The Greatest Co-op Games Of All Time.

With the likes of Army of Two, Kane and Lynch and Haze ushering in a new era of co-operative gaming, we thought it was time to put our favourite games to play with a friend under The Shed's microscope. An exceptional co-operative mode featured as a carefully considered (ie: not an afterthought) option in any game can more than double its longevity and simultaneously boost its fun factor. While the option to play co-op online is a welcome one, it just can't compensate for the kind of experience that you can share with a trusted friend (or enemy) in the same room, barking orders at one another, maybe even exchanging punches. A headset and webcam just isn't the same. As co-op modes are becoming de rigueur in the majority of next-gen games (as they frickin' well should be) we do what we always do. Look to the past...

Streets Of Rage series: The pinnacle of co-op gaming, the Streets Of Rage games have always held an irresistible pull upon us. Streets Of Rage II particularly remains the finest co-op game we've ever played. Not exceptionally difficult, defiantly linear, but nigh on perfect for wading through generic urban punks with a range of satisfying-if limited-moves at your disposal. The first Streets Of Rage actually featured special acrobatic co-operative moves that unfortunately didn't make it to the sequel despite their usefulness. Coupled with the hilarious ability to hurl enemies down holes (Stage 4) or off a building (Stage 7), Streets Of Rage is a game more than worthy of its great co-op credentials. Inferior sprites, graphics and sound meant Streets Of Rage looks fairly basic next to its successors, but still stands up as a fun, knockabout skull basher, especially in co-op.
If Streets Of Rage II stands out as the best of the Streets Of Rage trilogy, then Streets Of Rage 3 is undoubtedly the series' low point. Plagued by criticism due to previous games in the series being too easy, Sega took Streets Of Rage and ramped up the difficulty level too much, breaking it in the process. As Streets Of Rage II veterans, we waited for SOR 3 with baited breath only to find that we were only able to finish the game on easy mode-thus seeing only a small portion of what the game had to offer-and we only succeeded in making it as far as the penultimate level on normal difficulty.
SOR 3's branching storyline was a great idea and Sega attempted to incorporate a more complicated (if convoluted) plot to the game-about robots and other guff. Losing great characters like Adam and Max didn't help matters, with newcomer Zan proving to be a bit of a joke. An old man with a weird cybernetically augmented frame, Zan looked completely abnormal amongst the classic mainstay characters. Still, despite all of its flaws Streets Of Rage 3 managed to do the co-op thing fantastically well. Testament to the innate simplicity of beating on undesirable thugs, SOR 3 didn't manage to undo the joy of cleaning up the streets with a friend.

Of all the games we've ever played, we personally feel that Streets Of Rage deserves a current-gen update more than any other classic title, no other scrolling beat 'em up-not even Capcom's Final Fight-has managed to stand the test of time as well as Streets Of Rage. It’s indispensable co-operative gaming, long overdue a redux.

Golden Axe: A barbarian, an Amazonian and a dwarf, each with a different elemental spell, fighting style and weapon. Put two of them together and you have co-operative bliss. Another classic Sega title, this time it's a fantasy slash 'em up where you must find and destroy the nefarious Death Adder and recover the legendary golden axe. OK, so the plot’s poo and it isn't the best game ever made but it still dwells in the mind as an accomplished co-op romp-even if you are pitted against some of the campest fantasy villains ever committed to a plastic cartridge. Unintentionally hilarious, Golden Axe is not only compulsively playable in co-op mode; it is also a master class in cheesy, clichéd fantasy. Taking its cue from Streets Of Rage, it's possible to kick or lure your enemies into bottomless pits, which proves to be an eternal source of mirth. Being able to ride dragons (something which always initiates squabbling over who gets to take the scaly beast) as well as weird pink, beaky creatures adds to the overall experience.
Special mention must be made of Altered Beast, another slice of classic Sega co-op action conceived in a similar mould to Golden Axe. There's a lot to be said for the sheer comedy value of sprinting ahead of your mate and nabbing any power-ups, leaving your friend skinny and weak whilst you storm ahead as a formidable beast. Genius. The same satisfaction can be derived from stealing every spell potion that hits the ground in Golden Axe and unleashing the power of the elements while your sidekick can only watch. Ha! Alongside Sega's Altered Beast and Alien Storm (Golden Axe with aliens) Golden Axe is yet another essential co-op from the house that Sonic built. And you get to kick the crap out of crummy little pixie thieves. What's not to like? There's a next-gen remake in the works too, which should be good...maybe.

Mercs: Sublime but ridiculous scrolling shooter played from an isometric view (Killzone: Liberation owes a debt); Mercs is an undiluted, overblown, balls-out, rapid-fire shooter. To this day we still don't know what this game is about, we always impatiently skipped the macho-bullshit exposition scenes and got on with the business of blowing away non-specific goons. With a selection of typically over-the-top weapons, Mercs is a shining example of Reagan-era politics, playing like an interactive version of Rambo III or Commando, which is no bad thing. It's just that in the current political climate, Mercs hasn't aged well, looking positively bone-headed and just plain dumb. Reducing native shanty towns to charred kindling is just one of the overtly silly things that shows Mercs’ age yet being able to eviscerate enemies with whip-like spins of the flamethrower manages to compensate, even if it is a little graphic, in a primitive 16bit kinda way. That doesn't mean that it isn't a blast to play, because it definitely is. However, it's best played with infinite lives and infinite ammo switched on as this allows you to enjoy Mercs at its most unadulterated. Marching into battle gung-ho, without a care for the consequences, boldly standing in the firing line, eyes glazing over as you unleash a barrage of bullets into a bizarre tank-cum-giant-impossibly-huge-gun-turret -thing, as it flashes in an epileptic-fit inducing lightshow as your hail of fire wears down the gigantic, screen-filling boss. Repeat until said boss explodes in a fittingly huge explosion, stand back and admire your handiwork. Mercs is as brilliant as this sounds, it's a game so relentlessly stupid but so indescribably brilliant that it has to be played to be believed. OK, so maybe we're veering dangerously into hyperbole here, but Mercs is undoubtedly great fun with a friend. Pick up a copy of Capcom Classics Collection: Vol. 1 and try it yourself if you don't believe us.

Gears Of War: The best game on Xbox 360 is also the best co-op game on 360. It's like the 21st century Mercs, Marcus Fenix, Dom Santiago and his lantern-jawed compadres providing dangerous levels of testosterone and wanton destruction. Trampling the Locust through the fantastic campaign mode is an unparalleled joy with a buddy. Crossing the river when assaulted by the Krill is so much more nerve-shreddingly dramatic with a human-controlled colleague at your side. Knowing that you've a non-AI mate covering your back and that should you die you can be resuscitated makes life a little easier, but no less challenging and most importantly of all, co-op Gears is enormous fun. Not only that, but having a wingman at your side creates further scope for a more strategic approach. When routes split, one of you can go one way, while the other takes the alternative approach. Or conversely, why not stick together? Why not position one player at a high vantage point to pick off Locust on the ground sending your chum into the fray to meticulously plan a Hammer Of Dawn assault. Strategy worthy of any General worth his salt we think you'll agree and all part and parcel of the only decent co-op game we've played in recent memory. Except maybe Halo 2... Thrashing the Warthog around is so much funnier when you have a second Master Chief along for the ride.

Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck in The World Of Illusion: We love to throw in an anomalous choice into our lists and here's one. The antithesis of all the violent, machismo games listed above, World Of Illusion is pure gaming candyfloss, fantastical Disney platform fun at its very best. What made World Of Illusion more than just your average lazy, day-glo Disney game was the implementation of platforming obstacles designed specifically for co-operative play meaning that playing with a friend was always infinitely more involving and rewarding than playing alone. Whilst the co-op stuff was largely simplistic (it was a kid's game after all), it's arguably been an influence on the forthcoming Army Of Two, a game built from the ground up purely for co-op play, featuring similarly buddy-specific tasks like pulling one another over scaleable walls or giving your mate a boost. However, seesaw operated rail platforms are yet to be confirmed for Army Of Two.

Bubbling under…Two Crude Dudes, Probotector, Metal Slug, Gunstar Heroes...all classic, all great.