But the best stories are the ones that we write ourselves, or so they say. The multiplayer experience changed a lot in the past few years. But online multiplayer didn’t put an end to local multiplayer. On the contrary, the rise of online games actually prompted developers to come up with creative ideas that could rival the massive online experiences. There is a lot of variety out there now too. Who would have thought that a virtual cooking contest could be so much fun? Or that shifting virtual furniture wouldn’t kill you with boredom? Whether you’re looking for something innovative or more traditional, the PlayStation 4 library is more than able to satisfy all of your multiplayer needs. Unless you’re looking for a local battle royale game: for that, you’ll probably have to head outside.
30. Gang Beasts
Fighting games are like chess games: every action has a precise outcome and a set amount of counteractions. Changing this results in the chaos seen in Gang Beasts. Gang Beasts is a multiplayer game that’s just perfect for when you just want to have some silly fun. Doing away with the precise physics of most major fighting games, Gang Beasts uses rag-doll physics that make the action hilarious, as it does not take much to send characters flying all over the arena. Coupled with very simple controls and mechanics, this makes Gang Beast a great experience if you and your friends are not looking for anything too involving. Or if you had one drink too many.
29. Worms W.M.D
Worms are back, and they are more dangerous than ever in Worms W.M.D. Worms W.M.D is the culmination of the classic series, with a much better weapon selection, bigger explosions, a crafting system, and the ultimate refinement of the classic turn-based mechanics that makes it perfect for multiplayer sessions with more than two players. And if you thought that the original Worms was wacky, wait until you see the Concrete Donkey weapon in action: your opponents will die with a curse on their lips and smile on their faces.
28. Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle
Arcades may be a thing of the past. But the Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle brings us straight back to one of them, allowing us to embrace once again long-forgotten feelings. The Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle includes seven different arcade beat’em ups, ranging from the popular Final Fight to the lesser-known Knights of the Round with its rewarding parry system, and Battle Circuit with its great character design and deep fighting mechanics. Sure, much of the tension of losing your last life is gone with a console-based version. But these games are great to spend an evening with your friends, reminiscing how life was much simpler back then. Even in video games land.
27. Sonic Mania
Playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 with a friend was a frustrating experience. Tails was constantly getting left behind (somewhat fairly). 28 years have passed, and Tails continues to be left behind. And we still love every second of it. Sonic Mania is the game fans of the blue hedgehog have been waiting for years, as it faithfully recreates the classic Sonic 2D experience. Complete with improved co-op multiplayer features, like unique abilities for Tails that finally don’t make him feel dead weight. It also offers excellent level selection including reworked classic stages and brand new ones, and incredibly slick controls that just feel right (even outside of the PS4). Sonic Mania will make you and your friend feel like you are still in the early 90s, playing on the SEGA Genesis. And you can even bump up the fun here with some mods if you’re on Steam.
26. Ultimate Chicken Horse
Ultimate Chicken Horse is a little crazy, a bit gimmicky, and somewhat childish. And this is why it’s so good. Ultimate Chicken Horse catches your attention from the get-go with its pastel tones and anthropomorphic animal characters that are far from being generic kid material. And it keeps this with a great multiplayer experience that sees players controlling one of these characters to the end of each stage. You know where you start and where you have to go, but how you get there is up to you. Effectively allowing you to create the each stage on the fly and forcing you to come up with strategies that can also prevent the other players from reaching the end of the stage. It’s a surprisingly fun experience.
25. Secret of Mana
30 years after its original release, Secret of Mana is still showing how even role-playing games can make for great multiplayer experiences. Secret of Mana on PlayStation 4 is an extremely faithful remake which still sees Randi, Primm, and Popoi journey through a beautiful fantasy land filled with colorful but dangerous enemies. All in an attempt to restore the Mana Sword to its full power and save the world. While the game’s action RPG mechanics do feel dated, the game still plays great in multiplayer co-op. Especially since you don’t have to deal with the sometimes dumb AI.
24. Street Fighter V
Street Fighter II ignited the imagination of thousands of 90s’ kids, making them wish they could throw fireballs screaming their lungs out. They gave up, thankfully, but it doesn’t mean that they still can’t have fun today with Ryu, Ken and Chun-Li on PS4. Street Fighter V’s latest version, the Championship Edition, fixes everything that was wrong at launch. Offering everything one would want from a local multiplayer game: 40 characters, including iconic mainstays and great newcomers, tons of stages, and solid gameplay mechanics. Dramatic Mode and all those unique multiplayer modes that introduced co-op are sadly gone. But you don’t really any help defeat your opponents, do you?
23. Spelunky
If you think working inside dark mines is dangerous, you are right. Spelunky makes it clear as day in just a few minutes. Spelunky is among the most popular 2D platform games around, and for good reason. With its procedurally generated levels, no run will ever feel the same. Snd the high challenge level makes even placing a single bomb quite tense. Even more so when playing with a friend, since players can damage one another with any of the tools at their own disposal. Spelunky is a game that you definitely do not want to play to make up for a fight. But if you’re looking for an experience that will help you improve your coordination and teamwork, well look no further.
22. Windjammers
Video games have shown what the future of sports may be like. And what a bright future it may be, if it will be anything like Windjammers. Windjammers is pure, unadulterated, classic arcade fun. Controlling over the top characters right out of a 90s cartoon show, players will have to throw a frisbee back and forth until one of them fails to catch it. A few throws are enough for Windjammers to show why it is such a great multiplayer game: controls are buttery smooth, graphics are flashy, and the mechanics (while simple to understand) hide a surprising amount of depth. A great arcade multiplayer experience in the comfort of your living room without the need to spend quarters on an arcade machine. What else can you ask for?
21. Dragon’s Crown
Players have become more sophisticated over the course of the years. Random swords and axes just don’t cut it anymore to beat up hordes of goblins. Dragon’s Crown is the spiritual successor to the Dungeons & Dragons brawlers released in the 90s. In this game, teams of up to four adventurers have traverse a variety of 2D rendered high-fantasy locations beating up all manners of weird creatures. Plus collecting new equipment that can be used to explore even more dangerous locations. Fun! With an excellent variety of classes coming with unique skills and special moves, ranging from the Warrior to the Sorceress, not to mention great graphics, Dragon’s Crown will satisfy your need for adventuring with a pinch of nostalgia and quite a bit of non-human blood.
20. Tekken 7
Do you remember those long afternoons spent playing Tekken 3 beating your friends while controlling a bear? Well stop living in the past and start doing it again in Tekken 7. The latest entry in the popular series offers the definitive Tekken experience, with updated combat mechanics like Rage Arts, flashy desperation moves that can turn the tide of battle. Local 1 versus 1 matches feel more intense than ever thanks to the cinematic camera and the incredibly varied character roster, which includes a selection of popular guest characters as well. And if you want to turn things really silly, customize your character’s appearance by picking items from a very ludicrous selection.
19. Guacamelee! 2
Fancy exploring a colorful world inspired by Mexican folklore and juggling the undead in the air with the help of your friends? Guacamelee! 2 sees retired luchador Juan Aguacate return to the ring to defeat a powerful enemy bent on world domination. While the game is mostly a single-player, progression-driven platform-adventure experience featuring an excellent combat system, up to four players can join in at any time, helping Juan solve clever but straightforward puzzles and beat an army of bad guys. You’ll be meeting the fearsome members of the Chicken Illuminati in the process. Just a fair warning.
18. Alienation
Aliens are trying to conquer the planet? No problem, wannabe heroes of the endangered Earth. Grab your guns and start wreak some real havoc. Being an isometric twin-stick shooter, Alienation is a great game for local multiplayer featuring three character classes with unique weapons and improvable abilities. You’ll also get flashy explosions, fierce unrelenting enemies, great map designs, and online community tools that improve the local co-op experience. If you and the rest of your squad are in for something a little more fulfilling than mindless shooting, like saving the entire human race, Alienation is your game.
17. Jackbox Party Pack 6
Every Halloween a new Jackbox Party Pack is there to liven up the celebrations with silly mini-games that will make even the grumpiest zombie laugh its rotting head out. Jackbox Party Pack 6 includes five accessible mini-games with very silly premises. Like Trivia Murder Part 2 where an escaping serial killer is asking questions. Or Role Models, where players have to describe one another using set options. And who could forget Joke Boat, where players must complete jokes for a stand-up comedy session. No, I’m not joking. All of the five games in Jackbox Party Pack 6 take very little time to complete, making them perfect to spice up any sort of gathering.
16. That’s You
That’s You is the game that will reveal what others think of you. You may not like it, but you’ll have fun, at least. Probably. That’s You is an incredibly clever party game that is played using smartphones to take selfies, complete drawings, and answer hilarious questions that reveal what your friends really think of you. The variety of themes makes the game fun even for long sessions, and its great accessibility make it perfect for non-gamer friends as well. Just do not take any of it personally, even if they think you would be the first one in the group to get arrested in a foreign country. They’re just joking. Probably.
15. FIFA 20
Sports games are always great multiplayer experiences. FIFA 20 is no different, delivering a huge amount of options to please all couch multiplayer afacinados. FIFA 20 offers not only the best football simulation on PlayStation 4, complete with all the teams that you can think of… but also a huge variety of multiplayer options ranging from competitive modes to co-op modes. This even includes Co-Op Seasons that brings the local multiplayer experience online. While local multiplayer is limited to just two players, FIFA 20 offers a varied multiplayer experience that very few sports games can boast of.
14. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection
Shoot first, fight over loot then ask questions. This is the Borderlands way. Multiply it tenfold and you get The Handsome Collection experience. The remastered versions of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel are among the best local multiplayer games available on PlayStation 4. They include all of the explosive first-person role-playing game action, and crazy weapons seen in the original releases, enhanced by the ability to play with 3 other players locally in a split-screen mode that works just as you’d expect. Enemies will have more health and improved stats, sure. But can you really say no to the wonderful chaos that will erupt when it will be the time to decide who will get their grubby hands on that sweet high-level weapon?
13. Moving Out
Moving has got to be the most stressful experience ever by trying to pack, organize, and move everything super carefully. That’s exactly what does not happen in Moving Out. Wrecking stuff in Moving Out is actually the way to win at the game, as up to four players must pack furniture on a truck as quickly as possible. Some of it can be carried solo, while bigger objects like couches require the help of other players. No matter how big, it’s always possible to throw stuff around with the game’s physics making everything a hilarious experience. And if you want to bring your moving out skills to the next level, the unforgiving medal system will force you to refine them to the point where you could become a professional mover. If you stop throwing furniture from the window, that is.
12. Divinity: Original Sin 2
Complex role-playing games hardly make great multiplayer games. This used to be fact, until Divinity: Original Sin 2 launched. Divinity Original Sin 2 features great writing, beautiful locations and a lot of customization options that become even better when the experience is shared with another. Shared is the only term that can be used describe the game’s co-op mode. As not only you will control a custom character in the turn based tactical battles, but you’ll also have a say during quest progression. If two players cannot find an agreement, an in-game dispute will be triggered. And it’ll be your weapons and magic that do the talking. The same will likely happen when loot will have to be divided, making the game feel so life-like: have you ever not argued with anyone on who gets the last fry?
11. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Defusing bombs is not easy. Defusing bombs when the manual is in the hands of your friends is hell. Say your prayers and hope for the best. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a multiplayer game like few others that takes advantage of the PlayStation VR headset in a very clever way. The player wearing the headset will try to disarm the bomb, while the others will have to guide the bomb defuser with the help of hard to understand manuals. Each bomb features different puzzles of increasing complexity, ranging from simply cutting the correct wires to understanding morse code, which get changed every time a level is played. This exponentially increases replay value and keeps the game fresh. And the number times your hands will start sweating as the countdown gets dangerously low.
10. Minecraft
People all over the world have learned the art of survival thanks to Minecraft. But you probably know this already unless you’ve been living under a rock or quit gaming in the past 10 years. Minecraft is a sandbox game that gives players unprecedented levels of freedom. Played from a first-person view, players can explore sprawling user-generated worlds, gather resources, fight enemies, and generally expand their horizons. While the experience is mostly geared towards online multiplayer, the local drop-in, drop-out multiplayer for up to four players makes it nice to be enjoyed on the fly even for just a couple minutes. Not that it’ll ever be just a couple minutes. Minecraft is quite an addictive experience that takes you in and hardly lets you go.
9. Rayman Legends
Despite having starred in very solid games, Rayman wasn’t considered on the same level as Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. Everything finally changed with Rayman Legends, giving its main character the chance to ascend to iconic status. Rayman Legends is one of the best platform games on PlayStation 4, thanks to its great 2D art style and level design. But what makes it even better is the ability to play almost any stage in the game together with up to three other players, who can join in at any time. The experience is perfectly balanced as well, allowing players of all skill levels to enjoy themselves. Coupled with a level design that incentives teamwork, this makes Rayman Legends the perfect game to play for a relaxing evening. No hardcore competitive play in this title (unless you really want it…)
8. Rock Band 4
Ever wanted to put together a band and rock the world out? Get your plastic instruments tuned and ready to go, Rock Band is back. As far as rhythm games go, there’s nothing better than Rock Band 4 on PlayStation 4. Especially for the wealth of multiplayer features. Alongside regular local co-op which allows up to four players to play any of the featured songs in Quickplay mode, and a series of songs in Shows mode, Rock Band 4 also allows multiple players to play through the interesting Band Tour career mode. This makes everyone feel like true rock stars on their way to fame. And if your singer sucks, you can replace them with a better one online (that’s the biz, kid). This is one of the few games that allows a unique combination of local and online multiplayer in the same game mode.
7. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
Crash Team Racing still stands as one of the best local multiplayer experiences of all times. So how do you top the best? Remaking it! Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled features the same intense kart-racing experience of the original PlayStation game, enhanced by a wealth of new play modes. Plus new content taken from Crash Nitro Kart and Crash Tag Team Racing. While most of the new play modes are single-player only, the game features a classic Arcade Mode for intense local multiplayer races in split-screen. And a Battle Mode for when you feel particularly competitive. With a variety of game types to play, including a Capture the Flag mode which is uber fun, you’ll be able to show your friends in style how your skills haven’t rusted at all since the days of the original game.
6. Rocket League
You have no idea what hectic arcade experience really means until you’ve played Rocket League: one of the best, if not the best, local multiplayer games released in recent years. Rocket League’s premise is simple but extremely fun. Controlling rocket-powered cars, two teams of two players play a variety of sports, ranging from a football match to a basketball variant to a floor-breaking mode. No matter the mode, the game is incredibly easy to pick up and play, making it a great casual local multiplayer experience even for non-gamers. But the high skill ceiling also makes it perfect for those who are looking for a deeper experience that will pay off in the long run. Kind of feels like Smash Bros in this way. If this is the future of sports, sign me up right now!
5. Dragon Ball FighterZ
Dragon Ball Z fighting games ranged from utterly bad to somewhat acceptable, until Dragon Ball FighterZ launched to dominate them all with its over 9000 power level. Dragon Ball FighterZ is the game that Dragon Ball Z and Marvel Vs. Capcom fans have been waiting for quite some time. With a tag-team system that allows players to create teams of three fighters, this is one for the record books. It’s got gameplay mechanics that are easy to understand, but harder to master. And devastating special attacks that can trigger spectacular cinematics with incredible graphics. Dragon Ball FighterZ is the fighting game that will put an end to any power level dispute you have with your friends. Especially if you can defeat Super Saiyan Goku or Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku with base Goku.
4. Diablo III
The original Diablo changed dungeon-crawling forever, finally giving us the chance to blame our companions for an expedition gone wrong. Diablo III perfectly continues this tradition: the worst monsters continue to be the ones we keep close. Despite the amount of micromanaging required to play the game properly, playing Diablo III with another player locally is a real joy, hacking enemies with flashy special skills and gathering loot along the way. The lack of a split-screen mode is inconvenient, as the camera will not always follow the action properly. But if you want to make the end-game content more interesting then playing it together with another player will give the experience a whole different flavor.
3. A Way Out
A Way Out is a game that says all that needs to be said in its title. What it does not say is how great the experience is. The game has been cleverly designed around co-op multiplayer, and the two prisoners Leo and Vincent will not be able to escape the prison they are locked in without solid teamwork. There will be times when one prisoner will have to pass an item to the other. And there will be others when they will have to choose how to approach a certain situation, which often results in disagreements that have to be solved outside of the game. That means a lot of yelling and fighting… with smiles! With a strong narrative supporting the game, A Way Out is the game to play if you’re looking not just for a multiplayer game, but for a truly shared experience.
2. Overcooked 2
Maybe you think your cooking skills are so great that pros would ask you for advice. You’ve tried getting into a cooking show, but you miserably failed. Well maybe you’d be working at that 5-star restaurant by now if you had spent hours upon hours playing Overcooked 2. This game can’t fix your taste buds, but it will teach you speed. It puts up to four players inside a variety of themed kitchens and tasks them to score the most points at the end of each match. You do this by delivering orders correctly and as quickly as possible. But things are not exactly simple, as the kitchens feature a lot of obstacles that constantly see players getting in the way of one another. This includes moving walkways, fires, and portals. Yes, portals. For when your cooking is so otherworldy that no other human on this planet could truly appreciate it. But this is a lot of fun and truly worth a try, even for non-gamers. I’d consider this not just a great multiplayer PS4 game, but arguably one of the best cooking-themed video games of all time.
1. Towerfall: Ascension
Let’s not mince words here. Very few multiplayer games are on Towerfall: Ascension’s level. The game has been designed for local multiplayer only, and it shows. Towerfall: Ascension features a wealth of multiplayer modes that can make your couch multiplayer sessions last for hours. The co-op campaign is perfect to get a feel for the game and prepare you for the mayhem that is the main versus mode. No matter the play mode, the basics remain the same: controlling one of the greatly designed characters in the game, players have to shoot arrows at other players. Starting with just three arrows, the matches tempo is a crescendo that leads to full-blown symphony of mayhem and destruction. All this gets enhanced by buttery smooth controls and flashy evasive maneuvers. Orderly chaos that no other game has managed to achieve. That’s what many of us love in a solid multiplayer title.
