Summary
With so many games in existence touching various topics, it’s rarely ever necessary to take risks and try to merge one franchise with another. Especially when they’re well known. However, there are some cases where this is not only a good idea, but also a gold mine. Naturally, when discussinggame crossovers, there’s a ton of red tape and various licensing negotiations that must take place before even talking about development. But when the deal is done, masterpieces are often the result.
Due to their nature,some crossoverideas, such as pairing a violent game for adults with a family-friendly title, wouldn’t work. But in those cases where two different universes are combined and complement each other, the chemistry is immediately visible. Here are some ofthe most ambitious game crossovers.
TheKingdom Heartsfranchise has been around for a very long time, and throughout its lifespan, it has managed to amass a considerable number of followers and devoted players. One of the main things that make the franchise and its games stand out is how it combines characters from the Final Fantasy universe, with a few from the Disney universe.
While this combination seems odd and sounds like something that would never work, for some reason it does, and the franchise’s success is a testament to that.
There’s no denying that the Marvel franchise is full of amazing superheroes who have formidable powers and are great at fighting battles against both Earthlings and aliens. Pitting them against some of the best fighters in the Capcom universe just makes sense, and it’s a way to discover, once and for all, who has the strongest brawlers. This is where theMarvel vs. Capcomseries comes in.
With characters like Wolverine, Magneto, Akuma, Cable, Dhalsim, and Spider-Man, as well as many more, there’s no shortage of options for players to try and answer their most burning questions regarding who would win in a battle. Although over the years this crossover has been the inspiration for the development of several titles around it, there have also been some licensing issues here and there that have delayed a few processes and likely killed some other similar games.
Whilethe LEGO universehas been doing collaborative work with many franchises for a considerable number of years, many of the titles involved can’t really be called crossovers. Titles likeLEGO Star Warsare not a crossover, but rather a game of the franchise with LEGO elements.LEGO Dimensions, on the other hand, is another story. This game gets together members of the DC universe,The LEGO Movie, and J.R.R. Tolkien’sLord of the Rings.
This unlikely combination should not work on paper, but somehow, it does. Players will have to complete various levels as famous characters from each universe to progress through the story and eventually complete the game. Perhaps this title wouldn’t work in a different concept or art style, and maybe it’s the LEGO appearance that helps these bumping concepts fit together.
TheMortal Kombatfranchise has been around for more than three decades, and throughout its history, it has been the home of some of the most brutal and merciless Fatalities, as well as a good number of relentless fighters. While the game didn’t always have guest fighters in its roster, it’s undeniable that their addition is a welcome one, and almost always works very well.
Over the years, theMortal Kombatfranchise has featured characters like Kratos from theGod of Warfranchise, and in more modern times, the ruthless Homelander from the hit seriesThe Boys, as well as Omniman, from the animated seriesInvincible. And while many of the non-guest fighters inMortal Kombatgames’ rosters are already strong and interesting enough, it never hurts to see a beloved character from another franchise enter the fighting arena.
TheSuper Smash Bros.series is probably one of the most complete and successful that Nintendo has ever released, and it’s been around for a very long time. Every installment in the franchise has its own unique thing that makes it great, and there are always new arenas to fight in and items to use. With 89 characters from different Nintendo franchises, such asThe Legend of Zelda,Fire Emblem, theKirbyUniverse, theStar FoxUniverse, and many, many more,Super Smash Bros. Ultimatetakes the cake in terms of variety and choices offered to players.
While every character available is part of the Nintendo universe and IP, it’s really amazing to see so many characters that would normally not meet, fighting against each other. It’s unlikely that any futureSuper Smash Bros.title will implement fighters from another company or IP, but in the meantime, players have no shortage of options in this ambitious crossover.
