$10 or below, Competitive Games

Dad Beats Dad

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Since there were no posts last week, I will be doubling up this week and putting out TWO competitive AND cooperative game this week! Yay!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This week’s second competitive game is Dad Beat Dads!

Players: 1-4

Price: $5.99

Platform: PC, Xbox One

image from http://www.dadbeatdadsgame.com/

Ever want to feel like the world’s best father? Test your might against some of the world’s most renown fathers such as Fish or Space Dad and duke it out to see who is the best Dad!

Alright, first off, this is a goofy game. It really doesn’t make much sense, but it is so much fun. Pick a dad and a color, and then make your way into the arena. There are three different game modes, and each feel different yet still feel familiar thanks to the game’s gameplay.

The game functions like other popular arena combat games. There are platforms around the map, and you must fight the other dads. The game modes decide what you need to do besides beat the other dads, but fighting your friends is so rewarding in itself. Every player carries around their baby, and the point of the game is to stun the other players so you can complete the objective.

In the first game type, Smash and Grab, beat up the other dads, steal their baby, and take it to your goal. A little dark, but the art and style of the game really helps to lessen your guilt. Most babies scored wins.

Diaper Sniper is the second game type and focuses almost completely on being able to throw items well. find “full”diapers around the map and throw them at the other dads to eliminate them. Most eliminations wins. Like I said, this is a goofy game.

The final game type, Corporate Ladder, is all about coin collecting and platforming. Climb up a moving screen to collect coins. Try to eliminate your friends by getting them to fall of the screen somehow. Most coins/last alive wins.

This goofy game provides plenty of fun with your friends. If you get this game, I would highly recommend not telling your friends what they are playing before playing this game. The surprise on their face when they play this is almost worth the price alone. Apart from that, this game is actually really fun and pretty easy for your friends to get a hold of in a round or two.

It’s a great cheap game. What more could anyone ask for?

 

$10 or below, Competitive Games

Thief Town

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competitive games have been taking interesting takes on how to approach the gameplay, and this one is no different. Welcome to the confusing, western world of Thief Town!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This week’s competitive game will be Thief Town!

Players: 2-4

Price: $7.99

Platform: PC, PS4

image from http://store.steampowered.com/app/331220/Thief_Town/

Thief Town is a 2D pixel arena “combat” competitive game all about subtlety. The point of the game is to get the most kills. The way you go about this is why this game shines. When you start, there will be 20 or 30 tan cowboys on screen, and you and your friends are 2-4 of them. You have to try to figure out who you are without your friends also seeing, and then you have find your friends and stab them.

This is as easy as it sounds, but the hard part is not getting stabbed first. You could potentially just run around in a circle to find yourself and then start killing everyone on screen, but then the people you are playing with are going to immediately notice you and try to kill you. It is possible to kill each other at the same time, and both of you will have to a stand-off with just you two and have to be the last one alive.

That is the main gist of the game, but there are a few game modes to try out. There is the classic version which is just the base game, but there are a couple more game modes: a sheriff mode where one person has a gun that shoots in a horizontal line and he must kill the drunken players with limited ammo or they will survive and get points, and an items playlist that give you various items to use like a bomb or a smokescreen.

While this games seems simple, it is always a go to with me and my friends because it is easy to grasp and really fun to get good at.

$10 or below, Cooperative Games

Surgeon Simulator

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*Mild gore warning*

Ever want to feel like a professional surgeon? Well, this game doesn’t really do that, but it’s sort of close.

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This weeks’ cooperative game will be Surgeon Simulator!

Players: 1-2

Platform: PC, PS4

Price: $9.99

image from http://www.surgeonsim.com

Surgeon Simluator puts you in the hot seat of being a surgeon. I chose this game because it is kind of hard to play, but that is what makes the game so fun!

While this may seem gruesome, from the image above you can see that the art style makes the game a little more digestible.

I would recommend playing by yourself a little to get used to the game before bringing it to someone else. This way you can explain how thing work. For example, there are two syringes in each level. One syringe stops the bleeding and one hastens it. Knowing which syringe to use is vital to actually completing levels, and it would suck to not know that coming in.

As for the game itself, the controls are really wonky but in the best of ways. You control one hand and have to try to complete the surgery that way. the thumb and fingers are controlled separately, and the fingers can also be controlled separately. You have to find a way to get through the bone to take out whatever organ you have been assigned to take out.

As for a cooperative experience, this is where I have had the most fun. through a mix of anger, laughter, and strategy the game offers lots of different ways to attack a surgery with your partner. On top of that, playing with someone else either really helps you or really hurts you, and I love that dynamic.

I highly recommend for anyone that doesn’t get queasy from video game blood or organs.

Above $10, Competitive Games

Move or Die

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Still can’t find the right party game based on always staying in motion? Well, welcome to the perfect game for you!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This week’s competitive game will be Move or Die!

Players: 1-4

Platform: PC

Price: $14.99

image from http://moveordiegame.com/

Move or Die is a game based on, well, moving. The point of the game is to be the last person standing every round, but the way you accomplish that changes all every round.

The reason this game is on this list is because it provides a dynamic that a lot of these style of games don’t offer: mystery and randomization. You can choose the character you like, but after that, there isn’t much choice in what you play. I would explain what the main point of the game is, but that can change too.

This game is updated regularly, adding characters and fixes to quality of life in the game. For example, the original game mode was to never stop moving. If you do, your character will lose health and eventually die. With all of the updates, there are now random game modes chosen every round, and furthermore, each set of rounds a player will be chosen to add a mutator, like move AND die (moving now causes you to lose health).

There are plenty of different game modes that can be played, and the level of randomization really makes the game feel different every time you play it.

As for a learning curve, there is a pretty hefty one. If you play this game often, you’ll know all the game modes and what to do while people who have played will not. That being said, you might have to go easy on your friends for the first couple of rounds going through this game.

This is an interesting take on the competitive local multiplayer genre, and I think it easily deserves a spot in this blog.

 

Above $10, Cooperative Games

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

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Ever feel like the most fun thing to do would be to try and defuse a bomb with your friends? Look no further!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This weeks cooperative game will be Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes!

Players: 2-???

Platform: PC, PS VR

Price: $14.99

A ticking time bomb filled with puzzles.

image from http://www.keeptalkinggame.com/

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a cooperative game all about bomb defusal. The point of the game is to work with friends to defuse a bomb. The bomb is a box with an assortment of “modules” attached to it that each have a specific action that has to be done to it. For example, there are modules with a big button, there are wires that you have to cut in the right way, there are images that you have to choose in the right way, and plenty of other modules for the player to experiment and try out.

While this game does support VR, it does not necessarily require it. I personally would recommend using VR if that is available to you since it helps separate the player from the decoder.

Ah yes, the decoder. The reason this game requires at least 2 players is because the person trying to defuse the bomb has no idea how to actually defuse the bomb. The person who knows is the decoder. The decoder has either a bunch of sheets or a website that shows how to accurately defuse each bomb.

The interesting part of the game is the teamwork this game requires. It is literally required to have 2 people playing for this game to work, and exceptional communication skills to master.

If you have VR, I highly recommend getting this game. If you don’t, I highly recommend getting it! It’s a great game to play with friends!

$10 or below, Competitive Games

Brawlhalla

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There are plenty of fighting games out there, and a lot of them are usually one vs one. How about a game that not only recreates the gameplay of a popular Nintendo fighter, but also costs nothing?!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This week’s competitive game will be Brawlhalla!

Players: 1-4

Platform: PC, PS4

Price: FREE

image from http://www.store.steampowered.com/

I don’t know what it is about fighting games, but I really love them, so I have to throw in a cheap favorite of mine! Yes, Brawlhalla is free! this great fighter is an arena fighter that plays much like the popular nintendo series of fighting games. There are a few differences, however.

Much like the popular fighting series, there is light attacks and “power” attacks. The “powers” come from weapons that characters pick up on the ground. These weapons change between characters, and there are new characters coming about regularly! On top of the weapons, the game includes some interesting additions to the tried and true fighting style. The game has added a lot of capability to fight in the air if any players are good enough to do so. Furthermore, there is a lot of opportunity to combo your attacks or even just get really good at catching people with a powerful move.

Bringing me to my next point, there is an actual gap between those who play and those who do not. Players with experience in the game will have no issue jumping around the arena and surviving if they are kicked off the side. New players might have trouble with both of these, let alone trying to fight someone throughout that process. Overall, the game is fun to jump into, but there is a learning curve for anyone who is looking to play this game more often.

Besides a heavy learning curve , there is a lot of different characters and game types to try out with other players. Multiple different variations and differences keep the game feeling fresh for long periods of time, and the best part is….

IT’S ALL FREE!!!

I highly recommend the game! Get it today!

Above $10, Cooperative Games

Overcooked

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Ever feel like making some absolutely wonderful cuisine but don’t have the skill to do so? Trying to cook with your friends but don’t know what to make or how to make it? Perfect! This is sort of the game for you!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This week’s game will be Overcooked!

Players: 1-4

Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Price: $16.99 ($19.99 on the Nintendo Switch)

image from ghosttowngames.com/overcooked

Overcooked is a game all about… well… cooking. This week’s cooperative choice is all about making delicacies in the cooking world such as soup and burgers. Some of these zany choices may seem like simple dishes, but that’s where this game shines.

There are multiple game modes for this game, but the cooperative story mode is where this game really shines cooperatively. The story is all about cooking and saving the world. No greater cause in mankind could be found for the player to have a reason to cook with his/her friends.

The reason this game is such a good cooperative game is because of the way players are required to cook. There are several steps to completing a dish. First, get the ingredients to a chopping station. Then, get the chopped ingredients to a cooking station. Wait for the ingredients to finish cooking, and then serve it on a plate. This may sound simple, but this is met with multiple little intricacies throughout the process that make it harder such as splitting the jobs into two sides or putting a pit in the middle of the stage.

This game offers a lot of opportunity to love, or hate, your friends, and that is why it is on this list. It really tests the communication between you and your friends to be able to stay on top of the orders and figure out each map.

Overcooked is a great game and would highly recommend for anyone looking to play a mildly challenging cooperative game.

Above $10, Competitive Games

Sportsfriends

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A bunch of weird games you’ve never heard of? 2 vs 2 competitive gameplay? Weird characters and maps? Look no further!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This week’s competitive game will be Sportsfriends!

Players: 2-4

Platform: PC, PS3, PS4

Price: $14.99

image from store.steampowered.com

Sportsfriends is essentially 4 different games in a nice little package for any of you competitive fiends.

Barabariball is a fighting game with a goal: get your ball below the other teams water (this makes more sense once you play the game). The point of the game can vary, but the base game point is to score the set amount of points for the game. This is game is probably the most challenging to be very good at since there is a lot of different mechanics involved like jumping, attacking, dodging, and throwing. On top of this, there is a limited amount of jumps (can be changed in the options menu) and each player has a special attack. This is my personal favorite out of the bunch.

Johann Sebastian Joust is a physical game. You hold the controller still longer than the other players. That is the gyst of this game. Each player takes a position away from the other players, and can only move when music is going at regular speed. If any player’s controller moves during the slowed period, then that player is out. It’s a fun game to play through a few times.

Pole Riders usually seems to be the favorite of the game and understandable so. Each player has a pole that they must figure out how to use to push a ball on a string to the other teams goal. The mechanics of the pole are tough to remembers and even worse to master if you do not play this game consistently, so it is a good game to bring new people into.

Hokra is a little more strategic, but still fun. You are trying to keep the ball in your color (green or purple usually) until your color fills completely with a slightly darker color. This means you are scoring and the other team isn’t. To get the ball away, there is dashing into the ball and other players. Besides that, there isn’t much. There is a lot of pursuit play in this game along with a lot of stunning the other players. To be completely honest I find this game a little irritating, but it is always fun regardless.

Hopefully this little four pack of games is on your list of games to get because it definitely should be!

Above $10, Cooperative Games

Lovers in a Dangerous Timespace

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Venturing into deep space with some friends is a journey like no other that requires team-work and patience. This weird game does just that.

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

This week’s game will be Lovers in a Dangerous Timespace!

Players: 1-4

Platform: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, PC

Price: $14.99

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image from http://www.loversinadangerousspacetime.com/

Lovers in a Dangerous Timespace is a 4 player adventure into space. This game is not a usually cooperative experience. Teamwork is required for this game to be fun and function well, so I hope the team you choose to bring with you is going to be up for the challenge. There are multiple spots inside the space ship that players have to control, and that is what makes this game so interesting. Someone has to steer, someone has to control the shield, and someone has to control the weapons. The more people you play with, the easier this game gets. Fight off hordes of enemies as they try to ram, shoot, or blow up your ship!

As the game progresses, there are upgrades to the ship that can be found around the map of each level. The levels are different and provide different obstacles each time. These obstacles range from speed traps to slowing bubbles and on.

The point of the game is to find all of the other little buddies hanging out around the levels and defeat the bosses of each level. Once you are done on each level , you need to find the big heart to go into to finish the level.

It’s an interesting game, but does a really good job of making the players work together. Lovers in a Dangerous Timespace is a unique adventure that any team should try out.

Above $10, Competitive Games

Towerfall

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Shooting arrows, dodging monsters, or even dodging your friends! More in store if you pick up Towerfall!

Welcome to the Weekly Co-Op!

Players: 1-4

Platform: PS4, PC, PS Vita, Xbox One, Ouya

Price: $14.99

image from towerfall-game.com

Welcome to the world of Towerfall, a strategic nightmare. This game is easily in my top 3 of favorite competitive multiplayer games. There is so much to do and so many ways to change up what starts as a simple game.

Before I continue, I should let you know that there is a cooperative mode for this game too, but that is only 2 players (unless you buy the DLC).

Towerfall is a game focused on shooting things with arrows. That is the basic concept of the game. The reason the game is so fun is because of how it accomplishes this goal. The game is a 2-D arena shooter. You pick the little pixel person you wish to destroy with, and then make your way into the game. The base game lets you shoot in any cardinal direction, pick up used arrows, dash away (or towards) arrows, and wall jump. There are so many tiny nuances to the game that can change these mechanics up. Want to regenerate arrows? Sure! How about wings that let you fly? Why not! There is so much customization within the variant options for the game. One of the main changes that the game allows you to make is to the arrow type. Instead of shooting a regular arrow, maybe you’re shooting an arrow that can blow up. Maybe your arrows can drill through walls. There are so many zany and wacky options to pick from.

On top of the base game being fun and enjoyable, there is DLC for the game priced at $9.99 that I would recommend if you plan on playing this with friends. The DLC adds more variants (like a double jump or longer dash) and some new maps and cooperative arenas.

This is a must-get for anyone who plays games with their friends often. 10/10 would recommend.