There have been other games that got close to being as interesting as Smash competitively but no other game managed to get close to the level of charm and polish that the popular king of the platform fighter genre is known for.

Multiversus, at the time of writing, is what I would consider the first real contender in the genre alongside Smash. The characters were given all the love that they deserve with references, voice-lines and moves that pay homoge to their source material.

Competively, the game shows great promise. Obviously there are still some balance adjustments to be made but that that could be said for any game...at any point of its lifespan. It actually innovates on the genre and presents a new take on the Smash-formula that is easy to get into while offering plenty of depth as you learn the characters. As the first ever 2v2 platform fighter, it adds a whole new level of fun but also complexity. It is different from 2v2 modes in other games of the genre because of how characters are designed and balanced. There are designated support-characters which can buff their allies with armor and many other status effects or save them from elimination using abilities unique to their kit.

At the time of writing, the business model seems not only fair but oddly generous in one aspect: All characters are onlocked for local and lobby play! So if you are just getting together with friends (or Twitch viewers) you can try out the entire cast without spending a cent!

For online multiplayer, there is a rotation of free characters. You earn gold by playing to unlock characters permanently. They can only be leveled up to earn new perks (some of which change move-properties) by playing, so there is NO PAY2WIN issues right now. You can earn enough gold to unlock even an Expert level character (3000 Gold) within a few days of playing. But if you do not wanna grind, you can always buy characters or costumes. This may change if they make future characters more expensive or mess with the amount of Gold you receive, so check in with the current business model when you read this as it is subject to change.


Conclusion:

A well-designed Smash-like with charming characters. It is free, so try it out!I have not had this much fun with a fighting game in ages, so I can wholeheartedly recommend it!

There have been other games that got close to being as interesting as Smash competitively but no other game managed to get close to the level of charm and polish that the popular king of the platform fighter genre is known for. Multiversus, at the time of writing, is what I would consider the first real contender in the genre alongside Smash. The characters were given all the love that they deserve with references, voice-lines and moves that pay homoge to their source material. Competively, the game shows great promise. Obviously there are still some balance adjustments to be made but that that could be said for any game...at any point of its lifespan. It actually innovates on the genre and presents a new take on the Smash-formula that is easy to get into while offering plenty of depth as you learn the characters. As the first ever 2v2 platform fighter, it adds a whole new level of fun but also complexity. It is different from 2v2 modes in other games of the genre because of how characters are designed and balanced. There are designated support-characters which can buff their allies with armor and many other status effects or save them from elimination using abilities unique to their kit. At the time of writing, the business model seems not only fair but oddly generous in one aspect: All characters are onlocked for local and lobby play! So if you are just getting together with friends (or Twitch viewers) you can try out the entire cast without spending a cent! For online multiplayer, there is a rotation of free characters. You earn gold by playing to unlock characters permanently. They can only be leveled up to earn new perks (some of which change move-properties) by playing, so there is NO PAY2WIN issues right now. You can earn enough gold to unlock even an Expert level character (3000 Gold) within a few days of playing. But if you do not wanna grind, you can always buy characters or costumes. This may change if they make future characters more expensive or mess with the amount of Gold you receive, so check in with the current business model when you read this as it is subject to change. Conclusion: A well-designed Smash-like with charming characters. It is free, so try it out!I have not had this much fun with a fighting game in ages, so I can wholeheartedly recommend it!