10 Games For Dorm Room Fun

Posted September 29 2011 by Keadin
Check out more blog postings by Keadin

With the summer behind us and another school year starting up, many within the Xbox Canadian Community will be heading to college or university for another year of learning. Whether you're going in for your 3rd PHD, or dipping your toes in the education pool for the first time, there's one time-honored tradition gamers everywhere can't ignore; the dorm room gaming competition.

There's nothing quite like taking down your entire dorm floor and asserting yourself as the king of consoles with some excellent split-screen gameplay. With that in mind, I present you the 10 best titles for dorm room competition – perfect for those heading off to school and those who wish they were.

10 – Mortal Kombat
Whether you've got movie-star swag like Johnny Cage or are just cool as ice like Sub Zero, there's nothing more intense than opening up a can on the guy who always leaves a mess in the communal kitchen. With tournament bracketing built right into the game, there's little extra needed to have a semester-long competition full of roundhouse kicks and fatalities.

9 – EA Sports NHL 12
Releasing September 13th and homegrown by EA Canada, this is the perfect game for settling any and all dormitory disputes with that Boston exchange student who won't stop gloating. With Gary Thorne and Bill Clement returning for detailed play-by-play colour commentary, you'll be able to crank up the volume so everyone on the floor will hear it, "GOOOOOOAAALLL!!"

8 – Call of Duty: Black Ops
We all know that Call of Duty: Black Ops is great for its traditional multiplayer, full of awesome perks and killstreaks, but there's nothing quite like racing through a match of Zombies with a friend on split-screen. With the latest DLC, titled Rezurrection, you'll be able to take the fight to the moon with the aptly named map, Moon. The anti-gravity environments are a must-play for those times when you can barely be roused from the couch.

7 – Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
Tuned to perfection, this is the most articulate fighting game and the all-star showdown of tournaments like EVO2K12, which makes it a natural contender for dormitory domination. With new characters Yun and Yang, plus a host of new tweaks and balances this is a budget fighting title that delivers much more than it needs to. Just be on the lookout for that really cheap political science major who won't quit spamming the Hadokens.

6 – Forza Motorsport 4
Sure, most of your fellow students will be driving their parents' minivan or a busted up, bargain sedan but that's no reason not to play fantasy. Like its predecessor, Forza Motorsport 4 aims to offer the ultimate automotive escape for those who have expert taste in vehicles, even if their budgets barely cover their meal plan. Show off your racing skills on a series of world-renowned courses and impress that cute foreign exchange student with your worldliness.

5 – Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2
With up to 4 players on the screen at a time, this Technicolor geometric hazard is a math major's worst nightmare. Think you've got what it takes to best your friends amidst a hailstorm of shapes? It'll take a quick eye, fast reflexes and a lot more to thrive. Just be careful not to get too involved with this one close to finals, you'll never get its techno soundtrack out of your head.

4 – Halo: Reach
With classic modes like Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and more Halo: Reach is the de facto dorm room shooter of the season. If teamwork's more your style, there's plenty of opportunity to set up leagues of teams to face off in Firefight for high-score supremacy. Add to the fact that all this will add up to some serious training for when Halo: Combat Anniversary Edition releases and you've got plenty of reasons to dust off your Battle Rifle.

3 – You Don't Know Jack
Oh, sure you're smart. You and all your friends are smart. I mean, you wouldn't be in school if you weren't, right? Take a real test and challenge your friends in You Don't Know Jack for some irreverent but intelligent questions about everything from world politics to vintage films. Finally put to use all those random facts you've tucked away in the back of your brain!

2 – Castle Crashers
Gaming on a budget is tough, but few games offer as much co-op fun on the cheap as Castle Crashers. An XBLA favourite 3 years running, the game just got spiced up with some free DLC that will let gamers play as the elusive Pink Knight, the biggest heartthrob of the pack. Don't feel like being all chummy with your friends? Take it into the arena and beat the snot out of each other with spells, swords, and special abilities.

1 – Gears of War 3
With Gears of War 3 fresh on the shelves, there's no better time to head into the multiplayer or co-op with some friends and rev up those Lancers. Whether you're taking the locust head-on with buddies in the split-screen campaign mode, or taking each other down in classic multiplayer this is one that deserves kingship in the dormitory hall of fame. After all, what other game to play with your bro's than one that takes "brothers to the end"?