In the battleground of pop-culture-driven platform fighters, where beloved characters duke it out in chaotic and eye-popping arenas, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is emerging as a serious contender.
Developer GameMill has been frenetically announcing new characters for its upcoming sequel, and the game’s recent trailer dropped quite the bombshell – El Tigre is joining the action. Known from the short-lived but fondly remembered 2007 Nickelodeon show, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, this feline superhero brings a unique flavor to the game. The trailer showcases El Tigre’s wrestling prowess, featuring throws that wouldn’t look out of place in the WWE, combined with agile claw slashes that promise to deliver a fast-paced gameplay experience.
This announcement is significant for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the element of surprise. Even among die-hard Nickelodeon fans, few expected the resurrection of El Tigre, a show that had a single 26-episode run before it fell off the radar. The series itself was a trailblazer, as one of the earliest instances of a Nickelodeon animated show using Adobe Flash. The character of Manny Rivera, a 13-year-old boy who grapples with his superheroic destiny, is a product of its time but also ripe for rediscovery. The inclusion of El Tigre, alongside other new characters like Squidward and Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants, Raphael and Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Jimmy Neutron, is a nod to the diverse tapestry of Nickelodeon’s storied animation history.
But beyond merely expanding the roster, El Tigre’s reveal speaks to the developer’s commitment to depth and variety in gameplay mechanics.
Described as a “glass cannon rushdown character” with “some of the fastest attacks in the game,” El Tigre is crafted as a high-risk, high-reward combatant. His excellent mobility allows players to execute short-range, combo-able attacks or to bridge distances with his extendable arms. His design aims to appeal to players who relish flashy combos and doing them at a breakneck speed. It’s an approach that underscores the broader ambitions of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 to elevate its platform fighting mechanics.
Adding to the intrigue is the way El Tigre’s inclusion had been speculated about even before the official confirmation. Rumors and leaks had been circulating for a while, with even the show’s creator suggesting that Manny Rivera was destined to join the battle. Despite some of the “worst-kept secrets” plaguing the industry, this reveal has managed to excite the community, especially those who are nostalgic about lesser-known Nicktoons. The sentiment online varies from stunned excitement to humorous acknowledgments of feeling old, as fans call for other forgotten heroes like Quailman and Powered Toast Man.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is poised to rectify some of the shortcomings of its predecessor. On top of a “bigger and better” roster, the sequel will feature voice acting for all characters, a single-player campaign with roguelike elements, and cross-platform play across PlayStation, Switch, Xbox, and PC.
In the single-player campaign, you’ll square off against Vlad Plasmius, the villain from Danny Phantom, in an adventure that seems primed to delve deeper into the Nickelodeon universe.
In a market where platform fighters are often unfairly compared to giants like Super Smash Bros., Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is making a concerted effort to stand on its own merits. While it’s still early days, and the full roster is yet to be unveiled, the game is setting itself up as a loving homage to Nickelodeon’s rich history, a robust platform fighter, and a conduit for rekindling our collective nostalgia. With its eclectic cast and ambitious features, this sequel seems to be just the tip of the iceberg for what could become a staple franchise in its own right.
Speaking of platform fighters, MultiVersus, which had a strong start, has officially went offline ahead of its launch next year.
