Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl has been on the market for a little over a month now, and it has proven to be a decent addition to the platform fighting genre. Its familiar characters and colorful stages have gone over well with many Nickelodeon fans, and its online multiplayer features have proven to be a success so far. Even if it's not always perfect, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl has been a solid option for those familiar with the Super Smash Bros. formula, but it won't be the only option for long. After some leaks and speculation, MultiVersus looks to be a new contender for the platform fighter crown.
MultiVersus has been the center of many rumors, and now it's finally official for those that have been looking forward to the project. The game looks to collect numerous properties that fall under the Warner Bros. umbrella, from DC heroes like Batman, to Arya Stark from Game of Thrones. While making a platform fighter in the wake of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate may seem like a bold move, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl got enough buzz to prove that it can be done. Although the pressure may be twofold on MultiVerse as a result of All-Star Brawl's established presence, the Warner Bros. fighter already looks like it will have some key advantages.
MultiVersus' Fully Voiced Cast
When Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl first released, one of the primary complaints around it was the fact that it didn't have full voice acting. For a game centered around iconic voices such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Nigel Thornberry, it still lingers as a missed opportunity. Fortunately, MultiVersus isn't making the same mistake. Developer Player First Games quickly established that its fighters will be voiced by the iconic actors that often represent them. With Kevin Conroy's Batman, Matthew Lillard's Shaggy, and Maisie Williams' Arya Stark making just a portion of the cast, it should prove to be a feature that helps MultiVersus feel like a more immersive experience.
MultiVersus' Customization Features
The characters seen in the MultiVersus reveal come from very colorful backgrounds, with many of them taking on different appearances in their own respective mediums. In a similar vein to Super Smash Bros., MultiVersus will allow players to customize their fighters with different outfits that provide their own fun references. Fans could briefly see Black Lantern Superman and Shaggy in a Bruce Lee inspired outfit, and the developer promises more live-service style support as the game goes on. When looking at Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl's lack of customization, it's a feature that could make all the difference for MultiVersus.
MultiVersus' Free-To-Play Model
Perhaps the biggest edge that MultiVersus has over Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is how it can be played. In a remarkable move for a game this ambitious with such stiff competition, MultiVersus will be completely free-to-play. This will most likely lend itself to some monetization mechanics for things like new outfits and future DLC fighters, but having practically no barrier to entry could give MultiVersus a huge playerbase right out of the gate. Even if the game's profits aren't at the same level as All-Star Brawl's launch, continued support of MultiVersus through a free-to-play model could ensure it reaches and even exceeds those profits.
For a game that is trying to break out in a genre that has been dominated by one game and is trying to be influenced by another, MultiVersus has already made a great case for itself. No one can take the crown of Super Smash Bros., but when it comes to usurping Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl as the hot new platform fighter, MultiVersus could have what it takes to get the job done. Fans of the many Warner Bros. properties featured in MultiVersus will just have to keep a close eye on the project's development to get a better idea of if that might be the case.
MultiVersus is set to release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.