Couch co-op games: play together on one screen

Split-screen, shared screen and helper roles explained

Local co-op games handle the second player in three main ways, and the difference matters more than the genre.

• Split-screen divides the TV in two (or four). Each player can go their own way, as in It Takes Two, Stardew Valley or Baldur's Gate 3. A bigger TV helps.
• Shared screen keeps everyone in one view, as in Overcooked! 2, Cuphead or Super Mario Bros. Wonder. It is easier to follow but players have to stay together.
• Helper roles give player two a lighter job, as in Luigi's Mansion 3 or Kirby and the Forgotten Land. These are useful when one player is much younger or less confident.

Check which one a game uses before you buy for a specific pair of people. A split-screen game that feels perfect for two adults can be overwhelming for a six-year-old, and a helper role can bore an experienced player.

Couch co-op for two adults versus a parent and child

Two adults usually want equal roles and a challenge they can only beat together. It Takes Two and Split Fiction are designed precisely for that: both players matter equally, and neither can progress alone. Baldur's Gate 3 suits couples or friends who enjoy talking through decisions.

A parent and a younger child usually want something else: a low age rating, forgiving failure and a role the child can handle. LEGO games, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Kirby and the Forgotten Land are good starting points. Overcooked! 2 works well too, once the child can read the order tickets or the adult takes that job.

For mixed groups, look for games where a weaker player cannot drag the team down. In Super Mario Bros. Wonder, some characters do not take damage from enemies; in LEGO games, falling apart only costs studs. Our play-with-kids picks go further into this.

Controllers, copies and accounts: what you actually need

The cheapest part of couch co-op is usually the game. The hidden cost is the second controller. A Switch's pair of Joy-Con controllers can be split between two players for many games, but some games need a full controller each. PS5 and Xbox need a second controller for local play.

You normally need only one copy of the game for local co-op. Some consoles let a second player play as a guest without their own account, but online features and saved progress may sit on the main player's profile.

Online co-op is different. Most games need a copy each and an online subscription on console (PlayStation Plus, Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online). It Takes Two and Split Fiction are notable exceptions: their Friend's Pass lets a second player join online without buying the game. Check the store listing for current terms before relying on it.

Keeping co-op fun when one player is much better

Skill gaps are the biggest source of friction in co-op. A few habits help:

• Let the less experienced player choose the character or role first.
• Use difficulty and assist settings without embarrassment. Many games have them, and they exist for this reason.
• Agree in advance who leads on menus, maps and decisions, so one person does not take over.
• Take turns choosing the next game, so both players' tastes get a go.

If a game is causing more frustration than fun, switch to one with less precision. Overcooked! 2 and Cuphead can be tough on mixed-skill pairs; Stardew Valley and Terraria let each person work at their own pace.

When local co-op is not on offer

Fewer big releases support split-screen than ten years ago, and many co-op games are online only. Before buying, check the store page or the publisher's site for phrases such as "local co-op", "split-screen" or "shared screen". "Co-op" on its own often means online.

If you are on different platforms, some games support cross-play, but that is online and needs two copies. Our finder separates local co-op from online play, so you can filter for games that work on one console. For deeper dives into two-player games, see games like It Takes Two.

Party nights with three or four players

Most co-op stories focus on pairs, but plenty of households have three or four people on the sofa. For bigger groups, look for games that let everyone play at once rather than taking turns.

• Overcooked! 2 supports four cooks in one kitchen, and the more people there are, the louder it gets.
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder runs four players through the same level, with characters that suit less confident players.
• Super Mario Party Jamboree is a board game with minigames for four, which works well with mixed ages, though it is more competitive than cooperative.
• Terraria lets up to four players share a world in split-screen on consoles.

With four players, screen size and seating matter as much as the game. Split-screen with four views on a small TV can be hard to read, so shared-screen games tend to work better for big groups. Have a spare charged controller ready, and agree turn-taking rules before anyone gets attached to a favourite character.