Multiplayer games have evolved a lot over the past few decades. It was all about couch co-op at one point in time, but with the wonders of the internet, many games have moved away from that. And so instead, now we all seem to play our favourite multiplayer games without our friends coming round, substituting that social contact for wearing a headset and chatting to someone else in a remote location. You can even play free online slots in virtual rooms that allow you to chat with the people at your table. The advancements over the years have been amazing, to say the least.
And whilst we miss the days of couch co-op and having friends round for a gaming session, we’re still having fun playing a variety of multiplayer games. And here’s three of my current favourites I’ve been playing:
Jackbox Party Games
If you’re not accustomed to Jackbox Party Games, I wasn’t until quite recently, they’re a collection of numerous different multiplayer games. You can buy a few different packs, each with a whole host of titles, and some with sequels to the more popular ones. As it stands I currently have the original, and Party Packs 4 and 6.
But these aren’t like your typical multiplayer games, they’re party games. And you play them using your mobile phone as your remote control. Now you might be thinking how can everyone get involved using their phones, and that’s a good question. Basically, one person hosts the game, and depending on which title you select, instructions pop up on the phone screen to tell you to write, draw, answer questions or whatever action the game requires you to perform.
Now, it is a lot easier when everyone can see the main screen, which you might think is difficult, but it’s so easy to stream to Twitch or on your Discord Server so everyone can see thanks to the advancements we have in technology. And to avoid any delay in the stream, many of the games have options to add extended timers to give those who may be a few seconds behind the chance to compete more fairly.
Whilst some of these multiplayer games may not be your cup of tea, there is a wide variety of titles, and most of them leave you in fits of laughter. But you can guarantee there will be something for everyone. Some of our personal favourites have been You Don’t Know Jack, Drawful, Fibbage and Trivia Murder Party.
Apex Legends
I couldn’t write about multiplayer games without writing bout Apex Legends. It’s my favourite of all the battle royale titles that have flooded the market in recent years. The best thing about it is that its free, although I do opt-in to buy the Battle Pass to earn additional content in the form of cosmetic items. We’re currently on Season 5, which saw the introduction of the latest legend Loba. But you can read all about that on my guest piece over at NinjaRefinery.com.
The way the game works, is you drop in a squad of two or three legends, and compete against other squads to be the last one standing, claiming the title of Champion. Each legend has their own abilities and then there are numerous weapons and items you can loot to help you battle your way to the top. Although I recommend unless you’re really good, only take an Evo Shield at the beginning of the game, s this levels up the more damage you deal. And if you don’t drop near any enemies and play a cautious game, you’ll be left with little protection against others who may be better equipped.
What I particularly like about Apex is that the time to kill your enemies isn’t as quick as some other battle royale titles, especially Call of Duty Warzone. It does get a tad frustrating I admit when you empty a magazine into someone and they’re still standing, just for one of their teammates to take you out, but the feeling you get for wiping out a squad and making it to the end definitely makes up for that.
There are also some noticeable updates coming to Apex soon as well, which may make it more appealing for some. Firstly, a Switch version is coming. Which is great news for those wanting more FPS games on the Nintendo Console. And secondly, cross-platform and cross-progression are coming too. So no matter which consoles you’re on, you can play with mates who are on a different platform and take progression with you. As yet, we’re not sure how this will translate to Ranked matches that are more competitive. As no one wants to be using a controller against people on keyboard and mouse.
Super Mario Party
Our final title to hit our multiplayer games list is Super Mario Party on the Nintendo Switch. There have been many different Mario Party titles over the years but this is definitely one of our favourites. Not only does it have a tonne of different party games, but it also has various modes too and it makes great use of the Switch’s motion controls in the Joy Cons.
Our favourite of the modes has to be the traditional board game style, purely because the replayability factor of it is so high. It can be a different outcome every time. Unless you play me when I usually finish in 1st place and whoop everyone’s butts. You can have up to 4-people playing locally, although online play is an option too. And there is even a party mode of this version that lets you team up in pairs to face off against another team. Offering a slightly different tactical approach.
As you complete games, you can unlock new characters as well, as completing games earns points and eventually, unlocks gems to say you’ve completed the various modes. But even after everything is unlocked, you still find yourself having a great time playing. And if you only want to have a quick bash at something, you can even just dip in and out of the mini-games, meaning it is ideal for both short and long playthroughs.
Definitely one of the must-have multiplayer games on the Nintendo Switch.
Honourable Mention Multiplayer Games
Whilst the above is our current favourite multiplayer games list, there are a few other multiplayer games worth an honourable mention. Mario Kart is always a fun game, not taking itself too seriously compared to other racing games, whilst still keeping that competitiveness. Borderlands 3 is another great multiplayer FPS shoot and loot game, playing together on the couch or online, especially if you have the whole series to play through. And if you’re more into sports, we’d recommend eFootball PES 2020, a lot less buggy than FIFA and much more enjoyable.
Check out more of our feature articles by clicking HERE.
