It’s 2026 now, and the Brawl Stars landscape has shifted more times than a desert mirage, but I still remember the December 2024 Brawl Talk that dropped Toy Story into my favorite mobile arena. I was sitting on my couch, half-eaten bowl of cereal in hand, when the official Brawl Stars YouTube channel streamed the reveal. The teaser was short, but the hint was as subtle as a cowboy riding a rocket: Buzz Lightyear was coming. Not as a skin. As a playable brawler. For a limited time. My cereal went soggy. I didn’t care.

The event was called 'To Brawl and Beyond,' a playful twist on Buzz’s iconic slogan. Unlike previous crossovers such as Adventure Time, South Park, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Toy Story wasn’t just about cosmetics. Supercell made Buzz a free, fully maxed character. All I had to do was launch the game between Dec. 12 and Feb. 4, claim him, and enjoy. That felt like finding a golden ticket in a chocolate bar—except the chocolate bar was a mobile game and the ticket was a laser-shooting space ranger.

Buzz was playable in every mode except Ranked. He came with max level and a full kit, which meant no grinding for power points. His three battle modes felt like a Swiss Army knife that had swallowed a cartoon galaxy. Let me break them down:

Mode	Basic Attack	Super
Laser mode	Shoots a laser ray that deals damage over time.	Super has a bigger reach.
Saber mode	Shorter range, damages opponents around Buzz.	Buzz flies and knocks opponents back on landing.
Wing mode	Two projectiles, higher damage if target is close.	While flying, Buzz throws bombs.

I spent hours cycling through these modes. Laser mode was my sniper fantasy. Saber mode made me feel like a Jedi who had watched too many cartoons. Wing mode was pure chaos, especially when I threw bombs from the sky like a confetti cannon in a library—loud, colorful, and completely out of place. Buzz also had a Hypercharge that improved his Super, and mastery rewards included Credits, Coins, Pins, and more. I grinded those masteries like a squirrel hoarding nuts for a winter that never came.

Of course, skins still arrived. The shop became a toy box:

• Woody Colt

• Bo Peep Bibi

• Jessie Jessie

• Surge Lightyear

Three of those skins were available in the shop throughout December. I grabbed Woody Colt first because his lasso victory animation made me laugh every time. Bo Peep Bibi was elegant and deadly, like a porcelain hammer. Jessie Jessie was a meta joke wrapped in a skin. But Surge Lightyear was the one I wanted most, and I had to wait. The Pizza Planet event started on Jan. 2, bringing daily rewards, with Surge Lightyear as the Day 7 gift. That week felt longer than a school day before summer vacation. When I finally unlocked him, I ran around the map shouting 'To infinity!' at my screen. My neighbors probably worried.

The Starr Toon season continued until Jan. 5, and it also offered Amazing Maisie in the Brawl Pass Season 33. I remember trying to balance the Toy Story event with the regular season grind. It was like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle—except the unicycle was a mobile game and the torches were my sleep schedule.

Now, in 2026, Buzz Lightyear is no longer claimable. The Toy Story skins have left the shop, just as SpongeBob skins rarely returned after their event. That limited-time magic is both beautiful and cruel. It makes the memories sharper. I still have screenshots of my Buzz tearing through Gem Grab, my Woody Colt missing every shot, my Surge Lightyear zapping enemies into next week. The event was a rare crossover that gave players a real character, not just a costume. It felt like Supercell opened a toy chest and let us climb inside.

If you missed it, I’m sorry. If you were there, you know. Brawl Stars Toy Story was a strange, bright, chaotic gift. And as I look back from 2026, I can say this: it was more than a collaboration. It was a limited-time trip to infinity, and I’m glad I took it.