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Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

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Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
Key art featuring the initial character roster
Developer(s)
  • Ludosity
  • Fair Play Labs
Publisher(s)
Director(s)
  • Diego Rodriguez
  • Sergio Chacon
Designer(s)Elias Forslind[1]
Artist(s)
  • Diego Hernández Cruz
  • Tanja Waimer
Composer(s)
  • Mattias Hakulinen
  • Carlos Aguilar
SeriesNickelodeon Super Brawl
EngineUnity[2]
Platform(s)
ReleaseOctober 5, 2021
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a 2021 crossover fighting game developed by Ludosity and Fair Play Labs, and published by GameMill Entertainment. It is part of the Nickelodeon Super Brawl series of browser games and mobile games, serving as its first console game.[3] Featuring characters from various Nickelodeon animated television series, the game was released on October 5, 2021, for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A sequel, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, released in 2023.[4]

Gameplay

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Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a platform fighter, with players battling on different stages and attempting to launch their opponents off the arena and out of bounds.[5] Movement takes place on a two-dimensional plane, with characters able to move around by running, jumping, double-jumping, or performing a mid-air dash in any of eight directions. Characters have three different types of attacks: light attacks, which are weak but quick and can be used to perform combos; strong attacks, which are slower but do more damage and knock opponents back further; and special attacks, the properties of which vary by character. Different attacks can be performed by pushing up or down or running in combination with one of the three attack buttons. Players can also grab and throw opponents or enemy projectiles, even in the air, and guard against attacks without penalty, though they will be pushed back in doing so. Unique to the game is the "strafe" function, where players can hold a button to prevent their character from turning around while moving in different directions; this can be used to continue attacking an opponent while actively retreating from them. As characters take damage, the amount of knockback caused by opponents' attacks will increase, making them easier to knock off the stage. Each stage offers a different layout, with some also having additional hazards that can cause damage to the characters. An update in June 2022 added 16 items to the game, which can be toggled in the match options. These items will spawn intermittently on the battlefield and can be grabbed and thrown to inflict damage on opponents in different ways.[6]

The game supports local and online multiplayer for up to four players, with the game's online functionality utilizing rollback netcode on supported platforms.[7] The game also features a single-player arcade mode and a "Sports" mode, based on the "Slap Ball" game type from the developer's previous fighting game Slap City. In Sports mode, players must knock a ball into an opponent's goal, with different types of balls having different properties, such as soccer balls being unable to be grabbed.[8] Players are able to unlock images displayed in an in-game gallery, music for the game's sound test, and online profile icons.[9]

Playable characters

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The game features 25 playable characters from 17 Nickelodeon franchises, consisting of 20 characters in the base roster, two additional characters added via free updates, and three paid downloadable content characters. Each character also has their own stage usually based on their series of origin.[8]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Added via a free update
  2. ^ a b c Downloadable content

Development

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Following the success of Swedish independent studio Ludosity's fighting game Slap City, Nickelodeon approached the game's developers and laid out their plans for a platform fighter. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl entered production by early 2020, being developed by Ludosity with assistance from Costa Rican studio Fair Play Labs.[1][7] The game was designed with competitive play in mind from its inception, with Ludosity seeking to simplify the controls for newer players without sacrificing the gameplay depth sought by competitive players.[8] The character roster was decided collaboratively between GameMill and Ludosity; according to Ludosity, only a few of their character choices were rejected by Nickelodeon due to global licensing issues.[8] Prior to its announcement, the existence of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl was leaked by GameFly on July 10, 2021.[18] The game was officially announced three days later on July 13, via a trailer on IGN.[9] It is the first console game in the long-running Nickelodeon Super Brawl series, with previous entries having been online browser games and mobile games.[3] Like Nickelodeon Kart Racers and Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix, the previous two Nickelodeon games published by GameMill Entertainment, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl did not launch with voice acting for any of the playable characters. Ludosity CEO Joel Nyström stated that "as we continue to build the Nick All-Star Brawl franchise, we will be reviewing all options, which may include adding VO down the road."[8] Maximum Games distributed physical copies of the game in most of Europe, while French publisher Just For Games distributed physical copies in France due to the publisher's partnership with GameMill Entertainment.[19]

Within the game's first week of release, players created several extensive mods for the PC version, including implementing gameplay changes, alternate costumes, and voice acting for all characters.[20][21] In November 2021, the official Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Twitter account confirmed that alternate costumes would be added to the game via a free update.[22] Ludosity confirmed that two additional playable characters would be added to the game via free post-launch updates;[8] the first of these characters, Garfield, was released on December 9, 2021, while the second, Shredder, was released on February 3, 2022, alongside a stage based on Double Dare.[13][16] In December 2021, art director Diego Hernández Cruz confirmed that cross-platform play was scheduled to be added to the game via an update in Q1 2022, with voice acting planned for a later update.[23] On May 13, 2022, Ludosity announced the first wave of paid downloadable content characters: Jenny, released simultaneously with the announcement, and Hugh Neutron and Rocko, who were released on August 5, 2022, and October 7, 2022, respectively.[14][24][25] An update in June 2022 added English voice acting for all characters, along with items that can be enabled during gameplay.[6] A physical "Ultimate Edition" containing all the downloadable content was released on November 11, 2022.[26]

Reception

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Critical reception

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Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[30][27][28][29] Reviewers praised the gameplay but criticized the game's presentation and lack of content.[40][35][37]

Push Square called the game "the best Super Smash Bros. clone we have ever played", but criticized the lack of modes offered and lamented that the lack of voice acting made the game feel "a bit cheap overall".[40] IGN felt that the mechanical differences and good online play made the game a great alternative to similar fighting games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, though noted it was far less polished or fully-featured than such other games.[35] Destructoid believed that the game provided a solid framework for a future franchise, and hoped GameMill would invest more time and money into a sequel.[31]

Accolades

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The game was nominated for Best Fighting Game at The Game Awards 2021[44] and Fighting Game of the Year at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards,[45] but lost both awards to Guilty Gear Strive.

Award Year Category Result Ref.
The Game Awards 2021 Best Fighting Game Nominated [44]
D.I.C.E. Awards 2022 Fighting Game of the Year Nominated [46]

References

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  1. ^ a b Walker, Ian (July 16, 2021). "Nickelodeon Fighting Game Devs Have High Hopes, Competitive Dreams". Kotaku. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "Unity acquires Spider-Man, Hellblade character design company Ziva Dynamics". January 24, 2022. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Stanton, Rich (July 14, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl may be the Smash Bros. killer". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, interestingly enough, isn't a new thing, but the latest in a series of Nickelodeon 'Super Brawl' games that began on the company's website over a decade ago
  4. ^ Foster, George (July 27, 2023). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 Revealed, Adds Jimmy And Squidward As Fighters". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023. The leaks were real - Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is back.
  5. ^ Goslin, Austen (July 13, 2021). "SpongeBob will smash in Nickelodeon's All-Star Brawl, which is exactly what you think it is". Polygon. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Yang, George (June 6, 2022). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Now Has Voice Acting and Items". IGN. Archived from the original on June 11, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Jarrard, Chris (July 13, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is from Slap City devs and may have rollback netcode". Shacknews. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Carson, John (September 15, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Q&A With Ludocity CEO Joel Nyström". Game Informer. Archived from the original on September 15, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Skrebels, Joe (July 13, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Is a Smash Bros-alike Featuring SpongeBob, TMNT and More". IGN. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Gach, Ethan (September 2, 2021). "Nick Fighting Game Gets Roster Accidentally Leaked By Nintendo eShop". Kotaku. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Romano, Sal (August 26, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl adds playable CatDog and April O'Neil, PC version announced". Gematsu. Archived from the original on September 2, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
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  13. ^ a b Bailey, Kat (December 7, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl's First DLC Character is Garfield". IGN. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (May 13, 2022). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl: Jenny Revealed (Plus Hugh Neutron & Rocko)". IGN. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  15. ^ Nyström, Joel (September 14, 2021). "Ren & Stimpy are coming to Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  16. ^ a b McCaffrey, Ryan (February 3, 2022). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl: Shredder Revealed as New Character". IGN. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
  17. ^ Cooper, Dalton (September 15, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Leak Confirms Toph". Game Rant. Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  18. ^ Bevan, Rhiannon (July 10, 2021). "Listing For Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Appears Online". TheGamer. Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  19. ^ "Just For Games announces new partnership with GameMill Entertainment". Just For Games. May 31, 2021. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
  20. ^ "11 Mods for Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl You Can Get Now". IGN. October 13, 2021. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  21. ^ Kratky, Otto (October 7, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Is Being Modded To Play Like Super Smash Bros. Melee". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  22. ^ Young, Rory (November 20, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Is Getting Free Skins". Game Rant. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  23. ^ Lane, Gavin (December 16, 2021). "Veteran Smash Bros. Player Confirms Voice Acting For Nickelodeon All-Stars Brawl". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  24. ^ Romano, Sal (August 5, 2022). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl DLC character Hugh Neutron now available". Gematsu. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  25. ^ Bevan, Rhiannon (October 7, 2022). "Rocko Is Available In Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Now As A Projectile Fighter". TheGamer. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  26. ^ Doolan, Liam (October 29, 2022). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Is Getting An Ultimate Edition For Switch, Pre-Orders Now Live". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
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  28. ^ a b "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2021.
  29. ^ a b "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  30. ^ a b "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl for PC Reviews". Metacritic. October 5, 2021. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  31. ^ a b Andriessen, CJ (October 16, 2021). "Review: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl". Destructoid. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  32. ^ Epps, DeAngelo (October 8, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl review: A fighter with its eggs in one basket". Digital Trends. Designtechnica Corporation. Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  33. ^ Carson, John (October 15, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Review". Game Informer. GameStop Corp. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  34. ^ Kemps, Heidi (October 14, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Review - Better Than Bad, It's Good!". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  35. ^ a b c Saltzman, Mitchell (October 7, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Review". IGN. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  36. ^ Gregoire, Aubin (October 9, 2021). "Test Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl : Super Smash Bros. Ultimate a-t-il trouvé un concurrent sérieux ?". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
  37. ^ a b Olney, Alex (October 9, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Review (Switch)". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  38. ^ Hilhorst, Willem (October 28, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  39. ^ Minor, Jordan (October 8, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (for Nintendo Switch) Review". PCMag. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  40. ^ a b c Gipp, Stuart (October 6, 2021). "Mini Review: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (PS5) – Featuring Absolutely No Trace of Doug". Push Square. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  41. ^ Erskine, Donovan (October 13, 2021). "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl review: Slimy around the edges". Shacknews. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
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  45. ^ "2022 Awards Category Details Fighting Game of the Year". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  46. ^ "25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards Finalists Revealed". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on January 13, 2022. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
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