For the most part, you’ll be either competing against a single opponent, or in partnership with them against hordes of computer-controlled enemies. Today, there are more kinds of game available to multiple players than ever before. It’s the smallest team or match possible, after all. Though the internet may allow hundreds of players into the same environment, there’s something more intimate about limiting the player count to just two. There are now thousands of games geared toward challenging two gamers to work together against a series of obstacles and opponents-or pitting those same two players against one another! A World Made for Twoīut the 2-player experience hasn’t ever gone away.

The internet made it possible for games to be played over much greater distances and meant that many games focused on big team play on the net rather than cooperative or head-to-head local play. PC gamers also came to appreciate the joys of titles like Quake and Command & Conquer that could be played over a Local Area Network for large, multiplayer experiences. Multiplayer games like GoldenEye 007 and Mario Kart were integral to the success of consoles like the SNES and N64. The thrill of having another player beside you didn’t diminish just because hardware became powerful enough for AI players to offer a challenge. To play Pong and enjoy it, another player was essential! For Pong, and generations of arcade games that followed it, the social dimension that came from needing a partner became a huge part of the appeal of the arcade. When the first games came out in the early 1970s, the technology didn’t exist to simulate a computer opponent. Bug to FeatureĢ-player gaming has actually been around for as long as gaming itself. Going head-to-head proved just as popular, with games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter showing how entertaining it could be to battle human opponents. When facing tough enemies, there was something truly satisfying about knowing that your buddy had your back! Then there were the classic side-scrolling shooters like Gunstar Heroes and Contra. Double Dragon, the arcade game that started the beat ‘em up genre, emphasized cooperative play and did so to tremendous effect. Some of the most enduringly popular games in history are best enjoyed with the help of a willing friend. Others are best played with a friend or against an enemy! Double the Fun Many of those experiences are designed for the solo player and are perfect for playing alone.

Video games make all kinds of experiences possible.

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