There are some fantastic multiplayer video games available to play on today’s state-of-the-art consoles and computers. Their vibrant graphics and immersive sounds put you in the thick of the action, but many might say they lack the charm of some retro games.
Back before multiplayer gaming moved online, you had no choice but to head to a friend’s house if you wanted to battle with your buddies. Two, three, or four of you sat around a console, bags of sweets and cans of pop littered around the place, battling for bragging rights in a winner-stays-on format!
NBA Jam
You do not even need to be even remotely interested in basketball to enjoy the 1993 hit NBA Jam. It was so easy to fall in love with this two-on-two basketball game thanks to its over-the-top presentation and, for its time, ground-breaking graphics.
Everyone wanted to play as the Chicago Bulls to be Michael Jordan or Scotty Pippen, but there was always someone who chose the Charlotte Hornets to be Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues, who stood at a tiny 5ft 3in tall. NBA Jam is arguably one of the greatest video games of all time. Say “he’s heating up” to anyone over the age of 35 and if they do not reply with “he’s on fire”, seriously consider your friendship with them!
Mario Kart
The original Mario Kart launched on the Super Nintendo (SNES) in late August 1992, and it is still playable today. How many other 29-year-old games can you say that about?
There is something magical about Mario Kart. It is frighteningly simple yet so addictive to play. Sure, the graphics are nothing to write home about, but they still manage to convey a sense of speed.
The 16-bit game gave us epic tracks, including Rainbow Road and Donut Plains, while making us never look at a turtle’s shell in the same way, ever again. This is game is still being made and played today. Not many games have that sort of longevity.
Street Fighter 2
Street Fighter 2 launched in February 1991, making it 30-years-young. The fact the more modern sequels have not changed much over the years is a testament to how great this release was. The SNES version sold almost 6.5 million copies, making it Capcom’s best-selling title for the next two decades.
Everyone had their favourite character – here’s looking at you, Ken – each with their own unique special moves. Single-player mode was terrific, even if its difficult seriously ramped up towards the thrilling finale against M. Bison. How hard was he, by the way?
Countless hours have been spent with friends throwing fireballs, performing Dragon Punches, and spamming Blanka’s electricity special. Great times.
Fight Night
Fighting games naturally lend themselves to multiplayer formats, so it was no surprise to see a boxing title hit consoles back in 2004. EA Sports Fight Night 2004 is available on the original Xbox and the PlayStation 2 and is a superb boxing game.
It was the first title to feature Total Punch Control, which utilised the consoles’ analogue sticks to perform different punches, making you feel you were stood in the squared circle.
The digitized graphics were incredible for their time and depicted life-like representations of famous boxers, including Roy Jones Jr, Lennox Lewis, Rocky Marciano, and even the legendary Muhammad Ali!
EA Sports PGA Tour
Golf looks so easy on the television, but it is incredibly difficult, not to mention expensive to learn and play. This is one reason millions of gamers chose the PGA Tour series of games over walking around an 18-hole course.
The original PGA Tour Golf game was launched in 1990 and has been responsible for several genre innovations. PGA Tour Golf 96 on the original PlayStation was ground-breaking, giving players complete control over their shots thanks to the analogue sticks.
Tiger Woods was the franchise’s face between 1999-2014 before Irishman Rory McIlroy took over at the helm. Rory McIlroy PGA Tour came out in 2015 and is the last release of the series so far. Come on EA Sports, it’s time for another, especially as the franchise has pulled in more than $770 million over the years!