It was difficult to just “take turns” playing video games, as any gamer who grew up in the 1980s and had at least one sibling can attest. It amounted to torture. You were forced to observe your friend enjoying themselves while you sat there. In any case, why even have two controllers? This is where cooperative play games came into play. This made it possible for two people to play the game simultaneously. It resembled magic. Since I had a brother and sister, I always looked for these experiences when I was little, and playing with someone else was a unique experience.I thought it would be entertaining to spotlight some of the Nintendo Entertainment System’s greatest cooperative games today. These are the greatest NES multiplayer games ever made, so let’s get started right away.
1. Contra
Video games were also very popular with my extended family. When I was younger, we once went to see our relatives, and Contra was their favorite game. After overcoming our initial difficulties, my cousin and I were taken by surprise. I recall being completely astounded by the second level’s corridor arrangement, which had enemies coming from above. It gave me the impression that video games could accomplish anything and were an infinite format. Contra outperforms the majority of other cooperative games on the market in terms of diversity. Even if it has lost some of its grandeur, Contra is still a really addictive game to play as an adult.
2.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II
Surely anyone in the late 1980s wasn’t a fan of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Once more, this was a rental, but I had to ask my parents for permission to bring it home. Despite the franchise on which it is based, this further cemented my passion for the beat-em-up genre. The fact that you could select the turtle you wanted to play as and that each one has a unique weapon was fantastic. This one stands out in my memory primarily because it was one of the few video games my dad and I played together. I can still picture us both giggling at the second stage’s animation of the turtles sliding down and getting slammed against objects in the area.
3. Little Ninja Brothers
When I first encountered the Final Fantasy series, role-playing games swiftly took precedence over all other aspects of my life. I’ve always been curious in how a two-player role-playing game would function. Then Little Ninja Brothers caught my attention. When I had a buddy over, I rented this one, and it provided the answer to our shared query. Although it is largely an action game, it also features turn-based boss confrontations, random battles, a world map, towns to explore, and equipment to find and buy! On 8-bit hardware, this was as near to a two-player Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest as possible, and even when played alone, its bizarre Japanese aesthetic sets it apart from the competition.
4. Snow Bros
Imagine Bubble Bobble, but with more intricate level design and gameplay mechanisms. You and another player simply eliminate every adversary to advance to the next stage, which is the same single-screen concept. You construct snowballs out of creatures and roll them instead of encasing them in bubbles. Boss fights are used to provide variation to the action. When I was younger, I rented this, but it always caught my attention. One of my favorite games on the platform is Snow Bros.
5. Life Force
In my latter years of college, I developed an obsession with Gradius. While watching me play, my roommate and I would ponder whether there was a version that we could both beat. Now let’s introduce Life Force. Although it provided cooperative play, it was created by the same creator as Gradius. We popped the cartridge in when I got it from an internet auction and realized how fantastic two-player shmups might be. Even though we had to utilize the Konami code, we managed to finish it in a single sitting, and it was everything we had dreamed it would be.
6. Bubble Bobble
My family decided to rent Bubble Bobble purely because it could be played by two players at once. I sat down with my brother, and we worked our way through all 100 levels. It made us both fall in love with single-screen arcade games and taught us how to collaborate on a game. Growing up, it was a New Year’s Eve custom for him and I to play through this one together, even if we are now adults. We continue to discuss trying it again, and I have no doubt that we will find the opportunity to do so since Bubble Bobble is amazing regardless of age.
7. The Balloon Fight
The first Animal Crossing game on the Gamecube also introduced me to this game. My brother and I fell in love with this one right away, and I was already familiar with Joust. You use your balloons as leverage to jump in Balloon Fight. Additionally, enemies’ balloons are used as props; to bust them, you must fall on them. They can harm you in the same way. It’s an excellent game to pick up and play in small spurts, and it’s really addictive.
8. The Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers
During the 8-bit heyday, I was aware of this game but never got the opportunity to play it. I’ve only ever worked on this one with my stepdaughter because of this. When I was dating her mother, I brought my NES over to show the kids to “real games” and owned the cartridge. Among the games we played was this one. The experience was incredible. She could learn the basics from me, and before I knew it, we were collaborating to complete every level. I won’t soon forget that memory.
9. Double Dragon 2
During the 8-bit period, the beat-em-up genre was in its infancy. The Double Dragon series was the best before Streets of Rage and Final Fight. We had a great time renting this one a couple of occasions when we both wanted to play. This title stands out from the countless others due to its platforming features. It also helps that it’s quite difficult, with each stage presenting a new challenge to overcome alongside a companion. Even though Double Dragon II hasn’t held up well over time, it’s still a lot of fun.
10. Tennis
Normally I wouldn’t include a sports game in a list like this. They have never appealed to me, and I never played them as a child. Why play a fantasy game instead of an actual one? Playing Animal Crossing on the Gamecube as a teenager exposed me to this one. In fact, my brother and I played this game for longer than the main one! Although you can compete with other players, we always found that teamwork improved the experience. The game runs well regardless of what is happening on screen, and the physics system is very accurate for the platform. My brother and I practiced extensively and played doubles for many hours.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the NES era was defined by its memorable cooperative gaming experiences that brought friends and family together in front of the television for hours of shared fun. The joy of playing co-op games like Contra, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, and Bubble Bobble showed the potential of video games to create connections, foster teamwork, and cultivate lifelong memories. Each game on this list holds a special place in the hearts of those who grew up in the 80s, serving as a testament to the magic of playing together rather than just taking turns. From intense battles in Double Dragon II to the delightful chaos of Chip ‘N Dale Rescue Rangers, these titles captured the essence of co-op gameplay and paved the way for future generations of multiplayer experiences. Revisiting these classics reminds us of the innovation and simplicity that made the NES such an integral part of gaming history.
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