Some of my favorite gaming memories have absolutely nothing to do with winning.
- They’re the moments where everyone is laughing because someone accidentally drove off a cliff.
- Or burned the kitchen down.
- Or forgot to grab the objective while everyone else was yelling.
Gaming together just feels different.
Over the past few years, I’ve played co-op games with my wife, my kids, friends, and family, and I’ve realized something.
The best co-op games aren’t always the biggest games.
They’re the ones that create stories you’ll still laugh about months later.
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TL;DR
Don’t have time to read the whole article?
Here are my favorites.
- Best Overall: Split Fiction
- Best for Couples: It Takes Two
- Best Family Game: LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
- Best Party Game: Overcooked! All You Can Eat
- Best Puzzle Adventure: We Were Here Forever
- Best Creative Game: LEGO Fortnite
- Best Open World Adventure: Sea of Thieves
- Best Action Co-op: Call of Duty Zombies
- Best Casual Online Game: Fortnite Zero Build
- Honorable Mention: A Way Out
Best Overall: Split Fiction
If you’re looking for one co-op game to play in 2026…
This is where I’d start.
Split Fiction takes everything that made Hazelight Studios famous and builds on it with creative gameplay, incredible level variety, and a constant stream of moments that make both players feel important.
It’s impossible to ignore the overwhelming praise it’s received from players and critics alike.
It’s already at the top of my own list.
Perfect For
- Couples
- Friends
- Anyone looking for an unforgettable co-op experience
Difficulty: 3/5
Get it Here: Check current price
Best for Couples: It Takes Two
This is one of my favorite games I’ve ever played with my wife.
It made us laugh.
It surprised us.
It even got emotional in ways neither of us expected.
Every level introduces new mechanics, so it never feels repetitive.
Instead of one person carrying the other, you’re constantly working together.
If you’re looking for a game night that actually feels like you’re accomplishing something together…
Start here.
Perfect For
- Couples
- New gamers
- Date nights
Difficulty: 2/5
Will It Cause Arguments? 2/10
Use my link: Get it here
Best Family Game: LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
LEGO games have always been fantastic family games.
Simple enough for kids.
Funny enough for adults.
And forgiving enough that nobody feels left behind.
The Skywalker Saga is probably the best LEGO game ever made.
If you’ve got younger kids who are just getting into gaming, it’s hard to recommend anything higher.
Perfect For
- Families
- Kids
- Star Wars fans
Ready to play: Check current price on Amazon
Best Party Game: Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Let’s get something straight.
This game is chaos.
You’re trying to cook meals while the kitchen falls apart around you.
Someone forgets the rice.
Somebody else serves a dirty plate.
Everyone starts yelling.
It’s hilarious.
Perfect For
- Families
- Friends
- Game nights
Will It Cause Arguments? 10/10
Get it here: Check price now
Best Puzzle Adventure: We Were Here Forever
Communication is everything.
One person sees clues the other can’t.
You have to explain what you’re looking at while solving puzzles together.
It’s one of those games where good communication feels incredibly rewarding.
If you enjoy escape rooms…
You’ll love this.
Get it here: Check price on Steam
Best Creative Game: LEGO Fortnite
This has become one of my favorite games to relax with.
Build a village.
Explore.
Gather resources.
Go on adventures.
It’s easy to jump into for thirty minutes or lose an entire evening without realizing it.
My role?
I’m usually the builder.
I’m perfectly happy letting everyone else go fight while I organize the village.
Perfect For
- Families
- Couples
- Casual players
Check it out: It’s free at Epic
Make sure you learn How I Turned My Wife Into a Gamer (Now She’s Carrying Us in Fortnite)
Best Open World Adventure: Sea of Thieves
Very few games create stories quite like Sea of Thieves.
You’ll set sail planning a peaceful treasure hunt…
Then spend the next hour fighting skeleton ships, avoiding storms, and desperately trying not to sink.
Every session feels different.
Get it here: Check price on Amazon
Best Action Co-op: Call of Duty Zombies
Sometimes you don’t need a complicated story.
You just want to survive wave after wave with your friends.
Few game modes have created as many memorable late-night gaming sessions as Zombies.
Whether you’re introducing someone to it for the first time or revisiting old maps, it’s still one of the best co-op experiences around.
Ready to play: Check it out at CoD
The kids don’t play Zombies yet… The Parenting Side of Gaming (What Changed When I Had Kids)
Best Casual Online Game: Fortnite Zero Build
Fortnite changed everything for us when Zero Build arrived.
Without worrying about building mechanics, everyone could simply focus on working together.
That’s a huge reason it became such a regular part of our game nights.
It’s approachable, constantly updated, and easy for players of different skill levels to enjoy together.
Check it out: It’s free at Epic
The kids were pumped when they started adding World Cup skins: Our House Has World Cup Fever (And I Love It)
Honorable Mention: A Way Out
If you loved It Takes Two, or think you’re going to love Split Fiction, don’t skip A Way Out.
It’s another fantastic co-op experience from Hazelight Studios that focuses on teamwork from beginning to end.
The story is excellent, and the ending is one of the few in gaming that’s stayed with me long after I finished it.
This one is great: Check price on Amazon
My Advice
Don’t worry so much about finding the “perfect” game.
Find one that gets everyone on the couch.
Some of my favorite memories weren’t because we beat an impossible boss.
They were because:
- Someone accidentally set the kitchen on fire in Overcooked
- Or because my wife and I couldn’t stop laughing during It Takes Two
- Or because my kids wanted to play “just one more round.”
That’s what co-op games are really about.