The Best Split Screen & Local Couch Co-Op Multiplayer Games

Split Fiction — Overview

If It Takes Two set the standard for modern couch co-op, Split Fiction is Hazelight trying to top itself. You play as Mio and Zoe, two writers trapped inside simulated versions of their own sci-fi and fantasy stories, and the game constantly jumps between wildly different mechanics.

One minute you’re riding futuristic motorcycles, the next you’re raising dragons, platforming through bizarre worlds, or solving a puzzle where each player has a completely different role. Almost every section introduces something new.

Like It Takes Two, the entire adventure is designed specifically around two players, so neither person ever feels like a sidekick. Communication matters, the split-screen presentation works beautifully, and the sheer variety makes it difficult to put down. For two people looking for a modern couch co-op game, Split Fiction is one of the easiest recommendations on this list.

It Takes Two — Overview

A rare co-op game that truly requires two people, It Takes Two builds every puzzle, mechanic, and gag around teamwork. One player might shrink to fit inside a clock while the other rewinds time; minutes later you’re riding a paper airplane, then firing a nail into a board to make a platform.

The variety never stalls, and the tone swings from goofy to surprisingly heartfelt in a way that keeps both players engaged. Levels are short enough for quick sessions, yet inventive ideas stack up fast, so you’re always learning something new together.

Even with Split Fiction now available, It Takes Two remains one of the best couch co-op games ever made.

Mario Kart World — Overview

Mario Kart World is the new flagship local multiplayer racer for Switch 2. Up to four people can race together on one system, and the expanded courses are much less confined than the traditional tracks found in earlier Mario Kart games.

Races can move from one course into another through the interconnected world, while the new Knockout Tour mode strings checkpoints together into a giant elimination race. Wall riding, rail grinding, new vehicles, and a huge roster give experienced players plenty to learn without making the game inaccessible to newcomers.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still a fantastic option for original Switch owners, but if you’re playing on Switch 2, Mario Kart World is now the obvious place to start.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds — Overview

If you want a kart racer that isn’t Mario Kart, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has become one of the strongest alternatives. It supports up to four players in offline split-screen and combines traditional Sonic racing with CrossWorld portals that can completely change the second lap of a race.

The gadget system is another nice wrinkle. Instead of simply choosing a kart and character, you can create different builds that emphasize speed, handling, acceleration, or more specialized strategies.

Between its fast racing, large character lineup, crossover content, and extensive customization, CrossWorlds is especially good for groups that want something a little more competitive and chaotic than the typical kart racer.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight — Overview

Released in 2026, Legacy of the Dark Knight combines the approachable co-op formula of LEGO games with a much more ambitious open-world Batman adventure.

Combat takes obvious inspiration from the Arkham games, with counters, combos, stealth attacks, gadgets, and more involved encounters than you’ll find in most previous LEGO titles. Gotham itself is packed with puzzles, crimes, collectibles, vehicles, and familiar Batman locations to explore.

Two players can work through the game together locally, making this an especially easy recommendation for families, Batman fans, or anyone who wants something more substantial than the average LEGO co-op game.

A Nintendo Switch 2 version is scheduled for later in 2026.

LEGO Voyagers — Overview

LEGO Voyagers is a much quieter kind of co-op game than Split Fiction or It Takes Two, but that’s exactly what makes it work.

Each player controls a small LEGO brick as you tumble, climb, connect pieces, construct objects, and work together to solve environmental puzzles. There isn’t a traditional dialogue-heavy story; most of the personality comes from the environments, animation, music, and the way the two players interact.

It’s short, charming, and easy to understand, making it an excellent option for couples, families, or anyone looking for a relaxed two-player game where cooperation matters more than quick reflexes.

Donkey Kong Bananza — Overview

Donkey Kong Bananza is primarily designed as a single-player adventure, but its two-player co-op mode makes it a great option when one player is more experienced than the other.

Player one controls Donkey Kong while player two controls Pauline from DK’s shoulder, using her vocal blasts to attack enemies and destroy sections of the environment. It isn’t an equal two-character co-op setup like Split Fiction, but that’s actually useful for parents playing with younger kids or couples with very different skill levels.

And because Bananza itself is such a creative 3D platformer—with destructible environments, transformations, exploration, puzzles, and an enormous amount of hidden stuff—the second player has plenty to help with.

Borderlands 3 — Overview

If you want explosive co-op with big numbers and bigger personalities, Borderlands 3 delivers. Split-screen lets you tackle story chapters, side quests, and boss farms while swapping guns like trading cards.

Each class pushes a different style—pets, clones, giant mechs—so you naturally complement each other when arenas get hectic. The shooting feels significantly tighter than previous entries and the build options open up quickly.

Loot instancing keeps arguments over drops to a minimum, and respecs are cheap enough to experiment. It’s fast, silly, and perfect for couch sessions where you chase purple beams and laugh at the chaos along the way.

Terraria — Overview

Terraria is the best kind of “one more night” game. On console, local co-op turns survival into a shared routine: one person ventures underground for rare ore while the other expands your base, builds storage, or lays out farms.

Progression feels rewarding because you see it—a wooden shack becomes a town, copper tools become endgame gear, and bosses transform from impossible walls into nightly checklists.

The game keeps adding tiny goals: rare fish, wiring contraptions, biome exploration, vanity sets, mounts. It’s dense but not overwhelming, and dying usually means “we learned something.” If Minecraft is about blocks, Terraria is about items—and that split-screen loop is incredibly moreish.

Portal 2 — Co-op Overview

Portal 2’s co-op campaign is its own beast: fresh chambers, unique mechanics, and puzzles that only work because two players are thinking at once.

Each of you has two portals, which means solutions can get wonderfully tangled—timed launches, midair swaps, faith plates, gels, lasers, and the occasional “oops, I deleted your safety portal.”

The satisfaction comes from those synchronized “three, two, one… now” moments where a plan just clicks. It’s challenging without being cruel thanks to smart ramps and checkpoint generosity. If you want a couch puzzle game that makes both players feel clever, this is still the benchmark to beat.

Minecraft — Overview

Four-player split-screen Minecraft is a living-room staple for a reason. Survival nights create natural roles—one player mines, another farms, someone explores biomes, someone wrangles mobs—while Creative mode becomes a weekend-long build jam.

It’s easy to set shared goals (“enchant full diamond,” “find a stronghold,” “finish the village wall”) and see steady progress every session.

The joy is tactile: placing blocks together, celebrating lucky finds, and laughing when a creeper ruins yet another porch. It scales for families, too; younger players can gather materials or decorate while veterans handle Nether runs. Few games make cooperation feel this open-ended.

Diablo IV — Overview

On console, Diablo IV’s couch co-op brings back one of the best parts of the series: mowing through dungeons shoulder-to-shoulder.

The classes feel distinct in how they move and control—barbarian roars into packs, sorcerer deletes screens, rogue dances around elites—so synergy happens naturally. World events and seasonal activities provide plenty of quick detours, while the enormous loot and build systems give you reasons to keep tinkering.

The camera keeps both players visible, and difficulty scaling makes mixed-skill pairs workable. If you want a modern action RPG with a long progression loop, Diablo IV remains an excellent couch option.

Path of Exile 2 — Overview

Path of Exile 2 takes the obsessive buildcrafting reputation of the original and pairs it with slower, more deliberate combat.

Couch co-op lets two players theorycraft together and immediately test combinations involving status effects, minions, crowd control, elemental interactions, and huge damage windows.

It’s still deep: passive trees, skill gems, equipment interactions, crafting, and endgame systems can consume hundreds of hours. But the improved moment-to-moment combat makes playing together much more engaging than simply watching numbers increase.

If you enjoy sitting on the couch discussing whether one support gem or passive node will make your ridiculous build work, Path of Exile 2 is hard to beat.

Overcooked! 2 — Overview

The secret to Overcooked! 2 is controlled chaos. Stage gimmicks—moving platforms, wind, portals, conveyor belts—force teams to communicate constantly: who’s chopping, who’s plating, who’s washing.

Tossing ingredients across gaps saves seconds and creates hilarious failures. It’s approachable enough for newcomers, but chasing high scores demands tight routing and clean handoffs.

Play it with two for clearly defined roles or four for complete chaos. Either way, it’s still one of the best games you can load up when friends come over.

Overcooked! — Overview

The original Overcooked is still excellent when you want a cleaner on-ramp. Levels are simpler, the difficulty curve is softer, and the learning moments are obvious—mise en place, lane discipline, “don’t leave the pan.”

That structure makes it perfect for mixed groups or families, because players can contribute meaningfully without memorizing complicated stage gimmicks.

The charm holds up: silly kitchens, expressive chefs, and that moment when a team finally clicks. If you want a slightly less frantic introduction to the Overcooked formula, start here.

Moving Out 2 — Overview

Moving Out 2 leans into slapstick, then layers in smarter objectives and better co-op tools. The premise is still wonderfully dumb: clear a house fast, furniture be damned.

New level types, portals, and optional challenges keep runs varied, while accessibility options broaden the audience without flattening the fun.

The best moments are teamwork beats—syncing a couch pivot through a tight hallway, banking a TV toss out a second-story window, or dividing rooms to shave seconds. Short levels and quick restarts make it an excellent party game.

Moving Out — Overview

The first Moving Out nails the “five-minute mission, big laughs” formula. You’ll learn to two-man a refrigerator, coordinate corner pivots, and accept that sometimes the fastest route is straight through the glass door.

Each house presents a fresh mini-puzzle: narrow stairs, awkward angles, fragile items, or environmental hazards.

Optional goals encourage replay without pressure. With two players, roles are clear and communication is funny; with four, it becomes cheerful chaos.

Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime — Overview

Imagine a neon starship with stations you must physically run between—shields, engine, weapons, map—and you’ve got the loop.

Players constantly swap jobs: one steers while somebody else handles turrets, shields, or special weapons, then everyone changes roles when the situation falls apart.

That scramble is the point, and it’s deeply satisfying when your crew finally finds a rhythm. Levels hide secrets, upgrades meaningfully change your ship, and the difficulty hits a sweet spot where teamwork actually matters.

Cuphead — Overview

Cuphead looks like a 1930s cartoon and hits like an arcade classic. Two players share screen space, revive each other mid-fight, and split their attention across boss phases where pattern recognition is everything.

It’s tough, but usually fair; each loss teaches you a little more about the fight. Different weapons and charms also let players specialize rather than running identical setups.

When you finally beat a boss that’s been destroying both of you for the past half hour, few couch co-op victories feel better.

Rayman Legends — Overview

Rayman Legends blends responsive platforming with levels that feel handcrafted, then lets up to four players share the ride.

The rhythm stages remain the standout, but the campaign constantly rotates through chase sequences, secret rooms, light combat, and traditional platforming. Generous checkpoints mean mistakes are more likely to produce laughs than frustration.

If you want a platformer that’s polished, immediately understandable, and still feels great years after release, Rayman Legends remains an excellent couch game.

Super Mario 3D World — Overview

3D World is a co-op sweet spot: structured courses with playful power-ups and just enough bumping into one another to spark friendly rivalry.

The cat suit alone sells it—climb shortcuts, scramble up flagpoles, and cause harmless mischief. Levels are compact, checkpointed, and readable for all ages.

Bowser’s Fury adds a separate, freer adventure with a two-player option, while the main 3D World campaign supports four. Together, they make one of the strongest couch multiplayer packages on the original Switch.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe — Overview

Mario Kart World may be the new hotness on Switch 2, but Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remains one of the best local multiplayer games ever released—and it’s still the better choice if your group owns an original Switch.

Four-player split-screen works extremely well, the track list is enormous, and handling hits that sweet spot where beginners can have fun immediately while veterans still have plenty to master.

Items create drama without completely erasing skill, Battle Mode is a party unto itself, and the assist options make it particularly good for families.

Smash Ultimate — Overview

Smash Ultimate is a living-room chameleon: pure chaos with items on, tight competitive fights with them off.

The roster is almost comically broad, so everyone can find somebody they like, and the stages range from competitive staples to crowd-pleasing absurdity.

Local play can scale all the way up to eight players, which makes Ultimate one of the rare games on this list that works when a genuinely large group gets together.

Super Mario Party Jamboree — Overview

Jamboree has replaced Mario Party Superstars as our go-to Mario Party recommendation. It gives groups seven boards, more than 100 minigames, a large character roster, and plenty of different ways to turn a quiet evening into a heated argument over digital stars.

The core local board-game mode supports up to four players on one system and is extremely easy to teach. Some minigames reward legitimate skill while others embrace complete nonsense, which is exactly what you want from Mario Party.

Switch 2 owners can also take advantage of the expanded Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV content, but the standard game remains an excellent couch party option on the original Switch.

Rocket League — Overview

Few games mix approachability and depth like Rocket League. On the couch, split-screen lets you switch between casual matches, private grudge matches, and online games with a local teammate.

The mechanics scale beautifully: simple hits for beginners, air dribbles and ceiling shots for players who grind.

Matches are short, so swapping controllers is natural, and the physics create highlight moments constantly—last-second saves, pinch goals, accidental own-goals, and ridiculous rebounds.

Halo MCC — Overview

MCC is a co-op time capsule and a massive value. Split-screen lets you relive classic Halo campaign missions together, and when you’re done you can pivot into local multiplayer across generations of Halo maps.

Slayer, SWAT, Capture the Flag, Infection, and other modes can turn one collection into months of living-room multiplayer.

Campaign player limits vary depending on the Halo title you’re playing, but for local multiplayer overall, MCC remains one of the best reasons to keep an Xbox connected to the living-room TV.

DOS2 — Overview

This is a full-fat RPG that genuinely works on a couch. Split-screen lets both players explore and make choices independently, then snap back together for combat that rewards creativity—oil, fire, lightning, elevation, teleportation, and barrels doing barrel things.

Character builds feel distinct enough to encourage complementary roles without forcing anyone into a rigid class.

It’s slower than an action game, but that shared planning—“you teleport him over here and I’ll set the whole floor on fire”—is the point. If you want story-rich co-op with tactical depth, Divinity remains outstanding.

Baldur’s Gate 3 — Overview

BG3 brings tabletop RPG energy to the couch. Two players can explore independently, argue over dialogue choices, split the party, accidentally start fights, and improvise their way through the same enormous campaign.

Turn-based combat lets you plan without pressure, while the dice ensure that even a perfectly reasonable idea can turn into disaster. Those failures often create better stories than success.

Split-screen is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with Xbox Series S receiving split-screen support as part of the game’s later updates. If you want a couch RPG that can last for months, Baldur’s Gate 3 is one of the best options available.

A Way Out — Overview

Before It Takes Two and Split Fiction, Hazelight made A Way Out.

The two protagonists frequently experience completely different parts of the same scene at the same time—one distracts a guard while the other sneaks past, one drives while the other shoots, or one searches an area while the other handles a conversation.

It’s short enough for a weekend and paced like a buddy thriller. If you want a cinematic couch game with a beginning, middle, and end rather than an endless progression loop, A Way Out remains worth playing.

LEGO Star Wars — Overview

The Skywalker Saga is enormous: nine films, open hub worlds, drop-in co-op, countless collectibles, and an absurdly large character roster.

The revamped combat gives both melee and ranged characters more to do than in older LEGO games, while the familiar slapstick makes it easy to play with kids.

It’s ideal for short sessions—finish a story mission, explore a planet, hunt collectibles—and just as capable of turning into a 50-hour completionist project.

Streets of Rage 4 — Overview

Streets of Rage 4 modernizes a classic beat ’em up without losing the crunchy feel that made the genre work.

Local co-op is where it shines: you’ll learn juggle routes, trade combos, control crowds, and read boss patterns together.

The art is excellent, the soundtrack delivers, and multiple characters and difficulties give the game much more replay value than its relatively short campaign might suggest.

Shredder’s Revenge — Overview

This is pure Saturday morning energy wrapped in a sharp modern brawler. A crowd of players can jump in, but it’s just as enjoyable with two.

Stages are brisk, bosses are readable, and the pixel art and soundtrack nail the Turtles atmosphere without simply copying the old arcade games.

It’s nostalgic without being stuck in the past, thanks to expanded move sets, challenges, progression, and additional playable characters.

Diablo III — Overview

Diablo III remains one of the easiest action RPGs to play on a couch. Four players can drop in, tear through rifts, and melt elites without getting buried beneath complicated systems.

Loot rains, builds come online quickly, and difficulty options keep the pace moving.

Newer ARPGs offer deeper systems, but very few match Diablo III’s combination of instant gratification and four-player local co-op.

Don’t Starve Together — Overview

Don’t Starve Together’s storybook art style hides a surprisingly unforgiving survival game.

Seasons, sanity, hunger, temperature, bosses, and limited resources require planning, which makes split-screen cooperation feel essential rather than optional. One player can handle farms while the other gathers materials or prepares for winter.

Failures are memorable rather than pointless—every ruined base teaches you something you’ll use on the next attempt. If you want survival where cooperation actually matters, DST remains one of the best options on console.

Spelunky 2 — Overview

Spelunky 2 is about risk, knowledge, and discipline. Local co-op adds chaos—friendly fire, chain reactions, last-second rescues—but that’s part of the fun.

Procedural levels force you to read the screen and use limited tools intelligently: ropes, bombs, mounts, shops, and whatever else you can get your hands on.

It’s difficult, yet fair. Runs are short enough to keep the “one more” loop alive, and the enormous number of secrets gives experienced groups plenty to chase.

Castle Crashers — Overview

Simple, colorful, and still incredibly replayable. Local co-op supports four, so Castle Crashers works especially well for mixed groups.

Light RPG systems—levels, unlocks, weapons, pets, and character progression—give you enough reason to keep playing without locking anybody into complicated roles.

The humor still lands, the combat feels good, and stages are short enough that the game rarely loses momentum.

Enter the Gungeon — Overview

Enter the Gungeon is a twin-stick roguelike where seemingly every gun is a joke that somehow still feels great to shoot.

In local co-op, chaos doubles: more bullets, more clutch dodges, more terrible decisions, and more “I can’t believe we survived that.”

Boss patterns become readable with practice, unlocks add variety without completely overwhelming the item pool, and secret routes give experienced players something to chase.

Unravel Two — Overview

Unravel Two is a quiet co-op platformer built around two yarn figures tethered together.

Puzzles repeatedly use that connection for rope swings, makeshift bridges, counterweights, climbs, and other mechanics that make progress feel genuinely collaborative.

The tone is cozy, the visuals are beautiful, and retries are quick, so it works especially well for relaxed evenings or players who don’t want something overly stressful.

Gang Beasts — Overview

Gang Beasts is pure physics comedy. The controls are intentionally wobbly, which turns every grab, throw, and headbutt into slapstick.

Local brawls are short, loud, and perfect for passing the controller around. The stages do half the work—trucks, grinders, elevators, billboards, and other hazards constantly turn fights into disasters.

It’s not really about precision. It’s about trying to throw your friend off a building and somehow falling off with them.

Human: Fall Flat — Overview

Human: Fall Flat is a sandbox of physics puzzles that practically begs you to solve things the wrong way.

Two players can approach problems from totally different angles—stacking objects, misusing props, climbing somewhere you’re probably not supposed to climb, or discovering an accidental shortcut.

The deliberately loose controls are part of the charm, and failures are usually funny rather than frustrating. It’s an excellent choice when you want low-pressure couch co-op with plenty of room to mess around.

Minecraft Dungeons — Overview

Minecraft Dungeons translates Diablo-style dungeon crawling into something friendlier and faster.

Local co-op supports up to four players, and builds stay readable—armor, weapons, artifacts, enchantments, and elemental effects—so new players can contribute quickly.

Levels are manageable in length, secrets are plentiful, and adjustable difficulties keep the curve smooth. It’s a great “after dinner” game where you can run a mission or two and still feel like you accomplished something.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land — Overview

Kirby’s first big 3D adventure is approachable without feeling empty.

Co-op lets a second player jump in as Bandana Waddle Dee, providing straightforward support while Kirby experiments with Copy Abilities and Mouthful Mode.

Levels are bright, packed with secrets, and paced for quick sessions. Like Donkey Kong Bananza, it’s particularly useful for duos with different skill levels because player two can meaningfully contribute without having to shoulder the entire adventure.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder — Overview

Wonder takes traditional 2D Mario and injects surprise into nearly every level.

Wonder Flowers can completely change the rules—moving pipes, stampedes, musical sections, perspective changes, and all kinds of other weirdness.

Four-player couch sessions can get busy, but the game does a good job of keeping everybody moving, while the badge system gives groups additional ways to modify how levels play.

CTR Nitro-Fueled — Overview

CTR Nitro-Fueled remains the technical kart racer of the previous console generation.

Drifting requires proper timing, and winning often means mastering boost chains and track lines. That makes split-screen races satisfying because improvement is obvious from one lap to the next.

Mario Kart is easier to pick up and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is newer, but CTR still has an excellent handling model and a surprisingly high skill ceiling.

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 — Overview

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a near-perfect couch-versus package for puzzle fans.

The option to stick with either Tetris or Puyo lets specialists play the game they understand, while mixed modes combine the two systems in increasingly ridiculous ways.

Matches move quickly, which makes best-of-three sets or extended tournaments easy to organize. It’s welcoming enough for casual players but deep enough for people who can somehow see six Tetris pieces into the future.

TowerFall — Overview

Crisp controls, tiny arenas, and arrows that demand precision—TowerFall remains a local multiplayer classic.

Versus is built around mind games, movement, and spacing, while Quest mode gives cooperative players something substantial to work through together.

Matches are so short that “one more” becomes ten more, and the mechanics are simple enough to explain in a minute while still offering an enormous skill ceiling.

Street Fighter 6 — Overview

Street Fighter 6 works equally well as a game you casually play with a friend and as something you spend hundreds of hours trying to master.

Modern controls make it easier for newcomers to execute useful moves, while Classic controls and the deeper systems remain available for experienced players.

On the couch, local sets feel fantastic thanks to responsive controls, clear visuals, impactful sound design, and a roster with wildly different play styles.

Trine 4 — Overview

Trine 4 returns to the series’ strengths: distinct heroes, beautiful environments, and physics puzzles that reward cooperation.

Players can swap roles as the wizard conjures boxes and platforms, the thief grapples through environments and attacks from range, and the knight handles close combat and defensive tasks.

Many puzzles have multiple possible solutions, so part of the fun is discovering an absurd workaround that technically shouldn’t work—but does.