If the immense popularity around the Super Smash Bros. franchise is any indication, video game crossovers can be extremely fun and can draw a lot of attention. Whether it’s the Battle Toads teaming up with the Double Dragon guys, characters from Marvel and Capcom facing off in combat, Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright solving a case together, or even Mario adventuring with the Rabbids, it’s always exciting for fans to experience gameplay featuring their favorite icons together in one place. It can create unique gameplay while also celebrating the best of each world represented. 

Here’s some of the many video game crossovers that absolutely need to happen. 

Super Mario Sunshine and Luigi’s Mansion

Obviously, Mario and Luigi are already in the same universe as each other. However, each character received their own unique games on the Nintendo GameCube showcasing gameplay they’ve never had before. Super Mario Sunshine had Mario clean up Bowser’s latest mess with the help of F.L.U.D.D., a multipurpose water pack that allows him to shoot water and even glide through the air. Luigi’s Mansion allowed Luigi to use a vacuum to suck up ghosts in a haunted mansion Ghostbusters-style. 

With both Mario brothers being featured in their own games with these brand new devices, it would have been interesting to see Mario with F.L.U.D.D. team up with Luigi with his vacuum. Professor E. Gadd did create both devices afterall. Switching off between each unique mechanic to take on puzzles, platforming, ghosts, and other enemies could add a lot of creativity and originality to the Mario world. Even blending the brightness of Super Mario Sunshine and the darkness of Luigi’s Mansion could lead to a unique aesthetic. Perhaps it could take place in a haunted tropical location.

Silent Hill and Resident Evil

Silent Hill and Resident Evil are two of the biggest horror franchises in gaming. They both capture an eerie atmosphere while also featuring some action-packed combat against various monsters. The darknesses from both worlds colliding because of something Wesker cooks up would provide a much bigger threat than any of these games’ characters have ever seen before. 

This crossover would be incredibly terrifying, while also showcasing fun monster designs, well thought-out puzzles, and intense action. It’s certainly something horror fans everywhere would get fired up about. Both franchises have featured various stories and protagonists, so pulling off a brand new story wouldn’t be hugely far fetched. 

Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat

There are plenty of fighting game series out there, but none as iconic or well-known as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. From arcades to our modern 4K TVs, both franchises have given us many amazing games, memorable characters, and terrible movies. Both have revolutionized fighting games and their mechanics and have had major impacts on the gaming world as a whole. 

Crossover fighting games are certainly nothing new, so it won’t be unbelievable or impossible to pull off. Plus, this is one that would stand out from the rest. Ryu facing off against Scorpion in an epic, magical martial arts showdown would be epic. The story could simply be that a rift opens between their respective dimensions as a result of occurrences in their fighting tournaments, forcing the characters to compete in the biggest tournament ever while also saving both dimensions from destruction. 

Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank

PlayStation’s dynamic duos have technically met in both PlayStation Allstars Battle Royale and PlayStation Move Heroes, but neither of which were big the big successes these mascots deserve and neither played much like Jak & Daxter or Ratchet & Clank. Each series inspired the other as they progressed with each sequel and originally came out around the same time. They practically go hand-in-hand. It’s time we get a proper crossover game between the two.

A hopeful crossover game featuring these heroes would actually play as them. It would need to be a 3-D action platformer game. The weapons, vehicles, and character interactions would be a ton of fun to experience. Using each other’s items or relying on each other’s unique abilities would make this ultimate team-up an event no gamer could afford to miss.

Uncharted and Tomb Raider

The premise of a crossover between Uncharted and Tomb Raider practically writes itself. Nathan Drake and Lara Croft are the best explorers and treasure hunters in the world. Both series feature well-written stories, beautiful environments, exciting combat, clever puzzles, fun climbing and platforming mechanics, and riveting treasure hunts. Both series are also mostly grounded in reality until a magical artifact is thrown into the mix. These two are a match made in heaven.

An Uncharted and Tomb Raider crossover could have Nathan Drake, Lara Croft, and their respective companions competing against each other as they race for the same ancient artifact, but join forces on their search when they discover some common threat is afoot. The storytelling, environments, puzzle-solving, and platforming mechanics are similar enough to make this crossover work seamlessly. On top of that, Drake and Croft are two of gaming’s biggest names, so it would be an ideal game.

Super Mario / Sonic the Hedgehog / Crash Bandicoot

Super Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Crash Bandicoot are easily three of the biggest video game mascots of all time and representatives of three of the best platforming series ever. They each represent different major companies in the gaming industry. If these three starred in their own crossover game, it would be an especially huge deal. Mario and Sonic regularly compete in the Olympics together and are both featured as fighters in the Super Smash Bros. games. Crash Bandicoot is no stranger to crossovers either, as he’s teamed up with Spyro the Dragon a couple of times. Crash is a heavily-hoped-for character to receive a Smash Bros. invitation, so it’s possible we may finally see these gaming titans all in one place eventually. However, it won’t quite be a true representation of who these characters are or what their games are about. 

With Mario, Sonic, and Crash meeting up, it would need to be a platformer adventure game. The game could have each of the three protagonists use their own abilities (Mario jumping high and using power ups, Sonic running at super speed, and Crash’s spin attack and slide tackle) to maneuver through each stage. The story could have their respective villains join forces, forcing Mario, Sonic, and Crash to team up and save all of their worlds. Perhaps Luigi, Tails, and Coco can join in on the fun as well. This could be a crossover that could potentially revolutionize the gaming world as we know it. 

Video game crossovers can be a lot of fun, and there are endless possibilities for more of them in the future. Let me know in the comments what video games you’d like to see crossover.