We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. Kirby and the Forgotten Land reunites players with their favorite powerful puffball in a 3D platforming adventure where you inhale enemies and objects to copy their powers. The main campaign supports local co-op, so a buddy can jump in as Kirby's friend Bandana Waddle Dee and help out!
Quick note — you'll have to plow your way through a short single player level in order to unlock the co-op mode.
Promising review: "It's so cute, sometimes overwhelmingly so, that I have to put it down, it's just too much. The way Kirby mouth-ifies random objects makes me giggle. The graphics are great and the gameplay is smooth, just like you'd expect from a premier Nintendo title. I've never been into the series before myself, but deffo recommend" —Amy Lockwood
Get it from Amazon for $59.99 (also available as a digital download code).
2. Cuphead combines old school charm with modern gameplay in a challenging run-and-gun that follows the titular Cuphead, who's made a deal with the devil, as he collect souls to repay his debt. For a co-op experience, recruit a friend to play as Mughead and fight alongside you.
This is a fabulous game whether you decide to go it alone or with a friend. The 1930s animation style is beyond charming and the jazz music SLAPS SO HARD. The gameplay is primarily made of themed zones each containing a collection of bosses you must face off against to collect their soul. Each fight is unique and challenging, forcing you to meticulously learn patterns and work strategically with your Player 2 (if you so choose). I recommend choosing your partner wisely, as this game can make tensions run high in that aggravating love/hate kind of way.
Get a digital download code from Best Buy or GameStop (also available as a physical copy) for $19.99.
3. Unravel 2 follows the journey of two yarn-based creatures — called Yarnys — who connect their dead-ends and form a bond. The connection creates a spark, and the continuous objective is to follow it together through an immersive story filled with fantastical landscapes, friendship, and, yes, even monsters.
4. Animal Crossing: New Horizons makes chores and mortgage payments fun with a seemingly endless list of ways to customize your island oasis. Double, triple, or quadruple the fun by inviting friends to settle on your island, enabling couch co-op for up to four players.
Now is as good a time as any to hop on the Animal Crossing bandwagon, even if you weren't a part of the game's pandemic phenomenon. Since launch, the game has received a series of free content updates as well as its only paid expansion, Happy Home Paradise, which added a fun vacation home element.
Each couch co-op session is hosted by a player designated as the leader. The camera will follow them around the map, but the leader can be changed mid-session. Online and LAN play are also supported, and can accommodate up to eight players.
Promising review: "Nintendo does it again! As a massive fan of Animal Crossing and a long-time player I can say this is one of the best Animal Crossings in a long time. Unlike some people, I think this has the best multiplayer options of any Animal Crossing. Not only can you send letters to your friends online but you can also visit in realtime with one another via the airport. And you can do that with up to SEVEN OTHER PLAYERS at the same time. You can also couch co-op with family and friends as you work together to make your island beautiful together. The graphics are softer and very beautiful. There has never been so many clothing and furniture items; it’s almost overwhelming but I love it. It’s clear they took the fans of the series into account on making this one. There are so many little details that really make this game so great." —Austin
Get it from Amazon for $56.95 or get a digital download code for $59.99. The Happy Home Paradise expansion is available as a digital code for $24.88 — or for free with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership.
5. Overcooked! Special Edition + Overcooked! 2 brings together both parts of the beloved series for hours upon hours of co-op cooking fun! You and your fellow chefs (up to four players total) must work together to prep, cook, and serve tasty creations as quickly as possible, putting your group's communication and cooperation skills to the test.
If you don't want to commit to both games you can pick up Overcooked! Special Edition and Overcooked! 2 separately.
Promising review: "I love this game!!! My whole family gets together and we play! We get so competitive, trying to beat each other at the levels. So much fun!" —Tony Craven
Get it from Amazon for $30.49.
6. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate delights fighting game fans with a HUGE roster of playable characters from a diverse range of titles both old and new. But it's not all smackdowns and smack talk! The latest addition to this popular series has not one, but two co-op modes able to support two to four players as you work together to complete a series of battles.
Promising review: "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is another great addition to one of the most successful video game franchises in history! As someone who has not played a Smash game regularly since Melee, I can say that this game is very accessible to newcomers. Just prepare to be dominated in online matches until you put in quite a number of hours of training and learn how your favorite characters play. The roster is very diverse and ensures that everyone can find a character they enjoy playing as in addition to the DLC characters that have come out. If you have a Nintendo Switch and you haven't bought this game, what are you doing?" —Justin T.
Get it from Amazon for $49.94.
7. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime takes place in a hot pink Death Star within the dangerous depths of space. This micro-platformer can be enjoyed with two to four players, and has you all working together to engage lasers, drive the ship, deploy shields, and more to survive.
Get a digital download code from the Nintendo Store for $14.99.
8. Luigi's Mansion 3 returns Mario's cowardly brother to a haunted hotel where he must face mischievous ghosts and solve puzzles in order to save his friends once more. The main campaign supports drop-in/drop-out couch co-op where a Player Two can take control of Gooigi, Luigi's gooey doppelgänger, and aid exploration by accessing otherwise blocked areas, such as squeezing through vents and walking across spiked floors.
Luigi's Mansion 3 also has a ScareScraper Mode that allows you to connect up to four Switches (two players per) via local wireless or online. Each Switch must have its own copy of the game, and allows for a total of eight players to partake in a timed mode where everyone must work together to complete a variety of objectives across a set number of floors.
Promising review: "Luigi's Mansion 3 takes some of the best bits of the first two games and mashes them into something new. Big shiny hotel, lots of floors. It's very pretty on the big screen but is a treat to play in the pocket, too. There's a good number of floors for this game to feel like a good value, but it's also just a lot of fun to play through. If you enjoy Super Mario games, or liked either of the previous Luigi's Mansion games, you can't go wrong here. For yourself or as a gift, this game will be loved by just about anyone that decides to pick it up. You can have a second player controlling Gooigi, and there are a number of multiplayer levels. Plenty to do and so far all of it has been an absolute blast." —Nate R
Get it from Amazon for $49.94.
9. Don't Starve Together plops players into a randomly generated, Tim Burton-esque world where you must collect resources, craft items, and utilize your character's unique abilities to survive as long as possible. Go solo or share the load with a friend. Either way, you're in for a spooky ride as you unravel the mysteries of this weird world.
Local co-op only supports two plays, but four-player online co-op is also an option.
Promising review: "This game is for the gamer that finds joy in struggling and I'm sadly on of those. JK. This game will provide you hundreds of hours of pure entertainment. Trying to survive is a challenge and it’s so rewarding the longer you last." —Yaretas24
Get a digital download code from Amazon for $14.99.
10. Minecraft is a tale of two games — Creative Mode where you can build lavish structures with unlimited resources, and Survival Mode where you tactfully craft weapons to fight off dangerous mobs. However you choose to play, you have the option to invite up to three friends to share the couch for a collaborative, split-screen adventure.
This title also supports online and combo co-op (combining local and online) for up to eight players.
Promising review: "My kids love this game, and it is a good alternative so they can play something that is more creative and collaborative than other games." —tatiana
Get it from Amazon for $29.88 or a digital download for $29.99.
11. Crawl puts a competitive, asymmetric twist on a classic dungeon crawler where your IRL friends control each trap and horrid beast, working together (co-op, in a sense) to slay you in order to become the hero themselves. It's a race against each other to earn enough XP and loot to reach level 10 and take on the final boss, which your friends will also be controlling in attempts to thwart the hero.
The vicious AI means you can happily play this game alone or locally with up to four friends for the full experience.
This game is PURE CHAOS in the best way possible. Crude art style aside, it's competitive/co-op hybrid experience unlike anything else I've played. Players all wake up together in a room and fight in a last-person-standing–style brawl to determine who gets to "crawl" first. Even when you aren't the "hero" you'll still be plenty entertained and making progress, upgrading your monsters to pose a bigger threat and increase your chances of taking over. With four players, there is a lot happening at once, but that's what makes each bite-sized play session such an adrenaline-fueled rush!
Get a digital download code from the Nintendo Store for $14.99.
12. Snipperclips Plus: Cut it out, Together! boasts three types of multiplayer fun! The main campaign can be played alone but is better with a buddy where both players work collaboratively to cut one another into new shapes to solve puzzles. Blitz Mode has you and a friend competing in familiar games like basketball and hockey, while the Party Mode enables four local players to get in on the teamwork and puzzling.
Promising review: "Absolutely adorable game. The graphics are colorful and unique, and the gameplay itself is an absolute blast. While it is possible to play this game solo, it gets exponentially more fun the more people you have join in. Cheers, wails, and shouts are a common sound to hear wherever this game is being played, and I absolutely love the energy that this game is able to create with its players. I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fantastic local multiplayer game." —Dee
Get it from Amazon for $35.57 or get a digital download code for $19.99.
13. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes brings all your favorite spy movies to life. One player — the defuser — is trapped in a room with a ticking bomb, while the other plays the role of "expert" with access to the manual and must dole out instructions. That catch? The "experts" can't see the bomb, so it's a game of quick and clear communication before the time runs out.
This game is best played with two players (one on bomb duty, one on manual duty), but can technically be played with more if you want to collaborate over the manual with additional friends.
The Bomb Defusal Manual can either be printed out (great for note taking) or viewed online.
I played this game aggressively on PC with my brother, and I'm delighted it got ported to the Switch because I think a million more people should be playing it. Each bomb is made up of different modules that the defuser has to accurately describe, so the expert knows what instructions from the manual to give. Let the time run out or make three mistakes and — BOOM — the round is over. It's a unique co-op experience that is straight-up exhilarating and a great teamwork exercise.
Get a digital download code from the Nintendo Store for $14.99.
14. Haven tells the story of two lovers, Yu and Kay, who give up everything to escape their oppressive home and now find themselves on an unfamiliar planet known as Source. Explore, cook, and craft all while making a new home and uncovering the secrets of Source and its history. And thanks to a 2022 update, the game now includes same-sex relationships, tweaking Yu and Kay’s designs to be playable as two men or two women, as well!
This game is rated M (Mature) for fantasy violence, use of drugs, sexual themes, and partial nudity.
Read what BuzzFeed editor (and fellow gaming enthusiast) Jenae Sitzes has to say about this sci-fi love story:
"If you like space, romance, and exploration, you’ll find a lot to love in Haven. What stands out most to me about this game is that it’s one of the most touching and realistic depictions of a mature, loving relationship that I’ve seen in games. Whether they’re poking fun at each other as they glide around and gather resources, supporting each other in combat against the planet’s hostile creatures, lounging around their ship in comfortable silence, or talking through their fears and anxieties in bed at night, every interaction between Yu and Kay feels comfortably intimate, and I had the most fun just reading their dialogue together.
The co-op exploration gameplay does take a bit of getting used to, as only one person can control the general camera direction, but I found it works well if you just take turns being the person to 'lead.' Once you get going, gliding around Source on anti-gravity boots is a blast, and it quickly becomes a cozy gameplay loop of exploring, crafting, cooking food, taking showers, and hanging out around your ship."
Get a digital download code from the Nintendo Store for $24.99.
15. Castle Crashers Remastered revitalizes this popular 2008 release with higher-quality visuals but the same great hack-and-slash gameplay for which it's known. The basic premise is simple — fight through hordes and save the princess — but that won't stop you and up to three friends from enjoying hours of engaging co-op playtime.
Online and combo co-op (combining local and online) are also supported for up to four players.
Get it from the Nintendo Store for $14.99.
16. Rocket League supercharges a run-of-the-mill game of soccer with high-octane cars that fly through the air and crash into a giant ball for out-of-this-world goals and saves! Face off against friends, or beat the AI in 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4 matches.
Both local and online play are supported with this title for up to four players. Big bonus — Rocket League's multiplayer works cross-platform.
Get a digital download code from the Nintendo Store for FREE.
17. TowerFall brings together rapid-fire gameplay with simplistic controls that make it easy to teach to just about anyone. Local multiplayer is a core part of the gameplay, engaging up to four friends in an archery death match made more intense by arena traps and power-ups. There are also two separate co-op modes that allow you to work alongside a friend (or two, or three) to battle hordes of vicious beasts.
Promising review: "Awesome game with an wild amount of replay-ability. If you are looking for either couch co-op or couch competitive, this is probably a top five game. Fairly high skill cap for how simple the game is." —Heather Mae
Get a digital download code form Amazon for $19.99.
18. Stardew Valley taps into our wildest homestead dreams with a pixelated world where you can farm, fish, collect crafting materials, make friends, get married, and SO MUCH MORE. And to sweeten the deal even more, the semi-recent 1.5 update allows you to invite one friend along for some local co-op farming fun!
To unlock split-screen mode you'll either need to visit Robin in an existing file and build a cabin for your new town-mate, or start a new file and enable split-screen co-op from the "Advanced Options" menu. You'll find cabins already on your farm when you do so.
Also note that both players will need a full controller — either a ProController or a twin set of Joycons. No splitting one Joycon set, unfortunately.
Promising review: "Such a fun little game to just sit down and play for hours with a cup of coffee or tea. 10/10 very relaxing and cozy." —lex
Get it from Amazon for $37.29 or get a digital download code for $14.99.
19. Portal Companion Collection includes both Portal and Portal 2, the latter of which is a peak example of engaging co-op gameplay with a split-screen campaign that's separate from the main plot. In said campaign, you (and a buddy) will play the role of two robots each equipped with a "portal gun" that you'll use to solve physical puzzles set up by a mad A.I. named GLaDOS.
The original Portal and the main campaign for Portal 2 are both super worth your time for solo play sessions. Plus, the split-screen campaign is supported online as well.
Get a digital download code form the Nintendo Store for $19.99.
20. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons introduces a co-op mode for the Switch that allows you and a Player Two to split Joycons and experience this heart-wrenching story of love and loss together. Explore stunning fantasy lands, solve puzzles, face off against harrowing foes, and maybe prepare a box of tissues, ya know, just in case.
Do you like video games and feeling lots of feelings? Then this is the game for you! It's not particularly challenging or long, but will still make you think, and I wholeheartedly recommend playing alongside someone you really love and care about. This game is equally compelling as a single-player experience where you control both characters simultaneously. However you decide to play, this is a story worth experiencing.
Get a digital download code from Amazon for $14.99.
21. Diablo Eternal Collection ports the 2012 genre-defining title to the Switch with a few fun exclusives like Ganondorf's iconic armor. Fans of the original and newbies alike will enjoy choosing from one of seven classes and fighting their way through hoards of demons to defend Sanctuary, whether you opt to go it alone or include up to three friends.
This game is rated M (Mature) for blood and gore, violence, and partial nudity.
This title also supports online co-op, LAN play, and combo co-op (combining local and online), so you can get friends in on the action no matter where they are.
Promising review: "Great game! Awesome replay value! Hours of entertainment! Personally I'm in it deep...give it a shot...you shant regret it lol." —Joey Patton
Get it from Amazon for $37.89.
You calling up your friends for a game night:
