Video games can be truly rewarding experiences whether you’re knocking Bowser into a fiery inferno, scrapping seconds off a lap time around Silverstone to turn it into a record breaker, or solving a head-scratching Picross puzzle after a quiet and focused half hour. When that accomplishment happens to involve besting a friend sitting on the very same couch or a stranger (or ninety-nine for that matter) halfway round the world it's made all the more sweeter. Knowing you’ve bested not just the video game, but another hungry competitor too.

So put on your meanest game face as The Best Competitive Multiplayer Games guides you through sixty of the best multiplayer titles around. From burning rubber across Rainbow Road to deceiving and hunting your friends aboard a space ship, there’s plenty of ways to flex your gaming skills (not to mention ample chance to celebrate with your favourite victory dance). Featuring games released over the past thirty years and covering all sorts of genres including online shooters, face kicking fighters, score-chasing puzzlers and a few unexpected surprises too, this fully illustrated guide includes detailed explanations of every entry, fascinating facts and what makes them a top candidate to settle a score with friends or rivals.