Some gaming franchises just seem to be unstoppable. The likes of Super Mario, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, The Legend of Zelda, and Call of Duty will apparently endlessly release new entries, and they’ll probably sell like hot cakes each time to boot. The fact is, though, this isn’t something to take for granted. A lot of beloved gaming series have fallen by the wayside over the years, victims of studio closures and other calamities.
6 Perfect Gaming Franchises Where Every Mainline Game Is A 10/10
10/10 games are extremely rare, but these franchises make it seem routine.
In some of these instances, there’s still hope. There are gaming franchises that haven’t seen a new release in a decade or more, but which still live on in the hearts and minds of fans and may (just may) return someday. Here are some examples of series that have been on long hiatus, but could delight fans with an out-of-the-blue announcement at any time.
Banjo-Kazooie
Bear And Bird Could Still Unite Again
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
- Released
- November 11, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
The quirky duo that is Banjo and Kazooie hail from a very special time in Nintendo's history, a time when Rare was operating at the peak of its powers and bringing the likes of GoldenEye 007 to the N64. The first game in the platforming series launched in 1998, introducing a loveable cast, from the pair themselves to the dastardly Gruntilda. At the time, 3D platformers were becoming a big deal, but the incomparable charm and unique dual-character concept ensured that Banjo-Kazooie left a lasting impression. The duo is still beloved, as the reveal of their inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's gigantic roster made all too clear.
Even so, there hasn’t been a new series entry since 2008’s Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, and that Xbox 360 title introduced a vehicle-building focus and a new look for the characters that didn’t really fit with what came before. An elaborate and creative new 3D platformer, powered by modern systems, could be a phenomenon for those who remember these legends at their best.
TimeSplitters
FPS Action With A Wonderfully Silly Twist
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
- Released
- March 21, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Free Radical Design
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
Some of today’s staunch Call of Duty and Battlefield fans won’t even remember the TimeSplitters series, with the last game (TimeSplitters: Future Perfect) arriving back in 2005. Like its predecessors, it was developed by Free Radical Design and revolved around time-traveling space marines and their allies attempting to thwart a race known as the TimeSplitters.
With Challenge and Arcade League modes, the games became renowned for offering solo players an awful lot to do, while truly shining in multiplayer, with unique modes like the hilarious Virus, a sort of infinitely chaotic version of tag. Unofficial efforts to revive the series continue, but sadly, official ones have been stymied. What a blast it would be for a new generation to enjoy a bigger, bolder take on the series.
Wario Land
Are The Platformer Days Behind Him Now?
Wario Land: Shake It!
- Released
- September 22, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E // Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence
- Developer(s)
- Good-Feel
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Wario’s official video game introduction was his appearance as the antagonist of Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins. Stealing Mario’s castle for himself defined him as a sneaky, greedy villain, and the Wario Land games did nothing to change that first impression. Wario loves gold and treasure, and will go to absurd lengths to accrue it. The Wario Land platformers have a more visceral feel, with a focus on tackles, body slams, and Wario’s brute strength to solve puzzles and break through obstacles.
8 Classic 3D Platformers That Still Hold Up Today
The platformer genre exploded into popularity with these classic 3D titles taking charge, providing gamers with endless fun, no matter the decade.
There hasn’t been a new entry since Wario Land: Shake It! In 2008, a beautiful 2D adventure through the secret-filled Shake Dimension. A stunning new adventure along the lines of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (though with a grimier undertone as befits Wario) would be just the ticket for fans of the character.
BioShock
Would You Kindly … Release Another Game?
BioShock Infinite
- Released
- March 26, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Mild Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Developer(s)
- Irrational Games
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
There’s still so much more to learn about Judas, the upcoming adventure from Ken Levine and Ghost Story Games. It’s touted as a spiritual successor to Levine’s legendary BioShock series, and the influences are clear to see. As intriguing as the title undoubtedly is, though, BioShock seems to have ended with the Burial at Sea DLC episodes for BioShock Infinite. There hasn’t been a new release since episode 2 in 2014, and this seminal work deserves another installment.
There have been whispers and promises of an upcoming BioShock 4 (Take-Two told IGN in August 2025 that the game is definitely “going to come out”), but as with a potential new TimeSplitters entry, studio changes and talent moving on have put significant spanners in those plans. Nonetheless, BioShock’s iconic underwater world, as well as the horrors of the plasmids, Little Sisters, and Big Daddies, and its overall dark steampunk aesthetic, earned the series a legion of fans. There’s nothing quite like BioShock, rewards for being heartless and all, and the hope for a new entry has been percolating for years.
Dino Crisis
Resident Evil, But Toothier
Dino Crisis 3
- Released
- June 26, 2003
- Platform(s)
- Xbox (Original)
Every genre has its defining games and series. In the survival horror space, there are few bigger names to drop than Resident Evil. As a result of its cachet, a huge number of remakes and remasters have kept the earliest releases in the series fresh. The Resident Evil 3 remake from 2020, for instance, brought those dingy streets and the ever-lingering threat of Nemesis back to life for a new generation and for existing fans. We sometimes forget, though, that Capcom has another survival horror legend in its archives: Dino Crisis.
This series debuted in 1999, three years after the original Resident Evil, and blended inspiration from that series (the Secret Operation Raid Team (SORT) is more than a little reminiscent of the Special Tactics and Rescue Squad (STARS)) with the fearsome, enigmatic, and often utterly terrifying nature of wild dinosaurs. As the series went on, it leaned further into its time travel concept and the intriguing scientific basis for the toothy creatures that menace Regina and the team. The far-flung future meets prehistory in these fascinating games, and if Capcom were to finally do those stunning creatures justice in a brand-new mainline entry, it would be a huge deal for fans.
Dead Space
The Necromorphs May Rise Again
Dead Space 3
- Released
- February 5, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Visceral Games
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Horror
The Dino Crisis series hasn’t seen a new entry since the third mainline release in 2003, which may mean that many of today’s survival horror fans might never have experienced it. It’s probably a safe bet, though, that they’ll have at least dabbled in Dead Space. The first game launched in 2008, introducing the plight of Isaac Clarke, an engineer from five centuries in the future. Exploring the doomed mining ship USG Ishimura, he and his ever-dwindling group of allies begin to determine what happened on the ship and the origins of the horrifying necromorphs. By 2013’s Dead Space 3, Isaac has fought them off across an enormous space station called the Sprawl and the planet of Tau Volantis.
The Best PlayStation Plus Games You Should Be Playing Right Now
From big exclusives to overlooked gems, here are the top PlayStation Plus games you should download next on your PS5.
With developer Visceral Games now defunct, reviving Dead Space would be particularly challenging. Even so, the series’ creator has expressed an interest in exploring options to do just that, and it would surely be eagerly embraced if it were to happen. The series makes excellent use of brutal violence, futuristic weapons, and a unique limb-lopping combat system, while telling a deep and psychologically impactful story. A 2023 remake of the original has kept the series alive in fans’ hearts, but a potential Dead Space 4 is what they really want now.
Advance Wars
A Legendary Strategy Series That Deserves Another Outing
Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
- Released
- January 21, 2008
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Language, Mild Violence
- Developer(s)
- Intelligent Systems
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based Strategy
In the West, the Advance Wars series began in 2001. This was the year of the Game Boy Advance’s launch, and the game quickly proved to be one of the most engaging and deceptively deep in the system’s library. Turn-based strategy games aren’t the easiest to get into, but Intelligent Systems’ release proves that a fun, accessible look and feel doesn’t have to mean a lack of timeless strategic challenge. The title and its successors did an excellent job of slowly introducing more complex concepts like defensive bonuses from terrain and the importance of fog of war, layering in a wide range of different units and ramping up the difficulty as it did so.
Between the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS entries, fans were introduced to a range of new Commanding Officers, units, and general mechanics. The last new release, Advance Wars: Days of Ruin, introduced a grittier, more realistic feel in 2008. As with Dead Space, the series has seen a new release since, in the shape of 2023’s Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, but this Nintendo Switch remake package was hopefully just a tentative first step towards a brand-new entry for the Switch 2.
Jak & Daxter
Another Outing For The Intrepid Duo
Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier
- Released
- November 3, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Developer(s)
- High Impact Games
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
Though PlayStation has never quite boasted a mascot to rival the likes of Mario or Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog, there are a wide range of characters that have come to define Sony's systems. The human and ottsel duo Jak and Daxter certainly qualify. This platforming series began on the PlayStation 2 with 2001’s Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. The first game tells of Daxter’s accidental transformation into said creature and a fateful encounter with the sage, Gol, whom the pair had hoped would restore him to his prior state.
As it turned out, Daxter would remain an ottsel throughout the series, the most recent new installment of which was 2009’s Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier. These platformers seem to have been largely forgotten, as original developers Naughty Dog took the reins of huge properties like The Last of Us and Uncharted, but it would be fantastic to see another entry on a modern Sony system. There’s a lot more to tease out about the conflict surrounding Dark Eco. The Precursors, too, undoubtedly have more secrets that could be explored.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy - All Power Cells in Precursor Basin
The Precursor Basin is a fantastic vehicle area in Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, where driving the Zoomer with skill is crucial to success.