Long before Warner Bros threw Batman and Shaggy into the same arena with MultiVersus, Disney was apparently toying with a very similar idea. A former developer has revealed that the massive success of Kingdom Hearts — the beloved crossover franchise that mixes Disney characters with Square Enix’s Final Fantasy universe — inspired the House of Mouse to briefly begin development on its own platform fighter in the style of Super Smash Bros.
Kingdom Hearts Opened Disney’s Eyes to Crossover Potential
When Kingdom Hearts launched in 2002, plenty of skeptics doubted that a game starring Final Fantasy heroes alongside Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy could work. Two decades and multiple bestselling sequels later, the franchise has proven to be one of gaming’s most enduring crossovers.
According to the former developer, that success got executives at Disney thinking bigger. If fans loved seeing Sora team up with Aladdin, Jack Skellington, and Simba in an action RPG, wouldn’t they also love an all-out brawler pitting Disney’s entire roster against each other, Smash-style?
The Project That Never Was
Unfortunately for fighting game fans, the experiment was short-lived. Disney only “briefly” worked on the crossover fighting game before pulling the plug, and details about how far development actually progressed remain scarce. Still, the revelation offers a fascinating glimpse at a road not taken — and raises the question of what a Disney platform fighter could have looked like during that era.
Why a Disney Smash Clone Made Perfect Sense
The idea wasn’t as far-fetched as it might sound. Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. series had already demonstrated that mashing beloved characters from different franchises into one fighter was a license to print money. Disney arguably owns one of the most recognizable character libraries on the planet: Mickey and friends, the Disney Princesses, Pixar’s roster, Marvel, and Star Wars were all eventually under the same corporate umbrella.
Disney Infinity: A Glimpse of the Crossover Dream
Interestingly, this wasn’t Disney’s only flirtation with the crossover concept. Years later, the company launched Disney Infinity, a toys-to-life sandbox that let characters from across Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars share the screen. While it wasn’t a fighting game, it captured some of that all-star fantasy before being discontinued in 2016. A dedicated platform fighter could have scratched that same itch — and arguably still could today.
The Crossover Fighter Boom Disney Missed
In hindsight, Disney may have been ahead of the curve rather than behind it. The past few years have seen an explosion of Smash Bros competitors: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl threw SpongeBob and TMNT into the ring, Warner Bros launched MultiVersus, and Sony famously attempted Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale back in 2012. With every major media company scrambling to monetize its IP catalog in fighting game form, a Disney brawler featuring Elsa, Jack Sparrow, Woody, and Darth Vader feels like an obvious home run waiting to happen.
For now, Kingdom Hearts remains the closest thing fans have to a Disney crossover fighting experience — Sora even made his way into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a DLC fighter in 2021, complete with cameos from Donald, Goofy, and a whole stage full of Disney icons. If that DLC proved anything, it’s that the appetite for Disney characters in a platform fighter is very much alive.
Want to Dive Into Kingdom Hearts?
If all this talk of Disney crossovers has you itching to revisit Sora’s adventure, you can pick up Kingdom Hearts titles and a wide range of other game codes and gift cards at TURGAME.com. Whether you’re catching up before Kingdom Hearts 4 or exploring the series for the first time, TURGAME has you covered with instant digital delivery at great prices.
Could a full Disney fighting game still happen one day? Never say never — but for now, we’ll always have Kingdom Hearts.
Source: Eurogamer