Gaming

Six More Excellent Family Co-Op Games To Try

October 27, 2023

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge on Nintendo Switch — Discover six more excellent family co-op games to try next games night

Family games night is a sacred tradition for many, giving all generations the chance to laugh, share in the fun together and help one another through games that might be too tricky to play alone. Young players can safely enjoy a great gaming experience, while adults will find the gameplay fun – perhaps so much so they may choose to play again with other adults outside of family games night.

This is the second part of our must-play family co op games guide. You can read part 1 here: 7 Must Play Family Co-Op Games.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Set your nostalgia settings to fun, the Ninja Turtles are back with a new game based on the classic cartoon series and arcade games. If you have always loved classic 16-bit side scrollers but don’t want the kids to play Streets Of Rage or Golden Axe just yet, then Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge may be the best family co-op game to introduce them to on your next games night.

The Turtles are chilling having pizza when Bebop and The Foot Clan interrupt the news and it’s up to the turtles to head to the Channel 6 building to take them on.

You can play as any one of the 4 original turtles as well as April and Master Splinter, so everyone can hopefully play as their favourite.

Shredder’s Revenge allows for up to a staggering 6-player co-op, both online and local, including a mixture of both to make up your team.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge delivers excellent gameplay and a fun story reminiscent of the classic series that can be played by even the least experienced gamers and all are bound to have fun. And of course, don’t forget that the theme tune still rocks to this day.

Here are some handy links to pick up Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

2. Unravel Two

Unravel was a surprise gem from EA in 2016, so many were very happy to see a sequel arrive in 2018 that not only continued the story for Yarny but also introduced some co-op gameplay. Still very much a puzzle platformer like the first game, Unravel 2 sees Yarny lost in a storm at sea. When he washes up, Yarny meets a new friend, a blue Yarny, and they connect their yarn together.

The game can be played in both solo and 2-player co-op, with the option for one Yarny to jump onto another for a lift if needed.

Players will need to navigate many obstacles across the 2D levels, often grabbing anchor points with their yarn and swinging across gaps or anchoring between two points to bounce on and reach higher areas.

Unravel 2 introduces a few changes to the gameplay with the addition of the 2nd Yarny, there’s no longer any way to run out of yarn (as long as you don’t stray too far from your partner) one Yarny can now use itself as an anchor to allow the other to swing when no anchor points are available. Also for the first time, players can customise their character, changing everything like yarn colour, as well as eye and head shape.

Unravel 2 is a great introduction to puzzle platforming with its cute characters and co-op that allows each player to help each other get through the levels. Let’s just hope EA will eventually give us another title in this great series.

Here are some handy links to pick up Unravel 2:

3. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury on Nintendo Switch

We’ve done six entries so far and not even mentioned the peppy plumber Super Mario. It’s definitely time to change that.

With his recent on-screen adventure proving to be hugely successful, now is a great time to get the kids into Mario games and introduce them to the wider world of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Super Mario 3D World is best known for its recent release on the Nintendo Switch with the new Bowser’s Fury expansion, the great advantage here is that the standard Switch model comes with two controllers, meaning multiplayer is easily accessible.

Gameplay is based on classic Mario games featuring side-scrolling levels, power-ups, and even the end of level flag pole. Players must make their way through the levels collecting coins and defeating enemies on their way to facing off with Bowser who has kidnapped the pixie-like Sprixie princesses, and put them in jars.

With up to 4-player co-op, players can control Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, or Toad, with the chance to unlock Rosalina. Each character has slight differences in how they play giving a chance for some replayability and for young ones to find their favourites early on and then argue over who gets to play as who. With over 100 levels of classic Mario mayhem and all the zany power-ups the kids and even the adults are sure to enjoy themselves playing this belter of a family co-op game.

You can purchase Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury now on Nintendo Switch.

4. Rayman Legends

Rayman has been around since 1995 throwing his limbs across levels to save the Electoons across multiple generations of gaming systems. Starting out originally as a cartoon-style 2D platformer on the original PlayStation, Sega Saturn & Atari Jaguar, the series has seen its fair share of reinventions with sequels going full 3D, spin-offs launching the insanity of the Rabbids into the world and then coming full circle to Origins in 2011 and its follow-up Legends.

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch

Origins went back to the 2D roots of the series but introduced a faster, more kinetic, gameplay style – allowing players to run through levels taking out enemies and saving their friends. Rayman could be joined by a number of characters from previous games in the series and more could be unlocked along the way, as well as alternative versions of characters with special costumes.

Where both games really shine is just in the complexity of the levels and replayability. Platforming can be tough, but there’s a real sense of ‘just one more try’ to beat the level and move on, or going back in to find all the secrets and save every Lumb there is. Some of the best levels feature a musical soundtrack that plays along with the action, a standout example being the Black Betty level from Legends that will have you jumping to the beat while background enemies ‘sing’ the song.

Rayman has not had a new release since Legends in 2013, only featuring in the DLC for Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope, we really hope Ubisoft hasn’t given up on the disembodied little guy, another game to finish the Origins/Legends trilogy would be brilliant and give us another great family co-op game for sure.

Here are some handy links to pick up Rayman Legends:

5. Lara Croft And The Guardian Of Light

Lara Croft has not previously been seen as a team player, with her many adventures over the years taking her through tombs and across exotic islands fighting wild animals as well as human enemies. But there is a smaller corner of the Tomb Raider universe that sees Lara teaming up with some unexpected characters.

In The Guardian Of Light Lara is helped by Totec, a 2000-year-old Mayan warrior and the titular Guardian Of Light. The gameplay sees Lara with her signature twin pistols and a grappling hook to traverse across levels solving puzzles while Totec has spears that can be used against enemies or to create climbing points for Lara. The two must work together in order to stop Xolotl the Aztec god of fire and lightning who also happens to be The Keeper Of Darkness. The game is shown from a fixed isometric viewpoint allowing both players to see what they are doing at any given time.

The Guardian Of Light was a successful entry in Lara’s series and spawned a sequel titled Lara Croft And The Temple Of Osiris, this time being based in Egypt and featuring up to 4-player co-op featuring a rival treasure hunter and two imprisoned gods. The gameplay stays similar to that of the previous game just with more players able to help Lara in her latest quest to save the world. This is a fantastic family coop game for those who enjoy a dash of adventure and whimsy with their platforming.

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is available now to purchase on Steam and on XBox.

6. It Takes Two

Coming from Hazelight Studios and Josef ‘F The Oscars’ Fares comes one of the best received co-op games of the 21st century. Hazelight has become known for delivering high quality co-op only games like A Way Out where the game can only be played with a 2nd player, whether they are local or online.

It Takes Two is a platform 3D platform game where you play as either Cody or May, the soon to be divorced parents of Rose, who doesn’t take the news of their separation well. Rose goes to play with two handmade dolls of her parents to pretend to fix the relationship. Cody and May then wake up in the bodies of the dolls and have to work together to find a way back into their own bodies.

During the game both players will need to use their unique skills to fight off enemies and complete puzzles, there’s even 2-player mini-games that can be found throughout. Each level changes up the gameplay making the feel almost like a new game in each one, every level is fun and never too tricky to master with a little teamwork.

It Takes Two is incredibly well received and won many awards including Outstanding Achievement In Game Design at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards as well as both Game Of The Year and Best Family Game at the 2021 Game Awards. If you are looking for a great narrative game with fun gameplay to play through with another member of the family then It Takes Two is worth trying out.

Here are some handy links to pick up It Takes Two:

Gaming is something that players of all ages and experience can enjoy, hopefully we have helped you to find something fun to play with the kids or your better half at the next family games night. Enjoy gamers.