Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition
An underappreciated gem that disappeared for a number of years, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game oozes love and appreciation for the beat ’em up genre. Similar to the graphic novels and live-action movie, the game follows Scott as he faces off against Ramona’s seven evil exes; however, this time, Scott can bring a friend along for the ride.
Along with simple but intuitive gameplay, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World gets its presentation absolutely spot on. The old-school visuals are vibrant and lively, while the soundtrack is absolutely top-notch. The combat sticks close to the beat ’em up formula, all the while adding enough flare to help the game stand out from the crowd. There are even a few unlockables to encourage repeat runs, so players who fall in love with Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World will not run out of stuff to do too quickly.
Moving Out
Moving Out takes one of life’s most stressful activities – moving – and transforms it into a hilarious but still frustrating experience. While possible to play solo, this title shines far brighter when the load is shared among a few movers. The players have to coordinate and communicate as they attempt to get every piece of furniture into the truck before time runs out.
Straightforward as the gameplay loop might be, Moving Out knows how to keep things interesting for its short but sweet campaign. Each level has additional objectives to inject some variety into proceedings, and the most accomplished movers can even try their hands at the game’s harder bonus levels.
Tetris Effect Connected
2018’s Tetris Effect revamped the classic game by emphasizing music, challenging players to match their block placements with the beat. Tetris Effect Connected takes the base version and implements multiplayer, introducing both co-op and competitive modes. The latter supports online play as would be expected, while the former permits players to blend their separate Tetris Effect fields to create one massive puzzle.
The Wonderful 101: Remastered
Originally released exclusively for the Wii U, The Wonderful 101 is a quirky beat ’em up action game that garnered positive reviews but struggled commercially. Eventually, PlatinumGames crowdfunded a remaster, allowing the superhero title to make its way to the PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The Wonderful 101 puts players in charge of a group of superheroes who can combine to create unique objects. As the player’s roster of heroes increases, so does their array of abilities.
Overcooked!
“Working in a frantic kitchen sounds like fun” is a phrase that nobody has ever uttered. Yet, Overcooked! manages to take that concept and actualize it. A party game that asks people to work together as they step into the shoes of busy chefs, Overcooked! does a pretty decent job of capturing the overwhelming nature of operating in such an environment. Consequently, the game produces laughs and the occasional bursts of frustration; either way, it makes for a memorable session.
Overcooked! 2 is also available on the Luna+ channel, so those who love the original game can jump into its sequel by opting for a different channel. The two titles are pretty similar, so fans of one are likely to love the other.
The Smurfs – Mission Vileaf
Licensed games have rightfully earned a negative reputation, particularly ones based on properties for children. Consequently, it is not that shocking that The Smurfs – Mission Vileaf came and went without making much of a splash. However, against all odds, the 3D platformer is solid. First and foremost, the game does a stellar job of replicating Smurf Village and its surrounding areas. The vibrant visuals help create an immersive adventure that should hit home for fans of the license.
Although nothing special, Mission Vileaf’s gameplay is serviceable, although the campaign’s main selling point is its setting rather than the platforming. The co-op mode sees a second user take charge of an item that accompanies and assists the main player. The experience is not evenly split between the two players, but it is still a fun time.
River City Girls
Kunio-kun has been around since the early ’90s, but it would not be until the 2010s that the franchise would start to consistently make its way to the west. Funnily enough, arguably the most well-known entry in North America is a spin-off, River City Girls, that switches things up by having the heroes’ girlfriends be the ones in charge of saving their partners.
A beat ’em up overflowing with humor, River City Girls controls like a dream, even if its gameplay does not do too much to differentiate itself from other modern releases in the genre. Although fun alone, this game really comes alive in co-op since that allows Misako and Kyoko to truly spread chaos across the streets. The game’s visuals are also incredibly charming, having an almost Saturday Morning Cartoon look to them. Somehow, they come across as both retro and timeless.
The Adventure Pals
A charming action-platformer, The Adventure Pals follows a young boy as he sets out to protect the world from the nefarious Mr. B, a villain who is turning people into hot dogs. Joined by his two closest friends, a rock and a giraffe, the protagonist heads out on an imaginative adventure that takes the group to all sorts of wacky places.
The Adventure Pals gets most of its basics right. The controls are intuitive and precise, the environments are varied and gorgeous, and the story is effortlessly endearing. The game even supports co-op, allowing another player to drop in and accompany the protagonist on their adventure.
Metal Slug 3
Arcade regulars do not need to be introduced to Metal Slug, but there is never a bad time to sing the praises of one of the best co-op games ever. Building on the foundations of two very good entries, SNK’s Metal Slug 3 is about as perfect of a run and gun experience as they come.
Rabbids: Party Of Legends
Rabbids: Party of Legends is a mini-game collection featuring Ubisoft’s divisive mascots. Inspired by Journey to the West, the campaign finds the eponymous creatures causing mayhem as they find themselves stuck in the novel’s story. To make their way back home, they must complete mini-games and collect books. Party of Legends does not offer anything too unusual for the party genre, and the majority of its mini-games share similarities with ones found in other franchises. That said, the title is a polished addition to the genre that has impressive visuals and a fair amount of humor, even if the latter is the definition of subjective.
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The co-op mode permits players to team up as they take on the mini-games and work their way through the story. Like the rest of the package, Party of Legends’ co-op is not particularly innovative, but it is handled well.
Mighty Switch Force! Collection
Compiling the four games in this franchise, Mighty Switch Force! Collection takes inspiration from Mega Man while also prioritizing puzzles over action. All of these games are great in their own right, however, only Mighty Switch Force! Academy supports co-op, permitting up to four players to work together to clear the more than a dozen stages.
While the other entries are side-scrolling platformers, Mighty Switch Force! Academy changes things up by presenting the stages on a single screen. This decision significantly alters the game’s rhythm, setting itself apart from the rest of the compilation. That said, the one thing that remains consistent is the quality of the levels, as this spin-off does not drop the ball in this area.
Enter The Gungeon
Roguelikes have dominated the indie scene for the last few years, and it seems like barely a week can pass before an exciting new title hits early access. Enter the Gungeon helped cement the genre’s dominance in a post-The Binding of Isaac world. While an argument can be made that it was surpassed by subsequent releases, the 2016 project is still a blast, particularly with a friend.
Enter the Gungeon allows two players to dive into the eponymous dungeon, one loaded with loot and enemies fond of filling the screen with projectiles. Addictive and frantic, this title rarely disappoints when a pair’s main goal is simply to shoot a few hundred things for a couple of minutes.
Team Sonic Racing
Kart racers are typically all about PvP, but Team Sonic Racing twists the formula so that cooperation is the name of the game. Rather than trying to usurp each other, friends can work together as they seek to gain the most points collectively.
Team Sonic Racing’s central mechanic is that racers are split into teams, so victory is achieved by ensuring that the group outperforms the competition as a unit. Finishing first means nothing if the rest of the team’s members come in the last few places, and this adds an element of strategy to races since people cannot focus exclusively on leading the pack. Team Sonic Racing controls well and looks great too.
Horizon Chase Turbo
Horizon Chase Turbo wears its retro inspirations on its sleeve, and the game is all the better for it. Boasting beautiful graphics and simple but addictive gameplay, this indie racer captures that ’90s charm that helped put franchises like OutRun and Top Gear on the map. The minute-to-minute gameplay scratches an arcade itch, while still offering more than enough depth and variety to keep players engaged for the 10-hour World Tour mode.
Horizon Chase Turbo’s co-op mode comes with a unique twist since it is both competitive and cooperative. During races in World Tour, players compete against each other like any standard racing game; however, they progress through the campaign as a unit.
Rogue Heroes: Ruins Of Tasos
A roguelike that harbors back to classic Legend of Zelda entries, Rogue Heroes takes players on a grand adventure filled with dungeons, quests, and quite a bit of progression. The latter separates this release from many other similar games since it firmly places Rogue Heroes in the RPG category. While the dungeons are procedurally generated, players gain experience that they can use to develop a town, installing buildings that improve their hero’s stats.
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All of this can be experienced in single-player without any issues, but this journey need not be a lonely one. Up to four adventurers can come together to take on this relatively long campaign; after all, why change the world alone when you can do it with friends?
Death Squared
Finding a puzzle game good for children that also presents enough of a challenge to keep adults entertained is not easy. Typically, the genre caters to either one or the other demographic. However, Death Squared is an exception since it can be enjoyed by all ages. This indie game’s concept is simple-to-grasp: players have to move colored cubes toward their goal while avoiding traps. The level is cleared if all the cubes make it in one piece.
Trials Rising Gold Edition
By 2019, multiplayer had been a thing in the Trials series for a while, but co-op did not seem like a natural fit for Ubisoft’s franchise. And, it isn’t, a fact that Trials Rising’s Tandem Bike mode leans into. Basically, two players jump on the same bike and share control over its power and balance. Unless the pair are perfectly in sync, they are going to be in for a bumpy ride, and the chaos that often ensues is glorious.
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