Top 10 Local Multiplayer Games
#10: “Wii Sports” (2006)
Here is a game that’s just as fun to play with your mom as it is with your buddys, where you compete with each other in 5 different sports ranging from Tennis to Bowling. This title’s easy-to-master motion controls and cartoonish graphics made it a hit with casual and hardcore gamers alike. Of course if you want more sports to embarrass your siblings at, you can also hit up Wii Sports: Resort.
#9: “Rock Band” (2007)
Live out your dreams of musical stardom with this game. Players create bands together to play along with songs by groups like Radiohead and Nirvana using the plastic guitar, drum kit, and microphone accessories. If you’re not in the mood to make music with your friends, can try to “out rock” them with a nice array of competitive modes to make you feel like a rockstar.
#8: “Contra 3: The Alien Wars” (1992)
EU Title: “Super Probotector: Alien Rebels”
Team up with your buddy to save the world in this classic run and gun shooter’s co-op, as you play as 2 burly men against an army of aliens in a battle to stop an invasion of Earth. Trust us, you’ll feel better about taking on the evil alien boss when you know that your friend’s got your back, especially since this series is notoriously difficult.
#7: “Mortal Kombat II” (1993)
Killing your friends has never been so satisfying, or for that matter, so easy. While any game in franchise is eligible, our best matchups have been in the 2nd game. Finish off your opponent with one of the title’s famously gory Fatality moves, including but not limited to yanking their arms off, incinerating them or simply punching their head off.
#6: “TMNT IV: Turtles in Time” (1992)
Whoever said turtles were slow hadn’t seen these guys in action. In this scrolling arcade action brawler, players take control of their childhood heroes as they dash, slash, and kick their way through the footclan to recover the Statue of Liberty stolen by The Shredder. Experience tells us to avoid the remake on Xbox live and PSN, best to stick with either the arcade or SNES version while jamming to the epic soundtrack.
#5: “Street Fighter 2: Hyper Fighting” (1992)
If you want less gore than “Mortal Kombat,” but still want the satisfaction of beating your opponent to a pulp, this game’s for you. Like Midway’s fighter, players in this title compete against each other one-on-one battles. Combine the game’s basic or special moves for an extra-deadly attack. Hyper Fighting remains the most balanced in the series, though if you want more characters: Try going Super.
#4: “Halo” (2001)
The multiplayer options in this first person-shooter were a big reason why it was known as the Xbox’s first killer app. Llong before online gaming for consoles was even a thing, there were gamers taking the Xbox’s and TV’s to each other’s houses, apartments and dorm rooms just to have LAN parties with this game. One of the biggest shooter franchises of all time definitely earned a large part of it’s legacy thanks to its local multiplayer.
#3: “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” (2008)
Even though this game does have online play, the local multiplayer modes have far more variety. As with the other Smash games, players compete as a variety of beloved Nintendo characters in a no-holds-barred battle royale. Though more kid friendly than other fighting game and brawlers. you can still smash up your friends hard enough to knock them off the screen. Add craxy items like Pokeballs and Beam swords and things get really hectic, really fast.
#2: “Goldeneye 007” (1997)
This game redefined what was possible from the console first-person shooter, in large part due to its groundbreaking split screen combat, which was surprisingly only added as an afterthough. Players take on the role of various James Bond character with a huge variety of weapon modes for hours of glorious fun… Until someone wants to be a prick and keeps choosing Oddjob.
Before we get to our number one, let’s take a look at some honorable mentions:
“Just Dance” (2009)
“Castle Crashers” (2008)
“NHL ’94” (1993)
“NBA Jam” (1993)
“Worms 2” (1997)
#1: “Mario Kart 64” (1997)
We’ve talked about a lot of great games, but nothing could outrace this title to the top of our list. No matter your age or gender, or whether you even claim to like videogames or not, almost everybody loves Mario Kart. Incredibly easy to pick up but packed with enough tricks, secrets and content to keep you going for years, Mario Kart 64 is an irrefutable classic.
Do you agree with our list? Which games do you like to challenge your friends at? For more competitive Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
