Anyone who grew up in the 80s and 90s, and maybe even the early 2000s, knew the joys of local co-ops. They may have distinct memories of enjoying the game for the first time at home, at a friend's house or in an arcade, with a sibling or friend — not as a tournament, but as a cooperative experience.
Thanks to new consoles, the internet, and technology in general, co-op is better now than ever. Anyone from around the world can team up in the big games Border 4 or Diablo 4 Online, or even locally at Couch Co-op. Those games wouldn't be what they are today without these co-op experiences paving the way forward for a specific series of genres.
Double Dragon
Beat 'em ups are born
Double Dragon Wasn't the first beat 'em up game, but it's considered the first to add two-player co-op. For anyone familiar with brawlers, it significantly changed the genre forever, and it became a mainstay in arcades throughout the late 80s and 90s.
The companies tried to constantly advance the concept, with the best example The X-Men Arcade game, which featured six-player co-ops. Apart from the importance, players can still have a good time with the arcade version Double DragonEspecially since it doesn't have broken ports like it did on the NES.
Diablo
Hell!
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Co-op Options: Four Online/LAN
Diablo Transformed the top-down action RPG for good with its transformative loot system. With multiple classes to choose from, up to four players can connect and explore dungeons together. It's now a bit archaic compared to its sequels, though Diablo Games don't exist where they aren't original. Also, looter RPGs have blossomed into a genre that many have tried to copy. There has been some success on that front, but Blizzard thinks the idea will always be number one.
monster hunter
Japan has found a new passion
monster hunter
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September 21, 2004
- ESRB
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Teens // Blood, alcohol use, violence
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Co-op options: Four online
monster hunter It launched on the PlayStation 2 in 2004 and was an instant hit in Japan, but was a niche action game elsewhere. It was a four-player online action game about hunting boss-like monsters, which was a novel concept that led to monster hunter clones.
It started as a phenomenon between the PS2 version in Japan and later portable versions on systems like the PSP and 3DS, but the franchise is now widely acclaimed. That's the great thing about this series. Each entry looks bigger than the last, with co-op options getting bigger too, as this first entry was a bit limited on PS2.
Gears of War
Bringing cover to the shooters
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Co-op options: two local/online
Gears of War Did some innovative things for shooters, including adding two-player co-op to the campaign. Aside from the campaign, which was added with each new entry, players could also engage in online five-player co-op matches called Horde Mode. This mode was originally five players trying to survive waves of enemies, a mode that inspired many other multiplayer game types. Finally, the thing that was really innovative was the cover system, which worked well in any mode and felt great as a third-person shooter.
rock band
Bat of the Bands
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Co-op options: Four local/online
Guitar Hero A music genre developed that remained huge in the arcade, but rock band Revolutionized it. The best setup was definitely playing locally with a group of friends and jamming to some of the best rock, pop, and metal songs of all time. Players could switch to guitar, bass, drums or mic and bring the house down completely. The third game also got a keyboard controller. The music genre flourished for a while but eventually died down, but rock band Still a definite part of cooperative history.
Left 4 dead
Horror isn't just for single players anymore
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Co-op options: two local/four online
Resident Evil Helped establish the horror genre, and for a long time, horror games were a singular experience. Things are often scary alone, so it made sense. Left 4 dead That changed by creating a compelling four-player first-person horror shooter where the zombies were ferocious and merciless.
Couch co-op fans also had options. PC and Xbox 360 players couldn't get enough, and thanks to this game's glowing reviews and player count, other horror franchises started experimenting with co-op. Resident Evil. The co-op horror genre as we know it might not exist without it Left 4 dead.
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Mario gets a 4-up
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Co-op option: four locales
The was killed Games began with two players as an option, but it only allowed partners to swap between deaths. When the series made the jump to 3D, 2D games were dead for ages until the DS revived the idea in 2006. New Super Mario Bros., which was successful enough to pave the way forward New Super Mario Bros. Wii.
It was the first mainline Mario game to offer not only two-player co-op, but four-player co-op, and the game sold incredibly well. It wasn't the first four-player 2D platformer, but its success certainly changed Nintendo. Now, there are a handful of 2D and 3D ones as well was killed Cooperative games.
border area
A looter-shooter is born
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Co-op options: two local/four online
First border area As the franchise has evolved so much since 2009, neither its direct sequel nor any other entry in the series can hold up as strongly. However, one cannot deny the importance of what it did for shooters.
border area Added RPG elements such as leveling and classes through pre-made characters. It was an evolution of the original Diablo The looting concept, except with a wild amount of guns instead of melee weapons. Four players could team up online for a longer campaign, as well as splitscreen couch co-op on consoles.
