Some of my earliest memories are watching my older brother play video games. My first memory of Mario, Link, and the rest stem from me watching my brother play games on the N64. Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64, and GoldenEye 007 are just a small sample of games that I remember. It is for that very reason why video games hold a special place in my heart.
Disney animated films, particularly the ones in the 90s, are also some of my first memories. My family had the VHS tapes for Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and I would watch them all the time. I would also watch a lot of Lion King on VHS, and I also remember having a crush on Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
I think a lot of people have grown up with Nintendo and Disney just like me, and I think a lot of us have daydreamed of what a potential crossover between the two brands would look like. While Square Enix beat Nintendo to the punch with the highly successful Kingdom Hearts series, fans across the world have created fan arts that show the two highly successful companies properly crossing over. With Disney seemingly trying to buy every company nowadays, it may be sooner rather than later that we see a potential buyout of Nintendo by Disney. Until that theoretical buyout happens, I’ll be going over the top 20 Disney and Nintendo crossovers that fans have created.
20 Steamboat Mario
In the grand scheme of things, Mario isn’t that old. First appearing in Donkey Kong in 1981, Mario is only 37 years old. In contrast to other pop culture icons, Mario is still very much a youngling compared to those others. Superman has just celebrated his 80th birthday this year, while Mickey Mouse has been around a decade longer. Mickey Mouse will be celebrating his 90th later this year.
Even though Mario has been around since the early years of gaming, he wasn’t around for the silent era of television or film.
So there was never any official version of Mario as an old-timey cartoon. Fortunately, the internet exists to scratch this itch. Fans around the world have reimagined Mario as a cartoon character from the 20s and 30s. Surprisingly, or maybe unsurprisingly, the old-timey aesthetic looks good on Mario. He really makes that style work for him.
Art by JeremyJamesDewitt.
19 Princess Isabella Is In Another Castle
I haven’t seen much of Phineas and Ferb. However, the stuff I have watched, I have definitely enjoyed. It is a simple premise: two brothers trying to make their summer vacation as awesome as it can possibly be. It is jam-packed with creativity and a really good sense of humor that doesn’t talk down to its young audience.
A Phineas and Ferb crossover with Super Mario doesn’t seem like it would work at first glance. Yet, the above fan art proves that the concept can work, with Phineas and Ferb taking up the role as the Mario brothers as they try to escape from the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz/Bowser hybrid. It’s a fun take on this popular Disney Channel show.
Art by RatchetMario.
18 Protecting Their Kingdoms
I’m a big fan of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. The series is known for its use of Disney characters and incorporating the usual Square Enix flare. In the games, the lead character Sora travels to different Disney worlds, encountering some of Disney’s most iconic characters. With him is his trusted Keyblade, one of gaming’s most iconic weapons.
Since Kingdom Hearts is exclusive to Disney and Square Enix related worlds, don’t expect any franchises outside those two making a guest appearance.
A Nintendo world will probably never happen. The aesthetics of Kingdom Hearts merging with classic Nintendo characters makes a jarring clash at first, but the art piece above is a tantalizing what if. Who wouldn’t want to see Princess Peach and Zelda taking up Keyblades and saving the world?
Art by Mauroz.
17 Still Villains
Is there any group of villains more iconic than the Disney villains? Almost every Disney villain is as infamous as they come. We all remember the cunning Scar from Lion King and the deceiving Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. We all hate the coldhearted stepmother from Cinderella, and we were all equally appalled by the malicious Cruella de Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
Nintendo also has many iconic villains, with Bowser and Ganon just being a small sample of the villains Nintendo has at their disposal. When you combine the villains from Disney with the villains from Nintendo, you get an unholy union of some of the most despicable fictional characters in all of existence. The heroes wouldn’t stand a chance with Captain Bowser Hook, or Jafadorf.
16 Keeping Things Positive (And Negative)
The relationship between Anna and Elsa is somewhat strained at the start of Frozen, yet the sisters were able to bounce back stronger than ever by the end of the film. It’s an enduring relationship, and it makes the sisters richer characters for it.
There have been several fan arts depicting the Disney Princesses as Pokémon trainers already (some of which you can find on this site). While many would rightfully assume that Elsa would have a set of Ice-type Pokémon, I like to believe she and Anna would have a Plusle and Minun. Plusle and Minun are a representation of the positives and negatives of electrical charges. With Elsa holding Minun and Anna holding Plusle, it symbolizes the bonds between the sisters. It’s cute reinterpretation of Disney’s Ice Queen and sister.
Art by Phantomania.
15 The Tale Of Tronbreon
I actually really loved the original Tron movie when I was younger. Ignoring the fact that a lot of the film’s representation of computers and the digital world is very outdated, it had enough 80s cheese and special effects that I personally love. The sequel, Tron: Legacy, is actually a movie I have watched many times.
While I find a lot of faults with it the more and more I watch it, I really love the aesthetics of Legacy.
Umbreon is a Pokémon that is one of the gazillion evolutions of Eevee. In its shinning form, Umbreon matches perfectly with the general aesthetics of Tron. The black and blue fur of the Pokémon goes extremely well with the motorcycles as seen in the movies. It fits too perfectly for it to almost feel as if it wasn’t on purpose. If wasn’t on purpose, then it’s a cool coincidence.
Art by Finni.
14 Under The Mushroom Kingdom Sea
Ariel was my favorite Disney Princess as a kid. She was cute, adventurous, and, more importantly, a mermaid. I already mentioned how Ariel was an early crush of mine, and for good reason. I found her so much more interesting than the other princesses. Snow White and Princess Aurora just fell asleep and did nothing. Belle was a nerd, and Cinderella hung around with mice. There’s also the exotic nature of mermaids that I found so appealing as a kid. I just really liked Ariel a lot when I was really young.
While I do really like the Princesses from Mario as they are now (Rosalina is obvious bae), there is definitely an appeal seeing them as mermaids. Again, it is the exotic nature of mermaids that makes the fan art above so interesting. Even Toadette is included, which is cool. I wouldn’t mind seeing the characters of Mario going to a water world, and temporarily turning into merm-people.
Art by Miss-Lollyx-33.
13 A Hop And A Jump
Who doesn’t like Mulan from the movie with the same name? She is based on a Chinese Legend, and broke grounds as a female character. She showed that she was equally capable of doing the same things that the men are able to do. She was able to pass off as a man to the join the army, and successfully saves her emperor. She did it all through hard work, and determination.
We all remember the scene where she is trying to climb up a pole as part of her training. The artist for the particular art piece above decided to add in more humor to the scene. Rather than successfully making it to the top of the pole, Mario instead jumps on top. The flag comes up, knocking Mulan down. Its hilarious comic that adds in elements from both Mulan and Mario, marrying them into a very absurd comic.
Art by OdieFarber.
12 The Mario Avengers
Ever since I was a kid, I have always been a fan of superheroes. I loved everything about superheroes, including TV shows, comics, and the movies. It doesn’t matter if it is Marvel or DC, I love all of it. I’ve been a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since day one with Iron Man, and I’ve been keeping up since. With Disney owning Marvel comics, a Marvel crossover with Mario technically also makes it a crossover with Disney as well.
I love everything about the fan art above. I love that the Mario brothers are Iron Man and War Machine respectively and that Peach is Rescue, a superhero identity that Pepper Potts takes in the comics. I love Toadette as the Scarlet Witch, and Geno as the Vision. But my favorite one is Rosalina as Thor, because she looks so cool. I love this art piece so much; it includes everything I love.
Art by Jay-Phenrix.
11 A New Hero Of Time
Until Disney succeeds in its conquest to purchase every company, don’t expect Nintendo crossing over with Kingdom Hearts anytime soon. With that said, it is not outside the realm of possibility of Sora crossing over to a Nintendo game. There are Kingdom Hearts games that have been released on Nintendo consoles, and Square Enix has allowed Nintendo to use their characters in other products. Cloud in Smash, anyone?
So I can see Sora being in a Nintendo game, hopefully in Super Smash Bros. as everyone wants. If he somehow makes it into a Legend of Zelda game, then he better have Master Sword/Triforce Keyblade as shown in the art above. Sora and Link seem similar in ability, so maybe he could take over.
10 Be Their Guest
We all know the tale of Beauty and the Beast. A young prince is cursed by a witch to be a hideous monster, and can only turn back if he finds true love. Most of us probably recognize the story the most from Disney’s animated movie released in 1991, which was a major critical success when it was first released. It was the first animated movie to get nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and is considered to be one of finest animated features ever.
Now take the Beast out of Beauty and the Beast, and replace him with a giant Pikachu. Would that make the story better?
Apparently, in the world of Pokémon, Beauty and the Pokémon actually does exist. It isn’t specified that the prince transforms into a giant Pikachu, as it doesn’t identify what Pokémon he turns into, but I like to believe he did. It would be hilarious if that’s the case.
Art by AntonioTambornino.
9 That Unmistakable Disney Style
Disney animated films generally have a specific style to their designs. While the 3D models have become more varied in comparison to the classic 2D, there’s still some semblance of old school Disney hidden underneath it all. Nintendo doesn’t really have a unified aesthetic across all their games. Each gaming franchise generally has their own style.
Super Smash Bros. is the only time when Nintendo’s most popular characters are designed with the same art style. Usually, Super Smash Bros. aims to find a perfect balance between cartoony and realistic in order for all the characters to match aesthetically. The artwork above chose to instead reimagine Super Smash Bros. having a more classic Disney vibe, showcasing that Nintendo characters really do nail the whole Disney look.
8 She’s Already A Princess
Princess Peach actually shares a lot of attributes with the classic Disney Princesses. She is usually a damsel in distress, who needs a man to save her from whatever trouble she is in. She is pretty useless, and her one defining feature is that she’s royalty. Peach has become more active in the Mario series in recent years, yet, more often than not, the Mario games are almost always about Mario saving her from Bowser. She would fit in with the other passive Princesses like Aurora and Snow White. Even though Princess Peach is commonly less proportionate than the typically Disney Princesses, the above art piece gives Peach a more realistic body and shape in order to match with the classic Princesses. It’s a look that suits her very well.
Art by Willemijn1991.
7 Samus Takes Over For Sora
Samus broke a lot of ground in the original Metroid. Not only was she one of the first female leads in a video game, a prospect almost unheard of at the time, she was a character who didn’t follow the traditional role of females at that point. She wasn’t feminine, and her games are all about her being a cool bounty hunter trying to eradicate the Metroid menace.
She wasn’t a princess or love interest that needed to be saved, she was her own hero.
The introduction of Samus’ Zero Suit has earned some criticism, as it heavily objectifies one of the most famous female characters in gaming. I like it personally, and I think there are ways to make Zero Suit Samus look cool without objectifying her. One of those ways is to make her a Kingdom Hearts character, and giving her an awesome Keyblade. The artist above did a really great job in keeping the essence of Samus without having her be in her armor.
6 This Princess Is In The Wrong Castle
No matter what people say about Princess Zelda, I would always find Zelda more interesting than Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. Zelda has increasingly become more involved in the plot of the Legend of Zelda series, taking a more active role in the narrative. Aurora is mostly known for falling under a curse and needing to be saved by the prince. She is completely overshadowed by Maleficent, who is a far more interesting character. If Zelda and Aurora fuse together, just as shown in the artwork above, I would hope she retains all the best characteristics of Zelda, and none from Aurora. That isn’t to say Aurora is a terrible princess, she just didn’t get much done during her story and we don’t know much about her skills.
Art by Glimpen.
5 It’s Skull Kid All Over Again
Link’s iconic green tunic is actually based on Peter Pan’s clothing in the Disney animated movie. I actually don’t think I have ever seen the original Peter Pan, at least not all the way through. Yet, somehow, I did watch the 2002 sequel, Return to Never Land. It wasn’t good. Even as a kid I thought the movie wasn’t good.
Evidently, the fan art above is showing Link and Peter Pan battling over who wore the green tunic better.
My first exposing to Link from Legend of Zelda was watching my brother play Ocarina of Time on the N64. I’m one of those people who would loudly declare Ocarina of Time as one the best games ever, and it stems from me watching my brother play it. I, of course, have played the other Zelda games, and I have been a big fan since.
Art by BenjaminGalley.
4 Ice Emblem?
I really love Fire Emblem. Having played the first Fire Emblem game that was released in the U.S., it wasn’t until Fire Emblem Awakening where I truly fell in love with the series. The style, the characters, and the combat, were all amazing. I have played that game so many times since getting my own copy.
In Fire Emblem, each character has a different class. Classes are the roles that characters fill in order to keep it a balanced army. For example, some characters are healers, while others are mages that can cast magic. If Elsa and Anna from Frozen existed in the world of Fire Emblem, I think they would be a mage and a healer respectfully. Elsa is pretty much already a mage, with her ice magic, so the fan art above makes perfect sense to me.
3 The Happiest Place On Earth
One of the most popular things about Fire Emblem is pairing up characters. In the games, you can pair up two characters, and the more battles they fight together, their support rating together goes up. You get special scenes with specific characters the higher you raise their support rating. Some characters can actually marry one and another if you get them up to an S-rank support, and even have children.
Silas is the best friend of Corrin, the avatar from the Fire Emblem Fates games. If Corrin is female, she can marry Silas and have two children with him, Sophie and Kana. I’m always a sucker for childhood friends’ romance, so in a lot of my playthroughs as female Corrin I can’t help but ship her with Silas. Their family of four is also cute, and if Disneyland existed in Fire Emblem, they would totally all go together as one big happy family.
Art by LizardLizard and 0MoonBoots0.
2 Move Over Mario Bros.
Remember that meme of “name a more iconic duo?” where someone would have a picture of a famous celebrity duo and dare people to name someone more popular? Well, in this case, I don’t think I can really name a more iconic duo than Mickey and Minnie Mouse. These mice are the most famous Disney creations ever and have transcended generations.
I grew up with Mickey and Minnie, our parents grew up with them, and I bet you that all of our grandparents also grew up with them.
Even though Mario and Princess Peach haven’t existed nearly as long, they are probably the closest equivalent to Mickey and Minnie in the gaming world. If Mickey and Minnie were to dress up as any video game character, it would definitely be Mario and Peach.
1 Super Smash Wars
Believe it or not, one of the best theater experiences I ever had was when I went to see Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The lightsaber fight scene at the end blew my mind as a kid, and in a lot of ways, I haven’t felt that same kind exhilaration in watching a movie since. It was my first exposing to Star Wars, and it holds a special place in my heart.
YouTube user James Farr uploaded several animated shorts called Super Smash Wars. The shorts follow the story of the Star War films, but with characters from Nintendo starring in them. It has Link as Luke, Mario as Han Solo, and Donkey Kong as Chewbacca. All the Nintendo characters and settings match wonderfully with the story of Star Wars. It’s honestly kind of beautiful.
