10 MUST-PLAY Video Game Spin-Offs
6. Portal
Most gamers have probably heard of this one: Portal began life as Narbacular Drop, a student project from the Digipen Institute of Technology in Washington. Valve were impressed and hired the entire team, with development commencing shortly afterwards in 2005. With the look of the Aperture Science facility established, the game was primed for a massive success and cult following.
Portal was made part of the same universe as Half-Life and by bundling the game in with The Orange Box in 2007, Valve set the game up for the most surprising hit in the five-game package.
With just two games, Valve's first person puzzler became a smash hit outside of the Half-Life series. It's arguably just as influential as that franchise, with GLADOS and that oh-so elusive cake reaching recognisable meme status around the world. It also stands as one of the most accessible puzzle games in the genre, with its collection of easily understandable mechanics and user-friendly controls.
The series got even better with Portal 2 in 2011, a superb sequel that massively expanded on the original title in every way. With its extended story mode and inventive cooperative play, the Portal series left a massive mark on the gaming world.