Aren't there systems that you can directly hook up and play against? Which systems are those?

[RH | 4,895]

I might be mis-remembering, but I seem to remember in the late-90s to mid-00s, there were some game systems that sold a link cable and you could actually play PvP on two units and two TVs.  I'm not talking about using a LAN connection, but what I mean is you could buy a special link cable (like the GB link cable) and hook the console together and each player could have their own TV, rather than playing in split screen mode.

Could you do this with the PS1?  Maybe the PS2?  I think you could do this with Halo but I'm not sure.  Anyway, I'm generally curious which systems you could do this with and which games this was compatible with.  I'm about to move into a new office where I'll have free reign to setup a game room.  I also have 2x 24" TVs and I think it might be cool to have a couple system-pairs that I can setup this type of game play.

What systems can I do this with? I imagine many of the games that supported this gameplay mode might not have had LAN support, so it'd be cool to play them in a multiplayer mode few have experienced.

[cj_robot | 540]

PlayStation 1 has a link cable that connects two consoles, and requires both consoles connected to its own TV and two copies of the game. Looking into it, there's actually more compatible games than I thought (about 50).

Atari Jaguar also had a link cable, but I couldn't find much info on it.

Also, one game for the Sega Genesis, Accolade's Zero Tolerance, was housed in a special cartridge that you could attach a cable to link it up with another Genesis with the game to play multiplayer, again two TV's required.

That's all I know of, off the top of my head, aside from all the portable consoles that have link capabilities.

[DefaultGen | 5,396]

Xbox and Xbox 360 System Link works like this. You just use a Ethernet crossover cable to hook them both up. Gamecube works this way too, at least for Mario Kart, the one game I've played. I'm almost sure PS2 has games that support direct LAN connection as well.

Edit: Well you're not talking about LAN connection, you're talking about weird proprietary stuff for some reason

Edited February 11, 2020 by DefaultGen

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

Xbox 1 with most fps on the console

[Tanooki | 4,929]

Neo Geo did it both arcade and home units, and up to at least 4 systems too no less such as like when playing League Bowling.

[RH | 4,895]

2 hours ago, DefaultGen said:

Xbox and Xbox 360 System Link works like this. You just use a Ethernet crossover cable to hook them both up. Gamecube works this way too, at least for Mario Kart, the one game I've played. I'm almost sure PS2 has games that support direct LAN connection as well.

Edit: Well you're not talking about LAN connection, you're talking about weird proprietary stuff for some reason

I didn't think about using crossover cables. I'm mostly looking for a plug-n-play experience without having to setup a network.

 

[PineappleLawnchair | 88]

SEGA Genesis had a system link, only worked with Zero Tolerance though.

Edited February 11, 2020 by PineappleLawnchair

[erac | 78]

I don't think the consoles supporting such "direct LAN" need any network config, plug and play; Gamecube with Mario Kart was that console's poster child for that.

[Teh_Lurv | 254]

14 hours ago, cj_robot said:

Also, one game for the Sega Genesis, Accolade's Zero Tolerance, was housed in a special cartridge that you could attach a cable to link it up with another Genesis with the game to play multiplayer, again two TV's required.

The link cable didn't attach to the cartridge, but rather the player two controller port on each Genesis. You had to send away for the link cable so the originals are quite rare, however you can make your own link cable by splicing together two Genesis controller cords. There was also someone selling a third party aftermarket link cable, though I don't know if they're still in the business.

[arnpoly | 198]

Two Super Game Boy 2's would be a neat and wholly unnecessary setup.

[RH | 4,895]

8 minutes ago, arnpoly said:

Two Super Game Boy 2's would be a neat and wholly unnecessary setup.

I very well may have to do this.

For those wondering, I have a bookshelf that's open in the back and just wide enough to hold 2x consoles side-by-side.  Since I also have the TVs, as I mentioned above, my intent is to take the book shelf, place the pairs beside each other and and allow for one-on-one gaming action using these setups I'd only heard of but never observed.  I might only start with one or two console pairs, but in time, it'd be fun to have all/most of these consoles setup this way. 

Edited February 11, 2020 by RH

[Estil | 1,261]

Don't forget you can use two GC/Game Boy Player's and a monitor on each.  You can do GC/GBA connectivity this way as well.

[RH | 4,895]

13 minutes ago, Estil said:

Don't forget you can use two GC/Game Boy Player's and a monitor on each.  You can do GC/GBA connectivity this way as well.

That might be a better option than the 2x SFCs, but I'll think on that one.  Thanks for the tip. I didn't really think about that.

[erac | 78]

4 hours ago, Teh_Lurv said:

The link cable didn't attach to the cartridge, but rather the player two controller port on each Genesis. You had to send away for the link cable so the originals are quite rare, however you can make your own link cable by splicing together two Genesis controller cords. There was also someone selling a third party aftermarket link cable, though I don't know if they're still in the business.

Piko's said he'll produce new such cables.

[Estil | 1,261]

2 hours ago, RH said:

That might be a better option than the 2x SFCs, but I'll think on that one.  Thanks for the tip. I didn't really think about that.

How would that be a better option?  It's a totally different console.

[RH | 4,895]

5 minutes ago, Estil said:

How would that be a better option?  It's a totally different console.

I thought you were suggesting using to Game Boy Players on two GameCubes, rather than Game Boy Players in Super Famicoms.

[Estil | 1,261]

Well the ones in the Super Famicoms are called Super Game Boys.  But yeah if you can figure out a way to connect two SNES's for each player in a two player game to have their own screen (if that's even possible), go for it!

[RH | 4,895]

13 minutes ago, Estil said:

Well the ones in the Super Famicoms are called Super Game Boys.  But yeah if you can figure out a way to connect two SNES's for each player in a two player game to have their own screen (if that's even possible), go for it!

Yeah, I have a Super Game Boy Player 2 (the clear blue one) already and I can probably pick up an SFC.  So, the question is, do I pick up another set for that purpose (because you can use a GB link cable with the SGBP2s) or do I get 2x GCs and 2x Game Boy Players.  I already have 2x Game Cubes, but I need a power brick for one, so I'll think about my options.  If a crossover works with the GBC, then I may go that route just to kill two birds with one proverbial stone.

[noiseredux | 232]

4 hours ago, Estil said:

Don't forget you can use two GC/Game Boy Player's and a monitor on each.  You can do GC/GBA connectivity this way as well.

I actually did this setup back in like 2009 or so. It was really ridiculous, and took up more room than necessary. But it was a fun way to play 2-player GB games with my wife, haha.

[RH | 4,895]

15 minutes ago, noiseredux said:

I actually did this setup back in like 2009 or so. It was really ridiculous, and took up more room than necessary. But it was a fun way to play 2-player GB games with my wife, haha.

Well, I have a complete set of GB games, so I might as well go for a second pair for this rig!

Lol, but anyway, since I plan on making my version of a tower of power, I'm not worried about space. I have 2x TVs and that's going to take up the majority of the space.

[a3quit4s | 4,091]

Original Xbox you don’t need to setup a whole network you can grab a network hub and just connect four of them to that. That is how we used to do LAN parties back in the day. PSP and PS Vita can both connect over ad hoc network as well if I remember correctly 

[koifish | 555]

On 2/11/2020 at 11:23 AM, arnpoly said:

Two Super Game Boy 2's would be a neat and wholly unnecessary setup.

I've seen it done but with Four Swords Adventure on the Gamecube, using another four Gamecube+Game Boy Players and four TVs as the GBA screens. It looks ridiculous but it works.

 

Someday I'll link a ton of Faceball 2000 units together too via SGB2.

[RH | 4,895]

10 hours ago, koifish said:

I've seen it done but with Four Swords Adventure on the Gamecube, using another four Gamecube+Game Boy Players and four TVs as the GBA screens. It looks ridiculous but it works.

 

Someday I'll link a ton of Faceball 2000 units together too via SGB2.

Callenge accepted!

I have a total of 4, maybe 5 CRTs.  Someone might have to play on a Sears B&W from 1974, but I could pull it off.

[koifish | 555]

4 hours ago, RH said:

Callenge accepted!

I have a total of 4, maybe 5 CRTs.  Someone might have to play on a Sears B&W from 1974, but I could pull it off.

you should do it with Crystal Chronicles too, another game that is way too hard to enjoy as it was meant to be.

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,011]

On 2/10/2020 at 9:22 PM, RH said:

I didn't think about using crossover cables. I'm mostly looking for a plug-n-play experience without having to setup a network.

 

I thought you could just connect two of Xbox together w a Ethernet cable and call it a day. Pretty sure there's no networking involved. Otherwise, 8th grade me wouldn't have done it so often.