Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is a 2D platform fighting game built around fast matches, simple controls, and the familiar goal of launching opponents off the stage. You pick a Legend, learn how their two weapon types change your options, and then juggle positioning, dodges, and item pickups to win in both casual and competitive formats, either online or locally with friends.
 | Publisher: Blue Mammoth Games Playerbase: High Type: Fighting Game Release Date: April 30, 2014 Pros: +Strong couch multiplayer support. +Ranked online modes for serious play. +Plenty of laid-back playlists for variety. +Distinct, colorful Legends. +Responsive, consistent controls. Cons: -Weekly rotation limits free access to Legends. -Core movesets can feel restrained compared to deeper fighters. |
Brawlhalla Overview
Brawlhalla takes the platform fighter formula and keeps it focused on readable movement, quick exchanges, and ring-outs instead of health bars. Matches revolve around spacing and recovery, while item spawns add sudden momentum swings, whether that is a well-timed bomb toss or a weapon pickup that opens up a new set of attacks. Each Legend can equip one of two weapon styles during a match, and those weapons significantly shape how you approach neutral, pressure, and finishing blows.
If you want structured competition, ranked queues support 1v1 and 2v2 play where consistency and matchup knowledge matter. On the other end of the spectrum, larger free-for-alls (including 8-player chaos) lean into unpredictability and opportunistic knockouts. For offline sessions, local play supports up to four players on the same machine, making it easy to treat Brawlhalla as a party game. There is also a single-player tournament option with bots that can be tuned in difficulty, which works well for learning movement, practicing recoveries, and getting comfortable with weapon strings before jumping into PvP.
Brawlhalla Key Features:
- Colorful Legends – pick from 17 vibrant characters, each with signature attacks that give them a distinct feel.
- Ranked Competition – queue for online ladder modes and test yourself in serious 1v1 and 2v2 matches.
- Local Multiplayer – run couch battles with up to 4 players on a single system.
- Solo Tournament – sharpen fundamentals against bots and scale difficulty as you improve.
- Casual Party Variants – mix things up with alternative modes like Brawlball and Bombsketball when you want a break from standard brawls.
Brawlhalla Screenshots
Brawlhalla Featured Video
Brawlhalla Review
Brawlhalla steps into a space long associated with Super Smash Bros, but it approaches the genre with a clear PC-first mindset and an accessible free-to-play model. The result is a platform fighter that is easy to understand within minutes, yet still offers room to improve through movement discipline, weapon familiarity, and better decision-making under pressure. A rotating free roster (six Legends that change weekly) makes it possible to sample different playstyles, while long-term players can unlock additional characters through play or focus on cosmetic purchases.
At the mechanical level, Brawlhalla is straightforward: movement is snappy, attacks are split into light and heavy options, and defensive tools like dodging and recovery are crucial for surviving edge situations. Matches can be configured around points or stocks and typically play out quickly, which encourages repeated runs and experimentation. Damage is communicated through a color-shifting indicator, so you always have a sense of when a hit is likely to send someone flying. The more damage you have, the more dangerous even a relatively simple strike becomes.
What stands out is how quickly the game reaches a frantic pace. Newer players will often lean on repeated attacks and item grabs, but the skill ceiling rises as soon as opponents start spacing properly, punishing unsafe approaches, and contesting weapon control. Controls support keyboard setups as well as controllers, and the overall feel is responsive enough that losses tend to read as mistakes rather than technical issues.
Weapons, Items, Stages, and Monetization
Item variety is intentionally limited compared to some platform fighters, and that can be a positive or a negative depending on what you want from the genre. The shared item pool includes options like mines, bombs, spiky projectiles, and a horn that summons a creature to rush horizontally across the arena. Because there are not dozens of gimmick items, most matches stay centered on movement, weapon control, and timing instead of constant RNG swings.
Where Brawlhalla finds its depth is in weapon kits. Legends fight with basic attacks until they pick up a weapon, and each Legend can draw from one of two weapon types that come with distinct ranges and rhythms. That shift changes how you engage, how you pressure platforms, and how you try to secure a knockout. Cosmetic customization (Legend skins, weapon skins, and taunts) is tied to the shop, and it is the main monetization hook.
Stages, referred to as Realms, are compact and designed to keep players interacting. Most feature a mix of platforms (some fixed, some moving), edges for ledge pressure, and structures that reward smart positioning. Certain Realms are better suited to duels, while others accommodate larger free-for-alls where you need to track multiple threats at once. They do not lean heavily into elaborate hazards, which keeps competitive play cleaner, but may feel less “spectacle-driven” for players who want wild stage gimmicks.
A major advantage is that the game avoids pay-to-win design. Purchases focus on appearance rather than power, and progression for unlocking Legends can be achieved through regular play, daily missions, and logins. That keeps matches feeling fair, and it helps the competitive scene since skill and matchup knowledge remain the deciding factors.
Modes and Match Types
Brawlhalla’s mode selection supports both party sessions and ladder grinding. Couch Party is the centerpiece for local play, allowing up to four players on one machine, which is ideal for quick rounds and rotating controllers. Single Player includes a tournament-style option (arcade format), training tools for learning movement and testing attacks, and bot matches for practice without pressure.
Online play ranges from standard matchmaking free-for-alls to custom lobbies where you can tune rules to fit your group. Ranked provides the most structured environment, offering competitive 1v1 and 2v2 ladders for players who enjoy learning matchups, refining punish windows, and improving consistency over time.
Where It Falls Short
Brawlhalla’s simplicity is both its identity and its limitation. Movesets can feel compact, and if you are coming from more complex traditional fighters, you may find the toolset somewhat constrained. The stage lineup is functional and readable, but not always memorable in the way iconic crossover arenas can be. Presentation quirks also show up in UI elements, where some menu and text styling can come across as plain compared to the game’s lively character art.
Another practical downside is the weekly rotation for free Legends. It is helpful for sampling, but it can be frustrating if you want to specialize in one character that rotates out, especially when you are trying to build consistency.
Final Verdict – Great
Brawlhalla succeeds by delivering a clean, skill-driven platform fighter that works well on PC and supports both casual and competitive play. It is approachable enough for newcomers, but the combination of movement, weapon control, and punish timing gives committed players plenty to refine. With fair monetization and strong local and online options, it earns its place as one of the most reliable alternatives in a genre that is often dominated by console staples.
Brawlhalla Links
Brawlhalla Official Site
Brawlhalla Developer’s Website
Brawlhalla Steam Page
Brawlhalla Wiki [Database/Guides]
Brawlhalla Reddit
Brawlhalla System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
RAM: 1 GB
Hard Disk Space: 75 MB
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10
RAM: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space: 75 MB
Brawlhalla Music & Soundtrack
Brawlhalla Additional Information
Developer: Blue Mammoth Games
Announcement Date: June, 2015
Closed Beta: November 12, 2014
Open Beta: November 03, 2015
Steam Release Date: April 30, 2014
Development History / Background:
Brawlhalla comes from indie studio Blue Mammoth Games, a team founded in 2009. The game’s closed beta started on November 12, 2014, with keys distributed through Steam. It first appeared as an Early Access release priced at $19.99, while the developers stated their plan was to transition it into a free-to-play title. On Novemeber 03, 2015, Brawlhalla entered Open Beta and adopted the free-to-play model. Blue Mammoth Games is also known for creating the side-scrolling MMO Dungeon Blitz.