8 of the Best 2 Player Video Games in History

2-player video games have long been a staple of the gaming industry, long before MMOs took multiplayer to a new level. In fact, some of the earliest video games, such as Pong, were for 2 players. There have also been numerous split-screen multiplayer games for 2 or more players. These are some of the best 2-player video games in gaming history.

Street Fighter II

Street Fighter II is the definitive arcade fighter and one of the best 2-player video games, as it helped establish the competitive genre. With a revolutionary roster of eight distinct martial artists with unique special moves, SF II sparked a fighting game boom. This game standardized the rules for competitive 1 vs 1 combat with the best-of-three format and precise input commands.

Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers is a remake that has restored the intense head-to-head SF II matches on the Nintendo Switch. This remake has modernized HD visuals, but it also has an option for switching to the original 16-bit pixel graphics for SF II. It includes the full roster of characters from all Street Fighter II games plus a few more exclusive additions.

Portal 2

Valve’s Portal 2 is one of the most highly-rated PC games in history with a renowned 2-player co-op mode. It is a puzzle game in which players navigate through a crumbling Aperture Science Enrichment Center with a portal gun. Aside from its dark, humorous sci-fi story, players love Portal 2 because of its distinct co-op campaign with unique P-Body and Atlas robots. It includes specifically designed chambers in which co-op coordination is crucial to progression.

Super Mario Kart

The original Super Mario Kart, on the SNES, redefined the racing game genre by focusing on split-screen multiplayer chaos rather than simulation. This is one of the best 2-player video games in history because of its intense Grand Prix, Match Race, and Battle Mode split-screen multiplayer modes. Mario Kart’s battle mode, in which players popped each other’s balloons with weaponry, was especially innovative and original for its time.

There isn’t an official Super Mario Kart remake to play on modern consoles. However, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch continues the legacy of the original 16-bit SMK game. That game includes updated HD versions of classic tracks from the original game, a revamped battle mode, and many more playable characters.

It Takes Two

It Takes Two is a co-op game designed exclusively for dual play. This game is based on a married couple turned into clay and wooden dolls who must collaborate in imaginative ways. It is a game built entirely around co-operative two-player teamwork with endless gameplay variety and imaginative level design.

Halo: Combat Evolved

Although the Halo: Combat Evolved first-person shooter had a gripping single-player game, it wasn’t restricted to solo play. The original Halo was one of the best 2-player video games ever because of its split-screen co-op mode for the campaign. That enabled 2 players to fight the Covenant alongside each other.

However, Halo’s legendary 1 vs 1 local multiplayer prolonged the game’s enduring appeal far beyond its single player campaign. That head-to-head playing mode was one of the best for how it integrated Halo’s golden triangle of shooting, melee, and grenade throwing. The advanced movement, strafing, and extended gunfights of Halo’s 1 vs 1 mode were something special.

Super Smash Bros Melee

Super Smash Bros Melee has remained one of the best 2-player video games in history because of how it redefined fighting games with its intricate physics and deep combo system. It was a unique fighting game with fluid movement physics that established a deep competitive scene few others have matched. Super Smash Bros Melee’s unique gameplay mechanics made it one of the most expressive and competitive 1 vs 1 games in history.

Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 perfected the two-dimensional fighting formula for 1 vs 1 combat with its 2.5D graphical style, modernized control scheme, and versatile drive gauge. It recreated the old-school SF II arcade magic with its robust Battle Hub that enabled two players to challenge each other within a virtual space. That core online social mode made Street Fighter 6 one of the best 2-player video games in history.

Bubble Bobble

Taito’s Bubble Bobble is a classic 1980s game that established a cornerstone for cooperative arcade gaming. This single-screen co-op game is one in which players turn enemies into food by blowing bubbles with their dragons. However, players can also turn their bubbles into platforms by jumping on them.

Bubble Bobble’s ingenious bubble mechanic, addictive level design, iconic music, and deep cooperative gameplay have made it one of the best 2-player video games historically. There are some Bubble Bobble remakes you can play today, such as Bubble Bobble 4 Friends. That reimagining of the original supports 4-player local co-op and includes new power-ups.

The best 2-player video games above are hard to beat for 1 vs 1 and co-operative gameplay. If you prefer the thrill of competitive gaming, check out Street Fighter 6, Super Smash Bros Melee, Street Fighter II, and Super Mario Kart. Portal 2, Bubble Bobble, and It Takes Two are the best to play for cooperative gaming. However, Halo: Combat Evolved offers the best of both worlds.