The Best Couch Co-op Games of 2023!
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Ember knights:
Ember Knights is without a doubt one of the best games we have played in 2023! This action roguelike game has you playing as the coolest flamed-headed Ember Knights you will ever see, and battling hordes of enemies through 5 different worlds to defeat the final big boss at the end! There are a ton of fantastic enemy types in each world with their own attack patterns and moves. Some of them so much more deadly than the others, that we would always call out when one of these dangers spawned in!
On top of the normal hoards of enemies, there is also a mini-boss and boss in each level that are fun to fight and present the perfect challenge! Look, this game is pretty tough, as roguelikes tend to be, but it does a fantastic job of continually giving you new skills and abilities to strengthen you along the way. That combined with constantly replaying worlds makes it possible to push through the levels and make it to the end. Though admittedly we currently have over 20 hours and still have not beat that last boss!
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/ember-knights?ref=theco-opcompany
You are always looking for the best co-op games out there! We are too! That's why we played all the best-looking co-op games we could get our hands on this year and narrowed it down to the best of the best for you today! So let's keep going!
Cassette Beasts:
We only recently picked up Cassette Beasts, and honestly, we were sleeping on this game! If you are a fan of Pokemon and story-driven RPGs, then this should pique your interest! The top-down style is very reminiscent of the old-school Pokemon games but with a definite 2023 upgrade. You start the game by washing up on an island with no idea where you are. Come to find out, you are trapped on this island filled with monsters and other poor washed-up souls.
The gameplay loop consists of the standard Pokemon stuff: battling and capturing wild monsters, fighting trainers, completing quests, and trying to find your way off the island. Only instead of capturing monsters inside little prisons, you actually record them on cassette tapes and transform into them yourself for battle. The story is interesting and there is a complex system of type advantages and new moves to master.
Player 2 plays as your companion which can constantly swap throughout the game. The multiplayer works kind of like Let’s Go Eevee, except player 2 can actually interact with everything in the overworld and the game is intended to always have two monsters fighting on your team at once, so the difficulty is actually balanced.
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/cassette-beasts?ref=theco-opcompany
Trine 5:
The Trine games have long been hailed as fantastic co-op games, and Trine 5 is no different! This action-adventure puzzle platformer has you playing as the three heroes of Trine in its classic side-scrolling formula. The game is bright and colorful with fantastic music and great puzzles! Each of the three heroes has their own unique abilities that can be used to solve puzzles, traverse the land, and beat baddies!
Solving the puzzles in this game is always a fun challenge as you try to remember all of the unique moves each character has and how they could be useful in lighting that torch on fire or getting you up that wall. Not to mention, all this makes the 2D platforming so much more enjoyable. The story is just okay, but the boss fights are engaging and fun, and whether you are playing as the thief, the knight, or the wizard you are bound to have a fantastic time!
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Buy this game: https://amzn.to/3vodYnV
Chippy and Noppo:
When I purchased Chippy and Noppo on sale, I honestly did not even realize that it was released this year! But it definitely fits the bill as one of the best co-op games of the year! This quirky little puzzle game has you working in a factory to assemble toys! This consists of bringing scattered blocks together and fusing them into the shape shown on the screen! However, the game soon starts adding other features like having to cut blocks apart, and paint them different colors!
But, some blocks are too heavy to move on your own so you’ll have to carry them together, and you will have to make sure to assemble things in the right order, or you may find that you cannot reach the place where you need to put your next block. Sometimes you may even need to use elevators or jump on other blocks to make sure everything is put together properly! It is a very simple premise, but it is loads of fun and provides a relaxing time as opposed to some of the intense action of say the next game.
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/chippy-and-noppo-switch/
Curse of the Sea Rats:
While we played an early access version of Curse of the Sea Rats and ran into several large bugs, I still think this game deserves to make the list! This Metroidvania was a ton of fun! You play as criminals transformed into rats who are offered their freedom in exchange for rescuing the sea captain's son from the evil witch that transformed you all into rats. The game has 4 playable characters, each with their own unique fighting styles and different skill trees that serve to set them apart from one another.
The map is filled with tons of different areas to explore and fun challenges to overcome. As a Metroidvania, you will often come upon locked areas that need a future ability to continue exploring. The boss fights in the game are also fantastic, whether it is the rat servants of the evil witch or the random other bosses from the giant crab at the beginning to the octopus in the depths they always proved to be a fun challenge!
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://amzn.to/4aPeCuT
Manic Mechanics:
For those fans of Overcooked out there, we have the perfect game! We love this genre and Manic Mechanics is one of the best! This bright and colorful game has you working to repair vehicles by painting doors, pumping tires, and creating electric engines. You will work on a bunch of different vehicles from cars, to submarines, and even UFOs!
But you will constantly face new obstacles, from electrified flooring to spilled paint, and alien abduction! However, what set this one apart for us was the control scheme. While many other Overcooked-like games simply have you mash a button as fast as you can, Manic Mechanics had a different button or movement you had to do to complete each action, like moving the joystick back and forth to paint and timing your presses for the best efficiency!
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/manic-mechanics-switch/
Mario Wonder:
We both loved the New Super Mario Bros game on the Wii, so therefore were incredibly excited to play Mario Wonder! We are happy to say it did not disappoint! While there was nothing revolutionary about this game, it was just a ton of fun! We loved the new wonder flower sections that introduced wild gameplay mechanics from riding along the top of charging animals, or dragons, to playing as a goomba, or globs of goo!
This game was very relaxing for us. It was great to see the difficulty of levels before hopping into them, and we enjoyed both the more relaxed easy levels that were a breeze to run through without much hassle, as well as the more challenging levels that took just a little more thought and attention. We finished this one over a matter of days and thoroughly enjoyed its colorful and lively gameplay!
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://amzn.to/47o7X7R
River Tails Stronger Together:
We have been following River Tails Stronger Together for years. With its official release in December, it did not disappoint! This colorful 3d platformer has you playing as an adorable fish and cat that need to work together to accomplish their goals. The entire game is designed in a way where you constantly have to help each other out. Whether it is the fish lifting lily pads for the cat to jump on, or the cat scaring away piranhas whose life goal is to eat a tasty meal.
While there are some pretty challenging bits in the game, it is an excellent adventure that everyone should try! There are constantly new co-op mechanics being introduced, and the whole game is filled with gorgeous environments to explore with hidden owls designed by Kickstarter supporters to find all over the place. If you are looking for a very cooperative 3d platformer then look no further!
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Buy this game: https://www.rivertailsthegame.com/
Trinity trigger:
While JRPGS are not normally our cup of tea, Trinity Trigger just had something in the look of it that made me need to play! This classic 90s-inspired adventure has you controlling 3 characters burdened with tasks from the gods and your standard random quests along the way. There are fun dungeons to explore and secrets to find.
Each of the characters has their own partner Trigger, a magical creature with the ability to transform into 8 different types of weapons for your use. Not only do these weapons perform differently in combat but they also provide a way for you to progress through previously locked areas similar to TMs in Pokemon. We really enjoyed exploring through a linear story-based game. The only disappointing thing worth mentioning is that you will need to play solo for around 2 hours in order to unlock co-op.
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://amzn.to/3vrXTgX
My little Universe:
My Little Universe is not like any of the other games on the list. It does not have a great story or great cooperative mechanics, but it lets us relax. We booted this game for the first time after playing a game that was making me incredibly frustrated, and the immediate sense of relief that came with its soothing easy gameplay made it endearing. It is a great game to play together if you just want to do something, but not actually worry about whether you need to do it well.
This game follows a very simple gameplay loop: gather materials, expand your land to gather more materials to expand your land, and upgrade your tools so that you can gather more materials faster. Your goal is to restore all of the land in every world. It’s easy and incredibly simple. But the real power of this game comes in just how relaxing it is, and the sense of accomplishment you get as you unlock each little piece of land and discover the new resources you need to unlock the next thing. Remember it’s only a waste of time if you don't enjoy it!
Some links are affiliate links
Buy this game: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/my-little-universe?ref=theco-opcompany
This list is not nearly complete because there are so many other great local co-op games out there for example in this video we take you through 30 fantastic co-op games that you can buy and play right now! We cannot wait to see you over there! We love you guys!
Y’all are awesome!