Video game

25 Best Local Multiplayer Video Games of Last 5 Years – Gameranx


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Come on not everyone likes to jump online and enjoy video games with friends scattered everywhere. Sure it’s a nice feature and one we appreciate but there’s something about gathering with friends, sitting back on a couch and just enjoying video games with company. Just because some of the latest video game trends like the battle royale releases or various online-only focused titles are all the rage right now doesn’t mean there are not some excellent video game multiplayer titles that can work offline with friends.

That’s right folks, order a pizza, crack open a beverage and enjoy some gaming with friends to the wee hours of the morning locally. We’ll of course keep this list updated over time and add in new great local multiplayer games as they release.


#25 Broforce

Broforce is an explosive four-player co-op platformer follows a group of badasses inspired by action movie heroes such as Bro Hard, Rambro, and Indiana Brones. Players will be clearing out all freedom-hating terrorists as they liberate the innocent civilians. This is one title well worth playing with a group of friends. Each character offers a unique attack to use against the enemies making it worth progressing through the game in hopes to unlock new heroes. Furthermore, players are able to create maps and share online, with that said, there is a massive library of maps to download after you complete the campaign.


#24 Gang Beasts

Gang Beasts is just a fun time and it’s a great party beat ‘em up game. Players take on humanoid blobs and essentially beat each other up though there is a bit more to it than that. There are crazy stages full of obstacles and hazards which you can use to pummel your friends or execute. With that said there’s no campaign, just pick a character, select a stage and gear up for a brawl.


#23 Lego DC Super-Villains

Lego games are another popular series to go with for local cooperative gameplay and it’s a safe bet to enjoy with a younger audience. There’s a wide range of video games that are adapted from licensed IPs to choose from but for this list, we’re going with a newer launch, Lego DC Super-Villains. Within the game, players get the same action-adventure style gameplay that the past Lego titles provided but with an overall story dealing with a slew of enemies from the DC Comics franchise such as The Joker, Cheetah, Lex Luthor, Clayface, along with several others. Likewise, with the cast of characters with abilities, you’ll have to figure out how to solve puzzles requiring the use of a particular character as you progress.


#22 Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris

Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is a non-linear arcade style action-adventure where Lara Croft, Carter, Isis, and Horus who are set off to defeat an evil deity known as Set. Played in an isometric camera view, up to four players can join in to go through the narrative campaign which involves combat and puzzle solving. Will you find an in-depth experience like Crystal Dynamics other Tomb Raider titles such as the 2013 reboot Tomb Raider or its follow up Rise of the Tomb Raider? No, but it’s not trying to be that in-depth Lara Croft focused experience. Instead, this is an arcade style experience for gamers and it’s got plenty of positive feedback from both critics and fans alike.


#21 Resident Evil Revelation 2

Resident Evil: Revelations 2 follow s the events of the first Revelations title which will see the return of Claire Redfield and for the first time ever, gamers can play as Barry Burton. It’s also worth noting that for the sequel, you’ll find that the narrative will take place between Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6. This isn’t the big action Resident Evil release either as Revelations titles act more as a survival horror experience. As such, players can expect to conserve ammo, solve puzzles, explore, and at times, evade the enemy.


#20 Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle

Looking for some classics to enjoy on modern-day platforms? We suggest Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle which is a collection of video game titles that came out in the late 1980s and through the 1990S. These are arcade-style video games which follows players through a side-scrolling adventure and taking down any enemies that pop up along the way. Some of these games may be unheard of for some newer gamers out there who may not have had the arcade experience decades ago, but you can expect a total of seven video games. Included in the list is Final Fight, Captain Commando, The King of Dragons, Knights of the Round, Warriors of Fate, Armored Warriors, and lastly, Battle Circuit.


#19 A Way Out

A Way Out is a unique action-adventure video game as it will require two players with the display being split-screen regardless of playing the video game locally or through online. All-in-all, the narrative is based around two inmates who must survive and escape prison. Not only will players have to fight their way across officers and other rowdy inmates but they’ll have to solve a number of puzzles. Most would consider this a cinematic style experience or even Shawshank Redemption as a video game.


#18 Call of Duty: WWII

Call of Duty has been around for years and you’ve likely already gone through this game if you’re a fan of the franchise. It’s one of the newer games from the series that offer offline cooperative game modes. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide a cooperative campaign experience, but those who enjoy the standard multiplayer game modes will still be able to enjoy this with friends. As always the stable multiplayer game mode is here, if you and some friends wish to fight off a slew of Nazi zombies then you’ll be delighted to know that it’s very much intact in the local multiplayer game mode options.


#17 New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe

New Super Mario Bros. Deluxe is bringing back the Wii title release for the Nintendo Switch while also adding in two new characters. The new characters are Nabbit who will not take any damage against enemies and Toadette who can transform into Peachette with special abilities such as a double jump or slowly falls.

The game was also a hit in the past with cooperative gameplay with players often aiding each other to progress through the levels. With a variety of characters to play, the game is likely going to be well worth picking up again on the Nintendo Switch to experience the latest characters and craft up brand new strategies to complete the levels.


#16 Overcooked 2

Overcooked is a cooking simulator type video game. Developed by Ghost Town Games, players take on the role of a chef who must prepare a variety of meals within the time limit. However, the game is filled with obstacles and hazards forcing players to quickly work together in order to send out the desired meal recipes that come up. With the sequel, players can expect even more recipes to craft up and new restaurant levels.


#15 Unravel Two

Within the game, players will once again step into the role of a yarn figurine as you attempt to maneuver around the world and solve puzzles. However, due to being made of yarn and having a restriction on where along with how far you can go will make the game a bit challenging. If you enjoyed the first title then you may want to pick up the sequel as it also supports multiplayer which is the main caveat of the sequel. Players must work together and solve puzzles and overcome obstacles.


#14 Mortal Kombat 11

Do we really need to explain Mortal Kombat at this point? The franchise has been around since 1992 and its received installments over the years since. The latest installment being Mortal Kombat 11 which came out this year and it’s filled with a variety of fighters both old and new. The big appeal for this game is the vs mode as its still a 2.5D fighting video game full of brutal fatalities, easy to pull off move sets and again as mentioned a long list of characters you are likely familiar with such as Raiden, Sonya Blade, Liu Kang, Kitana, and Baraka to name a few. If this release is anything like the last installment to Mortal Kombat then we will likely find more familiar characters added into the roster from DLC launches.


#13 Guacamelee! 2

Guacamelee made a return last year from DrinkBox Studios. The game takes place seven years after the events of the first installment where Juan is summoned by his mentor to save the Mexiverse from impending danger. This is still a Metroidvania platformer but with cooperative gameplay with up to four players total. This time around there will be additional enemies to face again, new abilities and larger maps.


#12 Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is a much-beloved indie title by developers Asteroid Base. The video game is relatively easy to understand once you pick up the controller, but it becomes tough to master making it hard to set the game down after starting.

Within the game, players are in control of a ship and must fight off enemy ships. If you have a few friends, this is a perfect game to play as Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime offers up to four-player multiplayer. In the game, players will find that in order to control a ship they must travel to various departments of their ship making it a constant battle to defeat your friends and keeping your ship safe.


#11 Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Mario and the Rabbids franchises have collided with the release of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle. Developed under Ubisoft, Mario and his new team of Rabbids are against Bowser and his clan. This is a turn-based tactical RPG which is a bit different then a majority of the Mario games we’re used to playing. Likewise, this game wasn’t developed under Nintendo but instead Ubisoft so it’s a pretty interesting take on the Mario franchise and one that would be worth playing if you have a friend interested in more tactical and thought out combat.


#10 Rocket League

It doesn’t take very much to describe Rocket League. The game quickly exploded in popularity when it launched back in 2015 and its popularity still holds strong to this day. Essentially, Rocket League is a soccer title though played with fast vehicles that can launch into the air to either block or knock the ball into a goal post.


#9 Halo: The Master Chief Collection

This collection comes packed with Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4, along with Halo 3: ODST. As a result you’ll probably spend a quite a bit of time going through the video games which will also give players enough time to catch up on the narrative story before picking up Halo 5: Guardians. Unfortunately, this collection doesn’t include the Halo Wars installments, but you can still enjoy the classic video game titles with a friend or just enjoy some offline forge mode fun.


#8 Trials Rising

A new Trials game released this year. Trials Rising is a 2.5D racing game that puts players in control of motorcycles. This is a physics focused video game where players have to carefully but quickly go through courses filled with obstacles and jumps. With Trials Rising there are courses set all around the world with iconic locations such as the Eiffel Tower. There is the standard game mode for multiplayer but a separate game mode was introduced in the game called Tandem Bike where two players control a single aspect of the bike to go through a course such as player A controlling the speed while player B will be playing around with the balance.


#7 Minecraft

We may be cheating a bit since Minecraft has been around for a lot longer than five years but it still receives new releases for consoles so we’re going to add it in. Minecraft is just a classic video game that puts players into a world where they must survive by building a shelter, gathering resources, fighting off enemies, and exploring the world. Of course, there is a creative game mode available too where players can freely explore and gain access to all the items available within the game. With this mode, your goal is simple, create anything you’d like.


#6 Sonic Mania

Sonic Mania was a huge deal when it was announced. It brought back the classic style of Sonic to the modern day platforms. The result was an outstanding reception from critics and fans who were thrilled to get an old school Sonic the Hedgehog game after dealing with a number of less than stellar releases. At any rate, Sonic Mania offers a multiplayer game mode where one player can take on the role of Sonic while the second player controls Tails. Both are going through the obstacles but Tails can provide additional support to Sonic in order to reach out of range locations.


#5 Cuphead

Cuphead, developed by StudioMDHR Entertainment, is a run and gun platform indie title. Overall, the narrative follows Cuphead and his brother Mugman, as they end up making a terrible bet against the devil. Losing the bet, Cuphead and Mugman are forced to give their souls to the devil, but it seems that our protagonist duo can save themselves if they go out and collect debts owed to the devil. This is a perfect game to play with a friend as the majority of the game is filled with bosses to defeat. Each boss can be difficult making players to remember their moves and dodge attacks otherwise you’ll find yourself restarting the boss fight.


#4 Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a fantastic party game that will require at least two players to join in. The game supports both keyboard and mouse along with gamepads, but arguably the best way to enjoy the game is a virtual reality headset. Within the game, one player will have control of a bomb and must seek help from their teammates to decipher codes. If you decipher all the codes and finish the puzzles all while being under the time limit, the bomb will be defused saving everyone.


#3 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart is a good time but man it can really wreck some friendships. We’ve all been there where a game turns into name calling and rage inducing last second plays in hopes to regain the first position again. However, here’s the thing, no matter how mad you get during a race or how many losses you rake up, you can’t help but laugh it off and join in another race. Nintendo perfected kart racing games and the latest, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been a blast to play. Best of all, each Nintendo Switch comes with Joy-Con controllers which can be used as two separate controllers so you and a buddy can jump into a game at home or on the go.


#2 Divinity Original Sin 2

Divinity: Original Sin 2 takes place after the first installment. During a time of wars and religious persecution, Bishop Alexandar the Innocent declares all Sorcerers to be criminals in order to rid the creatures their source powers bring into the lands. Players are able to make up a team of four members seeking various goals whether it be understanding their meaning in the world or slaying down the Bishop. This is an RPG title that players can join together throughout the campaign. However, if you’re already a bit into the campaign and don’t want to start completely over, the secondary player is able to take control of a character in your party. Likewise, the game offers a plethora of choices to help alter the narrative or means of completing a quest.


#1 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Super Smash Bros is another classic video game franchise that has been around for a number of years now. First getting its start on the Nintendo 64, the video game is a fighting title where players take the role of an iconic character from a variety of video game franchises. Additionally, there is a slew of video game franchise level designs available to set the stage in which you and your friends will gather around the television display and destroy each other. Each installment of the franchise includes new items, characters in the roster and stage levels. However, the latest installment, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the biggest one yet with the roster including every character featured in past games along with new additions both already included in the game with future DLC roster add-ons.


What do you think of our list? Feel free to reach out on a local multiplayer game that we should include in this list.



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