There’s nothing like relaxing on the couch and playing a cooperative game with friends and family, but it feels like this mode is often shirked in recent games. While Couch Co-op’s support has diminished in the past few years, there are still some excellent contenders pushing the genre forward.
We’ve compiled a list of 10 of the best co-op games that players can enjoy on the same console.
Borderlands 3
There are few shooters that rose to fame as quickly as the Borderlands franchise did. This looter-shooter combines cel-shaded visuals, a ridiculous story, and an addictive RPG-based loot and leveling system. Shooter fans can pair up with a friend as they blast their way through hordes of psychos, robots and meet the legendary Butt Stallion on their mission to save Pandora.
Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition
Rayman may not have released a title since 2013, but that doesn’t mean that his last release wasn’t sensational. Rayman Legends allows up to four players to dash through a platforming paradise filled with gorgeous visuals and enticing design. It’s hard to find a game as beautiful as Rayman Legends, so grab this gem for game night.
Minecraft
It’s hard to avoid the mega-hit that is Minecraft. When Microsoft bought Mojang, the studio behind the building sim, it had already become a titan in the gaming industry. Whether you enjoy creating buildings, farms, or entire worlds, Minecraft is a limitless sandbox that is a luxury for the imaginative. Grab a few friends and build the venue of your dreams!
Overcooked: All You Can Eat
What’s more fun than rushing to fill orders at breakneck pace with up to three of your friends? Not much when you’re looking for a surefire co-op party hit. Overcooked lets a group of up to four chefs race through a hazardous kitchen on their mission to complete a whole host of delicacies. In All You Can Eat, players can play the entirety of Overcooked 1 and 2 along with the story add-ons! Try to rope your friends in and watch them fold under the pressure of this unparalleled couch co-op hit.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World The Game: Complete Edition
What’s more nostalgic than a retro-styled beat ’em up of the classic movie Scott Pilgrim? The revamped Complete Edition! Ubisoft rereleased this cult classic in 2021 due to fan demand, with all previously included DLC. Now Scott, Ramona, Kim, Stephen, Wallace, and Knives can bash their way through Ramona’s 7 Evil Exes and hordes of baddies.
A Way Out
When Hazelight Studios announced their first co-op-only game, players were skeptical. When A Way Out was released, that skepticism turned to praise, reinvigorating cooperative play with a story-driven game that users could only play with a partner. Thanks to the Friend Pass, players could even play online with those who haven’t bought the game, making this game an instant success. While it was a triumph for the EA Originals program, it would eventually be dethroned by another project in the program. . .
Castle Crashers Remastered
The 2008 beat ’em up is back and better than ever with Castle Crashers remastered. This touch-up of the wacky game developed by The Behemoth lets up to four knights race to rescue four princesses kidnapped from their castle. Get ready to slash, slam, and cast your way through hordes of enemies and outlandish levels while laughing at the crazy humor of this fantastic title.
Portal 2
Those looking for a puzzle-solving game that they can tackle with friends should feel right at home with Portal 2. This classic game has a gauntlet of levels designed specifically for two players, so if you’re aiming to 100% Portal 2, you better grab a friend for this split-screen adventure. Just be prepared to hear GLaDOS berating you for taking longer than she anticipated.
Cuphead
Looking for a boss gauntlet to tackle with a friend? Look no further than Cuphead. Studio MDHR’s masterpiece puts players in the shoes of Cuphead and Mugman, a pair of old-time cartoons who lost a bet with the devil. To win their souls back, they’ll have to collect the souls of his debtors by walloping them in a fight. These battles will test a team’s coordination and skill, so be ready for a struggle!
It Takes Two
The most revolutionary cooperative game to come out in the past few years has undoubtedly been It Takes Two. Another groundbreaking title from Hazelight Studios. This story-driven cooperative game puts players in the shoes of May and Cody, a couple transformed into a set of toys. The only way back to get their bodies back is to fix their relationship. It’s that’s both heartfelt and hilarious, with innovative gameplay to boot—any fan of co-op ought to give this game a try.
For more on multiplayer games, check out our latest articles, like How to play Multiplayer in Deathloop – How to play as Julianna the Assassin here on Pro Game Guides.
