15 games for two on one keyboard - review

The most economical type of cooperative game allows you to get together a number of excellent projects.

Modern psychologists strongly recommend that problem families play cooperative games. Say, joint activity teaches to rely on each other, helps to find a common language and expands the possibilities of communication. In addition, the cooperative, it turns out, reduces aggression even when passing through very cruel games.

We will not debunk the progressive (for once) theories of psychologists, recalling games in the course of which it is no wonder for the rest of your life to quarrel with your best friend. This time our task is different: to help tackle cooperative games in the most economical conditions. Let’s say that at home there is only one computer or laptop and no consoles or gamepads – otherwise, here you are.

So what are we playing?

Rayman legends

For many years, a symbol and a mascot Ubisoft was Ramen – a strange creature without arms and legs, but at the same time extremely active and agile. A lot of games are dedicated to him, and almost everyone has the opportunity to play together. We have chosen exactly Rayman legends First of all, because it was handed out repeatedly for free, so it is very likely to be found in your library.

The game does not shock revolutionary gameplay mechanics – it is a classic platformer. Its main advantage is different: in the level design verified to the last pixel, frantic rhythm and incredibly smooth animation. And even though the picture is somewhat outdated, due to the colorful design and atmosphere, it still looks great.

The controls are simple: each player only needs a few buttons, so dividing the keyboard will be easy.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

Yes, this game is somewhat out of the given conditions, because it will require something other than a computer. On the other hand, the keyboard still needs only one: the second player can use a smartphone or even printed instructions on paper. After all, all that is required of him is to give clues to the “sapper”, who does not know where to start bomb disposal.

Essence Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes simple: the participant in front of the computer is locked in a room with a ticking bomb. The device is tricky, generated procedurally, and by the look of all these buttons, panels, displays and wires, you don’t understand where to press or cut, and what touch is dangerous to life. A friend (or friends) with instructions, on the contrary, can give useful advice, but the trouble is: they don’t see the bomb – they only have a manual in front of them.

In order for everything to end without tragedies, you must be able to establish effective negotiations in the allotted time: each side will have to quickly and clearly describe what is happening. Tip: you should not start the game at night if you have nervous neighbors.

Blur

Arcade race Blur came out ten years ago, but her age did not really affect the gameplay. Before us are real races without rules, during which opponents can be destroyed by a whole stock of deadly devices and tricks. At the same time, they give a ride on real licensed cars: Audi, Ford, BMW, Ferrari, Dodge and so on.

There are a number of modes for cooperative passage. At the same time, the keyboard layout for two players is not too obvious, and control settings are available only in single player mode. So it’s worthwhile to find a hint picture in advance.

Ragdoll runners

Remember games like QWOP and Getting over it? Ragdoll runners – their close relative. But simpler: you have to control only the legs of an athlete-athlete, and two buttons are enough for this.

Game physics, as expected, is insidious, and attempts to win sprinting, long jumps, triple jumps and hurdles often end in complete disaster. Of course, the main fun begins when a friend or couple of friends connects to the game.

12 orbits

To play with the keyboard together, many projects allow. But in the trials of a minimalist action movie 12 orbits … twelve people can participate at the same time. The thing is that each player needs only one button.

In 12 orbits, you need to control multi-colored balls, and depending on the mode, repaint the white spheres or collect them into a “tail”. Collision with an opponent is dangerous, but the longer the match lasts, the more difficult it is to avoid it.

The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame

We chose The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame as the latest licensed LEGO games, but we mean the entire line of colorful action movies. Almost every game in the series allows you to play it with a friend: LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Batman, LEGO Harry Potter, Lego the hobbit and many, many others.

Release is due in the fall LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. The cooperative mode in it has already been confirmed, including on one screen. Let’s hope that the adventure traditions will also observe the good traditions of a split keyboard.

Castle crashers

2D Arcade Adventure Castle crashers will soon be celebrating its twelfth anniversary, but age respectable by the standards of the industry is not a hindrance to him. There, players are given the role of knights, who must save the princesses and return the mystical royal stone. Four knights can go in search of princesses, but this will require additional gamepads, while two can perfectly fit behind one keyboard. In the cooperative, both the story campaign and additional modes are held.

Although at first only a few heroes are available, over time and under certain conditions, you can unlock three dozen characters. And you can arm them with either weapons or spells – there is enough of both in the game.

Nidhogg

In 2017, the studio Messhof released the second part of her pixel fighting game, so you can choose any of them: the general principles of the gameplay are identical. Essence Nidhogg and Nidhogg 2 in being eaten by a giant worm before an opponent.

To achieve the goal, it is not enough to defeat an opponent once in a battle: very soon he will be reborn and will again be in the way. So you have to show not only valor and possession of weapons, but also dexterity, strategic thinking and even cunning. By the way, you can not only beat with swords, but also throw yourself.

Guacamelee!

Search your library: it may well be the free version Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition. And, if you once picked it up from a Steam distribution and never ran it, consider that the time has come. This colorful and dynamic platformer becomes even more fun if you take a partner with you.

And if the adventures of the Mexican Luchadore Juan Avocado are to your liking, then you can continue them in Guacamelee! 2. The sequel has even more enemies, wrestling techniques and crazy adventures. But the second part supports the cooperative for four, which means that it is not so adjusted for a duet.

Child of light

Generally fabulous Child of light – Title for a single pass: the warlike princess copes with all the tests herself. But the second player can be trusted to control the firefly Igniculus. He almost does not need to do anything – just fly, collect treasures and help a little in battle. So, the role of a firefly can be completely entrusted to a child, parents or friends who are still “with you” with games.

The benefit in all cases is undeniable: the child will happily participate in a real fairytale adventure, and parents and friends will understand that playing is not as difficult as they thought. And next time they can already be called, for example, in Call of duty 4.

Ultimate Chicken Horse

And here Ultimate Chicken Horse on the contrary, from those games that you should not even try to play alone. In its full beauty, its advantages are revealed during a four-player game, but the double mode will also give a lot of fun and surprises of varying degrees of pleasantness.

The basis of the gameplay is that a motley company of horses, raccoons, hens and other animals must get from point A to point B, placing support on the way. But, since it is deadly boring, the participants were given a set of various deadly traps. As you might guess, the winner will be the one who manages to get from point A to point B without dying along the road.

Rock of ages

Rock of agesher sequel Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder and The Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break, which will be released in July, are somewhat knocked out of the general series of four-hand games. Two players participate in it, but they have to use control in turn.

First, the first builds the defense of his castle in accordance with all the rules of tower defense: sets up motionless barriers and mobile troops, disposes of guns and catapults, sets up traps and tricks. The task of the second player is simple: to break the gates of the king’s tower with cobble stones rolling from the top. This can be done only on condition that the stone picks up maximum speed, but if the shell is entrusted to its own fate, it will quickly fall into the enemy’s defenses. So the player has to direct the stone, choosing the optimal path, dodging attacks and jumping over obstacles.

Besides the fact that such a pinball variation is fun in itself, the game has a unique style using a number of historical myths and realities. And the analysis of the sources of inspiration of developers can result in a fascinating cultural debate.

Crypt of the necrodancer

The combination of an action movie with elements of a bagel and a musical rhythmic game at first glance may seem like a viable idea. However, this is not so: the studio Brace yourself games It turned out a wonderful, difficult and very unusual adventure.

Meaning Crypt of the necrodancer plain: you have to get to the end of the dungeon without falling into a million traps and defeating hundreds of enemies. What makes the game unique is that all this happens to the beat of the music, and at each level you also have to keep within the allotted number of beats. It is furiously difficult, but it is impossible to break away even alone. What can we say about the ability to beat the rhythm on the keyboard together!

Magicka

Magicka – One of those games because of which you run the risk of arguing with your best friend or destroying a perfect marriage. It’s all about friendly fire, which cannot be turned off: any skill strikes not only enemies, but friends who have turned up inappropriately. In addition, local magic is full of surprises: a hastily arranged spell can do more harm to the heroes than to their opponents.

All participants have eight magic elements, each of which is called by a separate key. And they are all compatible and compose, sometimes quite unexpectedly. Moreover, the final result is formed by the called elements of all players, so that you can screw up a difficult combination of a friend with one click.

But in general, a magical adventure came out, though not without flaws, but original. Even many years after the release, the game looks fresh.

Lovers in a dangerous spacetime

If we bring love, goodness and light to this world, then we must do it on a pink spaceship in the company of space shuttles. And even better – with friends, with the word Lovers in the title Lovers in a dangerous spacetime says that these friends should be close enough. In general, so floridly we allude to the fact that the game is ideally suited for couples – family and more. In these conditions, the game becomes not only incredibly cute, but also romantic.

Players will have to follow all the starship systems, from the engine and shields to weapons and turrets. And the chances of success depend primarily on whether it will be possible to establish successful teamwork.

Our list, of course, includes far from all games where there is the option of passing together on the same keyboard. We did not talk about projects that are already well known: Left 4 Dead 2, DiRT 3, Portal 2, Rocket league, Resident evil 6 or Worms armageddon and so everyone knows. Overboard also remained no less worthy Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed and Deathspank.

We note one more circumstance: most of these games are not only content with a single keyboard – they also run even on office computers. Their requirements are modest, and these titles deliver the joys of playing together no less than many AAA projects.

15 games for two on one keyboard – review