History Main / DreamMatchGame

** ''VideoGame/Persona4ArenaUltimax'' could be considered a canonical example for the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' continuity that began with ''VideoGame/Persona3''. On top of the returning cast from ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'', ''Ultimax'' brought in the remaining members of S.E.E.S. and the Investigation Team [[spoiler:who weren't canonically dead or otherwise disposed]] along with three [=NPCs=] from ''VideoGame/Persona4'': Margaret, Marie, and Adachi. The only other [[spoiler:living]] character from either game with access to a Persona who wasn't playable was Theodore from ''Persona 3 Portable'', though he shows up as an NPC. [[note]]Chidori is also mentioned by Junpei, though there's an AmbiguousSituation surrounding her survival and her Persona, Medea, [[FusionDance fused with Junpei's Hermes]] to form his Ultimate Persona, Trismegistus, meaning [[BroughtDownToNormal she'd be unable to participate in battle anyway]].[[/note]]

** ''VideoGame/Persona4ArenaUltimax'' could be considered a canonical example for the ''Franchise/{{Persona}}'' continuity that began with ''VideoGame/Persona3''. On top of the returning cast from ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'', ''Ultimax'' brought in the remaining members of S.E.E.S. and the Investigation Team [[spoiler:who weren't canonically dead or otherwise disposed]] along with three [=NPCs=] from ''VideoGame/Persona4'': Margaret, Marie, and Adachi. The only other characters from either game with access to a Persona who weren't playable were Theodore from ''Persona 3 Portable'', though he shows up as an NPC.

** [[CapcomSequelStagnation In a very strict sense]], there's ''Vampire Hunter 2'' and ''Vampire Savior 2'', [[UpdatedRerelease upgraded/alternate]] versions of the second and third ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' games that had little more than aesthetic changes to the roster, the more definitive versions including everyone. However, ''Vampire Savior'''s port to the [=PS2=] as part of ''Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection'' introduced Dee, Donovan's SuperpoweredEvilSide (as evidenced by his DownerEnding in the second game) which looks like [[HeadSwap Donovan's head placed on Demitri's body]]. His story (where he encounters an older version of Anita, the very girl he lost himself to darkness to protect) brings up the theory that there's some sort of [[AlternateTimeline timeline split]] after ''Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge/Vampire Hunter''.

* Creator/KoeiTecmo:
** ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'', Koei's MassiveMultiplayerCrossover between ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors''. [[ExcusePlot Yes, there is a plot, but it is really nothing more than a means to bring together a greater portion of both series' stables]], even though they exist about '''[[AnachronismStew a millennium apart]]'''. ''Warriors Orochi 3'' ups the ante with {{Guest Fighter}}s. And coincidentally for this trope's origins, including fighting game characters such as [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Sophitia]] (who belongs to [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment another company entirely]] for added measure), and Kasumi plus a handful of other ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' characters.
** Similarly, ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam'' does this with all the different ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchises.
** ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'', which does this with ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''. The scope of series representation here, however, was initially more limited compared to other ''Warriors'' games: Outside of the recurring Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, and Impa (all of whom [[CompositeCharacter incorporate traits from various previous incarnations]]), only characters from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' (Sheik, Darunia, Ruto), ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' (Midna [[note]]with her true form as DLC[[/note]], [[UnexpectedCharacter Agitha]], Zant), and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'' (Fi, Ghirahim) were present, with the rest of the cast filled by OriginalGeneration characters. A later DLC pack and the 3DS port, ''Hyrule Warriors Legends'', rectified some of this with seven additional faces ([[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Tingle, Young Link, Skull Kid]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Tetra, King Daphnes, and Toon Link]], plus a DistaffCounterpart of Link's named Linkle who is vaguely inspired by his ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' and ''VideoGame/LinksCrossbowTraining'' self)--eight if [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Epo]][[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess na]] is counted. Another wave of DLC would add [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Medli]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Marin]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Toon Zelda]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds Ravio, and Yuga]], all but one coming from the handheld titles of the franchise.

-->-- ''[[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Tekken Tag Tournament 2]]'', {{breaking the fourth wall}} [[LampshadeHanging to explain the circumstances of the game itself]].

To remedy this, many series decide to [[TheBusCameBack write the ultimate love letter to their fans by bringing back]] ''the entire cast'' for one grand battle royale.

** [[TropeNamers Named for]] ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest]]'' (more specifically, its Japanese subtitle, ''Dream Match Never Ends''). The fifth title in a series that up until 2003 ''had a new game released each year'', this ''KOF'' was touted as a "special edition" of sorts. The game did not feature a storyline that year, as the {{Orochi}} [[StoryArc Saga]] ended the previous year. (For the record, the number of casualties among the cast had amounted to 8 by this time.) Instead, Creator/{{SNK}} took the time to include (nearly) every character from the previous games, notably SNKBoss ''[[TropeCodifier par excellence]]'' ([[OneWingedAngel Omega]]) Rugal (who died via SuperpowerMeltdown back in ''[='95=]''), the [[CoolOldGuy Oyaji Team]] ([[ColonelBadass Heidern]], [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Takuma Sakazaki]], and [[RetiredBadass Saisyu Kusanagi]], who all also last made a playable appearance in ''[='95=]''), [[DarkActionGirl Mature and Vice]] (Iori Yagami's [[LovelyAngels team]][[EvilDuo mates]] from ''[='96=]'' who he accidentally killed at the end of the game), the [[PowerTrio New Faces]]/[[HiddenVillain Orochi Team]] ([[UndyingLoyalty who died resurrecting]] Orochi the previous year), and the [[ButtMonkey American Sports Team]], who [[PutOnABus hadn't been seen since their]] ''[='94=]'' debut. With its well-balanced, refined gameplay, many video game publications are quick to note this edition as the best entry in the series. [[VindicatedByHistory To this day]], ''[='98=]'' is still fairly popular in TournamentPlay.

** The ''proper'' UpdatedRerelease of ''2002'', ''2002: Unlimited Match'', decided to [[UpToEleven go for the gusto]]. If a character was fully playable in ''[='99=]'', ''2000'', or ''2001'' (this even includes the ''alternate movesets'' of certain fighters), but missed the cut for the original ''2002'', you can bet your ass that they made it in for this game. Also, [[Manga/{{Akira}} Tetsuo]] CaptainErsatz K9999 [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute was replaced by Nameless]], a more balanced character with a [[TheWoobie tragic backstory]] who has been better received by the fans than his predecessor. The end result? A whopping total of ''[[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters 66]]'' playable characters, quite possibly the ''largest'' in 2D fighting game history. (Not counting the bosses, EX characters, or other characters that were outright banned takes it down to a much lower 52, but that's still a HUGE number in its own right, and the additional EX characters don't hurt.)

** ''Samurai Shodown VI'' took it [[UpToEleven even further]]. All of the cast of ''V Special'' returned, with the addition of seven characters from the first two games that didn't reappear in later incarnations of the series (Gen-an Shiranui, Cham Cham, Earthquake, Nicotine Caffeine, Neinhalt Sieger, Wan-Fu and Kuroko), the two removed sub-bosses from ''V'', and four new fighters (most notably the NinjaMaid Iroha, who became ''[[EnsembleDarkhorse very popular]]'' despite only being a OneShotCharacter). There were also several other {{Joke Character}}s in the same vein as Poppy, and a number of alternate character versions (notably Kim Ung Che). The game is set in an unknown year in a [[AlternateContinuity parallel timeline based upon the previous entries]], and the game's producer even called it a "festival game." The title also introduced a gameplay mechanic called the "spirit select" system, which allowed players to choose between six different fighting styles based on all previous installments similar to the Grooves from ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium Capcom vs. SNK 2]]''.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'':
** ''Tekken Tag Tournament'', a game made during the transition from ''Tekken 3'' to ''Tekken 4'', boasted 39 characters (the highest in the series before the release of ''Tekken 6''), many of whom were missing from the third game. Kazuya Mishima, the most heavily promoted character of the game, was highly popular with the fans despite his absence after ''2''; [[SavedByTheFans this status allowed the story to work around his presumed death]] and have Kaz [[TheBusCameBack make a triumphant return]] in ''Tekken 4''. As more of a compilation of the last three games, ''TTT'' was non-canon (although there is the case of [[OriginalGeneration Unknown]], [[EpilepticTrees thought to be a demon-possessed Jun Kazama]] [[note]]according to WordOfGod, she was meant to be Jun's sister, although this was dropped when the game became a SpinOff[[/note]]) and noted for its fun factor: new moves were added to every character, you could mix and match several of your faves, and [[SidetrackedByTheGoldenSaucer Tekken Bowl Mode was a blast]]. In a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen, ''TTT'' was originally supposed to be a true sequel to ''Tekken 3'', before being changed in development.

*** ''[=TTT2=]'' presents a rare case of a non-canonical game that could possibly influence future main entries in the series, with several {{Sequel Hook}}s running rampant, ranging from Heihachi's regenerative serum to [[spoiler:Jun and Unknown being one in the same]] to [[spoiler:Leo's mother Emma being Steve's caretaker/maternal figure, as well as a supervisor for the Mishima Zaibatsu's Devil Gene program]]. So far, that last one has been revisited in [[spoiler:Steve]]'s ''VideoGame/Tekken7'' Character Episode.
* [[CapcomSequelStagnation In a very strict sense]], there's ''Vampire Hunter 2'' and ''Vampire Savior 2'', [[UpdatedRerelease upgraded/alternate]] versions of the second and third ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' games that had little more than aesthetic changes to the roster, the more definitive versions including everyone. However, ''Vampire Savior'''s port to the [=PS2=] as part of ''Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection'' introduced Dee, Donovan's SuperpoweredEvilSide (as evidenced by his DownerEnding in the second game) which looks like [[HeadSwap Donovan's head placed on Demitri's body]]. His story (where he encounters an older version of Anita, the very girl he lost himself to darkness to protect) brings up the theory that there's some sort of [[AlternateUniverse timeline split]] after ''Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge/Vampire Hunter''.
* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'':
** More or less, ''Mortal Kombat Trilogy''. It follows the same basic story of (''[[UpdatedRerelease Ultimate]]'') ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 MK3]]'', but contains all of the characters present in the previous games. You can even pick retro versions of Raiden, Kano, Jax, and Kung Lao.
** Another rare canonical example would come from ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombatArmageddon Armageddon]]'', with 61 of the 63 characters hailing from previous games. The UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} version also features Khameleon from the UsefulNotes/{{Nintendo 64}} version of ''Mortal Kombat Trilogy'', [[PopularityPower back by popular demand]]. The reason for ''Armageddon''[='=]s canonicity is that it was [[http://www.gamesradar.com/xbox360/mortal-kombat-8/news/next-gen-mortal-kombat-reaffirmed/a-2007100312233076023/g-20070205122339792042 supposed]] to TorchTheFranchiseAndRun with a "new generation" cast for the next game by killing off nearly everyone present at the conflict, but this idea fell through by virtue of Midway going belly-up. ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'' does start with nearly everyone dead at the end of ''Armageddon''... only for a dying Raiden to push the ContinuityReboot button in an attempt to prevent Armageddon, thus TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, from even happening. The new cast would debut in the following game, ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX''.
** As a reboot visiting altered versions of the first three games, ''[=MK9=]'' qualifies as a canonical example, as its roster is basically ''Trilogy'' minus "Cyber" Smoke, Motaro, and the bosses, but with [[VideoGame/MortalKombatMythologiesSubZero Quan Chi]], [[ForWantOfANail Cyber Sub-Zero]], and new character Skarlet (plus {{guest fighter}}s [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]] and [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger]]).
* A non-standard example: ''[[VideoGame/{{Onimusha}} Onimusha Blade Warriors]]'', which consists of characters from [[VideoGame/OnimushaWarlords the]] [[VideoGame/Onimusha2SamuraisDestiny first]] [[VideoGame/Onimusha3DemonSiege three]] ''Onimusha'' games (plus {{Guest Fighter}}s [[VideoGame/MegaManZero Zero]] and [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork MegaMan.EXE]]) duking it out. [[{{Interquel}} The game is set months after the second game, and 11 years before]] ''[[{{Interquel}} 3]]''.
* ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' can be boiled down into a simple formula: bring back all the [[EvilIsCool dead-but-awesome bad guys]] and all the [[TheHero main characters]], [[ExcusePlot give some kind of plot about them all being pulled from their respective universes by either an evil god or a not-so-evil goddess]], [[RuleOfCool and make a fighting game]]. The same applies to its sequel ''Dissidia 012'' as well as the SoftReboot that is [[VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy2015 the]] ([[RecycledTitle similarly named]]) [[VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy2015 2015 title]].
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment'' does this for the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series, where [[OriginalGeneration newcomer]] [[TimeMaster Aeon]] brings several heroes ([[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI Simon Belmont]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse Trevor Belmont, Grant Danasty, Sypha Belnades, Alucard]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaRondoOfBlood Maria Renard]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines Eric Lecarde]], [[VideoGame/{{Castlevania|64}} Cornell]], and [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia Shanoa]]) and even a few villains ([[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI Dracula, Death]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest Carmilla]], and [[WhatMeasureIsAMook Golem]]) into [[PlaceBeyondTime the Time Rift]] so he can [[EnemyMine unite them]] in an attempt to stop an usurping by [[TheStarscream Galamoth]] (of ''VideoGame/KidDracula'' and ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight SotN]]'' fame). It's unknown exactly how much leverage ''Judgment'' has on the rest of the series; [[TimeyWimeyBall several characters have been pulled from times before, during, or after their quests]] (leading to more than a few HaveWeMetYet moments, particularly among the ''[=CV3=]'' cast), and many endings hint at plot points introduced in later games.
* ''Franchise/StreetFighter'':
** ''Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition'' is a 15th anniversary revision of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' that was released for the arcades, [=PlayStation 2=], and Xbox in 2003 (almost a decade after ''Super Street Fighter II Turbo''). It allows players to use the character roster from any of the [[CapcomSequelStagnation five previous]] ''Street Fighter II'' installments (''The World Warrior'', ''Champion Edition'', ''Hyper Fighting'', ''New Challengers'' and ''Super Turbo'') and duke it out.
** The ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha [[CompilationRerelease Anthology]]'' has a similar unlockable game titled ''Hyper Street Fighter Alpha''. This is a much purer example, as by the time ''Alpha 3'' hit home consoles, the series featured the entire roster from ''Super Street Fighter II Turbo'' (Guile and the other "New Challengers" from ''Super Street Fighter II'' besides Cammy, were not present in the arcade version), along with all the other characters from previous ''Alpha'' installments (both original and from previous games). Some of the characters from the [[VideoGame/StreetFighterI 1987 original]] were still missing, along with all the new guys from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'' [[note]]the only exception being Yun, who was in the portable versions of ''Alpha 3'' with [[VideoGame/FinalFight Maki]] and [[VideoGame/StreetFighterI Eagle]] (all three characters ported over from ''Capcom vs. SNK 2''), plus [[VideoGame/CapcomFightingEvolution Ingrid]] in the PSP version[[/note]] and all the original characters from the ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterEX EX]]'' series.
* ''VideoGame/{{MUGEN}}'', naturally. By default, we must stress, as the very nature of the game engine and a ''very'' dedicated sprite/modding community often [[UpToEleven scales up]] the crossover elements from "simply" [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover nearly every (2D) fighting game in existence]] to [[MassiveMultiplayerCrossover an outright]] UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny.
* ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2 Marvel vs. Capcom 2]]'' featured not only the entire roster from the original ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfSuperHeroes Marvel vs. Capcom]]'', but it also features nearly everyone from [[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom every previous Marvel-licensed fighting game by Capcom]] (''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'', ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'', ''VideoGame/XMenVsStreetFighter'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroesVsStreetFighter'') along with many additional characters (including a few [[OriginalGeneration originals]]) for a 56-man roster, the only absentees being the PaletteSwap {{Secret Character}}s from previous ''Vs.'' games, {{guest fighter}}s [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Anita]] and [[OriginalGeneration Norimaro]], and all of the non-playable {{assist character}}s such as [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]] and [[VideoGame/ForgottenWorlds the Unknown Soldier]], as well as the large bosses Apocalypse and Onslaught; [[VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroesVsStreetFighter Cyber-Akuma/Mech-Gouki]] was also noticeably absent. Oddly, there are [[WolverinePublicity two Wolverines]] (the default one, dubbed "Bone Claw", representing his playstyle from ''[=CotA=]'' and ''[=XvSF=]'' and [[SecretCharacter the other]] his ''[=MvC1=]'' style).
* ''VideoGame/KamenRiderClimaxHeroes'':
** ''OOO'' sort of qualifies, as its main draw besides the inclusion of ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'' (while retaining everyone from the past two games) is the addition of absolutely everyone from ''Series/KamenRiderRyuki'', pulled straight from the game of ''Ryuki''[='=]s American adaptation ''Series/KamenRiderDragonKnight'', which ran on the ''Climax Heroes'' engine and released on the same year as the preceding ''Climax Heroes'' game... in America only.
** All ''Climax Heroes'' games from ''OOO'' onward somewhat qualify, since the roster for each successive game only gets bigger with the addition of newer shows and characters who weren't included in previous iterations. [[note]]The only characters who tend to get removed from the roster are special cases like the hypothetical [[Series/KamenRiderDouble Kamen Rider Double CycloneAccelXtreme]] and Series/KamenRiderOOO in his purple-eyed [[TheBerserker Berserker]] form.[[/note]]
* ''VideoGame/NarutoShippudenUltimateNinjaStormGenerations'': Along with [[MeetYourEarlyInstallmentWeirdness the "young" version of certain characters being present]], there are plenty of playable characters in the game who had already been killed off in the ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' manga/anime by the time of its release. The most prominent examples are probably Zabuza and Haku, as several advertisements for the game made note of their presence.
* The ''VideoGame/GundamVsSeries'' from ''Gundam vs. Gundam'' and onward no longer restricts their roster and plot any single ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' series, preferring to include the most memorable characters and Mobile Suits, and pit them against each other in a battle royale.
* ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'' brings together a large number of characters from [[Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure the 25-year-long manga of the same name]] (in fact, it was created for the 25th anniversary of the series) for battles of grand proportions. Possibly a subversion, since the Story Mode actually segregates characters by their part of origin. [[spoiler:DoubleSubversion with the ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureJoJolion JoJolion]]'' Story Mode; since that part was still running at the time of ''All-Star Battle''[='s=] release, its plot revolves around Gappy running into each of the previous main characters as he investigates the Wall Eyes.]]
** Played straight in the sequel ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureEyesOfHeaven'', though. The story involves the characters traveling though time and universes between parts and meeting/fighting each other.
* ''VideoGame/BodyBlows'': In this more obscure series that was made for UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}}-brand computers, ''Ultimate Body Blows'' (the third and final installment) had all the characters from the prior games in a single roster. Considering that ''Ultimate Body Blows'' came out in 1994 ([[OlderThanTheyThink four years before]] ''KOF '98'', the TropeCodifier), it may be [[UrExample the earliest instance of this trope]].
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' brings back every playable character from past installments in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' franchise, alongside a number of new characters (both as part of the base roster and as DLC) for a total of 89 characters. It also boasts the most number of third-party companies loaning out {{Guest Fighter}}s, with Creator/{{Konami}}, Creator/{{Sega}}, Creator/{{Capcom}}, [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai Namco]], Creator/SquareEnix, Creator/{{Atlus}}, [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]] and Creator/{{SNK}} all having a character or two present in the roster. It is perhaps because of these outside combatants, [[Franchise/KingdomHearts one of which]] required some good long talks with Creator/{{Disney}}, that director Creator/MasahiroSakurai has stated that ''Ultimate'' will probably be the only entry in the series that does this.
* ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct 2013'' didn't start out this way, but as Seasons 2 and 3 added more characters, the roster swelled to eventually include every character from the previous games, including the two previous final bosses Eyedol and Gargos (though Glacius is explained to be a descendant of the original Glacius). It's also a rare example of a canon dream match game, albeit with the previous two games being given the BroadStrokes treatment.
* ''VideoGame/BlazBlueCrossTagBattle'' combines this with MassiveMultiplayerCrossover as it features not only select characters from the ''Franchise/BlazBlue'' franchise, but also throws in characters from ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'', ''VideoGame/UnderNightInBirth'' and even ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' for a total of twenty (later forty via DLC) fighters to throw down with each other. Later DLC have even included {{Guest Fighter}}s from ''VideoGame/ArcanaHeart'', ''VideoGame/SenranKagura'' and ''VideoGame/AkatsukiBlitzkampf''.
* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is a franchise rather infamous where if a character gets killed off or otherwise written out of the story, they will not return in future rosters. ''Guilty Gear XX'' actually bucked this trend with Kliff and Justice, two characters that got killed off in the story of the original game and left out of the ''X'' (save for ''[[UpdatedRerelease Plus]]'') roster got to return here. Their story modes even focused on events before their canon deaths. Originally they were secret characters but later revisions of the game added them to the base roster proper. Later revisions also added in A.B.A., a character from one of the spin-off titles.

* ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'', [[Creator/{{Koei}} Tecmo Koei's]] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover between ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors''. [[ExcusePlot Yes, there is a plot, but it is really nothing more than a means to bring together a greater portion of both series' stables]], even though they exist about '''[[AnachronismStew a millennium apart]]'''. ''Warriors Orochi 3'' ups the ante with {{Guest Fighter}}s. And coincidentally for this trope's origins, including fighting game characters such as [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Sophitia]], and Kasumi plus a handful of other ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' characters.
* Similarly, ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriorsGundam'' does this with all the different ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' franchises.
* ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'', which does this with ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''. The scope of series representation here, however, was initially more limited compared to other ''Warriors'' games: Outside of the recurring Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, and Impa (all of whom [[CompositeCharacter incorporate traits from various previous incarnations]]), only characters from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' (Sheik, Darunia, Ruto), ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' (Midna [[note]]with her true form as DLC[[/note]], [[UnexpectedCharacter Agitha]], Zant), and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'' (Fi, Ghirahim) were present, with the rest of the cast filled by OriginalGeneration characters. A later DLC pack and the 3DS port, ''Hyrule Warriors Legends'', rectified some of this with seven additional faces ([[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Tingle, Young Link, Skull Kid]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Tetra, King Daphnes, and Toon Link]], plus a DistaffCounterpart of Link's named Linkle who is vaguely inspired by his ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' and ''VideoGame/LinksCrossbowTraining'' self)--eight if [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Epo]][[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess na]] is counted. Another wave of DLC would add [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Medli]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Marin]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Toon Zelda]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds Ravio, and Yuga]], all but one coming from the handheld titles of the franchise.
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaHarmonyOfDespair'' is this trope applied to the series' usual {{Metroidvania}} shtick. The playable characters are [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse Alucard]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Soma Cruz]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin Jonathan Morris, Charlotte Aulin]], and [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia Shanoa]], with [[DownloadableContent DLC]] in the form of [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Julius Belmont, Yoko Belnades]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaRondoOfBlood Richter Belmont, Maria Renard]], ''[[{{Retraux}} 8-bit]]'' [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI Simon Belmont]], [[GuestFighter and]] [[VideoGame/GetsuFumaDen Getsu Fuma]]. In other words, you have characters from 1476, 1691, 1792, the early 1800s, 1944, and 2035/2036, as well as Alucard (effectively immortal, but theorized to have been born in the 13th, 14th, or early 15th century), all interacting with one another. [[note]]Meanwhile, ''Getsu Fūma Den'' is said to take place in 14672, the first year of the "Demon Age", though it likely doesn't share any continuinty with ''Castlevania''.[[/note]] Bizarrely {{justified|Trope}} in that the events of the game take place within a cursed book called the Grimoire, where both Castlevania and the various heroes and villains across time have come to life.
* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' is a car enthusiast's Dream Match Game. Where else does a gearhead get to see the rarest, most ultra-exclusive multimillion-dollar hypercars trade paint and battle for position? Many games have overlapping car classes between each other that everyone can use supercars, everyday rides or even [=SUVs=] to hulk on each other, to the point ''Need For Speed'' makes ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' look tame in comparison.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Forza}}'', that's where. What can be better than seeing the rarest, most ultra-exclusive multimillion-dollar hypercars trade paint and battle for position? By making them the [[Series/TheDukesOfHazzard General Lee]] and [[Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit Bandit]], or slapping on your favorite motor sport team's colors, or competing with the ''Franchise/JamesBond'' cars, or take the cars from ''Need for Speed'' and have them go up against the ones from ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious,'' or ''Toys/HotWheels''... Heck, ''Forza 6'' actually did just that.
* ''VideoGame/WWEVideoGames'' occasionally added "Legend" characters to their rosters but the first straight example of a full "dream match" would probably be ''Legends of [=WrestleMania=]'' in 2009, which had a lineup of classic WWF characters to play as from the company's heydays as well as the ability to import present-day male wrestlers from ''WWE [=SmackDown=] vs. Raw 2009'' (which is what vaults it into this territory), excluding downloadable characters and wrestlers who left at the time of the game’s release. The first game to use this concept as an entirely standalone premise (not requiring the player have a copy of a different game to achieve this) would be ''WWE All Stars'', although it was less of a wrestling game and more of an exaggerated fighting game. Nowadays everything is played straight in the core series (currently known as "''WWE 2K''") where not just legend wrestlers are on the roster but so too are classic venues and classic attires. Even the legends' roster included virtually every character to have been a legend in a previous WWE video game developed by Yuke's and alternate versions of four modern-day stars. The only exceptions were Wrestling/EddieGuerrero (who never joined WWE until after the 1999 cut-off date), Wrestling/GeorgeSteele, Wrestling/HillbillyJim, Wrestling/JerryLawler (who never wrestled at the event until 2011), Wrestling/JimmyHart (who is a manager in the game and rarely wrestled to begin with), Wrestling/{{Kane}} (whose masked persona was a costume of modern-day Kane in ''2009''), Wrestling/MickFoley (who had joined Wrestling/{{TNA}}), Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon (who only barely makes the cut-off), and Wrestling/{{Tazz}} (also debuted after 1999).
* The ''VideoGame/NBA2K'' series has been the mainstay of dream match sports titles, where you can have the 72 Bucks, 96 Bulls, 99 Lakers, 80 Lakers, heck the actual DreamTeam of your choice complete with throwback and old jerseys.
* The various iterations of ''VideoGame/MaddenNFL'' offer these in the form of historical teams, different combinations of "All-Star" teams, and "Legends" teams full of Hall of Famers with hyper-inflated ratings. Whenever the last of these appears, expect it to be coached by [[InkSuitActor John Madden]] himself.
* ''VideoGame/UltimateCustomNight'' is this applied to the ''VideoGame/FiveNightsAtFreddys'' series: almost all of the animatronics from the entire series return, most of which utilize the exact same mechanics as the games they debuted in, plus a few new faces to throw a curveball at even the toughest of ''FNAF'' veterans. It's telling that, in a series which has never had more than a dozen enemies per game, this one has ''[[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters over fifty]]''.

* ''VideoGame/PowerBomberman'' features playable characters from across the franchise's entire history – whether they were originally playable, villains, or [=NPCs=]. This even includes characters from the manga and the two anime series, ''Anime/BombermanBDamanBakugaiden'' and ''Anime/BombermanJetters''.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' brings back every playable character from past installments in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' franchise, alongside a number of new characters (both as part of the base roster and as DLC) for a total of 89 characters. It also boasts the most number of third-party companies loaning out {{Guest Fighter}}s, with Creator/{{Konami}}, Creator/{{Sega}}, Creator/{{Capcom}}, [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai Namco]], Creator/SquareEnix, Creator/{{Atlus}}, [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]] and Creator/{{SNK}} all having a character or two present in the roster. It is perhaps because of these outside combatants, one of which required some good long talks with Creator/{{Disney}}, that director Creator/MasahiroSakurai has stated that ''Ultimate'' will probably be the only entry in the series that does this.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' brings back every playable character from past installments in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' franchise, alongside a number of new characters (both as part of the base roster and as DLC) for a total of 89 characters. It also boasts the most number of third party companies loaning out {{Guest Fighter}}s, with Creator/{{Konami}}, Creator/{{Sega}}, Creator/{{Capcom}}, [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai Namco]], Creator/SquareEnix, Creator/{{Atlus}}, [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]] and Creator/{{SNK}} all having a character or two present in the roster. It is perhaps because of these GuestFighters, one of which included some good long talks with Creator/{{Disney}}, that director Creator/MasahiroSakurai has stated that ''Ultimate'' will probably be the only entry in the series that does this.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' brings back ''every'' playable character from past installments in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' franchise, alongside a number of new characters (both as part of the base roster and as DLC) for a total of 80+ characters. It also boasts the most number of third party companies loaning out {{Guest Fighter}}s, with Creator/{{Konami}}, Creator/{{Sega}}, Creator/{{Capcom}}, [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Bandai Namco]], Creator/SquareEnix, Creator/{{Atlus}}, [[Creator/XboxGameStudios Microsoft]] and Creator/{{SNK}} currently having some form of representation in the roster alone. Unfortunately, Creator/MasahiroSakurai has stated that ''Ultimate'' will probably be the only entry in the series that does this, because it was only possible due to very specific circumstances. However, given how Sakurai's [[FlipFlopOfGod gone back on many things he had said previously to be difficult]] (such as making movesets for VideoGame/PacMan and [[VideoGame/AnimalCrossing Villager]], and descaling [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Ridley]] while keeping him in a form true to his original appearances), only time will tell if Sakurai decides to top himself once again.

* ''VideoGame/GuiltyGear'' is a franchise rather infamous where if a character gets killed off or otherwise written out of the story, they will not return in future rosters. ''Guilty Gear XX'' actually bucked this trend with Kliff and Justice, two characters that got killed off in the story of the original game and left out of the ''X'' roster got to return here. Their story modes even focused on events before their canon deaths. Originally they were secret characters but later revisions of the game added them to the base roster proper. Later revisions also added in A.B.A., a character from one of the Spin-off titles.

[[folder: Other Video Games]]

* ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'', [[Creator/Koei Tecmo Koei's]] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover between ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors''. [[ExcusePlot Yes, there is a plot, but it is really nothing more than a means to bring together a greater portion of both series' stables]], even though they exist about '''[[AnachronismStew a millennium apart]]'''. ''Warriors Orochi 3'' ups the ante with {{Guest Fighter}}s. And coincidentally for this trope's origins, including fighting game characters such as [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Sophitia]], and Kasumi plus a handful of other ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' characters.

[[folder:Other Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'', [[Creator/KoeiTecmo Koei's]] MassiveMultiplayerCrossover between ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors''. [[ExcusePlot Yes, there is a plot, but it is really nothing more than a means to bring together a greater portion of both series' stables]], even though they exist about '''[[AnachronismStew a millennium apart]]'''. ''Warriors Orochi 3'' ups the ante with {{Guest Fighter}}s. And coincidentally for this trope's origins, including fighting game characters such as [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Sophitia]], and Kasumi plus a handful of other ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' characters.

* ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'' brings together a large number of characters from [[Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure the 25-year-long manga of the same name]] (in fact, it was created for the 25th anniversary of the series) for battles of grand proportions. Possibly a subversion, since the Story Mode actually segregates characters by their part of origin. [[spoiler:DoubleSubversion with the ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureJoJolion JoJolion]]'' Story Mode; since that part was still running at the time of ''All-Star Battle''[='s=] release, its plot revolves around [[FanNickname Gappy]] running into each of the previous main characters as he investigates the Wall Eyes.]]

* ''VideoGame/PowerBomberman'' features playable characters from across the franchise's entire history – whether they were originally playable, villains, or [=NPCs=]. This even includes characters from the manga and the two anime series, ''Anime/BombermanBDamanBakugaiden'' and ''Anime/BombermanJetters''.

* ''VideoGame/PowerBomberman'' features playable characters from across the entire franchise's history – whether they were originally playable, villains, or [=NPCs=]. This even includes characters from the manga and the two anime series, ''Anime/BombermanBDamanBakugaiden'' and ''Anime/BombermanJetters''.

* As of 2019, with ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' having a lot of Crossover Collaborations, we can have a match forming with Film/JohnWick, Franchise/{{Batman}}, [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse the Avengers]] and [[Franchise/StarWars the Jedi]] to pit against [[ComicBook/{{Thanos}} Thanos]], the Black Order and the Stormtroopers altogether, with more additions to be added in the future.

** [[TropeNamers Named for]] ''[[VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters The King of Fighters '98: The Slugfest]]'' (more specifically, its Japanese subtitle, ''Dream Match Never Ends''). The fifth title in a series that up until 2003 ''had a new game released each year'', this ''KOF'' was touted as a "special edition" of sorts. The game did not feature a storyline that year, as the {{Orochi}} [[StoryArc Saga]] ended the previous year (for the record, the number of casualties had amounted to 8 by this time). Instead, Creator/{{SNK}} took the time to include (nearly) every character from the previous games, notably SNKBoss ''[[TropeCodifier par excellence]]'' ([[OneWingedAngel Omega]]) Rugal (who died via SuperpowerMeltdown back in ''[='95=]''), the [[CoolOldGuy Oyaji Team]] ([[ColonelBadass Heidern]], [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Takuma Sakazaki]], and [[RetiredBadass Saisyu Kusanagi]], who all also last made a playable appearance in ''[='95=]''), [[DarkActionGirl Mature and Vice]] (Iori Yagami's [[LovelyAngels team]][[EvilDuo mates]] from ''[='96=]'' who he accidentally killed at the end of the game), the [[PowerTrio New Faces]]/Orochi Team ([[UndyingLoyalty who died resurrecting]] Orochi the previous year), and the [[ButtMonkey American Sports Team]], who [[PutOnABus hadn't been seen since their]] ''[='94=]'' debut. With its well-balanced, refined gameplay, many video game publications are quick to note this edition as the best entry in the series. [[VindicatedByHistory To this day]], ''[='98=]'' is still fairly popular in TournamentPlay.

** ''[[VideoGame/FatalFury Fatal Fury Special]]'' and the later entries of the ''Real Bout'' subseries (''Special'' and ''2''; the first ''Real Bout'' was actually canon, culminating with the death of [[BigBad Geese Howard]]) brought back the majority of the series' cast. ''Special'' also included [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Ryo Sakazaki]] as a BonusBoss, which jumpstarted the idea for the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover that was the aforementioned ''KOF''. ''Real Bout Special'', in particular, was infamous for introducing gamers to [[OneWingedAngel Nightmare Geese]], a nightmare of both the [[YourMindMakesItReal literal]] and [[SNKBoss figurative]] variety. The next ([[{{Vaporware}} and currently final]]) title (''[[BroadStrokes Wild Ambition]]'' notwithstanding), ''VideoGame/GarouMarkOfTheWolves'', picks up [[TimeSkip 10 years]] after ''RBFF''.

*** ''Samurai Shodown VI'' took it [[UpToEleven even further]]. All of the cast of ''V Special'' returned, with the addition of seven characters from the first two games that didn't reappear in later incarnations of the series (Gen-an Shiranui, Cham Cham, Earthquake, Nicotine Caffeine, Neinhalt Sieger, Wan-Fu and Kuroko), the two removed sub-bosses from ''V'', and four new fighters (most notably the NinjaMaid Iroha, who became ''[[EnsembleDarkhorse very popular]]'' despite only being a OneShotCharacter). There were also several other {{Joke Character}}s in the same vein as Poppy, and a number of alternate character versions (notably Kim Ung Che). The game is set in an unknown year in a [[AlternateContinuity parallel timeline based upon the previous entries]], and the game's producer even called it a "festival game." The title also introduced a gameplay mechanic called the "spirit select" system, which allowed players to choose between six different fighting styles based on all previous installments similar to the Grooves from ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium Capcom vs. SNK 2]]''.

** ''[[VideoGame/{{Tekken}} Tekken Tag Tournament]]'', a game made during the transition from ''Tekken 3'' to ''Tekken 4'', boasted 39 characters (the highest in the series before the release of ''Tekken 6''), many of whom were missing from the third game. Kazuya Mishima, the most heavily promoted character of the game, was highly popular with the fans despite his absence after ''2''; [[SavedByTheFans this status allowed the story to work around his presumed death]] and have Kaz [[TheBusCameBack make a triumphant return]] in ''Tekken 4''. As more of a compilation of the last three games, ''TTT'' was non-canon (although there is the case of [[OriginalGeneration Unknown]], [[EpilepticTrees thought to be a demon-possessed Jun Kazama]] [[note]]according to WordOfGod, she was meant to be Jun's sister, although this was dropped when the game became a SpinOff[[/note]]) and noted for its fun factor: new moves were added to every character, you could mix and match several of your faves, and [[SidetrackedByTheGoldenSaucer Tekken Bowl Mode was a blast]]. In a case of WhatCouldHaveBeen, ''TTT'' was originally supposed to be a true sequel to ''Tekken 3'', before being changed in development.
** Following the release of ''Tekken 6'', next came ''Tekken Tag Tournament 2''. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse Remember a certain someone named Jun Kazama?]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieWp4FvXxk8 Yeah, she's back. (Again.)]] Also coming back was True Ogre and Jinpachi Mishima, the final bosses of the third and fifth games, respectively, while Julia Chang took on the alternate persona of Jaycee. The console version brought back even more characters in the form of [[DownloadableContent DLC]], among them Kunimitsu, Michelle Chang, Angel, and Ancient Ogre (Ogre's base form from ''T3''). Alex (Roger's palette swap in ''2'' and ''TTT''), Prototype Jack, Tiger Jackson (Eddy's original palette swap), and Forest Law (who substituted for Marshall in the third game) were also brought back, while Combot, Lee's fighting robot from ''4'', became a customizable character. A later update added Sebastian (Lili's butler who employs a variant of Lili's moveset), Miharu (Xiaoyu's gal pal, playable only once before as a PaletteSwap of Xiaoyu in ''4''), Violet (Lee's CharlieBrownFromOuttaTown stint in ''4''), Dr. Bosconovich (returning as a playable fighter from the console version of ''3'' with a revamped moveset), Slim Bob (from his ending in ''6'', representing how Bob looked before he gained weight), and Unknown (who was previously a mimic fighter in ''TTT'' and an unplayable boss in ''[=TTT2=]'').
*** ''[=TTT2=]'' presents a rare case of a non-canonical game that could possibly influence future main entries in the series, with the several {{Sequel Hook}}s running rampant, ranging from Heihachi's regenerative serum to [[spoiler:Jun and Unknown being one in the same]] to [[spoiler:Leo's mother Emma being Steve's caretaker/maternal figure, as well as a supervisor for the Mishima Zaibatsu's Devil Gene program]]. So far, that last one has been revisted in [[spoiler:Steve]]'s ''VideoGame/Tekken7'' Character Episode.
* [[CapcomSequelStagnation In a very strict sense]], there's ''Vampire Hunter 2'' and ''Vampire Savior 2'', [[UpdatedRerelease upgraded/alternate]] versions of the second and third ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' games that had little more than aesthetic changes to the roster, the more definitive versions including everyone. However, ''Vampire Savior'''s port to the [=PS2=] as part of ''Vampire: Darkstalkers Collection'' introduced Dee, Donovan's SuperpoweredEvilSide (as evidenced by his DownerEnding in the second game) which looks like [[PaletteSwap Donovan's head placed on Demitri's body]]. His story (where he encounters an older version of Anita, the very girl he lost himself to darkness to protect) brings up the theory that there's some sort of [[AlternateUniverse timeline split]] after ''Night Warriors: Darkstalkers' Revenge/Vampire Hunter''.

* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment'' does this for the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series, where [[OriginalGeneration newcomer Aeon]] brings several heroes ([[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI Simon Belmont]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse Trevor Belmont, Grant Danasty, Sypha Belnades, Alucard]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaRondoOfBlood Maria Renard]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines Eric Lecarde]], [[VideoGame/{{Castlevania|64}} Cornell]], and [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia Shanoa]]) and even a few villains ([[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI Dracula, Death]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest Carmilla]], and [[WhatMeasureIsAMook Golem]]) into [[PlaceBeyondTime the Time Rift]] so he can [[EnemyMine unite them]] in an attempt to stop an usurping by [[TheStarscream Galamoth]] (of ''VideoGame/KidDracula'' and ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight SotN]]'' fame). It's unknown exactly how much leverage ''Judgment'' has on the rest of the series; [[TimeyWimeyBall several characters have been pulled from times before, during, or after their quests]] (leading to more than a few HaveWeMetYet moments, particularly among the ''[=CV3=]'' cast), and many endings hint at plot points introduced in later games.

* The ''VideoGame/GundamVsSeries'' from ''Gundam vs. Gundam'' and onward no longer restricts their roster and plot any single ''Gundam'' series, preferring to include the most memorable characters and Mobile Suits, and pit them against each other in a battle royale.

** Played straight in the sequel ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureEyesOfHeaven'', though. The story involves the characters traveling though time and universe between parts and meeting/fighting each other.
* ''VideoGame/BodyBlows'': In this more obscure series that was made for UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}}-brand computers, ''Ultimate Body Blows'' (the third and final installment) had all the characters from the prior games in a single roster. Considering that ''Ultimate Body Blows'' came out in 1994 (four years before the TropeCodifier), it may be [[OlderThanTheyThink the earliest instance of this trope]].

* ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'', Koei's MassiveMultiplayerCrossover between ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors''. [[ExcusePlot Yes, there is a plot, but it is really nothing more than a means to bring together a greater portion of both series' stables]], even though they exist about '''[[AnachronismStew a millennium apart]]'''. ''Warriors Orochi 3'' ups the ante with {{Guest Fighter}}s. And coincidentally for this trope's origins, including fighting game characters such as [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Sophitia]], and Kasumi plus a handful of other ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'' characters.

* ''VideoGame/HyruleWarriors'', which does this with ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''. The scope of series representation here, however, was initially more limited compared to other ''Warriors'' games: outside of the recurring Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, and Impa (all of whom [[CompositeCharacter incorporate traits from various previous incarnations]]), only characters from ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' (Sheik, Darunia, Ruto), ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' (Midna [[note]]with her true form as DLC[[/note]], [[UnexpectedCharacter Agitha]], Zant), and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'' (Fi, Ghirahim) were present, with the rest of the cast filled by OriginalGeneration characters. A later DLC pack and the 3DS port, ''Hyrule Warriors Legends'', rectified some of this with seven additional faces ([[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Tingle, Young Link, Skull Kid]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Tetra, King Daphnes, and Toon Link]], plus a DistaffCounterpart of Link's named Linkle who is vaguely inspired by his ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'' and ''VideoGame/LinksCrossbowTraining'' self)--eight if [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Epo]][[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess na]] is counted. Another wave of DLC would add [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker Medli]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening Marin]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Toon Zelda]], [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkBetweenWorlds Ravio, and Yuga]], all but one coming from the handheld titles of the franchise.
* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaHarmonyOfDespair'' is this trope applied to the series' usual {{Metroidvania}} shtick. The playable characters are Alucard, [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Soma Cruz]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaPortraitOfRuin Jonathan Morris, Charlotte Aulin]], and Shanoa, with [[DownloadableContent DLC]] in the form of Julius Belmont, [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Yoko Belnades]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaRondoOfBlood Richter Belmont]], Maria Renard, ''[[{{Retraux}} 8-bit]]'' Simon Belmont, and [[VideoGame/GetsuFumaDen Getsu Fuma]]. In other words, you have characters from 1476, 1691, 1792, the early 1800s, 1944, and 2035/2036, as well as Alucard (effectively immortal, but theorized to have been born in the 13th, 14th, or early 15th century), all interacting with one another. Bizarrely {{justified|Trope}} in that the events of the game take place within a cursed book called the Grimoire, where both Castlevania and the various heroes and villains across time have come to life.

** ''Samurai Shodown VI'' took it [[UpToEleven even further]]. All of the cast of ''V Special'' returned, with the addition of seven characters from the first two games that didn't reappear in later incarnations of the series (Gen-an Shiranui, Cham Cham, Earthquake, Nicotine Caffeine, Neinhalt Sieger, Wan-Fu and Kuroko), the two removed sub-bosses from ''V'', and four new fighters (most notably the NinjaMaid Iroha, who became ''[[EnsembleDarkhorse very popular]]'' despite only being a OneShotCharacter). There were also several other {{Joke Character}}s in the same vein as Poppy, and a number of alternate character versions (notably Kim Ung Che). The game is set in an unknown year in a [[AlternateContinuity parallel timeline based upon the previous entries]], and the game's producer even called it a "festival game." The title also introduced a gameplay mechanic called the "spirit select" system, which allowed players to choose between six different fighting styles based on all previous installments similar to the Grooves from ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium Capcom vs. SNK 2]]''.

** ''Samurai Shodown VI''. All of the cast of ''V Special'' returned, as well as seven characters from the first two games that didn't reappear in later incarnations of the series (Genan Shiranui, Cham Cham, Earthquake, Nicotine Caffeine, Neinhalt Sieger, Wan-fu, and Kuroko), the two removed sub-bosses from ''V'', and four new fighters (most notably the NinjaMaid Iroha, who became ''[[EnsembleDarkhorse very popular]]'' despite only being a OneShotCharacter). There were also several other JokeCharacters in the same vein as Poppy, and a number of alternate character versions (notably Kim-Ung-Chee). The game is set in an unknown year in a [[AlternateContinuity parallel timeline based upon the previous entries]], and the game's producer even called it a "festival game." The title also introduced a gameplay mechanic called the "spirit select" system, which allowed players to choose between six different fighting styles based on all previous installments similar to the Grooves from ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium Capcom vs. SNK 2]]''.

* ''VideoGame/{{MUGEN}}'', naturally. By default, we must stress, as the very nature of the game engine and a ''very'' dedicated sprite/modding community often [[UpToEleven scales up]] the crossover elements from "simply" [[MassivelyMultiplayerCrossover nearly every (2D) fighting game in existence]] to [[MegaCrossover an outright]] UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny.

* ''VideoGame/WWEVideoGames'' occasionally added "Legend" characters to their rosters but the first straight example of a full "dream match" would probably be ''Legends of [=WrestleMania=]'' in 2009, which had a lineup of classic WWF characters to play as from the company's heydays as well as the ability to import present-day male wrestlers from ''WWE [=SmackDown=] vs. Raw 2009'' (which is what vaults it into this territory), excluding downloadable characters and wrestlers who left at the time of the game’s release. The first game to use this concept as an entirely standalone premise (not requiring the player have a copy of a different game to achieve this) would be ''WWE All Stars'', although it was less of a wrestling game and more of an exaggerated fighting game. Nowadays everything is played straight in the core series (currently known as "''WWE 2K''") where not just legend wrestlers are on the roster but so too are classic venues and classic attires.

* ''VideoGame/WWEVideoGames'' occasionally added "Legend" characters to their rosters but the first straight example of a full "dream match" would probably be ''Legends of [=WrestleMania=]'' in 2009, which had a lineup of classic WWF characters to play as from the company's heydays as well as the ability to import present-day wrestlers from ''WWE [=SmackDown=] vs. Raw 2009'' (which is what vaults it into this territory). The first game to use this concept as an entirely standalone premise (not requiring the player have a copy of a different game to achieve this) would be ''WWE All Stars'', although it was less of a wrestling game and more of an exaggerated fighting game. Nowadays everything is played straight in the core series (currently known as "''WWE 2K''") where not just legend wrestlers are on the roster but so too are classic venues and classic attires.

** Following the release of ''Tekken 6'', next came ''Tekken Tag Tournament 2''. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse Remember a certain someone named Jun Kazama?]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieWp4FvXxk8 Yeah, she's back. (Again.)]] The console version brought back even more characters in the form of [[DownloadableContent DLC]], among them Kunimitsu, Michelle Chang, Angel, and Ancient Ogre (Ogre's base form from ''T3''). Alex, Prototype Jack, Tiger Jackson, and Forest Law were also brought back. A later update added Sebastian (Lili's butler who employs a variant of Lili's moveset), Miharu (Xiaoyu's gal pal, playable only once before as a PaletteSwap of Xiaoyu in ''4''), Violet (Lee's CharlieBrownFromOuttaTown stint in ''4''), Dr. Bosconovich (returning as a playable fighter from ''3'' with a revamped moveset), Slim Bob (from his ending in ''6'', representing how Bob looked before he gained weight), and Unknown (who was previously an unplayable boss in ''TTT'' and ''[=TTT2=]'').

** ''Samurai Shodown VI''. All of the cast of ''V Special'' returned, as well as seven characters from the first two games that didn't reappear in later incarnations of the series (Genan Shiranui, Cham Cham, Earthquake, Nicotine Caffeine, Neinhalt Sieger, Wan-fu, and Kuroko) and four new fighters (most notably the NinjaMaid Iroha, who became ''[[EnsembleDarkhorse very popular]]'' despite only being a OneShotCharacter). The game is set in an unknown year in a [[AlternateContinuity parallel timeline based upon the previous entries]], and the game's producer even called it a "festival game." The title also introduced a gameplay mechanic called the "spirit select" system, which allowed players to choose between six different fighting styles based on all previous installments similar to the Grooves from ''[[VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium Capcom vs. SNK 2]]''.

* As of 2019, with ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' having a lot of Crossover Collaborations, we can have a match forming with Film/JohnWick, Franchise/{{Batman}}, [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse the Avengers]] and [[Franchise/StarWars the Jedi]] to pit against [[ComicBook/{{Thanos}} Tha]][[Characters/MCUThanos nos]], the Black Order and the Stormtroopers altogether, with more additions to be added in the future.

** ''[[VideoGame/FatalFury Fatal Fury Special]]'' and the later entries of the ''Real Bout'' subseries (''Special'' and ''2''; the first ''Real Bout'' was actually canon, culminating with the death of [[BigBad Geese Howard]]) brought back the majority of the series' cast. ''Special'' also included [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Ryo Sakazaki]] as a BonusBoss, which jumpstarted the idea for the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover that was the aforementioned ''KOF''. ''Real Bout Special'', in particular, was infamous for introducing gamers to [[OneWingedAngel Nightmare Geese]], a nightmare of both the [[YourMindMakesItReal literal]] and [[SNKBoss figurative]] variety. The next ([[{{Vaporware}} and currently final]]) title (''[[BroadStrokes Wild Ambition]]'' notwithstanding), ''Garou: Mark of the Wolves'', picks up [[TimeSkip 10 years]] after ''RBFF''.

* ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom2 Marvel vs. Capcom 2]]'' featured not only the entire roster from the original ''[[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcomClashOfSuperHeroes Marvel vs. Capcom]]'', but it also features nearly everyone from [[VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom every previous Marvel-licensed fighting game by Capcom]] (''VideoGame/XMenChildrenOfTheAtom'', ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroes'', ''VideoGame/XMenVsStreetFighter'' and ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroesVsStreetFighter'') along with many additional characters (including a few [[OriginalGeneration originals]]) for a 56-man roster, the only absentees being the PaletteSwap {{Secret Character}}s from previous ''Vs.'' games, {{guest fighter}}s [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Anita]] and [[OriginalGeneration Norimaro]], and all of the non-playable assist characters such as [[ComicBook/TheMightyThor Thor]] and [[VideoGame/ForgottenWorlds the Unknown Soldier]], as well as the large bosses Apocalypse and Onslaught; [[VideoGame/MarvelSuperHeroesVsStreetFighter Cyber-Akuma/Mech-Gouki]] was also noticeably absent. Oddly, there are two Wolverines (one representing his playstyle from ''Children of the Atom'' and the other, dubbed "Bone Claw," his original ''Marvel vs. Capcom'' style).

* Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s games occasionally added "Legend" characters to their rosters but the first straight example of a full "dream match" would probably be ''Legends of [=WrestleMania=]'' in 2009, which had a lineup of classic WWF characters to play as from the company's heydays as well as the ability to import present-day wrestlers from ''WWE [=SmackDown=] vs. Raw 2009'' (which is what vaults it into this territory). The first game to use this concept as an entirely standalone premise (not requiring the player have a copy of a different game to achieve this) would be ''WWE All Stars'', although it was less of a wrestling game and more of an exaggerated fighting game. Nowadays everything is played straight in the core series (currently known as "''WWE 2K''") where not just legend wrestlers are on the roster but so too are classic venues and classic attires.

* A non-standard example: ''[[Franchise/{{Onimusha}} Onimusha Blade Warriors]]'', which consists of characters from [[VideoGame/OnimushaWarlords the]] [[VideoGame/Onimusha2SamuraisDestiny first]] [[VideoGame/Onimusha3DemonSiege three]] ''Onimusha'' games (plus {{Guest Fighter}}s [[VideoGame/MegaManZero Zero]] and [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork MegaMan.EXE]]) duking it out. [[{{Interquel}} The game is set months after the second game, and 11 years before]] ''[[{{Interquel}} 3]]''.

* ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' is a car enthusiast's Dream Match Game. Where else does a gearhead get to see the rarest, most ultra-exclusive multimillion-dollar hypercars trade paint and battle for position?
* In ''VideoGame/{{Forza}}'', that's where. What can be better than seeing the rarest, most ultra-exclusive multimillion-dollar hypercars trade paint and battle for position? By making them the [[Series/TheDukesOfHazzard General Lee]] and [[Film/SmokeyAndTheBandit Bandit]], or slapping on your favorite motor sport team's colors, or competing with the ''Franchise/JamesBond'' cars, or take the cars from ''Need for Speed'' and have them go up against the ones from ''Film/TheFastAndTheFurious,'' or ''VideoGame/RidgeRacer''... Heck, ''Forza 6'' actually did just that.

* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaJudgment'' does this for the ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series, where [[OriginalGeneration newcomer Aeon]] brings several heroes ([[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI Simon Belmont]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse Trevor Belmont, Grant Danasty, Sypha Belnades, Alucard]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaRondoOfBlood Maria Renard]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaBloodlines Eric Lecarde]], [[VideoGame/{{Castlevania|64}} Cornell]], and [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaOrderOfEcclesia Shanoa]]) and even a few villains ([[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI Dracula, Death]], [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest Carmilla]], and [[WhatMeasureIsAMook Golem]]) into [[PlaceBeyondTime the Time Rift]] so he can [[EnemyMine unite them]] in an attempt to stop an usurping by [[TheStarscream Galamoth]] (of ''VideoGame/KidDracula'' and ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight SotN]]'' fame). It's unknown exactly how much leverage ''Judgment'' has on the rest of the series; [[TimeyWimeyBall several characters have been pulled from times before, during, or after their quests]], and many endings hint at plot points introduced in later games.

* ''VideoGame/{{MUGEN}}'', naturally. By default, we must stress, as the very nature of the game engine and a ''very'' dedicated sprite/modding community often [[UpToEleven upscales]] a "simple" crossover [[MassivelyMultiplayerCrossover between practically every (2D) fighting game in existence]] to [[MegaCrossover an outright]] UltimateShowdownOfUltimateDestiny.

** All ''Climax Heroes'' games from ''OOO'' onward somewhat qualify, since the roster for each successive game only gets bigger with the addition of newer shows and characters who weren't included in previous iterations. [[note]]The only characters who tend to get removed from the roster are special cases like the hypothetical [[Series/KamenRiderDouble Kamen Rider Double CycloneAccelXtreme]] and Series/KamenRiderOOO in his purple-eyed {{Berserker}} form.[[/note]]

* ''VideoGame/JoJosBizarreAdventureAllStarBattle'' brings together a large number of characters from [[Franchise/JoJosBizarreAdventure the 25-year-long manga of the same name]] (in fact, it was created for the 25th anniversary of the series) for battles of grand proportions. Possibly a subversion, since the Story Mode actually segregates characters by their part of origin. [[spoiler:DoubleSubversion with the ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureJoJolion JoJolion]]'' Story Mode; since that part is still running, its plot revolves around [[FanNickname Gappy]] running into each of the previous main characters as he investigates the Wall Eyes.]]

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' brings back ''every'' playable character from past installments in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' franchise, alongside a number of new characters (both as part of the base roster and as DLC) for a total of 80+ characters. It also boasts the most number of third party companies loaning out {{Guest Fighter}}s, with Konami, Sega, Capcom, Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Atlus, Microsoft and SNK currently having some form of representation in the roster alone. Unfortunately, Creator/MasahiroSakurai has stated that ''Ultimate'' will probably be the only entry in the series that does this, because it was only possible due to very specific circumstances. However, given how Sakurai's [[FlipFlopOfGod gone back on many things he had said previously to be difficult]] (such as making movesets for VideoGame/PacMan and [[VideoGame/AnimalCrossing Villager]], and descaling [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Ridley]] while keeping him in a form true to his original appearances), only time will tell if Sakurai decides to top himself once again.

* ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacingNitroFueled'' is this to the [[VideoGame/CrashTeamRacing original game]] as well as the greater ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' series, as it includes not just the characters, karts and tracks from ''CTR'', but also all the content from ''VideoGame/CrashNitroKart'' and even a few costumes and karts from ''VideoGame/CrashTagTeamRacing'', as well as a few original extras of its own. It also doubles as a MegamixGame.
* As of 2019, with ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' having a lot of Crossover Collaborations, we can have a match forming with John Wick, Batman, the Avengers and the Jedi to pit against Thanos, the Black Order and the Stormtroopers altogether, with more additions to be added in the future.

This can be problematic, especially in [[VideoGameLongRunners long-running franchises]], for {{fan|dom}}s. In fighting games, a good deal of a series' identity comes from the [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters cast]], as well as their [[TellMeHowYouFight fighting styles]]. Maybe there is a FinalBoss who is so [[EvilIsCool undeniably cool]] that they gained an extremely loyal fanbase and merit a [[PromotedToPlayable playable spot on the roster]]. Maybe there is a really badass side character [[EnsembleDarkhorse who has become an overnight hit with the fandom]]. Or maybe there is just a particular character that fans [[PerverseSexualLust find really attractive]]. Either way, their exclusion may prove to be [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks an unwise decision]].

Usually, a Dream Match Game has no bearing on the main plotline of its series, as [[CanonDiscontinuity the next proper installment will disregard this one to pick up from where the preceding iteration left off]]. Despite this, it will still contain many [[ContinuityNod nods to the series' mythos]]. {{Nostalgia Level}}s tend to pop up quite frequently in games like these, [[RemixedLevel albeit sometimes in a new form]]. A Dream Match Game itself may have an ExcusePlot, sometimes, but not too often, turning out to be a byproduct of one of the characters' [[AllJustADream dreams]] or [[DaydreamSurprise imagination]]. It may also be used as an opportunity for various [[AlternateUniverse What If?]] plots and to explore [[ForWantOfANail different paths]] the main story could have taken if characters had made different decisions.

** Its UpdatedRerelease, ''[='98=]: Ultimate Match'', took things a step further. Not only did ''UM'' include all of the characters from the original game, but it added in the few characters left out: [[BlowYouAway Goenitz]] and [[PhysicalGod Orochi]] (the bosses of ''[='96=]'' and ''[='97=]'', respectively), [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Eiji Kisaragi]] from ''[='95=]'', [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Kasumi Todoh]] from ''[='96=]'', the entire ''[='96=]'' [[MiniBoss Boss Team]] ([[EnsembleDarkhorse most of all]], [[VideoGame/FatalFury Geese Howard]]; alongside him were [[VideoGame/FatalFury Wolfgang Krauser]] and [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Mr.Big]]), [[SuperpoweredEvilSide Orochi Iori and Orochi Leona]], as well as various EX versions of pre-existing characters. While not as critically acclaimed as its original version (since it ''is'' just ''[='98=]'' with a shiny new paint job), ''Ultimate Match'' is still seen as a very technical, very fun game to play.
** ''The King of Fighters 2002'' discarded the "[[AssistCharacter Striker]]" system found in the previous three games, [[AuthorsSavingThrow returning to its roots]] as a 3-on-3, "last man standing" affair. In addition, its gameplay mechanics were revamped to more closely resemble ''[='98=]''. While many of the characters found in-game came from the current arc, older characters such as the New Faces Team, ''[=97=]'' [[VideoGame/FatalFury Special Team]] (an {{odd|Friendship}} [[PowerTrio trio]] consisting of [[SimpleStaff Billy Kane]], [[TokenGoodTeammate "Blue" Mary Ryan]], and [[AxCrazy Ryuji Yamazaki]]), Mature, and Vice made a reappearance. Omega Rugal ([[TheOtherDarrin now voiced by]] Creator/NorioWakamoto) even reared his ugly face as the FinalBoss. The home ports added [[HeroWorshipper Shingo]], [[VideoGame/ArtOfFighting Ki]][[KickChick ng]], Geese, Goenitz, and Orochi Iori (the latter three only present in the [=PS2=] and Xbox ports and being taken from the technically earlier-released ''[[VideoGame/SNKVsCapcomSVCChaos SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos]]''). Although a snazzy tagline ("Be the fighter!") and retooled gameplay didn't earn ''2002'' the same praise as ''[='98=]'', it does have its fair share of supporters and is seen as one of the series' more notable entries. Not bad considering this was released [[DorkAge during the interim that SNK had to pair up with Aruze/Eolith due to their bankruptcy.]] [[note]]It should be noted that the one "new" character from ''2002'' (Kusanagi, an evil doppelgänger of series protagonist Kyo Kusanagi) [[CanonImmigrant would be adapted into the next canonical entry]] (although his backstory was retconned from being one of NESTS's [[CloningBlues guinea pigs]] to a creation of Chizuru Kagura's [[MagicMirror Yata-no-Kagami]]).[[/note]]

** Its ''proper'' UpdatedRerelease, ''2002: Unlimited Match'', decided to [[UpToEleven go for the gusto]]. If a character was fully playable in ''[='99=]'', ''2000'', or ''2001'' (this even includes the ''alternate movesets'' of certain fighters), but missed the cut for the original ''2002'', you can bet your ass that they made it in for this game. Also, [[Manga/{{Akira}} Tetsuo]] CaptainErsatz K9999 [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute was replaced by Nameless]], a more balanced character with a [[TheWoobie tragic backstory]] who has been better received by the fans than his predecessor. The end result? A whopping total of ''[[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters 66]]'' playable characters, quite possibly the ''largest'' in 2D fighting game history. (Not counting the bosses, EX characters, or other characters that were outright banned takes it down to a much lower 52, but that's still a HUGE number in its own right, and the additional EX characters don't hurt.)

** ''Tekken Tag Tournament 2'': [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse Remember a certain someone named Jun Kazama?]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieWp4FvXxk8 Yeah, she's back. (Again.)]] The console version brought back even more characters in the form of [[DownloadableContent DLC]], among them Kunimitsu, Michelle Chang, Angel, and Ancient Ogre (Ogre's base form from ''T3''). Alex, Prototype Jack, Tiger Jackson, and Forest Law were also brought back. A later update added Sebastian (Lili's butler who employs a variant of Lili's moveset), Miharu (Xiaoyu's gal pal, playable only once before as a PaletteSwap of Xiaoyu in ''4''), Violet (Lee's CharlieBrownFromOuttaTown stint in ''4''), Dr. Bosconovich (returning as a playable fighter from ''3'' with a revamped moveset), Slim!Bob (from his ending in ''6'', representing how Bob looked before he gained weight), and Unknown (who was previously an unplayable boss in ''TTT'' and ''[=TTT2=]'').
*** ''[=TTT2=]'' presents a rare case of a non-canonical game that could possibly influence future main entries in the series, with the several {{Sequel Hook}}s running rampant, ranging from Heihachi's regenerative serum to [[spoiler:Jun and Unknown being one in the same]] to [[spoiler:Leo's mother Emma being Steve's caretaker/maternal figure, as well as a supervisor for the Mishima Zaibatsu's Devil Gene program]]. So far, that last one has been revisted in [[spoiler:Steve]]'s ''Tekken 7'' Character Episode.

** More or less, ''Franchise/MortalKombat Trilogy''. It follows the same basic story of (''[[UpdatedRerelease Ultimate]]'') ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat3 MK3]]'', but contains all of the characters present in the previous games. You can even pick retro versions of Raiden, Kano, Jax, and Kung Lao.

* A non-standard example: ''VideoGame/OnimushaBladeWarriors'', which consists of characters from the first three games (plus {{Guest Fighter}}s [[VideoGame/MegaManZero Zero]] and [[VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork MegaMan.EXE]]) duking it out. [[{{Interquel}} The game is set months after the second game, and 11 years before]] ''[[{{Interquel}} 3]]''.
* ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' can be boiled down into a simple formula: bring back all the [[EvilIsCool dead-but-awesome bad guys]] and all the [[TheHero main characters]], [[ExcusePlot give some kind of plot about them all being pulled from their respective universes by either an evil god or a not-so-evil goddess]], [[RuleOfCool and make a fighting game]].

** ''Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition'' is a [=15th anniversary=] revision of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' that was released for the arcades, [=PlayStation 2=], and Xbox in 2003 (almost a decade after ''Super Street Fighter II Turbo''). It allows players to use the character roster from any of the [[CapcomSequelStagnation five previous]] ''Street Fighter II'' installments (''The World Warrior'', ''Champion Edition'', ''Hyper Fighting'', ''New Challengers'' and ''Super Turbo'') and duke it out.

* ''VideoGame/{{MUGEN}}'', naturally.

* ''VideoGame/BodyBlows'': In this more obscure series that was made for UsefulNotes/{{Amiga}} brand computers, Ultimate Body Blows (the third and final installment) had all the characters from the prior games on a single roster. Considering that Ultimate Body Blows came out in 1994 (four years before the TropeCodifier), it may be [[OlderThanTheyThink the earliest instance of this trope]].
* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' brings back ''every'' playable character from past installments in the ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' franchise, alongside a number of new characters (both as part of the base roster and as DLC) for a total of 80+ characters. It also boasts the most number of third party companies loaning out {{Guest Fighter}}s, with Konami, Sega, Capcom, Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Atlus, Microsoft and SNK having some form of representation in the roster alone. Unfortunately, Creator/MasahiroSakurai has stated that ''Ultimate'' will probably be the only entry in the series that does this, because it was only possible due to very specific circumstances. However, given how Sakurai's [[FlipFlopOfGod gone back on many things he had said previously to be difficult]] (such as making movesets for VideoGame/PacMan and [[VideoGame/AnimalCrossing Villager]], and descaling [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Ridley]] while keeping him in a form true to his original appearances), only time will tell if Sakurai decides to top himself once again.