Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl players have something to celebrate in 2026 as the platform fighter receives a substantial new update. While not introducing flashy new characters or stages, this patch focuses on refining the core experience with highly requested features and crucial balance adjustments that are shaking up the competitive meta. The development team has clearly been listening to community feedback, addressing both quality-of-life issues and character-specific gameplay concerns that have been hot topics since the game's launch. This update demonstrates a continued commitment to polishing the brawler into a more competitive and visually diverse experience.

🎭 General Improvements That Everyone Wanted

Let's start with the big one: ALT COSTUMES ARE FINALLY HERE! 🎉 After what felt like forever of players requesting alternate looks for their favorite Nickelodeon characters, the developers have delivered. Every single fighter in the roster now has additional costume options, bringing much-needed visual variety to matches. This might seem like a cosmetic change, but for a game celebrating iconic cartoon characters, having different outfits adds personality and replay value.

Beyond the fashion update, several technical improvements have been implemented:

• Separated hitboxes across the cast to allow for proper interpolation (translation: hit detection should feel more consistent and accurate)

• Fixed second stick input issues that caused wrong attack types during ground transitions

• Added turnaround functionality to up and down attacks when using the second stick

• Resolved FPS drop problems in certain matches (goodbye, random lag spikes!)

• Fixed multiplayer invitation bugs that occurred while watching replays

⚖️ Balance Changes That Actually Matter

Now for the meat of the update—the balance changes that are making waves in the competitive scene. Several characters received significant adjustments that could change how they're played and tiered.

Korra - The Avatar Gets Buffed 🔥

The waterbending champion received perhaps the most comprehensive changes in this patch:

Light Down 1:

• End lag decreased (25 → 20 frames)

• Hitstun increased (15 → 20 frames)

• Knockback reduced (40 → 30)

Light Down 2:

• Foot hitbox size increased (radius 0.9 → 1.1)

Strong Attacks:

• Strong Down hitboxes appear sooner (frame 14 → 12)

• Strong Dash hitboxes appear MUCH sooner (frame 16 → 10) ⚡

Special Moves:

• Neutral Special: Block stun doubled (10 → 20), block push increased (1 → 6)

• Up Special: Fixed missing hitboxes at start, hitstun increased (30 → 35)

• Down Special (grounded): Hitstun increased (30 → 35)

Light Neutral Air:

• Hitbox size increased (radius 0.85 → 0.9)

• World offsets adjusted for better coverage

These changes make Korra's neutral game significantly stronger, with faster startup on key moves and better pressure tools. The reduced end lag on Light Down 1 combined with increased hitstun creates better combo opportunities, while the quicker Strong Dash gives her a much-needed burst option.

Helga - Hey Arnold! She's Better Now 📚

The Pataki powerhouse received targeted improvements:

Light Down Air:

• Active frames increased (2 → 3)

• Added hitboxes to hips (because why not?)

Special Mid (Slingshot):

• Startup time HALVED (14 → 7 frames) 🚀

• Angle changing speed increased

• Angle coverage increased (50° → 80°)

• Endlag after firing reduced across all charge levels

• Travel distance and time caps significantly increased

Helga's slingshot was already a decent zoning tool, but these buffs transform it into a legitimate threat. The faster startup means she can react to approaches more effectively, while the increased angles and reduced endlag make her projectile game much more flexible and safe.

Other Notable Character Adjustments

Leonardo:

• Removed sword moves' shoulder hitboxes (excluding Special Up)

• Ensured tippers have lowest priority (encourages proper spacing)

Lucy Loud:

• Special Mid adjustments (specific details not provided in patch notes)

April O'Neil:

• Light Mid: Removed all body/leg hitboxes, added grounded hitbox for jab resets

• Light Down: Endlag increased (26 → 32 frames), horizontal coverage increased

• Strong Mid and Strong Mid Air adjustments

Oblina:

• Down Special changes (details unspecified)

Toph:

• Light Mid Air: Hitboxes set to fixed point in front, active frames doubled (2 → 4)

Zim:

• Light Mid Air adjustments

Nigel Thornberry:

• Down Special: Base knockback increased (200 → 220), knockback gain increased (300 → 340)

• Up Special: Jump height increased (12 → 12.5 units), landing on opponent allows jump cancel even with exhausted midair jumps

🎮 What This Means for the Meta

The 2026 update to Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl represents a shift toward addressing community concerns while maintaining the game's unique identity. The addition of alt costumes, while purely cosmetic, shows that the developers are listening to player requests beyond just balance concerns. More importantly, the balance changes suggest a philosophy of making characters' tools more reliable and intentional rather than simply buffing or nerfing damage numbers.

Korra appears to be the biggest winner here, with numerous quality-of-life improvements to her kit. Her faster startup frames on key moves and improved hitboxes should make her feel more responsive and consistent. The community has long complained about certain moves feeling "janky" or unreliable, and these adjustments directly address those concerns.

Helga's slingshot buffs are particularly interesting from a competitive standpoint. With projectile characters often struggling in platform fighters due to limited angles and slow startups, giving her faster, more versatile zoning tools could elevate her placement significantly. The increased travel time and distance mean she can control more space for longer periods.

Nigel Thornberry's changes are sneaky good—the ability to jump cancel his Up Special after hitting an opponent, even with no jumps remaining, creates new recovery and combo extension opportunities. This kind of technical adjustment rewards skilled players who can optimize their movement and confirms.

🔮 Looking Forward

While this update doesn't introduce new characters or stages, it represents an important step in Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl's evolution as a competitive platform fighter. The technical fixes address long-standing complaints about hit detection and input consistency, while the balance changes show a nuanced understanding of what makes each character tick.

As we move further into 2026, players can expect the meta to shift as competitors explore the new possibilities opened up by these adjustments. Korra mains are already experimenting with new combos using her improved frame data, while Helga players are discovering optimal slingshot angles for controlling neutral.

The fact that the developers continue to support the game with meaningful updates years after release speaks volumes about their commitment to the community. Here's hoping this trend continues with more costumes, stages, and maybe even new fighters down the line! 🤞

TL;DR for competitive players: Korra got buffed, Helga's zoning is scary now, alt costumes finally exist, and the game feels more polished overall. Time to hit the lab and figure out the new optimal combos! 💪