Four-Player multiplayer

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

As you know I'm a huge bit of a nerd, and I have recently been obsessing over the Nintendo 64, the true "white whale" of my childhood.

By watching several reviews on the system, I learned that quite a few games allowed for four-player action, either as co-op, 2-vs-2 or deathmatches. That sounded wicked cool to me and I was wondering if anyone here ever got to try that, gaming against three other friends on the same physical space.

If so... what was your experience like? Was it awesome? Quirky? Gimmicky? I heard that some games implemented this rather poorly and suffered as a result, whilst others were a joy to play.

Personally, the closest I got to experiencing a full four-player affair was by watching my friend hook up the PS1's MultiTap, but we ended up desisting because the two other dudes had to leave early.

Thanks!

 

[DunkeyKong]

I remember playing coop on the Ratchet and Clank Trilogy Collection, I think it was Up Your Arsenal one

We didn't play that mode as long as the campaign, but the experience was really fun! That was also the first time I discovered a split screen mode, it's such an amazing mode

 

[bjork]

I played a very small bit of Goldeneye four-player, but didn't enjoy it because I didn't know the game well and the other 3 did, so I barely got to learn the ropes. Aside from that, I think we played a little WCW/nWo Revenge and that was pretty good. I also want to say there was a Tetris that was four-player, but I might be making that up? It was almost 30 years ago so it's real fuzzy in my brain. I don't remember the performance suffering, though.
That said, I did later play some Phantasy Star Online splitscreen on Gamecube and I remember that being really iffy? It isn't the most complex game but you needed a giant TV so your viewable section wasn't tiny, heh.

 

[Boo Man]

Yes Sir i remember when i was 10 my best friend had an N64
and one time at his Birthday party four of us played Mario Kart
and i think Golden Eye 007

 

[raveci]

an entirely obscure asteroids clone for PC that had 4 player vs mode all on one keyboard, have yet to figure out what it actually was, but we had a blast with it, my tactic was just to spin in place and shoot nonstop, i was very proud of it and would DMCA strike anyone who tried to do the same

 

[xlashley]

i really loved doing four-player multi stuff, back when highschool i always bring the cheap 2 in 1 controller (2 controller in one usb connector) and i brought two so i can play something with 3 other people when lunch break happen. i never have a console so i did it on my laptop with an emulator, we play n64 games like perfect dark and golden eye, and ctr for ps1 games and its really fun. but mostly we play pes (pro evolution soccer) and do 2 v 2 cup and did it with a whole class.

 

[Stingy Perry]

Back in highschool we used to play 2 v 2 multiplayer on PS1 via multi tap playing NBA Live after school.

 

[norunove]

One that certainly marked me was one of D&D games, i haven't played the PC version of it, waaay back in 2011/12 me and some friends gathered on some chinese emulator that i forgot the name to play it online with 4 players, it was delightfully chaotic to say the least, really fun game!

(Game name is D&D: Chronicles of mistarya)

 

[Cheela]

I love multiplayer games. Some of my most fun memories of highschool was when i bring my notebook with a usb gamecube controller adapter and we played a lot n64, gamecube and even wii games via this method. Mario party 2, 3, 6 and 7, mario kart double dash and wii, super mario strikers and the highlight of them all: Super smash bros Project M mod.

Then someone mention they got a wii u collecting dust in their house, i modded it and we start taking the 8 players smash bros pill. It was absolute chaos but it was really fun :,3.

Sadly we grown up, and started living on different cities soo we mainly keep on touch with online modern multiplayer games that are easier to set up. But the memories are still there, sometimes when stars align we get together on someone’s house, bring a switch and play super smash bros ultimate like in high school (although i will say, i still prefer project M :c)

 

[MasterEn]

i have at least 4 controllers for my n64, but i've only at best gotten 2 people to play with me on it. i did put them to go use though, farming for stars in mario party 1 so i could finally beat after all these years.

 

[Cu-Neo]

The most multiplayer game I got to experience for now, was Operation Raccoon City on PS3 where me and 4 more people got to play the multiplayer modes in peace without people killing you instantly. I also played a lot of the AC Revelation multiplayer mode and even made someone mad because I wasn't playing seriously, the guy was like prestige 4 in that game . And the last one was the MGS Peace Walker multiplayer mode I got someone to boost the multiplayer trophies on PS3 and we both got bored instantly and we had to came with strategies to farm kills quickly . I loved the PS3 free online.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I remember playing coop on the Ratchet and Clank Trilogy Collection, I think it was Up Your Arsenal one

We didn't play that mode as long as the campaign, but the experience was really fun! That was also the first time I discovered a split screen mode, it's such an amazing mode
View attachment 11310

Split-screen MP is such a joy! And it's sad that so many games overlook this feature nowadays.

I even thought it was really ingenious from what a technical standpoint, as the smaller playing area could directly translate into a higher frame rate, which is kinda what you want when playing against an unpredictable human being and need to react fast to whatever they do.

 

[YuriSukiSan]

A lot of cheating in FPS games! Splitscreen multiplayer was fun at sleep overs but the end result was someone was always looking at your screen even if you were being honest, it's fun but also very frustrating. And it lead to other things. >.> The chaos of an FPS game like Goldeneye was amazing but obviously stuff like Mario Party or Mario Kart was way, way, waaay better! Another FPS game I distinctly remember was Turok Rage Wars which was trying to cash in on the trends at the time (everyone really seems to hate that one and I understand why!) I enjoyed that game, it was made for 4 people to play together!

 

[DunkeyKong]

Split-screen MP is such a joy! And it's sad that so many games overlook this feature nowadays.

I even thought it was really ingenious from what a technical standpoint, as the smaller playing area could directly translate into a higher frame rate, which is kinda what you want when playing against an unpredictable human being and need to react fast to whatever they do.

True that! It is unfortunately so uncommon to find in almost every games

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

but the end result was someone was always looking at your screen even if you were being honest, it's fun but also very frustrating.

Yeah, same problem we had when playing local multiplayer at the internet café. And it wasn't even solved by purposefully sitting far apart because the screens were set up in a way that you'd always catch a glimpse of them... all you ever needed was some complete psycho who could identify individual set pieces to gather where you were, and that was it.

Perhaps that's why I opted for the "a-hole approach" on Counter-Strike: sitting with my shotgun right beside one of the doors on cs_assault and giving a full blast to the head to whoever came to jump me -- worked beautifully because they just had to cross your line of fire to get to you, even if they knew where you were XD I was even nicknamed "Lazlo" for a while because of the sheer camping I'd do XDD Great times.

 

[SkunkyBeaumont]

Champions of Norrath there,and it's sequel Champions 2, where you can import your Character for even more hack and slash action.

 

[mikko64]

We used to gather at my house to play Super Smash Bros. One of my friends lived at the same apartment building as me and the other one and his brother lived like 2 minutes away.

We played so much I got bored of it. I haven't played any other SB after this one


My main was Pikachu XD

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

We used to gather at my house to play Super Smash Bros. One of my friends lived at the same apartment building as me and the other one and his brother lived like 2 minutes away.


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We played so much I got bored of it. I haven't played any other SB after this one
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My main was Pikachu XD

Then I strongly recommend you try "Smash Remix" - it really breathes new life into the game (and you can find it here) :)

 

[Tonberry]

For N64 specifically I remember that we used to play multiplayer at a friend's house, since I didn't own one until way later.
The ones we played the most were Pokémon Stadium, Smash, Mario Kart 64, and that GoldenEye clone in Banjo Tooie. It was really fun to play as Grunty since she was huge compared to the rest so you could turn a corner and scare your friends with her gigantic model.

Later when I lived in a dorm I brought my N64 there, and we played a lot of Mario Party 3 and F-Zero X which was super fun.

 

[Azuris]

I played very often with friends, it was a blast.
The most played Games:

- Turok 2
- Forsaken
- Pokemon Stadium Mini Games
- Pokemon Stadium 2 Mini Games
- Smash Bros.
- San Francisco Rush (only 2 player, 2049 has 4 player, but most liked the original more)
- WCW/nWo Revenge

At my Cousins House also F Zero X

I wish i had Quake 2 back then.
Donkey Kong 64 also has Deathmatch.

Edit: I also remember very fondly how a friend experienced the Rumble Pak for the first Time haha

Edit2:
We were often six People, sometimes more, so we had to shuffle every round.
I just can't imagine how they all were able to be in my Room ^^

 

[ATenderLad]

I *did* play a lot of Goldeneye and Perfect Dark, but getting 4 (or 6) people together for X-Men: The Arcade Game is the first thing that comes to mind. Looking back, it's wild that the game never slowed down even with a full party.

(It was a tight fit with everyone at the controls, so after a few levels you could definitely tell who wasn't wearing deodorant, which is tragically seared in my memory.)

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

(It was a tight fitting with everyone at the controls, so after a few levels you could definitely tell who wasn't wearing deodorant, which is tragically seared in my memory.)

LOL, that's beautiful XD

 

[stealthRUSH]

Great memories playing multiplayer games growing up. If we're technically speaking about 4-Player games I played the most on the original PlayStation then Dreamcast, since I never owned a Nintendo 64.


I had a 'L' shaped multi-tap and for special occasions like birthdays and would bring it along (or keep it at home) have my friends plug their controller in to play some party games. We would play Poy Poy, Micro Maniacs Racing (which was unique having 1 controller that could be used for 2-players), Team Buddies, and Tales of Destiny which allowed for 4-player battles we tried a few times. Friends rented Twisted Metal 3, Crash Bash, and Speed Punks.

For Dreamcast we would play Power Stone 2, ChuChu Rocket, Fur Fighters, Bomberman Online, Sonic Shuffle, Gauntlet Legends, Spawn in the Demon's Hand, and Worms World Party. I did play a three 4P games at my friends home who owned Nintendo 64 once, one of them being a Mario Party game, Kirby 64, and Mario Tennis.

As for PlayStation 2 it was only The Adventures of Cookie & Cream (which also had that unique feature of having 1 controller to be used for 2-players) since I or anyone I knew didn't own a multi-tap, and GameCube was Gotcha Force, Ultimate Muscle: Legends vs. New Generation and one of the Naruto games my friend imported at the time.

 

[Ian Naxieas]

Sadly, I've only had the four player experience with GoldenEye. It was a great experience, but short lived.

The one game I always wished I could play with three other people is the little unknown gem called Blast Chamber for the PS1. I've played it with one other person many times and it's what I'd call a relationship destroyer. I have had some very intense sessions with this game that resulted in a lot of loud noises and cursing. Lotsa fun though. If you have a multi-tap and three friends, you can find the game for cheap. Though considering the site we're on, you could probably make do with Parsec and three other people.

Blast Chamber - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I have played plenty of online games with four players and more, but the one I miss the most is the Resident Evil Outbreak games. Playing online with randos was a trip, since there is no voice communication in the game, only gestures. Tons of fun though. You can still technically play it online with an emulator, a Japanese copy of the game, signing up to some forum and doing some magic. There are set up guides online and on YouTube. I played both games with three buds a couple years ago and while it took some adjusting, it was tons of fun. Being able to communicate is a good thing. >.>

 

[Azuris]

Oh, seing the Adapters for the Playstation, i have one for the Super Nintendo, back then only my Cousin had Super Bomberman and when i spotted in a Magazine that you can play with five Persons, i had to test it out.

It worked!
Player 5 starts in the Middle of the Field!

(screenshot is from Super Bomberman 5, but it does the Job showing it off)