What Was the Best Generation for Coop Gaming?
Debate over which generation was the best is a core part of being a gamer. For most users, the best generation is often the first one they heavily invested in, but this approach is hardly objective. Here at Co-Optimus, we wanted to take a different approach to the conversation. Directly looking at co-op gaming, does one generation stand out as the best, and is it even really possible to approach this question objectively given the different types of co-op gaming?
A Matter of Taste
Before even looking at what we believe to be the standouts, we first need to acknowledge that the term co-op can mean very different things to different people. For simplicity’s sake, we could cut this into two main approaches: online co-op and offline co-op. Before looking at these two sections, however, we need to explore the key foundation of both, accessibility.
Accessibility Drives the Co-op Experience
In video games, the easier they are to play, then the more appeal they'll have to a wider audience. This is the case for both co-op and single-player games, and it's illustrated by many of the most popular games of all time. The games that are the easiest to drop in and out of spread more easily with word of mouth, and no matter the generation, this aspect proves key.
"Somebody’s room, with game consoles" (CC BY 2.0) by Matthew Paul Argall
For an example outside of co-op gaming, consider the popularity of modern online casino games like those in the Megaways series. These titles like Piggy Riches and Bonanza are understandable near-instantly, no matter your experience with slots. They're also simple to engage with, working just as well on tablets, desktops, tablets, and smartphones. The quality of the games and their systems keeps players coming back, but it's the accessibility that opens the doors. This is just as much the case with offline and online co-op and the generations that best stand out.
Offline Co-op
To the more straightforward, we turn to offline co-op, commonly illustrated by couch co-op and LAN parties. While computer multiplayer complicates the generational choices, our first place has to go to the sixth generation of consoles with the PS2, GameCube, and original Xbox (not the Xbox One). This was the first generation where 3D graphics on consoles really got to flex their legs, and while games like Goldeneye 007 helped set the tone for the previous generation, it was this one that stood out.
On these systems, games from developers like Free Radical set the world on fire, showing what true real-time 3D co-op could do. Whether looking at mainstream hits or more exploratory titles from developers like Rockstar Games, this generation offered a generational leap like none before or after.
Online Co-Op
Online co-op might seem more complicated, but we think that ultimately the answer is an easier one. Online cooperative play improves with online connectivity, and with each generation making it easier to get online, each newest generation is the best for online co-op play. That’s not to say that the newest games are always the best to play co-operatively, but since backward compatibility and mods provide access to most older co-op games anyway, this point is moot. Even Nintendo offers a half-decent online connectivity experience now, and we're expecting even greater things for the upcoming Switch 2.
What do you think about our approach to co-op gaming, and more importantly, which titles do you have tucked away in your mind as the best experiences of your gaming past? No matter which generations you consider the best, we can all agree there’s a lot to look forward to, for PC and console players both. Let's just hope Mac players get some love too.