11 Local Multiplayer Gems That Built Gaming Communities

9. Halo: Combat Evolved Split-Screen: Setting the LAN Standard

If you ever lugged an Xbox and a chunky CRT to a friend’s garage, you know just how much Halo: Combat Evolved meant to a generation of multiplayer fans. Halo’s split-screen and LAN play redefined what it meant to compete locally—up to 16 Spartans locked in friendly (or furious) combat. Those legendary LAN parties? They were the birthplace of countless rivalries, alliances, and dramatic comeback stories. Halo kept everyone involved: sharpshooters, drivers, flag runners, and even that one friend who just loved using the energy sword. Multiplayer shooters owe a lot to Halo’s relentless pacing and big-team strategy, with social scenes that extended far beyond the virtual battlefield. The effects are still rippling out today, every time groups gather for quick matches or marathon multi-system battles under one roof.