PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
A crossover fighting game uniting PlayStation's iconic characters.
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale pits characters from Sony-owned or closely linked game franchises against one another in multiplayer fights. Released in 2012, it was developed by SuperBot Entertainment and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The title was among the first to participate in Sony's cross-buy program, meaning buyers of the PS3 version got the Vita port for free.
The game operates as a platform fighter, similar in style to Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series. Up to four players compete on a 2D plane, using three attack buttons combined with directional inputs. Instead of traditional health bars, players damage opponents to collect AP orbs, which fill a power meter. These orbs can also be found scattered across stages or stolen from foes via throw attacks. Once enough AP is gathered, players can unleash one of three levels of "Super Moves." Level 1 supers cost the least AP but have short range and hit only one target, while Level 3 supers require a full meter but can last longer and eliminate multiple opponents.
Battles occur across fifteen arenas, each blending elements from two games. Examples include Sandover Village (Jak and Daxter with Hot Shots Golf), Dreamscape (LittleBigPlanet with Buzz!), Stowaways (Uncharted with BioShock Infinite), and Hades (God of War with Patapon). As a match progresses, the second game's theme takes over, often adding new hazards. Item pickups—such as the Hedgehog Grenade from Resistance, the Gravity Shield from Wipeout, Baumusu's Axe from Rise of the Kasai, and Razor Claws from Ratchet & Clank—can be used to attack opponents or boost the player, causing AP loss. Both stage hazards and items can be turned off in the options menu.
Single-player content includes an arcade mode where players fight random opponents, then a rival battle, and finally the main antagonist, Polygon Man—the former North American mascot for Sony PlayStation. Multiplayer offers time-based matches (most kills within a time limit), stock-based matches (last one standing), and kill-limit matches (first to a set number of kills). A challenge mode tasks players with specific objectives. Leveling up a character by completing matches and objectives unlocks costumes, victory animations, and profile icons.
Quick Facts
- Publisher
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Designer
- Seth Killian
- Director
- Omar Kendall
- Producer
- Chan Park
- Composer
- John King
- Released
- NA · November 20, 2012 · EU · November 21, 2012 · AUS · November 22, 2012 · UK · November 23, 2012 · JP · January 31, 2013
- Genre
- Platform fighter
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
- Title
- PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Development of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale began in 2009 under the working title of Title Fight. The game was originally going to be developed by Naughty Dog, but publisher Sony Computer Entertainment formed SuperBot Entertainment in 2009 specifically to work on the game. The creative team included members from several Sony and former third party development teams. Omar Kendall, formerly a designer on the UFC series, the Backyard Wrestling franchise, and X-Men: Next Dimension, assumed the role of game director. Numerous other developers, including Sony's own Santa Monica Studio, Bluepoint Games, Blind Squirrel Games and Magic Pixel Games, contributed to development.
The game's existence was leaked prior to its official announcement in April 2012, along with a significant number of its playable characters. In November 2011, images of the game (then codenamed as Title Fight) appeared online, showing Sweet Tooth from the Twisted Metal series and Kratos from God of War. The game was officially revealed on the April 26, 2012 episode of GTTV. A PlayStation Vita version was announced at E3 2012, developed by Bluepoint Games, and confirmed to feature cross-play with the PlayStation 3. Several public and private multiplayer betas were held between July and October 2012.
Reader's Guide
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is a platform fighter similar to Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series, where up to four players battle using characters from Sony franchises such as God of War, PaRappa the Rapper, Infamous, and Sly Cooper, as well as third-party franchises like BioShock. Battles take place on a 2D plane, with players damaging opponents to receive AP orbs that build a power meter. Earning enough power allows players to use one of three levels of special attacks named 'Super Moves' to defeat opponents and earn points. The game features fifteen battle arenas, each based on a combination of two games, with stage hazards and item pick-ups. It includes a traditional single-player arcade mode, multiplayer modes (time-based, stock-based, and kill-limit matches), and a single-player challenge mode. The game received mixed reviews; critics praised its multiplayer components, gameplay mechanics, and faithfulness to the represented franchises, but criticized its lack of content and presentation. Prior to the shutdown of its online multiplayer servers, the game featured cross-platform play between the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita versions.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally going to be developed by Naughty Dog, but Sony formed SuperBot Entertainment in 2009 to work on it.
- The game's working title was Title Fight.
- The final boss is Polygon Man, the former mascot for the Sony PlayStation in North America.
- The game was one of the first to be included in Sony's cross-buy program.
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