The platforming genre is timeless and has existed since the earliest days of gaming. Platformers can test your reflexes and allow you to explore whimsical fantasy worlds. Others have remarkable stories to tell or test your brain power with puzzles.
Regardless of what you’re after, we can all agree that nothing beats gaming with friends. If you’re after some fantastic platformers to tackle as a duo or a group, here are some of the best on the market.
10Unravel 2
An Adorable Adventure
We’re kicking our list off with one of themost beautiful platformersaround with a unique gameplay mechanic that makes co-op feel rewarding.
Unravel 2puts you and a friend in control of a pair of ‘Yarnys.’ These lovable creatures aremade of string, and you may use this remarkable quirk to lasso key objects and climb over obstacles.
You can also pull your buddies up cliffs in co-op, and many multiplayerpuzzles have intuitive solutions. On that note,Unravel 2is pretty relaxing and suitable for playing with a casual partner.
The only downside toUnravel 2is that theco-op is strictly local. You cannot play with a friend unless you’re both in the same room, which is baffling for a game from 2018. Still, if you don’t mind the restriction,Unravel Twois a superb co-op puzzle platformer.
9Human Fall Flat
Is He Supposed To Walk Like That?
Human Fall Flat
If you’re open to a game withgoofy physicswhere part of the fun is watching your character flop around while trying to complete simple tasks, you may enjoyHuman Fall Flat.
There are dozens of low-effort titles where the allure is naff controls and rag dolling.Human Fall Flatis an excellentexample of the concept done right. Every level is full of simple physics-based puzzles that are often tremendously difficult because your character can barely walk straight.
Conquering these tasks is fun and hilarious with a friend, and you’re able to enjoy the title with up to 8 players online.
If you’re old school and fancy some couch co-op,Human Fall Flateven has atwo-player split-screen. There are multiple solutions to every stage, andmountains of DLCkeep the game fresh for countless sessions.
A Heartfelt Tale
Key Information
Tokoronyori
Co-Op Puzzle Platformer
Release Date
August 2023
I mentioned in the intro that co-op games can spingreat stories, andBokurais ashining exampleof that.
Bokurais a gorgeous 2D platformer withmandatory co-opwhere you play as a pair of boys who have run away from home and relive childhood memories. Honestly, thestory is far more nuancedand complex than that, but I’d be doing a disservice to spoil it.
Gameplay-wise,Bokurais full of superbpuzzles tailored for two players. It’s not a mechanically demanding game, and most mysteries can be solved with a little trial and error.
While I don’t want to spoil anything,Bokuralooks like an innocent 2D game, but itsometimes gets pretty dark!Keep that in mind if you’re after a lighthearted co-op experience.
A Great Choice For Trios
Plenty of platformers have co-op, but it’s rare to find an entire series that makes group play apart of its identity.
Trineis a high-fantasy2.5D platformerstuffed withphysics-based puzzlesand several fleshed-out characters to play as. The art style is absolutely stunning, and you will stumble across dozens of breathtaking scenes on your journey.
Co-op gameplay is a massive part ofTrine, and while you can cycle through characters if you play alone, it’smuch better as a group. Most puzzles are pretty intuitive, and character abilities only become more nuanced in later entries.
I’ve recommended the originalTrineas it’sa great starting point, but every game in the series is worth playing with friends.
6Rayman Legends
A Hero Returns To His Roots
Rayman Legends
Rayman Originsmarked atriumphant return to the 2D realmforRayman, and the sequel adds a brilliant co-op component to the mix.
Rayman Legendsis a fast-paced 2D platformer with light co-op puzzle-solving, wonderfully diverse worlds, and agreat collectathonif you want to rescue everything. The controls are buttery smooth, and every level feels tailor-made to suit Rayman’sacrobatic moveset.
The highlight ofRayman Legendshas got to be the boss stages. Each one has abanging soundtrackand adds arhythm-gamecomponent that’s so well-polished that you may’t wait to reach the next one.
It’s a shame wehaven’t seen another standaloneRaymangamesince, but this is a phenomenal game to end the series on.
9 Best Co-op Games For Couples
Couples that love each other, play with each other.
Maybe Even Better Than Cake
Portalis an incredible first-personshooter, puzzler, platformer hybridfrom the genius team at Valve. The first game is unforgettable, but it’s a solo endeavor. Fortunately,that changed with the sequel.
Portal 2offers the same freeform puzzle-solving as the original, just with a companion. The portal gun provides many ways to solve puzzles, and the game’s scope isfar grander than the original.
The campaign should keep you and a friend occupied for many hours, but there’s even custom content andlevel editorwhen you’re done.
The level creator is surprisingly intuitive, and literallyover 100,000 mapsare available on the Steam Workshop.
4Spelunky 2
Spelunky 2
Spelunky 2is a punishingRoguelikeplatformer with asteep difficulty curveand plenty of room for individual skill expression.
The game is brutally tricky alone and only slightly less so in co-op, thanks tofriendly fire. If the challenge doesn’t scare you off,Spelunky 2is aprocedurally generated masterpiecewith tight platforming controls where no two runs are the same.
As new players, your goal is simply toreach the bottom of each floorand defeat the boss at the end of the game. But as you experiment and learnSpelunky 2’s intricacies, you’ll discover multiple routes through the title and powerful items that completely alter how you approach each floor.
Spelunky 2feels like alabor of loveby its creator, Derek Yu, and it’s easy to lose hundreds of hours to the punishing title.
A Bro Simulator
The olderContragames are tremendous run-and-gun platformers by Konami, but many of the newer titles sadly miss their mark ordeviate from the beloved formula.
Fear not, becauseBroforceexists! Broforce wears its inspiration on its sleeve, offering intense2D platforming and run-and-gungameplay. The title pays homage toContraand action movies from the 80s and 90s.
Most of thecharacters are based on legendary action heroes, like Rambro or Brobocop. It’s all delightfully silly, and the title never takes itself too seriously or shies away from violence.
As you may expect,Broforcecan be pretty tough, but there are flexible difficulty options, and you may play with up to four players simultaneously.
I debated adding the more recentContra: Operation Galugato the list, but I honestly thinkBroforcehas it beat.
2Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Don’t Let The Cute Characters Fool You
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
TheDonkey Konggames areplatforming royalty, andTropical Freezeon the Wii U and Nintendo Switch is no exception.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freezeis ahigh-quality 2D platformerset against a backdrop of lush jungles, creepy caves, and even under the ocean. If you’ve played the originals, the gameplay hasn’t changed much and still offersdemanding platforming, particularly in the later stages.
Like the originals on the SNES,Tropical Freezehas adeceptively high-skill floorand is far more challenging than the cutesy characters suggest. That said, you can revive fallen comrades in co-op, and it feels so rewarding to clear difficult levels with a friend.
I’d argue thatTropical Freezemay not be suitable if you’re after a relaxing experience, but it’sfantastic if you relish a challenge.
Boss Rush With Friends
If you’re still hungry for challenging co-op games afterSpelunky 2orTropical Freeze, you’ll find a lot to love inCuphead.
Cupheadis asadistic 2D platformer with an iconic art style reminiscent ofRubber Hose animationfrom the 1920s and 30s. The regular stages are excellent, but if you ask me, the feather inCuphead’s cap is the boss roster.
There are so many boss fights that they landCupheadsquarely inboss-rush territory. Each adversary is unique, with animaginative movesetand multiple phases that all demand a different approach. Best of all, you can tackle the entire game with a friend to dial up chaos up to eleven.
Beware,multiple players do not makeCupheadeasier, and bosses have an extended health pool to match your boosted firepower.
10 Best Co-Op Puzzle Games
These are the best and most puzzling games for best buds to play around in.
