Looking for some good multiplayer games

[ChrisGwinn]

I've been trying to find some new 2-4 player games that I can play when friends are over.  Ideally they would have fairly low downtime (inventory management is a negative), not require much in the way of single-player unlocking, and go well with beer.  Something that's fun to watch is a big plus.

Past favorites with this group:
  Bushido Blade
  Dance Dance Revolution
  Deathrow
  Dead or Alive 3
  The original Gauntlet
  Watching GTA3

I already have SoulCaliber 2 and X-Men Legends.  The Baldur's Gate / Champions of Norrath games were a disappointment.  Hunter: The Reckoning was fun, but too hard.  Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters was moderately fun.

I only have an Xbox and a PS2.  So, sadly, Mario Party is out.

Online support is unimportant, but a good single-player mode is a plus.

Any recommendations?

[Driver]

Xbox+Beer=Outlaw Golf 2!

Seriously, it's a blast for beerplay.  There's a lot to unlock, but entering "I have no time" as your save game file name unlocks everything.  Additionally, there are some other fun cheat on the Hypnotix forums as well:  Superbouncing balls, big heads, big boobs, no-bounce balls, etc.  

I'd also vote for Unreal Championship or TimeSplitters 2.

[ChrisGwinn]

Timesplitters 2 - that's one I keep forgetting about.  That has monkeys in it, right?

[Thin_J]

Timesplitters 2 - that's one I keep forgetting about.  That has monkeys in it, right?

Yeah, there's a monkey player model, and several games involving one player being a monkey while everyone else is normal. I'm sure that's pure hilarity if beer is involved.

[Dafones]

Get a damn GameCube Mario Kart Bundle and a couple of WaveBirds. It's te good.

[depward]

Man, if only you had a Gamecube...

Mario Tennis just came out - I know the original rocks.

SUPER SMASH BROS. MELEE kicks so much ass multiplayer it's not even funny.

So I basically have nothing to help you...I usually play sports games with beer and friends

[EngineNo9]

Say hello to my little friend: Crash mode in Burnout 3!  Take turns trying to cause the biggest pile-up or simultaneously cause pure havoc!  It only supports 2 players at once (8 players switch-off) for that, but really, there is nothing more fun to watch than insane crashes full of twisting metal and explosions.

We also have tons of fun with the Road Rage racing mode, where the objective isn't to come in first, it's a race to see who can take out 10 opponents first.  Always a good time when you're bumping your friends into walls!

If you guys dig shooters you can't go wrong with Halo 1 or 2 or Metal Arms; both support up to 4 player split screen action.

And for a bit of beer-fueled sports action, Fight Night 2004 is a good time and nearly as fun to watch as the real thing.  Who doesn't love punching the crap out of their friends?

EDIT: How could I forget Soul Calibur 2?  The fighting game that is as enjoyable for hardcore fighting fans as it is for the button mashing crowd.

[Semaj]

Super Smash Borthers Melee : They have a club for that one at my college with tournaments and whatnot... it's very scarry...

[Gratch]

Say hello to my little friend: Crash mode in Burnout 3!  Take turns trying to cause the biggest pile-up or simultaneously cause pure havoc!  It only supports 2 players at once (8 players switch-off) for that, but really, there is nothing more fun to watch than insane crashes full of twisting metal and explosions.

We also have tons of fun with the Road Rage racing mode, where the objective isn't to come in first, it's a race to see who can take out 10 opponents first.  Always a good time when you're bumping your friends into walls!

I'll second that one.  My brother and his wife came over on Monday, and we spent close to 5 hours playing Burnout 3.  Road Rage is so fun and easy to pick up that even Mrs. Gratch & my sis-in-law (who detests video games of any sort) were having a great time with it.

[ChrisGwinn]

Get a damn GameCube Mario Kart Bundle and a couple of WaveBirds. It's te good.

Oooh.  I really hate Mario Kart.  I really really really hate it, from back in the SNES days.  And it's one of the only games my wife will play.  So I can't have a copy in the house.