PC Games to play in local co-op?

Whar@beehaw.org to Gaming@beehaw.org – 141 points –

Local Cooperative PC Games

Juego Steam GoG Epic
A Hat in Time Steam GoG Epic
A Way Out Steam Epic
Basketball Classics Steam
Battleblock Theater Steam
Beyond Two Souls Steam Epic
Castle Crashers Steam GoG
Cuphead Steam GoG
Dariusburst Chronicle Saviors Steam
Guacamelee Steam GoG
Helldivers Steam GoG
Heavenly Bodies Steam
Ibb & Obb Steam
It takes two Steam Epic
Katanari Damacy Reroll Steam
Lego Games (Marvel, LOTR, Indiana Jones, Star Wars) Steam
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime Steam GoG
Magicka Steam GoG
Moving Out Steam Epic
Overcooked Steam GoG
Pinball FX3 Steam
PlateUp Steam
Portal 2 Steam GoG
Project Zomboid Steam GoG
Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos Steam
Rocket League Epic
Roots of Patcha Steam
Skullgirls Steam
Sonic All Stars Racing Transformed Steam
Spiritfarer Steam GoG
Stardew Valley Steam GoG
Strikey Sisters Steam
Sun Haven Steam
Trine Steam GoG
Trine 2 Steam GoG
Unrailed Steam Epic
Unravel Steam
Unravel Two Steam Epic
Wingspan Steam GoG

Edit

I love this community, got so many recomendations I decided to update the first post! Sorry if I couldn't reply to everyone, Jerboa almost exploded, haha. But I'll upvote all your contributions now that I'm on PC.

Original post

I like to play on the same computer with my bf, and recently we've started to get tired of MAME since we've been playing our faves on repeat for so long.

The other game we play is Spelunky, since is the only local co-op game I have on Steam. I ask because Steam summer sales are close and I can give him a surprise :D

Thanks!

95

Hey there!

Some games that we played:

  • Overcooked 1 & 2, save the world by cooking in absurd environments. Shouting inclusive. (It's really fun, I promise!)

  • Ibb & Obb - a fun little puzzle game

  • Guacamelee was fun too, but we never finished it.

  • Battleblock Theater is nice too! But I'm not sure if it's possible to play on one machine. So if you both have computers this is definitely possible.

  • Unravel Two - it's fun! We haven't finished it yet, but it's a cute (and a bit sad sometimes) jump & run / puzzle platformer

  • A Way Out was great too, really great story, but it's not cozy.

  • ... and I noticed a lot of people gave you already some good games, while I was searching my library. xD

What I haven't tried yet but want to in the future:

  • Moving Out - it looks similar to Overcooked, so I hope it will be fun
  • Spiritfarer

Guacamelee is Free on Epic until Thursday this week for anyone that wants it.

Moving out is hilarious and fun but it does take quite a bit of teamwork to get the gold medals.

Overcooked and Moving Out are my go-to couch games. Bomb Squad from one of the Jackbox Party Packs (I forget which one) is really fun too!

It Takes Two is a good one to play with a significant other.

It Takes Two is absolutely awesome if you don't mind platforming. The game director made a boast/bet that if anyone found the game boring he'd pay $1000. I'm not getting that $1000.

It's one of the few games I bought within a year after launch in the past decade and I have to say I didn't regret spending the money.

Yes, I recently started playin it with a friend on mine, just alone the details that game has is insane.
Splitscreen is supported, so give it a GO

Make sure to check the Nucleus Coop App if you haven't already!

https://nucleus-coop.github.io/

It turns games that don't have a native local coop mode into local coop by simulating a LAN and running two instances of the game communicating exclusively with each other. It works really well, especially if you have a multi-monitor setup.

I have played multiple games in local coop with my brother with this, including Elden Ring. It's been a blast.

Oooh, this looks cool!

Could we play Elden Ring coop if only him has a copy?

Yes, you only need one copy of the game for most of the games supported by Nucleus Coop. It creates its own simulated Steam users/accounts for the game in the background.

Oh shit, that's cool as hell! Thank you for sharing this! How fun!!

Nucleus coop is one of the best things to happen to the PC space in recent years, I'm happy to spread the word!

I just wish more games were supported.

Holy shit does that thing have functionality. Elden Ring split screen with only one copy? Deep Rock Galactic split screen? Dark Souls 1 and 3? Sign me the fuck up!

My list of split screen or couch co op PC games:

Basketball classics

Castle crashers

Cuphead

A Hat in Time

Katanari damacy reroll

Lego games (marvel, LOTR, Indiana Jones, star wars are my top 4)

Overcooked

Portal 2

Rocket League

Sonic All Star Racing Transformed

Spiritfarer

Strikey Sisters

Trine 2

Wingspan

And emulator roms for 2 players:

Secret of Mana

Zombies Ate my Neighbors

Game show games (family feud, wheel of fortune, you don't know jack)

What a big list, thanks, I'll edit the main post to add all of your recs!

Spirit farer is a lovely game to play together.

Would you and your BF enjoy shooting at alien scum while your characters scream DEMOCRACY!! and HAVE A NICE CUP OF LIBERTEA!! at the top of their lungs? Would you be entertained by accidentally killing each other in the heat of battle when you radio for an ammo drop?

Then Helldivers would be for you. Join the forces of Super Earth and spread Managed Democracy throughout the universe!

PROTIP: If you want to assert dominance in your relationship, find a gun with a bayonet attachment. You will mix up the melee and interact buttons on at least one occasion.

Couldn't have said it better than myself. o7

Also, Helldivers 2 has been announced. So not the worst time to get into the first gem! Though, split screen support has not been confirmed for the sequel, and it may not make an appearance since they're making the jump to a 3rd person perspective.

May freedom follow in your footsteps, fellow citizen. o7

cape spinning intensifies

I was a bit confused when you said local co-op. It implies 2 computers on the same local network(connected to the same router, no internet connection required). I think the term you're looking for is split screen gaming.

When I looked at pictures of Spelunky games like Clonk and Liero popped into mind, I think there are options for split screen multiplayer in those games, they're old school PvP games.

Could be same view same computer, like BroForce. I think these are just called “local coop” or “couch coop”

I was a bit confused when you said local co-op. It implies 2 computers on the same local network

My friends call that LAN play or LAN co-op. To me, local co-op has always been a more general phrase, covering all of the above.

Oh, well, English is not my first language so I just called them how Steam call the games I wanted to play (they have a filter called that).

Local co-op is same machine, shared screen. Aka couch co-op

You're talking about LAN.

At least thats how it would be referred to around here

lan, local area network. I guess people see it differently.

Yeah thats what you described, no?

It implies 2 computers on the same local network(connected to the same router, no internet connection required).

I wouldn't recommend A Hat in Time, the local co-op is really bad because of how the camera works. :(

A few steam games I know:

ibb & obb
Dinasty Warriors 8

We played on PS but also available for pc:
It Takes Two
Stardew Valley
Children of Morta
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Cuphead
Guacamelee
Moon Hunters
Out of Space

Magicka - top-down mage play where you can combine spells with each other (two beams make a stronger beam, etc), and friendly fire if you want to occasionally nudge or troll each other

Trine - side-scroller in 3D graphics with 3 unique characters; some platforming, action, and slight puzzles, and a very good story presentation/direction

Oooh, I think I got those games for free but haven't tried them. Thank you!

Unravel (So touching, made me cry)
Project Zomboid (One of my fav games. I've played this split screen with my son. He kills the zombies, I organise the base)
A Way Out (Prison escape story)
Pinball FX3 (A classic two player experience)
Stardew Valley (Crafting/farming)
Beyond Two Souls (Story)
Skullgirls (2D Anime platform fighter)

Wingspan is a very solid port of the board game.

Since Wingspan is on there, why not put tabletop simulator on there too? It has got pretty much the same set of features in regards to multiplayer.

On that note, both of these games also have a "pass controller around" feature as well.

It takes two is probably one of the best split screen local co-op imo.

Remember if you're a PC gamer, emulation is a great place to look for couch co-op since PC gaming seems to be rather averse to split screen unfortunately. There are a lot of extremely good split-screen games on PS2/GC that will look and run significantly nicer on PC.

I'd like to add some Arcade suggestions:

Golden Axe X-Men (6 player) The Simpsons The Punisher Snake Rattle 'n' Roll (NES) Revolution X

They've already been mentioned, but the two greatest games I've played with my SO is "It takes two" and "Unraveled 2". Please do yourselves a favor and play those!

Recently picked up PlateUp, can definitely recommend that one as well. It's like a roguelike Overcooked. If your relationship survives this surely you can handle it all

Not real co-op, but my wife and I have played hundreds of hours of Wildermyth. Its an rpg with generative elements. We love reading out the lines of the characters in terrible accents. The battlr system is turn based so you've plenty of time to discuss what to do next.

If you don't mind something more casual and relaxing, Spiritfarer is good too. Wife and I played it in about a week. Very touching story at parts too.

I can recommend Lego Lord of the Rings. Me and my gf had a lot of fun, and it is the only Lego game I played with her that didn't bore me to death.

We tried Lego Harry Potter, and while she loves it (she loves the Lego games), I just found it boring as hell, so it depends on the person

Haha, we might try this! Maybe Lego Star Wars too, since we both like it (he's a LOTR guy and I'm a HP girl too!).

Btw, Lego Harry Potter is divided in 2 games, but you can get them pretty cheap in a Steam sale (the summer sale stars on the 29th)

Can't wait for the sales, I'm getting a fair amount of cool games recommended 👀

Nice!

You also have Cat Quest 2, which is cute and fun game.

Portal 2 also has a co-op mode and is pretty cheap on sale.

I'd recommend LEGO City Undercover as well. Imagine LEGO GTA and you've pretty much got the gist. Very fun playing with my wife on the Switch, but I'm sure it's got a much better framerate on PC.

My wife and I really loved these two that almost no one talks about since they haven't been around for long:
Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos (co-op Legend of Zelda!)
Sun Haven (similar to Stardew valley)

Many PC games support online co-op but have no splitscreen support. For a lot of these you can use a mod to run two instances at the same time and play them in splitscreen. Here's a link to the supported games: https://hub.splitscreen.me/

If you want a diablo-esque ARPG check out Ghostlore. It has some really cool mechanics with the glyphs, skill grid, and food. Oddly enough, the only multiplayer it supports is local co-op.

Edit: It should be noted that I haven't tried the co-op yet and after looking at the steam page again there's a review saying that it's buggy, so take this recommendation with caution.

River City Girls is a great beat-em-up starring the girls from NES River City Ransom, and #2 also stars the abducted girlfriend from Double Dragon.

Gang Beasts is ludicrous fun! Flailing around, grabbing your little clayboy opponent and yeeting them off the side of a lighthouse will never not be fun. Definitely best played with a controller, though.

We cycle between Plate Up!, Unrailed, and Helldivers in my household :) Other people have already mentioned them, but big +1 on all 3.

Thanks for this! My GF and I love playing couch co-op games together and we’re always on the hunt for more :)

The local co-op version of Untitled Goose Game is hillarious, highly recommended

Dariusburst Chronicle Saviors is one of my favorites. It's a horizontally scrolling shmup with massive bosses and multiple routes. It has ultrawide support too.
The DLC is single-player only, so if you just want co-op, just get the base game

Roots of Patcha is a fun, and some might argue, better alternative to Stardew Valley.

I have Stardew Valley but the calendar get's me soooo anxious. I enjoy Graveyard Keeper way more, even with its differences.

How does the calendar (events) works on Roots of Patcha?

Haven

The entire Tales Of series EXCEPT Arise

Unrailed is a hectic but fun small game about building tracks in front of a train in motion. Lots of bumping into each other and panicking, if you're into overcooked-like time based games