Summary
- Co-op games here keep everyone on one screen, promoting teamwork and coordination in a shared space.
- Laughter, panic, and cooperation ensue as players navigate challenges together within tight, defined spaces.
- Whether swinging blob-like characters, saving space bunnies, or battling enemies, these games create unique, personal experiences.
Some multiplayer games hand each player a separate screen, camera, or even an entire world to explore on their own. But these titles do the opposite. They force everyone to work in the same frame, navigating chaos, puzzles, or precision under one lens. There’s no room to wander off or zone out; what happens to one player is always in plain view of the other.
7 Best Co-Op RPGs With Deep Progression, Ranked
These excellent RPGs deliver dynamic co-op gameplay with deep progression that allows for entertaining sessions from beginning to end.
And that’s exactly what makes these co-op experiences feel so personal, reactive, and downright memorable. Whether it's two yarn creatures navigating an emotional journey or four flat squares dodging death at absurd speeds, these games prove that shared screens don’t just bring players together, they glue them there.
Heave Ho
The Art Of Falling Together
Heave Ho
- Released
- March 29, 2019
WHERE TO PLAY
No HUDs, no combat, just a bunch of floppy-armed blobs holding on for dear life. Heave Ho builds its entire identity around players swinging, climbing, and flinging each other across increasingly ludicrous gaps. The only way forward is to physically link arms and pray that the human holding the controller next to you doesn’t forget which button grips.
The shared screen never scrolls out too far, meaning everyone can see exactly how catastrophically wrong a jump is about to go. But that's part of the appeal. There’s something inherently funny about watching four people try to act like a chain of Olympic gymnasts while screeching in panic. No matter how many times someone flings the group into a pit by mistake, it’s never frustrating; it’s slapstick in the best way.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
The Kitchen Is On Fire, Again
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
- Released
- November 10, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone due to Mild Cartoon Violence
- Developer(s)
- Ghost Town Games
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
It starts with onions and ends in screaming. Overcooked! All You Can Eat bundles both games and every DLC into a full-course chaos simulator where every player shares a single screen and a kitchen that has no chill. Orders pile up. Counters catch fire. Someone’s been holding a raw fish for 20 seconds too long.
The camera never cuts or zooms out. Instead, players constantly cross each other’s paths in a frenzy of pans, plates, and pure panic. Levels escalate quickly, from food trucks drifting apart to space stations with teleporters, and every inch of screen real estate matters. Success demands synchronized movement and rapid-fire communication, but even failure is fun when the kitchen goes down in flames with everyone still yelling, “Where’s the rice?”
Flat Heroes
What If Super Meat Boy Had Four Best Friends
Flat Heroes
- Released
- September 8, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Minimalism doesn’t mean simple, especially not here. Flat Heroes turns four squares into some of the fastest, most precise characters in 2D platforming, and throws them into waves of laser-dodging, wall-jumping, enemy-smashing arenas. The shared screen is baked into the design, and players can’t outrun each other because the game doesn't scroll. Everything happens within tight, defined spaces.
The action is crisp and responsive, with movements so fast they sometimes border on visual noise. But that’s where the shared screen shines. No one gets lost. Everyone’s in the same danger zone, reacting to the same spike bursts and projectile patterns. The result is a rhythm game disguised as a platformer, with players dashing in perfect harmony or dying together in slow-motion glory.
Moving Out 2
The Joy Of Tripping Over A Couch
Moving Out 2
- Released
- August 15, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone due to Crude Humor
- Developer(s)
- SMG Studio, Devm Games
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS5, PS4, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One
Furniture delivery shouldn’t be this stressful (or this funny). Moving Out 2 refines the madness of the original into a smoother, more absurd package, where players share one screen and one purpose: get everything into the truck before time runs out. The catch? Most objects are too big to carry solo, doors don’t always open, and sometimes portals are involved.
The shared screen enforces constant awareness of each other’s movements. When someone grabs a couch, the other better be on the right side of it or it’s going through a window. And when obstacles like slime floors, treadmill hallways, or haunted pianos show up, coordination goes from optional to essential. It’s goofy, it’s physical, and it absolutely does not care if players are yelling at each other by the end.
Castle Crashers
Swords, Spells, And Sandwiches
Castle Crashers
- Released
- August 27, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
Long before “couch co-op” was a marketing phrase, Castle Crashers was making living rooms rowdy with up to four players battling their way across absurd medieval battlefields. The shared screen setup is a classic side-scrolling beat ’em up, but the pacing is fast, the enemy variety wild, and the art style instantly recognizable thanks to The Behemoth’s signature flash animation.
Best Co-Op Games On Steam To Play Right Now
From online multiplayer titles to local masterpieces, Steam has plenty of fantastic co-op games that cover a wide spectrum of genres.
There’s magic, animal companions, sandwiches that turn players into hulking giants, and boss fights that feel like mini-Metal Slug encounters. When someone goes down, another player has to revive them, often while dodging arrows and juggling enemies. No one ever drifts offscreen or gets lost. Everyone is in the mess together, and that makes even the dumbest victory dance feel earned.
Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime
Our Ship, Ourselves
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
- Released
- February 9, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
Inside the bubblegum-colored chaos of Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, two players control a single spaceship by running between its various stations: shields, weapons, navigation, and more. The ship’s interior fits snugly on one screen, making it easy to see what needs doing and who’s lagging.
Each player picks roles on the fly, switching between tasks mid-battle while navigating asteroid fields and saving space bunnies. The charm is in how players compensate for each other’s habits. One might prioritize shields, the other always takes the helm. But when a boss starts spawning missiles from every angle, there’s no time for routine. The shared space demands fast coordination and constant communication, all while looking like a cartoon toy commercial from the 90s.
TowerFall Ascension
Arrows, Platforms, And Accidental Betrayals
TowerFall Ascension
- Released
- June 25, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action, Fighting, 2D
There’s no time for friendship in TowerFall Ascension, only arrows and perfect timing. This 2D arena battler makes tight maps feel like chessboards, where every jump, dodge, and shot can change the outcome. The camera never zooms out far; players are always visible, always close, and always a threat to each other.
8 Great Co-Op Games That Are Still Fun In Single-player
The following games are great fun with friends but are also a blast to play on your own.
In co-op mode, players team up against waves of enemies, but with limited arrows and friendly fire on, it’s easy to accidentally ruin a run. That’s part of the brilliance. It encourages precise movement, quick thinking, and the occasional apology. What makes it special is how crisp it all feels. Movement is buttery smooth, collisions are clean, and there’s nothing quite like catching someone’s arrow mid-air before launching it back into their face.
Unravel 2
Two Yarnys, One Thread
Unravel 2
- Released
- June 9, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
No UI, no dialogue, no split-screen. Just two yarn creatures tethered together, navigating nature’s quietest threats. Unravel 2 tells its story without a single spoken word, relying on movement, mood, and shared puzzles. It’s not just about getting from A to B; it’s about how players get there together, usually by swinging one another across gaps or acting as an anchor against raging wind or flowing water.
The screen stays zoomed in just enough to keep the focus intimate. Players are never far apart, and the thread between them is both literal and emotional. The game rewards patience, rhythm, and trust. It’s a soft experience that slowly becomes surprisingly intricate, and every leap, climb, or shared success feels like a small, personal victory with someone just inches away.
17 Best Co-Op Survival Games
These fantastic survival games are not only great solo but can be enjoyed with friends, too. Here are the very best of co-op survival games.