Reader Discussion: How Much Local Multiplayer Do You Play?

It used to be that a second controller was a regular purchase for many. You couldn’t play Contra, Mario Kart, Street Fighter, or Gauntlet with a friend if you didn’t have a gamepad for them.

I even had four PS2 controllers for split-screen Timesplitters. Now, having multiple controllers isn’t quite as necessary thanks to online play. That makes it harder for games like Towerfall, which are focused on local multiplayer (and having the controllers to get a full game going).

Do you find yourself buying multiple controllers? Do they get used for couch co-op or competitive play? Do you prefer slugging it out on the couch, or do you rather face opponents on the other end of an Internet connection?