Playing games is a great way to unwind after a long and stressful day. It’s an effective way to escape reality. What can make the experience more enjoyable is to escape together with a friend. Following the success of the two-player co-op sensation It Takes Two, the idea of the intimate multiplayer has been revitalized. Even better, functions like Steam’s Remote Play make it possible to partner up locally or across the world. If you’re seeking a similar feeling to It Takes Two, there are plenty of titles that fit the bill.
Enjoyed It Takes Two? Try These Similar Games
Ibb & Obb
Even in cute worlds, it can be challenging to get around which it’s why it’s nice to have a partner to help you out. In the 2D realm of ibb & obb released in 2014 by the devs of Sparpweed and Codeglue, you and a friend can play one of two colorful creatures. Ibb (green) and Obb (red), are blobs with legs in a world where gravity goes both ways. The universe is split between the two directions with one of the buddies being on either side. Using platforming, teamwork, and clever thinking, you’ll be able to make it through this colorfully puzzling world.
Unravel Two
Of all the endearing crafts out there, yarn-based creations are both sweet and comforting. Because of that, it’s easy to picture them having fun adventures or getting lost in a big scary world. That’s what has happened in Unravel Two by Coldwood Interactive which was released in 2018. Continuing on from the first game, you and a friend can play as a Yarny of your choice. These plucky yarn-based humanoids must team up to survive the harsh world they find themselves trapped within. Using a combination of physics and exploration as well as your own yarn, the two of you can make it to a happy ending.
The Adventures Of Cookie & Cream
Though we’re undoubtedly drawn to high-definition visuals, there’s still plenty to love in classic games. One that holds up as a fun cooperative romp is The Adventures Of Cookie & Cream created by the now-legendary FromSoftware Inc. and released in 2000 for consoles like the PS2. You and your playmate will control one of two bunnies, Cookie (brown) and Cream (pink), as they go on a journey together. Despite going in the same direction, you’ll each need to go down separate paths facing individual dangers and enemies. However, the paths are linked, and you’ll need to work together in order to keep moving forward to victory.
Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons
Couch co-op simply gets less feasible as you get older. It’s not always easy to have someone around willing to play. But, what if there was a co-op game that you could play on your own? Enter the unexpected genius of Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons from Starbreeze Studios. It’s effectively a single-player game with a co-op mindset. You control two brothers on a quest to find a rare medicinal item needed to save their father. With a keyboard or controller, you’ll control both brothers simultaneously using their strengths and personalities in order to overcome obstacles and complete challenges in a medieval fantasy world.
Portal 2
Smash-hit game Portal set the bar for short and sweet gaming before the series became a bit more ambitious. The shift came in the form of Portal 2, released in 2011 by the world-renowned Valve Corporation. Instead of just one portal gun, puzzles are now designed around two players utilizing two portal guns. The two of you will find yourself in another much larger testing facility fraught with danger and plenty of angles to navigate. By using your complementary portals and puzzle-solving, you two will beat this test in no time. Make no mistake: This game will test your skills more than It Takes Two, but the challenge is worth it.
Moving Out
Helping out close friends and relatives is great, but having to help someone move is always a chore. It’s a long and arduous process with very little payoff. However, these types of tasks get a lot more fun once they’re turned into a game. This is what the folks at SMG Studio and Devm Games did when they released Moving Out in 2020. This two-player party game utilizes loose and wacky physics for an entertaining take on one of life’s most exhausting tasks. You and another play as colorful cartoon movers with the goal of moving boxes and furniture quickly and efficiently into houses with tricky layouts.
Knights And Bikes
A magical ability that children have is how they can make an adventure out of even the smallest thing. They can grab their things, hop on their bike, and go exploring the neighborhood and the lands nearby to make a fun-filled experience. The magic of this type of adventure was combined with real magic in Knights & Bikes by Foam Sword Games and released in 2019. The two of you will need to pick between the newfound friends of Nessa (cool and serious) and Demelza (energetic and imaginative) as they ride around their small island home. You’ll while away solving puzzles, collecting things, and breaking stuff. Of course, these buddies will also need to fight off a dark curse in order to save their home.
Toodee And Topdee
Both in good times and bad times, it’s important to remember that it’s all about perspective. In gaming, perspective can change how a game is structured and enjoyed. The topsy-turvy title of Toodee And Topdee released in 2021 by dietzribi tries to incorporate two conflicting but recognizable gameplay angles. You and another will be playing as one of two pixelated heroes, Toodee and Topdee. As their name implies, they exist in their own dimensions. Toodee is in a 2D platformer world and Topdee is in a top-down plane. By using their different skills and manipulating how their dimensions affect objects between them, you’ll tear across realms trying to bring balance between the dimensions.
