I just want to rant for a second.

I was sitting here thinking about how my lady and I haven’t had a game we could play together since Mercenary Kings. I was also thinking of how we put over 100 hours into that game together. What happened to local co-op? I know, I know, online gaming is the present and future. I get it. That doesn’t mean I can’t miss the past.

We need more of THIS.

I think of classics such as X-Men the Arcade Game or Streets of Rage and I shed a tear. Even newer games such as Scott Pilgrim vs The World were amazing local multiplayer experiences. Sometimes you just want to invite people over and play video games. It’s really simple. You could even be in my situation, living with someone who also plays video games. I feel like it’s a market that is severely under served these days, and that’s a shame.

There are some games out there that focus on local multiplayer action. I don’t know why, but for some reason they just don’t excite me. I just feel like we’re missing those local co-op brawlers that dominated my youth. Where is Final Fight? Streets of Rage? Shoot, even Castle Crashers was a fantastic addition to that legacy. Why not make a sequel? I know there are some games out there that fit this mold I’m not aware of. Don’t kill me for that. But why aren’t they given more light? Why not make a AAA game in this mold? Do they all have to have guns in them?

We have more than enough of THIS.

I have to credit Nintendo here. While I don’t agree with a lot of their decisions, they are absolutely doing their best to make great games that thrive on local multiplayer. I wish Sony and Microsoft would do a better job in this area, although at this point I can’t say it is in their best interest. They are gonna roll with what works, and right now online gaming is seen as a necessity and priority.

Anyway, I just had to get that off my chest. I really just wanna play games with my girl. That’s what sparked this post. But I do feel like certain types of games that were built around that mechanic aren’t being made anymore. And I really miss those games. They could go a long way towards breaking up the monotony and stagnation that I tend to feel at times regarding what’s on the horizon. But, I’m no one special. Anyway, sound off in the comments or on the Twitter. See ya.