FUNKO Pops are unavoidable in 2024, with just about every character from every franchise under the sun being turned into a large-headed, blank-eyed vinyl figure.
The figures are ubiquitous and surprisingly popular, and you’ll see dozens of them walking into any GAME, Tesco, Asda — or just about any shop ever.
It’s no surprise, then, that somebody out there decided it would be a good idea to turn the biggest pop culture movement in recent history into a video game.
The result is Funko Fusion, an action-adventure crossover video game that brings Funko Pops from a wide range of franchises into one place.
We got to see some in-development gameplay of Funko Fusion straight from the developer of the game itself, and we’ve come away with mixed feelings.
Funko Fusion was developed by 10:10 Games, a new studio formed by industry veterans who used to work at TT Games, specifically on Lego Dimensions.
This means the team has plenty of experience making games that feature a wide range of characters from different IPs.
Indeed, anyone who’s played Lego Dimensions will see a lot of DNA from that game present in Funko Fusion.
The game has over 20 IPs attached to it, including Jurassic World, Masters of the Universe, Jaws, Xena, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and many more.
Many of these IPs have their own specific world, where players will be able to explore and experience a unique story based on the IP they’re based on.
Jurassic World, for example, lets players explore the dinosaur park on Isla Nublar, where dinosaurs will escape and wreak havoc that the player has to fix.
Masters of the Universe has you starting in Castle Grayskull and moving through that world, fighting off familiar foes in the process, while Jaws will see players investigating shark attacks.
There’s clearly a lot of love given to each of the franchises on display here, and it’s obvious that 10:10 Games has a great deal of passion for them.
The gameplay itself seems somewhat basic, though not more or less basic than similar games of this style.
Players will be able to switch to a host of different characters from a range of IP, many of whom are unlocked while playing through the characters’ respective worlds.
The main aim of the game seems to be exploring and discovering, but there is combat too, and at this stage it seems a bit dull.
Most characters will be fighting their way through enemies using guns, even characters that seem like they should probably be using something a little more appropriate, like a sword.
Prince Adam from Masters of the Universe, for example, uses a gun for the most part, although he can transform into He-Man and swing a sword about.
It’s hard to tell if this is how the game is set up, or if we were just shown parts of the game and characters that focus on gunplay, but it seems like it’s the former.
In the Masters of the Universe level we saw the player fire their weapon at far-off crystals, and it doesn’t seem like you’d be able to do that if playing with a sword-wielding character.
Another concern is the lack of single-console multiplayer, as Funko Fusion exclusively features online multiplayer with multiple consoles.
At launch, there won’t be cross-platform play, either, so if you wanted to play with a friend online, you’d have to make sure they’re playing on the same platform as you.
That said, the game does look quite nice, and given it’s running on Unreal Engine 5 and making the most of that engine, it’s not surprising.
The world looks suitable for vinyl figures, with character textures in particular looking the part with just the right amount of sheen.
Your tolerance for the similar-looking designs of the Funko Pop characters will vary, though — I don’t personally like it all that much, but there are plenty who do, and for those people this won’t be an issue.
Funko Fusion has all the hallmarks of a family-friendly action adventure game, with franchises appealing to both young and old and plenty to explore.
At this early stage it’s hard to tell if the game will reach the heights and cultural penetration of the figures it’s based on, but based on what we’ve seen, it’s bound to be popular.
Funko Fusion is set to be released on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on September 13, 2024.
If you want to read more about upcoming games, check out our article on the Future Games Show that featured over 50 games.
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