Website with dedicated filter for co-op or couch gaming for every system:

https://www.co-optimus.com/games.php?type=couch

Reserved

TowerFall Ascension is probably the best of the current gen indie offerings for me. I love a bit of Nidhogg but TowerFall is The One. I've finally played Speedrunners now too, which is also great.

Edit: TowerFall - same screen, 4 players (6 on Switch I think). Nidhogg - same screen, two players. Speedrunners - same screen, 4 players I think.

Worms Armageddon is still on 360 for download. For turn based gaming it's hard to beat. I cut my teeth on the PC version on the office LAN but a single screen experience is just as good - if not better.

2600
Combat - perhaps obvious - but the Tank games have aged particularly well. I've ran an office comp using this and it went down a storm. Tank Pong is probably the best of the bunch. If there's a modern equivalent that doesn't add too much faff I'd give it a go.

Warlords - because of the need for paddle control I doubt there's a similar experience unless you get hold of the arcade machine (which was a port of the 2600 game). The 2600 homebrew scene has produced an update called Medieval Mayhem which is far superior but harder to get your mitts on.

Fall Down Another homebrew project. Stripped down 1v1 gameplay is brutally simplistic but an excellent experience nonetheless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1lHMgKnq5U

Surround It's a 1 versus 1 version of Nokia Snake. Closest modern version I've seen is the indie release Snake Party on 360 which is a superb update with 4 players supported.

NES

Balloon Fight This is probably better known for its Balloon Trip endless mode but the main game is Nintendo does Joust and outdoes it. It's far more approachable and varied.  There's lots of times when it flips between co-op and versus depending on the situation. If there's a modern equivalent about give it a try. The basic button press hover control scheme with solid inertia simulation adds to the fun.

Ice Climber A slightly flakey and aging vertically scrolling platformer is so-so in single player but excellent entertainment in 2 player. Cue the usual co-op / getting in each other's way hi-jinks - plus it's a race to the top to get the bonus. The controls make it a bit tough at times and unforgiving but the 'tween level score tally compares player performances and adds to the competitiveness.

get 8 ds's in the same room...

davyK wrote:

Worms WMD is the current gen Worms games. Also: Rocket Dog.

Armageddon is peak Worms.

Correct.

Was that pre or post World Party? Because World Party was pretty much perfect worms.

Another vote for Armageddon but I didn't play World Party enough to decide if it was an improvement or not.

The dream

PS1
Bishi Bashi Special Ultra weird mini game comp with 2 and 3vs modes.
Not as immediately accessible as Wario Ware due to the PS button colours not being all that obvious but still excellent once you get over that.

Saturn
Twinkle Star Sprites Cute vertical shooter with split screen puzzle game presentation. Can become quite tactical as you can send enemies and bosses over to your opponent. Has a NeoGeo and DC version but no console port is cheap. No idea if this is available any other way but well worth having a lookout for.

Baku Baku Splendid symbol matching puzzle game. So far so what? There is sorcery in the Sega code as for some reason it just generates really entertaining 2 player versus battles. That animal/food matching scheme has the effect of making this more approachable than Puyo or Puzzle Fighter. It went down a storm at an office competition and drew more than the usual amount of female attention for some reason. The game also has a league mode that tracks results for 5 people.

Bubble Symphony Gorgeous update with same excellent 2 player game that swings between co-op and greed.

Gamecube
Mario Tennis, Golf, Baseball, Smash Football  Oft overlooked and got a lukewarm reception from Edge for some reason. Ultra polished entertainment for 4 in each of these games.

Wario Ware Inc Mega Game$ Hilarious 4 player modes top up this redux of the GBA game. This is the pinnacle of the series on consoles.

Pacman Vs Another chance to gush about this. A highly creative update of Pacman to make it a 4 player game that engenders alliances and gang-ups that constantly switch. The 3 vs 1 scenario seems to have inspired the architecture of Wii U - and I think this has an equivalent in Nintendoland. On GC it requires faffing as it needs a GBA with linkup cable and 3 Wavebirds to avoid cable tangle but worth it if you have the hardware.

2 JPN imports...
Mr Driller Drill Land Here because of the nail biting 2 player race mode.

Kururin Squash Does for the GBA original game what Wario Ware Inc did. Lovely 4 player racing and Monkey Fight style combat supplements the main game.

Wii
Let's Tap 4 player tap runner.

Pacman Party Namco version of Mario Party but is a rather nice mini-game comp stitched together with a board game that requires Monopoly style tactics to win. This was pretty much overlooked and is highly polished. 4 players again.

Tetris Party Deluxe 4 people will have plenty of fun with this without having to play Tetris. A clutch of really entertaining games set within the Tetris framework.

Wii Play Motion Update of Wii Play for m+  Overlooked due to the Wii Sports Resort and Tiger Woods motion+ hoo-ha.

Wii Party A clutch of 4 player games that was a late release and overlooked.

Rhythm Paradise Beat the Beat has a handful of 2 player modes that are truly splendid entertainment. Impossible not to play without a big stupid grin on your face.

360
Snake Party Battle mode of the Nokia Snake game for up to 4. Lovely indie release.

Geometry Wars 2 More 4 player games. Excellent selection of modes.

Dreamcast
Typing of the Dead A very well thought out 2 player versus mode here - not just a tack on. It is hilarious - another office gaming favourite.

Virtua Tennis 1 & 2 Don't think this needs any explanation but I've found that later versions (such as 4) had too much faffing about that gets in the way of the game (VT3 on 360 seems OK though).

Borderlands 1+2 coop was amazing back in the day, used to get in a ton of nice beers, loads of unhealthy snacks and played it far too many hours. Great fun. Splitscreen is not a thing for that on the PC sadly, but I did get a mod of sorts working one time, that allowed for multiplayer on one PC using dual monitors, one person using the left, the other the right. Very cool.

Diablo 3 was brilliant for 2 player same-screen too. Warhammer Chaosbane looks like a solid enough successor to that, I think you can have 2 people on one PC play with another two people online, or other combinations which is pretty cool.

Reckon the Pixeljunk games should get a mention, Monsters is lovely.

Very much looking to Dreams on the PS4, which I think will be excellent for same-room stuff, endless minigames. Saw plenty of really fun looking stuff in the coverage over the last few months, many of the people in the streams and podcasts doing same-room seemed to have a whale of a time.

Nidhogg is hilarious. Windjammers deserves a shout. Speed runners is one of the best.

The earlier versions of Mario Party were less random and had scope for vindictiveness. It's a pity that was removed from the formula.

I’ve just realised that we’ve gone almost a full page without anyone mentioning Streets of Rage and this is an oversight which must be fixed.