Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2's official release date is November 3, as announced by? the game's Twitter page on Tuesday. You can now wishlist the platform fighter on Steam, and digital pre-orders will go live in October.

This out-of-the-blue announcement for the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 release date does not mention any special editions. However, we know the game's content-packed already. The sequel adds a new roguelike single-player campaign: you'll be fighting Danny Phantom villain Vlad Plasmius as you explore the Nickelodeon universe. Furthermore, the Steam page shows bosses like SpongeBob Squarepants' King Jellyfish, and the presentation overall looks inspired by the World of Light mode from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

On the same Steam page, publisher GameMill Entertainment claims "Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2’s roster is better than ever, with even more variety in how each unique character plays," Some characters like Helga seem to be cut while newer entrants like Squidward and Jimmy Neutron take center stage. Fo those that made it, every character is getting a revamped moveset in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2. The visuals and audio have also been improved with "new animations, modes, stages, mechanics, [and] taunts." Similar to Super Smash Bros. Brawl, this follo?w-?up introduces new supers for each character as well.

These new features may improve the review score for the game. The original currently has a middling 63-71 Metacritic rating, based on the platform.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 heads for the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and PC on November 3.??

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A new update for SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake provides native PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions, in addition to new costumes, a photo mode??, and multiple bug fixes.

The next Bikini Bottom update launches on October 16. PS4 and Xbox One owners will receive a free upgrade to the version of?? their choice, as confirmed by pub?lisher THQ Nordic. The free new costumes include a King Doubloon costume for SpongeBob and a plushie version of Gary.

//youtu.be/YnzunC7eF7w

A new photo mode for your social media exploits in this Cosmic Shake update

It's better late than never. There's a new photo mode arriving in the Cosmic Shake update, which includes 19 different filters.? THQ?? Nordic hasn't gone into detail as to what they are yet, but it's confirmed for all game versions.

Additionally, there are new costumes for SpongeBob SquarePants to wear, but you'll need to be a completionist to get them. By collecting all the doubloons in the game, you'll get the King Doubloon costume. If you unlock all the awards with this Cosmic Shake update, receive the Plush Gary skin.

[caption id="attachment_403791" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Screenshot via THQ Nordic's YouTube channel[/ca??pti??on]

On the positive side of things, there will be specific DualSense controller support for the PS5 version. When interacting with items, the PS5's DualSense functionality adds new audio cues signaling you've picked something up. Also, you'll use the adaptive triggers w??hen utilizing the reef blower and swinging hook.

Lastly, THQ Nordic confirmed multiple bug fixes were on the way to Bikini Bottom. The Cosmic Shake update has changed the following:

• Fixed an annoying, albeit rare, bug in which the game stops saving
• The playtime now pauses when on a loading screen
• "Many general bug fixes" that help with the stability and playability of the game.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is already out on all consoles, and you can? pick it up for $39.99?.

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Reports had surfaced earlier this year from Nickelodeon that the popular TMNT comic book, The Last Ronin, would not be hitting the big screen but instead would be getting a 'God of War-style' AAA video game. As it turns out, those reports appear to be true. During the 2023 THQ Nordic Digital Showcase, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin was officially revealed. TMNT: The Last Ronin follows a lone surviving turtle in a dark alternate future battle-ra??vaged New York City??.

THQ Nordic also ?dropped a very simple reveal trailer, though it doesn't really tell us much.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx2ixJFWXcg

I have to be honest, I completely forgot this was a possibility, even though Nickelodeon subtly revealed it earlier this year. When I saw the Nick logo I thought we were getting another Spongebob title. I have nothing against Spongebob, but this is definitely way better.

Unfortunately, we didn't get any sort of details other than it will be based on the best-selling comic book. Also, it's worth noting that this is an official adaptation of TMNT: The Last Ronin, so it will probably follow the story o??f the comic.

TMNT: The Last Ronin will be coming to PC, PlayStatio??n 5, and Xbox Series X|S. No sort of release timeframe just yet.

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Developers Ludosity and Fair Play Labs have just revealed Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, the follow-up to its 2021 Super Smash Bros.-inspired brawler All-Star Brawl.

On top of all the memes that you can spot right now in the trailer, publisher GameMill Entertainment announces it has improved upon the original game in every way. The original character roster and stages are returning, and they've all gone through a mega glow-up.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDlOIc9HsyA

What's new in the All-Star Brawl?

There's also going to be a lot of new stuff. Expect new characters, mini-games, and even a whole new single-player campaign. Both S??quidward and Jimmy Neutron are confirmed for the roster this time around, too.

In the campaign, players will be up against Vlad Plasmius of Danny Phantom fame as he tries to conquer the whole universe. The daunting task will hopefully turn easier with the addition of new "Supers", which similar to the "Final Smash" moves from Super Smash Bros., are ultimate moves mea?nt to get rid of your foes in epic fashion.

The new minigames are Pinch the Blimps, Whack-a-Bot, and Irken Armada Bootcamp Survival. We still don't know what their gameplay will be like exactly. We do know, however, that you can play them either with friends or by yourself against the world as you strive to get to the t?op of the global leaderboard.

All characters in All-Star Brawl 2 will now have voices, which is nice, as the first game received criticism for its lack of voices. All-Star Brawl 2 will feature talent like Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke from SpongeBob SquarePants.

All-Star Brawl 2 comes out later t??his year. It will also have full cross-platform play for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.

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Some nostalgic turtle brawling is on the way next month

It's looking like a summer full of TMNT action. Retro collection Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection is launching on Augu?st 30 for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and ??Nintendo Switch.

Konami and Nickelodeon confirmed the Cowabunga Collection will be arriving both physically and digitally on August 30. It will retail for $39.99, though there was also a $150 physical collector's box announced a few months ago. It includes trading cards, an acrylic diorama, and an artbook with chapters?? dedicated to each of the games in the collection.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR3ZE5vFi7c

Of course, there are also some modern features, like online play and save rewind. Can't put coins in the Nintendo Switch, after all. And various behind-the-scenes info like artwork sketches and game concepts show off how these TMNT adventures got made.

If you'd rather see the games though, here's a rundown of the list of games in the TMNT Cowabunga Collection.

Games in TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Arcade)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (Arcade)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (NES)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game (NES)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project (NES)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (NES)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time (Super Nintendo)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (Super Nintendo)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist (Sega Genesis)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (Sega Genesis)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of The Foot Clan (Game Boy)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back From The Sewers (Game Boy)
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Radical Rescue (Game Boy)

Combine this with the recent release of TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, and it's been a good summer to be a fan of the Turtles. Looks like both the modern brawler and retro craving will be taken care of when Cowabunga Collection drops on August 30 for? PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC,? and Nintendo Switch.

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No longer a silent brawl

Nickelodeon's cartoon mash-up brawler is getting a much-requested addition today. Full character voice-over for the whole roster hits Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl today alongside items i?n a free update for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

When Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl first launched, its lack of voice-over for its roste?r was notable. Today, GameMill Entertainment and Ludosity are updating the brawl to add exactly that.

The voices behind chara??cters including SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), Ren & Stimpy (Billy West), Garfield (Frank Welk?er), and Korra (Janet Varney) will be included in this new update. So now, it won't be so ominously quiet as SpongeBob and Korra duke it out in the arena.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIuGYhVDAis

The other major addition in today's free update to Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is items. The cartoon brawler launched without any pick-up-and-use items. Now, items like Sokka's boomerang, a Krabby Patty, and a Reptar toy will be optional drops??.

Are you ready?

The lack of both voice-over work and items were big detractors from Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, so it's good to see both finally being added. The update is rolling out now for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Nintendo Switch owners will get it "soon," according to GameMill.

Maybe with this addition, the brawls will have a little more life to them. Games like Super Smash Bros. might have developed prominent competitive scenes, but a lot of the ???charm in those platform fighters also comes from the characters themselves. Captain Falcon is visually recognizable, but so is his declaration of "FALCON PUNCH."

The good news is, if you're now eager to try Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl after its addition of voices, it's easy to do so. The cartoon brawler is one of this month's PlayStation Plus games, so subscribers can prett??y easily hop on and try out the update for themselves.

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This gives me hope for Heffer

The makers of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl may not want you to call the game a "Smash killer" but they would like players to keep plugging away at the game throughout 2022. As revealed today, you'll have a trio of reasons to return to the platform fighter over the next few months with paid DLC that includes two highly requested characters and one that feels a bit out of left field. Starting today, you can purchase Jenny aka XJ-9 from My Life as a Teenage Robot as the first paid Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl DLC character.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SSZ43I7iw8

For just $4.99, players can get Jenny, an alternate costume, and the brand-new stage Tremorton Joyride. You also have the option of purchasing the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Universe Pack for $11.99, which will give you access to Jenny, Hugh Neuton from Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius this summer, and Rocko from Rocko's Modern Life this fall. The trio is a nice mix of old and recent(ish) characters as I, a 37-year-old, have fond memories of Rocko's Modern Life, brief memories of Jimmy Neutron, and no idea what the hell My Life as a Teenage Robot is.

Despite the fact Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl didn't set the fighting game scene on fire, it's great to see the game is still getting support. Following its launch late last year, the game expanded its roster with the free DLC characters Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Garfield, who basically becam?e a Nicktoon after Nickelodeon's parent company Viacom bought Paws Inc. back in 2019. Since debuting in the? game, Garfield has become my favorite fighter of the bunch and I'm interested to see how Jenny, Hugh, and Rocko continue to shake up the game.

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Tennis...to the "extreme"

You would think by now Nickelodeon and its parent company ViacomCBS would have come around to the idea that games featuring their most popular IPs should be better than mediocre, right? I mean, we got one last year with Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, the cross-over fighting game that gave it its best shot despite clearly lacking the funds required to make it a contender. The low-budget quality of most Nickelodeon games makes them feel like relics of a bygone era when every two-bit publisher on the market was scooping up as many family-friendly IPs as possible just so they could make a quick buck squirting out a couple of games with a sub-50 Metacritic score. Despite the potential seen in All-Star Brawl, the Nickelodeon and Nicktoons branding is still ending up in the hands of developers that aren't going that extra mile to make something special, and nowhere is that more evident than with the recent release of Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis.

Nicktoons characters are no stranger to showing up in genres popularized by Mario and company. They’ve been in kart racers, party games, platform brawlers, and with the recent release on Apple Arcade, an arcade tennis game. Developed by Old Skull Games, creators of last year’s surprisingly good Masterchef: Let’s Cook!, t??he game brings together a handful of Nicktoons for what are billed as the “most Extreme Tennis Matches EVER!�As you can probably guess j?ust by the fact this is a Nickelodeon game, these matches are far from anything that would be considered extreme.

As with all Apple Arcade games, Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis can be played on a variety of Apple products. I played primarily on my iPad, and if you play on either an iPad or iPhone, you're stuck playing in Portrait Mode, which is just an awful way to play a wide variety of games on an iPad. On these devices, the game has a simple-to-understand, one-finger control scheme. You simply hold your finger to the digital joystick to move your character around the court, and when they’re in a spot where the ball ??can be returned, you aim the shot with the same joystick. On an iPhone, I imagine it’s easy to play with just yo??ur thumb. Not so much on iPad.

When playing on my Apple MacBook, the mobile control scheme is recreated using either a mouse or a touchpad. For whatever reason, the game does not seem to have an option for an actual controller, so I’m quite curious about how this plays on Apple TV. Without a physical controller, I never really feel like I’m in total control of my characters. It’s not a huge hurdle to overcome as the game isn’t too difficult and most of the people I’ve played online so far are garbage at it, but my hope for a game along the lines of Mario Tennis Aces was pretty qui??ckly da??shed when I first took control of SpongeBob SquarePants.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmAdflaO5Uo

It falls even further from grace when you realize that, despite being on Apple Arcade, the game ties its progression to ideas from the free-to-play marketplace. There is a ton of loot to unlock and upgrade, including new costumes and rackets. That’s not entirely shocking given the way the industry works these days and player retention and whatnot, but Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis goes way beyond that by restricting characters, power-u??ps, and even shot types behind your profile level.

Want to lob a ball across the net? You need to reach level 6 before the game will let you do that. Want to unlock the Foggy Weather power-up? That won’t be available until you reach level 39. What if you want to play as Rocko from Rocko’s Modern Life? Then you better be ready to grind this shit out until?? you reach level 59.

Like, I get the idea of having unlockable characters, and I encourage more games to have those. But the entire roster outside of SpongeBob SquarePants is locked away until you raise your profile level high enough. Who thought that was a good idea? Imagine if other sports games did this, like the next Madden releases with? only ??the New York Jets playable at first until you raise your level high enough that you can unlock the Houston Texans.

Making a Nicktoons tennis game with fan-favorite cartoon characters and Nickelodeon-themed power-ups like Tommy Pickles’s ball or the signature green slime should have been a no-brainer. But clearly, a few more brains were needed in the room where the big decisions about thi??s game were made. It’s on Apple Arcade, people. You don’t need to keep tying these games to the exploitive ideas that run rampant in the free-to-play marketplace.

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Free costume DLC also on the way

Developer Ludosity has dropped new info regarding its cartoon-crossover fighter Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl �the retro-tweaking smash-'em-up brawler will be revealing its first DLC character tomorrow, December 7, the unknown identity of which has ??led to ?much whispering from fans on social media.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a Super Smash Bros. style fighter that sees a host of wild 'n' wacky characters chosen from the family-friendly media magnate. Currently on the roster are April O'Neil, Leonardo, and Michaelangelo from TMNT, Ren & Stimpy and Powdered Toast Man from The Ren & Stimpy Show, Helga from Hey Arnold, Toph and Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and even total oddities such as the long-forgotten CatDog. While almost anybody could be next?? in line to join the roster, fans seem to be completely convinced that it will be meme giant, Garfield. I'm not sure.

In addition to the character teaser, Luosity also recently dropped brand new costume DLC, which is available to players absolutely free of charge. The Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl Super DLC 2000 pack includes an alternate outfit for every character on the 20-strong roster. These range from entirely new custom outfits, to palette swaps or, in many cases, simply a new hat... Well, it's something. The costume DLC is available right now on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms, with the Nintendo Switch release to follow in the near future. Check out the trailer in our previous report

We'll be sure to give you the heads up tomorrow when the new fighter is announced. You'd think the studio would have released it today to kick the week off, but then, maybe it'll turn out that the mystery character hates Mondays. Or maybe it will be... I dunno. One of the Visionaries. They were Nickelodeon. They weren't Nickelodeon...

//twitter??.com/NickBrawlGame/status/1466829587095056385?s=20

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He was number one!

Nickelodeon's platform fighter is adding a little more variance to its current roster. Today, it was announced that Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl would be getting some free costumes added to the game, letting these Ni?ck characters sport some new looks in fights.

The trailer (via IGN) says this free costume DLC will add new looks for every character in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. The costumes are live for every platform but Nintendo S?witch now. Switch owners will get the DLC later on this month.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2RiMmscG0c

The costumes range from retro looks for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to alternate looks that characters sported in their own series. I'm particularly fond of SpongeBob getting the 'Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen' hat. It?'s a good hat.

Others are just the additon of a hat or other piece of costume characters wore during their run. Though I will say, when it came to Korra's alternate option, I was hoping it would be the short-hair look she sports at the end of Legend of Korra. If we can't get Kuvira ?in this game yet, let's?? at least get that.

//twitter.com/NickBrawlGame/status/14664898490456?63744

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl was a pleasant surprise when it was first announced, mashing up famous Nickelodeon characters in one big platform fighter. The end result, however, hasn't been received so well. The online play is great, but the lack of voice acting was a major drawback, along??side lack of alternate colors. At le??ast the costumes should help address the latter.

Meanwhile, the platform fighter genre looks like it's going to get even more crowded with the announcement of MultiVersus, the Warner Bros.-themed platform fighter. With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate development come to an end, it seems like everyone's inching in for the spot. If you're still playing Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, or if you were at one ??point and have since stopped, let me know below if these costumes are enough to bring you back.

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Now we wait for Garfield

I feel somewhat sorry for Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. Following its big reveal over the summer, it had several solid weeks of anticipation and hype-building as the world got a glimpse of a platform fighter that looked legitimately good, featuring characters from some of the shows most of us grew up with. People were genuinely excited about it. And then, on the day it released, Nintendo decided to do its final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate song and dance and reveal Kingdom Hearts�Sora as the last DLC character for the game. Following that, there was nary a peep about All-Star Brawl on social media.

This is a shame because, despite all the odds, it’s actually a pr??etty good fighter.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl (PC, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch [reviewed], Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)
Developer: Ludosity, Fair Play Labs
Publisher: GameMill Entertainment
Released: October 5, 2021
MSRP: $49.99

In a way, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl defies the odds. Here is a licensed game, published by GameMill Entertainment, that’s of the platform fighter genre, which has seen many titles come and go over the past two decades. Everyone wants a piece of the Smash Bros. pie, but very few have had the discipline and tenacity to actually warrant a slice. With any other developer, this might have been just another forgettable GameMill title your grandmum buys you for the holidays. But with Slap City developer Ludosity at the helm??, assisted by Fair Play Labs, it’s worth paying att?ention to.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl brings together 20 characters from about 30 years of Nickelodeon history to fight it out on battlefields inspired by their respective shows. It’s a dream come true for a certain subset of fans who finally get to see Ren & Stimpy duke it out with Reptar, Sandy Cheeks, and whoever the hell Lincoln Loud is. As is the norm for the genre, the goal isn’t to whittle down your opponent’s health bar but rather to?? do enough damage so that you can blast them off the screen.

The actual fighting mechanics here are very easy to learn. Each character has weak, strong, and special attacks that vary depending on if you’re pressing up or down �jumping is mapped to the X button, as it should be �as well as if you are running, jumping, or standing still. In total, every character has about 17 different attack inputs, as well as block, taunt, grab, and air dash capabilities. One big difference from Smash is you aren’t guaranteed an easy combo with your general weak attack. Some characters, like Sandy, do have a short combo if you keep pressing t?he button. Others, like Patrick and Danny Phantom, do not.

//youtu.be/0Yl-_LYD0ik

I learned that the hard way, immediately playing through the arcade mode on its second-highest difficulty thinking I would just dominate this game with my 20+ years of Smash experience. That wasn’t the case as I really had to get in there and study these characters. I found ones I like (April O’Neil, Helga Pataki, Sandy Cheeks) and some I just haven’t been able to mesh with yet (Danny Phantom, Zim). With 20 available characters, most players should be able to?? find one that matches their play style. If you like ‘em strong and slow, Reptar is a fine choice. If you prefer 'em lean and limber, Aang is your man. Or, if you just want to be cheap like most of the people I fought online, pick Catdog.

If you really get into the fighting and want to take your skills to the next level, there are options at your disposal to get you there. While there isn’t a good tutorial to show you each character’s move set outside of a scrollable list, you can go into the training mode here and see the attacks in action frame by frame. You can even turn on the hitbox indicator to show you the reach and scale of each attack. If Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is to be an esport-worthy platform fighter, having a feature li?ke that will help get it ??there.

In fact, I can’t shake the feeling that All-Star Brawl is aiming to be some sort of Melee alternative, something that can be played at Evo without broken controllers or the fear of Nintendo sending in the lawyers to shut it down. And I think that’s an admirable goal if that’s the case here. But in aiming for the more competitive side of the platform fighter community, All-Star Brawl has left th??e more casual, party-g?ame scene behind.

Don’t forget, no matter what Smash is today, it was a party game back on the Nintendo 64. It was the fighting version of Mario Kart. While I know there is the stereotype that Smash players are all “No items, Fox only, Final Destination,�every time I have people over? to play, we’re turning on all items and playing on the most ridiculously large stages available. It’s just how we roll.

All-Star Brawl has a few large stages and you can play with up to three other people locally, but that’s the extent that it reaches in terms of being a party game. There are no items or weapons here, the collectibles you get are lousy, and even the single-player arcade mode limits you to 1v1 fights. There are no speci?al battles against a giant Nigel Thornberry or metal Powdered Toast Man or anything of the sort that would add some variety to the package. There are also no additional single-player challenges here, so fighting is really all you’re going to be doing. You can play the spor?ts mode, where you compete against other players to hit or throw a ball through a goal, but you probably won’t after the first few times.

With such a good fighting system in place, it’s shame that everything around it is holding the game back from its true potential. And that’s something that shouldn’t surprise us. After all, this is still a game funded by GameMill Entertainment. There are going to be some corners cut, like with the lack of voice acting, some??thing that didn’t become a problem for me until the game insisted on having the characters chat before each fight. Some of the other omissions are quite questionable. For instance, there ?are no alternate colors for when more than one person picks the same character. All you have is the icon above the opponent's head that you're expected to keep track of.

I also have to question the hitboxes for some of these characters. As I discovered right out the ??gate, some fighters like April O’Neil and Patrick can hit people with their basic weak attack even when striking in the opposite direction. I know there ar?e some characters with moves that are supposed to hit to their left and right, but I don’t think a forward jab should hit somebody behind you just because your foot steps back.

While I hope that can get worked out with updates, one place where I’m very satisfied with All-Star Brawl is with the stage selection. There are 20 stages in total, one for each character, and a few of them are deep cuts. Seeing Showdown at Teeter Totter Gulch make the list for Reptar was an absolute delight for this lifelong Rugrats fan. I even love the layout of Powdered Toast Trouble with its frying pan stage hazard and milk bowl deaths. Some of the stage layouts are straight rips from what you can find in Smash Ultimate, but I think the deve??lopers did a fine job forging their own path for most of them.

Except for Space Madness. That one’s just awful.

If there is one area where All-Star Brawl stands head and shoulders above Smash Ultimate, it's in its online play. Admittedly, there isn’t much here in terms of options. You have a quick play mode, ranked mode, and a custom lobby system that I still haven’t been able to find anyone in. Both quick play and ranked are 1v1, and in ranked mode, you can only choose from the four stages that are most �em>Smash-like�in their design. That latter point may be disappointing, but it’s negligible when the on?line play is this good.

Even with a wireless connection to my router �which, remember, is the only option for people playing this on a Switch Lite �I’d wager about 85% of my online matches were incredibly smooth and responsive. Yes, I did have some sputtering sessions when playing against people with awful connections, but overall, All-Star Brawl's online works better than anything I’ve ever experienced with the Smash series.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is obviously in no position to take the platform fighter throne right now, but I think the teams at Ludosity and Fair Play Labs have created a very good blueprint for what could be a very great franchise. If Super Smash Bros. is a celebration of all things Nintendo, I don't see why an All-Star Brawl 2 couldn't be a celebration of all things Nickelodeo??n. I think it's possible with the right amount of time and money, and I hope this game is successful enough to conv??ince GameMill to invest in a sequel that could be truly spectacular.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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Adding in the key elements

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is only a few days out from launch, but it's locking in some of its last roster spots today with two elemental masters. Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender and Korra from The Legend of Korra will be in the lineup for Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.

The roster for All-Star Brawl supposedly leaked a while ago, but for those who weren't intensely following the platform fighter, Aang and Korra are likely welcome additions. Both of their series have garnered acclaim, alongside several video game adaptations (to varying success), and now both Avatar protagonists will appear as fighters in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl.

Aang's moveset looks to be focusing on his a??irbending abilities, including the use of his glider and the air-orb he can roll around on. I definitely dig some of the air combos and tricky moves the de??vs put together for the showcase breakdown.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iEHVVgCTPI

I'm honestly a bit more of a Korra fan though, and her moveset looks to highlight the difference between the two incarnations of the Avatar. While Aang relies on airbending and swift movement, Korra's moveset lo??oks more like the raw offense she exhibits in the show.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5BweB8hLWY

I dig both the move sets, though I wish Korra's stage was maybe the fourth season's Republic City and not the second. Or maybe the pro-bending arena? That would be a pretty neat DLC addition if they add more Korra characters (hear me out: Kuvira).

So far, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is managing to both acquire a large roster of Nick characters to bring in, and keep a lot of the modern platform fighter mechanics you'd want. Hopes definitely seem high for this to be an interesting alternative to Super Smash Bros. for those who grew up with characters like Nigel Thornber?ry, Spo?ngeBob SquarePants, and Helga Pataki.

We'll see how it comes together in a few days. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl will launch on Oct. 5 for consoles and PC.

The post Avatars Aang and Korra conf??irmed for Nickelodeon All-Star B??rawl appeared first on Destructoid.

Following up Battle for Bikini Bottom with a new 3D platformer for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch

The 10th anniversary THQ Nordic showcase stream was a sweet victory for SpongeBob fans, after all �the publisher announced (and ran a trailer for) a new 3D platformer, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, from developer Purple Lamp Studios.

It's got the "original actors" and "101 songs from the se??ries," including a familiar anthem.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOwh9befbMg

As a way to blend a bunch of familiar characters, scenarios, and jokes into a new-but-not-too-new storyline, the premise for The Cosmic Shake is that SpongeBob and Patrick have torn open t??he universe with "wish-granting Mermaid's Tears." It was an accident!

The game will feature seven worlds �two of them, Wild West Jellyfish Fields and Halloween Rock Bottom, were mentioned so far �and 30 costumes like SpongeGar and SnailBob. Meanwhile, Patrick is a "?permanent" balloon companion, hence his stature.

Not that I should've even looked in the first place, but during most of the stream, the live YouTube chat feed had someone spamming "SpongeBob." They willed it.

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is headed to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. It's probably for the best that they just said "coming soon" without committing to a release window �we've been through a lot of delays ??this year, and I'm expecting more.

If you're curious, check out the screens on Steam. They're surprisingly high-fidelity.

The post SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cos?mic Shake is up next from THQ Nordic appeared first on Destructoid.

He's just wavedashing at me... menacingly!

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl has been building up some steam on the promise of a platform fighter featuring some beloved Nick cartoons. Today, we got a gameplay breakdown that shows just how much platform fighter influence this All-Star Brawl will have. And re??ally??, the answer is best summed up in one sentence: here's SpongeBob SquarePants wavedashing.

The wavedash is best summarized as utilizing downward air-dashes to propel your character across the arena. By dashing into the ground, you can practically skate across the arena. It's a pretty well-known mechanic in the Smash Bros. scene, and seeing it here is probably reassuring to folks who want to play some more competitive All-Star Brawl.

Here's a short clip of the wavedash in question, via IGN's Mitchell Saltzman on Twitter:

//twitter.com/JurassicRabbit/status/1435655190930?067462

IGN hosted a number of exclusive gameplay breakdown videos today. The first is where the above excerpt came from, where Thaddeus Crews—character designer and programmer at developer Ludosity—breaks down some of the basics using SpongeBob and Patrick. It definitely looks like this platform fighter is utilizing some of the usual staples, which makes sense given that Ludosity's previous game Slap City.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXiOWSKPDG8

It's also different from Smash in a few ways, too. You're still trying to build up percentages and ring-out opponents, but there are some neat interactions where directional inputs (up, down, or mid) can "beat out" other moves, causing opponents to get stunned or turned around. Grabs have a few more options, and I dig the projectile option that turns it into a volley back and forth. You can find some more examples in IGN's four gameplay segments they uploaded today.

It might seem a bit high-level if you're not a Smash player yourself, but even for casual play, I'm really into options like grabbing projectiles or flipping my opponent around with the right attack. I was already interested in the very concept of a Nickelodeon-themed platform fighter, but now that I know I can bring it around town as SpongeBob, I'm eager to see what the high-level Melee folks do with this.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series?? X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC sometime in Fall 2021.

The post Nickelod??eon All-Star Brawl shows off its mechanics, including wavedashing appeared first on Destructoid.

Who needs to enter the ring?

This week, we got the reveal of a new Smash-alike, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. It looks like it's a platform fighter?, pitting beloved animated Nick characters against each other in a multip?layer brawl. Rad, right?

That's what the internet at large seemed to think too, as my social feed was soon inundated with memes and videos. Mixing fighting game with childhood nostalgia led to a flood of memes, combining fighting game jargon with jokes from the shows. It was, to put it simply, beautiful.

//twitter.com/True_Dragon_Kid/status/??1415011288049242123?s=20

But as I sit here, contemplating the potential of Patrick Star as a grappler, I'm also left to think about the many other characters I want to see in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. A supposedly leaked box art has some silhouettes on the cover that indicate characte?rs like Ren, Stimpy, Korra, and more could appear.

There's even more potential out there, though. Nickelodeon has been running for a long time, and as one commenter noted on our news write-up, you could easily tell the age of those commenting by who they wanted for a spot on the roster. SpongeBob and Patrick might be obvious choices, but there's also shows like CatDog or Ren and Stimpy, or even the Avatar: The Last Airbender series to draw from. Toph would be pretty cool to pla??y as in a platform fighter, I'd think.

I want to know, who's your dream addition? Which staple of the Nickelodeon lineup needs to get their time in the ring in All-Star Brawl? Is it Jimmy Neutron, or Timmy Turner, or maybe even Nickelodeon GUTS announcer Mike O'Malley? Let us know below!

The post Who’s your dream addition to the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl roster? appeared first on Destructoid.

As Nigel Thornberry would say, "smashing!"

Nickelodeon is getting in on the platform fighting game genre with its animated cast of characters. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl was announced toda?y for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switc??h this fall, and it's got a whole host of Nick stars ready to brawl.

Revealed over at IGN, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl looks like a platform fighter, or put a little more directly, a Super Smash Bros.-alike. It definitely seems like there's some knocking around of opponents, and the moves definitely have the sort of animations and attack style you'd expect from a Smash.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESR3cvErqCg

There have been plenty of other platform fighters in the past, and Nickelodeon is no stranger to show-crossover games. The pr??ospect of fighting on so?me platforms with them, though, sounds kind of entertaining.

The full lineup isn't announced yet, but here's a run??down o?f who's confirmed to appear in the game so far:

• Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
• Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
• Nigel Thornberry (The Wild Thornberrys)
• Powdered Toast Man (Ren & Stimpy)
• SpongeBob SquarePants (SpongeBob SquarePants)
• Oblina (Aaahh!!! Real Monsters)
• Lucy Loud (The Loud House)
• Lincoln Loud (The Loud House)
• Helga (Hey Arnold!)
• Reptar (Rugrats)
• Zim (Invader Zim)
• Danny Phantom (Danny Phantom)

It's a pretty solid lineup, though I'm hoping that it bein??g unfinished means there's a certain element-bending Avatar on the way. Though honestly, Powdered Toast Man is not a character I would?'ve ever expected to see in a video game in the year 2021.

There are also 20 levels based on Nickelodeon shows, like Jellyfish Fields from SpongeBob, as well as both local and online?? support for four players and unlockable new moves for fighters.

We'll see if this has any sticking power, but any fighting game that includ??es Nigel Thornberry in its cast has my attent??ion.

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