Many video game consoles have made an undeniable mark on the industry, but the leap forward that came with it PlayStation 2 is incredible. The Sony console brought with it many impressive features and what is widely considered to be one of the best game libraries of any console. Although not as well known as some other features, the PS2 was able to support more than 2 players, although not many projects took advantage of it.
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The PlayStation 2 was a huge success with most of its ideas, but it also pushed some innovations that flew under the radar. The PS2 is largely a two-player console, but the advent of Sony's multitap allowed more people to jump into the multiplayer action. Since most people might not have used this feature that much, let's highlight some of the outstanding PS2 games that had 2+ player multiplayer.
Updated on January 19, 2026 by Mark Sammut: We've expanded this article with a few more games, specifically focusing on titles that used online multiplayer. Rogue Trooper and SOCOM: Combined Assault have been added.
24
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Co-Op Action RPG for four players
Marvel Ultimate Alliance is a dungeon-crawler-style action role-playing game similar to that Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance the series and X-Men Legends game before that. It's a good single-player game where players can switch characters on the fly, but it's even better with friends in local co-op mode. Marvel Ultimate Alliance supports up to four players simultaneously.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance offers a variety of characters, including Spider-Man, Captain America, Hulk, The Fantastic Four, Blade and Daredevil, among others. It's still one of the best superhero games ever made and has a decent story with one of Marvel's biggest villains, Dr. Doom. Doom has put together a faction called “The Masters of Evil” which includes a good rogues gallery of minor and major supervillains as mini-bosses and main bosses.
23
Champions Of Norrath
Up to four player local co-op
Champions of Norrath was one of the PlayStation 2's best and most polished action RPGs. It's also an excellent multiplayer game that supports up to four players in local co-op. It takes place in the same universe as the long-running one EverQuest The MMORPG series. Master run on the same engine as Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, but features more in-depth character customization, smoother gameplay, and plenty of random loot to find by battling your way through its 50 different missions and levels.
Some of the more challenging enemies in the Master by Norrath requires strategic approaches rather than hacking and slicing through hordes of mindless trolls, and players have the option of choosing between five different classes. Playable characters include the Barbarian Warrior, a strong Conan-like warrior who is a master of melee weapons; Wood Elf Ranger, a skilled archer; the Erudite Wizard, a formidable magic user; the high elf priest, a healer; and the Dark Elf Shadow Knight, who combines weapons and sorcery.
22
X-Men Legends
Co-Op Action RPG for four players
Those who want to live out the fantasy of being one of the X-Men mutants will have fun X-Men Legends. Released in 2004, this PS2 version gave players the chance to jump into a top-down beat-em-up with some of the best characters from X-Men franchise. There are 15 different characters to choose from, each with their own unique abilities and powers, with popular names like Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Cyclops, Rogue and Storm making the list along with others.
A couch-co-op affair, up to four players can jump into this adventure and fight alongside each other as they battle enemies and iconic X-Men bosses and enemies. It's one of the better co-op experiences out there and a great choice for those who enjoy beat-em-up style releases.
21
Tales Of The Abyss
Co-op for four players in battles
There were many great RPGs on the PS2, but many of them are single-player adventures. Thankfully, there are a handful of RPG releases that allow multiplayer and a few that open up to more than two players at a time. Tales of the Abyss is perhaps one of the best examples of this, allowing players to enjoy a couch co-op RPG experience with a robust story and classic RPG elements.
All of the overworld and exploration elements are controlled by one player, but things open up to up to four people at once during combat. It's a great title with fun and engaging content that will keep players engaged for hours, even when they're not controlling the action.
20
Shrek 2
Co-Op for four players
Movie tie-in games are rarely seen today, but back in the early 2000s, almost every major movie release with action sequences had a video game adaptation. Many of these games struggled to impress fans and critics, likely due to having to stick to tight release schedules that coincided with the release of the film.
Even if Shrek 2 is far from a masterpiece, the PS2 game for 4 players offers plenty of action-packed fun and is still worth a play today for any group looking for some simplistic entertainment.
19
WWE SmackDown! Here comes the pain
Six players match with one peripheral
The PS2 has an amazing selection of wrestling games, and WWE SmackDown! Here comes the pain is the best of the bunch. Frankly, it might be the best WWE game ever, and it's still an absolute highlight to revisit today. While some previous games included multiplayer, Here comes the pain kicked things up a notch by supporting up to 6 players, making it a lot of fun to participate in, say, a Royal Rumble.
Now, it should be sad that most modes are only two players, or they jump up to four for tag matches. The campaign is also mainly single-player, although you can play other card matches that don't involve your wrestlers.
18
Crash Nitro Kart
Racing for four players
Vicarious Visions' Crash Nitro Kart may not have lived up to the high standards set by Naughty Dog Crash Team Racing 1999, but it's still a great kart racer in its own right and great fun to play with friends.
Racing isn't the only multiplayer mode that Crash Nitro Kart offers, as the game also brings back Battle Mode from the PlayStation 1 classic.
17
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
Four player matches
Released in October 2002, EA's Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003 is one of the highest rated golf games of all time, and it's still fun today. The game is also excellent on PS2 and allows up to four players to compete in multiple game modes.
Most of the multiplayer modes can be played by switching with just one controller. However, speed golf must be played at the same time as it requires players to chase their ball once they hit it, leading to some great golf runs.
16
Buzz!: The Mega Quiz
Eight-player game
Although most of the PlayStation 2's attempts to create innovative equipment like the EyeToy fell flat, there were a few that worked well, one of them being the Buzz! Buzzer.
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Buzz! The BIG quiz was the second entry in the Buzz! franchise, and is one of a total of 13 games from the franchise that appeared on the PlayStation 2. Buzz! The BIG quiz was a huge hit with casual gamers, and it's still fun to revisit all these years later.
15
Rock band 2
Co-op mode for four players
Rock band 2
- Released
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December 18, 2008
- ESRB
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t // Lyrics, suggestive themes
- Developer
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Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.
The Rock band the series finally gave people the chance to bond with friends while giving them the safety of a virtual audience to ensure no fruit would be thrown at the struggling singer.
Rock band differed from his Guitar Hero competitor by allowing four people to play simultaneously with microphone, drum, lead guitar and bass guitar controls.
