10 Video Game Franchises With The MOST Reboots

10 Video Game Franchises With the MOST Reboots

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at video game franchises that have been rebooted the most, which is to say more than once.

“Twisted Metal” Series (1995-2012)

Known for its over-the-top derby demolition, “Twisted Metal” became a huge franchise on the original PlayStation, releasing four games from 1995 to 1999. But when it came time for the series to debut on the PS2, Sony decided on the reboot route with 2001’s “Twisted Metal: Black.” There was a bit more focus on the individual stories of each character, many of which were changed from previous appearances. When the franchise made the generational jump again to the PS3, 2012’s “Twisted Metal” also acted as a reboot. This entry placed even more emphasis on the backstories of each combatant, such as poster boy Needles Kane’s hunt for his own daughter. With rumblings and rumors of Sony bringing the series back, we’ll likely be in for a third reboot.

“Mortal Kombat” Series (1992-)

In the early days, “Mortal Kombat” was pure violent spectacle, with the plot being far less of a concern. However, with the 2011 entry, its story became a much larger focus. With Raiden being warned by his future self, it was essentially a condensed retelling of the first three games, except with some events changed. Following the death of Shao Kahn, it began a new continuity with two sequels. With 2023’s “Mortal Kombat 1” though, the universe had itself rebooted again. Just like the first time, we were given an in-game explanation: at the end of “Mortal Kombat 11’s” ‘Aftermath’ expansion, Liu Kang recreated the universe, allowing for an entirely new storyline to take place.

“Star Fox” Series (1993-2017)

Nintendo’s “Star Fox” series is due for another reboot. But right now, it’s sitting at two. Following the Super Nintendo original, Nintendo canceled its sequel to focus on what could be possible with the upcoming Nintendo 64. “Star Fox 64” served as the franchise’s first reboot. And it was such a remarkable game that the series has struggled to get out from its shadow ever since. In 2016, with no new game in a decade, Nintendo partnered with PlatinumGames for “Star Fox Zero.” While not officially referred to as a reboot, it wasn’t a sequel or prequel. Rather, it was a bit of a rebrand for “Star Fox” in the modern era. It’s just a shame it didn’t go too well.

“Spy Hunter” Series (1984-2012)

Midway’s “Spy Hunter” was a respectable arcade hit before making the leap to consoles, where it received a couple of sequels. In 2001, during the sixth generation of consoles, the studio brought it back with a reboot of the original. There was an actual attempt at story this time around, and enough players were impressed by its spy car antics that Midway produced a few sequels. Sadly, the company went bankrupt in 2009. Warner Bros. purchased most of its assets, including “Spy Hunter,” of which it published a handheld reboot in 2012 for Vita and 3DS. It only received middling reviews, and hasn’t been heard from since.

“Alone in the Dark” Series (1992-)

1992’s “Alone in the Dark” was seen as a huge leap forward in survival horror, leading to a handful of sequels. However, for 2001’s “The New Nightmare,” series publisher and developer Infogrames gave the reins to Darkworks. The reboot received decent reviews, though was far surpassed by a series it had inspired: “Resident Evil.” Infogrames went through some tough times in the 2000s before being acquired by Atari, which gave the series its second reboot in 2008. Sadly, it was seen as a big step down in quality, but still better than the universally panned co-op shooter spin-off from 2015. Atari sold the rights to THQ Nordic in 2018, whose 2024 remake of the first game is hopefully a return to form.

“DOOM” Series (1993-)

Id Software’s dynamic and vicious “DOOM” was a trailblazing FPS, rightfully earning expansions, ports, and sequels across different platforms. But when development of “DOOM 3” began in 2000, the team decided to remake the original game. It eventually turned into a reboot of sorts: it followed the same basic storyline of the original, but with much more focus on horror than action. The game was a success, and the studio began working on a “DOOM 4” in 2007. Just like “DOOM 3” had reimagined the first game, this would’ve reimagined the second. However, it was a hellish development period, with the first version of the game getting scrapped. As we know, id got things back on track, with the eventual release of 2016’s “DOOM’ serving as another reboot.

“Need for Speed” Series (1994-)

Beginning in 1994, there are so many games and subseries within “Need for Speed” that talking about reboots can honestly get a little complicated. 2003’s “Underground” was considered a reboot, with its heavier focus on story and less emphasis on solely exotic car types. But then there are franchise branches like “Hot Pursuit” and “Most Wanted,” which received their own reboots in 2010 and 2012 respectively. And we can’t forget about 2015’s “Need for Speed,” which also served as a reboot for the overall series. It really just comes down to what cars you want access to and how you want to use them.

“Tomb Raider” Series (1996-)

Lara Croft became an icon with the original “Tomb Raider,” so much so that she starred in at least one game, every year, from 1996 to 2003. But in that final year, the failure of Core Design’s “Angel of Darkness” proved something needed to change. Its sequels were canceled, and publisher Eidos Interactive went with a new developer in Crystal Dynamics. 2006’s “Legends’ was the franchise’s first reboot, which changed some of Lara’s established lore. That continuity birthed two sequels before Crystal Dynamics decided to go all the way back with 2013’s origin story. It was a huge success, also earning two sequels. Embracer Group purchased Crystal Dynamics and the series rights in 2022, promising a new game that would combine elements from all three eras…which just sounds like another reboot to us.

“Prince of Persia” Series (1989-)

With its high difficulty and unique animation, “Prince of Persia” was unlike any other platformer in its time. After receiving two sequels, one of which was an unsuccessful jump to 3D, Ubisoft purchased the rights and rebooted it with 2003’s “The Sands of Time.” It was a critical and financial hit, which naturally meant sequels. Yet, strangely enough, Ubisoft would choose to reboot it once again in 2008. Even weirder, it would abandon this continuity too. 2010’s “The Forgotten Sands” returned to Ubisoft’s previous iteration, set in-between the first and second games. The franchise would then stay quiet for fourteen years, with Ubisoft focusing on the similar “Assassin’s Creed” and giving the Prince only mobile games. 2024’s “The Last Crown” rebooted it as a Metroidvania and earned glowing reviews in the process.

“Wolfenstein” Series (1981-)

Muse Software’s “Castle Wolfenstein” and its sequel were stealth adventure games. But when id Software picked up the trademark in the early 90s, it transitioned the series into a genre-defining juggernaut. “Wolfenstein 3D” reimagined the IP by giving it a first-person perspective and loading it up with tons of bullets. The series didn’t receive any new entries until 2001’s “Return to Castle Wolfenstein,” which also served as a reboot. It got a couple of loosely-defined sequels with different developers. But when Bethesda earned the publisher rights in 2010, the decision was made to reboot it once again with developer MachineGames. Starting with 2014’s “The New Order” players have gone through a horrific alternate history in which Nazis won WWII, rejecting their control through any violent means necessary.

What other franchises do you know that have been rebooted more than once? Let us know in the comments and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day.