When it comes to the best two-player Switch games, get ready to meet your opponent or partner head-on. With its removable Joy Cons to be shared between you both, the Nintendo Switch console was pretty much made for competitive and co-op antics.
It’s great to know that your friends and family don’t need their own Switch to play games with you, but that’s just the first hurdle. There are so many excellent two-player games to choose from in the Nintendo eShop that it can be tricky to pick out the best ones. We’ve done the hard part for you, combing the best Switch games, best Switch indie games, and of course the Switch exclusive titles to source ones that offer the best couch co-op experiences.
From nail-biting racing games to some of the best Pokemon games ever, you and your loved ones are in for hours of companionable gaming when you pick up one of the items on this list. Dock your console and get ready, because here are the best two-player Switch games to pick up now.
This list of the best two-player Switch games was updated on November 15, 2023, ensuring that every title you’ll find below is still a worthy contender when it comes to co-op heroes.
25. Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu / Let’s Go Eevee
Genre: Adventure / RPG
Gameplay style: Co-operative
Not quite the latest Pokemon adventure, but for those looking for a great co-op adventure where you can play the game from start to finish as a duo, then Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu or Let’s Go Eevee – depending on your Poke preference – is a better option. Two trainers can battle through the entire campaign, catching Pokemon and doing all the things that trainers do all together.
24. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order
Genre: Action RPG
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Make up your ultimate Marvel team from a vast roster of superheroes from the comics in this brawling adventure. You can team up with your pal (or up to four players if you have more people who want to play) to work your way through the story. It’s not quite as narrative-heavy as you’d like, but it’s a fun romp that’s best enjoyed with a friend.
23. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Not originally launched as a co-op game, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker added a two-player mode a little later, but it’s a brilliant game to play along with a friend. Toad and Toadette can work together to unlock all the secrets and puzzles of each little boxy level, enjoying compact – yet intricate – worlds that need to be poked prodded and sometimes twisted to explore in full.
22. Death Squared
Genre: Puzzle
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
If you don’t want the adorable robots to meet an explosive end, you’re going to have to work together. Death Squared is a co-operative puzzle game where you must guide your little droid to a color-coded goal, but along the path you’ll find deadly hazards and traps that could cause you to meet a quick demise. It’s only with teamwork that you’ll work your way through all 80 story levels, all of which can be played in two-player mode. There are also 40 party levels that support up to four players, which means there’s plenty to explore and enjoy.
21. Super Mario Party
Genre: Board game / Party
Gameplay Style: Competitive
In a world where getting your hands on a physical board game can be a little tricky, Super Mario Party has you covered. Taking the form of a board game, Super Mario Party delivers special events as you land on different spaces, including a range of interactive mini-games that you’ll have to compete in against the other players. You can pick from 20 different playable characters from the Super Mario universe to play as, and you’ll work through the various mini-games collecting coins. You can spend these on Stars and other items, but at the end of the game, the one with the most Stars wins. It’s a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon, just be prepared to get competitive.
20. Lovers in a Dangerous Space Time
Genre: Action
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Trying to navigate a neon battleship across space is a complicated business, one that really needs all hands on deck. Thankfully, that’s where you come in. Grab a pal and work together to man the turrets, the lasers, the shields and also work out how to move your ship around using the thrusters. It all gets a bit maniac as you leg it around your ship
19. Moving Out
Genre: Action / Simulator
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Moving home is one of the most stressful things you can do, but this quirky co-op game brings you all the physics and flapping about, none of the potential muscle strain or worrying about getting your deposit back. Up to four players have to move beds and couches into your moving truck. Can be bothered to get that microwave down the stairs? Throw it through a window! As your skills increase so does the fiendish layout of the levels, with some taking to space or adding things you won’t find in everyday homes, like jet streams or revolving cylinders of spikes. It’s family-friendly with lots of customization options and is a spiritual successor to the massively popular Overcooked series.
18. Cuphead
Genre: Action / Platformer
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Once your eyes are drunk on the incredible hand-animated 1930’s style of Cuphead, you’ll realize you’re up against one of the toughest run and gun action games in recent memory, so having a friend to help out is a massive plus. Together you play as the eponymous Cuphead and his pal Mugman, racing through levels that require perfect timing to get to villainous bosses that will test your reaction times and sanity. You’ll learn special moves like Smoke Bomb and get hold of weapons like the Peashooter and Chaser to increase your odds. Co-op is drop-in, drop out too, so no penalties if your chosen comrade has a bladder the size of a kumquat.
17. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
Genre: Puzzle
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
If you’re the passive type then screaming at people will probably be good for you, and if you are usually in a rage then at least this game will direct it in a positive way. One player is in a room with the bomb and can see all its nefarious mechanics, while the other players have the manual. If you’re the player with the bomb you’ll need to describe what you can see to the players with the instructions, who will then relay what you need to do to defuse it. It’s a simple concept that gets very tense very quickly, as the time counts down and your friend insists there is no serial number on any side of the damn bomb even though you know there bloody is STEVEN.
16. Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
There’s no mistaking the dreamlike world of Rayman, and now you can share it with wireless local co-op for up to four players. In this adventure Rayman, Globox, and the Teensies travel through various paintings to explore new, magical lands. The platforming is challenging but at least you’ve got something pretty to look at when you fail to make that jump for the 24th time.
15. Unravel 2
Genre: Puzzle / Platformer
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Brace yourself for this one, because there’s nothing more gut wrenching than two little creatures made from yarn dying repeatedly as you fail to clear that jump. Again. But, at least this time around with Unravel 2 you can die over and over again with a friend or loved one. As this pair of customizable cotton critters, you have to navigate through the human world that’s full of dangers, whether it’s birds wanting to unravel you thread by thread, or an unclimbable wall. Work together, solve puzzles, survive – and be adorable while you’re doing it.
14. Super Mario Maker 2
Genre: Creation / Platformer
Gameplay Style: Co-operative or Competitive
Although the creation side of Super Mario Maker 2 is a solo endeavor, playing through either your own or the community’s creations is much more of a two-player affair. It’s not your traditional multiplayer game by any means, but some of the best fun comes from heading online to play the courses players from around the world have brought to life. There are new stages being added all the time too, so there’s always something fresh to play through. And hey, you might even get some inspiration for your own courses too.
13. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Genre: Simulation
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
The game that’s getting the world through a pandemic lockdown right now, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a glorious multiplayer game that gently ticks away the hours spent trapped in your home. Solo, it’s your goal to create the desert island paradise of your dreams. Invite villagers to bulk out your population, plant trees and flowers, tweak river courses, add cliffs, and generally make your island exactly how you like it. From there, you can visit other people’s islands, trade resources, sell turnips, or just frolic together living out a life outdoors that we currently can’t otherwise have. New Horizons is a little slice of paradise to cultivate and share with others.
12. The Stretchers
Genre: Puzzle
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Not some weird Stretch Armstrong spin-off but a game where two players work together to handle medical stretcher and rescue people who have a case of the “Dizzies.” It’s bright, loud and has the look of those toy towns we all had growing up. As well as carting people around on stretchers you’ll be smashing your ambulance through fences and hedges to get to those in need. Don’t worry if the idea of anything hospital related feels a bit anxiety-inducing right now, this is totally tongue in cheek and packs in plenty of laughs and slapstick. There’s lots of collectibles to reply for and customization options, and at least it feels like you’re helping. Ish.
11. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Genre: Turn-based tactics
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Don’t be fooled by the adorable combination of Mario and the rambunctious Rabbids, this is a true strategy game that takes some smarts. Battle through the Mushroom Kingdom with the help of a friend with local multiplayer, solving puzzles in candy colored levels. As well as Mario and the Rabbid old favorites like Luigi, Princess Peach, and Yoshi make an appearance – all with their own special skills you’ll need to use to take on puzzles and bosses – and there are plenty of nods to Nintendo nostalgia too.
10. Diablo 3: Eternal Collection
Genre: Dungeon crawler
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Blizzard’s huge dungeon crawler is an all you can eat buffet of monsters, loot and lore. Smash your way through the creatures and creepers of Sanctuary to face the Lords of Hell, using special weapons, items, and over 800 unique abilities, including a personal favorite, zombie dogs. There’s local and online co-op so up to four of you can play together, creating a party that might just discover the real epic loot was the friends we made along the way. The Switch version also packs in the Reaper of Souls expansion, and the Rise of the Necromancer expansions, so you’ll have plenty of hacking and slashing to do.
9. Knights and Bikes
Genre: Action-adventure
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Go back to your childhood memories of make-believe and bombing around the streets on your trusty bike with this gorgeous picture book adventure. It owes its quirky look to Rex Crowle, who worked on LittleBigPlanet, and has that same mix of charm and cheekiness that made Media Molecule games so special. The two main characters are Nessa and Demelza, and you and a friend can play together as the girls as they explore their town, facing foes with frisbees, water balloons, and the mighty toilet-plunger. A goose even makes an appearance, but this one is much more friendly than the infamous star of a certain Untitled Goose Game.
8. Overcooked 2
Genre: Simulation
Gameplay Style: Co-operative / Competitive
Sure, the graphics look cute and you’ve been known to whip up a decent omelet of an evening, but this sequel to the brilliant Overcooked seriously turns up the heat in the proverbial kitchen. As a team of chefs, you and your buddies have to work together to prepare and serve meals in increasingly chaotic kitchens. We’re talking outer space, sushi restaurants, magic schools, all with their own hazards and recipes. Gordon Ramsey wouldn’t last five seconds before spontaneously combusting in rage in one of these kitchens, but he’d have plenty of fun before he did.
7. Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince
Genre: Puzzle platforming
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
2.5D fantasy with added night terror. Amadeus the Wizard, Pontius the Knight, Zoya the Thief have to take on Prince Selius’ nightmares, and that means exploring your way through fairytale lands, and using the wonders of fire, air, light, magnets and electricity to battle and solve fiendish puzzles. There’s local and online co-op for up to four players if you need company, and the whole thing never looks any less than supermodel stunning.
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Genre: Kart racing
Gameplay Style: Competitive
Beware the blue shell! It’s a Nintendo classic and is the perfect addition to your Nintendo Switch collection, whatever your age or driving abilities. There’s plenty of fun to be had racing your nearest and dearest – with eight-player local co-op – or you can go online for 12 player racing. There are 42 racers to choose from, and 48 tracks, and even a Smart Steering option to help out younger players compete on the tracks without tantrums. It’s everything that made Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U a winner but with an extra level of Nintendo Switch polish for a new generation.
5. New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Mario flavored, side-scrolling magic with the option to add up to three friends to your adventure. This is basically a new, shinier version of two Wii U games, New Super Mario Bros. U and New Super Luigi U from the Wii U, mashed together. That means 164 levels to jump and smash through with your buddies, and modes like Challenges, Boost Rush, and Coin Battle for the hardcore to play through. There’s nothing like that sweet ping of collecting a gold coin, and it’s even better with friends.
4. Yoshi’s Crafted World
Genre: Platformer
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
There was only one way Yoshi was going to get more wholesome, and that was if he was made out of your nana’s crafting materials. Nintendo has made it happen, with an adventure made of household objects like cardboard and tape and cotton balls. The goal is to collect gems from the Sundream Stone as you explore the world, solving platformer puzzles by moving through their layers. There’s a Winged Yoshi mode for players that need a more chilled experience, and once you’ve completed a level you can try it again backward to collect the three hidden Poochy Pups.
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Genre: Fighting
Gameplay Style: Competitive
Nintendo made the genius decision to put all of its most iconic characters into their very own Fight Club way back in 1999, and it hasn’t looked back since. This latest installment includes Animal Crossing’s Isabelle, Bayonetta, Pikachu, and all your Nintendo favorites, and pits them against each other in combat. The much loved classic modes of fighting are all here, along with new challenges like Smashdown, where each character can only be played once, and a 32 player tournament mode. You’ll never look at Jigglypuff the same way again.
2. Snipperclips
Genre: Action puzzle
Gameplay Style: Co-operative / Competitive
Paper crafting has never been this much fun, or at least this tidy. Snip and Clip are your heroes, and you solve puzzles by cutting them into different shapes. Not in a horrific surgical way, but a creative, cut and paste sort of thing. Think a nice little curve to catch a ball or something sharp to pop a balloon. Two players can share the main adventure and up to four can cut and caper in the Party and Blitz modes.
1. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Genre: Action adventure
Gameplay Style: Co-operative
Whether you play solo or with a friend, prepare to be repeatedly punched in the feels. The mechanics are ingenious, the the two brothers controlled by one thumbstick, and one by the D-pad, and the story is one loaded with emotion. Your quest is to collect some Water of Life to cure your sick father, and there are perils and puzzles to face along the way. It’s short and bittersweet, but packs in more story and feeling than games three times its length. Play with a sibling and it might even bring you closer, or at least stop your arguing about that time she stole your favorite hoodie.
Check out the best multiplayer Switch games.