A savvy gamers guide to multiplayer games

Tech Super Saver

Schooling pals over the internet has made isolation easier but, with the end in sight, we can finally start planning for being sat next to our mates for real. Here are my top three multiplayer recommendations for when you can have people round again.

A Way Out 

A Way Out is a unique co-op game where two players have to break out of jail by beating challenges and solving puzzles as a team. In a way, it’s quite a nice metaphor for your own escape from loneliness prison into the great outdoors of friendship and socialising.

Intense pressure will soon get you over any stilted conversation – I guarantee the words will flow freely (and loudly) when your partner sets off an alarm or drops an important key. A Way Out is currently free on Game Pass so, if you took my advice a few months back, you can play this at no extra cost to your monthly subscription.

*Also available on other major consoles

Nippon Marathon 

If you were ever a fan of Takeshi’s Castle, you need Nippon Marathon in your games collection. Mad obstacles are upstaged by even madder physics as up to four players compete to be the best at… well I’m not really sure, but it’s insanely fun.

I played this game at hour 22 of a 24-hour charity gaming marathon and almost passed out from laughing. Available for just £9.99 in the Playstation Store, it’s outrageous value for money and never gets old.

*Also available on other major consoles

Super Mario Party

When it comes to party games, you just can’t go wrong with Nintendo and Super Mario. The little Italian plumber is the O.G. for simple, addictive fun. Super Mario Party has 80 mini-games to choose from and works well with two, three, or four players.

The best thing about Super Mario Party is that every mini-game is both easy to pick up and difficult to truly master so the replay value is excellent. I don’t think I cared this much about winning tricycle races even when I was a kid. Nintendo makes that gold medal feel like everything.

No matter what devices you own, there’s bags of fun to be had with good old-fashioned split-screen competition. Here’s to the end of lockdown and the return of big nights IN.