What are some gaming franchises where you think that the latest entry is also the best one? This means that the series recently reached new heights and is on an upward trajectory.

I'll start.

Astrobot - 

Astrobot Rescue Mission is one of the best VR platformers out there. Astro's Playroom was a nice free game/tech demo included with every PS5. However Astrobot surprised everyone with just how good his latest standalone adventure was. It was free from some of the restraints of its predecessors such as requiring VR or being short in length. It's definitely a franchise whose most recent entry is the best.

GTA V -

Yeah this might not be universally agreed upon but I think GTA V is the franchise's best entry so far. I really enjoyed the main story and the reimagined San Andreas is one of the best designed open worlds. GTA Online took this franchise to a new level of popularity and finally brought a worthy multiplayer component to this beloved franchise.

Any thoughts?

Dragon Quest XI S

Punch-Out!! (Wii)

Zero Time Dilemma

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimore of thr Rift

Wario Land: The Shake Dimension

Rhythm Heaven: Megamix

Rayman Legends

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival

Mother 3

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

This is actually a tricky one.

I guess I would say that Fast Fusion is the best of its series due to having the best-feeling handling and best difficulty balance, Hyrule Warriors Age of Imprisonment is the best of its series due to solving the performance issues of prior entries, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the best mainline entry of its series due to how gracefully it brings it into the third dimension.

I will probably need a while for this. I think my largest problem is that I'm always like 5 years behind on actually playing games. So when I actually get to the latest game, a new one has already released.

Baldur's Gate 3 is better than the Baldur's gate games before, but I have not played it enough for my opinion to have grounds.

If one consider the RTS games in the Warcraft universe its own series, then Warcarft 3 being the latest game is the best.

I try thinking of other dead or dormant series. But even there I usually like an earlier entry. Advance wars Dual strike is my favorite, the first Hotel Dusk is better than Rear Window. If one ignore the special 99 version F- Zero GX is the best in the series.

GTA V
Ratchet Rift Apart
Super Mario Odyssey
Red Dead Redemption 2
The Witcher 3
Rayman Legends

Trying to come up with an answer to this thread has made me realize that I tend to prefer original experiences or that with more than 35 years of gaming it's hard to find a franchise where the last game was the one that blew me away but I did find one!

Ori and the Will of the Wisp improved on the already very good Ori and the Blind Forest so much that I have trouble going back to the first game. The use of Hollow Knight-style charms brings so much versatility and the combat in WotW is miles better than in BF.

Super Monkey Ball. The most recent entry is genuinely a blast!! Very very challenging, but I absolutely love the game.

Also: Smash Bros, 3D Mario, 3D Zelda, Pikmin, and Mario Tennis.

Threads like this remind me I should create a game database that I can use to quickly search for answers

Like Truck, I think Will of the Wisps is significantly better than Blind Forest.

I think Freedom Planet 2 surpasses the original.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is the finest entry in that sub-series.

I think Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma may just be the best Rune Factory yet.

No offense to my fellow Genesis fans here, but I feel Streets of Rage 4 eclipses 2.

I’m sure there are others but I can’t think of them at the moment.

Silent Hill F (yes, it is that good)

I would say RE8 Village (yes, it is that good)

Spiderman 2

Ratchet Rift Apart (yes, it is that good)

FFTA and Punch Out Wii, absolutely.  Wario Land though... I'm impartial to 4 still.  Shake Dimision is marginally better if played on Dolphin with no waggle, perhaps.