Best local multiplayer games ever

[PitfallHarry77]

I was just wondering what people would nominate as their favourite local multiplayer games of all time?? I guess I need to eliminate beat em ups and fighting games as there are so many (if they are genuinely your favourites put them in anyway as Streetfighter 2 is a given). We recently celebrated my son's birthday and we had 12 ten year olds around to our place to meet before they went to the movies to watch the latest Avengers film. I put on Medieval Mayhem for them and they went absolutely nuts for it. They were shouting and heckling / trash talking each other. I could hear them from down the street and the levels of excitement were very high. They also loved the 4 player soccer option of International Olympics. I think that game is underrated because it has no one player option and soccer isn't massive in the US. Finally, they loved the demo of the new Wizard of Wor. I thought about the reaction to these games on the old Atari 2600 and thought I hadn't heard such loud excitement and competitive noise before in our living room. In the car on the way home after the movie all my son's mates were talking excitedly about getting back to play that awesome game on that old video game machine. They wanted to know where they could get one. I then came to the conclusion that maybe the Atari has some of the best local multiplayer games ever.

 

The games on the Atari 2600 that are always crowd pleasers would be (even with people who don't like video games):

 

Medieval Mayhem or the original Warlords

International Olympics (this is above Wizard of Wor just because it is 4 player and the soccer option is great)
Wizard of Wor Arcade (new Champ Games version which is outstanding)

Gunfight

Space Rocks

Frogs n Flies

Indy 500

Warring Worms

Joust

Ice Hockey

Combat

Boxing

Freeway

Fishing Derby

Decathlon - great memories with this one but it is too punishing for me to enjoy today (managed a bronze patch)

 

When it comes to deciding the best multiplayer games ever, there are classics like Bomberman that have to go in there but a lot of the others I am enjoying at the moment are on the Nintendo Switch. This is definitely one of my favourite machines ever.

 

My favourite multiplayer games ever:

 

Medieval Mayhem / Warlords (I think this is my favourite ever which is pretty impressive as there is some stiff competition)

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Super Smash Bros Ultimate (I wouldn't put it this high as I am not very good at it and feel like I am just hitting buttons but if you have a crowd of people, everyone loves it. I know it is a fighting game but it seems like its own thing and it is definitely one of the best multiplayers)

FIFA 19

Towerfall

Duck Game

International Olympics

Bomberman

Inversus Deluxe (a great little game I only recently discovered)

Overcooked 2

Windjammers

Tetris Puyo

Tetris Party Deluxe

Magical Drop 3

Pokemon Puzzle League

Puyo Puyo Tsu

Super Puzzle Fighter 2

Pang

Enter the Gungeon

Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime

Bubble Bobble

Rocket League (probably should be higher but I am not very good at it)

Gunfight

Space Rocks

Frogs n Flies

Tricky Towers

Metal Slug

Assault Android Cactus

Micromachines

Kick Off 2

 

Please let me know the ones that I have missed. I think there are a ton of 2 player platformers, beat em ups, fighting games and split-screen shooters. Timesplitters and Goldeneye 007 on the N64 also come to mind.

Edited June 9, 2019 by PitfallHarry77

[DragonGrafx-16]

Where's Warlords on 2600? One of the best 4 player games on 2600...

[+cvga]

Where's Warlords on 2600? One of the best 4 player games on 2600...

 

It was first on his list. He mentioned it along with Medieval Mayhem

[DragonGrafx-16]

 

It was first on his list. He mentioned it along with Medieval Mayhem

I didn't see it lol... I swear...every other game was listed on it's own...

[PitfallHarry77]

Yes, I absolutely agree that Warlords is the pinnacle of multiplayer gaming on the Atari and most machines for that matter. Maybe I should have asked what games people like more than Warlords. Then Darrel Spice Jr. went and improved on what was already great with Medieval Mayhem. Medieval Mayhem I think has the best graphics on the Atari with that dragon that flies around at the start. Warlords and Medieval Mayhem are games that are also unique as they haven't really been replicated elsewhere (that I know of) because of the paddles. If Warlords has been topped, it is only fairly recently with games like Towerfall which I also really love. It had a very long reign and it is still up for debate as to whether it has been topped. Only wish I had Warlords as a kid but there were no game magazines or internet and I had no idea what the best games were that were out there. Sad to have missed this as a kid - would have been awesome!!!

[BONEMAN]

Gauntlet and Rampage are great

[Inky]

The Video Game Critic calls Warlord the best multiplayer game ever made.

IMHO, he's not wrong.

[GeekDragon]

You pretty much nailed the 2600 games. As far as the more modern games, there's also Halo(and its sequels), Goldeneye, the N64 WCW wrestling games, and, of course, all the Mario Kart games.

[+wongojack]

For the 2600, Space Invaders has a cooperative game variation. You should also add the Epyx "Games": Winter, Summer, California.

 

For other systems, you need Wii Sports and Guitar Hero on the list somewhere and also something with the word "Lego" in it. I'd probably go with Lego Lord of the Rings, but it's basically dealers choice.

 

A game that get's overlooked from classic computers is Spy vs Spy. This was a lot of fun and hardly anyone mentions it these days.

 

 

EDIT: OP - When you say "International Olympics" are you talking about Video Olympics or International Soccer? I figured you meant Video Olympics but your reference to soccer confuses me. Both of those games are good 2600 multiplayer games.

[+save2600]

2-player Bugs Bunny, where one player is Elmer Fudd, is lots of fun!

 

As is SuperChallenge Baseball and to a lesser extent, Home Run.

[glazball]

We really, really enjoyed Rayman Legends at our house on the Wii U (on other platforms now too). We're playing Earth Defense Force V and Iron Rain now. My stepson freakin' loves EDF games - I don't love them as much as he does, but I'd much rather blast giant alien insects than suffer through his Minecraft phase again!

 

As far as best local mp games ever, man that's a tall order! I'd have to throw a few of the 80's and 90's arcade titles in the mix: Golden Axe, Smash TV, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Gauntlet to name a few.

 

This would make a great Top 100 list actually!

Edited June 12, 2019 by glazball

[KevKelley]

Of all systems:

 

Joust

Rampart

Bomberman series

THQ wrestling games

Metal Warriors

Smash TV

Goldeneye

Perfect Dark

Mario Party

Mario Kart

Smash Bros.

[Flojomojo]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quest_for_the_Rings

[Mikebloke]

I think warlords is the obvious 2600 one but it makes me realise I don't actually play many 2600 games Multiplayer.

 

Across other consoles:

Videopac: conquest of the world, I prefer that to quest of the rings. I do have the business one too but haven't played it yet

Snes: secret of mana

Saturn bomberman

Gamecube: gauntlet legends (yeah bite me!)

Any decent rendition of super street fighter 2 / alpha game

 

I enjoy 7800 games with competitive and cooperative modes, like asteroids but often don't get anyone to play with.

[+Spriggy]

Some other 2600 MP gems we enjoy, when the lads are knocking back some golden throat charmers @ my place ...

 

Demons to Diamonds

Maze Craze (a hoot!)

MotoRodeo

[high voltage]

Real Sports Tennis, my ex loved it, great sports game for 2 players, and RS Volleyball is not bad.

Video Olympics I also like.

Of course, a lot of early Atari colour-box games offer great two player versions.

Edited June 13, 2019 by high voltage

[+FujiSkunk]

It's more collaborative than competitive, but of course I have to put in a mention of the Rock Band series, particularly Rock Band 3.

[Mike_2000]

Does Stardew Valley count as local co-op? It's not couch co-op (both players need their own game and screen). Single player is super fun, but after playing co-op I cannot enjoy single player because multiplayer is just so much better.

[+wongojack]

On 6/25/2019 at 10:04 PM, Mike_2000 said:

Does Stardew Valley count as local co-op? It's not couch co-op (both players need their own game and screen). Single player is super fun, but after playing co-op I cannot enjoy single player because multiplayer is just so much better.

Yeah, that is the exact opposite of local. 

 

Does the game pass this test?  "Can be played with another player without any online connection"

 

 

[boxpressed]

The Capcom Dungeons & Dragons beat 'em ups, Tower of Doom and Shadow over Mystara, are great. I played them with CoinOps 8 on a modded Xbox, then just bought them for the PS3 off the PS Store.

 

Not sure if it has been mentioned already, but Gauntlet Legends for Xbox/PS2/GC. 

[+ZeroPage Homebrew]

In the category of Atari 2600 Homebrew, here are a short list of some really great two player games:

 

- Unreal Tournament 2600

- Dragon Racer: Trials of the Wyrm

- Warring Worms: The Worm (Re)Turns

- Fall Down

- RAM Combat

- Flipside (part of Piñata)

[Mike_2000]

34 minutes ago, wongojack said:

Yeah, that is the exact opposite of local. 

 

Does the game pass this test?  "Can be played with another player without any online connection"

  

 

Well, I think that the Switch version can be played with the Switch's local wireless. Although the PC version does use LAN. I'm just not sure if LAN multiplayer counts as local (The "L" stands for "Local," but it does require internet so IDK).

[+wongojack]

3 hours ago, Mike_2000 said:

Well, I think that the Switch version can be played with the Switch's local wireless. Although the PC version does use LAN. I'm just not sure if LAN multiplayer counts as local (The "L" stands for "Local," but it does require internet so IDK).

LOL - a networking lesson huh?

 

A Local Area Network is made up of addresses assigned by a network gateway like your router.  Said router can assign those addresses via a wireless or wired connection.  Either way they are still part of a Local Area Network or LAN.

 

I have never heard of anyone who referred to "Local" multiplayer as being played over a network connection of any kind.  You could specify the term LAN Party and imply that the LAN is not connected to any outside network, but the game itself in that case likely only supports multi-player via a network and is no longer local.

 

Anyway . . . Try playing some of the games suggested in this thread to get a clearer picture of "local" multiplayer.  Or don't.  Stardew Valley is an awesome game.

[Magmavision2000]

Pong hands down. (Someone probably already said this) 2-player Ice climbers looks fun (never played it though)

Edited June 28, 2019 by Magmavision2000

[PitfallHarry77]

On 6/12/2019 at 1:20 PM, wongojack said:

For the 2600, Space Invaders has a cooperative game variation. You should also add the Epyx "Games": Winter, Summer, California.

 

For other systems, you need Wii Sports and Guitar Hero on the list somewhere and also something with the word "Lego" in it. I'd probably go with Lego Lord of the Rings, but it's basically dealers choice.

 

A game that get's overlooked from classic computers is Spy vs Spy. This was a lot of fun and hardly anyone mentions it these days.

 

 

EDIT: OP - When you say "International Olympics" are you talking about Video Olympics or International Soccer? I figured you meant Video Olympics but your reference to soccer confuses me. Both of those games are good 2600 multiplayer games.

I haven’t been on here for a few weeks as have been busy with work. A lot of replies have since been added so sorry for the delay. There are some great suggestions which I will have to take a look at. There are some I haven’t even heard of before. I agree that California Games should go on the list. I guess you aren’t playing at the same time though but a great version of it on the Atari 2600. I also agree with Guitar Hero, Lego, Wii Sports and Fit - skiing was great, Sports Resort was a lot of fun as well come to think of it. Yep, I completely stuffed up the name calling it International Olympics. I meant Video Olympics!! The soccer and ice hockey variations are awesome 4 player fun with the paddles. I wish there was a one player version as it is multiplayer only.