Video Game Awards 2018: Best Local Multiplayer

Though the rise of online multiplayer has left the good ol’ local variety in a dwindling state, there are still some games out there that showcase the sheer joy of playing with or against a friend on the same couch. Though their numbers may be fewer these days, local multiplayer titles can still provide some of the most fun experiences around. 2017 provided a handful of titles that were prime example as to why that is.

 

Winner: ARMS

As stated, the local multiplayer scene isn’t what it once was, but Nintendo are still kings in the category (sometimes to the detriment of their online games, but it’s nice to see someone still cares about the local stuff). ARMS should join the ranks of Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. and Splatoon as one of the great Nintendo multiplayer franchises.

Combining a 3D fighter with shooting elements, ARMS features fighters with extendable limbs (or hair, in the case of Twintelle) in wide battle arenas where they duke it out from a distance. Featuring a colorful cast of characters to boot, ARMS is another showcase of Nintendo’s indelible quirks in game and world designs.

Add in the fact that, like Smash Bros., ARMS is a fighter that supports more than two fighters at a time, features a number of different play styles and mini-games, and ARMS is the next great multiplayer Nintendo franchise.

 

Runner-up: Divinity: Original Sin 2

Runner-up: Cuphead