Sony has finally brought a fighter to the PlayStation 3 and Vita that can rival Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. “PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale” features an impressive, yet limited character selection and a fresh knockout system. As you battle, your character will build up their attack meter. There are three unique attacks for each brawler that you can perform as you fill the gauge. The first relies on close combat for a knockout while the second and third level attacks are much more devastating. A player can often achieve five or more KO’s with the level three.

“All-Stars” gives players the option to play stock or timed battles. Everything from item frequency to the speed you can fill your meter is customizable. Online play is done very well and is perfect for friends to team up for a two-on-two match or stand alone in a free-for-all.

The levels are interactive and visually impressive. However, the options are very limited and given enough playtime, the stages will become boring and repetitive.

Like “Smash Bros,” “All-Stars” includes weapons; but in Sony’s version you will be able to slap your opponents around with a fish instead of a homerun bat. Many of the items take precision to use effectively and Sony does a good job balancing their effectiveness.

In the end, the game is challenging and amusing. If Sony opts to add downloadable content, this fighter can compete with the best. For now however, there’s just not enough options for it to be great.