The best couch co-op games for PlayStation 5

Having a game to play with your friends during your “LAN parties” or even during your casual get-togethers is a great way to bond with them. Whether the game destroys your friendship or brings you closer, video games provide an entertainment experience like no other. Couch co-op is a rarity for today’s platforms, and PlayStation 5 is included. Even with a limited selection to choose from, we’ve compiled the best PS5 couch co-op games you can play with friends below.

Related: Can you play PS3 games on PS5? Answered

A Way Out

Consider A Way Out as the older brother of It Takes Two. The game puts you in a prison-break environment wherein your ultimate goal is escaping prison. It’s more action-oriented with a more mature setting and aesthetic than its successor. A Way Out features appropriate puzzles according to its setting and intense chase scenes that keep you on your toes. If you’re a fan of crime, thriller, and action movies, you should give this a go, as it’s an exciting and refreshing couch co-op game on the PS5.

Cuphead

If you and your friends are big fans of difficult, roguelike games like Dark Souls, you’ll surely enjoy Cuphead. Cuphead is a 2D-platforming run-and-gun game with multiple bosses and unique mechanics that significantly challenge its players. It also has a cute 50s-60s cartoon aesthetic, which adds charm to the game. 

Of course, the gameplay isn’t cute at all — and it’ll take a lot of coordination to beat each level. Frustration is unavoidable but when you and a friend finish the whole thing, your relationship will come out stronger for it.

It Takes Two

It Takes Two is a split-screen co-op game that sends you on a mystical journey, fitting you in the shoes of Cody and May, a husband and wife duo who appear to be on the brink of a divorce. You and your friend or loved one will have to work together to solve puzzles, survive platforming trials, and much more. The aesthetic is also pleasing, reminiscent of a Pixar movie. There are also mini-games in which you and your friend compete against each other. 

Overcooked series

The Overcooked series is famous for creating bonds after serving time together in the industry’s most chaotic kitchens. In Overcooked, you and your friends have to run a restaurant by cooking, plating, and serving your dishes to the customers. Overcooked’s main twist is how specific mechanics per level are added to make food prep harder for everyone, like a lava fissure in the middle of the kitchen. The trick is to assign roles for everyone and clear, constant communication of your actions and the situation.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Iconic PlayStation character Sackboy is back, and he brought his friends along with him. It’s a 3D platformer that supports up to four players, making it perfect for get-togethers and family gatherings. Its colorful visuals and cute art style genuinely make the game stand out. 

The game features multiple enemies, each with its mechanic, while you traverse a Mario-style board with different levels. Sackboy: A Big Adventure focuses on simple and easy puzzles tailored to children; however, it’s still a good and simple game. 

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

If you’re looking for a looter-shooter mayhem game, but are tired of the Borderlands series, check out Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. It’s a spin-off of the Borderlands 2 DLC, bringing you to the magical world of the tabletop RPG game Bunkers & Badasses.

It’s a mix between fun and mindless mayhem coupled with witty and funny voice lines. In terms of co-op gameplay, it’s much more fun to play this game with a friend since you can share loot and the glory of defeating powerful bosses together is very satisfying. 

Unravel Two

Unravel Two is an excellent sequel that takes couch co-op gaming to the next level. While you can entirely tackle the game alone, its co-op integration takes its existing mechanics to a whole new level. The game focuses on brutal and complex platforming rather than intricate puzzle-solving, but either way, you and your friend have to think about your next move constantly.