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Top 10 Gaming Duos

Published By: Mayur Gandhi, Sam Leitch On: 20/03/2008 10:00

Because one really is the loneliest number.

Tango & Cash, Lone Ranger & Tonto, Fred & Barney, Rocky & Apollo and McClane & Zeus. These duos have all written film history. But film isn’t the only entertainment medium sporting famous duos.

You may not have realised it, but some of the greatest games ever made rely quite heavily on the duo dynamic. Looking back on past classics, we recount our top ten favourites (in no particular order).

Solid Snake and Otacon (Metal Gear Solid series)

Everyone knows that the best friendships begin with a little pants-wetting. Ever since their fateful meeting during Metal Gear Solid, Snake has worked a whole lot more effectively with the Otaku geek dialing in on him. There's a deep and mutual respect for each others’ abilities – Otacon for Snake’s calculating militaristic skills, and Snake for Otacon’s arsenal of useful knowledge.

Sometimes, you even get the feeling they fear what the other is capable of, which makes their dynamic so enjoyable. And hey, their codec conversations really are the best - philosophy, espionage, love - it's all there; what more do you need?

Nathan Drake and Elena (Uncharted: Drake's Fortune)

What makes these two so appealing is how normal they are. Neither have any particularly extraordinary abilities, nor play a role in something much bigger than they are. They're simply your best friends in a tricky spot, except they're funnier, better looking and are really good shots.

Whether they're navigating ruins, being chased by villains-for-hire or are having a quiet moment of revelation, the pair has an electric rapport laced with clever dialogue and excellent acting.

Thank goodness there's a sequel in the works - we can't wait to visit our friends again.

Nariko and Kai (Heavenly Sword)

Strong and mature, innocent and adventurous; Nariko and Kai are two sides of the same coin. Both represent totally different personalities yet have a somewhat mother and daughter-like relationship. Though Nariko sees hundreds of her people die and her father suffer, the thing which grinds her gears the most is when Kai's life is in mortal danger.

...And the ass-kicking that follows is phenomenal. That's the power of love.

Ken and Ryu (Street Fighter series)

Like the previous duo these two are quite the opposite of each other. Where Ryu is silent and meditative, Ken is wild and free-spirited. They may not always get along but it helps to keep things interesting.

Besides, when they are fighting together it can get a little boring - I mean, who really stands a chance against the students of Gouken? Dan?

As long as there are Street Fighter games, there'll always be Ken and Ryu there proving their worth, honourably fighting for what's right.

Zack and Wiki (Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure)

When you were young, chances are you wanted to be Zack or Wiki. As members of the Sea Rabbits, a pirate troop, the duo do all the things we hoped life would've offered - the search for treasure, exploration of the jungle and a vast supply of chocolate bars.

Their journey gets them in a bunch of trouble and it's through this that they are able to work together as a single unit to accomplish the eventual goal of fame and fortune. We just wish Wiki's voice wasn't so annoying.

Sam and Max (Sam & Max series)

Originally appearing in a comic book, Sam and Max soon became best known for their brilliant computer game. Lucas Arts adventure games have always been known for their witty scripts and one-liners, but Sam and Max shine because of their on-screen chemistry.

When they aren’t fighting and/or winding each other up, Sam and Max can be seen intimidating witnesses, declaring their love of violence or just delivering highly humorous descriptions of their surroundings.

Head and Heels (Head Over Heels)

Anyone that likes to use their grey matter should look up this game, it’s one of the most brilliant puzzle games ever devised. You control two characters, Head and Heels. You can only control one character at a time and each has their own abilities. Just when you think you have the game sussed, you have to start combining the characters abilities.

Head Over Heels was a revolutionary game whose influence is wide-spread. Check out a brilliant remake here, or be sure to check out the spiritual sequel, ‘Monster Max’, for the GameBoy.

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong (Donkey Kong series)

Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong make their way into our list ape-slapping other more famous platforming duos out of the way. What makes DK and ‘little buddy’ so special? Interaction. Donkey Kong is a powerhouse whereas Diddy is faster and more athletic. A real nice touch though was that when changing character, they would tag each other in with a selection of hi-fives. How cool is that?

Banjo and Kazooie (Banjo-Kazooie series)

The combination of Banjo and Kazooie was a stroke of character design genius. Where many games separated characters and their abilities, requiring you to tag-team, Banjo and Kazooie featured teamwork that was seamless. Many moves required actions from both characters such as Kazooie boosting Banjo’s jump with her wings coming out of Banjo’s blue bag. This all looked fantastic and let the game feature a very imaginative list of moves to make navigating the game’s levels a joy.

Billy and Jimmy Lee (Double Dragon series)

Although carbon copies of each other in their first appearances (later evolving their own traits), Billy and Jimmy Lee get a spot on our list. Why? Because playing this game with a mate was purely bad ass. You could double team the baddies, ignore each other or even scrap it out between yourselves. Later games also threw in co-op attacks. Ahhh the memories of walking down streets with a mate in jim-jams beating up street punks…

Editor's Note: The authors of this article have been sternly reprimanded for neglecting to include Sonic and Tails. Such an oversight will never happen again – many apologies for the millions of Sonic fans out there. Apparently some plumbers were passed over as well, but who really cares about them.

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