Regarding console upgrades, it was easy to describe how one system was better than the other. The NES was 8-bit which was upgraded to 16-bit during the SNES era. After that the next era used a lot of 32-bit technology and the Sega Saturn and PS1 were at the top of the console food chain.
Things got a bit more complicated after that than describing consoles with bits but interestingly, those two systems weren’t the last 32-bit consoles. Technically, the GBA and DS both ran using similar technology. So, 32-bit history aside, let’s look at some good co-op games that run the gamut from platformers to RPGs.
The originalDiablowas released on PC in 1997 but soon after it got a PS1 port in 1998. The PC version offered four-player co-op while the PS1 edition only offered two-player couch co-op which was a downgrade but still a fun looter RPG to get into. Players had the same classes to play with and directly controlled their character instead of pointing and clicking on things like the PC version which had its ups and downs. There were plans to port it to the Sega Saturn as well but plans for that were scrapped along with a Game Boy version floating around online which is a bit wild to behold.
There are a lot of good multiplayer brawlers between the PS1 and Sega Saturn like the various Capcom arcade ports.Die Hard Arcadehas to be one of the wildest releases though and it’s one that all brawler fans should experience. It was released in arcades in 1996 as a tie-in to the movie loosely but in Japan, it was calledDynamite Dekaand took out the movie references. Its sequel also took out the movie references and was just calledDynamite Copin the West. The history rabbit hole on this one is fascinating but just knowDie Hard Arcadeis a fun co-op game no matter the region.
Kingdom Hearts 2was the first introduction of Roxas, a Nobody of Sora who once workedwith Organization 13.Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Daysis a prequel to that, showcasing Roxas’ origins through a multiplayer RPG on the DS.
It could be enjoyed alone on the DS but the four-player co-op mode offered a unique opportunity to play other Organization 13 members besides Roxas like Axel and Larxene. Technically, it did get a re-release but only as a CG movie viaKingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remixwhich is a shame.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicleswas a solid multiplayer gameon the GameCubebut one that was hard to set up thanks to the cable and GBA requirements. The two DS sequels,Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of FatesandFinal Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, made things easier thanks to the portable’s internal settings. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is the last co-op RPG in the franchise which is uniquely connected to the Wii version as well for crossplay. Like other entries, players could create their character and then venture into various dungeons with friends in four-player co-op.
4Soma Bringer
Before Xenoblade Chronicles X
Xenobladefans are enjoyingXenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Editionon Switch which is the only co-op game in the series. It is not, however, Monolith Soft’s only co-op RPG as there was a better one on the DS called Soma Bringer which unfortunately never released outside of Japan. Players could choose a class, weapon, and customize their character from a few different options. In single-player, players were assisted by two AI-based allies, but two others could join for co-op for action-based RPG adventures.
NBA Jamwas a huge hit in arcades when it was released in 1993 in arcades at a time whenbasketball was doing wellon TV. It was marketed as a simpler basketball game with 2v2 matches on a smaller court.
It became even more popular with home releases on consoles like the SNES in 1994 along with the expanded version,NBA Jam Tournament Edition, in 1995 on PS1 and Sega Saturn. It still is a legendary basketball game that anyone can get into no matter what system players engage it on between the AI, versus, and co-op matches.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Four Swordswas a GBA portofThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Pastfrom the SNES but with a new separate four-player co-op mode. It was re-released on the DSi viaThe Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Editionand a sequel,The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, hit the GameCube. The gameplay was straightforward with the GBA and DSi versions wherein each player controlled a specific colored version of Link and went through a more linear progression of dungeons with typical action and puzzle gameplay. If players were able to set up a full four-player party, it was pure bliss.
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skywas the first mainline gamein the series to be fully playable with three other players and also the first mainline game released on a portable system first. Players could create their character and go through the story alone with three other AI-based party members that they could also create or recruit. Once players reached a certain point, they could team up with others in co-op too. Each player could dictate their actions in turn-based battles but was free to roam around the world alone. The best part of the multiplayer experience was the sharing of dungeons, a feature that seemingly would later influence SpotPass/StreetPass games on the 3DS.
