Kidzworld's Official Blog

Co-op games seem to be all the rage these days and I’m not complaining. There is nothing more I like than to be able to pick up a title and enjoy it with someone close to me. Great experiences are made better just by having someone else there to appreciate it with you. It also gives rise to inside jokes and a lot of those “you had to be there” moments that forge strong bonds between people.

Cheesiness aside, there seems to be a teamwork theme this week as I review three games: Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, Scooby Doo First Frights, and Spyborgs. Mario and Luigi’s Superstar RPG series has always been a favourite of mine. As video games’ version of the dynamic duo, the brothers can perform special attacks together and also jump to aid the other if one goes down. Scooby Doo and Spyborgs both focus on actual co-op, as two characters are always used, even when you are playing by yourself. If you’re all by your lonesome, you get a computer partner and can switch between the characters whenever you want. Since the computer partner is always there, friends can drop in and out of the game whenever they please, which is convenient.

While Scooby Doo followed the LEGO Star Wars formula closely, which I adore, Spyborgs is inhibitingly hard. Even at the easiest setting, the game becomes nigh on unmanageable and, despite rocking out exemplary graphics and combo system, the level of frustration makes it hard for me to recommend the game to anyone.

Co-op games are fun, even simple co-op modes like that of Super Mario Galaxy is nice to have so that you can enjoy gaming with friends and family. I am eagerly awaiting Pokemon Rumble, which I got to try at PAX, to come out as its co-op is very promising and I have been looking for something fun and non-competitive (and a bit cutesy) to enjoy with my fiance.