The original Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl was full of memes and references to moments in its expansive roster of cartoon characters’ history, and it looks like the sequel, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, is keeping that spirit alive by adding Squidward to its line-up.
Spongebob Squarepants’ grumpy coworker and frenemy is joining the crossover brawler sequel when it launches later this year, and developers Ludosity and Fair Play Labs put out a breakdown video of his moveset. Squidward, like pretty much every character in SpongeBob, has a plethora of recognizable frames from the series’ decades-long run, and many of his moves harken back to moments in the show. Squidward showcases his artistic talent with a self-portrait he called “Bold and Brash,” which can be used to push a foe a long distance, and his strongest move has him transform into his “Handsome” version and gracefully strike each of his opponents down.
Looking through his move list is a treat for any long-time SpongeBob fan, but the funniest deep cut for me is that Ludosity and Fair Play Labs managed to work in every move of his dance from the 1999 episode “Culture Shock.” In the scene, Squidward performs a, well, challenging dance for the uncultured swines of Bikini Bottom, and it’s not well-received by the crowd. But it was well-received by me, Squidward, and apparently by the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 team, who captured every move in your moveset.
Shoutout to Squidward for getting some respect and joining the Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 roster because we know he’s not getting it at the Krusty Krab. The real question now is where the hell is Fairly OddParents’ Timmy Turner? I know there are apparently licensing issues getting in the way, but it still is a damn shame the king isn’t joining the fight this time around.