Shooter games are action-packed titles where you’re given a plethora of long and short-range weapons to eliminate enemies. These games also feature different varieties of foes, each with their strengths and weaknesses. To that end, Player.com rounded up six shooter games with split-screen game modes to enjoy.
These games aren’t necessarily difficult to beat, but the two-screen mode might be disorienting to some. Still, there’s no better feeling than combining attacks with your friends, family, and partners. For sure, it’s one of the best games to bond with family and kids.
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6 Best Split-Screen Shooter Games in 2024
The shooter games of 2024 are quite challenging, though we should be talking about their visuals. Expect photorealistic landscapes, accurate guns, and unique arms that are only native to the game’s lore. Without further ado, below is a breakdown of split-screen games where you can shoot away. In the meantime, check out the five best indie games here.
#1: Borderlands 3
Borderlands 3 is a first-person shooter that was developed by Gearbox Software. It builds on the strengths of its predecessors, which means the art style is cartoonish. However, the game engine is much better, with fantastic particle effects and smoother character animations, including ragdoll effects. As expected, you’ll enjoy fast-paced action throughout your campaign on Pandora, and yes, there will be plenty of looting.
That said, a distinct feature of Borderlands 3 is its split-screen game mode. Play with friends and then bomb your foes off the face of the planet. Missions are challenging and your enemies are powerful, so the split-screen game mode lets you experience the power of teamwork. Moving on, the split-screen mode is local multiplayer, so you can play together with your friends in the same living room. Luckily, the graphics aren’t affected by the split-screen game mode. Hopefully, Borderlands 4 will be much better.
#2: It Takes Two
It Takes Two is a brilliant story about a couple’s fight in a fantasy world of magic and beasts. Both characters have been turned into dolls by a spell so they seek a solution to their unique problem. This scenario is fun because Cody and May are fighting. Heck, you can say their relationship is broken so being turned into dolls is the perfect opportunity to fix that fracture.
A problem shared is always half-solved, so you can invite players online for a cooperative experience. Otherwise, just enjoy the split-screen game mode, which is a fantastic way to split the risk. In short, you don’t have to tackle puzzles and missions alone. You’ll fight gangster squirrels and bobsleigh your way around huge biomes.
It Takes Two forces gamers to work together but you will be the source of mayhem most of the time. You’ll also unlock several abilities as you progress in the game, so both players have the same potential in combat. Still, Cody’s approach and skills are distinct from May’s approach. Along the way, you’ll meet a diverse range of characters with compelling backstories.
#3: Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a third-person shooter game from PopCap Games that pits Plants against Zombies. It was released for the PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One. Naturally, you can play the game on next-gen consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. You’ll discover a variety of Plants and Zombies throughout the campaign.
Yes, there are different types of modes in the game, including Herbal Assault and Graveyard Ops. Herbal Assault is a 24-player mode that has you defending bases from Plants. As for Graveyard Ops, it’s just another version of Plants Vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, but with far more Zombies than necessary.
The events of the game also revolve around the war between Plants and Zombies. However, Zombies have conquered the majority of Suburbia and even named it Zomburbia. So, this title is about the Plants’ struggle to reclaim their former lands, which is easier said than done.
#4: Hypercharge: Unboxed
Hypercharge: Unboxed is a third-person title that was developed for the Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. You’re essentially an action figure who must protect his or her territory from invaders. Thankfully, the lore isn’t the only playful aspect of Hypercharge: Unboxed. For one, the settings of fights are homely, since all you have to do is defend your bedrooms, bathrooms, garages, hallways, and toy stores.
Nevertheless, our focus today is on the cooperative mode, which lets you play with friends and loved ones in the same sitting room. After all, this is a local multiplayer mode that splits your TV’s screen into halves. So, having a huge TV is paramount to enjoying your co-op experience. No, you don’t need an Internet connection to play co-op offline. Hypercharge: Unboxed is a fun game that encourages you to explore, fight, and customise your character.
#5: Cuphead
Cuphead is a 2017 side-scrolling game that’s heavily inspired by Super Mario and other 2D shooters. It closely follows the lives of Cuphead and his brother, Mughead, who are children at heart. However, one of their fun episodes led them to the Devil’s Casino, where they lost a bet to the devil. In return, the Devil wants to harvest their souls but before that takes place, Cuphead and his brother manage to strike another deal with the Devil.
The Devil tasks Cuphead and his sibling to collect souls for him before midnight the next day and he will let them have their souls back. However, on the way there, our protagonists have a change of heart. So, they decide to vanquish the devil, which is easier said than done.
That said, Cuphead doesn’t feature a traditional split-screen game mode like many co-op games out there. Instead, Cuphead and Mughead, the two protagonists, share the same screen. They’re also the only two playable characters in the game. Both can shoot blasts of energy from their fingers.
#6: Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 6 isn’t a great game because of its thin narrative. However, it’s still one of the best co-op shooter games out there; Especially as it lets you kill zombies with your friends in the split-screen game mode. On the bright side, Resident Evil 4 is a masterpiece, though it’s still a single-player experience.
Our Final Say: Split-Screen Games Are Fantastic with a Great TV
Split-screen games are fun but not with small TVs. In this case, size does matter, especially for games such as It Takes Two and Resident Evil 6. Nonetheless, split-screen games like Cuphead won’t have that problem because you share the screen with your friend.