The universes are colliding yet again. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, the sequel to 2021’s surprising crossover fighter, is in the pipeline, promising to be bigger, better, and far more exciting.
As game developers Ludosity and Fair Play Labs, along with publisher GameMill Entertainment, gear up to make the game’s release “later this year,” gamers across Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam eagerly anticipate its arrival.
As per IGN, the sequel aims to address several criticisms raised against its predecessor. The first Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl was noted for its premium pricing and a character pool and stage selection that left many fans wanting more. The sequel’s goal is to shatter expectations with revamped graphics, more characters, and stages, along with a horde of new features and improvements.
One significant addition is the single-player campaign that pits players against Danny Phantom’s nemesis, Vlad Plasmius, in his nefarious plot to conquer the Nickelodeon universe. This campaign, coupled with the introduction of the new ultra-powerful moves known as Supers, marks a shift in gameplay mechanics. With strategic use, these Supers can quickly turn a match in a snap.
Other new characters joining the brawl is Spongebob’s perennially frustrated neighbor, Squidward, and boy genius from Retroville, Jimmy Neutron. The original roster boasted familiar faces from popular Nickelodeon shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hey! Arnold, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. With the inclusion of new characters, game developers seek to make the follow-up a much-richer experience.
Fair Play Labs studio director, Diego Rodriguez, reveals that this sequel is more than a cosmetic update. It’s an entirely new game. The team overhauled the movement mechanics, replacing the digital inputs with analog for a smoother and far more responsive experience. Other new introductions include horizontal attacks, defensive rolls, dodges, and a unique meter mechanic that adds depth to the gameplay, modifying attacks, triggering ultimates, boosting damage, and more.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 also promises to deliver more individuality in its character designs. Rodriguez believes this will cater to different types of gameplay, making each character feel unique. As for the Supers, the director’s personal favorite is Zim’s, but he assures fans that all Ultimate attacks are sure to leave them spellbound.
Voice acting is another exciting feature in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2. After a detailed design, animation, and integration process for each character, a script is crafted. The voice over for every character is recorded exclusively for the game, which strives to stay authentic to each character’s unique personality.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 has also taken the solo player experience seriously, with a roguelike structure to its campaign mode. Players progress through a series of battles, preserving some of their progress, such as unlocked characters and currencies, even after a loss.
Finally, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 developers have also been mindful of the feedback regarding the perceived value for cost in the first game. Diego Rodriguez stresses that the team has put significant effort into polishing the experience with improved animations, better sound, a better netcode, more costumes, and more gameplay modes. There is considerable excitement around the forthcoming season pass as well.
Bearing a price tag of $49.99 for the base edition, with Deluxe and Ultimate editions offering more value, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 appears to be committed to delivering a game worthy of its cost.
With the promise of a fresh new take on platform fighting gameplay and a revitalized approach to the brawler genre, fans can look forward to a lot.
Whether it will manage to surpass the first game’s appeal and carve a niche in the crossover brawler space remains to be seen.
One thing is for sure, though – the Nickelodeon universe is ready to brawl again, and it promises to be an adventure.
Speaking of brawlers, Masahiro Sakurai recently expressed his doubt that a Super Smash Bros. will release that won’t need his involvement anytime soon.
