Orre titles: spinoffs, or main series?

[Dragonzord]

Since its release, I've always been of the opinion that Pokémon Colosseum and its sequel, Pokémon XD Gale of Darkness are a part of the main series. They featured the mechanics and gameplay style present in each main series games; which were updated to the standards of a home game console, such as the protagonist was not limited to facing four directions, particle effects and advanced textures allowing for a more life-like environment, and battles featuring dynamic, sweeping camera angles.

Not only did Genius Sonority emulate the style of the 'main series', but they also offered full compatibility with them, allowing for each Monster caught to be traded to one of the portable Generation 3 titles. While the Ranger series has offered downloadable Pokémon before (the Manapy egg and a Darkrai, if memory serves), only Colosseum and XD allow for actual trading, making these the only two spin-offs to offer such.

Personally, when I think 'spin-off', I think radically different concept. Snap, Mystery Dungeon, and Ranger all spring to mind. While it could be argued the "snatching" mechanic is what sets them aside and makes them spin-offs, they are still core Pocket Monsters games, albeit it ones you can't pocket.

Anyone agree, or did I just open a Pandora's box?

 

[d4rka8isz]

Well, I prefer to think of them as spin-offs as you can't capture wild Pokemon(at least I never have) and all the battles(that I've done) are double battles in the games. Also, there are basically no routes so that also adds to the image of a spin-off. But they're not as spin-offy as the other spin-offs.

 

[Sydian]

It was styled similar, yes, and done brilliantly. But there are a few key elements missing that makes a main series a main series. 1. No gyms or badges (pre-gym has no badge and doesn't count) 2. You're not encouraged to fill a Pokedex of any sort (unless you count snagging them all as filling it? this one's iffy) 3. There's no Pokemon League or Champion to defeat and 4. Not on a handheld device.

It's an excellent spin off though. The best imo, but that's where it belongs. It's not main series, however the compatibility is great and I hope we get another game like these two.

 

[mikey]

I actually thought about this the other day when I started playing my XD game again. I would love to consider it part of the main series games, but its just not.

Its the greatest spinoff though!

 

[bobandbill]

I take the definition of a main-series Pokemon game being a handheld, a Pokemon game (durr) and made by Game Freak, simply. I can see it being treated as a main series game by people though given the game mechanics are the same; it just has some additions (snagging shadow Pokemon), some removals (wild Pokemon in Colo/way of encountering wild Pokemon in XD) and favours double battles. But a lot of those are satisfied by the likes of Stadium and PBR too which are less thought of as main series...

Certainly at any rate it is a lot closer to the main games than other spinoffs.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

I'd have to agree with them being spin-offs, despite being the most similar to the main games, and easily the highest quality spinoffs by far. The characters and events of Orre are never referenced in any of the main games, and GF even had the audacity to take a Colo character (Dakim), change his design slightly, and pass him off as a totally different character as Alder and not establish any connection between Alder and Dakim.

Wish they were main series games, though... any reason for Miror B. to show up in a main series game would get my full support :P

 

[Tiger In A Tie]

I'd say it's a spin-off but it would certianly be interesting to see the Orre region become more developed as its own series (personally I'd consider a series to be three or more games, but that's just my opinion.)

 

[Palamon]

I'd say their main-series. Despite the fact that they aren't on a portable system I consider them main-series. Main because you can send Pokemon like Lugia there after you purify them. So, in my opinion XD and Colosseum are Main-series games just not on a portable system.

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

Actually, that's an interesting way to think of it... Maybe Orre is simply too far isolated from the other Pokemon regions for them to know about the going-on's over there. But of course, seemingly nothing is too isolated for the almighty PC/trade system :)

I'd actually like to see Orre references (besides look-alike Dakim) brought up in the handheld games, which would further indicate that they're linked. Maybe Miror B. showing up in Nimbasa... that place seems plenty flashy enough for him xD

 

[Xander Olivieri]

I'd say their main-series. Despite the fact that they aren't on a portable system I consider them main-series. Main because you can send Pokemon like Lugia there after you purify them. So, in my opinion XD and Colosseum are Main-series games just not on a portable system.

You could transfer Pokemon with the Stadiums and Pokemon Battle Revolution to their respective games. Also you can transfer Pokemon from the Pokemon Ranger Games to the main games as well.

Spin offs have always been able to link up and send Pokemon to the Main games. Unless they are made by Gamefreak, they are spin offs. That's really the only requirement in my book.

 

[avolonsaber]

I love Colosseum and XD, they're among, if not my favorites, but I consider them spin-offs. I consider any Pokemon game that's not handheld and named after a color/rock a spin-off.

 

[Kyogia]

I consider them spin-offs, although I pre-ordered Colosseum and I have XD.
I love them both so much, but like others said, you can't catch wilds and you travel through a world map. It does seem so much like the main series, but it's sad how they didn't continue it...

 

[Loner_grunger]

Well as the other's hace said, the fact that they're not made by gamefreak and that they're not in a portable device takes them away from a main-series category. But IMO, they are another cathegory rather than just spin-offs, because apart from G/R/B and G/S/C, they're the only games that are a direct sequel, present RPG style and also allows to catch pokemon (idk in colosseum, but you CAN catch some, just a few, but still wild pokemons in XD), you can also find references to the other regions . The connectivity is also very well made... they're like cousins of the III gen games i think xD

 

[Ho-Oh]

Only played Colo but uh, I feel like they should be main series more than the actual main series since 3D lool. But otherwise... idk, they don't seem close enough to the main games to actually feel like they'd fit into main. :( Also lol, I like your second last line, it amuses meee.

 

[Alphos]

All the other mainstreams are handheld, have tons of new pokemon local to that region and none of the older ones, can catch pokemon in the wild, have the classic storyline with professor, adventure, gym leader, and so on. I personally like XD and Colosseum best, but they are definitely not mainstream.

 

[miltankRancher]

Well, Colosseum and XD are not as 'spin-off' as PMD or Ranger, or Dash and Snap or the others, from face value. In a sense, it is just like of course the main series. However, I personally believe that they are spin-off. Mainstream pokemon, as we know, consists of acquiring badges, going to the league and things, while thwarting the plans of an evil team. Neither of the aforementioned games does that, except maybe foiling the plans of Cipher (in XD, as that is the only game I had played years ago). So, I with this reason I think the games are spin-off.

 

[Rivvon]

I have to say they're spin-offs. It's not even because they are missing the whole "badges" mechanic, it's because they're missing the "version" mechanic. It's the ability to take the game on the go and connect with others that makes the main series separate from the spin-offs. Colosseum and XD had some multiplayer capabilities, but it was, for the most part, purely single-player, with no need, or even want, to connect to others. Sure, you may have wanted to do a battle with your friend on the big screen, but it wasn't very convenient to do.
And yes, Colosseum and XD were highly compatible with gen 3 games, but that doesn't make them part of the same continuity. Battle Revolution was completely dependent upon gen 4, as was Ranch, but those are certainly spin-offs. Even Ranger had a small connectivity feature in terms of Manaphy--and while it was not nearly as extensive as that of the Game Cube games', you can't really say that connectivity is a factor as to whether or not games are in the same "series."

Now, this doesn't make them bad games--far from it! And to be honest, I would like to see more spin-offs be compatible with the main series games. But my final verdict has to be that they are not included in the main series, because while they are similar, they do not serve the same purpose; the main series serves to be your standard journey with all Pokemon available to you and the ability to easily communicate with others, while the Game Cube titles serve to be add-ons to the main series.