One on one playoff recommendation

[celerystalker]

I have another tournament happening in my house this Saturday, and I'm finalizing my brackets and everything. Usually, there's an even number or players, as there are both single player and team tournaments and prizes, so everyone comes with a partner. There are a couple of outliers, though, so I may end up with an odd number. I'm thinking that to keep it simple, I'll just do a play-in for the bottom two seeds.

What I'm looking for is a head to head game recommendation to use if this scenario arises. I'd prefer something off the beaten path, both for uniqueness' sake and to keep it level. One on one games I'm already using this time are:

WWF Wrestlefest (arcade)
Bust a Move 2 (PS1)
Rampart (SNES)
Super Dodgeball (Neo Geo)
Twinkle Star Sprites (PS2)
Downtown Nekketsu Koushinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundoukai (Famicom)
Windjammers (Neo Geo)

Pick up and play accessibility is a must, and I'd rather stay away from straight up fighters, as they were a big part last time. Any system pre-Wii U is available, and I have a few arcade cabinets and pcbs, so if you have an idea, I'd love to hear it!

[Tanooki]

Definitely dodgeball. Total skill required there as well as speed and general fast awareness not to get picked off. When you get into puzzles you have patterns and random balls/blocks that can screw someone, and with action again it's pattern based and just not getting stuck between things. If not that the WWF game as that's an open ring and you have to have the same general if not somewhat slower awareness of incoming stuff like with dodgeball so it's more skill based too. Funny you should mention wrestlefest, I found the marquee for that locally a few weeks ago for $2, it's cool so I have it up on a shelf.

[Niku-Sama]

Mario Bros. (NES)
no super
also Tetris (any)

[celerystalker]

Mario Bros. (NES)
no super
also Tetris (any)

Mario Bros... I like that. That's the leader so far.

[Scissors]

How about Maze Craze (Atari 2600)?

[celerystalker]

How about Maze Craze (Atari 2600)?

I do like Maze Craze. It was one of the Atari carts I grew up with, playing a lot with my older sister. I liked the cops and robbers mode especially. I think I like Mario a tad more in this setting, though, as you can do more to impede your opponent, which lends itself to quality trash talk.

[Niku-Sama]

just thought of a specific tetris
tetris battle gaiden (SFC)

[Nebagram]

In this scenario I'd recommend Micro Machines, because I always recommend Micro Machines. Speedball 2's another one that springs immediately to mind.

[celerystalker]

just thought of a specific tetris
tetris battle gaiden (SFC)

Might be decent... I still like your Mario suggestion better at the moment, as I'm already doing Bust a Move 2. I'm not gonna lie; half of the reason I picked Bust a Move 2 is because it sounds like they're yelling "TAMPON!" and "FUUUUCK OFF!" while you're playing, and I always get a laugh out of it.

[celerystalker]

In this scenario I'd recommend Micro Machines, because I always recommend Micro Machines. Speedball 2's another one that springs immediately to mind.

Heheh, Speedball... I have a few versions of that one. Could be an excuse to include the Master System...

[homerhomer]

Bubble Bobble
or any pinball game Pinbot

[MadaoBob]

.....Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde?

[Niku-Sama]

that's just cruel, but not as cruel as this suggestion.

Basketball Atari 2600

[Cornelius]

NES Ice Hockey could work in this setting, quality trash talk usually ensues. I like Mario Bros. also.

[Tanooki]

Pinbot on NES is bad, and the real table I can guarantee you it's an semi-evil table by design, you can lose a bad within seconds of it leaving the shooter lane depending how it tosses it out of the pop bumpers, wouldn't be good for a competition if you are after skill more than luck.

[celerystalker]

I wouldn't do Pinbot or Dr Jekyl s Mr Hyde; they aren't played directly head to head. Dr Jekyl & Mr Hyde doesn't even really have a scoring system. I'm pretty sure it was just a joke suggestion because people love the avgn. Bubble Bobble is co-op, so it doesn't work.

Ice Hockey's a good one that plays quickly, but I think I'm still leaning Mario Bros as of now.

[Koa Zo]

I'd prefer something off the beaten path, both for uniqueness' sake and to keep it level.

Hansha de Spark is about as off the beaten path as I can think of.
While it can be pick-up-an-play, there is a certain level of confusion getting to grips with how the reflection shots play out - should be a level playing field unless there's the unlikely event of having an experienced Hansha de Spark player in the room.

[goldenband]

Boxing (Activision) for the Atari 2600. Short (but timed), brutal, hilarious.

[Niku-Sama]

are we just looking for one game in particular or a list of them?

[celerystalker]

are we just looking for one game in particular or a list of them?

I need one for this tournament (I do two a year), as I'm not sure if I'm going to have an odd number of players due to one guy waffling. The bottom two seeds will use it as a play-in for the final toirnament.

Starting at noon, I run single player games that can be played for high score, and the top 4 scores on each game are awarded points Mario Kart-style. About 3 hours in, I change out the games, and at the end, the scores are used to seed the finals, and top scorer gets a prize. The lowest score gets an insulting prize (this time a CIB Barney's Hide and Seek on Genesis) that they have to play in front of everybody while being made fun of. The winner of the finals gets the grand prize (this time a Master System 1 with Spellcaster).

Each regular brings a partner to play in a team tournament, too, and the winning team gets a prize. This year it's two copies of Capcom Classics v. 1 for Xbox. Last time I had a cooler idea, and gave out the PSP Earth Defense Force two player box set from Japan. I kinda wanted to keep it for myself, but I don't need two copies.

Anyway, so yeah, I need one good, quick play in game, but I might use other ideas in future tournaments, too.