Move over Smash, I main Reptar now! Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

[MetManMas]

I totally get that some of the voice actors are too expensive or racist or dead to reprise their roles or rent out their existing voice clips, but generally these types of games can and will hire and utilize substitute VAs. Like, I know it wouldn't be perfect, but a Tim Curry impersonator voicing Nigel Thornberry would be better than nobody voicing him.

Of course, the ball is in Nick's court, not the dev's.

 

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

A couple of things.

First, new alt costumes, including the Mirage TMNT:

Second, and more significantly...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1415137919539597313

THE PROPHECY HAS BEEN FULFILLED

Suffice to say...

 

[Sprite]

The alt costumes depress me because it’s clear the developer understand the game’s biggest flaw, but each character is only getting one costume, so it’s a literal half-measure. I can understand why they’d be hamstrung on palette swaps, but… maybe the party hats can have different colors?

 

[Sprite]

Jenny is an extremely cool inclusion, though she looks really off in 3D.

Did this game sell well? I'm still kind of rooting for it even though I've never played it.

 

[RT-55J]

Hugh is an inspired (or rather: highly memetic) choice.

 

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

 

[Johnny Unusual]

I just skipped ahead to see if they used Lorenzo Music since I'm sure to younger people they might hear some other Garfield and... I'm really upset by Garfield's black hole smile. His happiness is a void of horror.

 

[MetManMas]

I just skipped ahead to see if they used Lorenzo Music since I'm sure to younger people they might hear some other Garfield and... I'm really upset by Garfield's black hole smile. His happiness is a void of horror.

Lorenzo's been dead for over two decades so it'd have to be archive dialogue if he "reprised" his role.

As for the black hole smile, I get what they were going for (the comics and early cartoons also did that) but it's definitely creepy in 3D.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Lorenzo's been dead for over two decades so it'd have to be archive dialogue if he "reprised" his role.

I mean, it's all archive footage. I don't think anyone re-recorded grunts for a fan mod. Though some nerds have some deep pockets, I suppose.

 

[MetManMas]

Oh, a fan mod. Makes sense.

 

[ArugulaZ]

It's actually really impressive how they cleaned up all those voice clips. I assume they were taken straight from the shows, but in those shows, there would be soundtracks and ambient noise and other voices all playing at the same time. You don't hear any of that in this mod, and kudos to the mod team for that.

 

[Becksworth]

Voice Acting update dropped today. And in other news I bought this while it was still on sale.

 

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

 

[ArugulaZ]

Is this official? Because I know there was a patch with voice clips from the original actors. These... are not the original actors. Garfield certainly isn't. Who is that, Frank Welker? And it sounds like Jim Cummings as Shredder, which would not have been my first choice for that character.

 

[WildcatJF]

Yes, it's noted bigot and wife abuser Jim Cummings as Shredder and Cat of CatDog.

Quit hiring him cartoon based brawlers

 

[Becksworth]

Like I get it, James Avery passed away, but did you have to hire Jim Cummings as a replacement for Shredder?

Anyway, my initial impression is even with all the improvements from user feedback it still feels unpolished compared to Smash Bros., which yeah that is a tall order, but that is the point of comparison unfortunately.

 

[MetManMas]

I get wanting people to voice roles they were involved in (even if as a replacement) when possible, but this is definitely a case where I would've preferred less problematic soundalikes over giving Jimmy Bigot any more work. That asshole already got more than enough V.O. work in the late 80s, 90s, and onward with the countless (mainly Disney) projects he worked on.

Speaking of, beating that old man to death with a rusty mace in was...cathartic in my current Skyrim playthrough. If I had access to a version with the real mods I would turn off essential status altogether so I could Fus Ro Da Olfrid Battle-Born down the stairs when I no longer need him.

 

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

These... are not the original actors. Garfield certainly isn't. Who is that, Frank Welker? And it sounds like Jim Cummings as Shredder, which would not have been my first choice for that character.

It sounds like him, and I mean, Welker has been voicing Garfield for the last 15 years. So I think that while he may not be the original (and in all fairness, neither was Lorenzo Music, technically), he has a legitimate claim to the role now.

 

[Ghost from Spelunker]

Yes, it's noted bigot and wife abuser Jim Cummings as Shredder and Cat of CatDog.

Quit hiring him cartoon based brawlers

And animal abuser.

The only reason I can imagine having him do other voices is "we already got him in the studio and we don't want to hire other people."

 

[ArugulaZ]

It sounds like him, and I mean, Welker has been voicing Garfield for the last 15 years. So I think that while he may not be the original (and in all fairness, neither was Lorenzo Music, technically), he has a legitimate claim to the role now.

I'll be honest with you, Welker doesn't work for me as Garfield, even if he's been the official voice of the character for fifteen years. They had to get someone, because Lorenzo Music won't be coming back to the role any time, uh, ever. Nevertheless, Welker's portrayal of the character feels like a surface deep imitation... he's lethargic without being slyly sarcastic. He's Garfield the merchandising icon, Garfield the star of cheaply made amusement park rides littered with Frito-Lay ads, Garfield™ the registered trademark, the half of the character that's realistically always been there, but the half I resent more and more with age. This isn't Garfield, the snarky, id-driven curmudgeon with wry observations about society that are lost to everyone but the viewer who's let in on the joke.

Whatever. It's a fighting game, not an episode of Garfield and Friends, so I guess some yelps and a few tired catchphrases will be good enough for most players.

 

[MetManMas]

They had to get someone (for Garfield), because Lorenzo Music won't be coming back to the role any time, uh, ever.

Even if he hadn't died to cancer back in 2001 Music would be around his mid 80s if he was still around for this game. Not that being 76 has slowed down Welker's V.O. career...but voice actors are only mortal.

Still, while Frank might not be the Garfield that we loved, for many modern kids and young adults who grew up with the cheesy French animated CGI cartoon dub he is Garfield.

 

[Becksworth]

Playing this more I can agree with the sentiments that this game's balance is best described as toxic. Multiple characters can take you down quickly and in ways that might be uncharitably called cheap. Hardcore NASB fans would probably say everyone is like that so it's fair, but I'd imagine casual Smash fans will throw their controllers after being spiked down and away from the stage by a ledge gaurding Toph for the 10th time, or a Reptar spamming down special.

 

[Becksworth]

I guess this did well enough for a sequel.

 

[gogglebob]

The Nickelodeon Kart Racers by the same publisher have quietly reached a third sequel on the Switch, so I think this "franchise" doesn't have a high bar to clear to keep pumping out sequels.

Note that both this game and the kart racers (recently discounted to like $15) are games that I would describe as "decent". Not something that would seriously steal the limelight from the big boys, but a good time if you want to play as Invader Zim in something. Probably on the better end of the spectrum of "videogames that include Garfield".

 

[Becksworth]

Bought this in the Steam sale. Still doesn't hold a candle to Smash Bros., but it's a lot better than the first one from what I've played. Also the game balance doesn't seem geared towards "rage inducing" at a casual glance.

I find myself gravitating towards Squidward..

 

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

Switch performance is the drizzling shits, though. At least for loading times. I didn't have much issue during actual matches, but ymmv.

 

[Becksworth]

I heard that. It's not exactly pushing the Steamdeck hardware either, so you'd think the Switch could handle it.

 

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

I haven't seen anything that it seems like the Switch shouldn't be able to or hasn't handled before. I think they just didn't optimize it for the Switch.