Last week we learned Brawl Stars would be coming to Android on December 12th. As of this morning, Supercell has announced on Twitter that the global rollout is already complete, which means you can now download Brawl Stars from the Play Store and start digging into the latest multiplayer arena fighter from Supercell.
Brawl Stars is a game that has been in development for quite a while. It was available as a soft launch title on iOS a year before it made its way to Android as a soft-launch release. It's been six months since we got our first taste, and it would appear Supercell is finally ready to open the floodgates.
Explaining the gameplay of Brawl Stars can be tricky. It doesn't quite fit with any one genre, which seems to be a growing trend. Supercell has managed to mash together MOBA gameplay with multiplayer arena fighting and party brawling for something that is pretty unique yet very familiar. The rub is that this is all wrapped up with free-to-play mechanics, which means you can expect multiple currencies, loot boxes, and collectible heroes. Luckily it doesn't appear that the game is pay-to-win, but a grind is expected if you play for free.
Mainly the gameplay revolves around 3v3 matches, of which there are a few different modes to choose from, such as Gem Grab, Bounty, Heist, and Ball Brawl. There is even a battle royale mode for those that prefer to play on their own or with one friend.
Heroes can, of course, be upgraded as you progress. The goal is to earn trophies from winning matches, which can help you rank up, but that's not all you need to advance. You'll also have to collect power points and coins, which are obtained from loot boxes. So it would seem a lot of your leveling ultimately hinges on what you earn from those boxes. Luckily, you can also unlock a few loot boxes through earning trophies, so winning your matches is crucial.
If you decide to delve into the cash shop, you can expect in-app purchases that are used for gem packs that range in price all the way up to $99.99. Coin packs and loot boxes can then be purchased with those gems.
It would appear Supercell has put a lot of time into balancing this game, and despite a convoluted upgrade path that's never really explained, any competitive gamer should recognize the systems in use for what they are. So while it would seem you can play for free without too many issues, that still doesn't guarantee the late game won't take advantage of those that are heavily invested by ramping the grind. At the very least, it's a fun little multiplayer game with a bunch of modes that can be played in short sessions, which makes it perfect for a mobile title. Sure, the monetization isn't the greatest, but it assuredly could be worse, which is probably as good as it's going to get considering this is a Supercell release.