Looking for “1.5 Player” games.

Submitted by Crislak t3_zzp3y2 in gaming

Sounds weird, but hear me out. These are games that support multiple people (often just two players) to play in the main story, but instead of the second player being a second force that’s capable of doing everything the first player can, they instead become more of an assistant to the first player. Whether that be as a secondary character following the first player around or by literally becoming a part of the main player’s move set, only one of the two people playing is getting the full experience.

Basically, the kind of cooperative play that would only really be used by a parent and their child.

Examples include:

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - When playing in 1P mode with Sonic and Tails, a second player can choose to control Tails if a second controller is connected. (To my knowledge, this also works in S3&K, Mania, and Origins)

Super Mario Galaxy and Odyssey - Playing as Cappy or the Orange Luma to assist Mario.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Playing as Waddle Dee. (I love the guy but two Kirbies would be so much more fun for both players).

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hitting_Gunther t1_j2cv1qh wrote

"Spiritfarer" is a pretty nice and beautiful little game with jump and run elements. The second player is a cat that can't interact as much as the main player. So that might fit your description.

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Salutational t1_j2cvc2i wrote

In Wind Waker you could play as Tingle and read maps alongside Link if you had a GBA, a cable…oh and a friend.

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shadowthehh t1_j2cw5vx wrote

You mentioned Sonic 2, but Shadow The Hedgehog also has this. During the story, a 2nd player can control most of the other Sonic characters when doing the hero objectives.

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jaywinner t1_j2cwbez wrote

This does appear to be an underserved market.

All I could find is Luigi's Mansion 3 where player 2 can control a low hp but infinite life character.

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why_are_you_here_yo t1_j2cwk2b wrote

Check out Child of Light.

Beautiful hand drawn game. One player controls main character and the other like a "helper" that supports with puzzles and combat. My friend said he had a blast while playing with his daughter in co-op.

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Wooden_Bedroom_9106 t1_j2cxdhs wrote

Fable 2 (or 3?. I think 2)

The second player doesn't get their own full character/hero but more like a henchman, who can't progress or get better. And they are forced to stay with the main player.

They do get to run around in the same room and attack enemies and stuff, but they are pretty weak and can really only support their main player.

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bubblegum_cloud t1_j2cxy03 wrote

Final Fantasy 9 has this. One person plays the story, the other person can control a character during battle. I think there may have been another FF that has this too, but I'm not sure.

Oh! And Tales of Gracies has it too. I imagine more Tales of games do too.

Both are JRPGs

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RoboticXCavalier t1_j2d149h wrote

Gears of war, also DK country games where you gotta tag them in or you can just do the whole level by yourself...

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DoogleSmile t1_j2d76l4 wrote

Carly and the Reaperman could possibly be this type of co-op, though the two players are totally different and you can't complete the game with only one player. So it's probably not what you're wanting.

Carly is controlled with the keyboard in an over the shoulder style platform puzzle game, while the Reaperman is controlled by a player in VR and they manipulate the world to help Carly get to places ans solve the puzzles.

Maybe Salt & Sanctuary? You can invite a second player into your game by placing a specific guide in a sanctuary. I'm not sure how much they can do compared to the main player though.

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bockerwho t1_j2d9yhd wrote

Wizball - a side scrolling C64 shmup from the 80s. The main player is.. err.. a wizard in a ball.. And the second player controls their cat in a smaller ball. The wizard shoots things. Some of them drop magical paint when they die. And the cat's job is to collect them. Together, you bring the colour back to Wizball's grey world's. (In single player mode you control both alternatively - first example of this kind of coop game I every played.) Still humming the end of level guitar riff to this day 😁

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IsRude t1_j2e51by wrote

Devil May Cry 3, but it's unlockable.

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