Looking for a great retro-inspired coop experience.

[Lord_Jenkins]

Hellooo!

I tried to search for a similar topic - but didn't find anything as specific - so decided to create a new one!

So, recently I am very fond of coop gaming - be it coach or online multiplayer but... there's not a lot of great things out there. I can't run some hardcore recent titles, my PC is too slow for that (it's not terrible, but it's not some kind of beast) - so anything like Dying Light is out of the list. And I prefer the indie/retro vibe for my coop games anyway. I've played a lot of Terraria and Starbound - which are not coop-centric, but great games. I also tried some Risk of Rain (again, great game with amazing soundtrack), Towerfall, Broforce - again, great games, but they don't feel so coop-centric as well. It feels like coop is just optional.

Again - I am not necessarily looking for pure retro stuff. I would prefer something that is new, with responsive, fresh mechanics and interfaces - but heavily inspired by older titles.

I'll give you an example: I tried running Chaos Engine (Steam version) - 'cause I remember it from Amiga and I loved it then - but it's not that great anymore, even though it's a remastered version. But I stumbled upon a game called Tower 57 - when it was available as a demo during E3, I downloaded the demo from Humble Bundle then. It's a great twin-stick retro-inspired shooter with coach coop - but the demo only offers one level (sewers/canals) and I would love to try out more. It has this nice Amiga/Chaos Engine feel - but is more modern controls and interface-wise. I've played it with my friend asl well and we loved the retro coach coop feeling. But still - I know there is some kind of beta out there - 'cause I've seen some folks playing it on YouTube. I was wondering if maybe some of you had a chance to test it out, too - and if yes, HOW did you get the beta access? Or maybe you've played the HB demo like me and have some opinions about it?

Have a good one!

[strangenova]

Shovel Knight has a two player mode. That's as good as retro inspired modern games get.

[noiseredux]

Hammerwatch comes to mind. Sort of a sprite-based Diablo for up to 4p.

Also, is "coach co-op" when you play a game w/ Craig T. Nelson?

[SamuraiMegas]

Castlecrashers, battleblock theater

[Tanooki]

Might be a stretch but the game core mechanics are very much a play back to the later 80s/earlier 90s -- Dragon's Crown on PS3/Vita. You have a River City Ransom kind of brawler with branching areas to attempt and gear to find/purchase with found booty, and you can play alone or with friends to kick the crap out of the area/bosses.

[noiseredux]

Might be a stretch but the game core mechanics are very much a play back to the later 80s/earlier 90s -- Dragon's Crown on PS3/Vita. You have a River City Ransom kind of brawler with branching areas to attempt and gear to find/purchase with found booty, and you can play alone or with friends to kick the crap out of the area/bosses.

on that note, there's also River City Underground on Steam.

[Tanooki]

True enough and they also added it to GoG around a month ago too, debuted it with a nice 1/2 off sale too and I snapped it up.

[Lord_Jenkins]

Woah! That's a list of cool recommendations, thanks!

I had no idea that Shovel Knight has 2 player mode! I need to check that out.

Hammerwatch - I've finished it already, as well as the DLC, great game!

Castlecrashers, battleblock theater - so, you're gonna hate me for that but... Ok, I respect Behemoth games for mechanics, they're great. But I really don't like the art style, at all...

Dragon's Crown - once you see this game - you have to remember it. If you know what I mean. :> But never played it, actually.

River City Underground - I'm not THAT much intro brawlers.

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In summary - I would say that I prefer something closer to Hammerwatch / Tower 57 / Chaos Engine. Renegade Ops was also cool but very short. So more like twin-stick shooters, or perhaps platformers, not really brawlers. I know, I'm picky.

[RedBaron]

Shovel Knight has a two player mode. That's as good as retro inspired modern games get.

Can't agree more to this.

Tower 57 look neat, I second that.
I know this isn't retro, but Helldivers was super fun with friends.

[pook99]

If you liked castle crashers try viking squad, if you like beat em ups in general you can also try mother russia bleeds. Dead pixels is a fun side scrolling zombie shooter for 2 players. Devils dare is a roguelike 2 player beat em up that is kind of fun, streets of fury is a great beat em up that uses terrible digitized sprites like the original mortal kombat. Of course you could always do double dragon 4 and double dragon neon. 4 looks like it could be a straight sequel to the nes games where neon is a more updated version of that kind of game.

If you want games inspired by contra check out super cyborg, great and super challenging game, could have easily been made by konami. Guns, gore and cannolis is a contra inspired game where you play as some mafia dudes fighting zombies, it sounds stupid but it is a lot of fun to play.

Gauntlet is a great game, if you liked the original the updated version is a lot of fun as well.

Guacamelee gold is a 2 player metroidvania, that uses wrestling moves instead of guns. one of the best indies out there IMO, and probably even better with 2 players.

If you want some hardcore coop with lots of death check out bloody trapland, one of my favorite hard games and has up to 4 player coop. Cloudberry kingdom is similar, I have not played it but I heard it was good. And of course, Spelunky is a given in this category.

Those are just some suggestions off the top of my head, if there is a particular genre your looking for let me know.