Surprising Crossover Games That Almost Happened
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Clash Of Superheroes, Pokemon, Brawlers, And Rabbids
Whether they be films, television, or in games, what makes a good crossover so compelling is getting to see totally different characters interact in ways that they normally wouldn't. While many games that merged different brands together have resulted in something that's truly special, case in point Capcom's Marvel vs. Capcom and Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series, there are other titles that don't quite reach those same heights.
There have been many developers looking to tap into that same type of enthusiasm and excitement that comes with a crossover, and often times plans quickly fall apart in earliest phases of production. So with that, GameSpot is focusing on a set of crossovers that came close to happening, but for a variety of reasons--including poor timing or business decisions--didn't quite work out. Though some of these games were officially announced and received some media attention, others were lesser known blips in gaming history that only recently received attention.
Despite the fact that these titles couldn't get off the ground, there's still something fascinating about these crossover games that almost were. Along with some details on what happened to them, we'll describe some surprising consequences that occurred after they were abandoned. Here is our look back at the most intriguing crossovers that came close to becoming real games.
Capcom's Fighting All-Stars
One of the reasons why the '90s and early 2000s were an exciting time for Capcom was because it took risks with its established brands. With Marvel vs. Capcom bringing characters from the publisher's vast library of games and mashing them up with the heroes from Marvel Comics, the series cemented the company's reputation for crafting engaging fighting games that were electrifying to watch in action. Unfortunately, the series' popularity would eventually wane and Capcom's license to use Marvel characters temporarily slipped from its grasp. During this period, the publisher devised plans to make a different kind of crossover game, one that celebrated its own diverse library of games. This title was known as Capcom Fighting All-Stars.
Throughout its history, the publisher had been known for its prowess with 2D fighters, yet it on occasion made the jump to 3D with games like Rivals Schools, and the lesser-known Star Gladiator. In a similar vein to those titles, All-Stars was a 3D brawler that brought together characters from Street Fighter, Final Fight, Rival Schools, Darkstalkers, and even the titular high-flying ninja from the Strider series. The game featured an original story set within Final Fight's Metro City, pitting the cast against original characters D.D, Ingrid, and Rook. The fighters would duke it out in 3D arenas with their own unique skills, culminating in a big finish with character-specific finishing moves.
Despite getting some attention from long-time fans, Capcom Fighting All-Stars never made it out of the production phase. After some struggles with the game internally, it was eventually canceled shortly after making the rounds during localization tests in Japanese arcades. The concept of a Capcom-centric crossover would live on in a lesser degree in another fighting game called Capcom Fighting Evolution. Releasing in 2004, this game was similar to All-Stars, but it brought the action back to the 2D plane. It even managed to salvage some aspects of All-Stars, including newcomer Ingrid. Unfortunately, this game would receive mixed reviews from fans, many of whom criticized the recycling of character sprites and dated mechanics from past games. While Capcom continues to place references to its library in games like Street Fighter and Dead Rising, we've still yet to get a crossover like All-Stars that tries to celebrate its own history.
Nintendo's Fire Emblem X Pokemon Crossover
Nintendo has been one of the more proactive crossover-game publishers. Thanks to the massive popularity of the Super Smash Bros. series, and how many of its franchises have an inherent connection with one another--such as Mario's original appearance in 1981's Donkey Kong--seeing various Nintendo characters make appearances in other titles doesn't seem that out of the ordinary. However, there have been some planned crossovers that tried to do something a bit different than just another party game. Sometime in 2010, developers at Nintendo drafted plans for an unexpected mashup between the tactics-focused Fire Emblem games and the wholesome Pokemon series. Essentially, it would have paired characters like Marth and Roy along with the likes of Pikachu and Charizard, as they engaged in turn-based fights on a battlefield and strengthened their bond over the course of the campaign.
Though this concept seemed like an inventive way to bring together two entirely different genres, surprisingly, another development team within Nintendo had beaten them to the punch. Speaking with Nintendo Dream Magazine, developer Hitoshi Yamagami claimed the project came into conflict with 2012's DS strategy game Pokemon Conquest. As a totally different crossover combining Pokemon with the tactical-RPG series Nobunaga's Ambition, it placed the familiar Pokemon gameplay within the setting of Feudal Japan--thus making the concept of Fire Emblem X Pokemon redundant. However, the developers still found some value in a Fire Emblem crossover game, and reworked the concept into a game that merged the worlds of the strategy series with Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei JRPG series.
Collaborating with Atlus, Nintendo released 2016's Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, a colorful and exuberant JRPG that featured guest characters from the Fire Emblem series. To this day, Nintendo has been keeping up with its crossover antics--with Persona 5's Joker even making an appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Yet, there's still something to be said about games that try something a bit different. Though Pokemon Conquest likely covered the same ground this proposed game did, it's hard to let go of a proposed crossover game blending Fire Emblem's tactics and social gameplay with the scale of a Pokemon RPG. It's simply too charming to overlook.
Disney's Infinity 4.0 Update (Guest Starring Yoda and Aladdin)
During the 2010s, there was a massive influx of publishers looking to take advantage of the popularity surrounding the toys-to-life hit Skylanders. One such game was Disney Infinity, a contemporary that featured its own line of figures based off of Disney properties. Over the last two decades, Disney has ballooned to a massive scale, thanks to the acquisitions of Marvel Comics and Lucasfilm. Along with a series of story missions that were heavily inspired by animated and live-action films, the Infinity playset featured a massive amount of creations and tools to engage with. When looking at the success of Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts series, the concept of a Disney crossover seems well-worn. However, Disney Infinity largely focused on the creation of unique levels and playsets, allowing players to share them with others online. Eventually, the toys-to-life craze had begun to die down, and in 2016, Disney Infinity was discontinued.
The very conceit of Disney Infinity was about bringing together different characters under the Disney umbrella. However, Infinity's story missions never focused on the crossover aspects, opting for stages that retold events from classic Disney films. Just prior to the cancelation of Infinity, the developers were working on the massive 4.0 update known as Kingdoms. In addition to further expanding the playsets, allowing for greater customization, it would have marked the first time that players would be able to experience story missions with different characters, such as Star Wars characters teaming up with Aladdin in the land of Agrabah. Footage of the Kingdoms expansion leaked online in 2017, giving players a glimpse of what could have been.
The Kingdoms update was Disney Infinity's first attempt to properly build upon the crossover aspect of the game, allowing beloved characters to mingle and engage with one another during one of the game's main missions. What made Disney Infinity such an admired title for its fans was how expansive it was, and 4.0 looked like it could have been a promising new chapter for the user-generated toys-to-life game.
Ubisoft's Mario + Rabbids Platformer Game
In 2017, Ubisoft and Nintendo collaborated on a bizarre crossover tactics-RPG in the form of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Blending together the whimsical-stylings of a Super Mario game, with the zaniness of a Rabbids title, Mario and friends engaged in turn-based battles using special abilities and weapons. It was essentially a Mario game by way of XCOM, and it was way more entertaining than most people expected. For added charm, Grant Kirkhope of Donkey Kong Country and Banjo Kazooie fame also supplied the game's music. Kingdom Battle became a well-received game when it was released, however, you might be surprised to find out that this was the second attempt at making a crossover game with Nintendo's iconic characters and Ubisoft's endearing troublemakers.
In early 2010, Ubisoft prepared a new project intended for Wii U. Titled Mario & Rabbids: The Lost Kingdom, Ubisoft designers drafted up a pitch focusing on a game with Mario exploring the Mushroom Kingdom as it was being invaded by Rabbids. The concept was a game that was very much in line with classic Mario platformers. In familiar fashion, players would trek through various stages set across different worlds, except Rabbids were thrown into the mix--leading to several complications across each level. According to developers who worked on the pitch, the game was very much a self-aware, more comical take on the classic Mario platformer.
This concept seemed like it could have been an interesting mix of traditional platforming gameplay with the bizarre antics of a Rabbids mash-up game, while actively poking fun at the traditional Mario formula. But as expected, things didn't quite work out and Ubisoft's concept for the game didn't proceed. The Lost Kingdom never made it out of the concept phase, and its lasting legacy will be that it formed the basis for Kingdom Battle. With that said, a traditional Mario game made by Ubisoft, especially coming off of the fantastic Rayman Origins, could have been really exciting to see.
NetherRealm Studios' Marvel Fighting Game
In today's age, the developers of Mortal Kombat and Injustice are quite comfortable with incorporating guest characters in their games. However, there was a time where that wasn't the case. Formerly published by Midway Games, and now under the Warner Bros. Games umbrella, developer NetherRealm Studios' MK series is the polar opposite of Street Fighter, placing a greater emphasis on the violent spectacle of its brutal fights. Throughout the '90s, there was a strong desire from the fighting game community to see a crossover game between the two. While MK co-creator Ed Boon stated in an interview with IGN that he was interested in seeing that happen, a challenge that presented itself was how to effectively strike the right tone and style between the different brands.
In a recent interview with GameInformer, Boon revealed that he had been in talks with Marvel about a potential project, stating that "we would love to make like a Marvel fighting game, or a Marvel vs. DC, I think would be the coolest." The seeds for the MK series' penchant for featuring guest characters back in 2008 with the franchise's first crossover Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, pitting the various kombatants against classic DC comic book heroes and villains. On paper, this crossover seemed a bit too strange to work, mostly on account of how different both properties are in style and how fans may not want to see Superman get his head ripped off by Sub-Zero. While the style of violence had to be toned down to accommodate the guest characters, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe ultimately proved to be a solid fighting game that offered up some clever changes to the series. It ultimately paved the way for NetherRealm's 2011 MK reboot, along with another return to the DC Universe with the Injustice fighting game series, proving that the developers could craft a fighting game without a heavy focus on blood and gore.
A crossover with Marvel seemed plausible during the time of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe's release, but things are more complicated as of late. Presently, WB Games owns the Mortal Kombat franchise along with its developer, so a crossover with the Disney-owned Marvel brand seems like an unlikely event--though not impossible. Still, it's interesting to consider what a Marvel game created by NetherRealm could be like. Whether that's a Marvel vs. DC game in the vein of Injustice, or the kombatants of MK getting another shot at battling superheroes, there is still something really enticing about the concept.
Capcom's User-Generated Mega Man Game
Mega Man is one of gaming's most recognizable mascots, yet the Blue Bomber seems often underutilized when compared to other Capcom franchises like Street Fighter and Monster Hunter. As we detailed in our feature focusing on Capcom's continued success in recent years, the company has made a number of surprising decisions when it came to its slate of games, which included a canceled western reboot for Mega Man. Along with that, there was another planned Mega Man game that sought to shake up the traditional formula and take advantage of the budding surge of titles that took advantage of user-generated content. Spearheaded by the then head of global business Keiji Inafune, Mega Man Universe would allow players to explore an infinite number of "Megafied" worlds created by players and developers alike.
Essentially, Mega Man Universe was a Mega Man game by way of Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet, which at the time was one of the early pioneers of utilizing user-generated content. On a structural level, Universe seemed in line with the classic Mega Man games from the NES era. To go with the focus on exploring user-created levels and worlds, players could also customize their own version of the blue bomber--even allowing you to play as the crude incarnation from the Mega Man 2 North American box art. Furthermore, other characters from Capcom's library, including Street Fighter's Ryu and Ghost and Goblins' Arthur, were also playable--letting you control drastically different characters within the framework of a Mega Man game. In addition to pulling upon Mega Man's entire library games, it would also bring other Capcom properties into the mix.
It was a peculiar type of crossover to be sure, but there was something really engaging about what sort of content could be made from the game. However, what made the prospect of Mega Man Universe difficult to grasp at the time, however, was that its reveal left a very poor impression on its intended audience. At the time of the announcement, Universe was only four months into production, which producer Akiko Ito clarified in a 2010 interview with Joystiq. In the following year, not long after Keiji Inafune's departure from Capcom, Mega Man Universe would be unceremoniously canceled. Eventually, fans of the Blue Bomber would get a more traditional game in the form of Mega Man 11 in 2018, which was generally well-received. Still, the concept of a continually expanding Mega Man game has great potential, especially considering how creative the fanbase is. With Nintendo's Super Mario Maker series proving that the concept can work, it makes you wonder if Mega Man Universe would have fared better under different circumstances.