5 Best Co-Op Video Games Of All Time, Ranked

Video games have the unfortunate reputation of being a pastime for loners and basement-dwelling nerds. Maybe that’s true to an extent, but there’s so much more to gaming than that. Like any hobby, gaming contains multitudes and appeals to various demographics. Some games are best enjoyed solo with minimal interruptions, but others are made to play with friends, either

Generally speaking, there are two kinds of multiplayer games: competitive and cooperative. While competitive games can be a lot of fun (we all have fond memories of blasting our buddies in “GoldenEye 007,” right?), sometimes it’s even more fun to work together to achieve a common goal. For this list, we’re going to focus on games that encourage players to team up in order to solve puzzles, beat massive bosses, and make their way through stories as partners. 

Here are five of the best co-op games of all time. Each game mentioned here is playable

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection

If you enjoy games like “Diablo” but wish the camera could be closer to the action, then you’ll probably love the “Borderlands” series. These games take the general idea of grinding enemies for strong loot in order to fight stronger enemies to obtain stronger loot, but it applies the formula to the gameplay of a first person shooter. The original “Borderlands” released back in 2009, and the most recent entry, “Borderlands 4,” launched in 2025.

There’s no shortage of games in the series, as well as games like “Borderlands.” Every “Borderlands” game is a fun time, either solo or with pals, but we’re going to look at “Borderlands: The Handsome Collection,” a PS4/XBOX One collection that includes remastered versions of “Borderlands 2” and spin-off/stand-alone expansion “Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel,” both of which are excellent co-op experiences. Originally, “Borderlands” only supported two players in local play and four-players for co-op, but with “The Handsome Collection,” they allowed for four-player local co-op. It can get a little hectic, but it’s worth it to share the experience with friends in the same room.

While “Borderlands” is fun for a solo player, co-op kicks it up to a whole new level. “Borderlands 2” and “The Pre-Sequel” each feature six playable characters with deeply customizable skill trees, which allow for nigh-endless replay value. Add in how the various character builds can interact in co-op, and the game simply never gets old. 

It Takes Two

Hazelight Studios, led by the delightfully eccentric and righteously outspoken Josef Fares, specializes in two-player split-screen co-op games. Even when played online, they use a split-screen presentation and are co-op only. To date, they’ve released three games: “A Way Out,” “It Takes Two,” and “Split Fiction.” While all three titles are exceptional games, we’ll focus on “It Takes Two” for this story.

Players take the roles of a husband and wife, Cody and May, a couple on the verge of a messy divorce, with their daughter, Rose, caught in the middle. A touch of magic turns Cody and May into miniature knitted doll versions of themselves, and they have to work together to go back to normal. Along the way, even if they can’t save their marriage, maybe they can learn to be civil co-parents.

“It Takes Two” wears its 3D platformer influence on its sleeve but with a co-op twist. You’re constantly doing new and creative things, with new mechanics being introduced all the time. There’s also a slew of fun minigames scattered throughout, including a mechanical bull diversion, a tank battle video game-within-the-game, and a full chess minigame. This is the kind of game that you can blast through in a dozen hours or so, but if you really want to explore and play around with all the diversions it presents, you can easily double that. And if your play partner isn’t an experienced gamer, add a few more hours for them to acclimate and figure things out.

Portal 2

When it released as part of “The Orange Box” back in 2007, “Portal” was the unexpected breakout hit of the collection. The quirky story, striking presentation, and wonderfully brain-bending puzzle gameplay made for a truly remarkable experience. While Valve was surely working on “Half-Life 2: Episode 3” (which should be out any day now!), they also managed to make “Portal 2” in 2011.

In addition to a bigger-and-better single player story, “Portal 2” also featured a two-player co-op campaign called “The Cooperative Testing Initiative.” This isn’t just the single-player story with an extra player running around. The co-op in “Portal 2” is a whole new campaign starring two robots, Atlas and P-Body, who navigate completely new test chambers crafted by the delightfully malevolent AI, GLaDOS.

“Portal 2” is designed so that anyone can play through to the end. But with the co-op campaign, some of the test chambers feel downright diabolical and can really stump even the most puzzle-tested brain. Then again, when you and your buddy work together, come up with a plan, and then pull it off successfully, the result is a feeling akin to beating the toughest of “Dark Souls” bosses. Science says “Portal 2” can even improve your brain’s cognitive skills!

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

It’s hard to pick a favorite “Halo” game. Some prefer the original classic and its grandiose sense of scale. Others prefer the fast pace and shocking twists of “Halo 2,” while others appreciate the finality of “Halo 3.” And I’m sure there are some people out there who favor “Halo 4,” for whatever reason. But thanks to “Halo: The Master Chief Collection,” players can enjoy the entire “Halo” saga, from the original all the way through to “Halo: Reach” and “Halo 4” in one package. “Halo 5” and “Halo Wars” aren’t included.

The best part about these classic “Halo” titles is that they all feature two-player split-screen campaign co-op. “Halo” is great, however you look at it, but when you have a friend at your side, it’s downright magical. Nobody designs combat scenarios like the wizards at Bungie, and they were at the top of their game throughout the “Halo” years, culminating with “Halo: Reach.”

Bungie’s tenure with the series was certainly a tough act to follow, but 343 Industries seemed up to the task with “Halo 4.” While a bit rough around the edges and possessing some gameplay changes old-school fans didn’t appreciate, the game was still a blast to play, and I’m glad it’s preserved in this collection. Alas, 343’s games suffered from diminishing returns, with both “Halo 5” and “Halo Infinite” failing to reach the same level of adoration among the “Halo” fandom. Even so, wherever the series goes from here, nothing can erase the tremendous legacy “Halo” has already left on the video game landscape.

Resident Evil 5

If you ask me, this is the greatest co-op game of all time. It’s also one of the more divisive “Resident Evil” games ever made. After 2005’s “Resident Evil 4” traded the fixed camera angles and slow-paced puzzle solving of the original games for a revolutionary new over-the-shoulder viewpoint and non-stop action, players were curious where the series would go next.

In 2009, they found out. “Resident Evil 5” leaned even more into the fast-paced action of “RE4” while bringing the story to a close, with original protagonist Chris Redfield finally having his last battle with legendary antagonist Albert Wesker. But this wasn’t a back-to-basics kind of game. Instead, “RE5” shook up the formula by introducing two-player co-op, available via local split-screen or online multiplayer. Technically, you can play “RE5” by yourself with an AI-controlled teammate, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Played solo, the partner AI in “RE5” is enough to make you want to rage quit. Played with a friend, however, it’s one of the greatest games of all time. Chris and his partner, Sheva Alomar, shoot their way through infected Africa, fighting all sorts of monsters, from infected people to giant bats and even evolved versions of the Lickers from “Resident Evil 2.” The action never lets up, and you will have to work closely with your partner in order to survive. It’s not horror like the old days, but it’s still an unforgettable survival-action experience. By the time the credits roll, you and your co-op partner will be closer friends than when you started.