2D games have always had a certain charm to them, which is why this genre of gaming is still going strong even today. While 2D games might not always be the most graphically impressive titles, nor have much complexity in their gameplay, in reality, it is their simplicity that makes them so much fun to dive into.
2D games might look simple on the surface, but the way each mission or level is executed actually has a lot of thought put into it, and is oftentimes not as easy as it looks. These games become even more fun and chaotic when they are made with more than one player in mind, as evidenced by the best 2D multiplayer games on the PS4 and PS5.
6 Rayman Legends
Developed by Ubisoft Montpellier, Rayman Legends is a side-scrolling platformer and is the fifth mainline entry in the Rayman series. The game serves as a direct sequel to Rayman Origins, taking place a hundred years after the events of its 2011 predecessor. The plot sees Rayman and his friends waking up from their century-long slumber to go on a quest to stop the evil magician and the Bubble Dreamer's nightmares.
Along the way, the cartoony heroes must also save the many princesses and Teensies captured by the villains. The game offers local multiplayer, allowing up to four players to play through the campaign together. Rayman Legends has a Metascore of 90 for the PlayStation 4.
5 Sonic Mania
Published by Sega, Sonic Mania is a platformer that pays homage to the classic Sonic games with its 2D, fast-paced, and side-scrolling gameplay. The game was released in 2017 in celebration of Sonic the Hedgehog's 25th anniversary. Sonic Mania spans thirteen levels which include familiar redesigned stages from classic Sonic games as well as a few entirely new ones. The story follows Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles as they once again try to stop Doctor Eggman and his army of robots from taking over the world.
The game features an offline co-op mode in which two players can play the campaign together. Other offline Multiplayer modes include a Competition mode, where up to four players can compete offline to see who finishes a level first. However, the Sonic Mania Plus upgrade is needed to unlock a few multiplayer options including new characters. Sonic Mania has a Metascore of 86 for the PlayStation 4.
4 MultiVersus
Created by Player First Games, MultiVersus is a platform fighting game that stars various characters from across the most famous Warner Bros. franchises. The game pits players against each other to see who will be the last one standing. MultiVersus offers online and local multiplayer options with 1v1, 2v2, and Free For All modes.
The game has a huge roster of characters including Scooby and Shaggy from Scooby Doo, Arya Stark from Game of Thrones, and even The Dark Knight to name but a few. MultiVersus is heavily inspired by Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. fighting franchise and has a Metascore of 85 for the PlayStation 5.
3 Spelunky 2
Developed by Mossmouth and BlitWorks, Spelunky 2 is a roguelike platformer that was released in 2020. The game serves as a sequel to 2008's Spelunky and greatly expands upon it in many ways. Spelunky 2 follows a girl named Ana, the daughter of the first game's protagonist, as she ventures to the moon to explore its depths in order to find her missing parents.
As Ana makes her way through the caves on the moon, she is met with hostile creatures and deadly traps. Every time Ana dies she loses all of her treasure and the game rearranges itself to present new challenges. The world of Spelunky 2 can be experienced by up to four players together in local or online multiplayer. The game has a Metascore of 87 for the PlayStation 4.
2 Cuphead
Cuphead is a run-and-gun 2D game developed by Studio MDHR. It follows two brothers named Cuphead and Mugman as they work together to get themselves out of trouble. After a deal with the devil goes wrong, the two glass-headed boys have to venture out into their world and collect contracts from a number of debt owners for the devil.
Cuphead's art style takes heavy inspiration from the cartoons of the 1930s which makes the game stand out visually from other 2D games. The entire game can be played alone or with a friend, with the latter generally providing even more fun and frustration. Cuphead has a Metascore of 86 for the PlayStation 4.
1 Among Us
Players can test their friendships with InnerSloth and PlayEveryWare's deadly multiplayer game Among Us. The game puts a crew of four to ten players together in a spaceship where they have to work together on various tasks to secure their return to civilization. However, among the crew are one or more random alien imposters waiting to sabotage the ship and kill whoever they come across.
The payers must then work to find the imposters hiding among them and eject them into the abyss. However, this task may not be as easy as it sounds as the imposters will try to do to everything they can to trick players into ejecting the wrong people. Each session of the game makes for a short but highly engaging experience filled with loss, betrayal, and frustration. The game has a Metascore of 85 for PC.
