There was a time when local co-op was all the hype. When home consoles became the new norm, gamers always bought an extra controller or three with their consoles because they never knew when their friends or family might be over and in the mood for a round ofSuper Smash Bros.
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When the internet became more widespread, local co-op took a backseat as online multiplayer started to connect gamers from all over the world. But as more and more developers removed local co-op from their games, people started to miss the fun of having a group of friends over and playing a game together, in person. Thankfully, there are still a handful of titles around that put the emphasis back on couch co-op, and the best thing is that thesegames also have exceptionally good stories.
As with almost any list compiling the best of anything, these choices are based partially on critical reception and partially on the subjective opinion of the author, i.e. me.
6It Takes Two
A Tale Of A Husband And Wife
It Takes Two
It takes two players to playIt Takes Two, and once players move past the name, an obvious hint that the game is a co-op title, it’s asurprisingly good titlepacked with loads of fun and emotional moments.
The story follows a husband and wife, Cody and May, who are on the brink of divorce, when their daughter, Rose, unknowingly wishes them into dolls. That’s when the players take control of these characters, and by cooperating with each other, both have to overcome different challenges and find their way past various obstacles, and doing either would be impossible without the help of the other.
5A Way Out
Prison Break In A Video Game
InA Way Out, there are no dolls and no divorces; the game takes a more serious tone and style, and it shows in the visuals, gameplay, and even the story. The two players take control of Leo and Vincent, both of whom are in a prison facility and want to escape prison. Even though the game can be played co-op over the internet, it’s best played on a couch with a friend, sibling, or partner insplit-screen mode.
Players can look forward to puzzles that require a collaborative effort from both players to be solved, stealth, action-filled and cinematic moments, and even some emotional moments and moral dilemmas that will keep players on the edge of their seats.
4Overcooked 2
Hectic Fun
Overcooked 2
On a completely different note from It Takes Two and A Way Out,Overcooked 2takes a more comedic, light-hearted approach to co-op gaming. Even though the game isn’t known for its story, it is there and hilarious. The Unbread have awakened from their graves, and it’s up to the player and up to three of their friends to cook dishes in this time-management title to satiate their unquenchable hunger at the request of the king and save the Onion Kingdom.
To say that Overcooked 2 is hectic is a major understatement. This game will test the strength of the player’s friendship, as every mistake made by any of the players may very well cost them the level.
3Unravel Two
Yarns Incarnate
Unravel Two
Unlike the first Unravel, Unravel Two has a co-op mode in addition to solo mode and is best played with a friend. Published by Electronic Arts, the game is a puzzle platformer that puts players in control of two Yarnys, which are creatures made out of yarn, as they explore beautiful environments andtry to overcome puzzlesand challenges by working together. The Yarns can join together to make bridges, swing across gaps, and even merge together to manipulate the environment to devise a way forward.
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The game is short, roughly three hours in length, but it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The story is about friendship, and is simple but heartfelt: a Yarny is separated from his home and is stranded on an island after a shipwreck. There, he finds another Yarny, and they both connect with each other and become friends, helping each other find a way forward.
A Modern Take On Classic Gameplay
When it was released back in 2017,Cupheadwas a breath of fresh air. The game was jaw-droppingly beautiful, as every single frame was handcrafted, and it was the visuals that took the developers the most time to create. But that didn’t mean the gameplay suffered. In fact, the2D platformingand shoot-em-up combat in the game paved the way for one of the best indie games of all time. And the best thing is that the game can be played with a friend, where one player controls Cuphead and the other controls Mugman.
The story is simple; the main character, Cuphead, and his brother Mugman make a deal with the Devil in hopes of winning big, but it doesn’t pan out well. They get thrown into the Devil’s long list of debtors. To prevent the Devil from taking their souls, both characters go out on a mission to defeat various bosses across the world, who are also debtors to the Devil, each with unique powers and abilities.
1Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy
A Wizard, Thief, And A Knight
Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy
A visual treat and a dream come true for fans of the puzzle genre,Trine5: A Clockwork Conspiracy follows the story of Amadeus, Pontius, and Zoya. With up to 4-player couch co-op, each player can control all three of these characters and swap between them depending on whose abilities are needed to solve a puzzle.
The story is one of an adventure as the trio tries to investigate a mysterious clock tower that has appeared in the kingdom and is linked to strange occurrences throughout the land, including people disappearing and machine-like robots appearing and attacking people. By cooperating and solving puzzles together, the heroes try to find out who’s behind everything and try to restore peace to the kingdom.
