When it comes to multiplayer, games tend to fall into one of two categories: competitive titles that pit numerous players against each other or co-op games that have people work together towards a shared goal. As fun as it is to duke it out with friends in more competitive games, co-op titles allow players to bond as their overcome obstacles together while running a lesser risk of given players getting salty over losses.
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Co-op gameshave been a part of gaming since the8-bit era, and there are countless great releases across a wide variety of genres from platformers, to JRPGs, to first-person shooters. However, many standout co-op experiences are only available on bygone consoles, impeding their accessibility to new players. What are some amazing co-op games that are in dire need of remakes?
10Legend Of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
While theLegend of Zeldafranchise is predominantly known as a series of single-player games, there have been entries in the series such asFour Swords Adventuresfor the GameCube that featured co-op multiplayer.
With gameplay reminiscent of that found inLink to the Past,Four Swords Adventureshad players use Game Boy Advance link cables as controllers, displaying player-specific information on the screens of the handheld system. Between online multiplayer potential and the individual screens found on the console, the Switch seems like a perfect match for a game likeFour Swords Adventures.
9Shining Soul II
Released for theGame Boy Advancein 2003,Shining Soul IIis an action RPG with dungeon crawling gameplay. The game allows players to choose from a variety of classes, catering their character’s strengths as they level up to a user’s tastes, allowing for a great deal of personalization.
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Though somewhat unwieldy, the original release ofShining Soul IIallowed for up to four players to experience nearly the entire game together via link cables. Unfortunately, while the game has somewhat of a cult following, it has never been remade or ported since its original GBA release.
8Dragon Quest IX
A departure from the majority of core entries of theDragon Questfranchise,Dragon Quest IXis built around co-op multiplayer rather than single-player. Released for the DS,Dragon Quest IXis a full-fledged traditional JRPG that can be experienced in nearly its entirety with up to four players.
While the game features a turn-based combat system, players control their characters independently and can drop in and out of battles as they explore dungeons and the world.
7Tales Of Rebirth
TheTales offranchiseis a series of action JRPGs that is often characterized by its fast-paced combat and multiplayer, as nearly every entry in the series allows the individual party members to be controlled by other players. However, there are several entries in theTales Offranchise that are quite inaccessible, never being released outside of Japan. One such entry,Tales of Rebirthwas originally released for the PS2 in 2004 andhas a cult following within the fanbase.
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Tales of Rebirthwas the last core entry in the series to use sprites rather than 3D models in combat. While a fan-made English patch of the game has been developed in the past, no official Western port has been released, depriving many of a deep co-op RPG experience.
6Panzer Bandit
Originally released for the PS1 in 1997,Panzer Banditis a co-op beat-em-up that distinctly allows players to choose from several unique playable characters. Many of the game’s mechanics, such as the ability to juggle foes provide the game with depth, make it feel almost like a fighting game rather than a more simplistic beat-‘em-ups.
While the game received quite positive reviews and was even ported to the Playstation network in 2011,Panzer Bandithas never been made available outside of Japan.
5Mario Kart: Double Dash
While nearly every major console released by Nintendo comes along with that generation’s entry in theMario Kartseries,Mario Kart: Double Dashfor the GameCube served as one of the most unique and distinct entries in the series history. This is because rather than being a strictly competitive experience like most racing games,Double Dash’s key defining feature of having two racers per car allows for cooperative play.
InDouble Dash, one player drives while a second user takes care of items and drifting. Despite this, this form of co-op racing has never since been featured in aMario Kartgame.
4Gauntlet Legends
Released in 1998 for the N64, the PS1, the Dreamcast, and in arcades,Gauntlet Legendsis a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler RPG. Allowing for up to four players to experience the game at once,Gauntlet Legendswas the third installment of theGauntletseries that dates back to 1985.
Despite the game’s popularity in the ’90s, it has not seen any kind of modern port, making it quite inaccessible to newer players.
3The Simpsons (Arcade Game)
The Simpsonsarcade game was originally released in 1991 and is often considered to be one of the most iconic arcade beat-‘em-ups of all time. Allowing for up to four players simultaneously, the game is a simplistic yet satisfying side-scrolling beat-‘em-up that offers gameplay variety between its four playable characters.
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While the game was added to both the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network,The Simpsonsis no longer available on either service, making it quite difficult for players to access.
When it comes to co-op shooters, zombie survival games are quite popular, with games such asLeft 4 Deadbeing synonymous with the genre. Released in 1998,House of the Dead 2is an on-rails shooter that helped pave the way for the genre, allowing for the entire game to be played in multiplayer co-op.
While the game had received a Wii port inThe House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return,this rerelease came out thirteen years ago and is quite out of date.
1Goof Troop
A cult classic beloved by many,Goof Troopis an action-adventure game for the SNES based on Disney’s namesake TV series. A game designed entirely around the co-op multiplayer experience,Goof Troopis fun yet forgiving, catering to players of a variety of skill levels as they work together to solve puzzles.
Despite the game’s cult following,Goof Troophas never been re-released since its original SNES debut in 1993.
