“There was a time above… a time before. There were perfect things… diamond absolutes.” There were split-screen games… and a time when gamers all across the globe enjoyed co-op gaming.
For most of us who grew up in the 90s or early 2000s, it was almost inconceivable to think that it would come a time when couch multiplayer would no longer be possible. After all, consoles like the Nintendo 64, the original Xbox, and even the PlayStation 2 – with the help of a multitap – allowed up to four players to play on the same console as long as they had enough controllers for all. In a sense, it was the best era for multiplayer gaming.
Perhaps in the name of gaming progress, split-screen multiplayer was slowly but steadily replaced by the world of online games. Granted, the promise of playing a game with someone, no matter the distance, sounded like something straight out of a sci-fi flick back in the early 2000s. Even when the Xbox Live service revolutionized online gaming with its powerful matchmaking and flexible chat options, games like Halo 3 and Gears of Wars still gave players the option to play in split-screen multiplayer.
It seems like couch co-op has no place in our era of always-online consoles and games-as-a-service titles. However, there are plenty of gamers who miss the old days, where friends could gather around a single TV set just to enjoy a quick round of Mario Kart or simply have a laugh while playing one of those classic co-op SNES games the likes of which we haven’t been seen in years.
Sure, when we put it like that, it might sound like there’s no hope for split-screen gaming ever coming back. After all, if developers can’t be bothered to make a game playable offline, how will they find the time to implement the option for local couch co-op?
Well, as it turns out, there is some light at the end of this tunnel.
Some modern games have been offering players the option to play them using the good ol’ split-screen multiplayer we all know and love. This “split-screen renaissance” has seen the release of some of the most touching and retro-inspired games we’ve seen in recent years, proving once more that the demand for more couch co-op games still exists in today’s gaming landscape.
A New Age Of Co-Op
While certainly not as prominent as they once were, some recent games have included split-screen multiplayer as one of their core selling points. Of course, we can’t talk about modern couch co-op games without addressing the gargantuan efforts of Hazelight Studios.
The developers – under the EA Games label – have worked on two of the best split-screen gaming experiences we’ve ever played. In 2018, the studio released A Way Out: an action/adventure title that could only be played in split-screen multiplayer mode. Flash forward three years later and we have 2021’s It Takes Two, which is a profoundly touching and emotional platformer that uses split-screen multiplayer to complement its beautiful plot.
Considering that a huge chunk of TVs sold these days are 4K, it would make even more sense for developers to consider split-screen multiplayer as a viable option to play their games. After all, if we could play four-player multiplayer Mario Kart on split-screen on a 14” CRT TV, there’s no reason why we couldn’t be playing it on a 65” 4K panel.
For game publishers, having no split-screen capabilities means that they would at least sell two copies of the same game if players wanted to play with a friend. For players, having the option of playing a game in couch co-op means going back to the fond memories they had playing games growing up, and why they fell in love with gaming in the first place.
