Brawl Stars is a fast-paced, multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and hero shooter game developed and published by the Finnish mobile game company Supercell. It was globally released on December 12, 2018, for both iOS and Android platforms. The game is known for its quick matches, diverse cast of characters, and a variety of unique game modes.
Core Gameplay
Brawl Stars is played from a top-down, third-person perspective. Players control a "Brawler" character and battle against other players or AI in various objective-based game modes.- Simple Controls: The game uses intuitive virtual joysticks for movement and aiming. Players can tap to quick-fire at the nearest enemy or drag to aim precisely.
- Ammo System: Brawlers have a limited number of ammo slots (usually 3) that reload over time, requiring players to manage their shots strategically.
- Super Abilities: Each Brawler has a unique "Super" ability that charges up by dealing damage. Supers are powerful, often game-changing, abilities that can turn the tide of a battle.
- Gadgets, Star Powers, and Hypercharges: These are unlockable abilities that further customize a Brawler's playstyle and offer tactical advantages.
- Gadgets: Active abilities with limited uses per match.
- Star Powers: Passive abilities that enhance a Brawler's main attack or Super.
- Hypercharges: A relatively newer powerful ability that grants a temporary stat boost and an enhanced Super ability for a short duration.
Brawlers: The Diverse Cast of Characters
Brawl Stars features a constantly expanding roster of "Brawlers," each with a unique design, attack, Super, and often, specific roles on the battlefield. As of April 2025, there are over 90 Brawlers, categorized by rarity (Rare, Super Rare, Epic, Mythic, Legendary, and Ultra Legendary). Brawlers generally fall into distinct classes, influencing their playstyle and team synergy:- Damage Dealer: Focus on dealing high damage, often with varied range attacks (e.g., Shelly, Colt, Nita).
- Assassin: High mobility, designed to close in on enemies quickly and deal burst damage, but often have low health (e.g., Edgar, Leon, Crow).
- Marksman: Excel at long-range combat, using precision shots or projectiles (e.g., Piper, Brock, Belle).
- Artillery: Can shoot over obstacles and deal splash damage from a distance, but vulnerable up close (e.g., Barley, Tick, Dynamike).
- Tank: High health, designed to absorb damage and control space in close quarters (e.g., El Primo, Bull, Frank).
- Support: Focus on assisting teammates through healing, buffs, or debuffs (e.g., Poco, Doug).
- Controller: Specialize in area-of-effect attacks to control parts of the map or multiple opponents (e.g., Jessie, Bo, Charlie).
Game Modes
Brawl Stars offers a wide array of game modes that rotate daily or seasonally, keeping the gameplay fresh. Some of the most popular and recurring modes include:- Gem Grab (3v3 / 5v5): Teams compete to collect 10 gems from a central mine and hold them for a countdown. If a player dies, they drop their collected gems.
- Showdown (Solo/Duo): A battle royale mode where players (or duos) fight to be the last Brawler(s) standing. Power Cubes collected from destroyed crates or defeated enemies increase a Brawler's health and damage.
- Brawl Ball (3v3 / 5v5): A soccer/football-like mode where teams try to score two goals in the opponent's net.
- Bounty (3v3 / 5v5): Teams earn stars by defeating opponents. The more enemies a player defeats, the higher the bounty on their head. The team with the most stars at the end wins.
- Heist (3v3): Teams protect their own safe while trying to destroy the enemy team's safe.
- Hot Zone (3v3): Teams capture and hold designated zones on the map to earn points. The first team to reach 100% capture wins.
- Knockout (3v3 / 5v5): A best-of-three rounds elimination mode. Defeated Brawlers stay out for the rest of the round.
- Duels (1v1): Players assemble a team of three Brawlers and battle 1v1 in an elimination format.
- Special Events: Limited-time PvE (Player vs Environment) modes like Robo Rumble (defend a safe from robots) or Boss Fight (defeat a giant robot boss).
- Ranked: A competitive mode with seasonal progression and unique rewards.
- Map Maker: Players can design and submit their own maps, with community-voted "Winner of the Day" maps often featured in regular rotation.
Monetization Model
Brawl Stars is a free-to-play game, primarily monetized through in-app purchases. Its monetization strategy has evolved over time, moving away from "Brawl Boxes" (loot boxes) to a more direct progression system. Key monetization elements include:- Brawl Pass: A battle pass system offering tiers of rewards (Coins, Power Points, Credits, Gems, skins) through gameplay. There's a free track and a premium "Brawl Pass Plus" that can be purchased with real money for additional and better rewards.
- Starr Drops: Introduced as a replacement for Brawl Boxes, Starr Drops are randomized rewards that players can earn through daily play, quests, and events. While they offer a chance at various in-game items, including Brawlers, they have been a point of discussion in the community regarding the balance of randomness versus deterministic progression.
- Direct Purchases: Players can directly purchase Gems (premium currency), Coins, Power Points, Hypercharges, and cosmetic skins for Brawlers.
- Early Access Brawlers: Previously, new Brawlers were sometimes available for early access purchase with real money, but Supercell has indicated they are changing this system to be more free-to-play friendly in future updates.
Esports Scene
Brawl Stars has a vibrant and active esports scene. Supercell organizes the Brawl Stars Championship, a global competitive circuit where top teams from around the world compete for significant prize pools.- Championship Challenge: In-game qualifiers allow regular players to test their skills and potentially advance to higher competitive tiers.
- Monthly Finals: Regional tournaments are held regularly, leading up to major international events.
- Global Finals: The culmination of the Championship, where the best teams from various regions battle for the world title.
Current Status and Recent Updates (as of July 2025)
Supercell actively updates Brawl Stars with new content, balance changes, and quality-of-life improvements. The game recently (June/July 2025) underwent some significant changes, as highlighted by official news:- Rethink on Monetization: Supercell acknowledged that recent monetization changes (including the "Ultra Legendary" rarity and early access paywalls for Brawlers) did not hit the mark with players. They have committed to removing the IAP paywall for early access Brawlers and improving the free-to-play rewards in the Brawl Pass.
- "Records" System: A new achievement system called "Records" was introduced for veteran players to flex their skills, though initial feedback indicated areas for improvement. Supercell plans to add more Records and buff the Brawl Pass in future updates.
- Events and Challenges: More in-game events, community mini-events (like the "Mortis Games"), and challenges (like "Unlimited Lives Challenge" for free skins) are being introduced to provide more free rewards and engagement.
- Balance Changes: Regular balance adjustments are made to Brawlers to ensure fair and competitive gameplay. Recent changes in late June 2025 included buffs and nerfs to various Brawlers like Fang, Kaze, Hank, and Charlie.
- New Brawlers and Hypercharges: New Brawlers are continually added (e.g., Trunk expected in August as the last IAP early access Brawler before the system changes), and more Brawlers receive Hypercharges, adding new strategic depth.
- Trophy Road Buff: Improvements to the Trophy Road (a linear progression system) are designed to give new players faster rewards.
