Online multiplayer dominates gaming, but nothing beats the chaos of couch co-op. Yelling at your friend sitting two feet away from you hits different than yelling into a headset.

We’re only two months into 2026, but there are already some excellent local multiplayer games worth your attention. I’ve been testing them all weekend. Here’s what’s worth your time.

Overcooked 3: Deep Dive

The Overcooked formula hasn’t changed much, which is fine because it didn’t need to. This entry adds underwater kitchens with physics-based cooking challenges. You’re preparing sushi while managing oxygen levels and dealing with shifting water currents.

It’s brilliant chaos. The difficulty curve is steep but fair. Early levels ease you in, then by world three you’re managing multiple kitchens simultaneously while a submarine floods.

Best for: 2-4 players who don’t mind friendship-testing pressure. Difficulty: Hard. You’ll argue about dish-washing efficiency. Accessibility: Colorblind modes, adjustable timers, assist options.

It’s available on all platforms and runs beautifully on the Switch.

Plate Up! Deluxe Edition

This one flew under the radar last year but the Deluxe Edition adds enough content to warrant revisiting. It’s like Overcooked meets roguelike progression. You build and expand a restaurant over multiple runs, unlocking new equipment and recipes.

The genius is that each run teaches you something. You fail, but you fail smarter next time. The cooperative strategy depth is impressive. My friend and I have genuine debates about whether to invest in a dishwasher or a second prep station.

Best for: 2 players who like planning and optimization. Difficulty: Medium. Thoughtful rather than frantic. Accessibility: Good controller remapping, scalable difficulty.

We Were Here Forever: Extended Edition

Asymmetrical co-op puzzle game where communication is everything. You and a partner are separated in a mysterious castle. One player sees puzzles the other can’t, and vice versa. You solve them by describing what you see.

The Extended Edition adds fifteen new puzzle chambers and a randomization mode so you can’t just memorize solutions.

This is the best co-op experience I’ve had in years. There’s something special about solving a complex puzzle purely through voice communication. You can’t just point at the screen.

Best for: 2 players exactly. Does not scale. Difficulty: Hard. You need patience and clear communication. Accessibility: Visual and audio puzzle alternatives available.

Absolutely recommend this if you want something slower-paced and cerebral.

Railway Valley Rivals

Local competitive multiplayer train management game. You’re building rail networks to deliver cargo before your opponent does. Simple concept, wildly addictive execution.

Matches are quick (10-15 minutes), which makes it perfect for best-of-five sessions. The strategy has real depth. Do you optimize your own network or sabotage your opponent’s? Both, usually.

Best for: 2-4 players, competitive but friendly. Difficulty: Easy to learn, hard to master. Accessibility: Excellent UI scaling, turn-based option available.

This is my current go-to for casual game nights. Non-gamers pick it up immediately, but there’s enough depth that experienced players stay interested.

Stray Gods: Duet Mode

The narrative musical game from 2024 got a surprise local co-op mode. One player handles dialogue choices, the other handles musical/combat choices. It sounds gimmicky but it works brilliantly.

You’re both invested in the story but you’re making different types of decisions. It creates natural discussion about what choice to make next.

The addition of a second perspective character (you can play as either Alex or Grace) adds replayability too.

Best for: 2 players who like story-driven games. Difficulty: Story focus, minimal fail states. Accessibility: Full subtitle options, adjustable reading speed, high contrast modes.

This won’t scratch the competitive itch, but it’s a fantastic shared narrative experience.

Moving Out 2: Final Destination

The physics-based moving simulator is back and more ridiculous than ever. You’re furniture movers handling increasingly absurd scenarios. Haunted houses, active construction sites, moving trains.

It’s pure silly fun. Half the enjoyment is the emergent chaos when your carefully planned furniture carry goes horribly wrong.

Best for: 2-4 players who want lighthearted chaos. Difficulty: Medium, mostly about coordination. Accessibility: Adjustable physics difficulty, generous timers option.

Perfect palate cleanser if you’ve been playing intense competitive games.

What Didn’t Make the Cut

Battlezone Tactics looked promising but the local multiplayer is split-screen only, and the UI doesn’t scale well. It’s genuinely hard to read your stats.

Kitchen Catastrophe is just a worse Overcooked clone. Skip it.

Puzzle Platformer Deluxe Collection has good puzzles but the local co-op implementation is buggy. We hit three game-breaking glitches in an hour.

The State of Couch Co-Op

I’m genuinely happy with the local multiplayer landscape right now. For a while it felt like everything was going online-only, but developers have clearly realized there’s still demand for shared-screen experiences.

The accessibility improvements across the board are notable too. Almost every game on this list has robust accessibility options. That’s been a huge shift over the past few years.

If I had to pick one? We Were Here Forever for serious co-op, Railway Valley Rivals for casual game nights. Both are excellent, just for different moods.

What are you playing locally these days? Anything I missed that’s worth checking out? I’m always looking for the next great couch co-op experience.