# Best NES 2-Player Games? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 20, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101 "2004-02-20T00:01:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f04885/32.png) [@dil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dil)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/21 "2004-02-20T20:39:32Z")
Double Dribble, all the way! Oh yes and Ice Hockey rocked too. ---
**Author:** ![Poetgrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@Poetgrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poetgrrl)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/22 "2004-02-20T21:40:01Z")
Jackal was a fun 2 player game. My friend and I liked to split up the prisoners between us. Of course sometimes one of us would be a jerk and hog them all, then the other person would nab as many as they could when they died. It was funny how POW’s in games just stood there and waved. Oh no, heaven forbid they actually attempt to approach me…no they’re just going to stand out there like an idiot waving their arms around. They got legs, they can move! ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/23 "2004-02-20T21:46:01Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Contra, we used to play that through for hours at a time (with the cheat code). Wow. That took me _way_ back. That game was so fun. When we discovered the cheat code that got you 99 lives we were in hog heaven. How hard is it to get a Nintendo and this game these days? ---
**Author:** ![Ill\_Logik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Ill\_Logik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ill_Logik)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/24 "2004-02-20T22:05:11Z")
> [@JuanitaTech](#): > > Wow. That took me _way_ back. That game was so fun. When we discovered the cheat code that got you 99 lives we were in hog heaven. > > How hard is it to get a Nintendo and this game these days? There are lots of NES emulators for your computer. I use one called Jnes and it seems to work pretty good. Combine that with a cheapo game controller from Wal-Mart and you have yourself a nintendo that never breaks and all the games you could ever think of. ---
**Author:** ![emekthian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecae2f/32.png) [@emekthian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emekthian)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/25 "2004-02-21T02:51:17Z")
I prefer FCE Ultra, mainly because it has a button to speed up the game. However, it can be hard to find ROMs for certian games. > [@](#): > > Combine that with a cheapo game controller from Wal-Mart and you have yourself a nintendo that never breaks and all the games you could ever think of. Say, is there a way to hook up an actual NES controller to a computer? ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/26 "2004-02-21T03:01:27Z")
There are commercially available adaptors for PS2 controllers. I seem to remember a site somewhere giving instructions for performing a nes-to-PC conversion. Can’t remember where, though, and it likely involves solder. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/27 "2004-02-21T03:09:36Z")
Super Spike VBall/World Cup Soccer. Two games in one. Hilarity. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/28 "2004-02-21T07:59:07Z")
> [@dutchboy208](#): > > It doesn’t. Tetris was single-player only on the NES. My mistake. I was thinking of later games on other platforms that allowed multiple players. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/29 "2004-02-21T15:50:54Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > King of the Beach… Hell Yeah! That game rocked. My college roomate and I played it all the time. I like games where you can team up, and we kicked butt on this one. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/30 "2004-02-21T16:59:32Z")
[http://www.dreamcliff.com/personal/daniel/jump/index.html](http://www.dreamcliff.com/personal/daniel/jump/index.html) This site has something that will allow you to connect up to five NES or SNES controllers to your PC’s parallel port. DIY instructions, kits, or the full thing available. Now that you’re using an emulator, this opens you up to something that’s very difficult to play on a real NES: translations. [The Whirlpool](http://donut.parodius.com) is a good place to find translation patches for NES games, as well as other consoles. Note: This site only handles patches, not the ROM images themselves. You’re on your own, there. You’ll need a tool (such as SNESTool or IPS, easily found at almost any emulation site) to apply the patches. Technos Ice Hockey kicks all other hockey games in the teeth as far as I’m concerned. Lots of other unreleased Tecnhos games were translated, and they all rock. This is bringing back memories… beating Final Fantasy for the first time, when I was 16, on a 386. Talk about _sloooooooooooooowww_… ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/31 "2004-02-21T17:24:08Z")
My first thoughts were: Blades of Steel Dr. Mario Jackal Contra Tecmo Bowl As these have all been mentioned, I’ll submit some two player non-simultanous play games. Arkanoid City Connection (stupid but MASSIVELY addictive) Super Mario 3 Freedom Force (with the light gun) Golf PinBot (my dad got into Nintendo Power! for his high score) Skate or Die (had both modes, simultaneous and not) Also, Anticipation and Jeopardy in the board game arena. I have and still play all of these games. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/32 "2004-02-22T07:19:57Z")
SNK made a really funny game called something like Ikakuru Warriors or something like that. It was an overhead shooter. Easy, but fun. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/33 "2004-02-22T07:34:54Z")
That would be Ikari Warriors. You actually liked that? Of course, I have a cousin who likes _Baby Boomer_. That game is pure shite in a powder blue cartridge. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/34 "2004-02-22T08:17:23Z")
I was pretty young when I first played it, but yeah, I thought it was a pretty good game, and I think several other people loved it as well. I’ve seen it mentioned in various magazines and game forums as a classic. What did you dislike about it? ---
**Author:** ![beeftrax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@beeftrax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beeftrax)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/35 "2004-02-22T15:42:28Z")
Jeopardy! For a system with no keyboard, it’s a decent implementation. Yesterday I beat a friend 22400 to -1000, so I may be biased. ---
**Author:** ![Garnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de0a6/32.png) [@Garnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garnet)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/36 "2004-02-22T20:45:40Z")
Yeah, Contra’s a good one… that’s one where I end up talking and coordinating extensively with the second player, which adds to the fun. Also TMNT 2: The Arcade Game. Lots of fun unless the other guy dies and you’re stuck with a double helping of enemies… Here’s one nobody metioned: “Quattro Sports”. The soccer game is great! And the BMX game is incredibly frustrating. Other good ones: Dr. Mario Mario 3 Ice Hockey Life Force Duck Hunt where one guy shoots and the other controls the duck 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spudo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@Spudo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spudo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/37 "2004-02-22T21:04:51Z")
North & South, Contra and Battle Toads! Also the Double Dragon game are cool with two people. ---
**Author:** ![rinni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f6c823/32.png) [@rinni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rinni)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/38 "2004-02-23T05:02:07Z")
I was going to mention Tengen Tetris too! Tengen Tetris has a cooperative mode, where you play together on the same screen (ie it’s not split into two separate screens, you have to place your pieces together). It’s so hilarious to play this when you’ve been drinking just a little. 🙂 “GET YOUR PIECE OUT OF THE WAY OF MY PIECE!!! AHH! NOOOOOOO!” Ice Climber! The play control sucks in this game, but playing it with someone else is a treat. Even though it’s not simultaneous, I have to say Super Mario Bros. 3. Especially strip SMB3 where you remove an article of clothing if you die. … Not that I’ve done that. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/39 "2004-02-23T05:39:26Z")
> [@rinni](#): > > Even though it’s not simultaneous, I have to say Super Mario Bros. 3. Especially strip SMB3 where you remove an article of clothing if you die. > > … Not that I’ve done that. If I met a woman who would do that with me, I’d propose with twenty-four hours. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101/40 "2004-02-23T06:47:21Z")
Base wars – for those of us who thought regular baseball was boring. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-nes-2-player-games/230101.md?page=1)