It’s the holidays, and there’s a good chance you will spend some time playing games with friends and family this season.
Playing video games with friends and family creates the most enjoyable gaming experiences. Engaging in battles with foes and tackling puzzles together adds to the excitement.
Some popular gaming communities believe the end is near for local co-op games on consoles because of a shift in trends. While split-screen gaming for PCs has declined, consoles like the PlayStation 5 still have several options. Here’s a collection of the best couch co-op games for PlayStation 5.
1. Human Fall Flat (2016)
Human Fall Flat lets gamers control ragdoll characters and solve puzzles online or split-screen with two players. Despite launching as a barebones experience, development has ramped up, increasing content.
Players must solve puzzles by jumping, pushing obstacles, and controlling various vehicles. Solving a puzzle requires all players to play their part or risk failure. Human Fall Flat shines best when things go horribly wrong.
2. A Way Out (2018)
A Way Out features a tight narrative in which players control two prisoners trying to escape back to their lives. It includes a level of polish rarely seen in cooperative games. The story flows well, with no segment feeling too long or short.
Players must fight or flee their way out of several intense scenarios. Most of the action segments depend on how well both players perform. Individual skill only gets players so far in this game. It’s impressive how well the same controls translate across various gameplay sequences, making this one of the best couch co-op games.
3. Moving Out (2020)
In Moving Out, players must race against time to transport furniture and boxes to trucks. Up to four players can play this game, with each addition also adding to the frustration.
The core gameplay loop involves beating a level quickly to secure the fastest time. While players throw or push some items, they must handle others with care due to their fragility. Breaking things means a lower score and incomplete level objectives.
4. Broforce (2014)
In Broforce, players go through an army of goons playing as various pop-culture heroes. The game’s playable with up to four players controlling an extensive catalog of action movie characters. Players unlock more characters with unique weapons, such as Brambo, as they progress.
Content-wise, Broforce has a respectable amount of levels and even more replayability options. Players must conquer several enemy-controlled regions to advance. It also features a fair amount of humor and references built in that most casual players will appreciate.
5. Rocket League (2015)
The idea of playing soccer with motor vehicles is absurd, yet it somehow works in Rocket League. Up to four players on PlayStation must pass, dribble, and shoot the ball against AI or real opponents. Rocket League has a dedicated community and receives regular updates each month.
Simple yet difficult-to-master driving controls make this game accessible to the masses. Community support helps Rocket League thrive with user-created training packs and player-to-player trading. As an added bonus, there’s an extensive car customization system.
6. Fortnite (2017)
Few games see as much popularity in the mainstream entertainment space as Fortnite. Various movie universe tie-ins and music icons help this game maintain relevance. Gamers also praise the in-game set pieces dictating every chapter’s end.
The developers love to experiment and did so by adding a two-player split-screen mode in Chapter Two. The gameplay loop remains the same in this mode as both players must battle with one hundred others. Limited functionality in user-created maps may hinder the split-screen experience for some players. Still, we rank it as one of the best couch co-op games.
7. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection (2015)
Many online forums praise Borderlands games for their extensive split-screen capabilities. While most first-person shooters limit split-screen to two players, Borderlands does so with up to four players. The Handsome Collection packages The Pre Sequel and Borderlands 2 in their definitive editions.
Players must search for a vault with valuable loot and weapons in both games. Getting to the vault involves battling creatures, scavengers, and raiders with a large arsenal. Besides the main storyline, Borderlands has side quests and collectibles scattered in the open world.
8. Knowledge Is Power (2017)
Knowledge Is Power allows up to eight players to join in on their phones via an app. Players must go against each other, answering general questions from various categories. Players vote on which category they feel most comfortable in. Over time, the game mixes and matches more categories for players to vote on.
Apart from answering correctly, players must also impede each other’s advances. This means slowing them down with abilities such as throwing bombs or removing letters from answers. Remember, for players to connect from their phones, they must choose the Wi-Fi Hotspot option before starting.
9. Gang Beasts (2014)
Punch, kick, or even headbutt friends in Gang Beasts. Up to four players locally must defeat each other with whatever means necessary to win. The wonky physics system makes every punch unpredictable, adding to the chaos.
Players fight in several arenas, each with their own unique quirk. While the characters all function the same, they look different. Apart from the versus mode, players can play gang fight, survival, and even football.
10. Minecraft (2011)
Many gamers consider Minecraft the best game to play split-screen because of its cooperative nature. Despite several updates, the core gameplay loop remains the same. In survival mode, players must gather materials, build bases, farm, craft items, and more to eventually beat the Ender Dragon. Up to four players can play Minecraft on a PlayStation 5.
11. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
The Skywalker Saga takes players through the entire cinematic timeline of Star Wars in a single game. Players choose which trilogy from the three available they wish to play first. The Skywalker Saga has simple controls that most players will have no difficulty with.
Like other Lego games, players control familiar characters in the universe with varying abilities. Up to four players must platform, shoot enemies, and solve various puzzles. Open-ended level design allows players to explore and discover secrets in familiar places.
12. Overcooked Two (2018)
Four players must cook food and serve customers in Overcooked Two. Teamwork plays a crucial role, and the faster players deliver food, the higher the stars earned. Simple controls and chaotic levels cement this game as one of PlayStation’s best local co-op games.
As the game progresses, players must make increasingly complex dishes. Levels also begin incorporating unique elements such as fire or rats. One level forces players to cook food while on a shifting hot air balloon. Remember that Overcooked Two thrives in chaos and may cause fights between peers.
13. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime (2015)
Players wanting a wholesome spacecraft maneuvering adventure should look no further than Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime. Easy-to-learn and uncomplicated gameplay systems make this game a treat for casual players.
Four players must control a spacecraft and navigate a series of treacherous levels. Players must move around the ship, shifting between stations to respond to different situations. Increased difficulty in the later missions adds to the hectic nature of the game.
14. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (2022)
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands detracts from the Mad Max-esque vibe world into a more fantasy-focused approach. Four players must dive into Tina’s imaginative world of creatures and goblins. Split-screen mode runs at a higher resolution and framerate on PlayStation 5 than previous Borderlands games.
While the setting differs, the core gameplay loop remains the same, albeit with minor touch-ups. More powerful melee weapons, unique character abilities, and better gun variety refresh the gameplay loop.
15. Horizon Chase Turbo (2018)
Horizon Chase Turbo packages arcade-like racing with four-player local split-screen capabilities. This game doesn’t try anything new or reinvent the formula. Players get a straightforward cartoonish racing game that rarely tries to change the formula.
The simplistic nature of this title makes it more accessible to casual players or even nongamers. Players race all around the world in Horizon Chase Turbo. The animated pixelated look pops out most when driving in levels set in Iceland or India.
16. It Takes Two (2021)
It Takes Two took the world by storm and rejuvenated many gamers’ love for local coop games. The narrative tackles real issues and presents them more subtly. Solid controls, a captivating story, and fantastical elements make this game stand out.
Two players take control of a struggling couple who find themselves wished into dolls by their daughter. Each level refreshes the gameplay with new additions and minigames. Asymmetric gameplay mechanics make It Takes Two a must-play for local co-op lovers.
17. Dysmantle (2020)
Zombie survival meets open-world exploration in Dysmantle. Two players must survive, craft, and climb the ladder to a brighter future in this game. While most survival games overload the player’s senses, Dysmantle takes it slow. Players figure out how things work at their own pace.
Dysmantle maintains its quality through every corner despite having a vast open map. Leveling up in this game might take a few hours, but getting there results in high satisfaction. There will always be one more thing to do before players decide to log off.
18. Earth Defense Force 5 (2017)
Players must mow down an army of bugs, aliens, and gigantic mechs in Earth Defense Force 5. This game has over a hundred missions, each incorporating crazier elements than the last.
Two players must choose their gear, weapons, and items to take into battle. Some missions may be repetitive, though they build up to action-packed boss battles later. In terms of difficulty, the game packs a punch at higher difficulties but gives players an easy time at lower ones.
19. Minecraft Dungeons (2020)
Yet another couch co-op sensation set in the Minecraft universe. However, unlike Minecraft, players must battle in a top-down third-person perspective in Dungeons.
In this game, players adventure into various regions, each with unique enemy types and difficulty levels. Players must purchase or find better-quality weapons and loot scattered around the levels. Higher difficulties mean access to more powerful gear. Mojang also released several DLCs, adding more content and levels to the base game.
20. Sackboy: A Big Adventure (2020)
Sackboy: A Big Adventure embraces DualSense’s haptics and triggers in its gameplay elements. If enabled, two to four players feel their controller react upon different actions in-game, such as picking up orbs. Despite looking plain and straightforward, Sackboy offers some of the best co-op experiences on PlayStation 5.
Sackboy’s family-friendly nature, platforming elements, and many puzzles help each level stand out. The visuals and soundtrack elevate the game to a new level and must be tried with a surround sound system.
21. Tricky Towers (2016)
Tricky Towers promises intense competitive blocky matches between two to four players locally. Players battle each other in various modes, such as races or survival. The gameplay resembles Tetris, albeit with less strategic block placement and more getting to the top faster.
22. Portal Knights (2016)
Two players go on an adventure across various realms in Portal Knights. This game has a lot of originality and innovative concepts, distinguishing it from the rest. It also incorporates slight role-playing game elements with skills that players choose to level up.
Once players have mastered the various gameplay systems, the game gets going. There are several bosses, caves, and characters to meet scattered about in the realms. The consistent progression towards better gear makes Portal Knights a treat for players who love grinding in video games.
23. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
Black Ops 3 implemented split-screen and couch co-op elements like no other Call of Duty. The game works flawlessly on PlayStation 5 and allows up to four players to play the game.
Players can play multiplayer, single-player, and zombie modes with their friends on the same console. Treyarch poured their heart and soul into the split-screen mode by adding it to hidden modes such as Dead Ops 2. Despite its age, players still consider Black Ops 3 the best Call of Duty with split-screen support.