Mustafa "Ice" Akcakaya playing Super Smash Bros. at Red Bull unEversE 2019 in Lucerne

Gaming

The best couch co-op games for Nintendo Switch

Nintendo all but invented the concept of 'couch co-op'. Here's some of the best recent games you can switch it up with, with your co-op partner in crime!

By Philipp Briel with updates from Stephen Farrelly

10 min readUpdated on 03/18/2024 · 5:15 AM UTC

Who doesn't fondly remember the glory days of couch co-op games? Before online multiplayer made its way into the console sector, you had to use your own sofa for (un)limited gaming fun with friends, loved ones and the new kid next door you were forced to 'try be friends with'.

At the fore back then was Nintendo. Now Ninty's most recent mini-beast of a console, Nintendo Switch -- a unique hybrid of both a home console for your TV as well as being a handheld capable of connecting with other players for co-op (and multiplayer) -- is one of the most popular platforms on the planet. And part of its popularity comes down to its couch co-op options and overall potential.

And, with a looming reveal for the Switch's next iteration somewhere around the corner, we've appropriately readdressed this item highlighting all the current best Switch couch co-op games featuring insight into what the next Big N console might deliver from the learnings of the current machine.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Nintendo's cult plumber Mario returns to the screen with a brand new adventure, and it really packs a punch. Super Mario Bros. Wonder, as the latest instalment is called, is a classic 2D platformer, but with a whole range of new power-ups and innovative gameplay elements that take into an entirely new stratosphere when stacked against Mario games of this type in the past.

From charming new animations to the varied levels and the new Elephant suit or the ultra-fun Drill item -- the hunt for the seemingly endless supply of Wonder Seeds is great fun for anyone who picks up the controller, Joy-Cons or Switch itself - Super Mario Bros. Wonder was easily one of the best games of 2023 and remains just as fun now as it will deeper into the future, such is the evergreen design philosophy of Nintendo.

Incidentally, speedrunner David 'GrandPOOBear' Hunt also thinks so. He loves Super Mario Bros. Wonder for its movement, among other things. Up to four players can jump through the levels together.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

With Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Nintendo gave the pink ball a new spin-off, which brought the gameplay into the third dimension for the first time, meaning he'd finally stepped out of his traditional 2D playspace into real vertices.

As a classic 3D platformer, you explore a colourful world and acquire a variety of new skills, as is Kirby's lot in life and your gameplay gain. The latest Kirby adventure can also be played by two players in couch co-op, hence its obvious placement on this list.

Cuphead

Are you a 'cup half full' kind of person?
© Studio MDHR

As with our other co-op piece relating to 'play and chill', Cuphead is a pretty brilliant piece of cooperative play for you and a friend because of two stakes: You get further, together and, there's definitely an underline of competitiveness to it due to the game's difficult nature.

As a bullet-hell platformer with some of the hardest boss battles around, the game is an absolute punish on the thumbs, in the best possible way but is bolstered all the more because of its charm and presentation. Plus, when you've had enough of being pummelled into the digital dirt, you can always just watch the animated series on Netflix.

Portal: Companion Collection

Your couch may need a companion cube plushie for this
© Valve

Few games release with little fanfare to become effectively GOAT in their genre, let alone do that and also create the genre. While Portal is tagged as a 'first-person puzzler' it is simply so much more. This collection, which is available on Switch, also allows you to either play the first game as a cooperative team backseat driving one another through rooms, or in the game's brilliant sequel which had a dedicated co-op mode with its own narrative that advanced the ever-interesting story of Aperture Science and the interconnected worlds Valve's games cheekily share.

It's also just plain outright brilliant and great bang for your buck, so there's kind of no reason not to be couch co-op-ing this beauty.

Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors is a weird game in that it plays for you, you just control your avatar and manage abilities, upgrades and general character progression. But dang if isn't one of the most engaging and energising games of the past few years for both its depth and its simplicity.

Obviously being here, you can co-op this bullet-hill min-max experience with a friend or loved one on the same screen via Nintendo Switch. Our only advice: be on the same page... or, you know, screen. Literally. If one of you goes out of screen you'll have no idea what mobs are mobbing you and that spells certain doom for any good Van Helseing wannabe out there.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury

Hell hath no fury like a Bowser constantly scorned...
© Nintendo

Super Mario 3D World was originally released back in 2013, but eight years later Ninty's mascot's adventure came back in a package that celebrated its popularity with a brand new world added in the form of the Bowser' s Fury expansion.

In addition to the new content, the game also featured an all-new co-operative mode for up to four players in which you slip into the skin of Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Toad to take on Mario's arch-enemy Bowser together.

And if that wasn't enough, in the expansion, a second player could take on Bowser Jr. if desired, who can provide Mario with further assistance. Mario and co-op? That always works.

Speedrunner against Bowser: The former snowboarder shows what it looks like when speedrunning pro David 'GrandPOOBear' Hunt takes on the game in his video.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Smash is still such a GOAT experience
© Nintendo

The Smash Bros series literally changed the fighting game landscape, introducing the concept of a 'party' arena-style brawler, but with ultra-tight mechanics and a very deep learning curve for those willing to look past the idea you could play as Mr Game & Watch. Esports pros such as Masaya 'aMSa' Chikamoto and Mustafa 'Ice' Akacaya regularly prove their skills in the gaming hit.

In Classic Mode, you can also play co-operatively against a number of challengers, which adds both a layer of variety to the game, plus a kind of 'safe space' to learn the nuances of its mechanics with people you think *probably* like you. And thanks to the gigantic roster, you have a number of different characters to choose from, all of whom are very different from one another in terms of gameplay meaning the skill ceiling here is actually pretty high.

Alternatively, you can also compete in ghost board mode and face tricky challenges together. Either way: In co-op mode, you can be sure of many hours of fun.

Gaming and esports in Japan: Our 'Playing Fields' series presents all aspects of Japan's thriving scene. In this episode, two fighting game pros take us into the world of esports.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Although Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is only a conversion of the Wii U spin-off, that doesn't change the fact that you're dealing with one of the best 2D platformers of recent years. The return of Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong and co. plays just as well as it did in before-before times, aka the 'Rare SNES times'. Especially in co-op mode for two players where each character has their own special abilities that need to be combined to solve the challenging levels.

Above all, the varied levels and the brilliant soundtrack make Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze a real co-op hit that Switch owners should not miss out on.

Unravel 2

Yarny returns to spin another tale about his memory-gathering exploits, knitting together the loosest of stories, yet held together by multiple threads of gameplay brilliance. And in this instance, he has a different dye... I mean, friend.

The Unravel games aren't as deep from a story perspective as some of the other games on this list; everything in these games is contextual to systems exploitation and innovative gameplay which makes it a pretty special co-op experience. Couch TV is for the stories, couch co-op gaming is for the gameplay!

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition

Rayman Legends may be an old favourite in the co-op game genre, but despite its age it is still one of the best platformers of the modern era. From the game's painterly art-style, its phenomenal soundtrack to its genious level-design and perfect (re)playability, Rayman Legends offers everything you could expect from a platformer.

The cool music levels and successful mini-games, in particular, make Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition a successful co-op experience for all and sundry on its spiritual home in Nintendo Switch.

Rocket League

Rocket League is an ingenious multiplayer game that also provides a lot of fun in a couch co-op setup. In the game, your task is to manoeuvre a giant ball into the opponent's goal with your vehicle, just like real-life wheel and bumber ball, you know. But this endeavour, which is quite simple on paper, turns out to be much trickier than you might expect.

Rocket League is one of the biggest surprise hits of recent years and is also hugely popular on Nintendo Switch. Up to four players compete against the AI in local co-op mode, while countless unlockable cars and customisations keep you entertained for a long time.

Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition

Minecraft is one of the most successful and popular games of all time, and not without reason. Exploring the world of blocks alone and building huge structures out of the ground is brilliant. But in the couch co-op mode of Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition, it's even more fun to let your creativity run wild.

The title is far more than *just* a 'simple' videogame. Depending on the game-mode, Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition is almost a meditative experience that will keep you glued to the screen for hours, if not weeks. Those who like a little more excitement can take on the challenge in Survival Mode, but even those who want to create a breathtaking world in relative peace and quiet will get their money's worth with Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition.

Monster Hunter Rise

What could be better than hunting monsters with a few friends? Thankfully, every young person's imagination and fantasy comes to life through the lens of the Monster Hunter series, which is one of the Capcom's most successful games. And for good reason.

Together, with up to four players, the aim is to protect the village of Kamura from the approaching monster invasion, while also using the spoils of said protection to bolster your gear and kit for even bigger bads. It's a perfect gameplay loop that never gets old. And you can do this with mates, which just helps it all rise to the co-op top.

Luigi's Mansion 3

Sneaking through a creepy ghost hotel alone with Luigi can be quite nerve-wracking. Luigi's Mansion 3 is undoubtedly one of the best games for Nintendo Switch, but the co-op mode makes the already successful action adventure even better. Though it's not as 'co-op' as some of the games mentioned above, just to warn you.

While one player slips into the skin of the plumber, the other takes on the slippery doppelganger Fluigi, who is given a very special role, especially in the varied puzzles. After all, Fluigi is able to squeeze through narrow grids or pass through nasty traps unscathed thanks to his consistency. Thanks to successful gameplay, an incredibly charming game-world and exciting puzzles, this is an absolute feast for couch co-op.

/End

These are the cream of the current crop, but as mentioned in the opening salvo, with a new system allegedly on the way and the ever-increasing popularity of the Swith platform overall, more and more devs are looking to old-school gaming for that fresh edge. Which might sound oxymoronic, but in a world where it's either about the run and gun or the multi-bazillion dollar open-world productions, games with a simpler tilt might just be what you're really looking for.

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