Due to the rising popularity of online gaming over the past 20 years, getting a couple of friends round and playing some video games is hardly practical. In fact, due to the recent pandemic, many might think that couch co-op gaming is well and truly a thing of the past. Below are my top 10 Couch co-op titles. Here’s hoping that this method of gaming regains its popularity soon.
10) Overcooked 2 (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna)
Oh, Overcooked. For those of you who want to let out some steam on your pals, all while under the pretence of gaming, then Overcooked is the game for you.
Considering you play as cute, teeny chefs, working a kitchen and responding to all orders that come through the door, Overcooked is anything but a walk in the park.
As you put together meal after meal, the game throws you in a host of different locales, each providing more challenge than the last. Beyond the immediate kitchen problems, Overcooked presents you with a range of environmental challenges.
You really get the feeling that you are juggling one thousand things at once, and although stressful, it is incredibly rewarding to get your meals out there. This is a great simulation of what it is like to work in a kitchen.
The reason this game works so well as a couch co-op title is because, like working in a real kitchen, it requires you and your friends to work together, even if you do go a little Gordon Ramsey on each other on occasion.
This is endless hours of fun with friends. You can play online, sure, but the intensity of being in the same room as the other players is the icing on the cake.
9) Cuphead (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Macintosh operating systems)
Cuphead is a nostalgia trip in more ways than one. A 2D run ‘n’ gun/boss battle game, Cuphead has a killer rubber hose style animation, much like classic Disney titles. This was an absolutely massive selling point at launch.
The game is absolutely gorgeous, and also plays wonderfully. It is damn difficult, but never unfairly so. A process of trial and error is all that is needed to beat even the toughest levels.
The run ‘n’ gun stages are a blast, and have some truly unique platforming sections, but the boss battles are where Cuphead truly comes alive. You fight off a range of wholly original bosses, nearly all of whom are in homage to classics like Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop.
The other way in which Cuphead is a nostalgia trip is that it just demands couch co-op gameplay. This one is so much fun to play alongside a friend. There is something that feels so right about beating these bosses - after much trial and error - with a friend. It is the most rewarding way to play this game.
8) Scott Pilgrim vs the World: Complete Edition (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Playstation 4, Nintendo Switch)
Now this one brings me back. Scott Pilgrim vs the World: The Game is a 2D side-scrolling beat ‘em up that, like Cuphead, wears its influences on its sleeve. The 16-bit art style (taken straight from the graphic novels) and gameplay brings to mind such classics of the genre as Streets of Rage. There are even sections wherein you have to destroy vehicles before a bomb goes off, a la Street Fighter.
The story in this one is the same as in the film; defeat Ramona Flowers’ 7 evil ex boyfriends. Simple. The execution of it is great in game form. You play across 7 main areas, each with an inventive and challenging boss at the end. As you battle through the stages, you level up, unlocking new moves. This gives the game a great feel of replayability.
The 8 bit soundtrack perfectly captures the mood of this game. It is so good in fact that it warranted its own vinyl release.
This one is great to play in couch co-op mode as it is a call back to games wherein this method of multiplayer action was the norm. It is fun to play online, but Scott Pilgrim vs the World is really meant to be played on a sofa, sharing some beers with friends.
7) Castle Crashers Remastered (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Classic Mac OS)
When I think of some of the best times I’ve had playing couch co-op, Castle Crashers always springs to mind.
At heart a 2D hack-n-slash RPG, Castle Crashers can often be found on lists of the greatest games of the 7th console generation, and for good reason.
You play as one of four knights, fighting through a world of bizarre creatures, trying to hunt down a dark wizard who stole a mystical gem.
It is relatively light on plot, but that is no bad thing. Castle Crashers is an absolute blast to play. There is a seemingly endless array of weapons that you can acquire either in combat or with money, as well as a host of interesting pets that help you throughout your journey. These pets are in essence the perk system of the game; they boast a hilarious range of functions that help you through the trials and tribulations.
This one is a blast to play in couch co-op because it makes the experience of journeying through the world of Castle Crashers that much more magical. Having a screen full of knights and enemies is the definitive way to play this one.
Plus, there are some great multiplayer modes, including a battle arena, in which you put your skills up against your pals in a fight to the death. Castle Crashers allows you to work together or against each other. It is a timeless classic of the couch co-op genre.
6) Portal 2 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Classic Mac OS, Linux)
What’s better than 2 portals? 4, of course!
Portal 2 took all the elements that made the first title such a blast to play and improved on them tenfold. It boasted a fully fledged story mode this time, with a charming and engrossing story, along with some intuitive tweaks to the gameplay.
The physics based gameplay greatly benefited from a range of new gimmicks that made the gameplay a lot more than a formulaic puzzle game.
On top of the myriad of improvements made to the single player mode, they only went and threw in multiplayer. Although without a fully fledged story mode, Portal 2’s co-op mode sees you and one other friend play as 2 robots, each with a portal gun. You run through a series of test chambers, much like in the single player mode, but here you have to think twice as hard. You need to work together to complete these challenges. However, Valve incorporated certain features here which allow you to “sabotage” your team mate.
Portal 2 is a dream couch co-op title. It is incredibly rewarding to solve puzzles with a pal, but this high octane gameplay will have you both glued to the screen for hours on end.
5) Borderlands 2 (Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, OS X, PlayStation Vita, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Nintendo Switch)
Having recently come to Switch, I rediscovered the joy of Borderlands 2 with friends. Unfortunately for me, this came in the midst of a global pandemic, meaning I couldn’t exactly sit on a sofa with friends and enjoy this experience the way it is meant to be enjoyed.
As with other titles in this list, what makes Borderlands 2 such a joy to play is the perfect mix of teamwork and competitiveness. If you are going to progress through the hoards of enemies Borderlands 2 throws at you, you will need to cover for your friends, planning your movements around theirs, and reviving them when necessary.
However, a massive part of Borderlands is loot, and when you’re playing in multiplayer it is anything goes. Selfishly, but understandably, you want the best loadout for yourself, which can lead to some hilarious rushes to crates amongst pals.
This is a dream to play with a group of friends in the same room because Borderlands is such an intense game, and the experience is only amplified with others.
4) Crash Team Racing Nitro Fuelled (PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One)
The original Crash Team Racing was a hit back when it was released on the PS1. Unforgettable levels, environmental tricks, incredibly tight controls and an addictive drifting mechanic, these are just some of the things that made this game so great.
So, you can imagine my joy when Crash Team Racing Nitro Fuelled hit the shelves, a complete remaster of the original title, with virtually all the content from the PS2 sequel too. On top of re-recorded voice acting, an updated soundtrack and new cut scenes, the game also boasted completely free additional content for the first 6 months after the games release. These came in the form of ‘grand prixs’, which introduced new tracks, characters, skins, carts, and much much more.
In a world of microtransactions and rip off prices, it was so refreshing to see a development team who clearly just wanted their fans to enjoy the game as much as possible.
As I mentioned earlier, the original title had a boosting mechanic that was hard to master, but endlessly satisfying when you did. In this remaster, boosting has become a lot more multifaceted. The many steps it takes to fully master the gameplay here gives it hours of replayability.
I love to play this one in couch co-op because, like other cart racers, it is anxiety inducing and raucous. Plus, if you and a group of friends have all mastered the drifting mechanic, races become incredibly tight and it feels like there’s a lot more on the line than in your run of the mill kart racer.
3) Fifa 19 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows)
FIFA is a notorious party game. It seems difficult to get together with a group of football loving friends and not end up involved in some kind of FIFA tournament.
The football simulation series, although only receiving minor improvements every year, is always a blast to play with friends. The gameplay is as impressive as the graphics at this point.
Stakes always feel particularly high when playing FIFA in a room full of friends. It seems to be a considerably more emotive experience than most other games on this list. There is nothing more thrilling than to come out on top against a friend, though equally there is nothing worse than losing out. However, even when this is the case, all you want to do is play another game.
I chose FIFA 19 in particular because it introduced the House Rules mode to the game, wherein you can play around with untraditional game modes, such as no rules, survival (when you score, a member of your team is ejected), long range (screamers are worth more), and many more. Although FIFA has near endless replayability with friends, this slightly wackier mode gives it a whole new lease on life.
2) Halo 3 (Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows)
In a similar vein to FIFA, most Halo games are a great time to play in couch co-op, but Halo 3 in particular is arguably the greatest entry in the series.
It is impressive how committed Halo 3 is to letting its gameplay be a shared experience. For example, the entire main campaign can be played with up to 4 players. This feature is something most modern story driven titles cannot boast, and I cannot understand why. The Halo 3 campaign shines brightest when friends come along for the ride. I remember vividly playing the closing level of the campaign (no spoilers), with a Warthog full of friends. It gave the game truly epic proportions and really made the campaign feel like a shared experience.
Beyond the campaign, Halo has a dedicated multiplayer mode, with more variety than any other multiplayer experience. The range of things you can do throughout these different game modes is staggering til this day, and is the reason so many people are still going back to Halo 3.
If that wasn’t enough, Halo 3 introduces Forge mode. This lets players come together to create games that can be played in custom multiplayer game modes. The fact that there is essentially a game creation tool in Halo 3, amongst all the other great co-op features, is somewhat hard to believe.
This one is great fun to play online, but Halo 3 really benefits from being played together in the same room. This is especially so with Forge mode, as sharing a room seems conducive to establishing a creative vision.
Now I’m itching to boot up my 360 and invite some friends over.
1) Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo Switch, Wii U)
What else could it be? Be honest with yourself, did you really think anything else would be at the top of a list of best couch co-op games?
Mario Kart 8 is entirely synonymous with the concept of couch co-op. It is the party title, and several drinking games have been dedicated to it. That should give you some indication at just how right it feels to play this in a crowded room of pals.
What can I tell you about Mario Kart that you don’t already know? A kart racer initially releasing on the Wii U, then re released for Switch, Mario Kart 8 is the peak of the series. Across a range of tracks, both old and new, Mario Kart 8 provides more fun than virtually any other game in the aforementioned context.
There’s something just so damn satisfying about throwing a blue shell when your friend is riding in on the finish line, or getting a bullet Bill and zooming into first place.
Mario Kart is a household name, and a go to party game. Nintendo really has the formula down to a tee with this kart racer, to the point that it feels nearly impossible to not have a great time.
This is the first game that springs to mind when we think of couch co-op, and for good reason. If you want to invite some friends over and play video games, you need look no further.
