The 10 Best Split Screen Games Around

Despite the prevalence of online multiplayer games like Fortnite as well as more MMORPGs than you can shake a stick at, split screen games have been experiencing a resurgence of late. Whether fuelled by the increase in in-person socialization post-pandemic or just the community’s general desire to get back into couch co op games, there’s no shortage of split screen games past and present for you to face off against your friends in. Here are some of our favorites!

GOLDENEYE 007

A perennial favorite, this Nintendo 64 classic developed by Rare was based on the eponymous 1995 movie. While ostensibly having a single-player campaign, it was Goldeneye 007’s deathmatch multiplayer mode that made it go down in history, giving players young and old hours of FPS fun arguably unmatched by other split screen games for years to come.

JACKBOX GAMES

Although not all of them are strictly co op, Jackbox games – particularly in the form of the bumper Jackbox Party Packs – do include a number of split screen games in their hefty catalog. Whether you’re after quizzes, puzzles, or something weirder still, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better social gaming selection when you have a group of friends over (especially if there’s a drink or two involved).

MARIO KART 64

The Nintendo 64 was definitely a trailblazing console when it came to split screen games, and many argue that Mario Kart 64 is one of the best titles in the franchise to this day. Pitting people against their friends in a variety of different modes, Mario Kart 64 brought out a competitive streak in pretty much anyone. Indeed, sometimes the character selection screen was fought over almost as much as first place in the game itself.

IT TAKES TWO

Although a more modern example than some of the split screen games on this list, action-adventure platformer It Takes Two is relatively unique in that it offers both online multiplayer and couch co op modes. Following the story of a family navigating divorce, It Takes Two combines a pretty hard-hitting story with wild, genre-straddling gameplay – definitely one of the more meaningful couch co op games you can play.

ROCK BAND

While Guitar Hero may have started the instrument-shaped controller rhythm game boom, it is arguably the Rock Band franchise that led the way in terms of co op play. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock does have a career mode you can play together with a friend, but Rock Band is arguably one of the best couch co op games as you have the choice of guitars, drums, and vocals. While it’s not quite the same as taking to the stage at Glastonbury, there are few better feelings than everyone hitting the right notes for an entire song (and you don’t even need a musical glossary).

MARIO PARTY

Holding the record for the longest-running minigame series, Mario Party first burst onto consoles in 1998 and is still going strong today. Players traverse a virtual board by rolling dice and competing 1v1 (and more) in a number of minigames, with the winner being the person with the most coins once the game ends. While it’s not exactly a couch co op game, especially considering how fierce competition can sometimes get, it’s certainly one of the best ways to entertain a group of friends if you happen to have an appropriate Nintendo games console to hand.

HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED

Microsoft owes a lot to Halo, the series becoming indelibly linked with the console when Halo: Combat Evolved became one of the first Xbox’s launch titles in 2001. Developed by Bungie, the game had multiple split screen game options including the ability to couch co op the main campaign or face off in one of five competitive multiplayer modes. While not all of its subsequent installments had split screen game modes, playing multiplayer Halo games with friends (and discussing whether the latest nerf is justified or not) is still a popular pastime with sci-fi FPS fans across the globe.

LOVERS IN A DANGEROUS SPACETIME

A unique 2D shooter, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime tasks two to four players with working together to save the galaxy from the evil forces of anti love. This means the ship’s steering, shields, and guns must all be wrangled with sufficient coordination to both survive and beat the bad guys. This game definitely offers a fun – if chaotic – couch co op game experience, with yelling at each other across the room a must to make sure your mission is successfully completed. If you want something quieter and more in-depth, however, a space MMO might be more your speed.

OVERCOOKED

Overcooked is arguably one of the most chaotic split screen games you can play. A couch co op game for two to four players, you must work together to prepare, cook, and serve food in a variety of increasingly fantastical kitchens. Prone to creating extremely frenetic kitchen situations in-game and lots of (hopefully playful) shouting outside the game, Overcooked is definitely one of the more stressful video games you can have the pleasure of playing with your friends.

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS

Another title with its success rooted in the pandemic, Animal Crossing: New Horizons proved to be an extremely popular installment in the iconic series of Nintendo life sim games. Although initially not permitted to be a literal couch co op game due to global stay-at-home orders, Animal Crossing: New Horizons became a substitute for in-person social interactions for many (indeed, some people got very attached to a certain non-player character). However, with a dedicated fanbase still supporting the game to this day, the popularity of the game – and franchise – endures today.