Two players?

[system11]

I was just talking to a few people, th09 (what will be the next Shanghai Alice game), and by association Twinkle Star Sprites came up.

TSS is better as a two player game, which is why (for me) it has never worked. I don't play games 2 player.

So I was wondering, be HONEST here in your votes, who here genuinely plays two player games where both players are at the same cab/console/computer with any real regularity? This means once a month doesn't count.

[SheSaidDutch]

LoneWolf over here

[Andi]

I do. In fact, I buy a lot of games only because I think they would be fun two player games. My roommate and I enjoy many of the same kind of games.

However, I enjoy playing cooperatively much more than playing competitively (except when it comes to FPS).

[adam76]

Sadly i don't anymore. There was a time(probably during the 16-bit era) when i was forever playing videogames with my mates, and usually 2 player. Nowadays, theres not many of the people i reguarly see that still hold games true to their heart.

One of my oldest friends came round yesterday and i cajouled him into a game of Giga Wing 2 on the DC. Here was the guy that i used to play MD shooters with for hours on end, but faced with the manic beauty that was GW2 he seemed rather non-plussed about the whole thing.

Seems he doesn't like the new breed of 'manic' shooters as much as the good ol' 16-bit shooters of yore and as my last 'gaming buddy' said those words, i knew my future videogame experiences were going to be a very much solitary affair.

On the plus side, he always used to whup me at EA Hockey so i guess i should'nt be too upset!

[alpha5099]

I do enjoy playing multiplayer games, but it's very much the exception, maybe a handful of times a year. The only game I've played with another person recently has been Streets of Rage, which a friend of mine and I have been playing on and off for a few months. Even then, it's only very infrequently that we play together.

My problem with playing beat 'em ups or shmups with people are that they are almost always cooperative games, and lots of people are just plain bad about playing that way. Especially in beat 'em ups, where each player can usually hurt the other, teamwork is a must. On the rare occassions I've played shmups with another person, they've usually just darted around the screen, swiping all the power-ups.

That's why things like fighting games and FPSes don't appeal to me, most of the appeal is in the multiplayer. A solid single-player is a must, if the game is only fun with another person I almost certainly will not enjoy it.

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

I fly solo...no wingman for me. I usually find that the other player distracts me and screws up my concentration.

I do enjoy two player fighters though...Street Fighter!

[Turrican]

I play solo, but I'd like so much to play in two. I feel so lonely

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

The few times I have played Gradius Gaiden with someone, the other person sucks up the infinite credits while I remain pretty much unscathed 'til the last level. Nothing much changes during the last level, only that I lose a couple of times there 'cause the bastards make the screen eat me in the speed zone.

I love playing cooperatively, but there isn't anyone I know with the least hint of skill.

[Diabollokus]

I've had quite a few 2 player and multiplayer sessions at uni, gigawing 2 with 4 players didn't work 2 well, I had to turn bombs off cos those guys weren't man enough to take the bullets! in fact it was soo dam distracting trying to save them and myself while explaining the game mechanics 10 times.

I'd rather play shoot em ups 2 player but its just, I would need another shmuppo to play with, normal gamers just die and use infinite continues, yeah it makes me look good for a changes negotiating a plasma blosson(eh ord) I played ikaruga with a mate and he was quite good but dam it would take hours to get good together.

Anyone out there got a shmupping buddy they 1CC games with? Ah well when I get a house next year I'll force em to play dodonpachi every day!

Darius gaiden 2 player with my big bro is about as good as it gets for me, hes not the shmuppo he used to be though, sad as he could 1 life hellfire any time back in the day..........

[Dartagnan1083]

I multi-played my Saturn with great regularity last semester, mostly Fighters and brawlers though. We did get some Garegga, Parodius, and Garegga in though. I multiplay less often now, my 2D loving Hong-Kong-ese friend went back to school in England.

[professor ganson]

I really only play 2-player with my 6-year old daughter, who cannot play at a normal level yet. Still, it can be fun, and we do so every week or so. But nearly all my gaming time is solo. I really don't even have anyone to talk about gaming with, except here of course.

[adam76]

Ah well when I get a house next year I'll force em to play dodonpachi every day!

lol! I got two house mates myself and confronted, as they are, with a veritable banquet of shmup goodness ranging from the afformentioned DoDonPachi through to Musha Aleste they choose...

Command and bloody Conquer!

I suppose theres no accounting for taste...

[iatneH]

Yeah... I'm a lone wolf of shooters. Once in a while someone might ask to have a game of ESP RaDe while I'm at the arcade, but I still prefer single player since I KNOW how powered up I'll be while attacking certain enemies, and where the chains are... also since I'm all over the screen, I tend to eat up all the power-ups and point items and I have to consciously force myself to play in an unfamiliar style down at the bottom of the screen...

[FatCobra]

I fly solo here, I find it too hard to keep my partner alive and I have a tendency to hog all the powerups anyway.

[Shatterhand]

I play multiplayer games with mates all the time, but rarely shmups. We play Winning Eleven, Bomberman, Micro Machines V3, Bloody Roar, Capcom vs SNK, stuff like that.

Now I rarely play shmups with 2 players. I had a friend who used to play Gradius Gaiden with me, but it has been ages since we last played (We got overly frustrated in last level, hehe )

And yes, any time I try to play a shmup with another player, he usually sucks and credit feed like hell. It's just plain boring.

I remember ONCE in my life, playing Strikers 1945 Plus in arcade, with a guy I just met (And then never saw him after that), and he was basically in the same skill level as me, and it was a TRUE blast playing with him, it was lots of fun.

So, I think there are lots of enjoyment to be had in playing shmups with 2 players, but you need someone who is as good (or as bad ) as you.

[it290]

I've got a buddy that I play shmups with occasionally. He's pretty decent at them, but we don't play enough for me to vote 'yes'. Usually when I play co-op games, it's either a Metal Slug game, SoR 1/2, or House of the Dead 2. I'm hoping for a home port of Raiden 3, because I know a few people who are major Raiden 2 fans, and I'm sure they'll get a kick out of it.

[Dartagnan1083]

when we shmupped together last year...or whenever I shmup with a friend, they tend to panic and interfere with my weaving. Often pusing me into enemies or bullets.

Either that or they munch on all the credits

same way with beat em ups even.
Hogging the health-ups and throwing me into the fray

[SheSaidDutch]

Or never losing a credit, while your friend uses all of them, once you lose one life your game is over

[Ganelon]

I play fighters with friends nearly everyday. Never shooters though; in fact, I've probably only played a shooter with somebody else about 3 times in my life.

[IlMrm]

I used to play Strikers 1945 Plus a lot with a friend. The Pancake/Zero combo kicks ass. Two players is really fun once the teamwork starts clicking.

[Skyline]

I fly solo at home, and in the arcade mostly.

There was this one guy who joined in while I screwed up my Stage 1 run at GigaWing (this is where I usually suicide the rest of my lives and start over again), but we cleared the game together. Not a true clear, he did use a few credits. What makes this noteworthy is that he was new to the game, and seemed to love it. I was sorta giving him the rundown on the gameplay system, medals, scoring, pointing out how the End-Of-Stage bonuses worked, ship selection, etc. It was a really different experience for me.

Took my leave soon after we finished the game (had to go to work), but he thanked me for my input. Before the score table was wiped a month later, the guy managed to get third place, the initials "REN" belonged to a 10 Tril. score, below my 27-or-so Tril. score in second. Never seen it again. :/

Anyways, if all goes well and I move out of town, there will be a lot of friends at my new home to play shmups with..not so much in the 2P sense but more like strategy, techniques, high-scoring runs, and most importantly, some friendly competition.

On the 2-player front, it's all about Twinklestar Sprites. For sure, Senko No Ronde is gonna get whored out to death at home if it gets a DC port.

[ST Dragon]

There are no arcades any more where I live!

I used to play
1945 Strikers II
Gunbird
Sengoku Ace
Sonic Wings 2

With a friend all the time.
We had mastered Strikers II & could beat it with just one credit each.
One of the tactics was that one had to get the plane with the purple shield.
None of the bastids could pass it.