Co-op Spotlight #6 - Heavy Barrel - Nes

By Zachariah Hosoda

Heavy Barrel is a top down run and gun game by Data East. The Game was originally released in arcades in 1987, but today we will be covering the NES port. Similar to games like commando, Ikari Warriors, and the top down levels from Contra, Heavy Barrel didn't exactly break new ground. But not all great games need to reinvent the wheel. Despite the lack of originality, Heavy Barrel might be one of the best run and gun games of all time. It's a shame not many people remember it.

The name of the game is from an in-game weapon. The Heavy Barrel is found in six pieces and is an energy cannon capable of destroying any enemy in the game with a single shot (Minus the final boss). The gun has a wide range and can be shot as fast as you can tap the fire button. However, it only lasts for thirty seconds. There are weapon upgrades, shields, and bombs as well.

The music in the game is always upbeat and fitting for the situation. I think the soundtrack can compete with the best of NES music. The same can be said about the graphics. Although simple, the colors and textures keep things looking nice. One of the most fun parts of any game of the genre are the boss fights, and this one is no exception. Each boss has it's own unique look and abilities that require you to put in some time to learn their patterns. 

Overall, Heavy Barrel is a lost classic that every retro gaming fan should at least try out. And unlike most NES games, this one's difficulty is pretty manageable. As an added bonus, if you're an NES collector, this game can still be found for fairly cheap. Heavy Barrel ranks among the best of NES co-op games. I can't recommend it enough!

Co-op Spotlight #4 - Kirby Super Star - SNES

By Zachariah Hosoda

Kirby Super Star was a late release for the Super Nintendo. In fact, the game was released about a week before the launch of the Nintendo 64 in the US. Despite the late release, the game still sold fairly well, and received favorable reviews.

Kirby Super Star plays similarly to the previous Kirby games. However, this is the first Kirby game to feature two player co-op. There are seven main modes of gameplay, each showcasing unique experiences. For example, "Spring Breeze" and "Dyna Blade" play like traditional Kirby games. Then on the other side of things, "Gourmet Race" and "The Arena", play out like a racing game and a boss rush mode, respectively. 

One of the main aspects of a Kirby game that keep things interesting is the copy ability. Whenever you encounter an enemy, you simply suck them up, swallow them, then take control of their powers. Then when you want to add a second player, you are able to turn that power into a "helper". This is great, because the second player is never tied down to any single character. Whenever you see a power you want, Kirby just uses the copy ability, then turns that into the second player. These features, mixed with the large amount of enemy types, definitely keeps the game from getting boring. 

Kirby Super Star is not only one of the best co-op games for Super Nintendo, it is, in my opinion, one of the best co-op games of all time. It's definitely in the running for best Kirby game as well. If you haven't had the chance to play this game yet, do yourself a favor and pick this one up, or emulate it, or play the DS version. Whatever you have to do, just play this game!

Co-op Spotlight #3 - Portal 2

By Logan Hosoda

If you haven’t ever played Portal 2 before, then you are seriously missing out. It was developed by Valve, and released for the Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and OS X back in April 2011, and it is still to this day an incredible experience, both single player and co-op. It is a heavily puzzle focused game that features only one piece of equipment: the portal gun. With the gun, you can shoot two different colors of portals, and once both are active, they will connect and teleport you when you walk through them. It’s a confusing concept made even more confusing during co-op play, but it makes for a very fun experience!

The game features a single player campaign, and a co-op campaign, both with their own exclusive puzzles and story. While the single player story is certainly more developed (I mean, it is a continuation of the first game), the co-op story is still fun, and filled with the same great comedic writing. In the co-op mode, you play as two different robots, named Atlas, and P-Body, both equipped with fully functioning portal guns. This really makes the game interesting, because now you have twice the portals to deal with. While this may seem to make the game easier on the outside, in reality it enhances the difficulty ten-fold.

What you absolutely need in order to complete this game is serious cooperation. It starts off pretty easy in the beginning, where you just need to place your portals in the correct spots to complete the test, but the game gets progressively harder, and will twist your brain to the point of spontaneous combustion! One thing that I really love is the natural need for coop. The second player isn’t just a helping hand in the situation, he/she is actually needed every step of the way, and there isn’t any way around it.

In my opinion, the best quality of this game is how blatantly simple it is, yet how amazingly complex it can become at the same time. It’s incredibly easy to pick up and play, you’ll learn the controls in minutes, and you can even beat the whole game in a sitting or two. What really shines is how complex the game becomes as you play. Between the physics based puzzles, portals leading in every which direction, and many more elements, the game picks up incredibly fast. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself staring at a dumb wall, wondering how in the world you could possibly solve what seems unsolvable, it’s downright glorious!

One major feature that I really loved about Portal 2, contrary to many modern day games, is the use of split screen co-op! Most modern games with co-op features focus on co-op over a LAN connection, or the internet, and don’t feature split screen. Even the copy that I own on Steam for PC features split screen as well, which is very rare, while still including online play. The versatility is key here, and sets this game above many others as far as variety of options is concerned.

In conclusion, Portal 2, while not quite a “hidden” gem, is certainly a gem nonetheless. Every co-op enthusiast out there should play it at least once. In my opinion, it is the pinnacle of co-op gaming, and it set a very high standard for co-op games to come. Your brain will certainly regret playing it, and you may end up losing a friendship over it, but you’ll come to find that in the end, it was definitely worth it!

Co-op Spotlight #2 - World of Illusion (Genesis/Mega Drive)

By Zachariah Hosoda

World of Illusion is a platforming game that was released in 1992. You play as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. The game starts out with a short cutscene, revealing that during practice for their magic show, they stumble upon a magic box. Before Mickey can stop him, Donald immediately walks into the box. The two are then transported into a magical world. They then must work together to get back home.

This was one of the first games I remember renting from Blockbuster when I was a kid. And probably one of the only games that I rented multiple times. World of Illusion plays like most platformers of the time. Your main form of defense is a magic cape that you can wave at an enemy to transform them into various objects. You can also run by holding in A, and, of course, there is a lot of jumping. But what sets this game apart from other platformers, and co-op games of the time, is the fact that you actually must work together to get through the levels.

There are times that you come across a platform that is too high to jump to. In order to get to the next level, you must use the log catapult. To pull this off, one player must stand on one end of the catapult, as the other jumps on the opposite side. This will boost the first player to the next area. But then the player that was boosted needs to drop a rope so their teammate can climb up to them. Also, there are specific parts in the game where you need to jump on the shoulders of the other player to get higher up. Sometimes there are small gaps you must crawl under. Donald will not fit, so the player that controls Mickey must press A to pull Donald through. 

The game is fairly short, consisting of only five levels. Some people may consider this to be a negative, but for me, I always appreciate a game I can play through in one sitting. Especially when you don't alway have a lot of time to dedicate to games. The difficulty is pretty manageable as well, but still might take a few attempts to beat. 

Although, there were plenty of co-op games from this time, there just weren't many that actually required team work to progress through the levels. Sure, you were able to play side by side as you kill and dodge enemies. Nothing wrong with that. In fact, good team work can definitely benefit in those game. But what I'm referring to is the purest form of cooperative gaming. It's when having another player not only enhances the gameplay, but also involves mandatory teamwork. And without it, you simply won't progress. In my opinion, this is what makes a great co-op game.

Co-op Spotlight #1 - Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory

By Logan Hosoda

Without a doubt, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory is the first game that I simply have to spotlight. This game features two different co-op modes depending upon which version of the game you have. This includes the primary Xbox version, and the two-disc Gamecube version. If you haven’t ever heard of the series before, Splinter Cell games are traditionally third-person, stealth action shooters. They feature in-depth stealth mechanics that were way ahead of their time, which allows for deep strategic approach to almost every situation in the games. The reason that I have chosen Chaos Theory specifically is because it features one of the best, in my opinion, co-op game modes ever made.

Most co-op games today seem to have a co-op mode that is never as satisfying as the main story, or feature an invisible husk in the main story that has zero relevance, and is simply there for another player to take control of (I’m looking at YOU Fable 2 and 3!). What I love about Chaos Theory is that it has an entirely separate co-op campaign, that’s entirely different from single player, and features two new agents that must work together to complete the missions. This brings me to the difference of the two versions of the game.

For the Xbox version, the co-op campaign is a complete standalone story, where both players must work together in order to progress, and complete longer missions, very similar to the main campaign. In the Gamecube version, however, it features smaller bite-sized missions to complete, with no save function. This means you have to complete the entire mission on your first try, or fail and restart the whole thing. On top of this, you need both discs if you want to get through every mission (most likely owing to the lack of memory on the small Gamecube discs). They both offer very different experiences, and are both amazing in their own aspects. If you’re looking for a longer binge session with a friend, then the Xbox version is more ideal. But if you just want to jump in and play some quick missions with a friend, then the Gamecube version is better because it’s less of a commitment.

Structure aside, both versions maintain the exact same gameplay elements, which is arguably the best part about the game! Earlier I mentioned that the game has some great strategic elements, and I wasn’t joking! If you want to approach the game without touching a single enemy, then you can ( unless the mission says you have to)! You just have to plan ahead big time, shoot out all of the lights, and figure out how you could possibly sneak across the whole level without being detected. Or you can simply pull out your assault rifle, and have a blast! The game supplies you with various tools that will help you get the job done, like explosive cameras that can incapacitate your targets, or grenades if you’re impatient. It’s set up to perfectly compliment your play style, even if the shooting itself is somewhat subpar.

Overall, if you haven’t already, pick up Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, grab a buddy, and have some fun. Even after 12 years, I still pick this game up from time to time, and I’m never disappointed! It definitely falls under the “timeless” category for me!