No doubt, having PUBG and Fortnite matches with friends online is fantastic: you can virtually listen to one another and enjoy games together. But how can we neglect the joy of the 2-player retro games where you and your family or friend sit and have quality time? Certainly unmatched, right?
So, what are the best 2-player retro games you can buy right away? That we’ll find out in this roundup review. This article breaks down the 7 best multiplayer games to play with your friends and family.
That said, let’s roll in.
Buyer’s Guide for 2-Player Retro Games
If you want to make sure you purchase a reliable multiplayer oldie that interests you and the partner, the following are some essential factors to consider when choosing one.
Genre
Not everyone is into action; some people are more interested in racing games. Similarly, everyone has their own interests. Before you buy a retro game for your console, make sure it suits your taste. The most popular genres for multiplayer games include action, adventure, racing, strategy, exploration, and fantasy.
Instead of picking any 2-player retro game on the market, go with your interest, so you enjoy the game rather than getting frustrated.
Price
A retro game can offer the most versatile compatibility, most immersive graphics, and the best audio effects, but if it outranges your budget, what’s the use? But not only the best retro games are costly, but the rarest ones also break your bank. In fact, these can even cost more than a thousand bucks.
However, if you have the urge to try the rarest retro games, surely go for them, as long as they suit your budget.
Platforms
Imagine that you purchase a retro game, it gets shipped to your home, and you instantly insert the disk into your console. After all of it is done, you find out that the game is giving an error and not compatible with your console version. What’s worse than that?
Therefore, we strictly recommend knowing the platforms of a game before you purchase it. Aside from that, consider the controllers’ compatibility, too.
Condition
You don’t want to get your game broken after a few days you buy it. If you’re looking for a reliable purchase, it’s crucial to buy a retro game in good condition. Before you add it to the cart, make sure there are no critical scratches on the disk, and it works fine.
7 Best 2-Player Retro Games
Looking for detailed information on each multiplayer retro game we listed? Following are the detailed reviews to climb through.
1. Goof Troop – Best 2-Player Classic Game Overall
The most exciting game to play with any partner like family and friends is the Goof Troop. Despite coming at an affordable rate, it ships with great graphics for its release time. Although the resolution seems a little pixelated, it works fine with many retro monitors. However, you can also enhance color accuracy on HD TV.
What makes Goof Troop worth the price and your precious time is the immersive action-adventure gameplay where – along with your partners – you fight the enemies on the way while taking care of the obstacles. The game keeps getting more enjoyable as you kill enemies.
2. Super Mario Kart – Best Retro Game for Couples
If you’re into racing games more than the action-adventure ones, Super Mario Kart might be the best bet for you. The classic game allows a multiplayer feature so you can enjoy racing with your partners. It was developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1992 by Nintendo itself. Today, it’s among the most iconic oldies ever.
Being an old-school game doesn’t offer a fantastic viewing experience but still allows you to enjoy it. The gameplay is about taking your character to kart racing and competing with your partners. It becomes fascinating with the extra abilities to crash into your opponent to keep him from reaching the final line.
3. Donkey Kong Country 2 – Best Retro Game to Play With Friends
Donkey Kong Country 2 is the successor to Donkey Kong 1 and is considered among the best options to make your family time enjoyable. Thanks to the creative developers for making the gameplay exciting with good graphics for retro games and a unique storyline to keep the players engaged.
There are two characters a player can choose from. Whichever you choose, the objective is to rescue Donkey Kong from King K. Rool – a potential enemy. Besides, you get to fight a wide range of obstacles on the way, which makes the gameplay appealing.
4. Super Bomberman 2 – Best for Cool Graphics
Developed by Produce and Hudson Soft and released on the Super Nintendo, it came out in 1994. It is the 2nd part of the Super Bomberman series and became incredibly popular due to the excellent graphics, impressive motion effects, and blockbuster sound, which results in a satisfactory gaming experience.
The multiplayer mode offers 12 different arenas designed for over four players who can either play a team deathmatch or battle royal. The gameplay overall is strategic and exciting – it helps you make time with your friends the best.
5. Kings of The Beach – Top Budget Pick
If you’re hunting for a cheap option for multiplayer retro games, Kings of the Beach is the best bet for you. But as a rule of thumb, the graphics aren’t that attractive, neither the coding is flawless. However, it’s still a viable option if budget-friendliness is your utmost concern.
The concept of the game is basketball. Thankfully, you’re allowed to choose between multiple places to keep the gameplay engaging.
6. Zombies Ate My Neighbors – Best 2-Player Zombies Game
Although not so easy on your pocket, the classic game at hand ships with exciting gameplay. Although it gets challenging with time, the enjoyment and the urge for winning further level up. The gameplay is all around saving yourself from zombies by killing them and rescuing your friends. Furthermore, there’s a variety of maps to play the game on.
It was developed for Nintendo consoles at first. Now, the newer versions are also compatible with the Playstation series.
7. Blades of Steel – Best Multiplayer Sports Game
Blades of steel is yet another grateful option to have a chill time with your friends. The gameplay of this classic game is superb and based on Ice Hockey sports. You get the chance to couple up with your friends and enjoy it coordinately. The game was released in 1987 for NES and some other consoles.
That said, let’s jump into the FAQs.
FAQs About 2-Player Retro Games
Got confusions? Following are the answers to frequent queries about multiplayer retro games and retro games for couples.
One of the best options for multiplayer game consoles is the Nintendo Super Entertainment System. For a budget-friendly price, the console offers powerful hardware with the compatibility to run nearly all Nintendo games. Furthermore, it allows connecting over four controllers for multiplayer gaming.
Alternatively, you can consider the Nintendo N64 and Nintendo Switch. These are some older options at a relatively lower price.
The best retro game for couples is Super Mario Kart. It offers exciting racing gameplay with colorful graphics to give you the best couple of times ever. However, you can consider Donkey Kong 2 as an alternative option.
Must read: 6 most expensive retro games.
Since a 2-player retro game allows you to spend quality time with your family & friends, we recommend going for a great option that can cost between $40 and $200. After all, it’ll all be about your budget, do what suits it. However, don’t consider the super-cheap retro games as either their condition is poor or they’re repro.
Our Take
We know how hard it is to decide between dozens of options in retro stores. All these games will ensure you a good time playing with your company. If you think there are others too, let us know in the comments below and we’ll if we can add them to the list.
So, the best way around is our guide which you’re currently reading. We listed the top retro games to play with friends and for couples. And, we also laid down a buyer’s guide to educate you on choosing the suitable retro game for you.
With this, we hope we helped you make a reliable purchase for multiplayer retro games. Happy retro gaming!
Also, read: How to play retro games?
