Is the Crossover Action-Adventure the Next Big Thing, or Does it Belong Back on the Shelf?

Introduction

Funko Fusion Deluxe Edition arrives with a premise that sounds like a fan’s dream: an action-adventure game uniting over sixty beloved characters from more than twenty iconic franchises, all presented in the signature, big-headed Funko Pop! style. The sheer breadth of properties, from the likes of Jurassic World and Back to the Future to The Office and Invincible, promises a pop-culture tapestry woven with authentic fan service and irreverent humour. As a complete package, the Deluxe Edition bundles the original game with a substantial amount of downloadable content, including themed packs for Universal Monsters and The Office, adding even more playable figures and themed levels. But does this mammoth crossover effort successfully translate the fun of collecting into a compelling, polished video game experience, or is the novelty simply skin-deep? Read on to find out!

The Ultimate Pop Culture Crossover Adventure

Funko Fusion presents a story-driven, third-person action-adventure where we take control of various Funko Pop! figures (who are all utterly adorable). The main plot sees our chosen characters summoned by Freddy, the Funko King, to combat a clown infected with a strange substance who calls himself Eddy. This sets the stage for a journey across ‘WonderWorlds’—levels based on settings from different pop culture properties. The narrative, while simple and straightforward, manages to weave in humour and iconic moments from the various franchises, which is clearly where the core appeal lies. For those who enjoy an extensive exploration of fan-favourite franchises in video game form, this will hit many of the right notes.

Big-Headed but Capable Fighters

Each of the 60-plus playable characters has a distinct fighting style and weaponry, typically boiling down to both melee and ranged attacks. Characters also have unique abilities for puzzle-solving or accessing hidden areas within the expansive worlds, and it’s up to you to work out which characters are best suited to which puzzles. Progressing through the game involves defeating waves of generic enemies, such as zombified Funko Pops and sinister clowns, along with characteristic foes from each universe. One of the central mechanics involves collecting ‘vinyl’ and coloured icons, which are essential for crafting items, combat artefacts, and tools at coloured machines scattered throughout the levels. This crafting system adds a layer of progression and is necessary to unlock new gadgets, better healing, or more powerful weapons. Character swapping is cute, yet slightly convoluted, as it is managed via Funko boxes found in the environment. It’s not a simple case of choosing from a list that pops up instantly – rather, you must strike the box in some way to get it to rotate through various characters, or keep striking until you find the empty box option, which then shows you all of the characters available to you on a list. In my experience, this list popping up immediately would be the preferred choice, as it feels clunky getting there each time as I enjoy browsing my roster before making my selection.

Fandom Fusion, Four-Player Fun

Funko Fusion is a true multiplayer affair, supporting up to four players in co-operative play. The online co-op mode allows players to team up and live out their ultimate franchise mashup fantasies. For example, you can take on the Jurassic World or Hot Fuzz worlds alongside friends. Funko Fusion Deluxe Edition also features Cameo Levels that are available in multiplayer, adding extra content designed for co-op enjoyment.

A Beautiful Multiverse

The overall visual and artistic section of Funko Fusion Deluxe Edition is really quite striking. The details of the environments, characters, and enemies have been enhanced, with the 3D environments maintaining a style close to the Funko Pop! aesthetic while preserving the atmosphere of the different worlds visited. The unique Funko Pop! design for over sixty characters is meticulously recreated, with each character looking truly incredible. The Deluxe Edition also introduces an option to toggle gore to a more family-friendly set of stylised effects, offering players a choice in their visual experience. The audio ties directly into the pop culture theme, featuring authentic sound effects and music that faithfully represent the source material, enhancing the nostalgia and crossover feel. (If you don’t believe me, check out the T-rex roar in the Jurassic World environment, and you’ll soon understand!)

More Funko Means More Hours

With the Deluxe Edition including all previous free downloadable content and a selection of paid DLC packs—such as The Office Cameo Pack and the Wicked Movie Packs—the replay value is significantly boosted. The inclusion of new levels and a substantial roster of over sixty characters, including those newly playable like Dracula and Michael Scott, offers many hours of content to explore. The core gameplay loop of fighting, puzzle-solving, and collecting figures and vinyl for crafting encourages thorough exploration and repeat visits to levels with newly unlocked characters to find all hidden secrets. In other terms, there is a lot to do!

Conclusion

Funko Fusion Deluxe Edition delivers on the spectacle of its crossover concept, offering a visually appealing and content-rich action-adventure that is a sincere celebration of fandom. The simple but effective gameplay, enhanced by the expansive character roster and the inclusion of extensive DLC, makes for an enjoyable, light-hearted experience. While the core plot may be straightforward, the sheer variety of iconic worlds and authentic fan-service moments provides significant entertainment. The ability to play through the experience with up to four friends in co-op further adds to the appeal, making it a great choice for casual group play, despite some reported technical quirks in the co-op mode.

Grade: 7/10 – Good