Before there was online, local multiplayer a la Goldeneye was aweome, but at the same time you always wished you had your own screen rather than a quarter of it. System link and LAN parties were the next step up, but I've never tried either or them (which doesn't mean nobody has of course). Online is a good alternative for most people, but you're right it doesn't have the same feeling of being in the same room as people while playing the game. The local multiplayer experience for Goldeneye was what made that game great, but the online experience has made countless other games great. It's a shame they can't have both, but in today's gaming world I think they made the right choice as to which option to pursue (if they could only pursue one).
Consoles Owned: Atari 2600, NES, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, N64, Gamecube, Wii, XBOX360
