Top 10 Greatest Video Game Crossovers

For a big chunk of the 90s, players debated over who was the best gaming mascot: Nintendo’s Mario or Sega’s Sonic. But it was honestly wild to hear they’d be competing with each other in the Olympic Games of all things. Beginning with the 2007 original, each entry has thrown together the varied rosters of both franchises to take part in the event’s different games. Each entry has changed up characters and sports, as well as venues to represent where the next real-world Olympics would be held. Mario has starred in a ton of sports spin-offs. But his crossovers with Sonic always make for great party games.

Setting aside the justifiable criticism for including on-disc DLC, this Capcom-Namco partnership is still a stellar fighter. “Street Fighter” and “Tekken” are two of the biggest fighting franchises around, so it was a joy to see them come together. Although it plays much more closely to “Street Fighter,” seeing these iconic characters come together was wonderful. Match-ups like Ryu vs. Kazuya, or choosing the wrestling duo of Zangief and King, made our arcade-loving hearts flutter. We’ve seen “Street Fighter” cross over with multiple other IPs, gaming and otherwise. But we’ll forever be bummed this fell short of Capcom’s sales expectations. Perhaps if it hadn't, we would’ve gotten an equally awesome sequel.

“Pokémon” has received a LOT of spin-offs. And one of its best is the crossover with the tactical RPG series, “Nobunaga’s Ambition.” While you’ll still have some cute but powerful creatures to add to your team, the gameplay leans more towards the strategy side. The game follows a new Warlord of the Ransei Region, battling others to unite their homeland in peace. Each warlord offers different perks for their team’s battle stats depending on their type of choice, and boost-giving abilities that can turn the tide of battle. “Nobunaga’s Ambition” is typically set during feudal Japan, and it was really interesting to see Pokémon in that setting.

“Shin Megami Tensei” and “Fire Emblem” are both incredible JRPG series. Adding elements from both into one game was always going to be a win. Set in modern-day Tokyo, the story follows a group of teens combating evil entities from another world called Mirages. Only, not all Mirages are evil. Friendly ones based on “Fire Emblem” characters, like Chrom and Tiki, will join the player on their quest. Although it leaned more into “Shin Megami Tensei” territory, the characters, side stories, and battle system can please most RPG fans. And the soundtrack is one of the best either franchise has ever seen, whether it be a background track or one of the many flashy musical numbers.

With the heavy focus on puzzle-solving of “Professor Layton” and the courtroom drama of “Phoenix Wright,” this crossover is a delightful concoction of what both franchises have to offer. Developed by both Capcom and Level-5, the spin-off follows the two heroes and their assistants sucked into a strange town via a storybook. With a group of witches causing trouble, Layton works to solve the mystery while Wright defends those who have been wrongly accused of witchcraft. The two franchises mesh incredibly well with one another, and the story is both charming and intriguing. Although it can be a bit too easy at times, there’s no denying this crossover was one for the ages.

When people got their first look at Mario’s crossover with the Raving Rabbids from Rayman, they were understandably skeptical. That, in part, is what made “Kingdom Battle” such a nice surprise. Through some sci-fi mayhem unleashed by the chaotic bunnies, Mario and his friends were forced to defend the Mushroom Kingdom against evil Rabbids that had been merged with other objects. Instead of relying on platforming, the game places you in turn-based strategy battles. It’s honestly one of the oddest gaming crossovers out there. But the combat is intuitive yet simple enough for any player to grasp, the presentation is gorgeous, and the humor will keep you constantly entertained. It’s no wonder there’s a sequel on the way.

In 2005, “Namco x Capcom” put some of the most popular characters from both publishers in a tactical RPG setting. It was such a great idea that it was revisited on the 3DS with the dual “Project X Zone” games. Both games added a batch of characters from new publishers; the first added some from Sega while the sequel added some from Nintendo. We’ve loved seeing characters from franchises like “Resident Evil,” “Tekken,” and “Yakuza” in the same game, battling for us. But it’s also great that the games are so fun to play. The tactics-based gameplay isn’t strenuous for those unfamiliar with the genre, and the stories are just funny enough to not take themselves too seriously.

Why choose one Blizzard franchise when you can have them all? “Heroes of the Storm” is a MOBA game that pulls characters and locations from the studio’s wide catalog. Players compete in 5v5 matches attempting to destroy the other team’s King’s Core. But with every hero offering different playstyles, and with each match coming with smaller objectives that can give your team a much-needed boost, there’s no telling how each round will play out. It was praised for being more accessible than others in the genre while still retaining what makes MOBA games unique. With a wealth of characters ranging from “Overwatch’s” Tracer to “Warcraft’s” Thrall to Diablo himself, it’s a massively fun time.

“The King of Fighters” is one of SNK’s strongest and longest running franchises. And while it has definitely eclipsed most of the studio’s other releases, it began as a crossover of them. The original game featured characters from SNK games that ranged from well-known, like “Fatal Fury,” to more obscure, like “Psycho Soldier.” That first game was a runaway success, leading to yearly sequels for well over a decade. While production has certainly slowed down in recent years, the series is still one of the most celebrated in the fighting game community. And the characters who didn’t debut within it are now more recognizable from “The King of Fighters” than their original franchises.

There’s simply no series that can match the power of crossover found in the “Super Smash Bros.” franchise. With the 1999 original, Nintendo pitted its most cherished characters against each other, making it one of the standout multiplayer releases on the N64. With each new release, the roster has expanded to include not only fan-favorite Nintendo icons, but third party heroes as well. Sonic and Snake’s inclusion in “Brawl” opened the floodgates, making way for each character announcement to be an event in and of itself. From “Final Fantasy” to “Banjo-Kazooie” to “Kingdom Hearts,” “Smash” is no longer just a great, frantic fighter. It’s a commemoration of video games whose scope we’ll likely never see again.