Of the many communities that have emerged from the video game industry, few are as prevalent as competitive gamers. People have been competing with one another since arcade games introduced high scores, and there have been dozens of different competitive gaming communities built around almost every video game genre. Arguably the largest of them has been the ever-expanding world of fighting games, and the genre is about to get even bigger with the upcoming release of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.
On the surface, it would be easy to mistake Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl for a simple Super Smash Bros. clone with cartoon characters. However, recent reveals have shown it is going to be a lot more. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl has been showing off its game mechanics and what players can expect from a match, and it's clear a lot of effort has been put toward making the game into a legitimate platform-fighting experience. With everything that's been shown so far, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl just might be able to carve out its own path in the competitive fighting game scene.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl's Gameplay Is On-Par With Smash Bros.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl has drawn comparisons to Super Smash Bros. since it was announced, but now players have an idea of how its gameplay mechanics actually match up to Nintendo's crossover fighting game. A recent deep dive showed All-Star Brawl will have the usual light, heavy, and special attacks that players might expect, but there was also the surprise of wavedashing and some unique blocking mechanics. These features are major tools in the arsenal of many competitive Smash Bros. players, and they could entice those that want to try something different from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Has Star Power
If there's one thing that's helped a game like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate build up a strong community, it's the wealth of characters from across all of gaming. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl promises to deliver a similar experience with its long history of iconic cartoon characters. The game features everyone from Nigel Thornberry to Spongebob Squarepants, and this could help draw players in based on their connection to the cartoons. If enough players pick up the game for its famous faces, there are bound to be some that love its deeper mechanics and start to build a competitive scene.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Has Variety
Between the gameplay mechanics and iconic cartoon characters, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl shows the potential for a competitive community because it has variety. On top of having a wide roster, each fighter that's been shown so far plays differently, which is perfect for building metas and tier lists. There's also Nickelodeon-inspired maps that force players to move around in unique ways, adding an additional level of strategy to each match. With the potential of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl having DLC, it would ensure the game's community remains energized.
Licensed cartoon games have come a very long way, and Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl looks like it could add some real legitimacy to their history. All-Star Brawl's movesets and gameplay mechanics show some real thought is being put into the game, and that effort has the potential to spawn another strong fighting game community. While it may be a gargantuan task to reach the popularity of a game like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, if Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl mimics even half of that success, it will have proven itself.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl releases October 5 on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.