Video games have established some of the most recognizable and beloved characters across all fictional media. But what happens when one particular character crosses into another’s universe? Well, saying that fans can’t get enough would be putting it lightly.
While the very concept of a video game crossover is nothing new, as the Saturn title Fighters Megamix already pioneered combining iconic characters from major Sega franchises back in 1996, developers have sped things up a notch in recent decades to meet increasing demand from fans.
So, would Sonic win a race over Mario? And who would come on top in a fight between Wolverine and Street Fighter’s villain M. Bison? Questions that all gamers have pondered over all find long-awaited answers in some of the most exciting video game crossovers ever.
Marvel vs. Capcom
The worlds of comic books and video games have been increasingly converging as of late. Despite more than a few lackluster movie tie-in games, fans of the MCU with a knack for gaming have had their fill of compelling entries, from Marvel’s Spider-Man to Marvel Ultimate Alliance. But no title has been as wickedly satisfying as Marvel vs. Capcom.
Known for one of the top-selling fighting franchises of all time, Capcom experimented with the idea of having superheroes and Street Fighter champions battle it out as early as 1996. And what started as a fun arcade game quickly spawned a series that has been running successfully ever since. Capcom added many more characters to its roster over the years. But while no new entry has been released since 2017, fans can always revisit classics like 2000’s New Age of Heroes and look forward to Capcom reinventing the fighting game once more with the upcoming Street Fighter 6.
Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
The point-and-click adventure genre is as niche as can be amongst gamers. With only a handful of top-tier games to try out, fans of the genre often have an equal number of Professor Layton entries as Ace Attorney’s in their library. When Capcom and Level 5 announced an unexpected crossover between both universes, thus, fans were beyond ecstatic.
Set in a magical medieval universe, this visual novel adventure meets puzzle game combines the classic puzzle-solving and exploration of Professor Layton with epic witch trials conducted by the legendary attorney Phoenix Wright. A solid plot crafted by Ace Attorney series director Shu Takumi adds much to the game’s immersive narrative, introducing as many quirky characters as jaw-dropping twists and turns, with an eerie soundtrack to boot.
Poker Night at the Inventory
Telltale Games has long been known for its story-driven adventure games akin to interactive novels. But in 2010, the California-based studio switched gears and published a one-of-a-kind poker video game crossover. Still, developers took a different approach to this casual genre by focusing primarily on four characters from distinct franchises and their fun back-and-forth banter. As they face each other in an underground poker den, though, the actual gameplay might feel less than impressive for seasoned players.
And gamers itching for real gambling action may turn to local online platforms instead. Live dealer sessions even conjure up the feel of an atmospheric brick-and-mortar casino. Better yet, lofty bonuses are a click away for gamblers to keep aiming for the jackpot. Players can find variations for every classic in the book, trying their hand at European Roulette or Pai Gow poker before reverting to virtual Omaha hold’em style with the sequel Poker Night 2.
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
Mario and Sonic have always been rivals of sorts. As a matter of fact, Sonic was created for the sole purpose of catching up with Mario. Decades later, Nintendo’s infamous plumber is the world’s most popular video game character by a long shot. But while the Sonic franchise has had its ups and downs, despite an on-screen revival of late, seeing both icons go head-to-head in the Olympics still feels like a wet dream for gamers across the board.
Building upon the formula of the many Mario sports games, this Nintendo and Sega crossover features an array of summer and winter sports minigames. Six mainline games have come out since 2008’s Beijing Olympics, each new entry expanding on the roster of playable characters. All games also provide educational content about their respective host cities.
