Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2

I’ll admit that it’s been quite some time between drinks for me with platform fighting games like this, but Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is a fairly good mix of nostalgia, new ideas and inoffensive fun. While it may not reach the sky-high standard of something like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate it gives 90s kids like me another way to beat up our friends while reminiscing about the good old days of racing home to watch your favourite cartoons and arguing about which of them could take the others.

It has some issues, like its slowed-down movement and some annoying encounters in the arcade and campaign mode, but the massive facelift, improved combat mechanics, and reworked fighters make for a much stronger second round.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 feels more like a 1.5 or “definitive” version of the original game rather than a full sequel (voice acting and alternate costumes were added to the first game post-launch). It’s the game I expected to play when the first one was announced a couple of years ago. Fleshed-out single-player options actually give me a reason to log on, and the addition of voice acting and cinematics makes the game feel more alive. However, the removal of several fighters from the roster and lack of large-scale innovation makes it a fine, serviceable platform fighter.

Although Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 makes some improvements over its predecessor, including new characters and a campaign mode, it still falls short of offering a truly distinct gaming experience. The absence of certain characters from the first game is also a disappointment. The upcoming DLC characters may address some of these concerns, but time will tell. It serves as a decent alternative to games like Smash Brothers or Multiverses while players wait for other releases or seek a nostalgic trip down memory lane to battle their favorite Nickelodeon characters in four-person versus matches.

Nickelodeon All Star Brawl 2 has even more potential than the first game at launch. It's a good continuation, more so a way better start than the last game's abysmal beginnings. However, with clunky controls, favorite characters missing, and a useless campaign, maybe wait until "Nickelodeon's All Star Brawl 3: Shredder's Revenge 2" comes in 2025. Or at least give it a few months for things to get smoothed out.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 isn’t shabby, but it isn’t shining either.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is a lackluster sequel, lacking depth and variety.