Summary
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 has enjoyable gameplay for a fighting game and addresses the issues of its predecessor. It is a worthwhile addition to the fighting game genre. We would have preferred if all characters from the first game were included in the sequel, as it ended quickly.
Developer – Fair Play Labs
Publisher – GameMill Entertainment
Platforms – Xbox One, Xbox Series X (Reviewed), PS4/PS5, Nintendo Switch, PC
Review copy given by Publisher
GameMill Entertainment and Fair Play Labs are here with the sequel of the rising platform fighting game series, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. The game brings back familiar fighters and introduces new fan-favorite Nickelodeon characters while also erasing some from its past. In All-Star Brawl 2 there are new features such as a brand-new Campaign to play through that provides more gameplay time outside of multiplayer and its single-player mode.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 features a diverse cast of characters for players to choose from, including returning favorites such as Aang, Nigel, Spongebob, Lucy Loud, Reptar, and Danny Phantom, as well as new characters such as Gerald, Jimmy Neutron, Squidward, Grandma Gertie, and Ember from the popular show Danny Phantom. It would have been great to see new characters added to the sequel while still featuring the beloved characters from the first game, since the original felt too short-lived.
The platform brawler offers a wide range of stages, catering to both casual and competitive players. Each character has a stage related to their show. For example, Jimmy Neutron’s stage takes place in his lab. If you’re a ranked player you’ll see far fewer maps to choose from, but that’s expected when it comes to platform fighters.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 excels at catering to the casual community who enjoy playing in a party style and having a great time with friends. The game features a lot of items that reference popular Nick shows, like the exploding Pie Bomb from a beloved SpongeBob episode, or Arnold’s Boombox which also blows up after a few seconds. We believed that the original All-Star Brawl may have been overly competitive, turning off new players. However, the sequel is much more inclusive and welcomes players of all skill levels.
To enhance the gaming experience, the game now features a Campaign and Single Player mode which offers additional content to enjoy beyond the usual online and offline battles. If you want to improve your gameplay skills, I recommend starting with either the Single Player or Campaign modes as they provide great starting points and allow you to select the level of difficulty to test yourself.
The Single Player mode includes Arcade, which allows you to fight against CPU opponents. As you progress, you’ll come across various minigames in the form of a ladder. Boss Rush is another mode that involves fighting against all the bosses you’ll encounter in the Campaign, but this time it’s one after another. The Minigames section includes two different modes where you aim to reach a high score in either Pop the Slime Balloons or Whack-A-Bot.
It’s great to have options, and the Campaign mode in the game reminds me of playing Super Smash Bros. In the game, you can unlock new fighters by defeating them in a fight.
The gameplay has greatly improved, making it much more enjoyable for everyone. There’s an indescribable satisfaction when landing the perfect combo. The movement around stages, whether it’s jumping, running, or sliding, has never felt better. I would recommend this game to anyone looking for a new platform fighting game and it should be a worthy member of the Fighting Game Community.
Overall, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 has enjoyable gameplay for a fighting game and addresses the issues of its predecessor. It is a worthwhile addition to the fighting game genre. We would have preferred if all characters from the first game were included in the sequel, as it ended quickly.
