When comparing Team Fortress 2: Mann vs. Machine vs BattleBlock Theater, the Slant community recommends BattleBlock Theater for most people. In the question“What are the best 4-player local multiplayer games on Steam?” BattleBlock Theater is ranked 16th while Team Fortress 2: Mann vs. Machine is ranked 40th. The most important reason people chose BattleBlock Theater is:
There is a modified co-op campaign that requires players to coordinate their actions to succeed. This makes it a fun couch co-op game due to the importance of communication (as well as how fun it is to grief your teammate in person).
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro The Mann vs. Machine co-op mode let’s players work together, a nice change of pace from the PvP modes
Mann vs. Machine is a co-op mode in Team Fortress 2 that places 6 players on a team with the objective of stopping robots from deploying a bomb. While not the central mode of the game, it allows for enjoyable cooperative play rather than competitive play.
Pro Free-to-play that does not require money to be at a competitive level
This game is mostly pay-to-gain, for example by unlocking new weapons, as opposed to pay-to-win. You can randomly earn or find things without having to purchase them, and some of those can be used to craft even more rare and powerful items.
Pro Free-to-play for everyone and anyone
Team Fortress 2 has been totally free-to-play since 2011. This means anyone can download and enjoy the title.
Pro Easily play with friends on different OSes
The game runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux machines, which makes it easy to enjoy the game with friends no matter what OS any of you use.
Pro Offline LAN support for those that do not wish to play online
You can play local multiplayer matches even without an internet connection as long as you follow the proper steps to set it up. This way people can set up LAN battles without worry of internet connections or ping times.
Pro Great humor breaks up the monotony of repeated gaming sessions
Valve is known for its sense of humor, and Team Fortress 2 does not disappoint. Unlike other popular first-person shooters, this is a game that does not take itself too seriously. This is great for those that may find the gameplay getting stale after repeated plays, as there is still something to enjoy.
Pro Co-op adds a completely new element of coordination to the gameplay
There is a modified co-op campaign that requires players to coordinate their actions to succeed. This makes it a fun couch co-op game due to the importance of communication (as well as how fun it is to grief your teammate in person).
Pro Thought-out presentation that balances style and humor well
The witty humor, enjoyable songs and cutscenes all demonstrate the high level of care and consideration that went into BattleBlock’s design. These things all add up to a game with polish that still stays unique enough to stand out.
Pro Good mix of co-op and PvP multiplayer modes keeps the game enticing
The 2-player co-op campaign is very similar to the single-player one, except that it requires cooperation between the two players. It can be played online or with 2 local players. There is also an arena mode with competitive levels that supports up to 4 players (local, online, or mixed). This gives a good variety of online and local play modes, which should keep the game fresh.
Pro No difficulty spikes, the game is very well balanced
The difficulty curve for Battle Block Theater is so evenly programmed that the player will barely notice things are getting harder. It really does an impressive job of training the player to handle any challenge the game throws at them.
Pro Endless replayability through the level editor and its easily sharable creations
The game has a built-in level editor, and levels (or level packs) can be shared through the Steam Workshop. This makes for a situation where there is an inordinate amount of content for the player to try out, or even create themselves.
Pro Sort of funny but not too much
Light hearted gaming that you can play with your significant other.
Cons
Con Free accounts are slightly limited
Free accounts do not get the same rare and cosmetic items as paid accounts, nor do they have as many storage slots for items.
Con Competitive play feels lackluster
Competitive play is not as enjoyable as the co-op modes due to stiff combat. The mechanics of this wear out pretty quickly.