The Nintendo Switch was made with local co-op play in mind. Its Joy-Con controllers can easily accommodate two players on the fly, plus it can be taken virtually anywhere. It helps that Nintendo as a developer is known for including co-op functionality with many of its titles. The Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Donkey Kong Country franchises, for example, have each proudly allowed two or more players to join in on the fun for years now. Each series’ latest iteration joins our list of the best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far. See which other games made the cut below.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far – Super Smash Bros Ultimate
The Super Smash Bros franchise is well known for its all-out brawls starring Nintendo mascots like Mario, Link, and Samus. This doesn’t change in the recently released Super Smash Bros Ultimate, which offers players 74 different characters to choose from (and more on the way). If fans want to test which group of friends is strongest, they can opt to participate in team battles that allow up to eight unique fighters the chance to duke it out across some of the company’s most popular settings. If you and your buddies love Nintendo games, Super Smash Bros Ultimate is a must-play experience.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far – Overcooked 2
Overcooked 2 tasks a group of four friends with preparing a variety of food orders before customers get angry and leave. Though that sounds simple, the game places players in unique situations that work against their efforts. One stage has fans carefully walk across moving platforms to deliver entrées, while the other challenges them with preparing salads on a hot air balloon. This cooperative experience is certainly a wild one when played with a companion or two, as you’ll frantically be yelling at each other before the timer hits zero.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far – Super Mario Party
Mario Party titles typically challenge a group of friends to a series of minigames to see who will come out on top. It’s a fairly straightforward experience that can be enjoyed on Nintendo Switch via Super Mario Party. In this iteration, players can split up into teams of two to challenge one another to minigames that include Pie Hard, Fruit Forecast, and Nut Cases. A pair of fans can also take on a computer-controlled team of characters to see whether man or machine will prevail.
A full co-op mode called River Survival is included too, the likes of which allows up to four players to participate. It tasks fans with navigating down dangerous waters while completing challenges along the way. If you’ve got a small get-together coming up, you can’t go wrong with Super Mario Party.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far – Mario Tennis Aces
Mario Tennis Aces sees the return of the spin-off series’ doubles tennis tournaments, the likes of which allows two friends to team up with one another against a pair of human or computer-controlled opponents. Playing the game is as simple as swinging your Joy-Con, though there are some nuances thrown in the mix to spice up the action on the court. For the most part, anyone could pick up a controller and enjoy Aces. Those that are familiar with Wii Sports‘ tennis mode will be right at home here.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The latest Mario Kart game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, includes a plethora of fun co-op modes to play outside of the series’ usual racing tournaments. Balloon Battle gives fans three balloons each and instructs them to knock off as many as possible from opponents before time runs out. Coin Runners has players collect as many coins as they can, Renegade Roundup is a game of cops and robbers, Bob-omb Blast has racers throw bombs at each other (or the computer) in a frenzy, and Shine Thief is Mario Kart‘s version of capture the flag. There’s a lot of variety to find in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe outside of speeding to the finish line.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far – Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle offers two buddies a series of co-op missions to play together so long as one person has gotten far in the title’s main campaign. Throughout the missions, players are able to control two separate teams of two characters in an attempt to complete objectives while also making sure that no one gets left behind in the chaos of battle. Finishing any of these operations allows partners to go back and replay them on a higher difficulty, just in case Kingdom Battle‘s turn-based mechanics weren’t hard enough as is.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far – Snipperclips
Snipperclips is the video game equivalent of a great brainstorming session. Players have to cut out pieces of paper to complete creative puzzles that steadily increase in difficulty as they move from one stage to the next. These challenges are accompanied by a charming hand-drawn style that’s perfect for kids of all ages. Snipperclips is a title that’s practically begging for parents to play it alongside their children.
The best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games so far –Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
While Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is plenty of fun with just one person playing, the adventure gets more exciting when a co-op partner is along for the ride. Though the first player will continue to control the titular character across the game’s platforming segments, the second player can shoot enemies and obstacles from afar to make navigating stages a lot easier. Each has his or her own super attacks to utilize too, making for quite the spectacle when two friends are gliding across the jungle together.
Many games become more fun when played with another person. The Nintendo Switch is a wonderful console that can help fans build camaraderie with their friends or reconnect with loved ones they haven’t spent a lot of time with lately. Anyone can pick up a Joy-Con and play to their heart’s content alongside a buddy or two. The future will almost assuredly bring even more great couch co-op titles that fans can play anywhere they go.
