Couch VS Couch #3

Welcome to Couch versus Couch, an ongoing series where we aim to highlight the best multiplayer escapades to share with your friends. I've spent years deep in the indie game jungle, excavated forgotten retro gems and scanned the horizon for AAA behemoths. The time has come back to report back.

Volume 3 is here, and this time we cover the worlds biggest crossover, gravity defying trucks and the fastest paced squash game in history. Happy gaming everyone.

NIDHOGG 2

THE HIGHLIGHT: Try to get to the other side of the screen, it should be simple. In your way is another player. If you die, the roles switch and you have to stop the other player making any progress. You'll be using swords, knives and bows to try and make your way to the end. It feels like a manic game of rock, paper, scissors as you try to guess what your opponent is going to do. The game is really fun and addictive at its core, and has quite a bit of charm in its presentation. If this were a Mario game you'd reach the end of the level and raise a flag. In Nidhogg when you reach the end you get eaten by a giant worm. The presentation will make you smile, especially when you manage to throw a knife halfway across the screen, and see your friends character melt in a pool of plasticine blood.

GENRE: [ PLATFORMER ][ FIGHTING ]

PLATFORMS: [ PLAYSTATION ][ XBOX ][ SWITCH ][ PC ]

PLAYERS: 2

NINTENDO WIFE SAYS: "I like that game, frustrating, but I like it. Who knows why they call it Nidhogg"

EXCITE TRUCK

THE HIGHLIGHT: This is a crazy good off-road racing game. The star of the show is the camera, the way it pans out over insane jumps, makes every race feel really dramatic. The motion controlled steering, feels a bit loose. This sounds like a negative, but because its an off-road game and the courses are pretty wide, its actually really enjoyable. There are icons across each of the tracks which open up shortcuts, the most entertaining ones being those that morph the environment. So a Hill or valley will appear out of nowhere, and allow you to leapfrog opponents. If you manage to land with all four wheels on the ground you'll also get a speed boost. Its definitely a highlight in the Wii's library, its a shame the sequel Excitebots, was never released in Europe.

GENRE: [ RACING ]

PLATFORM: [ Wii ]

PLAYERS: 2

NINTENDO WIFE SAYS: "Vaguely remember it, but not really. It takes a while to get used to how it plays"

SUPER SMASH BROS ULTIMATE

THE HIGHLIGHT: It's the biggest fighting game in video game history, and I honestly don't think there will ever be one bigger. At a basic level its very easy to pick up and play, but it has a lot of depth. Its the video game equivalent of an Avengers or Justice League film, where everyone comes together for a scrap. Its just on such a massive scale. Even if you're not a fighting game fan, buying this game, is like purchasing a gaming museum. The level of care put into each character is really impressive.

GENRE: [ FIGHTING ]

PLATFORM: [ SWITCH ]

PLAYERS: 8

NINTENDO WIFE SAYS: "Oh yeah love it, Kirby's my favourite. I quite like to play as Zero Suit Samus and Yoshi. I also like to play as Pikachu, basically creatures and ladies"

LETHAL LEAGUE BLAZE

THE HIGHLIGHT: Its a bit like squash mixed with dodgeball, only every time you successfully return the ball, the speed increases. Its got a great cartoony style, and characters that all feel quite different. The best bit is guessing which direction your opponents going to move, and pelting them with a ball at a million kilometres an hour. The presentation is great, the music really gets you amped and the levels animate differently as the ball speed gets hectic.

GENRE: [ SPORTS ]

PLATFORM: [ PLAYSTATION ][ XBOX ][ SWITCH ][ PC ]

PLAYERS: 1 -4

NINTENDO WIFE SAYS: "One vs One is fun, four player can be boring if you go out first. As it can take a while for a round to end"

PUZZLE BOBBLE 2

THE HIGHLIGHT: Two dragons, Bub and Bob to their friends, catapult bubbles into the sky. Why? Because videogames. It doesn't need to be anymore complicated than that. Connect with bubbles of the same colour, and watch them disappear. Its kind of unique, as puzzle games don't tend to have an accuracy element. It feels like a game of pool or snooker where you're trying to line up the perfect shot. The key to winning is being able to drop as much rubbish off the screen as possible. The bubbles that drop down, are sent to the other player. Just imagine Ronnie O'Sullivan lining up the perfect shot. His opponent powders his cue, approaches the table, and proceeds to drop a sack of reds on top of the cue ball. Its very tense, you'll get situations where you're waiting for a blue bubble, but all the game wants to give you is a red. The bottom of the screen fast approaches, and the game can change completely thanks to a bad or great shot.

GENRE: [ PUZZLE ]

PLATFORM: [ PLAYSTATION ][ XBOX ][ SWITCH ]

PLAYERS: 2

NINTENDO WIFE SAYS: "Oh yeah, I like any game like that. Its one of those games where you end up settling in for the night."