Looking for the perfect way to level up your Valentine’s Day? Whether you’re a seasoned gamer duo or just starting your Player 2 journey, the best co-op games offer a blend of teamwork, laughter, and heartwarming stories that make for an unforgettable date night. From chaotic kitchen escapades in Overcooked to the emotional journey of It Takes Two, these games are designed to bring couples closer-one pixel at a time. Ready to press start on love? Let’s dive into the ultimate co-op picks for this Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is a time for togetherness, and that can be achieved in many ways – including picking up a controller and engaging in a great co-op game. We’ve curated a list of some of the best two-player co-op experiences currently available that you can easily enjoy with your Valentine – or your Palentine, for the platonically-minded among us. With a smorgasbord of recommendations across all kinds of genres, you should be able to find something to pick up and share with a special someone.
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The Dark Pictures Anthology
The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of standalone, cinematic horror games that offer intense, branching storylines in both single and multiplayer modes. In each installment, players explore and uncover dark secrets, making choices that have serious consequences, including who lives and who dies. The series features different multiplayer options such as Movie Night mode, for couch co-op with up to five players, and Shared Story mode, for online co-op with two players.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
The Dark Pictures Anthology is a series of horror games that are all linked together by the Curator, an unsettling man who tells a series of scary tales that the players must navigate through choices and dialogue options. Each story starts with five protagonists, all of whom can either live to see another day or die to some terrifying peril. The Shared Story mode is a great way to experience the Dark Pictures Anthology – each player tackles a different branch of the story, occasionally meeting and collaborating. My only caveat would be to ignore Little Hope and enjoy Man of Medan or House of Ashes instead. –Cass Marshall
Palworld
Palworld offers a unique co-op experience perfect for Valentine’s Day gaming, allowing up to four players to explore, build, and battle together in a vibrant survival crafting world. You and your partner can team up to catch adorable creatures called Pals, build bases collaboratively or competitively, and tackle challenging bosses across the Palpagos Islands. The game’s cooperative gameplay emphasizes teamwork through shared quests, resource trading, and base customization, making it a fun and engaging way to connect. While cross-platform play is not yet available, Palworld’s ongoing updates promise exciting features ahead, ensuring fresh adventures for couples who enjoy cooperative play.
Where to play: Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
You’ve definitely heard about Palworld, the survival crafting game that adds legally distinct Pokémon-like creatures to the formula. It’s a great hook, one that has brought lots of people who would otherwise avoid survival games into the fold. Palworld admittedly doesn’t have much in the way of legs – once you finish building your base, catching all the Pals, and creating a massive factory, you’ll likely want to move on. But not every game needs to last forever, and Palworld’s highly derivative formula results in a satisfying and accessible co-op game with one friend (or more, if you want to bring a crowd). –CM
The Division 2
The Division 2 offers an exceptional co-op experience, making it a perfect choice for couples looking to team up this Valentine’s Day. The game allows up to four players to join forces online to tackle missions in a detailed and immersive Washington, D.C., setting. Playing cooperatively not only enhances the fun but also increases experience points and loot rewards, though it also makes enemies tougher, encouraging strategic teamwork and communication. Whether you’re coordinating tactics via mic or simply enjoying the shared challenge, The Division 2 turns cooperative play into a rewarding and dynamic adventure, ideal for partners who enjoy action-packed gameplay together.
Where to play: Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
The Division 2 had the bad luck of being a game about a pandemic that launched right around the spread of an actual pandemic. That association, as well as its inconsistent political commentary and adoration of all things tacticool, will turn some players off. If you can get past those hurdles, you might be surprised to find a fantastic co-op experience that flows beautifully moment-to-moment. Publisher Ubisoft has also made sure that players at different progression points can sync together seamlessly, which means that there are no invisible walls blocking co-op play. I enjoyed playing with my husband back in 2019, and The Division 2 has received more updates since then – including one recent addition – that fill out its portfolio of content even further. –CM
Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights is a perfect pick for couples looking to team up as Gotham’s next dynamic duo. After a brief solo introduction, you and your partner can patrol the city together in seamless two-player online co-op, tackling main missions, side quests, and open-world activities as any combination of Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, or Robin. The game’s drop-in, drop-out multiplayer lets you join each other’s stories at any point, and progress carries over for both players, making it easy to play at your own pace. With enemies scaling to the host’s level and the freedom to explore independently or side by side, Gotham Knights delivers a flexible and action-packed co-op experience that’s ideal for a night of crime-fighting romance.
Where to play: Windows, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5
Fans of previous games in the Batman Arkham universe groused a fair bit about the combat system in Gotham Knights, and how much of the game focuses on using it. That’s a fair point, especially since that combat system is pretty nuanced, but you can win practically every fight by spamming simple attacks or just sneaking around using one-shot stealth takedowns.
That said, if you aren’t an Arkham games purist and you enjoy partnered story games, Gotham Knights is a great two-player experience. The entire game is fully co-op, but large chunks of the narrative are open-world, letting players choose whether to consistently work together to stop criminals and foil crimes, or split up to pursue different goals. There’s a solid “Batman dies and his successors try to save Gotham” story to play out, a lot of different story options to follow, and plenty of customization, making this a great game for co-op partners with different styles (completists vs. narrativists, for instance) or different levels of commitment to the game. –Tasha Robinson
Heavenly Bodies
Heavenly Bodies offers a unique and entertaining co-op experience where players control astronauts navigating the challenges of zero gravity aboard a space station. With each arm controlled independently, teamwork and communication become essential as you push, pull, and twist your way through intricate tasks like assembling telescopes and repairing solar arrays. The game’s physics-based mechanics create hilarious and sometimes frustrating moments, making it a perfect choice for couples looking to bond over shared challenges and laughter this Valentine’s Day. Its local co-op mode shines with up to four players, delivering a delightful mix of cooperation and chaos in a beautifully simulated weightless environment.
Where to play: Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
If you’re looking for something much more casual to dip into together for an evening or two of puzzle-solving, the physics-based game Heavenly Bodies is a hoot. You play a pair of ragdoll astronauts in zero gravity, trying to get various pieces of space equipment functioning together. Gameplay can be frustrating at first, as you parse out the game’s visual language and figure out the goals of a given level. It can also be a laugh as you try to learn how to control your hapless, floppy spacefarer. But there’s a real satisfaction in plugging in all those batteries, realigning all those satellite dishes, and finally getting your space station functioning. It’s like Among Us without all the accusation and murder, and with a lot more boneless bodies floating around. –TR
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder offers a vibrant and joyful co-op experience perfect for Valentine’s Day gaming. Up to four players can team up locally on a single Nintendo Switch or join online rooms with up to 12 friends, making it ideal for playing with loved ones. The game features a diverse cast of characters, including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and multiple Yoshis, with some characters like Yoshi and Nabbit providing beginner-friendly, damage-immune options. Unique mechanics such as riding Yoshis, reviving fallen players as ghosts, and the exciting Wonder Flowers that transform levels add depth and fun to cooperative play. The game’s design encourages teamwork and exploration, with smooth animations and creative power-ups ensuring a delightful multiplayer platforming adventure for couples and friends alike.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is not only one of the best co-op games from the past few years but one of the best games, period. It’s a hallucinatory take on the classic Super Mario Bros. franchise – it’s colorful, clever, and downright wacky at times. It’s also the perfect co-op game because it’s got options that make it fun regardless of you and your partner’s experience levels. This isn’t the sort of game where you’re going to get upset with your partner (ahem, Overcooked); several characters don’t take damage, for example, like Yoshi and Nabbit. They’re still playing the same game but don’t have to worry about pesky Goombas or any of the new, weirder-than-ever enemies. Yoshi, too, can be ridden by the other player – how romantic! – which makes for some extra silly moments and a way to get around the game’s sometimes annoying camera. -Nicole Carpenter
Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite offers an exciting co-op experience that allows up to four players to join forces online across Xbox consoles and PC with full crossplay support. Players can team up to tackle the expansive open-world campaign together, sharing progress and collectibles seamlessly, as all campaign advancements carry over between solo and co-op play. The game features an “Area of Operations” system that keeps teammates within a reasonable distance to encourage cooperative gameplay without forcing constant proximity. Additionally, players can independently upgrade their abilities using Spartan Cores collected during missions, enabling personalized playstyles within the team. With mission replayability and new multiplayer content, Halo Infinite’s co-op mode is a perfect choice for couples looking to enjoy a thrilling and cooperative gaming experience this Valentine’s Day.
Where to play: Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
For the competitively-minded lovers, try Halo Infinite this Valentine’s Day. You can play Halo Infinite multiplayer within the campaign itself – up to four players total – or in its competitive player vs. player modes. The game’s continued to evolve since its release, particularly with its competitive playlists. So, if you haven’t played since it launched, it might be worth hopping in with your lover to give it another go. 343 Industries has been working to spice things up over the past few months, so why don’t you, too? For extra Valentine’s Day spirit, customize your Spartans’ armor in all pink. –NC
It Takes Two
It Takes Two is the ultimate co-op experience designed exclusively for two players, perfect for Valentine’s Day gaming. You and your partner play as Cody and May, a couple transformed into dolls and forced to work together to mend their fractured relationship through a series of imaginative, genre-bending challenges. The game combines seamless online or split-screen co-op with a heartfelt and humorous story, requiring true teamwork to overcome obstacles, master unique abilities, and enjoy a wild, unpredictable adventure. Its innovative gameplay and emotional narrative make it a standout choice for couples looking to connect and have fun together.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Ironic to put a game about divorce on a list of best games to play as a duo on Valentine’s Day, no? But It Takes Two, from developer Hazelight Studios, is a two-player game built from the ground up with co-op in mind – and the story of divorce is a huge part of that. There’s no single-player mode, so you’ll have to have a partner to play as Cody and May, a married couple who get trapped into doll bodies as their child, Rose, tries to work out the why of the divorce. It can be played either on a split screen locally or online, and you and your partner will have to cooperate through different challenges and minigames to make it through the levels and back to Rose. Though it’s about divorce, it’s also about reconciliation and cooperation, and director Josef Fares has called it a romantic comedy – making it a good option for Valentine’s Day. –NC
Gears of War
Gears of War offers an intense and immersive co-op experience perfect for Valentine’s Day gaming. The game features a two-player campaign co-op mode, allowing you and a partner to team up either locally via split-screen or online with seamless cross-play across all platforms. The recently re-engineered Gears of War: Reloaded enhances this experience with stunning 4K visuals, smooth 60 FPS gameplay in the campaign, and no loading screens, making it a visually impressive and fluid cooperative adventure. Whether battling the Locust Horde side-by-side or engaging in multiplayer modes supporting up to eight players, Gears of War is built for shared play and teamwork, making it an ideal choice for couples looking to bond over thrilling tactical combat.
Where to play: Windows, Xbox Series X/S or One or 360 – depends on the title
This is another one for fans of linear, single-save story games where you’re perpetually moving forward, getting stronger, figuring out your preferred combat style, and winning your way through varied challenges. The Gears of War series actually feels more real as a co-op experience than as a single-player one, given the story dynamic of “doomed hero and squaddie-for-life buddies fight an endless horde of mutant abominations.” At least if you’re playing with a partner in the room, you can share your gripes about the conditions, the challenges, and the never-ending setbacks of war, just like real-life military squaddies. There’s a developing, mostly linear story to these games, so purists may want to play them in order, but really, you can drop in on any of the mainline series and the experience will be about the same: Get your orders, wade through monsters, figure out how to survive the latest messy combat, hope your partner has your back. –TR
Left 4 Dead / Left 4 Dead 2
If you’re looking to spark some adrenaline-fueled teamwork this Valentine’s Day, Left 4 Dead and its sequel deliver a co-op experience that’s as thrilling as it is chaotic. Up to four players must band together to survive relentless zombie hordes, with each campaign demanding constant communication, quick reflexes, and genuine cooperation-saving a pinned-down teammate or sharing precious health packs often means the difference between survival and a grisly end. The game’s dynamic AI Director ensures every playthrough feels fresh, adjusting the tension and enemy spawns based on your team’s performance. Whether you’re blasting through abandoned city streets or navigating eerie carnivals, Left 4 Dead’s co-op gameplay is all about camaraderie, making it a perfect pick for couples or friends seeking memorable, heart-pounding moments together.
Where to play: Windows, Xbox One, Xbox 360
Speaking of hoping your partner has your back, the Left 4 Dead games are another case where you just have to hope the other half of your co-op team has some skills, or you’re going to. well, it’s right there in the title. (The first time I played, I got mobbed by zombies in the last five seconds of a level before the rest of my team escaped by boat. The friend playing with us told my husband, “It’s too late. You have to leave her behind. She’s already dead.” I wasn’t yet, but I sure was by the time that boat left.)
Left 4 Dead is yet another series that’s as much about the story and the different challenges as it is about the gameplay, and it’s a lot more fun with a partner. As you’re trying to hold off zombies long enough to gather fuel, fill up a car, and escape a disintegrating mall, you get to decide for yourself whether to split up or stay together and cover each other’s backs, whether you’re in each moment together, or going “everyone for themselves.” The answers may test your relationship a little, or they may teach you more about how you resolve shared tasks, how you navigate stress and conflict together, and which one of you is better suited to deal with the zombie apocalypse. And if that doesn’t sound like enough of a challenge, the Left 4 Dead games allow you to play with up to four people simultaneously, so it’s the rare game that can let more of your polycule in on the fun. –TR
Which co-op game offers the most chaotic fun for couples this Valentine’s Day
For couples seeking the most chaotic fun this Valentine’s Day, Overcooked 2 stands out as the ultimate choice. This frantic cooking simulation throws you and your partner into a whirlwind of chopping, frying, and serving meals in wildly unpredictable kitchens filled with shifting platforms, rogue rats, and constant hazards. The game demands sharp communication and teamwork, turning every order into a hilarious scramble that will have you laughing and shouting in equal measure. It’s a perfect recipe for chaotic fun and bonding under pressure.
Which game combines chaos and humor for couples celebrating Valentine’s Day
The co-op game that perfectly combines chaos and humor for couples celebrating Valentine’s Day is Overcooked 2. This game delivers frantic, hilarious kitchen chaos where couples must communicate and cooperate to prepare and serve meals in wildly unpredictable and often absurd kitchens, making for a laugh-filled and energetic experience that tests teamwork under pressure. Another great option with a similar blend of humor and chaos is Party Animals, where players control floppy animals in zany mini-games filled with silly antics and competitive fun. Both games guarantee a lively, humorous Valentine’s Day gaming session.
