After E3’s announcement that the latest Assassin’s Creed will be entitled Odyssey, it’s hard not to conjure the image of Mario possessing and bouncing all over a funky map in Super Mario Odyssey. The two franchises are both widely popular among fans, and neither developer Ubisoft nor Nintendo has shied away from crossovers with other studios. If the creative teams collaborated, we could have a masterpiece of hilarity and joy on our hands.
The Epic Bounce
Imagine hopping off a roof to air-assassinate, only to bounce on your opponent’s head and knock them out instead? It’s the Batman version of taking out your opponents and a more hilarious visual than Assassin’s Creed’s typical hidden-blade to the vital artery. Think how much the latest assassin could save on dry cleaning! A minor section of non-lethal takedowns would be a fun change of pace on the stealthy or brutal assassin front.
Crossover Creatures
Besides the sheer amount of fan joy it would bring to have these two iconic franchises intertwine, the brands themselves have often done it before with hilarious results. In Assassin’s Creed: Origins, there’s a Final Fantasy side quest which unlocks a shining blue blade and Chocobo-esque steed called the Kweh to ride through the streets. Is it weird? Yes. Amazing? Also yes! Where is our Yoshi steed in the AC series? They could claim it’s a rare camel with a superior tongue reflex and make the game that much more fun to play with.
Iconic Melody
Chain-assassinating and fireballing templars to the peppy tunes of Mario’s signature soundtrack would pump up the adrenaline in any Assassin’s game, even if it was only for one mission or a DLC pack. When the assassin goes underwater, having the music shift to Mario’s relaxing underwater jams would also set the scene for some serious treasure hunting. Assassin’s Creed music is really more ambiance than anything, so the addition of some upbeat Mario classics might invigorate the parkour and assassination experience.
SMASH! Two Ways!
The latest Assassin is a Spartan warrior, so imagine having a brawl-style multiplayer where you can throw weapons a la Origins and Super Smash Bros where the winner is last fighter standing. What makes the Smash-style arena option a little more intriguing is that it’s not just based on health, it’s also based on being able to stay on the dynamic level design before being knocked off balance. The crowd in the arena could be responsible for tossing out new weapons and barrels could still smash open with different power-ups.
As far as bringing Assassin’s Creed to the Mario franchise instead of the other way around, imagine bringing in the newest assassin with a shield or hidden blade to Super Smash Bros! They could turtle up with the shield as a shell and shout phrases like, “Nothing is true! Everything is permitted!” as they hurtle towards an orb of power or brightly-colored enemy. Who better to brawl with than a potential gladiator and actual assassin?
Animus – Heck Yes!
The Mario Smash franchise is always looking for a fresh take. An Animus level would add a special little something to the ever-interactive designs of Smash or even Mario Party-esque levels. Animus and Animus Island would allow a dynamic transference through different games and timelines, or just a fun little shimmering reminder that we all have ancestors – the Mario brothers and company included.
Powerful Threads
Mario’s wardrobe in Odyssey envied Barbie’s, so it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume an assassin-oriented outfit could be integrated into his universe. It could give him the ability to jump from great heights (Leap of Faith) or blend in when he stands still.
The Assassin’s Creed series also has unlockable outfits. Depending on the era, a Bowser-style shell on the back and horned helmet of some kind would be on-target and quite stylish for our Assassin protagonists.
A ghost-assisted possession power like in Mario Odyssey may have been a tough sell for Mario developers, but after reading this list, the crossover should be a no-brainer. Fans and developers alike should go on an odyssey of two epic franchises with hints of each other sprinkled throughout for extra flavor. They share a name, and we’d love to see them share some features to enrich both of their franchises.
