5 Best Couch Co-Op Games (August 2022)

Ever since the pandemic came to light, couch co-op and online multiplayer games have become a double-barrelled bastion of hope for gamers all over the world. Because of such works, distant friends and families have been able to establish a sanctuary of sorts, a place in which its residents can embark on epic voyages with loved ones without having to face the repercussions that tie in with everyday life. This is, at least in some ways, a small consolation in an otherwise emotionally taxing time.

The good news, of course, is that couch co-op games are still as big as they were back in 2020. In fact, August alone has seen a surge in sales across multiple platforms, meaning more households are engaging in local multiplayer games than ever before. That said, it's still worth asking which games have garnered the most attention as of late. With that, let's explore five of the best couch co-op games that are trending right now.

5. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

The world of LEGO is perhaps one of the most universally loved franchises in not only the history of entertainment, but gaming, too. Its latest endeavour, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, brings a collection of reimagined brick-loving tales to modern consoles, which of course includes episodes from The Phantom Menace, right through to The Rise of Skywalker. Like before, all nine featured episodes can be played either alone, or with a friend via two-player split-screen.

Just as before, players can throw themselves into a destructive space expedition as Star Wars' most iconic characters. Combined with an addictive sandbox mode and a number of additional side activities, this all-in-one banquet of bricks gives its explorers just about everything they'll need to embark on a whirlwind adventure of their own. Star Wars fan or not — it's definitely worth checking out.

4. It Takes Two

It Takes Two is as hearty as it is innovative, and it's a right ol' basket of fun for those who enjoy buddying up to move mountains and unravel mysteries. It's theatrical, too, and does in fact come quite close to rivaling a lot of high-end animated movies, to the point of maybe even putting Pixar to the test. But at its heart, It Takes Two is a local co-op game — and an incredibly good one, at that.

It Takes Two follows Cody and May, a married couple with a rather troublesome past. With the duo looking to divorce, an enchanted book grants the pair one final chance to redeem their loveless relationship. The only problem is, they've been transformed into dolls, and their only hope of reversing the spell is through cooperation. With that, players can expect to roll with one of the most heartfelt storylines the industry has seen in years.

3. Overcooked! All You Can Eat

Culinary giants of the world — this one is for you. Overcooked! is back, and it's bursting at the seams with a fully restocked casket of catastrophic couch co-op shenanigans. Complete with over 200 challenges, players and budding foodies can once again embark on a culinary expedition around the world, using otherworldly tools and techniques to rustle up one-of-a-kind gut-busting cuisines for a community of starving fans.

Overcooked! All You Can Eat brings a hearty banquet of high-octane and hilariously destructive levels to a classic top-down couch co-op base. As aspiring chefs in training, you and your team must work together to make exciting new dishes that tickle the world's taste buds, using a variety of innovations to further develop the culinary arts. Failing that, then you can always rustle up a few tasteless disasters for the sake of experimentation. Either way works fine, so long as you know how to cooperate under pressure.

2. Moving Out

Nothing says I love you like a brick through the window. Or a couch. Or a mahogany antique cabinet. Basically, anything that could potentially squeeze through the slits of a homey crevice. A game that provides the opportunity to cast such a message is Moving Out, a couch co-op campaign that, quite literally, has you throwing bricks, couches, and mahogany antique cabinets through windows for laughs.

The concept is simple: shift a house into the back of a moving van, along with all its family heirlooms and trinkets, while effectively trying not to trash anything along the way. How you go about pulling off such a basic stunt, of course, is entirely up to you. If for whatever reason you're heavily into mindless vandalism and petty theft, then you'll be pleased to know that Moving Out, despite being coined as a wholesome couch co-op game, can still scratch that very itch if needs be. Cooperate or create havoc? It's your call.

1. Resident Evil 5

With Capcom working to rebuild its award-winning Resident Evil catalog from the ground up, its fifth chapter, aptly titled Resident Evil 5, is currently under the spotlight now more than ever. Although the developer has yet to confirm the remake, its current working pattern suggests that we could see ol' Chris and Sheva making a return in the near future. Until the time comes, however, we're left with its 2009 copy. Not that that's a bad thing, though.

Prior to Resident Evil 5 coming out, the series wasn't exactly known for its local co-op modes and online multiplayer. Fortunately, this changed with the new and improved instalment, which allowed for two players to experience one full-length campaign as Chris and Sheva, two gun-toting BSAA agents lumbered with the task of investigating a new parasite in a West African village. It's in-your-face action at its best, and it is perhaps one of the better known couch co-op games of the last generation. Today, it plays just as well — maybe even better, thanks to Capcom giving it a little TLC in 2016.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.