- Retropolis 01
- Retropolis Block – 56
- Neon Fence – 22
- Tree Pot – 8
- Road Cone – 3
- Bush – 44
- Lake – 2
- Launch Pad – 2
Brawl Stars Side Story Guide: Introduction
Brawl Stars Side Story is a 3v3 map that presents players with a tight, tactical experience centered around calculated movement and control of narrow lanes. The map’s layout combines close-quarters corridors with limited flank routes, emphasizing coordination and timing over sheer aggression. While the map isn’t overly complex in design, it rewards teams that communicate well and maintain positional discipline. Each lane offers unique strengths and dangers, from ambush-heavy bushes to open fire zones ideal for long-range skirmishes. It’s a battleground that caters to both aggressive brawlers who thrive on close combat and control-based picks who can zone out enemies and protect objectives.
What makes Brawl Stars Side Story stand out is its combination of dense obstacles and narrow sightlines. Players are often forced into close confrontations, with little room to escape once a fight breaks out. This increases the importance of positioning, as one poorly timed push or misstep can lead to a complete collapse of control. The middle lane often sees the most action and tends to be the deciding factor in many matches. Brawlers who can contest this space with area denial or sustain mechanics can swing momentum in their team’s favor early and hold it for the long run.
While the central path is the main battlefield, the side lanes offer opportunities for strategic flanking or regaining control after a lost fight. These lanes are slightly wider and provide more cover, allowing sneaky or high-mobility brawlers to reposition or pressure the backline. Timing rotations between the lanes and understanding when to contest the middle versus when to rotate outward is critical for success. A team that can keep its flanks safe while pressuring the center will usually come out ahead.
Ultimately, Brawl Stars Side Story encourages a flexible playstyle. Players must constantly adapt to shifting control, coordinate team pushes, and make smart use of supers and gadgets to gain an advantage. Success on this map comes from balancing aggression with patience and understanding when to commit or retreat. Whether you’re a lane holder, a mid control specialist, or a backline flanker, your contributions are equally important—and when all roles are played right, Brawl Stars Side Story becomes a map where every decision counts.
Brawl Stars Side Story Guide: Map Layout and Key Features
Brawl Stars Side Story’s structure is split into three primary lanes: a dense, bush-lined middle corridor, and two slightly more open side lanes that curve inward toward the center. The central area is usually the first point of contact, filled with low walls and patches of cover that encourage frequent mid-range firefights. Flanking is limited but possible through short side routes that require precise timing and positioning. Because of the tight layout, choke points become crucial—winning control of a lane early can heavily sway the outcome of the match. The corners of the map offer some defensive cover, often used as fallback zones or setups for counterattacks.
The central lane is where control brawlers thrive. It’s a high-traffic zone with repeated skirmishes and narrow visibility, so holding this space can allow your team to dictate rotations and prevent enemies from pushing forward. Bushes along the midsection add an element of surprise and reward players who know how to bait opponents into overextending. On the flip side, pushing into the center too aggressively without clearing vision or accounting for side threats can easily result in collapse, as the tight layout makes it hard to retreat without taking damage.
Side lanes on Brawl Stars Side Story serve dual purposes. They offer more breathing room than the congested center and allow for repositioning or pressure from off-angles. These lanes typically see ranged brawlers or fast flanking characters trying to either pull attention away from the center or collapse in on enemies from the sides. Success in these areas often comes down to timing—knowing when to push through a lane and when to fall back to support your teammates elsewhere. Maintaining control of at least one side lane can give your team critical leverage for pincer plays and safer rotations.
Another important feature of the Brawl Stars Side Story map is how it funnels fights toward the center without completely locking out side control. Even though the central corridor sees the most action, losing the side lanes can be just as detrimental. Teams that can consistently win one side while holding the middle gain a strong positional advantage, enabling them to control spawn timings, corner pressure, and eventual team wipes. This layered approach to combat—center dominance balanced with lane support—is what makes Side Story such a compelling and tactical map.
Brawl Stars Side Story Guide: Recommended Brawlers
Brawl Stars Side Story’s layout heavily favors brawlers who can control tight corridors, handle short-range duels, or provide reliable utility in limited space. The map’s narrow lanes, chokepoints, and bushy terrain call for picks that can either dominate face-to-face or manipulate positioning through gadgets, Supers, or area denial. Whether you prefer tanky frontliners, ranged support, or sneaky flankers, the key is choosing brawlers who can thrive in close environments and influence key zones. Here’s a breakdown of some of the top-performing brawlers for Side Story:
FrankFrank thrives in Brawl Stars Side Story’s tight corridors where his massive health pool and powerful stun allow him to push aggressively through contested lanes. He excels in soaking up damage and disrupting clustered enemies, especially when supported by ranged allies or healing.
JackyJacky benefits from the close-range nature of the Brawl Stars Side Story map, using her area damage and Super to pull in and eliminate grouped-up enemies. Her ability to move quickly through bushes with her gadget and absorb pressure makes her ideal for holding down lanes or leading aggressive advances in narrow spaces.
EmzEmz is a top-tier control pick for Brawl Stars Side Story map, using her lingering spray to punish enemies who group together in the confined spaces. She’s especially effective at locking down lanes and forcing back advances with consistent chip damage and excellent area control, particularly near chokepoints or the center.
SandySandy brings great utility with his Super, creating invisible zones on Brawl Stars Side Story that allow his team to reposition or ambush opponents. His spread shot performs well in narrow lanes, and his healing star power can keep teammates alive during drawn-out engagements around key objectives.
BelleBelle is excellent for applying ranged pressure and punishing grouped enemies with her bouncing shots. On Brawl Stars Side Story, she can sit safely behind cover and force the enemy to play cautiously, breaking up aggressive pushes before they build momentum.
BoBo provides critical map control with his mines and vision gadget. His ability to scout bushes and deny flanks is vital on a map like Brawl Stars Side Story, where ambushes are common and tight sightlines limit awareness. Bo’s wide spread also helps him duel in unpredictable encounters at mid-range.
SproutSprout can dominate chokepoints with his zoning attacks and use his wall to block off key areas of Brawl Stars Side Story. His ability to control the center or force enemies to detour makes him an oppressive defender and staller. Sprout thrives when he can sit behind cover and disrupt multiple enemies.
BarleyBarley offers consistent area denial from a distance, forcing enemies out of bushes or stopping them from advancing through key corridors. He works especially well as a support behind tanks, softening up targets before they reach the front line.
LeonLeon uses Brawl Stars Side Story’s limited flanking paths to sneak behind enemy lines with his Super. When timed right, his invisibility allows him to pick off isolated enemies or disrupt control setups, turning the tide in his team’s favor. He’s especially deadly when opponents group in the middle and lose sight of him.
EdgarEdgar thrives on quick engagements and can leap over cover to reach vulnerable targets. His mobility lets him dart through side lanes, pressure the backline, and finish off weakened opponents caught in tight quarters. When played smartly, Edgar can create constant chaos and break down the enemy’s setup.
Brawl Stars Side Story Guide: Best Game Modes
Brawl Stars Side Story is a versatile map that adapts well to multiple game modes, with Heist, Gem Grab, and Knockout standing out as the top choices. Each mode requires unique strategies for positioning, rotations, and team coordination, but the map’s narrow design and limited cover make careful movement and lane control essential in every mode.
HeistHeist excels on Brawl Stars Side Story due to the map’s narrow lanes and quick access to the enemy safe. The confined structure accelerates base-race scenarios, where both teams can reach each other’s safe with minimal delay. However, choke points near the midline demand solid map control. Throwers and tanks shine in this mode, as they can lock down the center or break through to unleash damage on the safe. The lack of significant flank routes means that teams must coordinate their pushes and avoid funnelling into easily defended lanes. The fast pace makes tactical decisions—such as blocking a lane or cutting off access to a key corner—vital to securing the win.
Gem GrabGem Grab also thrives on Brawl Stars Side Story, with the central corridor being the key battleground. The gem mine’s position behind cover and walls puts an emphasis on controlling the center. Teams that quickly secure this area gain a strong advantage, but maintaining control requires attention to side-lane threats and quick rotations. Aggressive brawlers can easily punish a careless gem carrier, so it’s crucial to balance holding the center with covering for teammates. Rotating from side to center can change the momentum and shift the game in your favor, making communication and positioning crucial to success.
KnockoutKnockout is a tense, high-stakes mode on Brawl Stars Side Story. The map’s confined nature makes positioning and coordination even more important, as there is little room to recover once out of position. Teams must capitalize on the tight alleys and bushes to either trap enemies or bait them into mistakes. With limited space to move, the map becomes a tactical chessboard where vision, cover, and patience win the game. Once an opponent is down, the advantage can snowball quickly, as the narrow geometry makes it difficult for enemies to escape or reposition. Proper use of cover and smart rotations are key to securing victory in Knockout.
Brawl Stars Side Story Guide: Strategies and Tips
Side Story demands a thoughtful, team-oriented playstyle that adapts to its tight lanes and restricted movement options. Unlike maps that allow wide flanking or split-lane aggression, Side Story puts everyone in close proximity—making positioning, coordination, and lane control absolutely critical. Your success depends on how well your team maintains map pressure without overcommitting, and how effectively you capitalize on small openings to snowball lane advantages. Every move you make should be calculated, whether you’re pushing aggressively or supporting teammates from a distance.
⭐ Start strong by controlling the central lane early—this gives your team vision and access to key choke points. The midline is filled with small walls and bushes, so claiming this zone gives you a positional advantage and limits enemy movement. Establishing dominance here provides a solid foundation, allowing your team to dictate the flow of the game, especially in modes like Gem Grab, where controlling the center is crucial for both offense and defense.
⭐ Rotate between lanes when necessary. Don’t get tunnel-visioned on a single lane; support your teammates when they’re pressured. Quick rotations to collapse on a 2v1 or to help stabilize a lost lane can be the difference between a slow loss and a comeback. Knowing when to shift focus and adapt to changing situations is key to success on Side Story, where the constant threat of flanks or a quick shift in map control can alter the course of the match.
⭐ Use the limited flanking routes wisely. A surprise backstab can break stalemates or force the enemy team to scatter. Characters like Leon or Edgar can capitalize on these narrow paths for disruptive plays, especially when timed during enemy overextensions. The map’s compact design means that flanking is a critical tool, and when executed correctly, it can turn the tide of battle by disorienting your opponents and creating openings for your team to seize.
⭐ In Gem Grab, hold the mid but don’t overextend. Backline brawlers should maintain a safe distance while controlling space. Push too far, and you risk giving up control and feeding gems to the enemy—especially dangerous in such a confined map. It’s crucial to stay vigilant and avoid overcommitting in the center, as one mistake can lead to a quick loss of control, especially with the gem mine located centrally.
⭐ Knockout rewards patience. Let enemies overcommit and punish them with smart positioning or Super chains. A well-timed ambush or zone denial tool (like Sandy’s Super or Bo’s mines) can easily turn the tide in your favor once the map tightens mid-round. In this mode, the key to success lies in waiting for the right opportunity to strike, using the limited space to your advantage and ensuring you capitalize on enemy mistakes.
Brawl Stars Side Story Guide: Conclusion
Brawl Stars Side Story is a tight, lane-heavy map that demands awareness, coordination, and timely rotations. With limited space for large flanks and a focus on controlling central choke points, each match becomes a battle of wits and spacing. Whether you play with a heavy frontline, a zoning mid, or a stealthy flanker, success on this map revolves around quickly adapting to the enemy’s strategy and rotating as a team. Communication is key here, as poor coordination can quickly lead to the enemy gaining control of critical areas, leaving your team at a disadvantage. Teams that can maintain map control and prevent overcommitting will have a significant edge.
The Brawl Stars Side Story map’s narrow layout forces players into close-range combat, where every decision is amplified. A single misstep can lead to a loss of position or a crucial fight, making it essential to stay aware of enemy movements and adapt quickly to changes. For example, knowing when to retreat and when to push can be the difference between holding the central area or being pushed back to your spawn. The lack of wide flanking routes means that engagements are often intense and direct, and smart rotations are vital to outmaneuver the enemy team.
Mastering Brawl Stars Side Story means mastering the flow of the game—lane by lane, second by second. Each move should be calculated, as space is limited and the margin for error is small. Teams who can keep up the pressure while staying organized will typically outperform those who struggle with communication or fail to adapt to the map’s fast pace. It’s a map where strong positioning, intelligent rotations, and cohesive teamwork will lead you to victory, and only the most precise strategies will overcome the narrow bottlenecks and complex dynamics.
