The PS2 is one of the best-selling game consoles of all time, proving Sony’s humble gray box was more than just a fluke.
The console sold like hotcakes as it was the most affordable way for many families to get their hands on a DVD player. As it turns out, the games were a pretty fantastic bonus, too.
The PS2 library is legendary, with titles to satisfy even the fussiest gamers. However, the lineup is slightly more restrictive if you’re looking for great co-op experiences. With this in mind, here are some excellent PS2 games you’re able to play side by side with a friend.
10Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
TheMortal Kombatgames arelegendary in the fighting game genre. While their offerings outside 1V1 gameplay are a little hit-and-miss (I’m looking at you,Mythologies: Sub Zero),Shaolin Monksis one of the good ones.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monksis a3D adventure gameset in a reimagined timeline ofMortal Kombat 2. There are unlockable characters, but the story followsLiu Kang and Kung Laoas they journey into Outworld.
The two playable warriors aren’t a coincidence, as the entire campaign can be played co-op. Considering how terribleMythologies: Sub Zerowas,Shaolin Monksalmost feels like an apology, and it’ssurprisingly high qualityfrom start to finish.
While the fighting and movement are pretty different from that of a tournament fighter, combat is smooth and responsive, and it retains the gore and violence the series is known for.
9Metal Slug: Anthology
A Top-Tier Bundle Of Classics
Metal Slug: Anthology
TheMetal Sluggames capture everything great about arcade shooters. Thanks to their short run time, they are fast-paced,brutally challenging, and highly replayable.
TheMetal Slug Anthologyon the PS2 features a whoopingseven titles from SNK’s legendary series. Each offers furious side-scrolling action that doesn’t relent until the credits crawl.
Boss battles are creative and ridiculous in equal measure, and while the games are hard as nails,they are also accessibleas the controls are wonderfully simple.
We can argue semantics aboutMetal Slugon different platforms, but it’s fine on PS2, andeach game is made for co-op. If you’re playing with a friend but don’t have multiple hours or sessions to spend, this collection is a no-brainer.
8Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
They’re Digging In The Wrong Place
LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
The PS2 era was an exciting time, and we saw many fledgling franchises that we still love today. One of those is the Lego series, and itremains mostly unchanged.
Lego Indiana Jonesallows players to team up and fight, jump, and build through scenes from the original Lucas trilogy. It’s good, clean,low-stress fun, and you can play as everyone from Short Round to Indy himself.
Puzzles are pretty rudimentary, but that’s the point. The Lego games pride themselves on accessibility andthat’s no different on the PS2.
Honestly, any Lego game on the console could have made it onto the list, but we already have a Star Wars entry later on, and Indy just got a shiny new title to his name.
7Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
A Great Introduction To The Genre
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Allianceis alegendary ARPGwith a special place in my heart for all the wrong reasons.
Dark Allianceis anisometric dungeon crawlerthat can be enjoyed with a friend from start to finish. There’s an addictive gameplay loop where you’re always hunting for the next shiny new piece of gear or level-up.
Each character looks and feels completely different to play, and thethree Story Actstake you everywhere, from claustrophobic caves to open forests.
Dark Allianceis special to me because it’s the first game I played so excessively I got sick. What can I say? I was a weak gamer once upon a time.
Baldur’s Gate is unforgettable solo or with a friend, andthe sequelis so good it could teach ARPGs nowadays a thing or two.
6Time Crisis 2
If You Have The Hardware
Time Crisis 2
Arcades were still booming during the PS2 era, andTime Crisiswas one of the best cabinets at any venue, aswho doesn’t enjoy a rail shooter?
Best of all,you could bringTime Crisis 2homeon the PS2. If you bought the game, it came bundled with aGCon 2 Light Gun and a pedal.
You could play with a friend if you had two guns. Even a novice will finishTime Crisis 2pretty quickly, but there are a few areas with multiple routes, and you can swap characters to tackle scenes from a different perspective.
Time Crisiswent off the rails after 3, in my opinion, and 2 is fantastically replayable. TC2 is split-screen, but if that’s a problem,Vampire Nightis a decent alternative. It would get its own place on the list, but light guns are sadly a relic of the past and don’t even work on new TVs.
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5Champions of Norrath
Another Superb Console ARPG
Champions of Norrath
While I retain thatBaldurs Gate: Dark Allianceismy favorite ARPGon the system, several other games had a decent shot at that title.
Champions of Norrathis one of those, offering the same wonderfully addictive gameplay loop but on a grander scale.Champions of Norrathis another top-tier fantasy ARPG, but withprocedurally generatedworlds, no two runs are alike.
The scope is impressive, too, asup to four can play simultaneously, making Norrath a great excuse to dust off the multitap. There are alsofive playable classes, so the title just begs to be replayed.
If you’re after a deep ARPG you’re able to enjoy with a group over multiple sessions, you can’t go wrong withChampions of Norrathor its sequel.
4Star Wars: Battlefront 2
Iconic Battles On A Grand Scale
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (2005)
Regardless of how you feel about the franchise now, there were plenty of fantasticStar Warsgames on the PS2, including atremendous co-op offering.
Star Wars: Battlefront 2puts you intomassive battles across the galaxyagainst armies of AI adversaries. You can play as legendary warriors from Star Wars lore, but most of your time will be spent as a regular soldier, ashero slots are limited.
Star Wars: Battlefrontfrom 2015 will never shake its cursed PR blunders and its ‘sense of pride and accomplishment.’ That line riled up gamers so badly becauseBattlefront 2already existed on the PS2.It’s a complete packagewithout aggressive monetization.
3Timesplitters: Future Perfect
One Of The PS2’s Finest Shooters
TimeSplitters: Future Perfect
Timesplitters: Future Perfectrounds off atrifecta of incredible first-person shooterson the PS2. Every game in the series is worth playing, but 3 boasts the best co-op offering.
EachTimesplittersgame allows you to create multiplayer matches where you and a friend can battle the AI, butFuture Perfectalso lets you tackle the campaign together.
The story ofFuture Perfectis the most fleshed out of the bunch.It’s pretty nonsensical, but the time travel theme is a great excuse to give players weapons and locales from multiple eras.
Beyond that,Future Perfectis simplya brilliantly refined shooterand is easily the most polished of the lot. If you’ve never played before, give it a shot and join the rest of us mourning for aTimesplitters 4that we will likely never get.
2Dynasty Warriors 5
Become Feared On The Battlefield
Dynasty Warriors 5
You always know what you’re getting with aDynasty Warriorsgame, andtheir formula has remained mostly unchangedfor over a decade.
Dynasty Warriors 5is arguablythe most fleshed-out entryon the PS2, offering grand battles where you play as one of the generals.
If you ever wondered what it feels like to be a boss character, you can experience that inDynasty Warriors. You canswat down dozens of nameless soldiersin a single blow, and the only units likely to challenge you are other generals.
Don’t rest on your laurels, though, as those baby hits can really start to sting!Dynasty Warriorsgameplay issimple but addictive, and combining your efforts with a friend in a massive-scale war is a delight. Each general has a unique loadout, and there areseveral game modesto explore, including time trials.
1The Adventures of Cookie and Cream
You Won’t Believe Who Made This!
The Adventures of Cookie & Cream
Every game on this list has co-op elements, but few make it their entire identity.The Adventures of Cookie and Creamis anexceptional co-op gamethat is tailored for two players. Oh, did I mentionit’s made by FromSoftware?!
Before FromSoftware was punishing players withDark Souls, it was doing the same with cute bunnies instead.The Adventures of Cookie and Creamis atough top-down platformerwhere both players must navigate an obstacle course.
The catch is that manyhazards can only be traversed when you work as a team. There are simple puzzles, like one player standing on a switch to activate a bridge for a teammate. There are also more inspired situations, like a crocodile on a chain one player must pull, so their buddy won’t end up on the menu.
Thebold color schemecouldn’t be further from what FromSoftware is known for, but the formula is beautifully executed, and the game is no slouch in the difficulty department.
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