Competing against friends in racing games, fighting games, or first-person shooters can be a ton of fun, but there’s something uniquely entertaining about the cooperative multiplayer experience. While modern games like Overcooked!, It Takes Two, and Unravel 2 offer an array of different ways to enjoy that experience, there are some co-op titles from way back in the 16-bit era that are still some of the best ever crafted.
Whether it was a beat ‘em up for buddies, a platformer for pals, puzzle-solving for partners, or an RPG for a party of three, there was nothing quite like the multiplayer experience that allowed players to team up and complete a story mode together. Each one of these titles has undoubtedly been the source of some incredibly fond gaming memories over the years.
8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time
The arcade style beat ‘em up was one of the most popular forms of co-op game during the 16-bit era, and Konami’s Turtles in Time is one of the best examples of them. Not only does this title have some great graphics and creative level design, it’s also a great adaptation of the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon that defined the late 80s and early 90s for many kids.
This one is so enduring that a spiritual successor was crafted in 2022 in the form of Tribute Games’ Shredder’s Revenge. Over 30 years have passed and fans are still clamoring for more. That says it all.
7 Goof Troop
It’s easy to write off a licensed title based on what was easily the least video game-friendly show in the Disney Afternoon lineup, but that would be a considerable mistake. While the Darkwing Duck, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Ducktales games offered up some fantastic platforming action, Goof Troop eschewed all of that for a curious puzzle-solving game made for two.
Today, this title is often regarded as both an underrated SNES classic and one of the best co-op games of the 16-bit era. Not only is it a fairly close approximation of a two player Zelda adventure, it also has some great-looking colorful graphics and nice sound design.
6 Gunstar Heroes
When it comes to high octane run and run action, there aren’t many titles that hold a candle to Treasure’s Sega Genesis masterpiece, Gunstar Heroes. There’s so much action and excitement packed into every screen in this one that it’s almost hard to believe that the Genesis could handle it.
To add to the premium level of entertainment this title offers, it threw in some interesting twists to the run and gun formula, and allowed for a buddy to join in on the explosive action. It’s an absolute can’t-miss when it comes to 16-bit co-op experiences.
5 Streets Of Rage 2
Owners of the iconic 6 Pak that came with the Sega Genesis in its later years might argue that the original Streets of Rage is the cream of the crop, but that might just be because they never got a chance to play its supreme sequel.
Streets of Rage 2 offers all the same perfectly crafted beat ‘em up action, awesome neo-noir aesthetic, and beautiful music of its predecessor, only it did it just a little bit better. Joining up with a friend to uppercut, flying kick, and special attack through a host of colorful enemies and creative bosses is a special piece of 16-bit multiplayer magic.
4 ToeJam & Earl
There aren’t many games imbued with more pure 90s essence than ToeJam & Earl. It stars a pair of rapping aliens from the planet Funkotron who have crash landed on Earth. A player and a pal can take control of the duo as they embark on a wacky, surreal journey to find their way back home. The fact that it was never accompanied by a hit cartoon or movie is kind of shocking.
The gameplay in ToeJam & Earl is fairly unique compared to its 16-bit peers. It’s a chill-paced dungeon crawler where players avoid a variety of colorful enemies while collecting strange items that help them find their way through the various different maps. It’s fun with just one player, but with two it’s a far better party.
3 Secret Of Mana
There were so many amazing RPGs on the Super Nintendo that it took some real creativity to be considered one of the best of them all. Interestingly enough, Square’s stone cold classicSecret of Mana managed to do that in part by simply adding a multiplayer component.
Once the player has added a member to their party, then another player can hop in and control them. It’s really that easy. But that’s not all: with the help of the Super Multitap, players can add another controller and a third player can be included in the fun once the party has enough members.
2 World Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse And Donald Duck
There are a lot of Sega Genesis platformers out there that probably wouldn’t have been able to work with two players, as managing pinpoint jumps and keeping enemies in sight can quickly get clunky when there’s more than one mind involved. World of Illusion, however, managed to pull it off perfectly and earn a spot among the best 90s Disney games in the process.
In this game, players control Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck as they journey through a beautiful-looking Disney-flavored fantasy world. What really makes the co-op experience work is that the game doesn’t just allow another player to jump in and play along, it provides both players with abilities that allow them to help one another navigate each level.
1 Donkey Kong Country
Donkey Kong Country is simply one of the best games of all time, so it follows that a co-op mode might also fall under the best in the two player category, as well. This is the game that introduced Diddy Kong, which makes it fairly clear that Nintendo was crafting this masterpiece with co-op play in mind and it wasn’t just some afterthought.
Traversing the widely-varied levels, jamming to the top tier soundtrack, and ultimately downing King K. Rool can be a bit trickier with a buddy in tow, but the added challenge is well worth it for the unmatched experience of a co-op adventure.