This list covers the best local multiplayer (not Xbox Live) games on the Xbox 360. Both competitive and co-op games are included.
Co-op, competitive – Gears of War is one of the best co-op experiences ever. The levels were really designed with co-op play in mind, so you can take different paths and flank your enemies and actually use real tactics, and the story mode really shines when you have a buddy playing with you. The deathmatch modes are also very fun, but splitscreen isn’t super-enjoyable in deathmatch because it can be hard to see.
Co-op, competitive – Another fantastically designed co-op experience. The levels are incredibly well designed, and that coupled with the fact you can customize your weapon loadout means you and your friend can take different paths as well as use different tactics to get the job done. Competitive modes are also available, and are well put together and fun.
Co-op, competitive – Very similar to Rainbow Six, but in a third-person view rather than first-person, GRAW is a finely tuned co-op experience. The adversarial modes are excellent as well.
Co-op – LEGO Star Wars II is a solid third-person shooter/hack n’ slash that is fairly simple to play, but undeniably satisfying. You get to relive all of the best moments from the original Star Wars Trilogy and control all of the great characters from the Star Wars Universe. Taking down the Empire with a friend at your side just makes the experience even better.
Co-op – Marvel Ultimate Alliance is an action-RPG that puts the powers of Marvel’s greatest super heroes in your hands. It is basically a beat-em-up, but is very satisfying and well put together all around. It is a great single-player game, but inviting some friends over for some co-op really makes the game shine.
Competitive, co-op – You don’t have to be a wrestling fan to enjoy wrestling videogames, and that is why Smackdown works so well as a multiplayer party game. Tons of match types, tons of characters with the ability to create your own custom characters, and the ability to fight it out or team up with your friends make it a blast to play.
Competitive – Sports games are always, always, always better when you can play against a friend, so it should be no surprise to see Madden 07 on this list. Human players will always give you the greatest enjoyment out of a sports game because the AI will either be too easy or too perfect and won’t really ever make human-like mistakes. Part of the thrill of real life sports is the unpredictability of it all, and playing with your friends delivers that feeling into the videogame world.
Competitive – Burnout Revenge is one of the best racing games ever, and tackling the incredible sense of speed and the thrills, chills, and spills of the crash-centric gameplay with a friend just makes it even better.
Competitive – Fight Night is a fantastic multiplayer game because it allows you to use a ton of different tactics and strategies in order to try and win. Like I said about Madden, the AI can’t ever really deliver a satisfying overall experience, but add a second human player to the mix and you have something special here.
Competitive - The only standard fighting game available on the Xbox 360, DOA4 doesn’t get in merely because it is the only game out there, but it is a very solid fighter as well. Easily the best in the DOA series, it looks great, plays very well, and is just a whole lot of fun.
