Crossovers are all the craze these days. Tremendous Smash Bros Final, Spider-Man: No Method House, Doritos and Mountain Dew, the general public can’t get sufficient of two issues they know from separate locations, by some means magically coming collectively. Nintendo video games had crossovers since properly earlier than Tremendous Smash Bros as properly, with the corporate having an extended historical past with the concept, in order that’s why we’ve put collectively a listing of the weirdest Nintendo visitor characters, so we are able to all have a great chuckle on the time Mario Kart had precise Mercedes vehicles in it.
Even way back to the Recreation Boy, videogame crossovers have been a scorching matter, and a thrill for any younger gamer studiously scouring the again of sport containers of their native store. I used to be a type of younger avid gamers, and also you won’t consider it now, however seeing Bomberman in a Wario sport was a real thrill that blew my tiny thoughts. The historical past of the weirdest Nintendo visitor characters is really a rollercoaster and one I’ve paid sharp consideration to through the years.
Whereas we might fill this checklist with simply Nintendo video games and their bizarre crossovers, we’re opening it as much as any sport that has appeared on a Nintendo system. The world of company crossovers is really a wild one, and from precise vehicles to film stars, you received’t consider a few of the issues videogames have gotten away with. We’ve dived deep into the archives for this one, so take pleasure in a glance by way of the historical past of Nintendo crossovers.
Alright avid gamers, let’s dive by way of a few of the weirdest and wackiest Nintendo crossovers!
Wario Blast: That includes Bomberman – Recreation Boy
It’s onerous to think about it now, however Bomberman was all the craze within the 90s and regarded a staple within the pantheon of gaming mascots. The loveable arsonist was setting off explosions on each platform he might and Hudson Tender launched a title known as Bomberman GB in Japan for the Gameboy in 1994.
When it got here time to convey it to the West, nevertheless, it teamed up with Nintendo to incorporate the brand new antagonist Wario, after his look in Tremendous Mario Land 2: Six Golden Cash, and his personal puzzle sport Wario’s Woods earlier that yr in 1994. It’s a enjoyable sport that sees Bomberman and Wario going face to face in explosive gameplay, and was a gathering of two super-sized franchises on the time, although it feels way more pedestrian in hindsight.
Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 3 x Darth Maul and Wolverine – GameCube
There was a time when Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater video games have been the most well liked titles on the planet. Each skater was clamouring to make an look, so Neversoft had its choose {of professional} skaters to select from, artists hoping for a spot on the soundtrack, in addition to different properties knocking on their door hoping to get an look.
Nicely, the yr was 2001, and in case you weren’t taking part in Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 3 in your GameCube, you have been in all probability watching Star Wars: The Phantom Menace or X-Males, properly that was my expertise anyway. Presumably the closest factor to Fortnite we’d have for years, Neversoft teamed up with each franchises to supply gamers the unlockable characters of Darth Maul and Wolverine, in a crossover that will blow tiny minds internationally. Maul was even wielding his signature double-ended lightsaber with acceptable “nyyyyyuuummmm” noises as he moved. What a time to be twelve years previous.
Mario Sports activities Combine x Sq. Enix characters – Wii
Within the pantheon of Mario sports activities titles, in case you choose up the again of the field, 9 occasions out of ten you’re going to see a little bit log for a developer known as Camelot. The sporting stalwart has been by Mario’s aspect for years, apart from a few events, and two such titles are Mario Hoops 3-on-3 (or Mario Slam Basketball in Europe) for Nintendo DS, and Mario Sports activities Combine for Wii, which have been curiously developed by Sq. Enix. Thus far, so innocuous. Mario Hoops 3-on-3 is (predictably) the primary basketball-focused Mario Sports activities sport that targeted on two groups of three, with the enjoyable inclusion of a number of Mario mechanics to liven issues up.
It additionally includes a bunch of unlockable characters, together with mages from Closing Fantasy, in addition to a Cactuar and a Moogle. Seeing a Cactuar dunk a three-pointer over Donkey Kong’s head earlier than utilizing his signature transfer ‘1,000 needles’ is unimaginable stuff, and Mario Sports activities Combine takes it even additional. That includes extra sports activities, and extra characters. Sports activities Combine even options the inclusion of Slimes from Dragon Quest, making it among the finest video games ever by default.
Jimmy Johnson’s Something with an Engine x Jimmy Fallon – Wii
Look, there was numerous crap on the Wii. When a console sells 100 million models, everybody and their mums are going to attempt to launch a sport on the platform, high quality be damned. Jimmy Johnson’s Something With an Engine is one such sport, capitalising on the recognition of the titular Nascar driver Jimmy, to supply a sup-par racing title that will in all probability have been forgotten in historical past if it wasn’t for one notably bizarre crossover.
The title includes a visitor look from American speak present host (and deeply unfunny man) Jimmy Fallon, showing as a 007-inspired Agent Fallon, full with finger weapons and a automobile resembling a traditional Rolls Royce. The sport was even featured on The Tonight Present by Jimmy Fallon with Jimmy Johnson as a visitor, and this Jimmy Jimmy double whammy is simply as uninteresting as you’d count on. Nonetheless, it makes for one of many weirdest crossovers we’ve ever seen, so at the very least there’s that.
Tatsunoko vs Capcom x Tatsunoko characters – Wii
I’m fairly certain that Capcom can not make a foul preventing sport. Positive, a few them won’t attain the heights of Road Fighter 2 or Marvel Vs Capcom, however there’s all the time one thing there. Again within the days of the Wii, Capcom produced one among its weirdest crossover titles, and a sport that most individuals assumed would by no means launch exterior of Japan. Oh boy, am I glad this sport acquired a Western launch.
I might purchase any half-decent sport for the Wii, and I knew of a number of Capcom characters featured in Tatsunoko vs Capcom (Ryu, Chun-Li, Morrigan, Frank West, Viewtiful Joe my beloved), however the different aspect of the coin was utterly alien to me, the work of Japanese anime creators Tatsunoko Productions.
That includes characters from well-liked Japanese anime like Yatterman, Science Ninja Staff Gatchaman, and Casshan, the eclectic combine remains to be so spectacular to consider the worldwide licensing behind the scenes that made it occur, and it helped that there was a cracking preventing sport at its core. We are able to solely dream of a Swap port, as a result of good luck discovering a duplicate of this for Wii that received’t value you an arm and a leg.
Mission X Zone 1 & 2 x … so many characters – 3DS
There have been loads of nice RPGs and tactical RPGs on the 3DS, with titles like Fireplace Emblem Awakening main the cost. Nicely, you may be forgiven for forgetting that Monolith Tender created their very own, a crossover tactical RPG, printed by Bandai Namco, and that includes extra characters that you may shake a stick at. Actually, it’s completely baffling how so many characters have been included, and the video games have been nonetheless actually enjoyable at their core.
It’s simpler if I simply checklist a bunch, so between Mission X Zone 1 and a couple of, the next characters are simply a few of the many featured in playable or non-playable methods: Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Leon S Kennedy, Ryu, Chun-Li, Morrigan from Darkstalkers, Dante and Virgil from Satan Might Cry, Kazuma from Yakuza, KOS-MOS and Fiora from the Xeno sequence of video games, and even Chrom and Lucina from Fireplace Emblem. And that’s nowhere close to all of them! Licensing points would possibly imply we by no means see these video games ported, and the second-hand costs are… not low-cost, however we are able to maintain out hope that at some point this wild sequence makes a return indirectly.
Tekken Tag Event 2 x Nintendo characters… kind of – Wii U
Lengthy earlier than Kazuya was in Tremendous Smash Bros, and even earlier than Pokken, one of many first preventing video games to launch for the Wii U was a incredible port of Tekken Tag Event 2. In what I can solely assume was a really specific little bit of licensing creativity, the title options some appearances from traditional Nintendo characters, in a approach, with out truly having Mario getting decked by Heihachi.
Presumably, Nintendo was eager for a crossover however not their characters enacting violence, as a result of as an alternative Tekken Tag Event 2 includes a bunch of enjoyable costumes for present characters, letting King gown up as Ganondorf, Jin gown up as Hyperlink, Bob gown up as Mario, and even a fancy dress primarily based on Samus. A number of characters might put on every of the outfits, making for a very enjoyable and foolish Nintendo-ified model of a preventing sport traditional. Choose it up to your Wii U in case you’re one of many twelve individuals who nonetheless personal theirs!
Mario Kart Arcade GP x Tamagotchi characters and extra – Arcade
Alright, Mario Kart is a bit looser with the visitor characters. Rising up we needed to accept the occasional wild choose like R.O.B the robotic, or the Queen Bee from Tremendous Mario Galaxy (convey her again although please, we want one other heavy feminine character so we are able to boot Pink Gold Peach into the solar), however earlier than Hyperlink and Animal Crossing characters, Mario Kart’s character roster was borderline vanilla. Nicely, that’s on consoles anyway, as a result of the arcades have been telling a wildly completely different story.
The Mario Kart Arcade GP sequence is co-produced by Nintendo and Bandai Namco solely for arcades, and presumably, due to its area of interest viewers, Nintendo determined to tighten the licensing leash when it got here to visitor appearances. Mario Kart Arcade GP acquired the ball rolling, with the looks of Pac-Man, Ms Pac-Man, and Blinky from the Pac-Man sequence, inclusions I desperately need within the mainline Mario Kart video games, and ones that really feel extra attainable and the Pac’s look in Tremendous Smash Bros.
Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 kicks issues up a notch, introducing characters from the Tamagotchi franchise of all issues. That’s proper, little Mametchi is on the tracks, taking a break from being hungry or pooping to burn some rubber alongside Mario and friends. However wait, there’s extra. The third entry Mario Kart Arcade GP DX options an look of everybody’s anthropomorphic drum Don-Chan from the Taiko No Tatsujin sequence. That’s proper, the lovely little drum takes a break from the beat, to beat Mario and his friends at their very own sport. What a weird sequence and one I might like to see a group ported to consoles at some point.
We hope you loved this journey down reminiscence lane, and a have a look at a few of the extra enjoyable, or at the very least attention-grabbing, crossovers in Nintendo historical past. After Tremendous Smash Bros and related video games have opened the gamut, we absolutely received’t be ready lengthy earlier than the following wild crossover comes alongside. If all this has acquired you within the temper for extra gaming, remember to take a look at our checklist of the very best Swap video games, with a number of nice inclusions from 2022 incomes their locations within the rankings.