After years, Sora is finally inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate. ThisKingdom Heartsrepresentative was the most requested character in theSuper Smash Bros. for Wii Uand3DSFighter Ballot, and a lot of that is owed to the passion of theKingdom Heartscommunity. The series combines Disney,Final Fantasy, and original elements with a surprising amount of grace, and many still have nostalgia for the first few entries. It was an idea no one would expect to work, yet it remains one of Square Enix’s most popular franchises. To have Sora bring this bizarre but celebrated part of video game history intoSuper Smash Bros.is truly an honor.
Part of the reason why it feels so fitting to have aKingdom Heartsrepresentative inSmashis that both are crossover franchises.Super Smash Bros.initially collected Nintendo’s biggest stars, but gradually grew to encompass the entire industry.Kingdom Heartsdid not have such prodigious growth, as it started being a crossover betweenDisney films andFinal Fantasy. It feels like these two franchises were made for one another, and now thatKingdom Heartsis inSmash, maybe a bit ofSmashcan come back toKingdom Hearts 4.
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How Kingdom Hearts 4 Could Reference Super Smash Bros.
The next majorKingdom Heartsgame will have ample opportunity to giveSmash Bros.props. ASmashreference does not need to take up much time or space, and because of that it also shouldn’t require behind-the-scenes copyright struggles. Simply mentioning the existence of a fighting game with a lot of popular characters in one world would be enough.DeltarunereferencesSmash Bros.in a similar way, even down to specific characters being referenced, and still got away with it.
Aside from the possibility of aSmash-like video game showing up, there could be a 2D section that plays out a bit like the Subspace Emissary. WhetherKingdom Hearts 4wants to put aSmashclonein its world or pretend to be one, a single line of dialogue or short gameplay sequence would be enough to send a wink and a nod back atSuper Smash Bros.
Using Kingdom Hearts Characters to Reference Smash Bros.
A random line or short level would feel underwhelming if thrown in haphazardly.Kingdom Hearts 4should try to make itsSmashreference impactful. Sora’s current fate inKingdom Heartsis unclear, but theKingdom Hearts 3 ReMindsecret endingimplies he is trapped in an alternate reality. When he is freed, Sora could refer to having dreams about adventures with new and familiar friends. This could be taken as a reference to olderKingdom Heartsgames, but may also be interpreted as a vague reference to hisSmashappearance - all while dodging legal issues.
Then there’s the matter of Cloud and Sephiroth. These two tend to follow each other and get in fights wherever they go, whether it’s inKingdom Hearts,Super Smash Bros., orFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. Much like the Sora example above, dialogue referencing their tendency to find each other and fight anywhere could be taken as a reference to various media. Getting someone to say the word “Smash” in these scenarios would not be easy, but fans around the world would surely get excited if they sawKingdom Heartsdirectly acknowledge its crossover with an even bigger crossover series.
Kingdom Hearts 4is not confirmed to be in development.
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