After years, Sora is finally in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This Kingdom Hearts representative was the most requested character in the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS Fighter Ballot, and a lot of that is owed to the passion of the Kingdom Hearts community. 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 into Super Smash Bros. is truly an honor.
Part of the reason why it feels so fitting to have a Kingdom Hearts representative in Smash is that both are crossover franchises. Super Smash Bros. initially collected Nintendo's biggest stars, but gradually grew to encompass the entire industry. Kingdom Hearts did not have such prodigious growth, as it started being a crossover between Disney films and Final Fantasy. It feels like these two franchises were made for one another, and now that Kingdom Hearts is in Smash, maybe a bit of Smash can come back to Kingdom Hearts 4.
How Kingdom Hearts 4 Could Reference Super Smash Bros.
The next major Kingdom Hearts game will have ample opportunity to give Smash Bros. props. A Smash reference 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. Deltarune references Smash Bros. in a similar way, even down to specific characters being referenced, and still got away with it.
Aside from the possibility of a Smash-like video game showing up, there could be a 2D section that plays out a bit like the Subspace Emissary. Whether Kingdom Hearts 4 wants to put a Smash clone in 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 at Super 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 4 should try to make its Smash reference impactful. Sora's current fate in Kingdom Hearts is unclear, but the Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind secret ending implies 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 older Kingdom Hearts games, but may also be interpreted as a vague reference to his Smash appearance - 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 in Kingdom Hearts, Super Smash Bros., or Final 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 saw Kingdom Hearts directly acknowledge its crossover with an even bigger crossover series.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is not confirmed to be in development.
