10 Best Co-Op Games to Play with Friends in 2023

The best co-op games can be an incredible experience for gaming fans. While there’s always something wonderful about losing yourself in a solo adventure, co-op gaming definitely has its perks. It’s a chance to enjoy laughs with friends, bond with your other half, and take on some hardcore missions and challenges you couldn’t handle alone.

Not only do you get to create some amazing memories with a good co-op game, but you can learn new skills, unlock new achievements, and even discover some amazing titles in the process. Today, we’re going to be looking at some of the most phenomenal co-op games the market has to offer, designed specifically for you and your loved ones.

For the purpose of this list, we’re focusing on co-op games you can play with people you actually know rather than online multiplayer titles. Let’s dive in.

1. Don’t Starve Together

A cult classic game for fans of PC gaming, Don’t Starve is one of the most popular titles on Steam, with a ton of mods to check out from community gamers. When “Don’t Starve Together” was introduced, it unlocked a whole new world of adventure you can enjoy with friends. The game is very similar to the solo option, with a huge sprawling and randomly-generated map to explore.

You’ll choose a character to play at the beginning of the game, and each one has its own special features and characteristics. Some can stay sane for longer, while others have their own handy ability to grow a beard (trust us, it comes in handy). Throughout the course of the game, you and your friends will seek out resources, collect trinkets, and fight off beasts. Plus, you’ll constantly be scavenging for food to make sure you don’t fall victim to pesky starvation.

The title can be a little challenging to begin with, but it’s well worth learning, as once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll have access to hours of gaming fun!

2. Sea of Thieves

Easily one of the most popular nautical-themed games out there, Sea of Thieves is all about exploring different lands, plundering, and collecting treasure. At the beginning of the game, you’ll be assigned a ship of your own which you can navigate across the sea, completing deliveries and tasks, while simultaneously interacting with various threats.

There are other players to encounter on Sea of Thieves, which could lead to battles, or partnerships, depending on how you play the game. You can assign different duties to members of your team on your ship, and work together to come up with a plan to find more booty. Of course, you’ll probably spend a lot of time wreaking havoc, but that’s just part of a pirate’s life.

There’s always something new to do in this game, so you can spend hours playing on those much-needed game nights without getting bored.

3. Rainbow Six Siege

It’s hard to have a list outlining the best Co-op games without giving some love to Rainbow Six. This game is best known for its co-op modes, like Terrorist Hunt, which can be a lot of fun for all kinds of players. You’ll also be able to take part in tactical PvP fights if you want something a little different.

In the Terrorist hunt version of the game, your job is to clear your level of terrorists as quickly as possible, using traps and skill to coordinate with your other squad mates. This is a game that requires a decent amount of strategy and skill, so don’t expect to go in guns blazing. However, once you get the hang of the gameplay, you’ll find yourself ramping up the difficulty as much as possible to give yourself a brand-new challenge every time.

There’s something deeply satisfying about getting to the point with your friends where you’re able to sweep through each map like a professional SWAT team.

4. Overcooked 2

Fun, deceptively simple, and brimming with adorable components, Overcooked 2 is a cute game to play with your partner or your friends. Ideally, you’ll have more than one person to add to this game, as you’ll need as many hands on deck as possible. In this title, you’ll play in a range of different environments, cooking meals of various complexity levels.

The challenge of this game is it becomes increasingly complicated as you go on, with moving components that make it impossible to access certain resources at specific times, and a range of different orders to keep up with. It can be exhausting to sit around waiting for food to cook while your orders are piling up, but if you keep at it, you’ll love the payoff.

The co-op aspect is essential to this game, as you’ll need to have different players manning specific areas to ensure you can get everything done, like cooking, cleaning, and chopping veggies.

5. Borderlands 3

One of the most popular game franchises of all time, Borderlands is always a lot more fun when you play it with friends. While the title can be played solo, it’s much better to take on bosses and compare loot with your loved ones. Plus, you can laugh together over the hilarious storylines and characters.

Borderlands 3 allows you to choose from a range of different characters to play as, each with its own distinctive skills to master. You’ll also be able to place skill points into different trees as you progress through the game, giving you a wider range of talents to deploy. Of course, the most fun in the game is discovering ever-more absurd weapons to use.

Perhaps the best thing about Borderlands 3 compared to the other options in the series is you’re not fighting over guns with your counterparts. Everyone gets their own discrete pile of weapons after beating an enemy, so there’s no need to share.

6. It Takes Two

One of the most popular cooperative games to ever emerge in the PC landscape, It Takes Two follows the story of a married pair who are planning a divorce. Their young daughter, of course, has other plans and decides to hide in the shed, playing with her dolls, which she assigns to the roles of her mother and father. The dolls magically transform into the child’s parents, which is when you and your friend start playing the game.

As a couple, you’re required to work together to complete a wide range of different challenges and games. This is a fun and light-hearted adventure platform, where every level has new challenges to overcome. You’ll also need to learn a number of different game mechanics along the way.

It Takes Two is an excellent insight into what cooperative gaming is all about. The storyline is fun, and the adventure spans across a range of different genres.

7. Phasmophobia

Playing horror games alone can be a daunting experience, but playing them with friends is a recipe for laughter and memories. Quickly emerging as a cult classic among gamers, Phasmophobia allows groups of up to four players to hunt ghosts and research their habits. You’ll hop into a van with your friends, explore different locations, and attempt to determine which spooky creature is causing trouble before they murder you and your pals.

This is a fantastic game for cooperative playing, as it requires you to negotiate with your friends and assign different tasks to each person as you work. You’ll need to work together to lure the spirit in question to the right location and perform the right exorcism ritual. However, most of the time, someone will end up getting killed along the way.

The great thing about this game is how diverse it is, there are lots of different situations, spirits, and spaces to explore.

8. Cuphead

Made for gamers who aren’t afraid of a challenge, Cuphead took the world by storm with its unique art style in 2017. Since then, the game has continued to be a massive hit among a lot of gaming groups. The story really does sweep you up in the action as you play as either Cuphead or Mugman to take on various challenging bosses, including the Devil himself.

Every level in Cuphead presents a brand-new challenge and a new style of gameplay to get used to. You’ll need to purchase certain add-ons and weapons to assist you along the way, as well as learn how to dodge attacks and keep each other alive during extremely difficult battles.

While Cuphead definitely isn’t the easiest game for beginners, it’s a great choice for those who want to work on their gaming skills. Plus, you get a great sense of accomplishment when you finish it.

9. Broforce

An extremely popular game all about guns and side-scrolling action, Broforce is ideal for those who want to replicate some of their retro gaming adventures. This title feels similar in a lot of ways to the older Metal Slug games. You’ll be responsible for manning some of the most popular action hero characters in history, with their own unique names, like “Rambro”.

Every “Bro” you play as will have their own signature weapon and special ability they can use from time to time. In order to unlock new characters, you’ll need to play through the whole game, busting open prisoner cages. The game itself features a lot of unique and action-packed levels where you need to take on challenging bosses.

This is easily one of the best co-op games to play on PC, as it’s brimming with humor and gives you a number of different ways to play.

10. Portal 2

An absolute classic of a co-op game, Portal 2 is brilliant for gamers who want to work together. If you love the Portal series, then you’re going to adore the Portal 2 co-op experience. While there’s also a single-player mode on this game, the co-op option is just as fun, with a lot of different levels to explore, each with varying levels of difficulty.

Portal 2’s cooperative campaign might not be the longest on this list, depending on how good you are at solving puzzles, but it’s still a great title. You’ll need to work together with your friends to figure out how each puzzle works. Plus, you’re going to need to use your portal guns collaboratively too, as each of you will be required to put them to work at getting past challenges.

At the end of each level, you can high-five your friend, and even play rock paper scissors together. It’s an adorable title with endless treats to discover.

Finding the Best Co-Op Games

There are plenty of fantastic Co-op games out there to choose from if you feel like enjoying a slightly more social gaming experience. The top 10 list above is just a handful of some of our favorites. However, there are various other great options to consider, including Minecraft, Terraria, keep talking and nobody explodes – the list is endless.

Have we missed your favorite co-op title? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

If you are a mobile game fan, don't forget to have a look at our best Android games and best iOS games!