Four friends are on the couch, the PlayStation 2 is plugged in, and someone has brought a second controller. That leaves two people with excellent seats and nothing to do. To choose PS2 games for four players, start with the actual local mode and the hardware it needs. The top four-player PS2 games below offer very different ways to share an evening.
Best 4 Player PS2 Games for Different Groups
The best 4 player ps2 games depend on whether your group wants to cooperate, compete in teams, or settle matters with a race. These four-player PS2 titles support four people on one console, with a PS2 multitap: an adapter that adds controller connections. Each person needs a controller.
Champions of Norrath: quest together
Pick this action role-playing game when everyone wants to fight monsters and develop characters together. Start a Normal Game, choose four players, and create characters in turn. The party works through quests, gains equipment, and improves abilities; a fallen character can return at a save point. This is a better fit for a group willing to stay with an adventure than for guests who want a quick round before dinner.
The PS2 manual specifies a multitap and connected controllers for local multiplayer. Bring a PS2 memory card if you want to save progress. Its separate Internet Game option is not the mode you need for four people in the same room.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal: teams or free-for-all
For a competitive session, select Multiplayer, then Local Play. Four players can share the screen in Siege, Capture the Flag, or Deathmatch. Sony confirms that local split-screen supports four with a multitap. A PS2 multitap is required for three or four, and each player needs a controller. No network connection is needed for Local Play.
Team play lets friends coordinate against each other; it is not a four-person cooperative story campaign. If your group wants the latter, choose Champions instead. Among the strongest PS2 games for four players, this one suits people who enjoy aiming, moving, and keeping track of several small views at once.
Gadget Racers: a race and a little chaos
Choose Multi-Play for competitive racing and minigames with four people. Its PS2 manual says to connect the PS2 multitap before powering on and attach controllers to its A through D slots. A memory card saves records and customization data, so bring one if you want to keep them.
This is a good choice when the group wants a clear objective: get around the course faster than everyone else. It also gives the evening a useful reset between races. Among top four-player PS2 picks, a racing game has the virtue of explaining victory without a committee meeting.
Thrillville: mix up the activities
The park-building main game is single-player, but Party Play and Tourney Mode accommodate up to four. The manual calls for a PS2 multitap in controller port 1 with the controllers connected to it. Choose this for a group that would rather switch activities than commit to a long quest; the selection includes activities such as mini-golf and bumper cars.
Check the Setup Before Game Night
For these 4 player ps2 games, use four working PS2 controllers and a multitap designed for your particular PS2 model. Match the connection layout to the game’s own manual: ports and instructions can differ. Test all four controllers before guests arrive, and check the disc is the PS2 edition. When selecting PS2 games for four friends, a box advertising online multiplayer or two local players does not establish a four-person local mode.
The best PS2 games for four people are the ones that fit the group’s attention span. For four friends who want to work together all evening, choose Champions of Norrath and check the compatible multitap, four controllers, and a memory card before starting the Normal Game.