Summary
Though many fan-favorite and classic cartoon characters will be joining the newNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2roster of fighters, one specific series that was a cornerstone of the network’s history appears to have been overlooked once more. Despite being Nickelodeon’s second longest-running series - coming in right behindSpongeBob SquarePantsand even receiving a soft reboot with a live-action TV series in early 2022 -The Fairly OddParentsremained unusually absent from the originalNickelodeon All-Star Brawl. Now, withNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2’s release fast approaching, it seems thatThe Fairly OddParentshas been forgotten yet again.
While there is still time until the game’s official launch to reveal playable characters from acrossThe Fairly OddParentscanon, things don’t seem promising for a last-minute announcement of this nature. Between earlier leaks followingNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2’s announcement revealing new characters coming to the game and all the previous opportunities Ludosity had to includeThe Fairly OddParents' characters as DLC, it does appear that the classic series has either been forgotten or dismissed by the developer. Even thoughThe Fairly OddParentsbrings with it a wealth of creative potential and nostaglia, players can only hold out hope that Ludosity remembers this sooner or later.
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The Fairly OddParents' Snub Has Gone Too Far
The firstNickelodeon All-Star Brawlfeatured a broad range of characters both young and old from the likes ofTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, bothAvatarseries, andThe Ren & Stimpy Show. YetThe Fairly OddParentswas never among these, despite the fact it remains one of Nickelodeon’s most well-known and popular series having been revived twice within its history.The Fairly OddParentseven shares its creator Butch Hartmanwith other shows across theNickelodeon All-Star Brawlroster, such asDanny Phantom, which will also be adding Ember as its second character to the sequel as if to rub salt in the wound forThe Fairly OddParents’continued absence.
Within the context ofNickelodeon All-Star Brawl’s previous snub ofThe Fairly OddParents, the sequel’s confirmed roster of playable characters seems to repeat its predecessor’s mistakes yet again. For example,Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2will be bringing back SpongeBobhimself alongside multiple characters from the same series such as newcomers Plankton and Squidward, something which is reminiscent of the previous game featuring two out of the fourTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesas well as April and Shredder. Additionally, shows that even predateThe Fairly OddParentsand lasted half as long will also be joining the game such asThe Angry Beavers.
Even putting aside all the reasons whyThe Fairly OddParentsdeserve a place onNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2’s line-up, from its long-standing history to its nostalgic popularity, the series still has an extensive range of interesting characters Ludosity to choose from if nothing else. While there might be some reluctance around adding characters like Timmy Turner, Cosmo, or Wanda since all three might technically need to appear together,The Fairly OddParentshas several other recognizable characters that could be added in their place. Just likeJimmy Neutronwas represented by Himmy’s dad before the titular character was added,The Fairly OddParentscould bring Crimson Chin, Mr. Crocker, and Vicky.
For the time being, the number ofNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2’s playable charactersis confirmed to be twenty-five, which is the same count as its predecessor after it included three extra DLC fighters. Though there could be a chance thatNickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2is saving potential playable characters fromThe Fairly OddParentsfor its own DLC, as these would be a surefire way of reinvigorating fans' interest post-launch. However, this is only speculative, and it still leaves players with the impression that Ludosity has once again ignoredThe Fairly OddParentsa second time around without any justification. While fans have theorized that some kind of rights issue may be stopping the series from being included, it is disappointing no matter what.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl2is set to release on November 3 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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