Skip the Board Games: The Best Family-Friendly Couch Co-Op Hits to Save Your Holiday

Holiday downtime is here, people are finally in the same room, and the TV is just sitting there begging for chaos. If you have gamers in the mix, couch co-op is the easiest way to turn a hangout into an actual event. Here are ten picks that cover goofy puzzles, full-on drama, and everything in between.

Ten couch co-op games worth firing up right now

1. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

   One person stares down a bomb. Everyone else gets the manual. The twist: the defuser can’t see the manual and the manual readers can’t see the bomb. You’re basically playing telephone with high stakes, and even small miscommunications can blow the whole thing. It’s simple, loud, and way funnier than it has any right to be.

2. Portal 2

   If your idea of date night is breaking physics with jokes, this is the one. You each get your own portal gun, and the two of you have to coordinate through increasingly clever levels that abuse gravity and momentum in the best ways. Local split-screen works beautifully here, which is why it’s still a go-to co-op pick years later.

3. Overcooked 2

   Looks cute. Is chaos. You’re juggling chopping, cooking, plating, and serving against a ruthless timer while the kitchen tries to kill you. It’s designed to squeeze every ounce of teamwork and multitasking you’ve got. One slip and the whole place can literally catch fire. Hilarious, until someone forgets the rice. Again.

4. A Way Out

   Two inmates, Vincent and Leo, team up to break out and take revenge on the same guy who landed them behind bars. It’s a split-screen story the whole way through, mixing high-tension escapes with lighter moments to breathe. It’s built to test your coordination and actually tells a full, focused story while it does it.

5. Split Fiction

   A lesser-known pick with a great hook: Mio writes sci-fi, Zoe writes fantasy, and both are invited to test tech that lets them step into their own stories. Then they get stuck in the same simulation and their worlds collide. No spoilers, but the premise alone is a ride. If you want something off the beaten path, this is it.

6. It Takes Two

   Co-op comfort food, especially for couples. Cody and May are in a rough patch, then get pulled into a fantastical world designed to nudge them back together. The levels constantly reinvent themselves, the setpieces are hard to forget, and the whole thing looks gorgeous. Big holiday vibes, big heart.

7. Stardew Valley

   If your group wants cozy over chaos, this is your blanket-and-hot-chocolate option. You inherit your grandfather’s old farm in a quiet town, meet the locals, and slowly build out crops, animals, and whatever side activities catch your eye. Zero pressure, tons to do, and perfect for mellow evenings.

8. Unravel Two

   Two yarn dolls tied together take on platforming puzzles across real-world Scandinavian-inspired landscapes. There’s almost no talking, but the story still lands. It’s gentle, smart, and sneaky-beautiful, with enough challenge to feel engaging without turning into a stress test.

9. Cuphead

   For the duo that wants a fight. It’s a brutal boss-rush platformer wrapped in stunning 1930s cartoon style, made with old-school animation techniques. You play as Cuphead or Mugman, pick up new weapons and special moves, and battle through a bizarre world to pay off a very unwise deal with the devil. Tough, stylish, undeniable.

10. Absolum

    New this year and aimed squarely at beat ’em up fans. It’s a roguelite where you and a buddy plow through waves of enemies, power up between runs, and push deeper into an original fantasy setting with its own story. If you want to bash things, upgrade, repeat, and actually feel stronger each time, add it to the rotation.

That’s the stack. What are you booting up with your crew first?