Archipelago vs Hollow Knight MultiWorld

Archipelago randomizes supported games and connects them in a shared multiplayer experience. An item found in one player's game can be assigned to another player and sent over the internet. Sessions may be synchronous, with everyone playing at once, or asynchronous, with players connecting at their own pace. Supported games can also be generated as single-player experiences through the website or installed generator software. Website generation uses an uploaded YAML configuration or ZIP of configuration files and the current Archipelago release. To host a game, users can upload a locally generated ZIP or multidata file, then provide a tracker and patch files to players. Race games are made without spoiler logs and use protections that vary by game, such as ROM encryption or cheat-mode removal. The project lists included games and provides guides, including instructions for macOS clients; it directs players and developers to Discord for questions. Archipelago is free and open source, with Linux, macOS, web, and Windows support. Its supported-games page also points to guides for custom worlds and other games.

Hollow Knight MultiWorld is a free, open-source set of add-ons for Hollow Knight Randomizer 4.0. MultiWorld distributes randomized items across linked game files for cooperative play, while the separate ItemSync add-on shares randomized pickups among players in a room. Players can use local randomizer mods, keep their own randomizer settings, choose nicknames shown when their items are collected elsewhere, and coordinate through a room code. The server assigns a random identifier to each randomization, allowing multiple sessions to run at once. Players can save, reload, reconnect, and rejoin to recover MultiWorld data after a crash before their first save. Mods are available through Scarab, which installs dependencies. Documentation lists a public server and explains local hosting with MultiWorldServer.exe; WAN access requires forwarding port 38281. The project supports Windows, offers advanced customization, seed sharing, and multiworld support, and is licensed under LGPL-2.1. Detailed spoiler logs are planned.