Couch co-ops are multiplayer games that either can share a screen or use LAN connections to play together. Sometimes they make for great party games, and other times they make for great bonding time for family and friends.
While most modern multiplayer games can go over long distances to help bridge the extended space, playing couch co-op really allows players to talk their way through or battle out their frustrations in person.
10 Mario Kart Is The King Of Couch Co-Ops
If there's ever a game to pop in and get playing with a friend, it's definitely Mario Kart. It will either make everyone better friends with their sportsmanship or temporarily tear friendships apart when the leader gets hit with a blue shell. Either way, Mario Kart is always a fun time.
Racing games always lend well for a couch co-op setting, splitting the screen well enough to give each player their own part while not being terribly distracting to everyone else. Though some really talented players can keep an eye on their competitors at the same time, and they truly are a force.
9 Rayman Legends Really Goes Hard
Rayman Legends is the reboot of a wonderful old sidescroller franchise, and this one brings in the ability to play well with friends. Encounters scale a bit if others are involved, but it doesn't become unbearable.
Rayman Legends is fun, full of interesting effects, puzzles, and sounds to keep people entertained for ages. It also benefits multiplayer by keeping up the cooperative style on screen.
8 Among Us Is A Smash Hit For A Reason
Among Us took the world by storm, and for good reason. It's extremely easy to play with friends, families, and even long-distance relations. One of the best things about it is that it has cross-platform compatibility, making it so everyone can play easily on their preferred devices.
Among Us has quickly become one of the best games to play with friends and really gets people working together to figure out what's going on at any moment, not to mention honing up those secretive skills.
7 Portal 2 Is A Cult Classic
Portal 2 expanded upon its predecessor by making a huge game to go through. It also gave the option to run through unique tests with friends, solving puzzles in a deceptively difficult collection.
It was a game to bring couch co-ops up to a bigger, better standard and still lives in the back of many fans' minds as a great game worth puzzling through from time to time.
6 Snipperclips Really Works Heavily On The Cooperation Side Of Things
Snipperclips is an absolutely adorable puzzler where each plater is given control of a shape. When the shapes are overlaid, they will clip out parts of each other to make entirely new shapes that can be then used to solve the puzzle.
It's a great game to play with all age ranges, so it makes for a good time for families, kids, adults, or for the friend who has to bring their little sibling along to the party. Snipperclips is a good time all around and definitely worth the praise it gets.
5 Stardew Valley Lets Up To Four Friends Handle The Farm
Stardew Valley has reshaped the farming simulator genre into something spectacular, launching it into one of the highest-grossing games on Steam since its release. The style is cute, simple, and gets the job done well.
Stardew Valley has multiple co-op modes as well, making it extremely customizable for each group. Sheds can be placed close together or farther apart, money can be shared or split, and the profit margin can be adjusted to make the game whatever the group wants.
4 Cuphead Brings Back A Vintage Animation Style
Cuphead is one of those games that benefits from playing without asking too many questions. Its biggest draw is that it features an older style of animation and play that blends seamlessly with more modern technology.
Cuphead also has a co-op mode where players can fight alongside their other Cuphead buddies and progress throughout the story. Cuphead is almost as fun to watch as it is to play, and there are many details hidden in its old-timey style.
3 Untitled Goose Game Where You Are Two Horrible Geese
Untitled Goose Game is one of those games that smacked into the mainstream seemingly by accident. It's simple, silly, and definitely horrible as the players take control of a particularly devious goose.
It only gets better when that horrible goose gets a horrible comrade. Then both geese can go around terrorizing the town, stealing their things, and making some intense decisions to get through the simplistic, lineless world.
2 Overcooked 2 Gets Everyone In The Kitchen
Overcooked 2 is one of those games that benefits from a group of friends that are really good at talking to each other. Players need to make snap decisions, split up tasks, and get things done in a short period of time.
Overcooked 2 really drives home the cooperative side of couch co-ops in a cute style reminiscent of the old Wii days. It starts out deceptively simple, but then as the levels progress, it just gets more and more necessary to have a good buddy helping out.
1 Don't Starve Together Makes It Far Less Lonely
Don't Starve Together is the standalone multiplayer counterpart of Don't Starve and ramps up the world with constant updates, events, and dangers. While it can be played solo, it also can be played with quite a few friends. It does best in a LAN situation where it's less shaky in connection, but it can also be played over the internet.
The game is a difficult one no matter how it's sliced, so having some friends around to help divvy up tasks is really useful. Preferred playstyles also help benefit the group as a whole. Homebodies can stay at the base to deal with menial tasks, foragers can go out to bring back resources, and the bloodthirsty keep the constant threats at bay. Don't Starve Together is definitely a fun time for everyone involved.