5 Gaming Crossovers That Shouldn’t Have Worked (But Did)

In 2025, crossovers between big IPs and random brands are basically the new normal. We’ve got everything from Pokemon cards at McDonald’s to Animal Crossing Crocs. But while big brands teaming up with video games is increasingly popular these days, crossover content has been a part of gaming for a while. In fact, some incredibly long-running and successful franchises have come from wild mashups of video games that, on paper, shouldn’t really go together. Yet somehow, they do.

Many live service games like Fortnite feature limited-time crossover collabs, where you’ll get cosmetic options from an IP like Family Guy or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But then, there are games that fully lean into crossovers, combining multiple IP for a full-on gaming experience. Over the years, this formula has had some surprising wins, bringing us some of the weirdest, yet surprisingly amazing, gaming crossovers in history.

5. Pokemon Conquest

This underrated, but fan favorite, Pokemon game isn’t just a Pokemon tactical RPG – it’s a crossover game. Pokemon Conquest combines the joy of Pokemon training with the gameplay and world of Nobunaga’s Ambition. Though Pokemon and Nobunga’s Ambition are both turn-based, they don’t initially seem to have much in common. And yet, combining them into one game worked surprisingly well.

In Pokemon Conquest, you’re not a trainer – you’re a Warrior, all based on figures from Japanese history who also feature in Nobunga’s Ambition. You form bonds with Pokemon and battle in strategic combat that’s not quite like anything we’ve seen in Pokemon before or since. This spinoff got pretty solid reviews in its day, and many fans are still hoping to see another game in the series. Combining a game series steeped in Japanese history and tradition with a cartoon-like world like Pokemon doesn’t seem like it should make sense, but Pokemon Conquest made it work.

4. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

Another truly bizarre gaming crossover that fans actually loved is Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. This game combines Nintendo’s Super Mario with Ubisoft’s incredibly unserious comedy icons, the Rabbids. Though it’s a crossover that doesn’t quite seem like it’d work, fans loved Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle so much, it’s already spawned a sequel – and could eventually give us a third entry.

These games star Mario, but instead of the typical costars, we’ve got a couple of Rabbids cosplaying as familiar Mario characters. Mario + Rabbids leans into the crossover by explaining it in-game with a mysterious vortex that brings the Rabbids into Mario’s world. With solid graphics, engaging gameplay, and a surprisingly workable combination of Mario classic mechanics and Rabbids humor, this unlikely crossover combo just works.

3. Marvel vs. Capcom

Some of the best crossover games out there are fighting games, and Marvel vs. Capcom is a prime example. As its title suggests, this series combines characters from Marvel comics with characters from Capcom’s video games. The games use Street Fighter-style combat mechanics, but feature iconic superheroes facing off against Capcom characters from Street Fighter and beyond. And the games are honestly pretty darn good.

There have been several Marvel vs. Capcom entries over the years, from arcade games to more recent console entries. Seeing characters like Mega Man face off against Spider-Man or Wolverine initially seems strange, but these games offer impressive rosters and just plain fun fighting mechanics. The franchise’s character assist mechanics and impressive visuals, combined with that bizarre but delightful crossover roster, prove that this combo makes more sense than you might think it would.

2. Super Smash. Bros

Nowadays, Super Smash Bros. has been around long enough that we kind of forget it’s a crossover. But it’s an all-out brawl combining characters from across games and game developers, which is a bit of a wild concept when you think about it. Even the first installment on Nintendo 64 brought together characters from a ton of different Nintendo games, with Samus Aran fighting the likes of Mario, Donkey Kong, Link, and Kirby.

Since the initial game, even more crossover characters have come into the mix. More recent entries have really expanded the possibilities, with all manner of characters from Nintendo and beyond. Despite the strangeness of seeing characters like Snake from Metal Gear Solid face off against Pokemon and Nintendo characters, Super Smash Bros. is a formula that works, time and time again.

1. Kingdom Hearts

Disney characters, but also Final Fantasy is one of those pitches that sounds absolutely out there. And yet, Kingdom Hearts somehow made that crossover work, and work amazingly well. The combo of characters like Donald, Goofy, and Cloud Strife definitely leads to some humorous moments, but Square Enix manages to lean into it in the best way. The juxtaposition of the seriousness of characters like Cloud or Sephiroth set against the silliness of a Donald Duck tantrum just works.

Kingdom Hearts has spawned a whole franchise, with main series games and spinoffs creating a tangled web of crossover madness. As the series continues, the number of Disney properties and Final Fantasy references has only increased. For all the convoluted plot nonsense and crossover content, Kingdom Hearts is still one of the top examples of combining disparate gaming IPs into an unexpected success.

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