There aren't many platform-based fighting games, despite the genre existing for decades. Besides Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale and a few fan projects, there has been few notable releases besides Nintendo's wildly successful Super Smash Bros. series. With one major property holding up the concept, there hasn't been much competition to mix up the formula—until now. More than two decades into Smash’s life, several Smash competitors have appeared, and many of them exist as PC games. None quite compare to Nintendo's titles in terms of scope or provenance, but they're far more than mere cash-ins on a fad.
The platform-fighter genre is as vague and nebulous as any other, but most have a few key traits in common. For starters, there’s a blend of Mario-style precision hops and Street Fighter slug outs. Simplified controls and an extensive cast of popular characters aren't essential genre elements, but they're vital in cementing a game's status as a party-friendly brawler (many releases follow that template). Most also opt for sumo-inspired rules; instead of lowering your opponents' health bars via beat downs, you knock them off stages. Beyond that, anything goes.
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The indie game explosion, especially on PC, means an all-inclusive list of platform-fighters is impractical, if not impossible. So, we've gathered the most popular, prominent, and well-designed titles in the category, so you can explore combat games that aren't traditional fighting games. You won’t find fan projects like Project M or Super Flash Bros.; these picks are testaments to the passion and drive fans have had for this style of play. Still, if you're ready to rumble, these games will serve you well.
Recommended by Our Editors
Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is to Smash as Bejeweled is to Tetris Effect. Lighter, and lacking Smash's spit-shine finish, Brawlhalla is a free-to-play title available on PC, console, and mobile. It expands Smash's kinetic, fluid playstayle with unlimited wall-jumps and other movement options.
There’s also a huge, ever-growing character roster, including WWE's The Rock, Tomb Raider's Lara Croft, and Street Fighter’s Ryu. Many of these licensed fighters require spending cash, but that's ok; PCMag’s Jordan Minor stated in his review that it's worth putting down $20 for all current and future characters, because the platform-fighter is a good ol' time.
MultiVersus
Warner Bros. Games' MultiVersus lets you knuckle up using popular characters from Game of Thrones, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, Tom and Jerry, and other properties. The free-to-play title has many familiar faces (Arya Stark, Batman, Shaggy) and tight, multiplayer fighting action to keep you rumbling in the 1v1 and 2v2 modes.
Developer Player First Games has big esports ambitions, serving up a $100K tournament pot at Evo 2022. In other words, the team is going after the esports crowd. Considering the game's fun foundation, it just may be mission accomplished.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
Of all the platform-fighters on PC, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is the closest to a true Smash competitor. Its star attraction is the rich cast that includes characters and stages from animated shows, such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, SpongeBob SquarePants, and The Wild Thornberrys.
Developer Ludosity didn’t introduce many new mechanics, but what’s here works well, even if they lack refinement. The online modes are snappy, and don’t suffer much lag thanks to well-implemented rollback netcode. “Strafing,” one of All-Star Brawl's unique mechanics, rounds out numerous movement and attack options that keep play expressive and personal.
All-Star Brawl lacks voice work, and it's a bit light on content, but the fighting game is a great entry in the nascent sub-genre. For more on the game, check out our review of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl for Nintendo Switch.
Rivals of Aether
If Super Smash Bros. launched on the Super Nintendo, it would have looked a lot like Rivals of Aether. A “16-bit” spin on the platform-fighter concept, RoA is a tight, fast, and beautiful game. There’s an original cast of a dozen characters, plus guest appearances by indie icons Ori and Shovel Knight. They all play beautifully.
Besides the guests, the characters are all battle-ready elemental animals. Forsburn can cloak himself with smoke and flame, while Orcane brings smooth, flowing combos. The characters' different weights and movement speeds combine with sharp animations to create a responsive, tight game that’s tough to put down. There’s a story mode, too, that adds context to the world and characters.
There’s also a sequel tentatively slated for release later this year, and it’s making the jump to 2.5D (with much more detailed character models and stages).
Rumble Arena
The free-to-play Rumble Arena started life as a mobile app, and proudly displays its Smash Bros. inspirations. In fact, it has the same percentage-based, knockback mechanic, and stages that look quite familiar.
Cross-platform play between PC and mobile is the most interesting feature, but it’s worth asking how much value that has in such reflex-based bouts (mobile games are notorious for their clunky controls, unless you have a dedicated mobile controller). The mobile origins show on the PC, as the levels lack detail. Still, if you don’t take the matches too seriously, Rumble Arena is a flexible party game that you can bust out anywhere.
Shovel Knight Showdown
Indie darling and Editor’s Choice pick, Shovel Knight, was a great punch-up of 1980s gaming. Precise, clever, and gorgeous, the retro-styled action platformer remains one of the best of its kind.
Originally pitched as a Shovel Knight stretch goal on Kickstarter, Shovel Knight Showdown came along well after the original’s 2014 launch. Showdown is a whole game unto itself, with a generous starting roster, unlockable characters, and unique campaigns. Different modes let you choose between collect-a-thons or a frenzied brawl. Prior series experience isn’t required or necessarily helpful, either, making it a great title for party nights.
Slap City
Slap City is Ludosity’s second game on this list. It features nine characters pulled from Ludosity’s library, but without the character-based star power, the play drives the experience. Thankfully, each character feels fresh. Jenny Fox is an angry ax-wielding vulpine, while Business Casual Man smacks opponents with huge amounts of cash.
Slap City’s single biggest innovation is its tone; it’s much more light-hearted than its competitors. Still, it maintains the sharp, crunchy play needed to entice veterans. In a nice touch, Slap City includes a “Clutch” button that does any number of tough technical moves. It helps you wall-jump to survive a near-death situation, or short-hop on the ledge to open advanced techniques. You’ll still need sharp reflexes to win, but Slap City is an excellent evolution of the Smash ethos.
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