 2006 | Total Number of Games Released: 6

I know, another Mega Man game, but this one is different I promise you. While the mainline series and even Mega Man X above, are basically run and gun shooters, the Battle Network series is actually a tactical series.

Mega Man Battle Network has players control MegaMan.EXE, a NetNavi operated by Lan Hikari as they attempt to stop the schemes of a net-crime organization called World Three (WWW), which is lead by the Dr Willy, or at least this version of them. In all the games, players spend time in the real world and the digital one, with battles within taking place on a gird, but attacking requires the use of battle chips. These are things you must put into a folder before a fight and then during it, they are drawn randomly and you can use whatever attack they offer to fight. The series is beloved for both its characters and gameplay and while the recent collection gave them more time in the spotlight, fans want more from this unique take on the Mega Man series.

Dark Void

First Release: January 2010 | Last Release: March 2010 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

I know that this is a bit of a cheat, as the second game in the series was originally a joke idea, but it became an actual game that released on DSi and eventually mobile devices and even Steam. The actual game released on the usual line up of platforms, but it has a note of importance, as this was the first video game that Bear McCreary scored, he is now known for God of War, The Walking Dead and more.

The main game utilizes a distinctive "vertical cover system" alongside a conventional cover system. It features a hover pack and, subsequently, a jetpack, enabling swift shifts between classic shooter gameplay and aerial manoeuvres. All unlocks from the initial playthrough carry over to subsequent ones. Upgrades can be acquired with Tech points at a shop present at the beginning of each level, prior to the commencement of gameplay. Tech points are amassed by defeating enemies and discovering hidden caches within the level. For the spin-off, it plays more like a traditional Metroid game, but the game is no longer available for sale on any platform, making it vanish into the void.

Bionic Commando

First Release: June 1987 | Last Release: February 2011 | Total Number of Games Released: 5

First released in Arcades, the Bionic Commando series gained more attention with its NES port a year later, the game would also come to Game Boy a few years later, but the next original entry would take 12 years to arrive.

All protagonists in the series are soldiers equipped with a bionic arm featuring a grappling gun, allowing the protagonist to pull himself forward or swing from the ceiling. The series is notable for being one of few instances of a platform game in which the player cannot jump. To cross gaps or climb ledges, the hero must use his bionic arm. The second game was released for Game Boy in 1999, but the canonical sequel was the 2009 release of Bionic Commando for Xbox 360. The Rearmed series is weird as the first is a remake of the original game, but Rearmed 2 is a direct sequel to that, but not the same as the 2009 release. Yes it gets confusing, as one story has two sequels that are not the same.

Maximo

First Release: March 2002 | Last Release: February 2004 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

The Maximo series is a little unique, it is a 3d open world hack and slash game, where players take control of the titular Maximo as he quests to recover his lost love. Why it is unique, is because the series is a spin-off of the Ghosts ‘n Goblins series.

That connection means that when Maximo takes damage, you will see it as bits of his armour will fall to the ground, lose to much and he will be left in his boxers. Gameplay revolves around defeating large numbers of enemies, which can be accomplished by attacking with a sword and shield, and combos and special moves. The sequel keeps much of the same gameplay intact, but adds in the ability to control Grim, your companion in both games, for a limited time to really dish out some damage. Both games were very well received, which is why it’s weird we never saw it again.

Gaist Crusher

First Release: December 2013 | Last Release: September 2014 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

A Japan only series, Gaist Crusher had two games, but as it was planned out to have it, there was also an anime, manga. Before the release of the second game, Capcom confirmed that they had no plans to bring the series out of Japan though.

The gameplay of Lord of Arcana is quite reminiscent of God Eater, with a strong emphasis on combos and techniques. As players navigate the mission map, they encounter various Gaists to battle. The climax of each map is a confrontation with a larger Gaist, which must be defeated to accomplish the mission. Players have an arsenal of attacks at their disposal, including "Gaist Arts" and "Form Changes". A unique feature is the "Crush Chance", a timed event where players aim to shatter the Gaist's core, encased in Gaimetal, to earn new Gaist Gear. The series did ok, but it seems that it was just not good enough to break through to the masses

Everblue

First Release: April 2002 | Last Release: March 2005 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

So this one might be a bad listing, because while we haven’t had an Everblue in almost 2 decades, the series did get a spiritual successor in Endless Ocean on the Wii and recently Switch.

The Everblue games had you swim through the ocean as Leo, a novice diver who is trying to learn all he can about life under the sea, no mermaids included though. One big difference between these games and the Endless Ocean series is that these games are all played from the first person point of view. Beyond that though, most is the same, as you swim around you can scan fish to learn about them, find items that have fallen to the ocean floor and eventually loot things from shipwrecks, in order to earn cash and upgrade your gear. While the games had their fans, they both had low reviews, which maybe why Capcom let this one sink.

Mega Man Legends

First Release: December 1998 | Last Release: August 2001 | Total Number of Games Released: 3

Ok, this is the last Mega Man series in the list, I promise and while the others have all be 2D in their approach, the Legends series is fully 3D, which is quite a shift for the series.

Mega Man Legends differs significantly from the platforming gameplay of previous Mega Man games, with the primary change being its three-dimensional worlds and movement. Unlike the original Mega Man series, which are platform games, Legends is an action-adventure game featuring mechanics similar to those in Tomb Raider, such as the ability to grab and climb ledges, perform left/right diving manoeuvres, control the camera manually, and use lock-on targeting. The second game kept things mostly the same, but with a few tweaks here and there, but the prequel game Tron Bonne was quite different. In the game, players will enjoy three distinct play styles, each related to a specific mission, with the challenge for each getting harder and harder as you play. A third Legends game was in development for Nintendo 3DS, but was cancelled.

Power Stone

First Release: October 1999 | Last Release: August 2000 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

What a surprise, another fighting series from Capcom, but unlike other games in this list, Power Stone was set within 3d locations that players could freely run around in, letting players pick up items from within them for their battles.

Gameplay consists of choosing a character and engaging in combat with other characters sequentially across different settings. The three-dimensional combat allows for special attacks and the use of various objects like tables, chairs, rocks, and bombs as weapons. During the fight, "Power Stones," which are gem-like objects of various colours, emerge in the arena. Collecting three Power Stones enables a character to transform into a stronger form. This form grants access to two types of super special attacks: typically a powerful long-range assault and a grab or short-range manoeuvre. While there is no new game on the way, the two originals are coming back in 2025 via a collection.

Sengoku Basara

First Release: February 2006 | Last Release: August 2016 | Total Number of Games Released: 12

The Sengoku Basara series started out as a game, but the became anime, a movie, cd drama and much more. It is loosely based on real events of the titular Sengoku period in the history of feudal Japan.

Due to the number of games, the gameplay across the series has been quite varied. While most fall into the hack and slash genre, there are some more arcade based entries, a fighting game, a beat ‘em up and even some card games. The series has been very popular, especially in Japan and as such has been treated to numerous anime shows, some movies, trading cards, figurines and much more. While the western releases started out bad, looking at you Devil Kings, the series did recover and ended up gaining a strong fan base there as well. The series has been given a number of updates over the years and a few collections, so given its popularity, a revival of this series would be likely.

194X

First Release: November 1984 | Last Release: July 2010 | Total Number of Games Released: 9

In the 1980s, if you had a flying game there was a fair chance it was a top down shooter, and the 194X series were among the very best of that genre.

What made the series so popular is that you were not just shooting down aliens or robots, but each game was built upon actual events that took place in World War 2. The first game for example is set in the Asian theatre of World War II. The goal is to reach Tokyo and destroy the entire Japanese air fleet. Gameplay was simple, you flew towards the top of the screen, shooting down all that got in your way. The games all focused on single conflicts, which is why there are a few set within the same year and while popular, the series never rushed out the games. The last release was a mobile only game that did ok, but the series shined in arcades.

Star Gladiator

First Release: December 1996 | Last Release: August 2000 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

I would like to say that this fighting series is the last one in the list, but I know it is not. Another 3d sword fighting game, the comparison to the Soul Calibur series was evident.

The pair of games in the series uses a four-button configuration system, which consists of two attack buttons for a character's weapon, a kick attack, and a guard defence. The fighters battle upon a hovering arena, and if a fighter is knocked off the arena they lose the round. Like other 3D fighting games, set combos were implemented through tapping a specific sequence of buttons. However, characters could perform special moves from within the combos themselves, akin to 2D fighting games (similar to the treatment found in the Street Fighter EX series). While the first game scored well, the changes made to the sequel were not received as fondly, which likely lead to the series end.

Commando

First Release: July 1985 | Last Release: June 2008 | Total Number of Games Released: 3

The Commando series is a trilogy of run and gun games, where players would face off against a seemingly endless army of soldiers, in an attempt to secure victory. The series, like many Capcom titles, started out in arcades, but found success on consoles as well.

Much like other games in the genre, the player could shooter in many directions as they attempted to progress through the stages, in the first game players were limited to a single character, but in the second game there was a trio of playable heroes. The third game, which released 18 years after the second was and while not as well received, it has its fans. Honestly given the simplistic nature of the games, there really isn’t much to say about them, but a collection of them wouldn’t be too outrageous to expect.

Strider

First Release: March 1989 | Last Release: March 2014 | Total Number of Games Released: 2/3

The Strider series is a bit weird, there was the arcade game that started it all, which got a NES port soon after, then Strider II released in 1990 but is not an official release, but Strider 2 in 1999 was official. Then in 2014, the original game got a reimagining, making it remake but also not, so like I said weird.

The Strider game series, despite some variations among instalments, consistently belongs to the side-scrolling platformer genre. Players navigate the protagonist, Hiryu, across multiple levels. Hiryu's vitality is indicated by a lifebar divided into three segments, typically located at the screen's upper left corner, with each segment representing a hit point. Directly beneath the lifebar, the player's remaining lives are displayed, while the score is shown above. Central to the top of the screen is a timer counting down the time allotted to finish the present segment of the level.

Slam Masters

First Release: July 1993 | Last Release: September 1994 | Total Number of Games Released: 3

Ok, while this is a fighting game, it falls more to the wrestling side than street side, so I suppose I can given Capcom a pass for this series. Wait what? This series takes place within the same universe as Street Fighter and Final Fight?

Yes, this trilogy of games are wrestling titles that have some crossover of characters and locations as the Street Fight and Final Fight series. The first game is the only one that we got in the West, the second game was Japan exclusive and the last game was Japan Arcade exclusive. In each of the games, characters have a lifebar and have three buttons to push (an attack button, a jump button, and a pin button). Each character has also two special attacks to use in the game (one used normally outside of a grapple and one that is performed during a grapple, commonly known as a finisher). When an opponent's life is depleted, he must either be pinned for a three-count or forced to submit.

Rival Schools

First Release: November 1997 | Last Release: April 2001 | Total Number of Games Released: 2

Ok, this is the last fighting game series from Capcom in this list, but don’t get to excited as it takes place within the Street Fighter world as well.

The gameplay is very much like your standard fighter, but unlike the Street Fighter games of the day, the Rival Schools series feels more like Tekken, with its 3d characters and locations. Both games focus on students and teachers from various high schools fighting in a great battle to unravel mysterious kidnappings and assaults around their campuses and bring the perpetrators responsible to justice. There are stories to discover for the characters found within the games, some of them are decent and some of them are just bonkers. What was new for the series was that players picked a team of two characters, and fights against another two character team. The actual fights, however, are one-on-one fights, with the partner only participating by being called in when a player has enough 'vigor' for a Team Up attack.

Breath of Fire

First Release: August 1994 | Last Release: July 2016 | Total Number of Games Released: 6

There are some companies that made JRPG’s in the 90s and you just know they would be good, Capcom was not in that list, not because they couldn’t make one, just they hadn’t. The first Breath of Fire game was actually published by SquareSoft in the West, who had some experience with a series called Final Fantasy.

The Breath of Fire series, initially set in a medieval fantasy world, evolved significantly over time. With the rise of Japanese role-playing games in the 1990s, the series shifted to include original anime-style artwork for its Western releases, diverging from the Westernized art of its early games. It also introduced post-apocalyptic elements and placed greater focus on character development. However, despite these transformations, the fundamental structure of the series has stayed true to its roots, remaining linear and centred on a cohesive narrative.

Steel Battalion

First Release: March 2003 | Last Release: June 2012 | Total Number of Games Released: 3

Steel Battalion has the distinction of being the only game to offer up a controller that had more buttons and control inputs, than any other controller ever made and its limited release made it very popular.

Each mission in the game begins with a startup sequence for the machine and its operating system, involving a specific series of switches and buttons. Maneuvering too quickly around corners can cause the machine to topple. Overheating requires a system reset, and the game even includes simulated window wipers for visual clarity when mud splatters on the screen. Failure to eject when necessary results in character death and loss of saved data, forcing a restart from scratch. The game features Vertical Tanks (VTs) as the primary vehicles, which are essentially bipedal weapon platforms. VTs are categorized by generation and combat role, including standard, assault, support, scout, and fast attack types. They are also classified into light, medium, and heavy weight classes, with newer generations of VTs unlocking as players advance.

So there we go, Capcom and their fighting games, along with Mega Man that have been left behind. Well it is not just those games, but there are more of those than anything else. So what say you, any of these games bring up some memories, or are you just hoping for Street Fighter 7?