‘Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game’ Review: A Worthwhile Experience for Long-Time Fans

For years, Avatar fans have debated some of the biggest questions in the Four Nations. Who is the strongest Avatar? Which bender would come out on top in a fight? Now, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game lets fans settle those debates for themselves. Developed by Gameplay Group International and published by Paramount Games Studio, the fighting game originally launched on July 23, 2026, before making its way to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 29. Whether you’re a fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender or The Legend of Korra, there’s plenty here to get excited about.

One of the game’s greatest strengths is how faithfully it brings these characters to life. Their appearances, animations, bending abilities, and fighting styles capture what makes each character recognizable. The voice performances also help preserve their personalities, making each battle feel connected to the world fans know and love. Beyond its presentation, the combat feels fluid and remarkably polished, giving players plenty of opportunities to master their favorite fighters. For an Avatar fan who enjoys fighting games, there’s a lot to appreciate here.

Supporting Characters Fade Into the Background in ‘Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game’

Unfortunately, the supporting characters are one of the game’s more disappointing aspects. Rather than actively participating in the action, they mostly remain on the sidelines, cheering on the fighter they accompany. While their presence adds some personality to the stages, it does little to make the environments feel alive. Considering how colorful and populated the world of Avatar is, the backgrounds could use more activity and interaction.

The support system offers some useful abilities during combat, but the characters themselves rarely feel like meaningful participants in the fight. Instead, they function more like extensions of each fighter’s moveset than recognizable members of the Avatar universe. Other 2D fighting games have found creative ways to incorporate supporting characters into their battles, making this implementation somewhat underwhelming. With so many beloved characters across both animated series, there was an opportunity to do much more with this feature. It’s a missed opportunity that leaves fans wanting more from an otherwise enjoyable experience.

‘Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game’ Presents an Exciting Challenge

Although the combat system offers plenty of depth, the controls present some challenges on Nintendo Switch 2. Using the standard Joy-Con 2 controllers, executing certain combos can become surprisingly difficult because of the default button layout. This creates a steep learning curve, especially for newcomers still figuring out the mechanics. Players can adjust the controls through the settings to one additional format or use a different controller, but the default setup could make the first few matches frustrating.

Thankfully, the individual fighting styles and abilities remain a highlight throughout. Each character has a moveset that reflects their personality, bending style, and strengths within the Avatar universe. Once players become comfortable with the controls, the combat becomes much easier to enjoy without constantly worrying about complicated combos. You don’t need to master every advanced technique to hold your own in a match. Still, a more approachable default control scheme would make the game easier to recommend to newcomers.

‘Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game’ Gets Better With Time

Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game has plenty of potential, even with some noticeable shortcomings. Its polished combat, recognizable characters, and hand-drawn animation make it a worthwhile experience for fans of the franchise. Traditional 2D fighting game enthusiasts will also find plenty to enjoy. With additional updates, playable characters, outfits, and other content planned beyond launch, the game has room to grow into something even better.

The developers have already shown a willingness to improve the experience through post-launch updates. Patch 4.0 introduced redesigned menus, adjustments to characters like Aang and Nightmare Korra, balance changes, and several quality-of-life improvements. These updates are an encouraging sign that the team is listening and working to refine the overall experience. Whether you’re a longtime Avatar fan or someone looking for a new 2D fighting game, this is a battle worth stepping into.

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