Highlights
- Classic co-op games from the 80s and 90s are still just as fun to play today with friends, despite the advancements in the industry.
- Games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Sunset Riders offer exciting cooperative gameplay and bring back nostalgic memories for gamers.
- Mario Kart 64, Worms, Bomberman, and Doom are timeless multiplayer games that are still highly enjoyable and provide a great experience when playing with others.
There have been so many video games throughout history that allow friends to come together and enjoy a game, either playing against each other or working in a cooperative manner through it. The fun of co-op games has never gone out of style, and in spite of the industry moving forward, some retro games still haven’t lost their appeal.
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The game industry has increased exponentially since the early days of co-op games, but these games from the 80s and 90s remain just as fun for four friends to get together and play as they ever were back in the days when they were at the height of the industry, as opposed to the amazing, long co-op games available today.
7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1989)
There haven’t been that many recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games, but when the franchise was still new, the aesthetic of the classic turtles fit perfectly with one of the most popular genres of video games. The classic arcade beat-em-up fighting games, and this 1989 eponymous release was just perfect for gamers of all ages.
Engaging in the classic battles against the Foot Clan together gave players great excitement. The different fighting styles of the turtles and the cooperative play were great for the time but is still massively fun to revisit in an arcade setting today if gamers can find somewhere to play this one again as one of the best TMNT games ever.
6 Sunset Riders (1991)
This classic Sega Genesis title was a great one when it was released for players to get into with their friends, although, strangely, Capcom never followed up on it. A Western-themed side-scrolling run-and-gun game, Sunset Riders allowed each of up to four players to take and control a bounty hunter, working as a team to try and take down some of the most wanted criminals in the West.
The simple style of gameplay has never gone out of fashion, side-scrolling action against waves of enemies and bosses remains as highly entertaining now as it was in the early 90s. Four friends playing together will still struggle potentially with the difficulty of this one, Sunset Riders is from a time when games were normally providing much more of a challenge.
5 Mario Kart 64 (1996)
Though the original Super Mario Kart didn’t have four-player compatibility, that feature would be added in the next main entry in the infamous franchise, Mario Kart 64. This entry was known for adding many features that are now common in the franchise, such as 3D graphics and slipstreaming, even items dangling to use as defense.
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Mario Kart remains one of the best couch co-op gaming franchises ever, and one of the best genres of Mario game. To this day, it is a common game for friends to play while in the same room, and that tradition goes back to Mario Kart 64, which is still an excellent and recognizable version of the franchise to revisit today with friends.
4 Worms (1995)
The Worms franchise is an easy one to try out with friends, and the strange thing is that it always has been since Team17 first created it. Many video game franchises that began in the 90s needed time to develop some of their most beloved features, but Worms has always been a great four-player multiplayer game to get friends involved with.
The games are turn-based artillery games, where each player takes control of an army of different worms with different abilities and tries to eliminate all the enemy team’s worms. This hilarious style is completely unique to the franchise and has rarely been replicated. Despite the original being aged now, it is still wonderful fun for four players to join in together.
3 Stone Ball (1994)
A very fun classic version of a football game with a twist, Stone Ball featured Cavemen with clubs that attempted to play football (soccer) by knocking a rock into the opposing team’s cave. Stone Ball was released in 1994 and came with the capability for two players to join each team.
The biggest difference between Stone Ball and actual football (soccer) was that there was no goalkeeper, and obviously, instead of kicking the ball, players hit it with their clubs. Stone Ball was an amusing and silly game that remains just as entertaining for four players to get involved with today as it ever was.
2 Bomberman (1990)
Though it wasn’t the first in the Bomberman franchise, this entry helped the series become what it is today. While the original Bomberman allowed a single player to traverse different stages filled with blocks and enemies, attempting to escape after defeating every enemy, the more recent entries have become better known for the multiplayer modes.
There have been Bomberman games that support up to ten players locally, but the 1990 edition was the first to introduce support for as many as five. This allowed players to compete on the same maps as the single-player game, making a hugely fun experience that remains a simple but hilariously fun time today.
1 Doom (1993)
Though the FPS genre has moved forward a great deal since the early 90s, the original Doom game from 1993 is still hugely fun to play through. Widely regarded as one of the very first FPS games, it already included online multiplayer options that supported up to four players through either co-op or death-match play.
An FPS game where the player traverses levels filled with demons and other enemies, Doom comes with a bunch of different weapon options, and the cooperative multiplayer mode allows up to four players to work together to finish the standard campaign. This is still a wonderfully fun experience for gamers to relive or experience for the first time today, and it remains one of the hardest FPS games ever.