So did you know that The Wonderful 101 has a multiplayer mode?
I did. I’ve
known it for a while, in fact -- probably around the time it was first
released, since it IS featured on the back of the box. But this is a Platinum game we’re talking
about, and I’d imagine that they’re not exactly famous for their multiplayer
suites (Anarchy Reigns aside). As a result, it came as an absolute shock to
my brother and buddy that there was a 4-player multiplayer mode in the game --
and the latter barely even knew what The
Wonderful 101 was. So for the first
time ever, all three of us got to see what it entailed…for the short time we
actually sat down with it, but hey. I’ll
take it.
It’s not exactly an expansive mode, as far as I
can tell. If you’ve played the main game
-- running through levels with a munchkin-sized squadron, and beating down
aliens by building giant, supercharged weaponry -- then imagine that with up to
three of your pals in a string of missions/score attack. I had a blast with it, if only because it
reminded me of how much I love the game (and need to replay it). I have a
hunch that my buddy had no idea what was going on for most of it, while dear
old big brother seemed actively frustrated by it…though he got a kick out of
using Unite Gun to shoot gangsta style.
Hopefully I can convince the two of them to play
it again someday. But more
importantly? I think it’s high time for
me to build a bigger collection of multiplayer games -- and that’s where you
come in. Get hyped, maybe.
It’s no secret by now that in recent years, local
multiplayer has taken a downturn. Sure,
the latest consoles have made it more than possible to play with friends (and
enemies) online, even with oceans between you -- and that’s to say nothing of
the breadth even an average PC will net you.
Plus, with the Nintendo Switch officially revealed, it’ll be interesting
to see what comes from a souped-up mobile system. But there are a lot of experiences that have
gone astray; even if it’s a sign of the times, it’s still lamentable that couch-based
experiences have become a lower and lower priority.
I mean, I don’t know Halo super-intimately, but I always thought that being able to
blast through the campaign with a co-op partner on your immediate left or right
was part of the draw. But here comes Halo 5: Guardians, and suddenly it turns
out that they
were willing to axe a critical part of the package because “times have
changed”. More recently, you have For Honor; even though its makers touted
the presence and importance of split-screen action, those same makers recently
came out and said that it got the boot.
Like, I
had already wondered what Ubisoft would do to preemptively screw up the
game, but I didn’t expect to be proven right so handily.
To be fair, I don’t envy game devs for the amount
of work they have to do. Releasing
something that works has got to be stressful enough; releasing something that
has to divide and conquer among up to four separate people at once is probably
just two steps shy of murder. Granted
games in the past handled it fairly well, but that was back when you could get
away with models that had giant pointy blocks for hands. In the age of HD -- of ten eighty peas and
fore kays -- you can’t get away with so much so easily. Hell, even Tales of Zestiria goes out of its way to make 4P co-op a hassle,
yet can’t come close to justifying the gameplay-crippling horsepower needed.
So that’s basically what brings me here
today. I know that there are examples of
good local multiplayer games out there at this very moment. Really, my gaming pals and I can get away
with just playing Smash Bros. for a
few hours every so often. But what is a
gamer if not a greedy deviant, always hungering and lusting for more? Hardly a man (or woman), if I had to
guess. So let’s use this space to name
some cool local multiplayer games I can consider.
For the record, though? I know that there’s probably a ton of stuff
available via Steam and PC, but the phrase of the day is “easy access”. Which is to say, I’d prefer to prioritize
games available for the Wii U and PS4 (and PS3, maybe) instead of having my
brother use black magicks to have the TV play stuff from his PC. I’m sure he could do it if there was a convincing argument for it, but right
now I’d like to focus on consoles.
Big-budget releases, indie titles, games from the west, games from the
east, whatever you’ve got -- let me hear it.
For the other record, though? I’ve already got Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8 to
fall back on, as well as Mario 3D World. The PS4 is where things really thin out,
though; the most we’ve got there is Helldivers,
and so far we’ve only touched that as a three-man group one time. If Sony’s latest console boots up, then
there’s a good chance it’ll be to play some Black
Ops 3.
I’d like to avoid that, if at all possible.
Lay it on me, then. Name some cool local multiplayer games for me
-- especially if you know if there
are any good wrestling games available.
I know that some have come out in recent years, but I have trouble
keeping them all organized, and thus have no clue which ones are even remotely
worthwhile. Weigh in at your leisure,
and save me from the miserable fate of suffering through another failed round
of Zombies in Blops3.
Thanks in advance.
And don’t worry -- I’ll pay you back with posts on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure soon.
But first, I’ll toss up something pretty
cool.
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