Fortnite’s long-rumored South Park collaboration has finally been revealed, and surprisingly, it’s a natural fit for Epic Games’ ever-expanding and chaotic universe. The crossover brought Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s iconic adult cartoon into Fortnite’s vibrant firefights, transforming the Colorado boys into battle-hardened warriors with their makeshift mechs ready to snag that Victory Royale.
That said, one glaring omission keeps the crossover from feeling complete: the boys’ ninja costumes.
In South Park’s Season 8 “Good Times with Weapons” episode, the boys are LARP-ing as ninjas after purchasing East Asian weapons from a local vendor. It essentially transformed their traditional character sprites into something akin to an anime-style aesthetic. This was one of the rare episodes where Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny turn into completely different versions of themselves.
It was hailed as one of the best South Park episodes thanks to its satirical take on Japanese media. With its over-the-top dialogue, exaggerated fight scenes, and a dedicated anime theme song, it was as silly as it could be.
READ: Everything You Need To Know About The Fortnite x South Park Collaboration
Fortnite’s Version of the South Park Characters
Unlike their Ninja counterparts in the “Good Times with Weapons” episode, Fortnite’s version of the boys are clever renditions of their existing characters with mech suits attached to their small bodies. This was likely a challenge for Epic Games, as the little rigs for Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny are too unrealistic for a shooter like Fortnite. Putting their kid-sized bodies in a fast-paced shooter would cause concerns among the community, especially with its tricky hurtboxes and potential exploits.
The mecha versions of the South Park kids (including Butters’ Professor Chaos) really serve their purpose. It’s also a creative way of integrating Easter Eggs without taking away their distinct character designs. Cartman’s Awesom-O costume is his primary mecha form, while Butters dons a cool new cape alongside his signature aluminum helmet. The rest, like Kenny’s kitbashed mech made out of scraps (because he’s poor), is also a nice touch!
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While the mecha versions of themselves look cool, Epic Games could’ve considered putting the boys in their ninja forms. That way, they can still maintain their likeness and turn them into Fortnite’s humanoid character rigs. (Though Cartman’s burly appearance needs some slight tweaking.)
Those who expect to see the South Park kids in a different costume will be disappointed, as only their mecha versions are available. However, that doesn’t mean Epic Games hasn’t given up on adding more variety in future seasons. A possible Wave 2 of their skins could arrive sometime in the future, and maybe this is where we finally see their silly ninja selves. Maybe characters like Randy Marsh or Mr. Garrison will also arrive along with their notorious alter egos.
The South Park crossover is already great, but it could’ve been better by adding its ninja costumes. Similar to Fortnite’s crossover with K-pop Demon Hunters, which notably lacked Fortnite Festival songs like “Golden,” the absence of the ninja outfits in South Park’s Fortnite debut feels like a missed opportunity.
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