Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale has been announced, and the talk is in the town about the similarities and differences it shares with Super Smash Brothers by developer Project Sora.
VS 
Before we begin, let me lay the ground rules for this thread.
To start, post as many similarities and differences you can think of between both games.
Here, try to explain what you think makes a fighting game unique (size ratios, speeds, ragdoll mechanics, knockback, attack inputs, ...)
Then, post any games on which the genre takes inspiration. Preferably, submit 4 player games. Post video clips if possible to show gameplay.
Comparative videos are also welcome.
Finally, make your verdict. Simply say to what degree you think the inspiration is, from small cues to inspired, to near replica to clone. You are allowed to repost a verdict after considering other peoples' contributions. Don't troll in your verdict, simply say it as it is.
Do not make a big deal of your verdict, and don't dwell. Do not argue other peoples' verdict.
I will start the chain.
Similarities:
- The height of the jumps
- The default number of mid-air jumps (2)
- Nearly identical ragdoll physics
- the default attack reach
- the attack visual effects
- the level size to character size ratio
- the pummeling physics
- the juggling physics
- the combo dynamics
- 1P 2P icon similarities
- the % system
- the Super attack animations
- the grab animations
- defense systems (exception of Sly's stealth defense)
- at least the recovers system in your similarities (recover from ground, air or walls and the rolling to both sides).
- Backgrounds can interfere with combat.
- Levels and platforms morf over time in the level, modifying the stage.
Differences: (Brawl versus PABR, left to right)
| Brawl | PABR |
| % system - Increased % leads to higher chance of being knocked out of the arena. | AP system - your AP increases with landed AP attacks or absorbed AP boosters, decreases when suffering AP attacks from other players or AP reducer events (losing to talk show host). |
| 1 level of super | Three levels of Super attacks for ranging power levels. |
| Supers only increase % and greatly increase chance of a kill (knocked out of the ring) when landed | You don't get a kill unless you have a super |
| Lower attack-to-defense playstyle due to ability to stay out of the fray (increased opportunity to avoid losing points). | Higher attack-to-defense playstyle due to AP harvesting, staying out of the fray leads to lower AP points and hence diminished chances of winning. |
|
2-button attacks system: Attack (usually A), special attack (usually B) Smash input replaces one of the 3 in PASBR I believe. |
3-button attack system (Square, circle, triangle I believe). No smash attack input. (tap attack) |
| Very critical edge game, edge guarding, returning to the game at an edge. | No falling off ledges, no edge game. |
| Fight begins after a frozen 3-2-1 count. |
Before the match begins players can move freely (Not attack) around the stage to set themselves strategically. |
| One theme per level | Two themes per level, duking it out in the background (Hades vs Potapon) |
| All characters defense makes an orb or egg around them to defend them from hits and lowers in resistance with every hit | Like Brawl, but Sly is an exception, and disappears when blocking. |
| Items can be picked up, used to attack or status effect, thrown at players for the same reasons and other players can catch items thrown at them on ground or in air. | Items can be picked up, used to attack or status effect. Throwing is not possible. |
| Knockback is proportional to % points and knock power. | Knockback is proportional only to knock power. |
Knuckle Heads (Start at 1:56)
Ehrgeiz (starts at 3:00, up to 2 players)
Power Stone 2 (start at time 0:14)
Outfoxies (2 players, but brawler style - start at 1:30):
Battle Stadium D.O.N
Jump Super Stars
Jump Ultimate Stars (start 12:00)
Dissidia Final Fantasy
Smash Brawl (start at 0:20)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Smash Up (start at 2:05)
PABR (start at 0:20)
D21's sacred video:
My verdict:
A game with unique kill mechanics, but a cloned look and feel. Not as unique as Power Stone or Outfoxies, so not just inspired, much more than inspired, almost a sibling to Super Smash Bros Brawl, with a twist of its own.
