Most multiplayer games are designed to be played in a single evening. This makes a lot of sense, as it can be a huge headache to organize multiple play gatherings, especially with the exact same configuration of players, and an experience that’s easier to get into generally has a much better chance of success.
If you go through the effort, though, longer multiplayer experiences can be truly memorable and magical in ways that one-off party play just can’t. READ MORE
For the first popular system with four controller ports, the Nintendo 64 has a surprisingly shallow bench when it comes to multiplayer titles. It was an era of behemoths, of a handful of games that simply dominated the landscape. So yes, we’re recommending those, but we also went off the beaten path a bit to bring you some other great experiences on the system. READ MORE
In these early pre-launch days, it’s tough to say how much success the Ouya will manage. What is clear, though, is the obvious tendency the system has toward fun local multiplayer experiences. It doesn’t have any unified matchmaking, sure, which probably helps. Mostly, though, it appeals to indies developing for PC and mobile, and the advantage it has over both of those is its TV-native comfort in supporting split-screen or same-screen play. READ MORE
The Wii, more than any system before it, was designed to be a party system. With its easy-to-pick-up style and focus on local play over online capabilities, it became the home for a whole host of new and experimental multiplayer titles. (Of course, it had some normal ones too, and those are also good!) Let’s take a look at the best local multiplayer games the system has to offer. READ MORE
PC games have historically been a bit less willing to feature local multiplayer, and for good reason: until the last few years, you were stuck around a desk, and that’s just not ideal. That doesn’t mean those games wouldn’t be fun that way, though, and developers know it. So when these titles get ported to consoles, they’re often retrofitted with some couch play. READ MORE
