Co-operative gaming really came into its own this generation, and now as we transition to the next step, it looks like that original idea of two people existing in the same virtual space is transitioning with it in some very cool ways. Let's look at where we are now and where we're going later this year.
Co-Optional and Co-Petitive
These are terms being used today by two specific developers. The Behemoth calls their recently released "BattleBlock Theater" a co-optional game. The optional part isn't in choosing whether to play with a friend, though admittedly you can play the game by yourself, but rather it has everything to do with how you want to play with a friend. Taking the griefing aspects from "New Super Mario Bros." and making an enjoyable experience out of sending your buddy to certain doom - that's an underappreciated innovation right there. It's these kinds of ideas, looking at cooperative gaming through new lenses in terms of gameplay and atmosphere, that spells good things to come, which brings us to another current-gen title, "Fuse."
Insomniac's dabbled with co-operative play a couple times in the past - "Resistance 2" and "Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One" - but they've never built an entire game from the ground up with co-operation in mind. And they're bringing that obvious Insomniac twst to "Fuse." Everything you can do for your teammates falls under one of the four unique weapons attached to one of the four unique characters. Interplay between the shield-creating shotgun and black hole-inducing assault rifle adds layers to the gameplay. Yet Insomniac likes to call it co-petitive, as they've done in their Twtich gameplay streams, referring to the constant stream of score, xp and currency players receive for killings and killing creatively. People Can Ply's "Bulletstorm" made killing with style a thing, now Insomniac is transferring that idea into "Fuse" and making a competition out of it. That's a long way from "Gears of War 2's" original third-person shooting horde mode.
Shared-World DESTINY
Leave it to Bungie to make up an entirely new genre of co-operative play. The shared world isn't just co-operation between players, but between the planets and moons of our solar system, the ambitious setting for Bungie's "Halo" follow-up. It's a big thing to follow-up, "Halo," so "Destiny's" going to be huge, no doubt. Already confirmed for PS4 in addition to current gen consoles, Bungie is throwing the first-person shooting of "Halo," the gun-collection of "Borderlands" and the scale and inter-connectivity of "World of Warcraft" into a boiling witches brew to make something brand spanking new, and it's built around playing together in a world that never ends. It's ambitious on paper. Hopefully Bungie can deliver.
They Asymmetrical and "Pikmin" Play of the Wii U
Look, the Wii U is next-gen. It's Nintendo's next-gen to the Wii, both on a visual and gameplay standpoint. For all the graphical power of the PS4 and expected Microsoft console, the Wii U may be innovating the most in actual gameplay with that second-screen GamePad. Some point at it as a giant DS, and in some cases they're right, but not with "Nintendoland" and, hopefully, "Pikmin 3." "Nintendoland" proved the experiences we have together in the same room are not done changing and evolving, and with the addition of that second screen, both competitive and cooperative play can feel fresh again. The "Luigi's Mansion" mini-game was a revelation while the cooperative "Metroid," "Pikmin" and "Legend of Zelda" modes were great showcases for future ideas.
"Pikmin 3" may be the best local co-operative experience in ages. Uniquely, however, the GamePad won't necessarily make the difference. The Wii U's hardware can handle up to four characters running around those detailed, lush environments at a time, which means co-operating with another person is more essential than ever. It remains to be seen how the co-op from "Pikmin 2" is changing for "Pikmin 3," but chances are it's getting better.
