Consoles worth buying just for co-op play?

[missyrelm]

What retro/classic systems (either consoles or cartridge-based computers, no PC’s) would you say are worth buying just for its co-op games and no other reason? This could either be because

 

a) there are a whole lot of co-op games for that console which are either exclusive to that

system or have their best version on that system

 

b) There are only a couple of co-op games for that console but those games are only on that

console and they are good enough to justify buying that system.

 

c) A super obscure weird system that only has 1 or 2 co-op games that might suck but no-one

will even know they exist without someone familiar with the system pointing them out

 

I’ve done a LOT of research on this subject so I can kick this off with what I can think of at the moment.

 

Playstation 1,2,3 and Xbox, Xbox360 aren’t on this list because there are loads of lists of co-op games for those systems.

 

3DO – As far as I know, doesn’t have any co-op games other than Captain Quazar. There’s some game shows I think but they are competitive. Not a machine for co-op only players IMO.

 

Atari 2600 – definitely worth it for co-op play just for Joust and Mario Bros. We also play Space Invaders (one of us moves the other shoots)., Wizard or Wor, GI Joe, and a couple others, but for us, it’s all about Joust.

 

Atari 5200 – No idea whether its worth it just for co-op.

 

Atari 7800 – I’ve heard its good for co-op but I don’t know much about it so I don’t know if it’s worth getting just for co-op for people who already have a 2600.

 

Our TI-99/4A (cartridge based computer) I grew up with this computer so I’m biased towards it. There is some co-op play on two games that don’t to my knowledge exist on any other platform. We have a lot of fun playing Microsurgeon (one moves the other shoots) and also A-maze-ing in co-op mode.

 

Saturn US - We plan on getting one just for Guardian Heroes. I’ve read in several places it’s worth getting just for that game. We also plan on getting Virtual On, House of the Dead. I know there are some other very popular co-op Saturn games, but I think most them are Japanese and won’t play on the US console. From what I’ve read, this system is definatley worth buying just for co-op, but I have never owned one.

 

Saturn Japanese – not sure if you need to know Japanese to play these but there are several articles that say these are worth buying one: Dungeons and Dragons Collection, Elevator Action Returns, no idea if it would be worth buying one just for the Japanese co-op games.

 

N64 We have one in the mail and I got Star Fox 64 and Jet Force Gemeni in the mail too… I’m still looking into what co-op games there might justify buying this console, I’ve read Perfect Dark, Quake 2 is good on this console, but the jury is still out as to how. Honestly it was an impulse buy, as from what I’ve read the co-op games may or may not have been worth buying the system for co-op only games, I’ll report later when we get it.

 

Genesis/Mega drive: I’ve seen several co-op games listed for this esp but I’m not sure if they justify buying this system for co-op onlyor not: The ones I remember reading about are General Chaos, Streets of Rage 1-3, Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

 

NES – I’m sure there are loads of co-op games for this, I just can’t remember what the exclusive co-op titles are or if it’s worth getting just for co-op.

 

SNES – I see several co-op games on co-op lists for this system but have no idea if it’s worth getting the system or not. People list Battle Toads but also say it’s really hard to beat. Turtles in Time, Double Dragon, Wild guns, Kirby Super Star, The Secret Of Mana

Zombies ate my neighbors. It seems like a candidate system for co-op only players, but I have no idea.

 

GameCube- Does anyone know if this is worth getting just for co-op? I see loads and loads and loads of co-op games for this system, but almost none of them seem to be exclusive to this system, maybe someone here knows.

 

Dreamcast – Hmm from what I’ve read this may not be worth buyng just for co-op, but again I’m just going by what I’ve read online.

 

Jaguar – I have no idea what the co-op scene is for this system.

 

Neo-Geo - I've been told that this has lots of co-op arcade style games but I don't know much about it.

 

FM Towns Marty – I don’t think there are any co-op games that justify getting this, but I’d love to be corrected if I’m wrong about that. The problem is from what I’ve read there really isn’t much in the way of exclusive titles for this, co-op or otherwise.

 

Sega Master System – Does anyone know the co-op situation for this?

 

TurboGrafx-16 – not sure about the co-op scene here

 

Obscure consoles: My wife and I love the obscure systems and are trying to find out which of the obscure systems have even 1 co-op game.

The TI-99/4a (cartridge based computer) has three co-op games that we know of as listed above.

 

Other consoles we’d love to know if there’s any co-op games at all no matter how bad are: Amstrad GX4000, Commodore 64 Games System, Action Max, Tomy Tutor/Pyuuta, Sega SG-1000, VTech CreatiVision, Fairchild Channel F, CD-I, Super A'can, Amiga CD32, Apples Pippin, iQue Player, Tapwave Zodiac, etc….

 

Please give your opinions as to your which systems are worth buying just for co-op or any info on obscure systems with any co-op at all…

Edited December 13, 2007 by missyrelm

[thomasholzer]

1972 Magnavox Odyssey...most games can't be played by one player, definitely a co-op/family/multi player console.

Lynx for Checkered Flag alone worth the purchase

C64/A8/Amiga......many co-op games, be it stuff like Scrabble, Monopoly, Chess to Rampage, IK+ etc.. (OK Chess on A8 cartridge at least and International Soccer cart on C64)

PC ...Star Saga series, many co-op games (don't disciminate against PCs)

Edited December 12, 2007 by thomasholzer

[theking21083]

A good SNES/Genesis co-op game is sunsetriders. Also the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in time on the SNES and TMNT: Hyperstone Hyst on the Genesis.

[Bucket]

I'm not sure if all these are exclusive, but they certainly were the best on the NES:

 

Double Dragon 2

Contra & Super C

Ikari Warriors

Snow Bros.

Gauntlet

River City Ransom

Life Force

TMNT 2

Battletoads

Tengen Tetris (OK, it's actually versus, but still great)

Super Dodge Ball (you can be on the same team)

Ultimate Basketball (same as above)

 

As for the other systems, I can't say I know much about co-op but I know plenty of head-to-head games (even ones not necessarily dependent on pure skill, in case you don't want to whoop her ass too badly).

[vdub_bobby]

Filling out your list a bit...

 

NES. The NES has a ton of good co-op games. Jackal, Guerrilla War, Contra, Super C, Ikari Warriors, Battletoads, Double Dragon II, Double Dragon III, Rush'n Attack, Life Force, Gauntlet, Gauntlet II, NARC, Ice Climber, River City Ransom, Mario Bros., Snake Rattle & Roll, TMNT 2, TMNT 3, Shadow of the Ninja, Joust, Silkworm, Vindicators, ...

 

The NES is worth owning for co-op play, just for Contra and Life Force alone.

 

EDIT:

 

Genesis. Sonic 2 is totally not worth it for co-op play; the co-op pretty much blows on that game. On the other hand, NBA Jam for the Genny is my all-time favorite co-op game, on any system. Beyond that, you also have NBA Jam TE, Soldiers of Fortune, Gunstar Heroes, Contra Hard Corps, the Streets of Rage series, the Golden Axe series, Sunset Riders, the Toejam and Earl series, Lightening Force, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Gauntlet IV, plus all the co-op Madden games and other sports titles.

 

I'd say not quite as good as the NES; but still pretty good.

Edited December 12, 2007 by vdub_bobby

[missyrelm]

It's been brought to my attention that Goldeneye, Mario Kart 64, Soul Calibur and Power Stone are competitive rather than cooperative so I've removed them from the list. Also I've added the Neo Geo.

[Ryanw]

Nes is definitely a great co-op system. A lot of people mentioned these but the ones below are ones I have and really enjoy:

 

Contra

Double Dragon 2 (1 and 3 are just OK in my opinion)

Gauntlet

Marble Madness (not a system exclusive but a fun game)

[A.J. Franzman]

C64/A8/Amiga......many co-op games, be it stuff like Scrabble, Monopoly, Chess

Odd, I've never thought of those games as cooperative. I've only ever played them as competitive (though I did once see a 2 vs. 2 Scrabble tournament for young people on ESPN).

 

The Goonies is a good cooperative game on the C-64. There's no competitive mode, though it can (allegedly) be played solo, but it's quite awkward in this mode. I've never gotten past the ship screen. I even got so frustrated with it that I looked at a walkthrough, and even with those instructions I still couldn't make it through. Maybe my copy was glitched or something.

Edited December 13, 2007 by A.J. Franzman

[shadow460]

Wow, I totally mis understood what this thread was about. I thought it was asking what systems are worth buying a second unit for to link co-op games up.

 

Toward that end, the ones I've linked with success are the Game Boy, Game Gear, and the PlayStation 1. Linking PS1's was a bit of work, but totally worth it for some serious C&C action.

 

Some systems lend themselves better to crowding around the screen Goldeneye style. Those would be systems like the NES, Saturn, N64, and Atari 7800. Although the VCS falls into this category as well, I think one who doesn't own an Atari at all is better off with a 7800, especially if they are looking for simultaneous multiplayer games.

 

Oddly enough, even the Game Gear has at least one "crowd around the screen" type game: Micro Machines Challenge allows two players to hold and play on one Game Gear.

[A Sprite]

Neo-Geo co-op games include:

 

Metal Slug (series) - think Contra if it didn't take itself too seriously. Eating too many health-ups instead of sharing turns you overweight, enemies laugh when they kill you only to scream in terror when you continue. It also has some of the best 2D artwork ever seen - stores have displayed the third game in the series in order to sell new X-Boxes after it was ported.

 

I'll skip the vertical shooters and side scrolling brawlers, all of which seem to include 2 player simultaneous co-op. Here are three others worth checking out.

 

Fatal Fury 1 - allows two players vs. 1 computer. Not a great game, or even a good one, but this option alone keeps it from being a total loss.

 

Blue's Journey - average platformer at best on one player. Most reviews aren't as charitable. But, like Fatal Fury, it's potentially worth the asking price for you. It's one of the few platformers on any system designed from the ground up to support 2 player simultaneous play.

 

Blazing Star - considered the best pure shmup on the system, it's a console exclusive. A ridiculous amount of ways to play the game and great graphics, plus you don't have to go it alone. Good luck finding one.

[MacbthPSW]

The Goonies is a good cooperative game on the C-64. There's no competitive mode, though it can (allegedly) be played solo, but it's quite awkward in this mode. I've never gotten past the ship screen. I even got so frustrated with it that I looked at a walkthrough, and even with those instructions I still couldn't make it through. Maybe my copy was glitched or something.

Yes, The Goonies is great. And yeah, the copy I had in the 80s had the same problem. Whether it was a problem introduced when the game was cracked (either the cracker's mistake, or a deliberate trick the original programmers put in) or maybe a problem with the first run of the game, I don't know.

 

But, I do know that the version on GameBase64 works fine - I completed it (at long last!) last year.

 

It's a great co-operative game, but actually pretty easy to play solo as well. Pretty much every level has safe spots to "park" one of your characters while you do stuff with the other one.

Edited December 13, 2007 by MacbthPSW

[Bruce Tomlin]

I think that Zombies Ate My Neighbors counts as co-op play. It's available for SNES and Genesis.

 

Also, Gauntlet 4 for Genesis is esentially the original arcade game (including sprite overload problems!) with only two minor changes: no treasure bonus, and no inserting more than nine coins per player. It also has a "quest mode", but I think that was only single-player.

 

And as long as we're on a Genesis thing here, Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits has Joust in it.

 

Someone mentioned link play, for which you can get two copies of Zero Tolerance for Genesis and build a link cable (pinout link is on its Wikipedia discussion page), but I'm not sure that was co-op.