Top 10 Multiplayer NES Games
Travel back to a simpler time in gaming history… and bring a friend! Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we countdown our picks for the Top 10 Multiplayer NES Games
For this list, we're looking for the best titles ever released for the NES console that were best enjoyed in simultaneous play between two or more players. That means we're excluding multiplayer games that were primarily turn-based, such as Super Mario Bros. 3. Even though it has a fun battle mode, that isn't enough to earn it a spot on this list.
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Top 10 Multiplayer NES Games
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Travel back to a simpler time in gaming history… and bring a friend! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’ll be counting down the Top 10 Multiplayer NES Games. For this list, we’re looking for the best titles ever released for the NES console that were best enjoyed in simultaneous play between two or more players. That means we’re excluding multiplayer games that were primarily turn-based, such as Super Mario Bros. 3. Even though it has a fun battle mode, that isn’t enough to earn it a spot on this list.
#10: “Life Force” (1988)
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A sequel to Konami’s popular 1985 forced-scrolling shooter Gradius, this game was originally released on arcade under the title Salamander. It was later ported to theNES and given the arguably more appealing North American title Life Force. While Gradius was praised for it’s forward-thinking power-up system and satisfying gameplay, Life Force pushed the boundaries of the game even further. It was one of the first shooters to switch between horizontal and vertically-oriented levels. It also introduced multiplayer to the Gradius franchise, a feature that added greater depth and strategy. Flying through an alien body can be daunting, but it’s a little easier with a buddy.
#9: “Battletoads” (1991)
Poor Battletoads. Forever thought of as the discount Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles… At least they can take comfort in the fact that they’re more respected than Biker Mice From Mars, Street Sharks and the dreaded Cy-Boars (shiver). While this 1991 beat ‘em up game may have been designed to cash in on the popularity of the Turtles, it proved itself to be franchise worthy, winning 6 Nintendo Power Awards the year of its release. Single player was tough, but multiplayer was punishingly difficult. Thankfully, it was also insanely addictive, and the level variety, wacky plotline and unique game mechanics, was more than enough to hold the attention of two people.
#8: “Blades of Steel” (1988)
Between this and Life Force, Konami had a great year in 1988. Retro sports are generally loved or hated, as the technical limitations of the time often resulted in boring, poorly designed games. Thankfully, for every 10 terrible sports titles, there is a gem like this game. It actually won the 1988 Nintendo Power Award for best “Player vs. Player game”. Blades of Steel felt fast-paced compared to the competition, and much like contemporary hockey video games, it embraced the fact that fighting is, albeit unofficially, an essential part of the sport. The fighting mode felt a lot like rock’em sock ‘em robots, which is hard not to love.
#7: “Spy vs. Spy” (1988)
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Originally released in 1984 for Atari 8-bit and the Commodore 64, this game was good enough that people were still more than happy to buy it when it was released a full 4 years later for the NES. It was a split-screen versus title, based on the popular Mad Magazine comic strip, in which players had to search an embassy, collect items and escape the building before their competitors. Players could fight each other, or leave traps for their enemy throughout the many rooms. It was crucially important to remember where you left traps though, as they did not distinguish between friend and foe.
#6: “Bomberman II” (1993)
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The original bomberman was released on the NES in 1989, and was praised for its diverse power-ups, complex level design, blast radius physics and destructible blocks. It was also punishingly hard, which turned off many gamers. When a heavily re-worked edition was released on the TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem, an elaborate multiplayer mode was introduced, that became wildly popular. So naturally, when Bomberman II was released in North America for the NES, it included not only a 2-player versus mode, but also a 3-player Battle mode for NES owners with the Four Score NES multitap accessory. The goal of multiplayer was clean, simple fun - blow up your friends.
#5: “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game” (1990)
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In 1989, Konami produced two separate TMNT titles, one arcade game and another for the NES. The single-player NES game was a commercial success but received mixed reviews, being called frustratingly difficult. The multiplayer arcade game on the other hand, was highly praised, and was subsequently ported to the NES the following year with a numbered title to avoid confusion. The NES port extended existing levels and added two entirely new ones, complete with corresponding bosses, providing hours of fun. Two players switching between four turtles against the minions of Shredder in the comfort of their own home? Life didn’t get any better in 1990.
#4: “Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers” (1990)
This was one seriously good-looking NES game. Published by Capcom, it felt like a pretty standard side-scrolling platformer, in which players could pick up and throw objects in the environment to kill enemies. But Capcom nailed the Disney aesthetic in translating this game to NES, making it one of the nicer looking games to grace the console. In true Capcom style, they also provided tight controls, satisfying and addictive gameplay and a bug-free experience. While it may not have been overly challenging, it was the perfect co-op game to bridge age gaps - simple enough for kids, but more than enough fun for adults.
#3: “Bubble Bobble” (1988)
The 80s were a more forgiving time when it came to naming video games. But don’t judge this game by its title - it’s multiplayer action platforming at its best. Having been turned into “bubble dragons”, two brothers fight to save their kidnapped girlfriends by fighting through the cave of monsters. Creative and colorful, the game consisted of blowing bubbles to trap enemies, then bursting them to destroy the enemies within. Levels were limited to the edge of the screen, making it easy to get cornered and overwhelmed. Coordination between players was crucial to survival. There were also multiple endings that depended upon you completing the game as a team.
#2: “Double Dragon II: The Revenge” (1990)
Purists maintain that Double Dragon titles are best played as arcade games. But anyone who’s played Double Dragons II on NES will tell you that it as good of a port as you could ask for. When the original Double Dragons made the jump to NES, it was reduced to a single-player game, which stripped away much of what made it such a fun, standout title. For the sequel, porting to NES still resulted in significant changes, but 2-player co-op was preserved, finally giving NES gamers the true Double Dragon experience - co-op beat ‘em up action at it’s very finest. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Gauntlet II” (1990) “Ikari Warriors” (1987) “River City Ransom” (1989) “Tengen Tetris” (1989) “Tecmo Super Bowl” (1991)
#1: “Contra” (1988)
Forget specifying NES, many argue that Contra is one of the best multiplayer games ever. Few titles on the NES can rival it as an action shooter, and no other title on the console comes anywhere close in terms of a two-player experience. While Contra masters can burn through the game in under 15 minutes, beginners should take advantage of the famous “30 lives” Konami code. Single-hit deaths, paired with an endless barrage of bullets makes for a steep learning curve. The difficulty is extreme, but with great level design, diverse power-ups and an incredible potential for coordinated co-op strategies, we’re still addicted over 25 years later. Do you agree with our list? In your opinion, what’s the best NES game to break out when you have company over? For more top 10s to share with a friend published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
