Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cross-platform brawler stars hodgepodge of game characters.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 12 kid reviews
Kids say the game is a fun brawler that resembles the Smash Bros. series and offers a mix of humor and light violence, making it appropriate for ages 10 and up. Many players enjoy the nostalgia of using well-known characters, although some feel it could benefit from additional characters and stages to enhance gameplay.
- fun brawler
- great nostalgia
- light violence
- appropriate for kids
- needs more content
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
Created for both PlayStation 3 (PS3) and PlayStation Vita (PSVita), PLAYSTATION ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE is a "brawler"-style fighting game starring more than 20 video game protagonists that have appeared on PlayStation over the past 18 years. More than 20 characters are available to start, be it Sony's own heroes -– such as Uncharted's Nathan Drake, God of War's Kratos, LittleBigPlanet's Sackboy and Twisted Metal's Sweet Tooth –- as well as characters from non-Sony games. Up to four players can enter into battle, choose their desired fighter (each with unique fighting moves), and fight to the finish. Along with the single-player story campaign, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale offers multiple multiplayer modes, team battles, and tournaments, including 14 "mash-up" arenas that fold in visuals and music from various PlayStation games.
Is It Any Good?
Yes, for the most part. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is fun, frenetic, and offers a number of characters, battle areas, and modes to keep things fresh for a long while. One of the more talked-about features is PlayStation's Cross-Play, which lets PS3 players fight online against PSVita owners over the PlayStation Network. Plus, those who purchase PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale on PS3 can download the digital PSVita version for free. Sony plans to release more content, including downloadable characters, costumes, and environments. But while the game is a blast when playing with friends, be forewarned there's quite a learning curve to master the controls -- Sony could've made the game more accessible. Visually, the game is strong -- except for the menu screens, which look terribly pixelated and low-resolution. Overall, PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is a good but not great multiplayer brawler for both the PS3 and PSVita.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the ability to play this game against others on one of two machines: PlayStation 3 or PlayStation Vita. Is this cross-platform support a cool idea? Should other game companies allow for this?
Families can also discuss the impact of media violence. When the violence is cartoony, is there less of an impact?
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , PlayStation Vita
- Subjects : Language & Reading : following directions , reading
- Skills : Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , Self-Direction : identifying strengths and weaknesses , Collaboration : teamwork
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Sony Computer Entertainment
- Release date : November 20, 2012
- Genre : Fighting
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Superheroes , Robots
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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