With the rise of online gaming, couch co-op seems to be falling to the wayside in recent years. Fortunately enough, there are still some really great games to play on the Xbox One that allow you to pull up with a buddy on your comfy couch and dive right in. Let’s do the same and dive into our list of the best Xbox One couch co-op games.
Disney Speedstorm
I love Disney, you love Disney, we all love Disney! You know what else everyone loves? A good ol’ game of Mario Kart. For decades now, having the mustachioed plumber and his Mushroom Kingdom pals grace the Xbox with the iconic kart racer has been a pipe dream. That’s why Gameloft and Disney saw an opportunity to bring another cartoony kart racer to Xbox consoles, and the good news is Disney Speedstorm is a real fun time.
While the game is still in early access, it’s still jam-packed with tracks and characters plucked right out of some of Disney’s many iconic franchises. The best part of all of this? You can enjoy the high-octane karting action with a friend in couch co-op or competitive multiplayer, which always makes for some epic grudge matches. It might be early days, but we’ve got high hopes Disney Speedstorm could quickly become one of the best Xbox couch co-op and local multiplayer games for years to come.
EA Sports PGA Tour
You know what’s nice and relaxing? Kicking it back on the golf course with a few friends and driving an absolute peach right down the middle of the fairway. With a real focus on bringing the real-life sport to our screens, EA Sports PGA Tour allows you to achieve those chill multiplayer golfing sessions you’re hoping for. The game features local multiplayer or couch co-op with up to four golfers.
It’s not just your standard golfing fare you can play in co-op, though. You can take part in match play, skins, alternate shot rules, and many more.
Halo Infinite
If you’re looking for a more modern-feeling Halo experience than what’s offered in Master Chief Collection, then the newly-released and absolutely free-to-play Halo Infinite should be right at the top of your download queue.
Boasting a plethora of multiplayer maps and game modes, a Battle Pass system to help track your progression and the same great-feeling arena shooter gameplay, Halo Infinite is an absolute must-play if you’ve got an Xbox console. It works in split-screen, too, so you and a friend can rack up kills together.
The only downside is Halo Infinite’s long-awaited co-op campaign cannot be played in couch co-op. Instead, you and your pals will need to be playing on your own consoles online.
Minecraft Dungeons
Minecraft Dungeons is the new dungeon-crawling RPG spin-off that fans of the franchise should have on their radars. And even if you haven’t dabbled in Minecraft before, this is an enjoyable and accessible co-op hack-and-slash that anybody can hop into. The entire campaign is playable with up to four players.
Streets of Rage 4
This modern take on a classic series is a couch co-op experience not to be missed. Streets of Rage’s old-school brawling action was once a mainstay of arcades and university halls of the 90s, and now it’s back again with a fresh coat of paint, enhanced controls, and a suitably rockin’ soundtrack. You can play the entire campaign with up to four players.
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
While JRPGs are typically single-player affairs, Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition allows players to have come couch co-op fun by letting players take control of other party members in battle. Things can get chaotic in battles, especially as different characters play around with their own set of Artes. However, with a little coordination, you’ll be able to dominate in no time.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
After far too long, Crash Bandicoot has returned in an all-new adventure on the Xbox One. The single-player brings back the classic platforming action with a modern twist, allowing Crash to utilize a number of time-bending abilities to help him overcome the obstacles in his path.
The entire thing can be played in a Pass ‘N Play mode, where you’ll pass the controller between you and your friend each time you die, providing a way to help calm you during particularly tricky levels as you laugh at your friend failing… and vice-versa.
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
The tower-defense game, turned third-person shooter has returned once again with Battle for Neighborville.
This game takes the world of Plants vs Zombies you grew accustomed to in Garden Warfare 2 and blows it wide open, adding more places to explore, more maps to play through, and even more absurdly good co-op fun.
Spelunky
If you love devilishly challenging 2D platformers, you can’t go wrong with Spelunky. The indie title has you exploring a series of randomly generated caves filled with deadly creatures. Of course, the danger feels much less intimidating if you bring a friend along for the ride, and, luckily, Spelunky supports local co-op.
Sonic Mania Plus
Sonic Mania Plus for the Xbox One is essentially the definitive edition of the game that saw Sonic’s return to form last year.
With a return to speedy 2D side-scrolling, two players can join forces as Sonic and Tails in order to collect rings and complete each stage. It’s classic Sonic fun, so what more could you really ask for?
Wizard of Legend
Wizard of Legend’s local co-op focuses on the Chaos Trials in the game. You’ll both have to dive straight into the action as you take on waves of enemies, strategically change your loadout, and compliment the playstyle of your partner.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced dungeon crawler to check out with your friends, you could do a lot worse than this.
Unravel 2
The original Unravel was a game filled with love and driven by a desire to release a heartwarming story of a family and their relationships with one another.
Unravel 2 follows a similar premise once more, as players watch the relationship between two children grow and evolve over time.
This time around, Yarny’s got another woolen friend to help him achieve his goals. You’ll need to work together to overcome the obstacles and reach the end. It’s a charming game with delightful visuals and some enjoyable platforming action to boot.
Stikbold! A Dodgeball Adventure
Stikbold is another one of those awesome party games that can double up as both a versus and co-op title. Stikbold is a dodgeball game, and you’ve simply got to knock your opponents out with the ball before they do the same to you.
There are a ton of different arenas to choose from, and the various hazards of each one can really shake up a game. Stikbold is absolutely a game you need to get for when your friends are over.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
With one person tasked with defusing the bomb, and all of the other players using the Bomb Defusal Manual to find the solutions to the various puzzles that need to be solved on the bomb, Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes tests your teamwork skills. It’ll also test your communication skills and probably the strength of your relationships, too.
IDARB
IDARB is a frantic 8-player co-op (and versus) experience that has you leaping around arenas trying to throw a ball into your opponent’s goal. Imagine a kind of cross between platforming, soccer, and handball, and you’ve got a general idea of how it all goes.
Not only is it just great fun to score an epic goal against your friends as they sit next to you, the game also features Twitch and Twitter support to dynamically change the way the game plays via hashtags.
Laser League
Laser League is one of those games that’s just perfect for a party. While you can play against your friend or friends if you so wish, you can also team up together and take on the AI.
For those unfamiliar with Laser League, you’ll need to activate traps to eliminate your opponent, while avoiding the lasers coming from their own. It’s frantic, fast-paced, and incredibly compelling couch co-op fun.
A Way Out
A Way Out is a narrative-driven game with mandatory co-op. You and another friend can play either locally or online to plan a prison break and solve puzzles together in split-screen.
The gameplay is simple enough for players of all skill levels to get to grips with, while also giving you enough input to interact with and remain engaged in the story of the two brothers. If you’re looking for what can only be described as a game built from the ground-up for co-op, then look no further.
Resident Evil Revelations 2
Set between Resident Evil 5 & 6, players are treated to one of the best entries in the franchise in some time with Resident Evil Revelations 2. It takes the series back to the days of stealth, vulnerability, and the need to preserve resources and is a must play for fans of the horror genre.
Quake (2021)
Quake (2021) brought an enhanced version of the grand-daddy of shooters to the current and last-generation of consoles. That means whether you’re playing on Xbox One or Series X|S, you’ll get to enjoy this new and improved experience.
Quake features both online and local co-op multiplayer for up to four players throughout its dark fantasy campaign and the expansions that followed. If you’re looking for some plain old shooting fun with friends, it doesn’t get much better than Quake.
Rock Band 4
Being in a rock band is fun. You get to be with your friends, shred on a guitar, and have crowds of fans cheering you on (if you’re good). Rock Band 4 lets you and some buddies live the dream without any of the pesky training or raw talent.
Human Fall Flat
The title may be weird, but so is the game. Human Fall Flat has players solving physics-based puzzles in order to escape dream worlds, and a lot of it has to do with getting thrown around and falling. The best part is that its open-ended, so you can grab a friend for some couch co-op and have fun just messing around with everything you can do.
Death Squared
Like really tough puzzles that are made even tougher by requiring communication? You may want to grab a few friends then and test your wits as you guide some cubed robots around a hazardous level built to kill you on the spot.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
If you’re looking for a good ol’ rootin’, tootin’, shootin’ good time with friends, then Aliens: Fireteam Elite is well worth checking out.
Up to three players can form a Fireteam and take on this third-person survival shooter as you fight off the Xenomorph threat. With other 20 enemy types and 11 different Xenomorphs, there’s plenty to blast your way through with any of the five unique classes, 30+ weapons and 70+ mods and attachments to finetune your loadout.
Terraria
Like Minecraft in the sense that you build you harvest resources in order to build just about anything you can imagine. However, this 2D experience houses even more threats and bigger monsters to contend with as you fight to make a home and not get killed in the process.
20XX
If you’re a Mega Man fan and are looking for something to offer that same fast-paced shoot ‘em up and platforming gameplay then look no further than 20XX. This roguelike offers couch co-op for its plethora of procedurally generated levels and screen-filling bosses. What more could you ask for?
Portal Knights
Portal Knights mixes elements of a few different games to provide a fun experience for either solo players or groups of friends. You can explore and build your world like in Minecraft, but at the core is a solid RPG that will keep you and your friends fighting for hours to get stronger.
Trine 4
Marking a return to the series’ side-scrolling roots, Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince is a magical experience for up to four players to take on together.
Combining enchanted levels, with charming characters and story, and a healthy dose of puzzle mechanics to round things off, Trine 4 is a great 2.5D experience you can enjoy with up to three friends.
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
While the competitive aspect of Geometry Wars 3 is hard to resist, you can stop trying to dwarf your friends’ scores from time to time to engage in some fun couch co-op.
Plus, you both get to enjoy the visual spectacle as you rack up some huge scores. Look at all the pretty colors!
Portal 2
Portal 2 is a hilarious physics-based puzzle game that’ll see you using a portal gun to navigate complex puzzle rooms. Your ultimate goal is to get to the way out of the room. With a friend, Portal 2 becomes even more chaotic, and is a great way to spend an afternoon with a friend.
Portal 2 may have started out as a PC puzzler, but that doesn’t mean you should miss out on one of the best Xbox couch co-op games now that its hit Microsoft’s home console.
Hyper Light Drifter
Hyper Light Drifter is a challenging game that tests your reflexes and ability to fight under pressure.
With death coming easy, but combat being so fun it’s easy to not want to put the controller down, even when you have company. Thankfully, there’s local co-op to let any guests dive in and share in the fun encounters.
Dungeon Defenders II
Dungeon Defenders II mixes a few genres together in order to make a solid, horde fighting, RPG experience that uses tower defense mechanics as well. You and a friend can come up with strategies and coordinate efforts to stop enemies trying to destroy your Eternia Crystal.
BADLAND
Love puzzles set in a stark, overbearing world where even the slightest mistake can send you to your doom? Love bringing along another player so you can have help figuring said puzzles out while you laugh at each other’s demise? Pick up BADLAND and see just how good at navigating dark worlds you are.
Just Dance
Just Dance may not offer groundbreaking visuals or any real advancement in the series’ gameplay, but we’ll be damned if dancing around with your friends, swinging your arms around in your living room isn’t a right old hoot. Plus, it’s great fun for younger players, with plenty of chart-topping hits to keep them grooving away for hours.
TowerFall Ascension
TowerFall is a game that was built for couch co-op, so there was no way we could complete a list without it. Its fast paced, frenetic gameplay makes for fun, challenging levels that push player skill and reflexes to their limits. There’s a cooperative campaign that you and a friend can play through. The fact that you can “accidentally” kill your partner just adds to the tension.
Resident Evil 5 & 6
There are a few Resident Evil games that let you team up with a friend locally to face the infected masses, such as RE5 and RE6. Communicating with someone nearby and giving your once useless partner a bit of purpose definitely makes for a far better experience than playing either of those two titles alone.
Kalimba
Kalimba is not for the faint of heart. It’s a tough puzzle platformer that has you simultaneously controlling two totems as you navigate tricky stages. One slip up, and you’re done. Throw in another player and it becomes even more challenging, which happens to be part of its charm. Communication, and a high level of skill are required, so if you and a friend feel you got both in spades, put it to the test and see if your totems (and your friendship) survives.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
While many cooperative games give each player their very own vessel to pilot or their own mini-screen, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime forces players to work together aboard one ship as they manage its systems and man the guns around the vehicle in order to fight off enemies in a cool, neon-colored world. It’s pretty, fun, and challenging, which is perfect for a game to play while hanging out.
Tumblestone
Tumblestone is a very fast paced game that plays like a cross between Tetris and your favorite match-three puzzle game. While it looks like a simple puzzle game, it actually has a story full of challenges (including boss battles) that you can tackle with a friend.
Battletoads
Battletoads released in 2020, remaking the classic beat ’em up title that had players raging with that motorbike level. You and up to three friends can take on the campaign of this iconic classic in couch co-op, and the good news is that motorbike level isn’t quite as rage-inducing as it once was.
Each of the Battletoads has its own unique attack style, and you can combine their moves together for devastating combos. It’s a fun, light-hearted cartoony beat ’em up that’s great to pass the time on a lazy Sunday.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
While Halo 5: Guardians may have skipped over the feature, the previous Halo games offered some couch multiplayer to let local players experience the epic story. Thankfully, the full series was remastered and released on the Xbox One as the Master Chief collection so you have all the games in one neat package.
In our opinion, the Master Chief Collection still stands as one of the most iconic Xbox couch co-op experiences you can share with a friend or loved one. The Halo series has so many epic campaign moments that are just that much more enjoyable when you’re playing through it with a friend or three.
Gears of War Ultimate Edition, Gears 4 & Gears 5
You actually have several options when it comes to Gears of War and couch co-op on the Xbox One.
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition offers up the original game for you to dive into. Gears of War 4 allows you to take on the Swarm threat alongside a friend, while the newly-released Gears 5 also offers a three-player co-op campaign, Horde modes, and a new Escape mode to boot.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan, Little Hope, House of Ashes & The Devil in Me
Man of Medan is the latest narrative-driven title from Supermassive Games. Players will control and make decisions for a group of young adults as they find themselves on a spooky ghost ship and must try and find a way to escape.
With multiple endings, a Curator’s Cut mode that gives you a glimpse at other ‘scenes’ in the story, and a mode where each person you’re with controls a separate character in the group, there’s plenty of fun to be had in couch co-op with this one.
And once you’ve wrapped up Man of Medan, the next entry, Little Hope ups the ante even more with the same enjoyable gameplay and couch co-op mode, but with a far more enjoyable story (in our opinion). If you just can’t get enough of the spooky couch co-op action, then you’re in luck. There’s also House of Ashes and The Devil in Me out now, too!
Madden NFL 23
If soccer isn’t your thing and you’re more into good ol’ American football, then the Madden NFL series is likely already on your radar.
Each entry continues to offer up the ability to play against a friend in local multiplayer or to team up and take on the AI or other players with couch co-op on Xbox one. With new offensive and defensive schemes in Madden 23, you can nail down your strategies even more.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is a good enough game on its own thanks to the rogue-like mechanics, twisted imagery, and brutal challenge it presents to players. You don’t have to live through the nightmare alone though. You can bring a friend and both suffer at the horrors of hell and Isaac’s vivid imagination as you escape the clutches of dear ‘ol mom.
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars Battlefront II brings that galaxy far, far away right into your living room. Its visuals and sound effects are impeccable and feel like they’ve been ripped right out of the movies.
While it’s not possible to play through the campaign with a friend, you can work together with a friend to take on a variety of co-op challenges. They make for a great challenge and will be sure to keep you and your Star Wars-loving friends content for a good few hours at the very least.
Minecraft
There’s a reason Minecraft is so huge. It’s a really fun game no matter how you decide to play it. Whether you search for the end or just try to build seemingly impossible structures, it’s all a great experience especially when you bring in a second creative mind. You can even do couch co-op while playing with players from other platforms soon including the Switch, PC, and Mobile alongside the Xbox One.
Enter the Gungeon
Twin-stick shooters, bullet hell, and rogue-likes combine for one seriously extreme indie experience in Enter the Gungeon. You can unlock the ability to play couch co-op which ups the ante for an endless stream of bullets and powerful enemies filling your screen.
Divinity: Original Sin 1 & 2
Isometric RPGs are always great for couch multiplayer because they allow a clear view of the action for all players. Divinity: Original Sin takes things a step further with its dynamic hybrid camera that splits up when you and your partner want to go to different areas. Of course, we wouldn’t recommend it solely for the camera. The gameplay is full of healthy challenges, tons of customization, and a true RPG experience for you and your friends.
Licensed LEGO Games (Pick Your Favorite)
There’s a long list of LEGO games that you really can’t go wrong on. Covering things like Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Jurassic Park, and many other properties that take you through your favorite movies, cartoon series, or even original stories.
They offer tons of content that is always family friendly, and the fact that you can play couch co-op makes them great for a night with the kids or with just about anyone. It’s not punishing since you can instantly revive after accidents, so it’s all the fun without any frustration.
Cuphead
Cuphead is one of the most refreshing games to be released on the Xbox One pretty much ever, and it also features local co-op, where you can team up with a friend to take down the game’s toughest bosses. It’ll take away a bit of the challenge, sure, but it’ll still be a fun time.
You’ve likely seen plenty of clips of people smashing controllers and generally rage quitting Cuphead online, and that’s what makes it such a great Xbox couch co-op game. Take a friend and share the pain together.
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War
The fan-favorite Zombies mode returns in Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War once again, with new maps, exciting new easter eggs and weapons to uncover, and some new twists on the classic formula to keep things feeling fresh.
If you’re looking for a way to sink a few hours with your friend in local couch co-op multiplayer on Xbox One, there are few games that offer such hectic fun. It’s also incredibly replayable, too, with a variety of weapons and tactics to help you overcome the hordes of undead.
The Ascent
The Ascent is a cyberpunk twin-stick shooter that sees you ascending through the various layers of Veles as you work your way to becoming a free man. The gunplay is incredibly satisfying, the world immensely detailed, and the enemies varied enough to ensure things remain challenging and interesting.
While The Ascent can feel like a bit of a slog in single-player, it really comes into its own when playing with friends or other players. It makes the grind feel less punishing and you can fill the sluggish periods of traversal with banter with your mates, what more could you ask for?
Borderlands: The Handsome Collection & Borderlands 3
Borderlands is a first-person shooter RPG that’s full of endless enemies, gigantic bosses, and tons of loot.
While it’s plenty of fun on its own, bringing along a friend for some crazy adventures that include shooting psychos and other dangerous denizens is a real treat. Borderlands 3 is always another option, but keep in mind that the split-screen performance in the game isn’t great right now.
Rayman Legends
Top tier platforming? Check. Beautiful visuals? Check. Fun characters racing along to some seriously good music? Double Check. Rayman Legends is a must have on any platform, and the couch co-op just makes it all the more better. Have fun collecting Lums, beating enemies, and just bouncing around in this stellar platformer from Ubisoft.
Castle Crashers
Don’t let the cutesy art style of Castle Crashers fool you. This is one seriously challenging beat ’em up that will have you looking for help at every turn. The best way to find said help is to have a buddy grab a controller and pull up on the couch right next to you. Time to go save some princesses… and collect tons of gold.
Trials Rising
Trials Rising is the latest entry in Ubisoft’s popular biking series, and it features a cool mode where two players have to work together to balance on a single bike, and move forward at the same time. Like Octodad, except with bikes. We think.
Wargroove
Developed by Chucklefish, Wargroove is a fantastic tactical turn-based strategy game that can be played with and against friends.
You and three other friends can either match off against each other in a free-for-all, or split into teams and see who has the biggest strategic brain among you.
Modern Warfare II
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has it all in terms of multiplayer, even for those looking for some couch co-op action. There’s standard split screen multiplayer for those looking to enjoy some of the fast-paced FPS action online with a friend next to them. Alongside that, you’ve also got the beloved Spec Ops mode, which puts you in various military scenarios where you and a friend must defeat enemies and complete objectives to succeed.
There may not be a zombies mode in the latest Modern Warfare title, but there’s still plenty of couch co-op fun to be had all the same.
Moving Out
Moving house is never actually all that fun in real-life, but if you’re looking for a different kind of co-op experience, then Moving Out is actually pretty darn enjoyable.
Tasking you and up to three friends with moving furniture out of various houses and loading it up as quickly as possible, you’ll need to work together to navigate obstacles, move heavy items, and complete bonus objectives to get the best ratings. It’s chaotic, silly, and incredibly good fun with friends.
Moving Out is one of the best Xbox couch co-op games you can play, if only for the fact it encapsulates that chaotic multiplayer action we just can’t get enough of when you’ve got a few friends together.
FIFA 23
If you’re a soccer fan, the definitive video game emulation of the beautiful game is certainly FIFA 23.
The annualized series continues to bring updated rosters, smooth gameplay on-the-pitch, and more features and modes to keep players entertained and is one of best games for sport fans.
You can play couch co-op in either the online Rivals mode, against the AI, or with one of your Ultimate Teams. Who’ll get the wins and coins on their FUT account will be down to the pair of you.
FIFA 23 continues to evolve the series with refinements to the game engine, and further improvements to the balancing of attacking and defending gameplay. Top that off with some minor improvements to goalkeeper AI and this is by far the best the series has been for quite some time. A fitting end to the EA Sports FIFA series, as next year the series will officially become EA Sports FC.
Diablo III
Blizzard’s Diablo III is one of the most fun, isometric, action RPGs out there. The best part? It has online and couch co-op. Join your fellow nephalem as you try out different classes, create powerful warriors, and take the fight to hell and heaven. We suggest upping the difficulty to get the most out of this hack and slash experience.
Rocket League
If you haven’t played Rocket League, you definitely need to rectify that. Once you get a hang of the responsive controls and the sick, flipping, rocket powered vehicles, it’s time to dive into some couch co-op multiplayer to take on the world with a buddy. The amount of skill and precision needed really lends itself well to the feeling of accomplishment when you and your friends pull of some insane stunts out on the pitch.
Rocket League easily stands as one of the very best Xbox couch co-op games you can get your hands on. Just wait until you or your mate scores a last-minute winner and let the epic celebratory scenes commence.
Overcooked & Overcooked 2
Overcooked is one seriously intense cooking game. Think Cooking Mama, only with a much higher difficulty, partners yelling expletives at one another, and mad dashes to get dishes complete. It’s a definite good time that’s sure to fill the room, with laughter, yelling, a bit of cursing, then more laughter. The sequel offers up more recipes to make, dynamic stages that change up as you’re cooking, and the ability to throw items to your fellow chefs. Plus, it’s got online Xbox One multiplayer, so the fun doesn’t have to end when your friends leave.
Finished the first game? Well, Overcooked 2 is there to fill the void with even more excellent levels and culinary challenges to keep you shouting and screaming with laughter with your friends.
It Takes Two
It Takes Two follows the story of couple Cody and May who find themselves magically transformed into puppet versions of themselves. The two (that’s you and your pal!) must work together to help return Cody and May to their regular lives.
There are plenty of laughs in here, and the gameplay has a satisfying means of introducing new mechanics as you progress through the game.
A bunch of hidden minigames along the way and stunning presentation make this a quality co-op title that’s a blast to play with friends and family alike.
That’s all there is to it! Those are the best couch co-op games on Xbox One to play with friends. Which ones are your favorites? Let us know down below.
And if you’re looking for more co-op Xbox One games, be on the lookout for these.
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