The Game Boy was not the first handheld console on the market, but it was the most groundbreaking one of its kind. The same is true for the NES as that too broke the mold. Nintendo experimented with multiplayer on the device early on and kept improving as the Game Boy line continued.
Dealing with cables is not fun though, especially with a portable device. Who wants to carry extra cables around? That’s why the DS was so revolutionary as everything became wireless. The capabilities increased tenfold with its successor, the 3DS. There are tons of great co-op experiences players can enjoy together offline or online for the DS which will be the focus instead. Playing with multiple portables is not technically couch co-op, but it follows the same principles: having gaming fun with a buddy.
8 Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow
Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow is an action RPG spinoff from the original turn-based game. It is a sequel that allows players to customize their character for future adventures in this universe. The other big departure for this series was the inclusion of multiplayer.
Three people in total can play co-op through the campaign and make things easier. There was also an RTS spinoff on the DS, Blue Dragon Plus, and then that was it for the Blue Dragon series.
7 Castlevania: Portrait Of Ruin
Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin was the second Castlevania game to hit the DS, and it too was a traditional Metroidvania. Most portable games from this series at this time had a gimmick to them besides some touch-based mechanics. Instead of one character, players could swap between Jonathan and Charlotte on the fly.
In co-op, the other player would take control of the other hero. It is the only portable game in this series to have true campaign co-op which is good for this game but bad for the series overall. There should be more co-op Castlevania experiences.
6 Contra 4
Contra was seemingly designed as a series to be played with a friend. The series began in arcades and while possible alone, a partner made things easier and also made the machine eat fewer quarters. Most games in the series have included at least two-player co-op options.
This is even true for Contra 4 which adapted the wireless connectivity for some classic run and gun co-op action on the go. This game would have still been a good throwback as a single-player game. The co-op inclusion was still appreciated though.
5 Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Skies
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies was the first mainline game in this series to include true multiplayer. It was also the first that allowed players to customize their avatars. It supported four-player co-op and had a randomized map system that was similar to how the SpotPass stuff worked with the 3DS a couple of years later.
This classic RPG was ahead of the game at the time on a portable level. It’s a shame this exact multiplayer conceit has not been revisited in the main games since unless one wants to count Dragon Quest 10 which is an MMO.
4 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates was the first DS sequel to this action spinoff series. It was a better idea of what the original game had in mind on the GameCube. Because there were no cables involved, getting a four-player party together was a lot simpler on the DS.
Also, the need to constantly have one party member be the bucket carrier to defuse the mist was removed. It was a more streamlined experience for the better. Its sequel, Echoes of Time, is also worth checking out for more four-player co-op goodness.
3 Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days was this series’ first foray into multiplayer. It was an interquel that took place around the first, second, and spinoff game, Chain of Memories. Players started with Roxas while he was still in Organization 13.
The missions were short, taking place in a variety of familiar worlds. Players could team up with three other players online who could control any one of the other Organization 13 members as long as they were unlocked. It was a good idea that was held back by the DS’ hardware limitations such as its lack of buttons or a dedicated camera stick.
2 Kirby Super Star Ultra
The Kirby games are some of the easiest in Nintendo’s library. Even the bosses don't offer a lot of challenges. That’s good as it allows younger gamers, or the less talented, to dip their toes into the platform genre. While many of the games that allow two players in the Kirby Super Star Ultra collection don’t need co-op to be easier, the sensation of having a friend tag along is fun.
This collection is an enhanced port of the SNES original, Kirby Super Star. It looks about the same graphically but a couple of extras, like mini-games, were thrown in.
1 Phantasy Star 0
Phantasy Star was a niche RPG series when it started. The mainline games never reached the heights of Final Fantasy in the West. That is until Phantasy Star Online was introduced and became a multiplayer phenomenon, especially on the GameCube. Many sequels and spinoffs tried to recapture the magic like Phantasy Star 0.
It, too, was an action RPG that allowed four-player co-op. The missions were more bite-sized and thus easier for playing on the go. It wasn’t as groundbreaking as Phantasy Star Online, but it carried the torch admirably well for a portable.