Summary
- Resident Evil 0 introduced a switchable party system with unique inventories for gameplay depth.
- Donkey Kong Country 2 let players switch between Diddy and Dixie Kong for strategic advantages.
- Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons innovatively added roguelike elements for varied character swaps.
One central character in a game is nice, and it’s even better when there is a surprising secondary character who gets added for a brief section of the game. Most of the recognizable examples contain spoilers, like entries in the Resident Evil or Final Fantasy games, so it’s not worth going into detail here. However, there are games where switching between multiple party members is core to the experience.
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From turn-based to action, these RPGs have tons of ways to accessorize characters with unique and gorgeous costumes.
It can be added to platformers, RPGs, shooters, and more. All of these games have switching on the fly between two or more characters that can affect gameplay. While Grand Theft Auto 5 allows players to use Trevor, Franklin, and Michael, it takes time to switch between them, which is why it and several other similar games with multiple playable characters won't be counted here. They don’t have a cohesive party system, unlike these other games that have made great strides in their switchable character systems. They will be ranked based on depth and innovation, and for the sake of variety, no one genre will dominate the conversation.
8 Resident Evil 0
A New Inventory System Idea
Resident Evil 0
- Released
- November 12, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Intense Violence, Blood and Gore
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Resident Evil 0 was a prequel to the first game, with events leading right up to Chris, Jill, and the other S.T.A.R.S. Members winding up in the Spencer Mansion. Rebecca Chambers was on assignment, and after a train crash, she became fast friends with Billy Coen, a prisoner, after a zombie breakout.
Players can switch between Billy and Rebecca at any time, and they share similar skill sets but have different inventory spaces. The trick was to pass items along for the other to use in different rooms, instead of always relying on item boxes to store unused items.
7 Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
High-Fiving Cousins
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
- Released
- November 21, 1995
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest saw the titular Donkey Kong now trapped by the sequel’s pirate villains. Diddy then recruits his girlfriend, Dixie, to help free him.
Like the first game, the health bar is represented by each Kong in the level, who will die after one hit apiece and who can be switched at any time. Diddy had nothing special to his gameplay, but Dixie could use her hair to glide, making her the superior character for players engaging with this SNES classic alone or with a friend.
6 Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons
Old-School Meets New School
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons
- Released
- July 27, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Fighting, Shooter, Casual, Adventure
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons is the latest entry in the series, which took the franchise’s standard 2D brawler gameplay style and added roguelike elements. At the start of a run, players can choose two characters for their playthrough.
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For players who want the combat of an MMO without the grinding and subscription requirements that come with it, these RPGs offer a nice substitute.
Players will start with four character options but gain more as they progress via tokens after dying or if players complete their runs. While playing a level, players can swap between their teammates at any time, or a second player can join in to take over.
5 Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Fun For Kids And Adults
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- Released
- November 6, 2007
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Cartoon Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga combined the first two LEGO game hits, which went through the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies. What makes this 2007 collection superior to LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which is a 2022 remake of all three trilogies, is the charm on display.
Cutscenes were voiceless, filled with goofy humor that made events like Luke getting his hand chopped off funnier. With hundreds of characters to play as, each with a different skill, and co-op options to boot, this is a great action platformer for Star Wars fans of all ages.
4 Darksiders Genesis
Two Of The Four Horsemen Arrive
Darksiders Genesis
- Released
- December 5, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Seemingly, the idea from the first Darksiders was that all Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse would be playable at some point. The three main games have featured War, Death, and Fury, with Darksiders Genesis being a top-down Diablo-like spinoff starring War and Strife.
War plays like he does in the first game, with plenty of sword and grapple-based gameplay, while Strife is a gunner. Both characters have their own skill trees and weapon builds that can be swapped in the field easily or controlled by another player.
3 Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon 2
Dog Mech Pilot Makes This An All-Timer
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2
- ESRB
- m
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon was an NES-style side project to support the main game, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which was a Metroidvania. Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon was more of a classic Castlevania platformer, akin to Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse, that unlocked new characters for players to control as they progressed.
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Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 upped the ante with more playable characters and two-player co-op. The number of available options is a bit of a spoiler, but they can all be swapped in and out once they are unlocked. One standout includes Hachi, who is a dog driving a train-based mech.
2 Marvel Vs. Capcom 2: New Age Of Heroes
Reinventing Fighting Games
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
- Released
- June 29, 2000
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is still the best game in the series, even though the roster isn’t as big as in other entries. What this game has going for it is the sprite-based artwork, which looks immaculate on any system it is played on.
Typical of most entries in the MvC series, players can choose between three characters to fight against three opponents online or offline. The placement of characters in the lineup will determine how they can support their party in the field. There are an almost infinite number of combinations, and swapping between each character mid-fight can create some sick battle sequences that are MCU-worthy.
1 Trine
A Knight, Thief, And Wizard Walk Into A Bar
Trine
- Released
- July 3, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Puzzle
Trine is the ultimate example of this idea in any genre, and it perfected the formula in 2009. This first game followed the exploits of a knight, a thief, and a wizard who had their own health and powers, like moving objects with magic. Players could switch between them on the fly to fight enemies or solve puzzles, and the game even supported three-player co-op.
There are now five games in the series to play through, each relatively short, so for players who like the idea of switching between characters and love puzzle platformers with a bit of action, the Trine series is an ideal choice to dive into.
