5 Simple Rules To Follow If you Are Player 2
There are so many games today that have dedicated multiplayer modes built into them, and in some cases, the games are built solely around the fact that you are only competing against other players. Just like every other gamer I love playing a good competitive shooter or trying to rank higher than my friends on a scoreboard, but recently it got me thinking about my childhood where we had to experience a totally different kind of multiplayer.
For anyone who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, you’ll definitely know what I’m talking about. Plugging in that all-important second controller to play couch co-op game modes or mashing buttons on two-player fighting games was how me and my sister spent many afternoons when we got home from school.
However, not to be fooled by the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia this list has been created for and is dedicated to my younger sister. Who like any other in a competitive sibling relationship used to steal my controller or would FORCE PAUSE the game to ensure I didn’t kill her. So if you have a younger sibling who did the same please share this list with them so you can avoid future conflict.
Rule 1.
Accept that I am Player 1 and you are Player 2. It’s really that simple! I’m the oldest and I’m pretty certain the console was closer to my pile of presents when we saw it on Christmas morning, that means it’s legally mine… sorry I don’t make the rules here!
I often played this card, however, did it always work? NO, my sister thought the controller I was using would sometimes be better than the one she had or that I was cheating somehow. This resulted in endless arguments that got nowhere. Learn from our mistakes and don’t let this happen to you!
Rule 2.
Do not pause the game to try and avoid you losing the match. Nobody likes a sore loser, and trust me when I say I like it even less when that sore loser has prevented me from seeing that beautiful final blow to win the match…
This was a common (and ultra frustrating) tactic she used when we played games like Tekken or Dead or Alive. When it came to the final blow she would PAUSE so I was unable to actually finish her off. This was often the sources of us fighting and my mom would enter the room and tell us to switch it off since we could not play nicely. Now we have to go mow the lawn instead! No fair!!
Rule 3.
When we are playing a game that requires you to run and explore, PLEASE explore with me. If you run off on your own I will not be able to protect you or help you get back on your feet. Also don’t run to the opposite side just to annoy me, trust me, there’s nothing down that way!!
Sticking together is the best tactic! As siblings we should be great at this, we know each other inside out, we communicate every day, how hard can this be? Very hard apparently! When you have two kids who have totally different personalities and approaches to playing a game this was bound to happen. But seriously though, next time just follow me and don’t be so difficult!
Rule 4.
Under absolutely no circumstances can you touch my controller!! Whether it’s a single or multi player game you should never, never, NEVERRR touch the controller! You always seem to find a way to kill me or use up valuable items I need for a future fight!!
I honestly didn’t think I’d need to add this into the list but then I remembered the time I had paused the game to go and grab a snack before I was going to fight a really hard boss in Final Fantasy 9 and my sister had somehow managed to use up, drop or sell all of the items I had been saving up to help me through it! How was that even possible! I was gone for like 30 seconds!! So yes, moral of the story, hands off my controller!!
Rule 5.
It’s not your turn yet, so don’t get mad and run to the console and press restart or switch off the power!
Thankfully this didn’t happen all the time but it happened often enough for me to have to add it in as a rule! Turning off the console is going to make me mad, and you’re instantly going to regret it! Not to mention all the valuable progress we just lost… plus you now have to watch me do it all again. So who’s the real winner here?
It might sound like we didn’t get on well and despite always fighting with my sister when we were very young we both love each other very much. She has always been one of my biggest supporters and often sacrificed her hour of game time for me to play longer. I seriously love you for that!
As we got older my love for gaming grew and her interests started to drift to other things. Every now and then I sometimes think back on our younger days and I do miss the times we would play together with me teaching her how to play the games and beating missions together.
And now that we are older she often sits with me while I play video games. She has upgraded herself from Player 2 to the incredible heights of a back seat gamer. When I mess up a mission or die she laughs and tells me how bad I am, which often results in me telling her that she can’t even play the game. When that happens it makes me realise that even though she’s not holding a controller and actively playing she really is still my very own Player 2 at heart.
Would I change the outcome of her moving on from video games and me playing them more often? No definitely not, we both grew closer and found our passion in our own ways.
So if you have your very own Player 2 remember to be as strict as possible and protect your Player 1 status. You’ve worked hard to get there and you shouldn’t have to give the title up! If you are unsure if you are a Player 2, then you most likely already are the Player 2.
Lots of Love
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