There are few things that can make gamers nostalgic like a split-screen multiplayer game. Playing co-op or competitive modes with friends while combating the urge to spy on their section of the TV was the original way to enjoy games as a group before online play truly took off in the 2000s.
There are countless multiplayer games from the 90s, but surprisingly few of them had split-screen specifically. However, some of the most popular games on the planet were made great thanks to this screen-sharing approach to multiplayer, and each of them is a huge throwback for anyone who grew up in a certain era.
Updated on November 7, 2022 by Quinton O'Connor: Nostalgia is a heck of a thing. The years pass us by, and the further separated we are from the memories of our past, the more we reminisce over the important things in life. Like 1990s split-screen multiplayer classics, for example. In all seriousness, there's an unflinching demand for old-school TV screen-sharing action among millions of longtime gamers, so we've added several more 90s gems to the pile.
15 Quake 2
Many players checked out Quake 2 on their PCs, but those without classic gaming PCs had a different relationship with the fast-paced shooter via the Nintendo 64 and original Playstation. These versions lacked online play, but thankfully had a split-screen mode to fill the multiplayer void.
This game is incredibly fast, and while it always feels a bit like it's struggling to suit controllers rather than keyboards, it’s a unique experience that’s just as fun to play with friends. Quake's speed has been one of the series' main draws for decades, and its second installment was foundational.
14 Banjo Tooie
While perhaps not as deep as GoldenEye or Quake 2, Banjo Tooie deserves a special mention for its multiplayer mini-games, one of which is a parody of shooters like GoldenEye where you carry a Kazooie-style bird as a gun instead of a traditional rifle.
It’s short and quite silly, but testament to that charmingly goofy humor that came to define the Banjo-Kazooie duology. The core "collectathon" adventure within is probably Banjo-Tooie's stronger aspect, but that doesn’t mean the split-screen mini-games deserve to be skipped over.
13 Hired Guns
Correct us if we're wrong, but we're guessing Hired Guns is the least well-known title to grace this list. A 1993 shooter exclusive to Amiga and PC starring a bunch of mercenaries, Hired Guns has an unmistakably grungy science-fiction theme. Its visuals, perhaps, do not hold up well today, but the art style remains noteworthy.
The game's split-screen is made even cooler by the fact that all four players can access their maps and choose between levels in a modified 'Dungeon Master' system. For those who played Hired Guns in its heyday, memories may come flooding back of how surreal it felt to hook up four keyboards to a single computer and challenge your friends — all while staring at an undoubtedly small monitor screen.
12 Donkey Kong 64
So, here's the thing. Donkey Kong 64 has a multiplayer mode. It's not what most folks tend to think about when they look back on Rare's 1999 hit. We typically mull over Donkey Kong 64's lengthy campaign, its plethora of collectibles, and — frankly — a fairly frustrating control scheme.
But as it happens, DK's big 3D debut has room to spare, with a two-to-four-player deathmatch option that's as wild as it sounds. There are six split-screen styles in all, including a 'King of the Hill' style bit of mayhem that must be seen to be believed.
11 Snowboard Kids
There are tons of shooters with multiplayer deathmatch modes in the 90s, but the other constant theme of split-screen games was undoubtedly the countless racing games that came to the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation. We’ll be going through a lot of games in this genre, but a quick one to get out of the way is the simple winter racer Snowboard Kids.
Snowboard Kids was hardly an extreme sports game, and later releases like SSX Tricky would absolutely blow this game out of the water. But ask anyone who either owned Snowboard Kids or routinely visited a friend who did, and we'll tell you, there's a distinct charm to the game that hasn't been replicated.
10 Sonic the Hedgehog 2
One would be forgiven for dismissing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in any conversation about multiplayer, let alone split-screen multiplayer. That's right, we're not even talking about the chance to play as Tails. Sonic 2 had a racing mini-game that pitted two players head-to-head across three stages custom-tweaked for a more competitive slant.
While it was hardly revolutionary, and likely considered an afterthought for many of the millions of players who have picked this game up over the years, Sonic the Hedgehog 2's race mode is one of those hidden gems gamers discover on lazy Sunday afternoons, finally realizing it's more fun than it sounds.
9 Doom
We're including this on a technicality, we know, but Doom is one of the most important games in the history of the medium, came out in the 1990s, and had millions of players screaming from rooftops for a split-screen multiplayer mode almost from the jump. It finally got one via much more modern re-releases, fulfilling a dream that was decades in the making.
And you know what? It's pretty darn good. It's deathmatch Doom, this time with your pals, from the comfort of a couch. It's precisely what fans craved. There's even a co-op split-screen option, which can be rather helpful for newcomers who are hammered by id Software's famous (infamous?) difficulty.
8 F-Zero X
Beyond Snowboard Kids there are tons of other serious racers in all sorts of subgenres and settings, and one that many hold in high regard is F-Zero X on the Nintendo 64. This active sci-fi racer is one of the few home games to the famous Captain Falcon, but on its own, it’s unlike much else on the console.
Add-ons for F-Zero GX would also feature a map creator, something unheard of in even more modern racing games and especially more so in the 90s. Experiencing your own custom-crafted map alongside some buddies is a fantastic feeling. F-Zero GX is a vital part of gaming history, even if the series hasn’t seen a return in an alarmingly long time.
7 Star Wars Episode 1: Racer
F-Zero is hardly the only sci-fi racer out there, and joining Captain Falcon in the upper echelon of 90s split-screen speedy affairs is Star Wars Episode 1: Racer, which made its way to a few consoles as a bizarre racing game based on one broadly-enjoyed aspect of a film that didn't exactly please every audience.
It's almost astonishing just how fun this is. Being able to play as a lot of different aliens in iconic Star Wars vehicles makes for a remarkable time. Amazingly, the recent current-gen ports of Star Wars Episode 1: Racer retain the old-school split-screen action, so grab your favorite console or plug in your PC and hand a friend a gamepad.
6 GoldenEye 007
No discussion of split-screen games can be had without mentioning GoldenEye 007, the most memorable James Bond game and one of the most important games on the Nintendo 64. GoldenEye's is the quintessential multiplayer shooter, being a simple deathmatch with straightforward maps and controls.
This game alone brought tons of cliches we still hold onto in gaming, such as the debated action of screen cheating to see where your opponent is. The multiplayer itself might not be especially exciting to revisit today, but it's a cultural touchstone for a reason.
5 Twisted Metal 2
So many of the games on this list are kid-friendly, but there are a few split-screen games that were likely enjoyed by kids with a wild side and the younger teens wanting something more vivid. This is where the classic Twisted Metal games come in. And while each title has its fans, it seems there's no beating Twisted Metal 2 in the long-term popularity rankings.
Unlike other racers, Twisted Metal is primarily a combat game; really, the only thing that's remotely 'racer' about it is just how fast you'll need to be to beat the story — and your real-life split-screen rivals. There's just one house rule: if you pick Minion, you're not allowed to brag if you win.
4 Vigilante 8
Vigilante 8 is Twisted Metal's underdog rival. Vehicular combat games are a niche genre, through and through, slim pickings for this very particular set of fans, so it stands to reason that developer Luxoflox saw the success of the Twisted Metal series and gave things a whirl of their own.
What separates Vigilante 8 from its chief competitor is its focus on 1970s-style aesthetic. (Is it weird to think about how the 70s are as far from the 90s as the 90s are from today? Yeah? We thought so.) The series was never quite as successful, with only a single remake to its name, but both are well worth checking out. Especially for that sweet split-screen action.
3 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
Even though most people fell in love with this skateboarding series with its sequel in 2000, the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater came out just in time to prove how great a trick-heavy sports game can be. This game ushered in a real wave, proving just what a sports game can be where your goal is to be stylish, but not necessarily swift.
The split-screen in this game is terrific, with tons of modes that let you play against your friends casually and competitively.
2 Diddy Kong Racing
There's a not-insignificant subset of older gamers who have three highly specific games in mind when you mention 1990s split-screen fare. One of them is GoldenEye, but next up is Diddy Kong Racing, a beautifully cartoony racing game from Rare with a solid degree of depth to its mechanics.
The races are the real treat, but Diddy Kong Racing also features a Battle Mode that's not to be missed. Speaking of big-name split-screen racing games with battle modes...
1 Mario Kart 64
As great as the underrated Diddy Kong Racing is, no game on this list comes close to the massively popular joy that is split-screen in Mario Kart 64, the first major Mario Kart title that most people experienced and a groundbreaking example of what both Mario and kart racing games can be.
Whether you’re dashing through the tracks against friends, shooting each other with shells in Battle Mode, or even playing self-imposed challenges together against easy AI, this game is a blast that is almost unimaginable without split-screen on a major console. Mario Kart 64 was a generation's favorite multiplayer outlet, and it still shines today.