Nickelodeon's crossover fighting game, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, has been gaining attention in the gaming community for its action-packed matches featuring beloved characters from various Nickelodeon shows. Recently, the game was upgraded with a new update, marked as Version 1.4, which went live on December 21, 2023. In this article, we dive into the multitude of changes and new elements introduced with this update.
The latest update is a mix of new features, balance updates, and fixes implemented to offer players a better gaming experience. Notably, the game now supports "team attack" within its rulesets and introduces a "Steal Stock Mode" for team battles. This mode allows players to share their teammates’ stocks when they run out, adding a new strategic layer to matches.
Additionally, the update has added the option of “Stock Pool” in team battles, where all teammates share a pool of stocks, and the match ends if any player dies on their last stock. These team-focused additions are aimed at making team matches more dynamic and encouraging teamwork among players.
On the general gameplay side, the developers have addressed a few issues that needed tweaking. For instance, competitive players are now unable to kick other players in competitive lobbies, timed mode now properly ends at 0 instead of 1, and a CPU behavior problem where they would get stuck at the edge has been fixed.
The campaign mode has also received attention and fixes. Previously, some bosses met their demise at half health, something that has now been corrected. Offscreen indicators for arena mobs have been added, and new power-up category icons can be seen for Non-Playable Characters (NPCs) in campaign mode.
Then, there are the balance changes which cover a wide range of characters from Patrick to the Angry Beavers Daggett and Norbert. From fixing specific issues like Patrick's grab-related anomaly to adjusting the knockback on Raphael's moves, the update seeks to address balance and gameplay consistency.
For example, April's infamous down light movement glitch was fixed, and Danny Phantom received significant changes to his hitboxes and special moves, creating a more balanced fight experience.
Diving deep into the tweaking process, the update's fixes include adjustments to moves across multiple characters such as Squidward, Ren & Stimpy, Donatello, and other fan favorites like Aang and Korra. Moves have been rebalanced in terms of knockback, hitbox size, lag, and other parameters to ensure a fair and competitive environment.
A notable addition is the change made to various characters' abilities to stall or recover special moves in mid-air, preventing players from exploiting these mechanics, which could otherwise lead to unbalanced play. For example, El Tigre can no longer recover his stall on Charge Air Up after being hit and only regains it upon grabbing the edge or landing.
Azula, known for her fierce combat style, saw a reduction in base knockback and knockback gain on her Slime Special Down projectile, tweaking her long-range combat effectiveness.
Garfield’s sugar rush state has also been revised, as it previously could be applied without using the meter when interrupted by a hit. Now, players need to be more cautious with their resource management with Garfield.
Jimmy's move set has seen modifications, including an increase in his Charge Air Forward's base knockback and knockback gain, which affects his aerial offensive capabilities.
Meanwhile, Gerald’s aerial abilities have been improved, allowing him to execute Special Up after performing a Skateboard Special Up.
Other characters like Jenny, Mecha Plankton, Rocko, and even Grandma Gertie have not been left out. Each has had specific moves and mechanisms tweaked for a better play experience.
