Editing Marathon Trilogy (section)

===Multiplayer===
The ''Marathon Trilogy'' received wide praise for its multiplayer mode. Not only did the games come with several levels specifically designed for multiplayer, as opposed to many contemporary games which used modified single-player levels, but the sequels offered unique game types beyond the standard [[Deathmatch (video games)|deathmatch mode]].

The host who gathers a game has many options available. Games can be free-for-all or team-based. They can be limited by match time or number of kills, or they can have no limit whatsoever. Respawn time penalties can be set for suicide-kills and for all player deaths. The motion sensor can be disabled, and the map is able to show all of the players in the game. Maps can be played with or without the presence of alien enemies controlled by the AI.

The original ''Marathon'' games can be played over [[AppleTalk]] networks (LocalTalk, TokenTalk, or EtherTalk [[LAN]], or [[AppleTalk Remote Access]]). Voice chat can be used to communicate with other players. Using the modern Aleph One engine, games can be played over [[Internet protocol suite|TCP/IP]] networks (LAN or Internet), with [[client-side prediction]] routines added to compensate for Internet latency and a new [[Matchmaking (video games)#Server browsers|metaserver]] interface for finding Internet games.

*'''''Every Man For Himself''''': This is the standard deathmatch. The winner is the person or team with the greatest score. A player loses a point if he dies and gains a point every time he kills another human player. This is the only game type present in the original ''Marathon''; Bungie planned on adding the ones included in sequels, but could not due to time constraints.
*'''''Cooperative Play''''': This style of play has players assisting each other to complete the single-player levels. Scores for each player are based on the percentage of aliens that they killed.
*'''''Kill the Man With the Ball''''': In this game, the objective is to hold the "ball" (a skull) for the longest amount of time. When holding the ball, a player cannot run or attack, but he can drop the ball by pressing the "fire" key. The motion sensor, if enabled, acts as a compass to point players in the direction of the ball. This mode was succeeded by the Oddball game type in the ''Halo'' series.
*'''''King of the Hill''''': Players try to stay located in a specially-marked area of the map pointed to by a compass in the motion sensor. The player wins who stays on the hill for the longest amount of time.
*'''''Tag''''': The first player to be killed [[Tag (game)|becomes "It"]]. If a player is killed by "It", he becomes the new "It". While "It", the game increments the player's clock. The players are ranked at the end of the game by who spent more time as "It". This mode was succeeded by the Juggernaut game type in the ''Halo'' series.