Top 10 Most Crossed Over Video Game Characters

“Final Fantasy VII” (1997)

While the Chocobo is probably the closest thing to a "Final Fantasy" mascot, Cloud Strife is the JRPG franchise's most recognizable and marketable character. Despite only appearing in one of the 15 main entries in the "Final Fantasy" series, Cloud has amassed an impressive collection of crossovers, even if the majority can be credited to Square Enix. "Kingdom Hearts," "Theatrhythm Final Fantasy," and "Final Fantasy Tactics" all feature Cloud as either a playable or interactable character, while "Super Smash Bros," the "Dissidia" series, and the PlayStation 1's "Ehrgeiz" helped the SOLDIER practice his fighting skills.

“Bomberman” series (1983-)

Considering the sheer volume of "Bomberman" games out there, it is hard to believe that Konami's explosive mascot ever finds time for a crossover. Back in the day when the character belonged to Hudson Soft, Bomberman would occasionally show up for a cameo in many of the publisher's games, including 1996's "DoReMi Fantasy" and 1999's "Last Legion UX." Perhaps due to hailing from a franchise with a gameplay style that does not leave much wiggle room for other genres, Bomberman rarely appears as a playable character. When it does happen, the crossover tends to bring out Bomberman’s strange side.

“The Legend of Zelda” series (1986-)

While Nintendo is not exactly shy when it comes to crossovers, especially among in-house franchises, the legendary company is understandably protective of its mascots. That means that "The Legend of Zelda's" Link might fly by to shout encouragement at Sonic, but the Hedgehog will still be doing all the work. When not sleeping through "Super Mario RPG" or lending his fashion sense to anyone and everyone, Link might appear in a fighting series or two. "Super Smash Bros." needs little introduction, but Link was also a guest character in the fantastic "SoulCalibur II."

“Shovel Knight” (2014)

For an indie character with only one proper game under his belt, Shovel Knight just keeps on getting invited for crossovers. Even more impressively, Shovel Knight rarely settles for just a reference or quick cameo, often appearing as a playable character in a wide-range of indie gems such as "Road Redemption," "Runbow," and "Blaster Master Zero," just to name a few. Despite being a relatively young character, Shovel Knight has over 20 credits to his name, and the indie mascot's reach is destined to only expand further as AAA titles like "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" begin to take notice.

“Street Fighter” series (1987-)

You cannot discuss video game crossovers without mentioning "Street Fighter's" Ryu. Who else can claim to have fought against or alongside Marvel Heroes, "Tekken's" Jin Kazama, "Asura's Wrath's" god-like protagonist, Mario, and the Power Rangers? Thanks to Capcom's fondness of unexpected match-ups, be it as fighting games or tactical RPGs, Ryu has Hadoukened his way into dozens of mouth-watering crossovers that – more often than not – are far more substantial than brief cameos. While other characters might have more crossovers, few can compare to Ryu in terms of quality and variety.

“Pac-Man” series (1980-)

Generally recognized as the first proper video game mascot, Pac-Man's stamp on the industry is undeniable. Putting aside the muncher's many sequels and spin-offs, Toru Iwatani's creation has also appeared in his fair share of crossovers, besides obvious examples like "Super Smash Bros" and the "Mario Kart Arcade GP" games. Ever since the late '80s, Namco has loved to summon Pac-Man for a cameo in many of the publisher's games, be it the sports-themed "World Stadium" series or the "Tales of" RPGs. There is also that time the iconic mascot appeared as a selectable character in "Street Fighter X Tekken," because Pac-Man has to do something while not munching on ghosts.

“Mega Man” series (1987-)

Capcom is not going to pass on an opportunity for a crossover, particularly when it comes to the Blue Bomber. Whether during the "Mega Man" franchise's heyday or the decade-long stretch when Capcom seemed to forget about the series, Rockman would still commonly appear in other licenses, be it "Super Smash Bros," "Project X Zone," or "Onimusha Blade Warriors." Technically, Mega Man's crossovers are divided between the original model, Mega Man X, and "Battle Network's" digital variant, but together they have amassed quite a stunning collection of crossovers. Just pretend "Street Fighter X Tekken" never happened.

“Donkey Kong” series (1981-)

Considering Diddy Kong has racked more than a few crossovers, then it should hardly come as a surprise that the original Donkey Kong tends to get around. Whenever Mario feels like staging a race, throwing a party, or playing a game of soccer, Donkey Kong is likely to get invited, but "Mario" spin-offs are hardly the great ape's only guest appearances. The Wii and DS eras were particularly fruitful for Donkey Kong, who went on to appear as a boss in "Punch-Out!!," a playable character in "Fortune Street," and a mahjong player in "Yakuman DS."

“Sonic the Hedgehog” series (1991-)

Created specifically to rival Nintendo's mustachioed mascot, Sonic was inescapable during the '90s. Although Sega eased off a bit after the turn of the century, the hedgehog with attitude spent the best part of his formative years cameoing in other Sega licenses, starring in cereal commercials, and appearing in the occasional comic crossover. While most of the hedgehog's crossovers are little more than amusing cameos, Sonic is also playable in games like "Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams" and the HD version of "Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz HD," along with obvious examples like the "Super Smash Bros." and "Mario & Sonic" franchises.

“Mario” series (1981-)

Is anyone surprised? Mario has crossed over into countless other gaming franchises, mediums, and even professions; Nintendo's former plumber has more than earned his reputation as the video game industry's mascot. Putting aside series that toe the line between spin-offs and crossovers, Mario has a history of popping up whenever games like "Tennis" or "Golf" need a bit of extra oomph, especially during the NES, SNES, and Game Boy eras. The legendary mascot's presence is so wide-spread that Mario never feels out of place regardless of how bizarre a crossover might be. Gaming is Mario's world - every other character just happens to live in it.