Best console games for side by side multiplayer?

[Tortilla]

I'm looking for games to play with my wife, in order to forestall criticism that gaming time is taking away from time with her. Yes, I'm sure I'm the 9 millionth gamer to come up with this bright idea, but I'm going to try it anyway.

I've had moderate success with this in the past. She's enjoyed some CCGish type games (Culdcept series, Dokapon Kingdom) as well as just some generally fun party game type things like Boom Blox. However, we've played the heck out of those games and now I need to find something new.

Criteria.

1. Xbox360/Wii games slightly preferred, though PS3 is a possibility. I only have one PS3 controller so a PS3 game purchase would require a controller purchase as well.

2. Nothing that must be played online or requires more than 2 players. We want to play with each other while sitting on the same couch, not random strangers on the intarwebs.

3. Casual type games preferred. My wife is definitely not a 13 year old boy, so fighters or Halo games are out. Nothing uber violent or with a really steep learning curve.

Help me QT3 tapir hivemind, you are my only hope!

[tromik]

Maybe you're the guy Criteon made Burnout Paradise Party for.

[Dave Long]

I know you said no to this, but fighting games often work for this, really well. Make sure to get something relatively simple to pick up and play. Soul Calibur is one of the best... maybe try the demo for 360? I'm talking about the XBLA release of the original here... not Soul Calibur IV.

Seriously. Give that a try. She'll love it if she beats your ass up. Suggest she try one of the girls. Xianghua for example...

If that doesn't work, try some demos. Also, on Wii Virtual Console... Bomberman. Toe Jam & Earl is awesome co-op fun, too.

Have you played Wii Sports? What about Wii Play? Mario Kart Wii? These are all great options.

Also... board games... Catan, Carcassonne, Ticket To Ride... all nicely done on Xbox Live Arcade and all have demos, although I think Catan is multiplayer online only. Not sure about Ticket To Ride. I know Carcassonne is great fun for two players on the same system, though.

[Murph]

My wife is big into Wii Mario Kart and all the Guitar Hero games. YMMV, but that's what she likes.

I've been considering renting Mario Party 8 for her to check out, too. Plus, I think it'd be a fun drinkin' game.

[BlueJackalope]

Marvel Ultimate Alliance comes to mind. It doesn't split the screen, the controls are easy, and you can just have it automatically assign skill points and equipment so you don't have to futz with the character screens much.

[Telefrog]

Lego Star Wars or Lego Indiana Jones.

[Deadbuffalo]

Board games. Lost Cities is a good start. The last time my wife showed any interest in a console game I was playing was when I created my Avatar for NXE.

[Rabid Moth]

Despite it's awful name, Death Tank (Xbox Arcade) is a very fun game that can be played on a single screen.

Think real time Scorched Earth.

[notatiger]

Board games. Lost Cities is a good start. The last time my wife showed any interest in a console game I was playing was when I created my Avatar for NXE.

While a good idea, most video board games don't let you play on the same console at the same time. I know Ticket To Ride allows this, but I can't think of any others that do. Does Culdcept Saga allow hotseat play? I guess so, since Kraaze mentioned it originally...

[mkozlows]

Board games. Lost Cities is a good start. The last time my wife showed any interest in a console game I was playing was when I created my Avatar for NXE.

You can't play them local multiplayer, because they have hidden information.

Truth is, the 360 flat-out sucks for same-couch multiplayer. Marvel Ultimate Alliance is one of your best bets, but it's a mediocre game. The various Lego games work well, and are lightly enjoyable. Scene-It, if you like movie trivia. Burnout Revenge's Crash Party mode, if you don't mind taking turns and enduring horrid load times.

Beyond that, there are fighters, some FPSes, and some racing games.

[Alan Au]

Yeah, I'd go with Fake Plastic-Guitar Game (i.e. some version of Rock Band or Guitar Hero).

Alternately, you could try a snowboarding game. The XBLA boardgame offerings are also fine. Adventure games can also work well as a co-op experience, although you only have the one controllable character.

I dunno, maybe try Pikmin for co-op play? You'd have to scrounge up some older controllers (but those are pretty cheap now).

- Alan

[Lizard_King]

My wife and I got a lot more mileage out of Castle Crashers than I expected. Particularly when compared with unsuccessful coop XBL experiences (BIONIC COMMANDO), it was just a good time. Other than that, I suspect that the kinds of things I enjoy on the xbox with my wife are not going to be very broadly applicable (eg: beating RE5 on coop/professional last weekend).

[merryprankster]

My ex-girlfriend really liked playing Little Big Planet co-op. She got into it enough that she was the one wanting me to play.

[flyinj]

My ex-girlfriend really liked playing Little Big Planet co-op. She got into it enough that she was the one wanting me to play.

Is that why she's an ex?

Lol!

[Deadbuffalo]

just to clarify my lost cities response, i was referring to the actual card/board game, not the XBLA offering, which I believe is no longer available on Arcade according to Mysterio here on Qt3.

Basically, if you have to ask what kind of game your SO would like playing, then you probably should look for other things to do with your SO than play console/PC games with her. Board games have worked for me.

[tromik]

just to clarify my lost cities response, i was referring to the actual card/board game, not the XBLA offering, which I believe is no longer available on Arcade according to Mysterio here on Qt3.

Basically, if you have to ask what kind of game your SO would like playing, then you probably should look for other things to do with your SO than play console/PC games with her. Board games have worked for me.
Nice save.

[Nengjanggo]

Carcassone is great in my experience. You can play just 2 player or with computer players filling out other seats. The computer AI varies from so totally easy to "seems pretty smart but is just dumb enough that you win the majority of the time" to fairly challenging (if I remember correctly). You can also play competitively or cooperatively... the game doesn't know you are playing cooperative, but you build to help each other; this is totally unfair to the computer opponents but totally fun. It's very casual friendly; I've played it with totally non-gamers and they've enjoyed it. Puzzle Quest and Peggle both allows head to head competition on the same Xbox, and I've also had some success with non-gamer types with both.

[Nawid A]

Sports games are excellent for this. NHL 3 on 3 maybe? Age of Booty would also be a great choice I suppose. Bionic Commando: Rearmed definitely. Any Pixeljunk game.

[Wobbo]

Definitely Mario Kart. Definitely.

[Zak Gordon]

My wife and I had a blast with the Judge Dread game - but that was on xbox, not sure if it got a current gen upgade?

It's not too long or too difficult and the exotic setting(other than WWII/Halo) she seemed to like.

[Jon Rowe]

Lego Star Wars or Lego Indiana Jones.

These... my GF loves these games.

[Hylo]

Yeah, I'd go with Fake Plastic-Guitar Game (i.e. some version of Rock Band or Guitar Hero).
- Alan

Rock Band works wonders for us. Also, Peggle can be surprisingly fun in multiplayer.

[Jørn Weines]

The Rayman's Raving Rabbids game for the Wii is quite fun. There's a sequel too, but I have no idea if it's any good.

Since people brought up boardgames as an alternative; the boardgames for two-thread (http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?t=49342).

[Telefrog]

These... my GF loves these games.

My wife plays them along with Lego Batman and is always harassing the kids to help her out. It's actually pretty funny because they would rather play harder games now.

[Prodigy]

Castle Crashers, Gears of War 2.

[Murph]

The Rayman's Raving Rabbids game for the Wii is quite fun. There's a sequel too, but I have no idea if it's any good.

Since people brought up boardgames as an alternative; the boardgames for two-thread (http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?t=49342).

The sequel uses the balance board, and you actually get to play with your butt.

Yes, it's VERY fun.

[Jon Rowe]

Lets see, my GF is not a big shooters fan, so we keep it mostly to action games. The Lego series is good, Peggle is a lot of fun, I haven't tried SFIV yet, but I could imagine that being fun.

She really loves playing Viva Pinata though.

[slikster]

Tom says (http://fidgit.com/archives/2009/02/flower-blows-where-it-will-and.php) you should get Flower for the PS3 to play with your significant other. One gamepad required.

[wonderpug]

I've tried to get my wife interested in many different video games, and the only one that stuck is Rock Band (and now RB2). If she's in the house I can hardly get through one song before she wants to join in singing, or occasionally bass guitaring or drumming.

Little Big Planet seems to appeal to her but the jumping puzzles can be too difficult for her and I'm guessing she'll get too frustrated if we start hitting puzzles she has to retry.

The Lego games worked on her for a little bit, but they weren't compelling enough for her to want to play on her own accord.

[Neopythia]

It may seem like an odd choice for a couple, but House of the Dead: Overkill is a very good co-op experience. Granted, it depends how she deals with gore, profanity, and some very blue humor. The game definitely earns its M rating.

[DeathMonkey]

I'd say Age of Booty, but only if the other player is a committed, competitive player. It's a game that requires a great amount of teamwork and concentration to beat other good teams, and if one of you cares far more than the other, the experience can be deeply frustrating.

-Scott-