The best couch co-op games right now are It Takes Two for a pair, Overcooked! 2 for a loud group of four, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder when the players range from new to expert. All three run on one screen in one room. The other seven are below, with how many people can play on one couch and how each one reviewed.
Published October 12, 2026.
I have played a lot of games on a couch with somebody else holding the second controller, and the good ones share a few habits. Nobody sits out waiting for a turn. The weaker player still matters to the outcome. And the screen never gets cut so small that you lose your own character. Every game below does all three.
Best couch co-op games at a glance
| Game | Released | Couch players | Review score | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| It Takes Two | March 25, 2021 | 2 | Steam: 95% of 48,307 | Couples |
| Split Fiction | March 6, 2025 | 2 | Steam: 96% of 24,003 | Pairs who finished It Takes Two |
| Overcooked! 2 | Aug. 7, 2018 | Up to 4 | Steam: 93% of 14,640 | Loud groups |
| Super Mario Bros. Wonder | Oct. 20, 2023 | Up to 4 | Metacritic: 92 | Mixed skill levels |
| Cuphead | Sept. 29, 2017 | 2 | Steam: 96% of 66,207 | Two patient players |
| Portal 2 | April 18, 2011 | 2 | Steam: 98% of 174,314 | Puzzle fans |
| Stardew Valley | Feb. 26, 2016 | Split-screen | Steam: 98% of 395,616 | Slow evenings |
| Streets of Rage 4 | April 30, 2020 | Up to 4 | Steam: 93% of 7,089 | Short sessions |
| LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | April 5, 2022 | Split-screen | Steam: 89% of 26,693 | Star Wars fans |
| Rayman Legends | Sept. 3, 2013 | Up to 4 | Steam: 85% of 4,298 | Platformer fans |
It Takes Two
Hazelight Studios made it and Electronic Arts published it on March 25, 2021. Steam calls it built purely for two players, and its English reviews sit at 95% positive from 48,307. The Wrap reported that it won three prizes at The Game Awards 2021: Game of the Year, Best Family and Best Multiplayer.
Every level changes the rules, so one player never gets the easy job for long. It is the single best pick for two people who want a story. Only one copy is needed for online play thanks to the Friend’s Pass, though on the couch that hardly matters.
Split Fiction
Hazelight’s follow-up arrived on March 6, 2025, again through Electronic Arts. Steam lists shared and split-screen co-op, and English reviews are 96% positive from 24,003.
Play it after It Takes Two, not before. The structure is the same two-person design with a new story. Pairs who loved the first one will find this one sharper.
Overcooked 2
Ghost Town Games and Team17 released Overcooked! 2 on August 7, 2018. Its Steam page promises classic couch co-op for up to four players, and English reviews are 93% positive from 14,640.
Four people run a kitchen that keeps falling apart, and somebody always ends up yelling about onions. That is the fun. If the shouting wears thin, Team17’s Moving Out uses the same four-player chaos with furniture instead of food.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder multiplayer
Nintendo released it for Switch on October 20, 2023, and Metacritic shows a Metascore of 92 from 130 critic reviews. Nintendo’s product page says up to four players can tackle courses together on one system, share power-ups and revive each other.
The revive system is why it works with mixed skill levels. A new player who falls off a ledge comes back as a bubble instead of ending the run. Experienced players can still chase every hidden coin.
Cuphead co-op
Studio MDHR released Cuphead on September 29, 2017. Steam lists shared and split-screen co-op, with one player as Cuphead and the other as Mugman. English reviews are 96% positive from 66,207.
Be warned: it is hard. The boss fights take practice, and two players can trip over each other at first. The pair who sticks with it gets the most satisfying wins on this list.
Portal 2 co-op
Valve released Portal 2 on April 18, 2011. Its Steam page says the two-player co-op mode has its own separate campaign, with its own story and test chambers. English reviews are 98% positive from 174,314.
This is the thinking game of the group. Each player has a portal gun, so every puzzle needs both of you talking. It is also the oldest pick here, and it has aged better than most games from that year.
Stardew Valley split screen
ConcernedApe released Stardew Valley on February 26, 2016. Steam lists shared and split-screen co-op alongside online play, and English reviews are 98% positive from 395,616, the largest count on this list.
Nothing explodes here. You farm, fish and fix up a town at your own pace. It suits a couple or two friends who want a game to come back to every night for weeks.
Streets of Rage 4 co-op
Dotemu, Guard Crush and Lizardcube released Streets of Rage 4 on April 30, 2020. The Steam page says that, for the first time in the series, up to four people can team up offline. English reviews are 93% positive from 7,089.
A run through a stage takes minutes, which makes it the best choice when the group only has half an hour. Anyone who grew up on arcade brawlers will know what to do without being told.
LEGO Star Wars Skywalker Saga co-op
TT Games developed it and Warner Bros. Games published it on April 5, 2022. Steam lists shared and split-screen co-op, and English reviews are 89% positive from 26,693.
It walks through the whole Skywalker saga, so there is a lot of game here. Falling apart costs you studs instead of progress, which keeps frustration low for players of any age.
Rayman Legends co-op
Ubisoft Montpellier released Rayman Legends on September 3, 2013. The Steam page advertises four-player co-op for you and three friends, and English reviews are 85% positive from 4,298.
The music levels, where every jump lands on the beat, are the reason to play. It is an older alternative to the Mario pick for groups on PC. For more history on games built for a full couch, see our list of the best Super Nintendo games and the best consoles of the 2000s.
What is couch co-op
What does couch co-op mean?
Couch co-op means two or more people play together on one system in the same room, sharing a screen or splitting it. Steam marks these games as Shared/Split Screen Co-op on their store pages. Online co-op is different, since each player needs their own console or PC and usually their own copy of the game.
What are the best couch co-op games for couples?
It Takes Two is the top pick, since its Steam page describes it as built purely for two and it won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2021. Split Fiction is the follow-up from the same studio. Portal 2 and Stardew Valley are good choices for a quieter night.
What are the best 4 player couch co-op games?
Overcooked! 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Streets of Rage 4 and Rayman Legends all support four players on one screen, according to their store pages. Overcooked! 2 is the loudest and most chaotic. Mario Wonder is the easiest for new players, because a player who falls comes back as a bubble.
Do you need two copies for couch co-op?
No. Local co-op runs from one copy on one system, which is the main appeal. Each player does need a controller. Online play is a different case: It Takes Two and Split Fiction offer a Friend’s Pass so a second player can join over the internet without buying the game.