Valentine's Day is around the corner and like every other holiday, it's the perfect time to catch up on your favorite games. Wait, Valentine's Day is about spending time with the one you love, you say? Well, two birds one stone is our approach here at GameSpy, so we've put together a compilation of games to play when you want to spend quality time with the one you love, assuming they are also a game-playing nerd.



It Takes Two (Well, Sorta)

Super Mario Galaxy and Call of Duty: World at War both offer Wii-owning couples an easy, some might say braindead way to have fun with your significant other. You can safely invite your loved one to play "co-op," comfortable in the knowledge that they won't drag you down.

Super Mario Galaxy lets the second player point at the screen to pick up stars while you control Mario. If your soulmate is actually good at games, count your blessings and watch this video to see how they can help you out with a slick boost to Mario's jumps.


The squadmate mode in Call of Duty: World at War for the Wii was nicknamed "Girlfriend Mode," at least informally. Oh, those adorably incorrigible misogynists at Activision. Player 2 doesn't have to bother with any of that pesky gameplay stuff, instead they simply point at the screen and shoot non-stop.

Non-Games

We can all stand to be a bit healthier, so why don't you do something constructive with your game time and play some Wii Fit with your mate? It can't hurt to do some push-ups and perhaps a little yoga with the one you love, assuming no one falls over or something. Hot tip: The hula hooping mini-game is a crowd pleaser, particularly when it's clothing-optional.

You can try playing something like Cooking Mama with your mate, but if your husband or wife is anything like mine they'll just hate you and end up playing the ultra-popular Cheating Mama instead. At the very least you'll end up separated, and possibly served divorce papers by their Ace Attorney.

Cooperative Loving

The obvious co-operative classics are great candidates for a Valentine's Day Game Night. The Lego games (like Lego Star Wars) have a broad appeal and are a safe bet for most couples. They're not too hard, and the pop culture references behind them are a strong middle-ground where gamers and non-gamers can come together. Something like Halo or Gears of War would only work if your mate is already a fan of shooters.

Music games are cooperative games in the broadest sense, in that playing together in a band is perhaps the definitive "team-based" experience. Beatles: Rock Band is a sure-fire winner, if only because you'll probably play through a couple swoon-inducing romantic songs like "Something" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" -- songs that might set the perfect tone for the rest of your evening.

There are plenty of co-op games that we can recommend for Valentine's Day, but a few are guaranteed to win over your beloved, especially if you're patient with showing them the ropes. Old-school classic The Adventures of Cookie & Cream from Demon's Souls developer From Software may seem like a kiddie game about a couple of fluffy bunnies in silly hats, but it was actually a cooperative, puzzle-solving, 3D platforming adventure that was ahead of its time (and also very difficult). Two player co-op had one partner clearing the path for the other, but the real craziness came about when four players got stuck in together. Two players would have to snuggle up real close and actually share the gamepad to control one character. Sounds like a recipe for a nerdy double date.

I couldn't wrap up this section on co-op without bringing up a favorite here at GameSpy HQ: New Super Mario Bros. Wii. You can't go wrong by spending some time with a game that emphasizes teamwork, and features the most accessible franchise of all time. Everybody loves Mario, and I'm sure he and Princess Peach have shared many romantic evenings in the Mushroom Kingdom together. It's too bad that poor Luigi can't catch a break. Doesn't Peach have a lankier, slightly awkward-looking younger sister?


Mending Broken Hearts

While co-operative play is all about sharing and partnership, sometimes gamers want to give more than they receive as a gesture of love. In the world of gaming, there's no better way to show someone you care than by being their personal healer. Two great opportunities for healing the one you love come in World of Warcraft and Team Fortress 2.

In World of Warcraft, there's nothing more prized than having a pocket healer, particularly in PvP. While WoW is Serious Business, make sure to be nice, as it's easy to hurt someone's feelings.
There's the right way to ask for a heal...

"Honey, could I get a heal please?"

"You're out of range, my love."

"How about now, dearest?"

"There you go!"

"We make such a great team! I love you!"
And then there's the wrong way...
"Heal me, heal me, HEAL ME!!!"

"Ack! There's a gnome stabbing me in the ass! I can't do anything!"

"HEAL,HEAL, HEAL, HEAL -- I'm dead!"

"I died too!"

"You DIED because you didn't HEAL ME. There goes our ranking! Do you even know how to heal? JESUS CHRIST."

"Stop yelling at me! I hate this stupid game! Don't touch me ever again!"
If MMOs aren't your thing, the same pocket-healer concept applies in Team Fortress 2. Just roll into a game with your favorite offensive class (the Heavy works especially well) and get your significant other to back you up as a Medic. A Heavy and Medic combo joined together by that magic healing beam are nigh-unstoppable.


Even if you don't have a special someone on Valentine's Day, take this crass, commercial holiday as an opportunity to give extra special thanks to the players who keep us going when our health is low.

Let's dedicate Valentine's Day to the brave soldiers who risk everything to revive us when our health bar's empty, and to the healers who top off our tanks without being asked. Join us in dedicating Valentine's Day to healers everywhere -- it's a thankless job and we love you for it.