This article contains mention of slavery and suicide.
20.10.2023 - 18:03 / polygon.com / Best / Nintendo
There’s a lot to love about the Nintendo Switch, not least of which is the abundance of titles with local multiplayer features, making it a great console for game night with friends or a casual play session with a roommate. We’ve collected some of our favorite titles that allow for good old-fashioned local play.
It’s also my preferred play style, as the last few years have given me more excuses to stay in and try new games. Local multiplayer makes ass-kicking games much more approachable, thanks to friends respawning my character. I also love building something together in real time, like a farm in Stardew Valley, or causing communal chaos like with Untitled Goose Game’s treacherous honking. Sure, couch co-op can also mean getting revived just to get ragdolled across spikes in Spelunky 2. But it sure beats dying alone.
And if you’re looking for more platform-agnostic couch co-op recommendations, here are our favorite local multiplayer games, games to play with a Valentine’s Day beau, and a Dear Polygon column about couch co-op.
This modern-classic farming sim game takes its cues from the Harvest Moon series, and running a farm with your friends only adds to the fun. You can work together to plant and harvest crops or spend your days doing different activities, like fishing or mining. Local co-op is available for two players — just don’t forget to build an extra cabin on your farm. (Up to four can play with online multiplayer.)
This Switch remaster includes both Portal and Portal 2, seminal games well worth the revisit. You’ll explore and solve puzzles by using a portal gun; experimenting within the game’s physics is even more fun with a friend in tow. (Plus, when playing local co-op, the number of portals that can be placed is doubled.)
Congrats, you are the new CEO of a large corporation, and your wisdom is required to help employees stay on task. Good Job! has a lot in common with Untitled Goose Game. In this isometric game, you’ll be given a list of tasks — like bringing a projector into the conference room. But no one said you couldn’t do it by launching it like a projectile through the window.
This Wii U game’s Switch port is full of charm. Play together in local co-op as Captain Toad and Toadette, and explore and solve your way through a series of bite-size puzzles. Each self-contained course has little nooks and crannies to pop in and out of, and Koopas to navigate around.
It’s a lovely morning in the village and you are a horrible goose! Cause mayhem and honk to your heart’s content in this charming game. With local co-op you and one friend can each be horrible geese, using teamwork to terrorize the townspeople. Honk honk HONK!!
In this melancholy game, you play as Stella the ferrymaster, who
This article contains mention of slavery and suicide.
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