Overcooked! 2 is a sequel that successfully amplifies all that made its precursor an enjoyable co-op experience. Facing increasingly complex culinary puzzles, players must work together – or occasionally against one another – to prepare and serve dishes to a barrage of impatient customers. The brilliance of ‘Overcooked! 2’ is in its comical mishaps and need for genuine collaboration, which ensures laughter and shouting in equal measure. From floating kitchens to moving portals, this game keeps you on your virtual toes and is ideal for cooking up some excitement with up to four players.
‘Rocket League’ delivers an adrenaline-charged, engrossing experience as players control rocket-powered vehicles in an oversized soccer match. The game is a thrilling concoction of high-speed chases, spectacular aerial stunts, and strategic team play, making it an engaging pick for local multiplayer showdowns. With its straightforward controls and deep mechanics, ‘Rocket League’ remains accessible to newcomers and rewarding for veterans, providing countless hours of high-octane entertainment for teams of two to four players.
‘Cuphead’ with its visually stunning hand-drawn animation inspired by 1930s cartoons is a challenging yet deeply rewarding co-op experience. Two players can join forces as Cuphead and Mugman, battling their way through creative and tough boss fights and run-and-gun stages. Communication and precision are key as you and your partner dodge a deluge of attacks and return fire. ‘Cuphead’ provides a ruthlessly charming adventure that tests the resilience and cooperation of any duo brave enough to take on its vintage antics.
For fans of role-playing games (RPGs), ‘Divinity: Original Sin 2’ is a local co-op dream. This critically acclaimed RPG blends deep storytelling with rich tactical combat. Players can create and customize their characters before plunging into an expansive world filled with choice-based dialogue and plenty of quests. What sets this game apart in a co-op setting is the potential for both collaborative and conflicting decisions that can significantly impact the narrative journey. Supporting up to four players, this game’s cooperative play extends beyond mere combat, engaging teams in a profound narrative odyssey.
The ‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’ edition for the Nintendo Switch provides an all-in-one package featuring every track and character from the series’ storied history, including additional content like returning items and enhanced battle modes. With races supporting up to four players locally, ‘Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’ is the definition of accessible fun that caters to all ages, ensuring that anyone can pick up a controller and take part in the exhilarating races and whimsical tracks.
Ultimate An iconic brawler that has defined many multiplayer experiences for over two decades, ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ brings together a staggering roster of characters from various gaming franchises to battle it out in vibrant arenas. Perfect for parties and get-togethers, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is especially good at local co-op play, allowing up to eight friends to duke it out in chaotic, yet strategic combat. With a massive selection of characters, stages, and game modes to choose from, this game offers something for every taste and ensures an electric atmosphere in any living room gathering.
The LEGO game series is well-known for its engaging couch cooperative gameplay, and ‘LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2’ is no exception. This family-friendly title allows players to dive into the blocky boots of Marvel heroes and villains as they navigate through time-travel shenanigans to stop Kang the Conqueror. Featuring a local co-op that is simple enough for children but satisfying for adults, the game ensures a good time, thanks to its humorous take on the Marvel universe, its puzzle-solving gameplay, and its shared-screen mayhem that supports two players.
‘A Way Out’ is a co-op experience like no other as it was designed with a two-player split-screen format from the ground up. Offering an innovative approach to storytelling, the game follows the story of two prisoners, Vincent and Leo, as they plan their escape from incarceration and go on the run. This requires players to coordinate their actions, whether it’s stealthily subduing guards or rowing through treacherous waters. Every aspect of ‘A Way Out’ is built around cooperative play, resulting in a unique and cinematic adventure that can only be fully experienced with a friend beside you.
‘Rayman Legends’ is a must-play for enthusiasts of platforming games. With its gorgeous, hand-drawn aesthetics and fluid gameplay, Rayman Legends offers a rich cooperative experience for up to four players. The game shines with collective play as gamers work together through wildly imaginative levels that require tight platforming precision and timing. The sense of shared victory when synchronizing jumps or saving companions from peril makes ‘Rayman Legends’ a classic for cooperative play.
For those who enjoy vanquishing legions of demonic foes, ‘Diablo III: Eternal Collection’ provides an excellent local co-op experience. The game boasts a cooperative mode where up to four players can join forces on the same screen to explore dungeon-crawling environments and engage in loot-filled battles against the forces of evil. Its range of character classes and skill customization offers varied playstyles, ensuring that each player can contribute uniquely to the group’s success. If you are planning it’s a casual dungeon raid or a serious loot-grinding session, ‘Diablo III’ ensures that camaraderie and teamwork are at the heart of the multiplayer adventure.
Set in the vastness of space, “Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime” is a charming cooperative game that will have up to four players piloting a spaceship through dangerous celestial seas. Coordination and role-swapping are key as one moment you could be manning the shields, the next firing lasers, or dashing off to man the steering wheel. Its vibrant, neon-drenched aesthetics and heart-warming concept of spreading love to conquer fear make this game a unique pick for any co-op library.
“Broforce” is an action-packed platformer that indulges in over-the-top patriotic and action movie tropes. It brings a pixelated, bombastic playground where up to four players can unleash explosive chaos, destroying environments and saving prisoners of war in a comically exaggerated display of heroism. With a plethora of characters parodying various action heroes, “Broforce” is a love letter to anyone who enjoys big explosions and even bigger laughs.