Playing video games alone is fun, but sometimes you want to get someone else involved in the action.
It might be a brother or sister, your parents, or even a partner. But whoever you prefer to game with, two players are often better than one. Thankfully there are plenty of games out there that can be enjoyed by two or more people. We’re not talking about games that you have to play over the internet, either; we’re talking about games that you can play locally with others. Some like to call them local co-op games, but we prefer couch co-op games. And if you’re after the best couch co-op games you can play on either Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve curated a list of some of the best games you can play locally with others on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Each and every one of these local multiplayer games will provide you with hours of fun that simply gets better when enjoyed with others. There are a wide range of genres covered, too; everything from horror to good, old-fashioned 2D platforming. So, if you’re after the best couch co-op games on Xbox, read on.
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1. It Takes Two
From Hazelight Studios comes It takes Two, the perfect couch co-op game. Especially so for couples. Hazelight Studios isn’t new to the co-op business, having previously made A Way Out, which you’ll also find on this list. With It Takes Two, however, the studio really pushes the limits of what a local co-op game can be, masterfully squeezing in various types of gameplay without things feeling forced.
In It Takes Two, players take on the role of Cody and May, a married couple on the brink of divorce. Some weird and wonderful magic turns them into a pair of dolls – and as tiny versions of themselves, a wonderfully kooky adventure is afoot, seeing the pair tackle all manner of puzzles, action and adventure.
With its high production values and thoroughly entertaining gameplay, if you’re after the best couch co-op games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, It Takes Two really is a must-have.
Read our review of It Takes Two
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2. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
The newest game in the Borderlands series also happens to be one of the best couch co-op games on Xbox. If you like shooting stuff, ridiculous amounts of loot and silly comedy, then you’ll find yourself right at home with Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands.
Building on the Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep DLC released for Borderlands 2, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands once again finds players taking part in one of Tiny Tina’s Bunkers and Badasses tabletop RPG games. But this time everything is bigger, better and more unique. While some well-known Borderlands characters show their faces, the action is centred around some new protagonists, voiced by stars such as Andy Samberg and Wanda Sykes. And while there’s still a lot of shooting to be done, all of the guns available are more fantastical. Add in melee weapons, spells and an overworld for you to explore, and you have a game that truly takes the Borderlands series to the next level.
Just be aware that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands doesn’t support smart delivery, so make sure you buy the right version for your console. And while the Xbox Series X/S version supports up to four players in split-screen, the Xbox One version only supports two.
Read our review of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
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3. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a new LEGO Star Wars was announced. And finally, it’s here. Covering the complete Skywalker saga – that’s nine films – this is a sizeable game, and one that’s best enjoyed with a friend or family member on the couch.
You’re free to jump in at the start of any of the three trilogies included in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. So, you can start with the prequel trilogy if you wish, or jump straight to the more recent one. And while each film has numerous levels for you to play through, it’s the open world of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga that proves to be the biggest draw. You’re free to travel to planets as you unlock them, and discover the secrets they have in store. You can even fly through space in a range of ships if you like. Add in hundreds of characters to unlock and play as, and you have a game that will keep you occupied for tens of hours.
Needless to say, if you’re a fan of Star Wars you’ll love LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. And as one of the best couch co-op games on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, you’ll love it even more if you enjoy playing games locally with others.
Read our review of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
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4. Streets of Rage 4
The Streets of Rage series is back, and it’s better than ever.
Streets of Rage 4 features sumptuous graphics, a killer soundtrack and addictive brawler gameplay. It’s got plenty of content, too, with 12 stages in which to pummel enemies and a whopping 17 playable characters if you include the 12 unlockable retro fighters. You can even play along to music from the original Streets of Rage and its sequel if you remember it fondly. If you don’t mind spending a little more money a DLC pack is available too, which adds yet more characters and a brilliant survival mode.
Immensely enjoyable in single-player, Streets of Rage 4 is somehow even better in co-op. Up for four players can work together locally, though watch out if friendly fire is turned on as you’ll no doubt end up hurting each other. It’s a good job there’s a versus battle mode to settle any grudges. In any case, if you’re after the best couch-co-op games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, this is an absolute must-have. It’s currently available via Xbox Game Pass, too.
Read our review of Streets of Rage 4
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5. The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
Story-driven games tend to be single-player only, right? Supermassive Games proves that they can work as co-op experiences, too. Essentially an interactive movie, House of Ashes is the third entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology. If you haven’t played the previous entries, however, don’t let it put you off. Each tells its own story with a unique setting and characters. House of Ashes follows a team of soldiers searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. But after a conducting a raid, they find themselves trapped underground, in an ancient Akkadian temple.
Play House of Ashes in Movie Night mode, and each of its cast of characters can be controlled by a different player. But be careful, as no one is safe. As you pass the controller around between scenes, the choices and actions players make will determine if they survive the ordeal, or end up dead. And there are plenty of scares along the way.
If you like local co-op games and horror, definitely consider adding House of Ashes to your library of Xbox games. It’s easily the best entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology to date.
Read our review of House of Ashes
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6. Diablo III: Eternal Collection
Diablo III is old now, but thanks to regular updates it’s still a must-play couch co-op experience.
The content and gameplay of Diablo III is exactly the same whether you play it alone or with others. But playing in co-op is seamless, meaning others players can join or drop out at any point without interrupting your progress. Up to four people can play on the same screen for some serious monster-hunting madness.
The difficulty of Diablo III scales depending how many people are playing, so with a full roster of four, your enemies are going to be much tougher than if you were fighting them alone. The only downside to sharing a screen is when one player opens their inventory, everyone else is left twiddling their thumbs until they’re done. Even with this, it’s still one of our all-time favourite co-op games, so grab a pal and set off on an intrepid journey to the depths of hell…
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7. A Way Out
A Way Out is very much a rarity. It’s a game that can only be played in co-op, either with two people sat side-by-side, or across the internet.
With no single player option whatsoever, working with another player is absolutely integral to the A Way Out experience. After breaking out of prison you’ll be glad for the change of scenery. But on the run, you’ll rely on the co-operation of your buddy to escape your pursuers, emerge from firefights unscathed, and ultimately get your revenge. And of course, there are plenty of fun mini-games to engage in along the way.
It won’t take you long to complete, but A Way Out‘s story will stick with you long after the credits have rolled. It’s undoubtedly one of the best couch co-op games on we’ve ever played on Xbox One. And while it doesn’t make full use of the power of the Xbox Series X or S, it still looks and plays great on those consoles.
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8. Lego City Undercover
It wouldn’t be a list of best couch co-op games on Xbox if we failed to add LEGO City Undercover to it. Practically any LEGO game from Traveller’s Tales makes for an excellent co-op experience, but LEGO City Undercover remains one of our favourites.
The GTA of the LEGO game world if you will, Lego City Undercover is much more open world than most other games of its ilk, and because of that, is one of the best. There are so many side quests, races and collectables to find, and being able to play the entire game in couch co-op makes everything much more fun. Grab a friend and run around like lunatics smashing everything in sight. What else would you do in a LEGO game after all?
It perhaps doesn’t look all that great these days, but if you’re after the best local co-op games you can play on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S, be sure to pick LEGO City Undercover up.
Read our review of LEGO City Undercover
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9. Minecraft Dungeons
Don’t be fooled by the word ‘Minecraft’ in the name. Minecraft Dungeons isn’t your typical Minecraft sandbox-building experience. Instead, it takes the world and characters of Minecraft and turns it into a dungeon-crawling RPG. It’s a strange combination, but it works. And with up to four-player co-op available, it’s also a lot of fun with friends.
Think of Minecraft Dungeons like My First Diablo; it’s all about killing enemies and finding loot, but doesn’t get bogged down with complicated mechanics or character builds. It’s easy to jump into and start whacking enemies, and with huge levels to explore, there are often plenty of secrets to be found. Since its release there’s been a wealth of updates and DLC, too, so there’s tonnes of extra content to dive into if you feel up to it.
With players able to drop in and out at will, Minecraft Dungeons is easily one of the best couch co-op games on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Especially for those looking for something easy to get started with.
Read our review of Minecraft Dungeons
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10. Battletoads
Battletoads received a mixed response when it launched, but we loved it. Especially when it came to playing in co-op. Battletoads started out life in 1991, but this re-launch of the franchise brings the series back to life in all its over-the-top glory.
Up to three players can play locally, each taking control of one of the Battletoads. It’s primarily a side-scrolling beat ’em up, so think Streets of Rage, but with way more slapstick humour thrown in. You’ll spend your time beating up your foes, picking up collectibles and unleashing weird and wonderful attacks on those pesky enemies. It’s not all fighting, though; throw in some puzzles, platforming sections and minigames, and it’s a short experience packed with tonnes of content. If you and your friends enjoy silly humour and having fun, then Battletoads should definitely be considered one of the best couch co-op games on Xbox One or Xbox Series X/S.
Read our review of Battletoads
11. Moving Out
Moving house in real-life is stressful, but Moving Out tries to make light of the whole affair and succeeds. Designed to be played in co-op, Moving Out asks you and up to three others to take items out of various properties and load them up into a van, ready to move out. Though there are, of course, various complications. Some items require multiple people to carry, for example, and some properties are haunted. You’ll need to act fast, too, if you want to get the best ratings. And you can return to jobs to complete bonus objectives.
The best thing about Moving Out is how reckless you can be. Why carefully carry a bed through a house when you can just lob it out of a window? It’s simply silly, stupid, fun. Needless to say, it has quickly become one of our favourite couch co-op games on Xbox One. And of course, it’s also playable on Xbox Series X/S.
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12. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
While it launched with a number of issues, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is now essential for all Xbox owners.
Its remastered gathering of all the previous numbered iterations of Halo is to be applauded, even if only for the staggering value for money that it offers. It’s also one of the best purchases you can make if you’re after a huge dose of couch co-op gaming, as all of the Halo games it includes can be played in split-screen co-op.
While Halo and Halo 2 only allow two players, Halo 3 and Halo 4 allow up to four local players to get in on the action. The more the merrier! Needless to say, if you love first-person shooters Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a must-have, and it’s also a bundle of some of the best couch co-op games on Xbox consoles. We should also mention that it’s included in Xbox Game Pass. So if you’re a subscriber, you can play it at no additional cost.
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13. Darksiders Genesis
It may look like Diablo, but Darksiders Genesis is actually a Darksiders game through and through, albeit one you can play in local or online co-op.
Mission-based, you can set up a local co-op game via the game’s hub, in which you can also chat with series stalwart Vulgrim and purchase upgrades. When playing in local co-op, one player takes control of War and the other Strife – you can argue who takes control of who. In any case, you’ll have to work together, making efficient use of each character’s unique skills if you wish to proceed.
With its enjoyable combat and plenty of replayability, Darksiders Genesis is definitely one of the best couch co-op games available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. And don’t worry if you’ve not a played any of the other Darksiders games that are available – you can still enjoy it without having knowledge of what happened in them.
Read our review of Darksiders Genesis
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14. Unravel Two
Gorgeous, that’s what Unravel Two is. A sequel to the excellent Unravel, couch co-op play is integral to Unravel Two. You can play it in single player, but Unravel Two is meant to be enjoyed with a friend, with many of its puzzles emphasising teamwork.
Unravel Two is rather laid back for the most part, allowing you to take things at your own pace. There are moments where you’ll be running for your life though, and you’ll be glad that you’ve got another player by your side to help you negotiate obstacles.
Honestly, if you love couch co-op games, you need Unravel Two in your life. It looks beautiful too, especially when played on Xbox One X or Xbox Series X.
Read our review of Unravel Two
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15. Cuphead
Cuphead‘s a gorgeous-looking game, inspired by 1930s cartoons. Don’t let its exterior fool you though: this is a rock-solid shooter that’ll test your mettle in just about every way. Every level is playable in couch co-op though, with player two taking on the role of Cuphead’s sidekick, Mugman.
Playing together doesn’t make it any easier though: you’ll do less damage, and trying to keep track of your character amid a screen of multicoloured bullets is enough to send anyone reeling. It’s an exhilarating challenge, but one that requires a lot of patience. Still, if you’re after the best couch co-op games on Xbox, you can’t go far wrong with Cuphead.
16. Team Sonic Racing
If you love kart racers, you should definitely pick up Team Sonic Racing. Unlike previous Sonic kart racing games, Team Sonic Racing isn’t all about racing for yourself. Instead, it’s team based; the game demands that you work together with two teammates to race to victory. If you’re playing alone, those teammates will be computer-controlled. But if you want to play with friends, then up to four players can play in local multiplayer. You’ll all join in split-screen races, and while you might personally compete for that number one spot, it doesn’t matter who comes out on top as long as your team wins overall.
Featuring 21 tracks and 15 racers each with their own customisable vehicle, Team Sonic Racing has a fair bit to offer kart racing fans. And its co-op racing mechanics genuinely add to its gameplay.
Read our review of Team Sonic Racing
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17. Manual Samuel
Chances are you’ve never played anything quite like Manual Samuel. Putting you in control of the titular Samuel who’s made a deal with Death for another chance at life after meeting an unfortunate demise, it challenges you to manually take control of his bodily functions for a day with hilarious results. You’ll need to make him blink, breathe, straighten his back; you’ll even have to make sure he takes a pee successfully. Rest assured, what’s a uniquely stimulating experience when played in single player becomes even more outlandish when played in co-op with a friend sat by your side on the couch.
Trust us, Manual Samuel will make you work like a team like no other game will, and that’s a good thing in our book.
Read our review of Manual Samuel
18. Overcooked! 2
Bigger and better than its predecessor, Overcooked 2 is undoubtedly one of the best couch co-op games on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Well, providing you don’t mind playing under pressure, that is.
Overcooked 2 is all about preparing dishes in a kitchen. But these aren’t no ordinary kitchens you’re working in, oh no. Maybe you’re on the top of an erupting volcano. Or maybe a busy road runs right through the middle, separating your sink from your hob. Whatever the situation you find yourself in, you need to work with your co-op partners as a team, making dishes on demand as efficiently as you possibly can.
It’s easier said than done, however. You’ll no doubt find yourself screaming and whooping as you fail yet again, but that’s all part of the fun. Bright, colourful, and so much fun, if you like couch co-op games you simply must own Overcooked 2. Really, it’s so good.
