Searching for the best co-op games to play right now? This is where you’ll find them. Playing together is an important aspect of video games, with top co-op games allowing you to share thrilling (and sometimes frustrating) moments with your friends, family and even strangers.
Whether you want to team up to take down hordes of the undead, pull your brain power together to solve puzzles or go toe-to-toe with a rival squad, playing together pulls the game out of the screen and brings it into reality as you laugh, scream and bicker together.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of the best co-op games of all time, all of which can either be enjoyed online, via couch co-op, or both. The experiences you’ll find on this list couldn’t be more different, but one thing they all have in common – cooperation is key. Sometimes you need to defeat a common enemy, puzzle your way out of a dungeon or make the perfect sports team, but the point is to have a good time together, even if some games (looking at you, Overcooked) may test your bonds. The chaos of daily life translates astoundingly well to a lot of fun co-op experiences.
Ready for your next cooperative adventure? Read on for our picks of the best co-op games right now.
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Best Co-op Games
Unravel Two
A pretty puzzle platformer
Emphasis on teamwork; family-friendly; beautiful environments; not particularly challenging
Platforms available: PC, Xbox One, PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch
Online or couch co-op? Couch co-op
Unravel Two is a wonderful and extremely pretty puzzle platformer that is only improved by playing with a good friend.
The game features two Yarnys (adorable creatures made of yarn), one red and one blue, who team up and use their special bond in order to solve puzzles and navigate a beautiful but scary world.
Like the original Unravel game, Unravel Two can be played single-player but the great thing about the sequel is that it really feels like it’s made for two, thanks to its plot and its puzzles which emphasize communication and teamwork. It’s also the kind of game you can play with pretty much anyone, whether it’s your kids, your regular gaming friend, or your parents.
There is a limitation to note for co-op with Unravel Two, though: it’s local only. So, your gaming buddy will need to be sitting in the room with you if you’re going to be Yarnys in crime.
It Takes Two
Team work makes the dream work
Family-friendly; takes elements from lots of genres; fun for gamers and non-gamers; Friend’s Pass available; some levels are a bit drawn out
Platforms available: PS4, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC
Online or couch co-op? Both
It Takes Two is a fun, tongue-in-cheek adventure that creator Josef Fares famously said anyone would enjoy – or he would issue them a refund. Fares’ strategy must’ve paid off (no pun intended), because It takes Two was one of the best games of 2021 and is easily one of the best co-op games right now.
The story of a husband and wife who are enchanted and have to cooperate in order to turn back into their real selves is built for co-op play from the ground up, just like Hazelight’s previous game No Way Out. The fantastical theme offers even more opportunities for varied and fun gameplay. It takes Two is a memorable experience, one that even people who usually don’t enjoy playing with others should make time for.
Don’t Starve Together
The woods are a dangerous place
Challenging but goofy Tim Burton-esque art style; plenty of crafting options; maybe too challenging for some
Platforms available: PS4, PC and Xbox One
Online or couch co-op? Both
Klei Entertainment’s Don’t Starve proved that survival games can be challenging and still somewhat goofy. It often made us think that things would be so much easier if we just had someone to help. Well, thanks to Don’t Starve Together, you can see if that really is the case. But, if you expect this standalone multiplayer expansion to be an easier clone of Klei’s Smash hit, then you’d be very wrong.
Friends (and strangers) need to work together to make it, and even then, with large groups scouring the landscape together via online play, the woods will always be a dangerous place, particularly at night…Yet you will want to try again and again, making this one of the best co-op games you can play right now.
Moving Out
As stressful as the real thing
Ridiculous and hilarious gameplay; plenty of levels to play through; family-friendly; more players equals more chaos; controls can be frustrating
Platforms available: PC, Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch
Online or couch co-op? Couch co-op
Moving is stressful, but Moving Out takes it to a whole new level. This hilarious (and ridiculous) physics-based co-op game sees you taking on moving jobs all over the town of Packmore with a team of up to four players.
But it’s not quite as simple as that. You’ll find yourself slapping ghosts in the face while moving TVs out of haunted mansions, throwing valuables over swimming pools and couches out of windows – you’ll even take on some shady jobs.
The key to Moving Out is cooperation and you’ll need to work with your co-movers to maneuver the environment and fill the van as quickly as possible. It’s a true test of friendship and don’t be surprised if at least one person shouts “Pivot!”
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Rocket League
Have a ball
Easy for newcomers to pick up; combines soccer with racing; a league-based system online; plenty of vehicle customizations and modes; if you don’t like soccer or racing, it may not be for you
Platforms available: PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
Online or couch co-op? Both
Rocket League, the game that sees you play soccer with cars, is persistently popular, even seven years after it was first released. Now a free-to-play game, there will always be others available to play with you and in fact against you, that’s why the game is also on the list of the best multiplayer PC games.
Matches range from 1-v-1 to 4-v-4, so there’s a lot of flexibility when it comes to gathering your friends for co-op play. It’s a game that requires ceaseless communication, as you try to coordinate your team into a speeding carousel of goalkeeping, defending and attacking. There’s a league-based system online, so you get a nice sense of progression as your team grows from a fumbling mess into a well-oiled machine.
Sea of Thieves
Yo ho ho!
Regular exciting updates; unpredictability of players; ever-evolving world; a lot of fetch quests
Platforms available: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC
Online or couch co-op? Online
A stirring example of a game that hit the ground stumbling but really caught the wind in its sails over the last four years. Sea of Thieves tasks up to four players with manning a ship, and sailing around a vibrant, cartoon Caribbean-style set of islands in search of plunder, adventure and notoriety.
Where the game used to feel loose and a little purposeless, it’s filled out to become an ever-evolving world of possibilities. You follow maps to skeleton-infested coves, fight mythical sea creatures, and take on other player-controlled ships and crews. There’s even an overarching story to keep tabs on.
Sea of Thieves is the ultimate freewheeling pirate fantasy, designed purposely to be played alongside a motley crew of scurvy-infested sea rats you call your friends. It’s easily one of the best co-op games right now, as well as one of the best Xbox Series X and best Xbox One games.
Diablo 3
A hack n’ slash classic
Balance between simplicity and depth; addictive loot system; plenty of replay value; story is boring
Platforms available: PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
Online or couch co-op? Both, but local co-op is only available on console
Diablo 3 is an action-packed role-playing game (RPG), allowing players to choose from six different classes – the Witch Doctor, the Barbarian, the Wizard, the Monk, the Demon Hunter and the newly-added Crusader – and embark on an adventure spanning five Acts to defeat both Diablo (Acts I to IV) and Malthael (Act V), the Angel of Death.
The game includes an adventure mode outside the main campaign that allows players to roam through every available region in the game to collect loot. On consoles, Diablo 3 is playable with friends both online and offline, whereas the PC version is online only (a sore spot with many PC gamers).
Oh, and you can kill armed, sentient cows in the game – ’nuff said.
A Way Out
The great escape
Innovative co-op gameplay; gripping story; teamwork is vital; annoying QTE sequences
Platforms available: PS4, PC and Xbox One
Online or couch co-op? Both
The high-risk decision to make this prison-break adventure an exclusively co-op game paid off for developer Hazelight. And as soon as you start playing, you’ll see that this was really the only way this game would ever have worked.
You can play this theatrical adventure split-screen or online, with you and a friend controlling two prisoners who slowly form a bond and plot their freedom.
From playing Connect-4 to working out, all the way through to covering each other in life-and-death skirmishes, A Way Out is one of the weirdest, most endearing co-op games out there.
Overcooked 2
Un-bread rising
A variety of recipes and kitchens; frantic, silly fun; lots of levels; more cooks equals more chaos; you will definitely fall out with your friend
Platforms available: PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S if you pick up the All You Can Eat compilation)
Online or couch co-op? Both
In a bid to defeat the ‘Un-bread’ (zombie baked goods), in Overcooked 2 you and up to three other players must prepare a variety of recipes including sushi, pizza, and burgers while working in increasingly chaotic restaurants. To add to the frantic fun, you must battle obstacles including random fires, collapsing floors, and interfering passers by, all while getting your orders out to the pass in time.
Things get complicated incredibly quickly, and relationships, friendships, and family bonds will be tested as you work together to complete your recipes on time, making it one of the best co-op games for that very reason – after all, it is as the saying goes, “too many cooks spoil the broth.”
We recommend picking up the original Overcooked too, if you haven’t played it already. If you’re fortunate enough to have a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S then you can pick up Overcooked: All You Can Eat, a compilation that includes the first and second games alongside all the DLC for both titles.
GTA Online
Chaotic playground
Huge, dense world; plenty of activities; regular updates; other players can be a pain
Platforms available: PS4, PC, Xbox One, PS5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S
Online or couch co-op? Online
What began as a barebones online mode some nine years ago has grown into one of the best co-op games. While playing with strangers tends to be shambolic, gather a crew of friends and you’ll have all the madness of San Andreas at your fingertips. The incredible roleplaying in GTA Online is also absolutely infamous by now.
You can run around the world freely causing general mayhem or take on competing crews in dedicated missions. The best co-op experiences, however, are in the game’s multi-part heists. There’s nothing like robbing a bank and running out to an alley where your driver screeches up right on cue, then fleeing for the hills with police klaxons in your rear-view mirror.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
A collection of greats
Six Halo games in one; multiplayer features every map originally released with each game; updated audio and visuals; doesn’t include Halo 5
Platforms available: Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC
Online or couch co-op? Both on Xbox, online-only on PC
Whether you’re fighting off Brutes with a shotgun or cruising around in a Warthog running over Grunts, the Halo series is undeniably leagues more enjoyable with friends.
You can experience co-op both locally and over the internet in the Halo archives, lovingly packaged as the Master Chief Collection. The collection compiles Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 4, along with all of their respective DLC on a single disc or download. Now PC players are getting in on the fun, but sadly without local co-op. They can still play online, though.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition
Modern RPG classic
Flexible and freeing systems; classic RPG foundation; multiple ways to progress; can be hard to keep track of quests
Platforms available: PS4, PC, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch
Online or couch co-op? Both
Everyone who’s invested hundreds of hours into RPGs has at some point fantasized about playing through an entire campaign with a friend. Divinity: Original Sin 2 goes one better, and makes co-op arguably the best way to play the campaign.
Up to four players (two in split-screen) can freely roam around Divinity’s rich, story-filled game world. You can stick together as a unit, maximizing your chances during the challenging turn-based combat, or split up to try to find your own ways of solving quests. Additionally, there are in-game conversations between player-characters that shape their personality and ultimately how you play through the game.
Original Sin 2 feels as if every single decision matters, whether that’s in conversation, combat or exploration. For that incredible feat, it’s a great co-op experience and also one of the best RPGs.
Monster Hunter: World
Friends who slay together …
Rich environments; captivating monsters; plenty of secrets to uncover; combat can feel rigid; camera can be a bit erratic
Platforms available: PS4, PC and Xbox One
Online or couch co-op? Online
The long-running oddball series finally grabbed the attention of the whole world with its latest installment, refining many of the more awkward bits while doubling down on making its primordial Jurassic world a hostile joy to explore and one of the best co-op games.
Although perhaps a little fiddlier to set up than would be ideal, you can group up with your friends and hunt scaled-up versions of formidable dinosaur-like beasts together. The sheer variety of weapons offers many tactical opportunities; for instance, assign someone to buff the squad while one player shoots from afar and the others get stuck into the melee with their swords and spears.
Monster Hunter: World’s dynamic world means that the unexpected can always happen; another monster may join the fray or the ground may collapse beneath your feet. It means that even with friends, it’s a world that never stops feeling wild and dangerous.
Borderlands 3
Vault(ing) Hunter
Incredible arsenal of weapons; surprisingly varied endgame; deep RPG systems; not all that funny; poor vehicle combat
Platforms available: PS4, PC and Xbox One
Online or couch co-op? Both
Based on our Borderlands 3 review we can admit that Borderlands 3 may not be our favorite Borderlands game overall, but we think it’s the best for co-op play.
At its heart, Borderlands 3 is a shooter, but it offers RPG elements such as gaining experience and leveling up your character. Developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K Games, players set out on a quest to take down a pair of cult-leading twins who are trying to harness the power Pandora’s Vaults to wreak havoc.
Borderlands 3 is great fun alone but better with others. You have a choice of four characters and can play either split-screen with up to three others or online with friends.
Minecraft
Pixelated playground
Fun for all ages; loads of ways to play; playground of creativity; some may find it boring
Platforms available: PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Android and iOS
Online or couch co-op? Both, but split-screen is a console-exclusive feature only available for certain editions of the game.
You knew this would make the list, right? It’s the ultimate co-op experience, allowing players to grab blocks and build worlds together that are only limited by imagination. The beauty of Minecraft is that it can be played co-operatively across different platforms, such as the main world residing on Windows 10 and others jumping in using an Android or iOS device.
Of course, you can go hardcore and join the numerous PC-based Minecraft servers seeded on the Internet using the original Java-based version of the game. And the creations you can find are simply mind-boggling, ranging from the reconstructing of actual cities to a full-scale Starship Enterprise-D from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
If you don’t know what Minecraft is all about, then get out from under that rock. However, in its simplest terms, Minecraft is a block-building simulator that seemingly has no limits.
Fortnite Battle Royale
All aboard the battle bus
Vibrant world; fun combat; unique building mechanics; excellent monetization; can be hard to keep up
Platforms available: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, iOS and Android
Online or couch co-op? Online
Fortnite has had a meteoric rise since its release in 2017, and it’s not hard to see why. The free-to-play battle royale game offers players an energetic and enjoyable online multiplayer experience, either competing alone or co-op, and throwing in some building mechanics to set it aside from its competitors.
Fortnite has become somewhat of a pop culture phenomenon, and it’s not hard to see why: it’s fun, fast-paced and everyone seems to be playing it. More importantly, it has a concept that almost anyone can get to grips with: Just be the last person standing.
Apex Legends
A legend in the making
Fun, fluid gameplay; ingenious Ping System; stellar lineup of personalities; a few weapons need refining; Battle Pass mundane
Platforms available: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC, Xbox One, iOS and Android
Online or couch co-op? Online
Apex Legends is another contender vying for the battle royale crown. Developed by Respawn Entertainment and set in the Titanfall universe, Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale shooter where teams of three go up against 57 other players to try to gather loot and be the last person (or squad) standing.
However, unlike Fortnite and PUBG, Apex Legends sees players take on a class, each represented by a unique character (imagine Fortnite mixed with Overwatch and you’ll be on the right track.)
Apex Legends is the perfect battle royale game for those who enjoy the genre’s premise but can’t get onboard with Fortnite’s building or PUBG’s competitiveness – and it’s free. Plus, different classes, abilities and limited-time events make for a more dynamic experience overall.
Gears 5
Still as slick
Visually intoxicating; plenty of multiplayer modes; new mechanics make it feel fresh; open-world elements feel off; doesn’t flesh out narrative
Platforms available: Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One and PC
Online or couch co-op? Both
Gears 5 is fantastic, and it’s made even better if you take advantage of its co-op. If you haven’t played any entries in the Gears series, all you need to know is that it’s a third-person shooter that will get your adrenaline pumping.
Players step into the shoes of Kait Diaz for the first time who, following the events of Gears of War 4, is trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, unravel the twisted roots of her family tree and deal with her own personal baggage. Meanwhile, humanity is being threatened once more – this time by the Swarm, the successor to the Locust horde.
Not only can you play through the game’s campaign with a friend, you can team up with others in multiplayer horde mode, escape mode or in versus matches.
Rainbow Six Siege
Communication vital; focus on strategy; regular updates; no real story
Platforms available: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PS4, PC and Xbox One
Online or couch co-op? Online
Even if you’re not the type to rack up headshots every evening after work in Call of Duty, don’t be so quick to write off Rainbow Six Siege as “just another competitive first-person shooter”. It’s not. Ubisoft has come a long way in realizing the Rainbow Six series’ potential. With the advent of online gaming, the publisher was able to take teamwork to an entirely new level with Siege.
While the game is mostly about cultivating brief yet unforgettable relationships with other players in fully destructible environments, it also requires a fair share of planning. Because of the limited resources you’re given in each mission, it’s essential to keep communication purely tactical in order to take down the opposing side.
Unfortunately there’s no real story or local co-op element to speak of here, but if you’re interested in joining up with a few buddies online for countless hours’ worth of strategy-focused competitive gaming, Rainbow Six Siege is a safe bet.
This article was written by Vic Hood from TechRadar and was legally licensed through the Industry Dive Content Marketplace. Please direct all licensing questions to [email protected].
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