How Kingdom Hearts Almost Inspired Disney's Own Version of Super Smash Bros
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
A former Disney developer revealed that Kingdom Hearts nearly inspired a Super Smash Bros-style fighting game called Disney's Action Figure Face Off before leadership shifted focus to traditional tie-ins.
The massive success of Kingdom Hearts nearly gave us a crossover fighting game starring Mickey Mouse and friends in the style of Super Smash Bros. According to former Disney Interactive concept artist Ken Christiansen in an interview with Time Extension, the developer noted that the original PlayStation 2 classic opened the company up to massive crossover potential. Early production even began on a project carrying the working title Disney's Action Figure Face Off, which would have leaned into a Toy Story aesthetic where various Disney toys battled in a platform fighter.
That specific project never made it past early prototypes because executives preferred to prioritize traditional film tie-in games at the time. Yet the underlying concept of mashing together disparate universes proved too lucrative to abandon entirely. Years later, initiatives like Disney Infinity, Disney Speedstorm, and Disney Dreamlight Valley successfully brought those massive crossover rosters to life across modern platforms.
While we missed out on a retro Disney brawler, the franchise that started it all is still charging ahead. Kingdom Hearts continues to anchor a massive multimedia footprint as fans await the arrival of Kingdom Hearts 4 and an upcoming streaming series.
Tags: Kingdom Hearts, Disney, Nintendo, Gaming History, Crossover
Original article: Eurogamer