The Polygon recap of EVO 2026 spent more screen time than usual on platform fighters, and the headline conversation is what the segment looks like after MultiVersus shut down. Brawlhalla remains the free-to-play anchor (over 100 million accounts last Ubisoft published a number), but the platform fighter scene around it has matured: indie successors are deeper and the genre’s competitive ceiling has lifted. We tested six Brawlhalla alternatives on Steam that cover the range from “deeper Brawlhalla” to “everything Brawlhalla isn’t” for players ready to spend on a sharper platform fighter.
The picks below skip the Smash Bros conversation (Nintendo-only) and focus on the platform fighters that actually ship on Steam.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Cost | Standout | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rivals of Aether | The Smash-likes pioneer | $14.99 | Wave-dash + DI fundamentals | Steam |
| Rivals of Aether II | Current sequel + workshop ecosystem | $29.99 | Rollback netcode, 3D models | Steam |
| MultiVersus | Warner Bros character roster | Free (delisted) | 2v2 platform-fighter focus | Steam (limited) |
| Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 | Pop-culture roster, paid model | $49.99 | Slime meter and Single-player Mode | Steam |
| Slap City | Indie pixel-art platform fighter | $14.99 | Ludosity character cameos | Steam |
| Fraymakers | Modern indie smash-like | $19.99 | Custom character workshop | Steam |
Why Brawlhalla players cross over
The pattern on r/Brawlhalla and the FGC platform-fighter Discords is consistent:
- The combat ceiling on Brawlhalla is friendlier than the Smash community considers genre-standard. Players looking for the wave-dash + DI fundamentals tradition crossover to Rivals.
- Cross-platform play in Brawlhalla mixes mouse-and-keyboard with controller players in ranked. The dedicated PC fighters all use controllers.
- Brawlhalla’s monetisation is hat-only and never paywalls roster access, but the genre’s paid entries unlock everything for a flat fee.
- The pace of patches on Brawlhalla can feel slow when characters get held back in low tiers for full seasons.
The picks below cover three directions Brawlhalla players go: the deeper paid platform fighter (Rivals tradition), the pop-culture-roster paid platform fighters, and the indie outliers that take the genre into different art directions.
The 6 best Brawlhalla alternatives on PC
Rivals of Aether — best Smash-likes pioneer
Rivals of Aether is the original platform fighter that pulled the Smash Bros mechanics into a standalone Steam game and added wave-dash and DI as first-class systems. The Aether League ranked ladder pioneered the modern platform-fighter competitive scene. The Workshop ecosystem ships thousands of community characters, including playable versions of basically every Smash veteran.
For Brawlhalla players who want the Smash combat ceiling without the Nintendo dependency, Rivals is the genre’s foundation.
Where it falls short: the original is now superseded by Rivals II for active development. The art direction is pixel-art-only, which divides players. The roster is small without the Workshop.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: around $14.99 (regularly discounted)
- vs Brawlhalla: Paid, deeper mechanics, smaller roster
Switching from Brawlhalla: spend a session learning wave-dash before any matches. It is the foundation of every other movement option.
Download: Rivals of Aether on Steam
Bottom line: pick Rivals of Aether when you want the foundation of the platform-fighter genre at the cheapest price.
Rivals of Aether II — best current sequel
Rivals of Aether II is Dan Fornace’s successor with 3D character models, rollback netcode, and the same wave-dash + DI foundation. Workshop support shipped post-launch and the active development is the strongest in the genre right now. The current roster covers every major archetype.
For Brawlhalla players ready to commit to the genre’s modern reference point, Rivals II is the deeper investment.
Where it falls short: the 3D model transition divided the original Rivals community. Some characters still feel under-baked compared to the originals. The Workshop ecosystem is rebuilding from scratch.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: around $29.99
- vs Brawlhalla: More expensive, modern netcode, deeper systems
Switching from Brawlhalla: the wave-dash + DI foundation carries from Brawlhalla cleanly. Combos are denser than in either Brawlhalla or the original Rivals.
Download: Rivals of Aether II on Steam
Bottom line: pick Rivals II when the long-term commitment is to the active competitive scene.
MultiVersus — best Warner Bros character roster (delisted)
MultiVersus is the Player First Games platform fighter that paired Warner Bros characters (Batman, Bugs Bunny, Garnet, Rick Sanchez) with 2v2-first combat. The game shipped a beta, a relaunch, and then a shutdown in 2026. The Steam appid is still active but the storefront listing has been removed.
For Brawlhalla players curious about what 2v2 platform-fighter design looks like, MultiVersus is the cautionary tale.
Where it falls short: the game is no longer sold or maintained. The online services have wound down. We include the entry because Brawlhalla players will inevitably look for MultiVersus and should know its current state.
Pricing:
- Free: Was free-to-play during life
- Now: Servers offline; do not buy from secondary key resellers
Switching from Brawlhalla: don’t. The closer-to-MultiVersus design is Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2.
Download: MultiVersus on Steam (storefront limited; servers down)
Bottom line: mentioned for completeness. Do not start here.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 — best pop-culture-roster paid platform fighter
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is Fair Play Labs’s sequel that fixed the original’s biggest complaint by adding voice acting, story content, and a deeper combat system. The Slime Meter is the new resource bar, the single-player Story Mode covers many hours, and the roster spans 25+ Nickelodeon characters including some unexpected deep cuts.
For Brawlhalla players who want a paid platform fighter with character-driven appeal, NASB 2 is the strongest pop-culture option.
Where it falls short: online population is smaller than Brawlhalla or Rivals II. Character balance has had stretches of weakness. The DLC roadmap has slowed since the launch year.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: around $49.99 (regularly discounted)
- vs Brawlhalla: Paid, deeper mechanics, character-driven appeal
Switching from Brawlhalla: the Slime Meter is the new mana bar. Learn one character’s slime-fueled super before any neutral game.
Download: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 on Steam
Bottom line: pick NASB 2 when character roster nostalgia is the deciding factor and the budget is there.
Slap City — best indie pixel-art platform fighter
Slap City is Ludosity’s character-cameo platform fighter starring playable characters from Ludosity’s own indie back catalogue (Ittle Dew, Princess Remedy). The pixel-art aesthetic is the strongest in the genre, the moveset design lifts directly from Smash’s wave-dashing tradition, and the price is the lowest on this list. Slap City is the budget pick that takes the genre seriously.
For Brawlhalla players who want a deeper combat system at the lowest possible cost, Slap City is the value pick.
Where it falls short: the roster is small (10 characters). Online population is the smallest on this list. Updates are infrequent compared to actively-maintained titles.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: around $14.99
- vs Brawlhalla: Paid, cheaper than the rest, smaller scene
Switching from Brawlhalla: the wave-dash system is the centre of the game. Learn it in training mode before going online.
Download: Slap City on Steam
Bottom line: pick Slap City when you want a serious Smash-like for the lowest possible budget.
Fraymakers — best modern indie smash-like
Fraymakers is McLeodGaming’s modern indie platform fighter starring indie-game characters (Octodad, Orcane from Rivals, Welltaro from Downwell). The Workshop integration shipped at launch and supports community character creation as a first-class feature. The wave-dash + DI foundation is the cleanest indie implementation since the original Rivals.
For Brawlhalla players who want the genre’s active indie pick with a thriving Workshop, Fraymakers is the strongest current alternative.
Where it falls short: roster is still growing. The early-access reputation slowed Steam reviews initially. The 1v1 ranked ladder is smaller than Rivals II.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: around $19.99 (regularly discounted)
- vs Brawlhalla: Paid, deeper mechanics, Workshop ecosystem
Switching from Brawlhalla: treat the Workshop as the long-term content layer. Custom characters keep the game fresh between official drops.
Download: Fraymakers on Steam
Bottom line: pick Fraymakers when an active Workshop ecosystem is the long-term draw.
How to choose
- Pick Rivals of Aether when the cheapest way into the Rivals tradition is the goal.
- Pick Rivals of Aether II when the long-term competitive scene is what you want next.
- Pick Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 when character roster nostalgia drives the purchase.
- Pick Slap City when you want a serious Smash-like at the lowest possible budget.
- Pick Fraymakers when the Workshop is the long-term content engine you want.
- Stay on Brawlhalla if cross-platform free-to-play is the requirement. None of these alternatives replicate Brawlhalla’s free model at the same scale.
FAQ
Is there a free Brawlhalla alternative on Steam? MultiVersus was the closest match during its life, but the game is no longer playable in 2026. Among paid entries, Slap City is the cheapest at $14.99. There is no current free-to-play Brawlhalla equivalent on Steam with a comparable player base.
Which Brawlhalla alternative has the largest online community? Rivals of Aether II currently has the strongest active platform fighter community on Steam. Brawlhalla itself remains the genre’s player-count leader by an order of magnitude across all platforms.
Are these platform fighters available on Steam Deck? Yes. Brawlhalla, Rivals of Aether, Rivals II, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, Slap City, and Fraymakers all run on the Deck. Rivals II’s 3D engine is the most demanding; the rest run at the Deck’s native frame rate easily.
Can I play Smash Bros on PC? Not officially. Smash Bros Ultimate is Nintendo Switch only. The PC platform-fighter scene exists specifically because Nintendo never published a PC version of Smash.
Which is closest to Brawlhalla in feel? Slap City and Fraymakers are the closest in tempo. Rivals of Aether is similar in combat language but plays at a denser combo speed. Brawlhalla’s two-button moveset is intentionally simpler than any of these.
