In the world of competitive fighting games, Super Smash Bros. stands apart from the crowd. A lot of this has to do with how its scene developed separately from the larger fighting game community, and how nothing else really plays like it. Super Smash Bros. is built on a somewhat Kirby-esque approach to platforming, combined with a system of normal moves, special moves, grabs, and smash attacks. The high-flying, mobility-oriented combat is like nothing else the fighting genre has seen, perhaps exhibiting more explosive moments per match than any other sub-genre. The all-star roster of crossover Nintendo characters, which has slowly expanded to include fighters from across the games industry, is the cherry on top.
A game this successful is bound to attract similar projects, and there have been so many that "platform fighter" is now considered a genre unto itself. A staggering number of Smash clones have been made by both fans and competitors, though dismissing them as mere clones does many a disservice. Those looking for variety in the Smash genre are in for a treat, as the age of the platform fighter is already in full swing. The upcoming Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl looks quite promising, but there are plenty of other games players can pick up right now to get them ready for when that game drops.
Slap City
If fans want a taste of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl early, they don't need to look any further than Ludosity's previous fighting game. Slap City is a charming platform fighter built with characters from Ludosity's past games, including Ittle Dew, Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt, and Iji. The game goes out of it's way to make all nine characters play very differently, and there are a ton of stages to play with. The game is known for its "Clutch" button, which modifies attacks when held. It also has a story mode with a very heavy emphasis on platforming. Slap City's quality and attention to detail inspires a lot of hope for Ludosity's work on All-Star Brawl.
Rivals of Aether
Those looking for another high quality platform fighter can look no further than Rivals of Aether. This 2D fighter features animal champions from four elemental factions (along with Ori and Shovel Knight guest characters), and again sports a roster full of diverse characters and playstyles. This title has interesting modes like the randomized challenges in Abyss Mode, the more casual Tetherball minigame, and Abyss Versus, which will let players take their custom builds into battle with friends.
Rivals of Aether even has four new characters and rollback netcode coming in the near future. To make that good news better, those four characters originated as mods on the Rivals of Aether Steam Workshop, which also hosts thousands of user-created characters, stages, and modes. This one is not to be missed, especially now that it has its own sequel in development.
Super Smash Flash 2
Staying on the topic of sprite-based Smash clones, Super Smash Flash 2 is probably the highest quality Smash fan-game out there. Super Smash Bros. Crusade comes close, but nothing can beat Flash 2. This game impresses greatly with its beautiful sprite recreations of most of Smash's cast, as well as a few newcomers like Sora and Goku that probably won't make it to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's roster.
It's gameplay can be enjoyed online via official servers, and more updates will continue to slowly come out as its developer also works on Fraymakers, an indie crossover fighting game that recently had a successful crowdfunding campaign. That original game will feature Ultra Fishbunjin 3000 from Slap City and Orcane from Rivals of Aether, so fans of those games should keep an eye on it as well.
Project Plus
The next game on this list is a special case, as it's a mod for Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Serving as a sequel to the famous Project M balance mod that made Brawl into a much more enjoyable competitive game, Project Plus continues its mission of balancing the roster. Characters have been buffed and reworked across the board, stages and costumes have been added, and Knuckles the Echidna has even joined as an entirely new character. This is arguably one of the most balanced platform fighters available, and no character is a bad choice for any level of play.
Brawlhalla
Next up is Brawlhalla, probably the most successful game on this list. While Brawlhalla's art and animation style haven't won it a ton of fans, it is a free-to-play game on most platforms that receives frequent updates and has a thriving competitive scene. It's gameplay struck the right balance between deep, and accessible, to draw in a playerbase and keep it.
The game got big enough for the developer to be acquired by Ubisoft in 2018, and has since participated in many crossover events with video game and TV properties. Brawlhalla isn't the most complex platform fighter, with movesets being limited compared to the average platform fighter. Still, because every character in the massive cast plays just a bit differently, and any potential player will surely be able to find their preferred way to play.
Roof Rage
Roof Rage is a small indie game on Steam and Switch that is surprisingly fun. Its thirteen different characters are gorgeously rendered in pixel art, and it's smooth animations and good game feel are sure to impress. The game plays in a comparable way to the average platform fighter, but it's systems and the impact of landing hits sets it apart.
One of its biggest unique traits is that it supports eight-player matches like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate itself. While Roof Rage isn't a bastion of platform fighter innovation like Indie Pogo or King of the Hat might be, it's definitely a platform fighting game hidden gem and worth looking into.
Power Stone 2
While Power Stone 2 is technically an arena fighter, there's no arguing that it's the arena fighter closest to Super Smash Bros. Power Stone 2 upgrades its player count from two to four, and focuses even more on items and environmental interaction than the first game did. The result is a chaotic brawl across multiple surprisingly dynamic stages that are up there with the best Super Smash Bros. has to offer. This series is harder to come by these days, having only been released on Dreamcast, PSP, and in arcades, but emulation should provide a good way to experience this often-forgotten Capcom classic.