Suggestions needed for A8 Two-Player games for modern teenagers

[Britishcar]

I'm looking for some advice. I'm planning a small handful of tournament play with a bunch of high school aged teens and I'm looking for some great DIRECT two-player games for some head-to-head play. Virtually 100% of this audience will have never touched a game system that pre-dates the PS/2 / Gamecube.

 

I've already used the following games in this setting with great success:

 

Ballblazer

Archon

Joust

 

What I've discovered is that the game needs to be something that you can explain in just a minute or two and has a lot of action as it's basis. In other words, M.U.L.E. as amazing as it is, is not what I need...so no deep strategy but just a quick: "here's a controller, here's what you do to win" type of explanations so that teens that have never played these games can get right into them.

 

I'm also planning a "high score" type of competition and I've already used Pacman, Frogger and Galaxian so those type of games are easy to find/choose.

 

So...here's what I need suggestions on:

 

1) It needs to be two player head-to-head (being played on a 130XE).

2) I would like to avoid Karate/Beat 'em up's if possible since they have played that genre to death on other systems.

3) Co-op and/or competitive like Joust are ok, but probably best if it's pure competitive like Ballblazer, Archon.

 

Any ideas?

 

[gozar]

Mashed Turtles

 

Dynakillers

 

Four player games that could be played by only two:

 

Castle Crisis

[kiwilove]

I always liked Atomsmasher - haven't tested it in 2 player mode - but it should do fine. It's an asteroids variant - they'll learn a bit of science while playing?

 

Harvey

[Paul Westphal]

Megablast. On the 130xe, it had digitized music and sound effects. Kicks ass!

[Paul Westphal]

Mario Bros. XE, shreckenstein

[+CharlieChaplin]

Hmmm,

 

- BMX Simulator

- Grand Prix Sim.

- Brik Bat (Breakout battle for two)

- Megablast!

- Dynakillers/Dynablasters

- Midi Maze (req. additional hardware)

- Basketball / One on One

- Olympic Games (Summer Games, Track & Field, Decathlon, Winter Challenge, Winter Events, Trackstar, etc.)

- Space Ball

- Hockey / Soccer / Volleyball

- Pitstop 2

- Blip / Air Hockey

Edited July 30, 2014 by CharlieChaplin

[Paul Westphal]

Tagalon

, wizard of Wor

[Paul Westphal]

Tube baddies

[ZuluGula]

Rally Speedway.

[Rybags]

Bruce Lee 2 players is good - you can choose to co-op or just annoy the other player (or swap between those 2 things as you go).

 

Rally Speedway, except it gets real annoying how it stops just because one person hits the edge of screen.

 

Asteroids, although it's sort of old and not very faithful to the arcade.

[adam242]

Maze War is a blast! (no pun intended) Fast, furious action for up to 4 players, human or machine.

 

There was a PD Snowball Fight game I played a lot with a friend.. I can't locate the dump online. I've attached an atr with the game on a compilation. I'm too lazy this time of night to isolate the single file.

The physics of the blowing and accumulating snow wowed me as a kid, your mileage with today's teens may vary!

ML Games 2b.ATR

Edited July 30, 2014 by adam242

[ACML]

Ghost Hunter !! Awesome two player simultaneous PAC Man !!

 

http://atariage.com/forums/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=345683

 

[texacala]

I think they will love Bruce Lee. The game plays very well and the two player version is hilarious.

[Chilly Willy]

One of the best multiplayer games for the A8 is MULE.

[Mclaneinc]

Jumpman...Great game, great 2 player as well..

[Thorsten Günther]

Wall War

Outlaw/Howitzer

Astrowarriors

Dandy

Donny 2

Frogger (Chuck Benton Version)

Twomaze

[foft]

Protector (Mastertronic)

Spy vs Spy (perhaps too complex...)

Killa Cycle

Megablast (again!)

Edited July 30, 2014 by foft

[pfeuh]

Hello,

 

As far as I remember the Goonies can be played with two players. As the two characters are mandatory, it is possible to play with one player switching from one character to the other.

[mariusz]

Co-op: ZYBEX - simple task, great gameplay, nice gfx&msx.

[+therealbountybob]

Sounds fun

 

Several of these have been mentioned already!

Tube Baddies - really nice fun, patch the holes, shoot the baddies up/down the screen into the bucket for a bonus

Killa Cylce superb game

Robix great 2 player shooter

Wizard of Wor classic

Dredis nice horizontal Tetris

Ataritris II superb Tetris

Show Down - wild west theme gold appears and you rush to get it... there was another similar one...

Archon

Rally Speedway

Mig Alley Ace, perhaps a little tardy but very satisfying when you get your opponent lined up!

International Karate c'mon it's just too good to miss (use X1-4 to adjust the speed)

Gamma Hockey

Kikstart

BMX Sim

Grand Prix Sim

Outlaw/Howitzer - outlaw is easier - nice handicapping options too

Zybex

Joust

Also worth a thought:

Shadow World (hard though but fun accidentally not working together)

Fortress also very good

Rebound

EMI Soccer

Astro Wariors

Capture the Flag

Mousk Attack

Dog Daze Deluxe

Gunfight (2 versions)

 

Some of the two player simultaneous controls games are fun too

Space Dungeon erm, Space Dungeon ... where is my list

 

The trouble is the learning curve; some superb two player games take a bit of getting into Mail Order Monsters springs to mind

 

[edit] I'm sure it was called Video Classics but can't find it, it was a bunch of pong games modernised on a budget tape release - found a youtube of one of them Asterbliperoids though!

[MrFish]

Maze War is a blast! (no pun intended) Fast, furious action for up to 4 players, human or machine.

 

There was a PD Snowball Fight game I played a lot with a friend.. I can't locate the dump online. I've attached an atr with the game on a compilation. I'm too lazy this time of night to isolate the single file.

The physics of the blowing and accumulating snow wowed me as a kid, your mileage with today's teens may vary!

 

Maze War is pretty cool. I don't think I'd seen that before. As to your question on Atarimania about why it's rating was a little low; I think graphically it's not all some people would want it to be.

 

-> Snow Ball Fight <-

Edited July 30, 2014 by MrFish

[pixelmischief]

Ball Blazer

Hardball

Mario Bros.

Warlords

Joust (Amazing)

World Karate Championship

Spy vs. Spy

221B Baker Street

Summer Games

[gozar]

I think Spy Vs. Spy really isn't a pick up and play type of game. :-) Kudos on Summer Games (as long as you skip the swimming events, those are too long and boring).

[kenjennings]

Asteroids.

 

It looks awful, but the more players you add the more fun it is. It becomes SpaceWar with a lot of extra obstacles. Even in college (up to 1988) this was still a favorite party game in the dorm even though several people had newer, "better" game systems.

[pixelmischief]

Also, head-to-head may not be the only "party games" that will work. Kaboom is frantic enough and a fast enough play that it is fun to watch and not too long a wait for a turn.