Brawlhalla review: the best free platform fighter in 2026

Brawlhalla is the best free-to-play platform fighter on PC in 2026 and the most generous fighting game ever made. 50+ legends, every one earnable for free, crossplay on every platform (PC, PS4/5, Xbox, Switch, iOS, Android), and a competitive scene with real prize pools. If Super Smash Bros. was F2P, it would be Brawlhalla.

What works

The F2P model is the most generous in the fighting game genre. Every legend is earnable for free through gold (the in-game currency earned by playing matches). A new player can unlock their first legend in 2-3 days of casual play. The rotating weekly events give you a free legend rotation (so you can try every legend before unlocking). The only paid items are cosmetic skins, which don't affect gameplay.

The crossplay is the best in the genre. Brawlhalla has crossplay on by default between PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Every player is in the same matchmaking pool. The input-based matchmaking (the Switch players are matched with mobile players, the PC players are matched with PC players) is the best in any crossplay game.

The ranked mode is the most competitive in the F2P fighting game space. The Brawlhalla World Championship is the most- watched F2P fighting game event, with $1M+ prize pools annually. The ranked ladder (from Tin to Diamond) is the most competitive, and the matchmaking is fast (average 30-second queue). The Diamond rank is the highest, and the top 100 players on the Diamond leaderboard are genuinely world-class.

The Workshop mode is the most powerful level editor in any platform fighter. You can create custom maps, custom game modes, custom legends, and custom skins. The Workshop is built on the same engine as the main game, so there's no performance hit. The community has created 100,000+ Workshop maps, and the best ones (community-voted) are promoted to the official rotation.

The rotating weekly events keep the meta fresh. Every Friday, Brawlhalla introduces a new limited-time game mode (Brawlball, Bombsketball, Hold the Treasure, etc.) with unique rules. The events give you a free gold reward, and the most popular events get promoted to the permanent rotation.

What doesn't

The netcode is the worst in any modern competitive game. Brawlhalla uses rollback netcode, but the implementation is poor — matches with 100ms+ latency have noticeable input delay, and the rollback often causes desyncs. The competitive scene uses LAN for offline events, but the online experience is rough. The August 2026 update tried to fix this with new netcode, but the improvements are marginal.

Some legends are noticeably stronger than others. The balance patches are slow (every 4-6 weeks), and the meta is often dominated by 2-3 legends per weapon category. The "S-tier" legends (currently Teros, Orion, and Thor) have been top-tier for 6+ months with no nerfs. New legends release overpowered and take 2-3 months to balance.

The population is small compared to Smash Bros or MultiVersus. 20k+ concurrent on Steam is healthy for a platform fighter, but it's a fraction of the Smash Bros player base (Smash Ultimate had 25M+ sales). The smaller population means fewer online rivals at the high ranks, and the matchmaking at Diamond is rough (5+ minute queue times).

The art style is generic. Brawlhalla looks like every other mobile-friendly platform fighter (the characters are short, cute, and brightly colored, the stages are simple, the visual effects are minimal). The art style is functional but not iconic. Smash Bros. has Mario, Link, Pikachu. Brawlhalla has... generic Vikings and aliens.

No single-player campaign. The only offline mode is vs AI. If you want a story mode (Smash Bros. has the World of Light campaign, MultiVersus has the multiverse story), Brawlhalla doesn't have one.

The competition

vs Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Smash is the king of platform fighters and the benchmark Brawlhalla is measured against. Smash has a better roster (every Nintendo character ever), a better single-player mode (World of Light), and a better art style. Brawlhalla is F2P and has crossplay. Pick Smash for the roster, pick Brawlhalla for the F2P model.

vs MultiVersus: MultiVersus is the Warner Bros. platform fighter (closed in 2024, rumored to return in 2027). The roster was the best in the genre (Batman, Superman, Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry, etc.), the netcode was the best in the genre (GGPO rollback), and the F2P model was generous. Brawlhalla has more legends and a more active community. Wait for MultiVersus 2 if you want the Warner Bros. roster, pick Brawlhalla if you want the platform fighter meta.

vs Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls: Marvel Tokon is the upcoming Marvel fighting game (expected 2027). The 4v4 tag-team format is the best in the fighting game space, the character roster is the deepest (60+ Marvel characters), and the F2P model is the most generous. Wait for Marvel Tokon if you want the Marvel roster, pick Brawlhalla if you want the platform fighter meta now.

Should you download it?

Yes, if you like Super Smash Bros. and want a free alternative. Brawlhalla is the most accessible platform fighter ever made, the F2P model is the most generous in the genre, and the competitive scene is the most active. The netcode is rough, the art style is generic, and the population is small, but those are the only real downsides.

The 7/10 reflects "excellent core, rough netcode." A year from now, with the next-gen netcode and a new Marvel Tokon- style mode, this is an 8.

FAQ

Is Brawlhalla really free?

Yes. The base game is free, every legend is earnable for free through gold, and every game mode is free. The only paid items are cosmetic skins, which don't affect gameplay.

How long does it take to unlock a legend?

A new player can earn enough gold for their first legend in 2-3 days of casual play (1-2 hours per day). The gold income scales with playtime, so experienced players earn enough for a new legend every 1-2 weeks.

What's the best legend for new players?

Bodvar (sword + hammer) is the most beginner-friendly. The weapon combos are simple, the sigs are forgiving, and the playstyle is straightforward. Orion (sword + spear) is a close second for aggressive players.

Can I play Brawlhalla with friends on different platforms?

Yes. Brawlhalla has full crossplay between PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Custom rooms support up to 8 players, and you can invite friends from any platform.

What's the difference between Brawlhalla and MultiVersus?

MultiVersus (Warner Bros. platform fighter) closed in 2024 and is rumored to return in

1. The roster was the best in the

genre (Batman, Superman, Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry), the netcode was the best (GGPO rollback), and the F2P model was generous. Brawlhalla has more legends, a more active community, and crossplay with mobile.

Is Brawlhalla on mobile?

Yes. Brawlhalla is on iOS and Android, with full crossplay with PC and console. The mobile version is free with optional in-app purchases (the same as PC/console). The touch controls are well-designed and the game runs smoothly on mid-range phones.