Summary
The platform-fighter genre has been undergoing somewhat of a renaissance in the last few years or so. WhileSuper Smash Bros.has remained at the forefront of the platform-fighter genresince its debut in 1999, a few of its “clones” over the last few decades have managed to carve out their own place in the video game landscape, and that’s become especially prominent in recent years, withBrawlhallaandMultiVersusbeing two of the biggest standouts of the genre.
Though the vast majority of platform-fighters still pale in comparison toSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, a few have managed to climb their way onto its pedestal. And though they may not stand quite as tall asSmash Bros. Ultimate, games likeBrawlhallaandMultiVersushave still managed to attract a sizable following, finding their own unique niches and using them to draw in fans. On paper,BrawlhallaandMultiVersushave a lot in common, but when it comes to these niches, the two have very different approaches to the same concept of crossovers.
The Biggest Difference Between Brawlhalla and MultiVersus
Brawlhalla’s Crossovers Are Simple and Fun Collaborations
BothBrawlhallaandMultiVersushave more than their fair share of pop-culture crossovers, but both games approach this feature quite differently. In the case ofBrawlhalla, crossovers have very rarely been the main draw of the game. The very firstBrawlhallacrossover came about a year after its initial 2017 release, and saw characters and weapons fromShovel Knightbeing added as cosmetic skins forBrawlhalla’s own Legends and weapons.
Over the following six years,Brawlhallawould continue to receive crossovers in a similar vein fairly regularly, with at least three crossover cosmetic packs dropping every year. These have ranged from family-friendly properties likeBen 10,Steven Universe, andAdventure Time, to more adult-oriented crossovers likeHellboy,The Walking Dead, andCastlevania. And despite being almost seven years old now, it seems as thoughBrawlhallastill has some crossovers waiting in the wings, with its mostrecentStar Warscollaborationdropping only a month ago.
But whileBrawlhallahas had a total of 20 crossoversin its lifetime, it’s never felt as though the game has revolved around these collaborations. The vast majority of these crossovers have been mere cosmetics that are simply laid over the top ofBrawlhalla’s pre-existing characters or environments. Though these collabs have often spread awareness about the game, it’s stillBrawlhalla’s own mechanics, and its own set of 60+ characters that have remained the biggest draws for new players.
Brawlhalla’s only new playable crossover characters are Rayman and Ezio, both of whom are a direct result of Ubisoft acquiring developer Blue Mammoth Games in 2018.
WhileBrawlhallawould still have its own identity if all of its crossovers were suddenly removed, the same cannot be said forMultiVersus. Crossovers aren’t just a core feature ofMultiVersus, they’re the entire reason the game exists. A platform-fighter built around the concept of throwingWarner Bros.' most iconic charactersinto an arena together,MultiVersus' primary gimmick is its crossovers, and the game’s marketing has always put that front and center.
ThoughMultiVersus' fighting game mechanics are good, it’s that crossover concept that’s the game’s biggest draw. This difference in approach doesn’t necessarily mean that one game is better than the other, but it does reinforce the idea that a fighting game should focus on its own mechanics and systems first and foremost.
Brawlhalla
WHERE TO PLAY
An epic platform fighter for up to 8 players online or locally. Try casual free-for-alls, ranked matches, or invite friends to a private room. And it’s free! Play cross-platform with millions of players on PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android and Steam! Frequent updates. Over fifty Legends.The Legend Rotation of nine free to play characters changes every week, and you can earn gold to unlock more Legends by playing any online game mode.
