Couch co-op has long been a staple of game nights with friends or family. Yet, with the rise of online multiplayer, local co-op slowly faded into the background. After all, why share a split screen when you can relax on your own console and connect with friends over Discord?
But there’s nothing quite like sharing a moment gaming with your loved ones IRL, trying to complete a difficult challenge together, or laughing at your own mistakes.
With the rise of couch co-op games like Hazelight Studios’ Split Fiction, local co-op is making a comeback. Below, I’ve curated the best couch co-op games to enjoy with your friends and family, complete with their Metacritic scores and available platforms.
I’ve based this list on several criteria:
- Couch co-op playability: Every game treats couch co-op gameplay differently. Some opt for a fixed split-screen, while others offer a more dynamic experience.
- Pick-up-and-play: Not all gamers are made equal, and a good couch co-op game adapts to the players’ skill level, creating an enjoyable experience for everyone.
- Co-op experience: Is the co-op experience seamless? Bonus points for games that create a unique experience for both solo and co-op play.
17. Vampire Survivors
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Switch, iOS, Android
- Release date: October 20, 2022
- Metacritic: 85/100
Vampire Survivors might seem terribly simple at first glance: You control a character that shoots automatically at nearby enemies, with the ultimate goal of surviving as long as possible. Easy, right? Except when you team up with a friend, and get outnumbered by hordes of enemies.
I’ve spent countless evenings slaying waves of monsters to unlock new features, but nothing matches the adrenaline of playing Vampire Survivors with a friend. This game is easy to play but hard to master, and the challenge of staying alive as long as possible makes for intense game nights.
16. Stardew Valley
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Switch, iOS, Android
- Release date: February 26, 2016
- Metacritic: 88/100
Stardew Valley is that game you can sink hours into without even noticing time pass, and it becomes even better when played side-by-side with a friend. Whether you’re farming, fishing, or exploring hidden caves, the local co-op mode makes every task a shared adventure.
For those looking for a relaxing couch co-op game to play with friends or family, Stardew Valley is a great pick. There are plenty of things to do around the farm and new challenges to explore together to make the entire village grow.
15. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- Release date: September 9, 2015
- Metacritic: 84/100
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime puts you and up to three other players in a spaceship. Everyone must run around in a chaotic yet organized way to make sure everything is in order: Pilot the ship, dodge asteroids, and shoot at your enemies. And the best part of it all? You get to rescue kidnapped space-bunnies.
This couch co-op action space shooter requires teamwork to make sure your spaceship explores the galaxy safely. With colorful graphics and friends by your side, the evil forces of Anti-Love and the deep unknown space don’t look as scary anymore.
14. Rocket League
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- Release date: July 7, 2015
- Metacritic: 87/100
Football with cars, boosts, and friends: What could possibly go wrong? Rocket League is a staple of fast-paced gameplay, where teamwork is crucial to scoring a goal and defeating the enemy team. The controls are pretty easy to pick up, allowing anyone to get behind the wheel and try to move the ball around.
When playing Rocket League with friends, the adrenaline rush of scoring a goal with perfectly timed boosts is unlike any other gaming experience. There’s always something going wrong, someone messing up their boosts, or the ball going the wrong way, and that’s all the chaotic beauty of Rocket League.
13. A Way Out
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
- Release date: March 23, 2018
- Metacritic: 80/100
A Way Out is the kind of game that sticks with you even after you finish playing. Designed exclusively for two players, it follows the story of two prisoners trying to escape jail. I’ve spent evenings getting genuinely immersed in its storytelling, sometimes trying to escape intense fights—and other times just playing darts with my fellow prisoner on our way to freedom.
It’s everything a couch co-op game should be, giving players more than just half a screen showcasing the exact same thing—it’s an experience you share with a friend.
12. Left 4 Dead 2
- Platforms: Xbox 360, PC
- Release date: November 17, 2009
- Metacritic: 87/100
Left 4 Dead 2 is like gathering your closest friends for an all-out zombie brawl, where you need to watch out for each other if you don’t want your brain to turn into a zombie’s snack. It’s filled with action, some jumpscares, and the inevitable tension when you’re close to reaching an objective and one of your friends is under assault by a horde of zombies.
And if you’re not in the mood to save your friend, you can both opt to play as zombies. Why try to survive the apocalypse when you can embrace it and become other players’ nightmare? Left 4 Dead 2 is a great pick for those looking for a scare while still having a good laugh between fights.
11. Baldur’s Gate 3
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
- Release date: August 3, 2023
- Metacritic: 91/100
Baldur’s Gate 3 brings the depth of a classic role-playing game to consoles, with a couch co-op experience that lets you and your friends shape your own story together. Everyone can create their character and decide how they will react to the world-shattering events affecting Faerun. Will you save the world while your best friend tries to team up with the bad guys?
Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the few video games that manage to capture the essence of a tabletop RPG. And just like real-life sessions with a dedicated game master, Baldur’s Gate 3 is better played with friends, with everyone having their distinct take on the story and dice rolls to save the game—or ruin it.
10. Mario Party Superstars
- Platforms: Switch
- Release date: October 29, 2021
- Metacritic: 79/100
Mario Party Superstars is a blast from the past. For decades now, Mario Party games have been a staple in couch co-op games, allowing anyone to roll the dice and compete in various mini-games. You don’t need to be a pro player to tackle the challenges of Mario Party, allowing the entire family to enjoy a game night together.
Mario Party Superstars features over 100 minigames curated from previous entries in the series and five remade game boards from the original Nintendo 64 trilogy, bringing a dose of nostalgia as well as enough challenges to keep everyone busy. For anyone looking for the best party game for the entire family, Mario Party Superstars is an absolute must-have.
9. Until Dawn
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
- Release date: October 20, 2022
- Metacritic: 74/100
Until Dawn might not be your traditional couch co-op to have fun with your friends, but it’s a unique horror experience that is better shared with friends. Everyone can pick one or several characters and pass the controller along, depending on whose story the game follows.
Most choices can have drastic impacts on each character’s life, even potentially causing their death. Even if Until Dawn is mainly a solo game where you pass the controller to other players, every decision feels weighty when you’re not alone. It’s not just about surviving the night; it’s about enjoying the journey together and avoiding killing your friends along the way.
8. Broforce
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
- Release date: October 15, 2015
- Metacritic: 80/100
Broforce is like that over-the-top action movie you can’t help but watch with a friend: it’s loud, chaotic, and terribly addictive. In Broforce, you’re in control of an underfunded, overpowered paramilitary organization dealing exclusively in excessive force. The goal is pretty simple: run around and kill everything, in the name of freedom.
Playing Broforce is less about strategy and more about embracing the chaos. It’s the perfect way to wind down and spread freedom in your enemies’ faces.
7. Moving Out 2
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- Release date: August 15, 2023
- Metacritic: 80/100
Moving out in real life is often a head-scratcher, where the biggest upside to moving cardboard and heavy furniture is the presence of friends and pizza. Moving Out 2 brings this hectic energy and good times with friends–minus the pizza, but you can bring that yourself during your gaming session.
Moving Out 2 is all about the chaos of a moving day, where you and your friend have to coordinate, lift, and place furniture under time pressure. The mechanics are simple enough to jump right into, but everything quickly gets chaotic and really funny. Moving Out 2 supports couch co-op for up to four players, so it’s ideal if you are looking for a quick and easy way to test your friendship.
6. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- Release date: November 6, 2007
- Metacritic: 83/100
There’s something inherently charming about Lego games, and Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga is no exception. It brings everything that makes Lego games popular, with its cartoonish graphics and quirky humor, and takes it to a galaxy far, far away.
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga revisits the main Star Wars game, with puzzles to solve and fights between Jedis and Siths. The co-op mode is straightforward, making it easy for anyone to jump in and start having fun right away, even younger players. Whether you’re a Star Wars fan or just love the Lego games’ mechanics, this game offers a fun way to explore the galaxy with a friend by your side.
5. It Takes Two
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- Release date: March 25, 2021
- Metacritic: 91/100
It Takes Two gathers everything you need when you’re looking for a couch co-op game to play with a friend or loved one. A dynamic gameplay that requires both players to move forward, cute graphics that appeal to any kind of player, and a heartfelt narrative that won’t leave you intact.
Teamwork is the key in It Takes Two, and it’s a game that reminds you why playing together is such a blast. It Takes Two was awarded Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021 and sold over 20 million units worldwide—you can’t go wrong picking this one for your next game night.
4. Portal 2
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
- Release date: April 19, 2011
- Metacritic: 95/100
Portal 2 is a timeless classic, and if you’ve never enjoyed it, this game is a gem when played with friends. The cooperative campaign requires you and your friend to think outside the box, sometimes literally, as you solve puzzles filled with the humor that made Portal 2 popular.
Portal 2 has been one of my top picks for when I want a challenge with a friend by my side, all while having some fun and making good memories sponsored by Aperture Science. This game is a must-play that you won’t forget anytime soon.
3. Cuphead
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- Release date: September 29, 2017
- Metacritic: 88/100
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to fight an evil giant sunflower on your way to defeat the literal devil? Cuphead makes that dream come true, on top of giving a tough challenge for your couch co-op game night.
Don’t get fooled by its cute, hand-drawn, 1930s cartoon-inspired visuals: this game is unforgiving—but that’s what gives Cuphead its charm. Paired with the feeling of accomplishment when you nail a difficult challenge with your friend. It’s a real test of patience and skill that’s incredibly satisfying when you finally get past that one stubborn level.
2. Overcooked 2
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Switch
- Release date: August 7, 2018
- Metacritic: 85/100
Not every game night is meant for calm, quiet play. Sometimes, you need a dose of chaos. Intense energy, high stakes. Or rather, for Overcooked 2, high steaks. If you’ve ever tried cooking in a busy kitchen with a friend, you know how chaotic things can get, and that’s exactly what Overcooked 2 delivers.
This game feels like hanging out with your best mate in the kitchen, with every order bringing a new opportunity to mess up together. Overcooked 2 forces you to communicate and plan on the fly to complete orders, and everything quickly gets a bit too hectic. Trust me, if you’re looking for the best party game to test your friendship, Overcooked 2 is a must-try.
1. Split Fiction
- Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
- Release date: March 6, 2025
- Metacritic: 93/100
Over the past few years, Hazelight Studios has been making some of the best couch co-op games. Split Fiction is no exception and puts the bar even higher with quirky puzzles you can’t solve without your favorite player 2. The game follows the story of Mio Hudson and Zoe Foster, two authors who end up stuck in their respective universes.
Split Fiction has quickly become my go-to recommendation when I want a co-op experience that breaks the mold and keeps both players on their toes. It’s funny, captivating, and has head-scratching puzzles: everything a perfect game night needs.
Bonus: Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, iOS, Android
- Release date: August 17, 2018
- Metacritic: 82/100
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a game that completely flips the script on traditional couch co-op play by turning communication into your greatest asset—or downfall. In this game, one of you is stuck with a bomb while the other has the manual, which means every miscommunication is a recipe for disaster.
I always find it fascinating how the pressure of a ticking clock can make even the simplest instructions seem complicated. It forces you to be clear, patient, and trust your friend’s interpretation of the manual. Or blame them for their incompetence, depending on your relationship with them.
