Catsrawesome

From my experience playing both games, I believe that the second game is a sequel to the first. However, the second game takes place many years later, long after Oliver and the original gang have passed away. This is proven when Evan is revealed to be a descendant of King Tom, who was king of Ding Dong Dell in the first game (I'm not putting this in a spoiler block since it isn't really part of the story in the second game, but I will change that if people want). But the games are spread apart enough that you don't need to play the first to play the second. Both are amazing games in their own right, and you can play both separately. They both have incredible stories with lovable characters, and the battle systems in both are different enough that you can choose which one you prefer.