Summary
Xbox Game Passoffers hundreds of unique games, and many of these areperfect for local co-op play. While most video games have heavily pushed for online-only multiplayer, there are still plenty of excellent exceptions to choose from. Some are designed around local play, while others offer it as an option, butall the titles below allow players to play together from the same couch.
This list’s focus specifically on a local co-op perspective means that some games might be better overall, butif the cooperative experience suffers, they may be listed lower than other games which emphasize that experience. This extends to games which may have great online multiplayer but poor local multiplayer. It also only allows for one game per franchise. That being said, any of these games will make a great choice the next time local co-op is on the menu when browsing Xbox Game Pass.
Xbox Game Pass: Every New Game & What’s Leaving (July 2024)
The Game Pass library is always changing, with tons of new titles coming in every month while old titles leave. Here’s what’s new for July 2024.
10Goat Simulator
Coffee Stain Studios, 2014
Goat Simulatorhas been on Xbox Game Pass for quite some time, and thecheekily-namedGoat Simulator 3is currently available as well. While the graphics are nothing noteworthy and the gameplay is full of strange quirks,Goat Simulatorallows players to cause chaos with their friends. Unlike games with similar titles like theFarming Simulatorseries,Goat Simulatoris a bit of a misnomer. It does not actually expect the player to live out the typical day of a goat, unlessgoats in real life actually do have adhesive tongues.
Goat Simulatoris the kind of game that can be played casually with friends whenever there is a little free time, and it has some mechanics which utilize the co-op experience.Players are able touse their various abilities on each other as well as the environment, so players can kick each other across the map or work together to get to hard-to-reach parts of the map. As a sandbox title, creating the fun is expected, but there are plenty of NPCs, world objects, and absurd scenarios to interact with.
9Gears Of War 3
Epic Games, 2011
TheGears of Warserieshas been going on since 2006, and each game has sought to make improvements over its predecessor.Gears of War 3is one of the best examples of this, asit took the Horde mode introduced inGears of War 2and added more tactical elements like barricades, turrets, and Silverback mechs. While it was not the entry to introduce classes to the mode, specialization is still encouraged to best make use of the limited time between rounds.
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If Horde mode gets old, there is also the choice to take the role of the monstrous Locust and launch assaults on a small squad in Beast. This is to say nothing of the campaign mode, which can also be played in split-screen. All of these modes incentivize working together and watching each other’s backs. While it can be played in small bursts, it is best to plan ahead forGears of War 3, as sessions can easily run multiple hours.
8Halo: The Master Chief Collection
343 Industries, 2014
Halorevolutionized the first-person shooter genre, introducing staples like regenerating health and a focus on multiplayer gameplay.Halo: The Master Chief Collectionincludes the game that started it all, but it also includesHalo: Reach,Halo 2,Halo 3,Halo 3: ODST, andHalo 4. All of these titles allow for their campaign modes to be played in split-screen, sotwo people can go through most of theHalofranchise from the same room.
Halo’scampaign experience most clearly encourages cooperative gameplay, especially on higher difficulties. Players have regenerating shields, but they take time to regenerate, so recovering often means thatone Spartan can take the aggro off another one who is recovering from a Needler barrage. It also allows for a combination of long-range and short-range gunplay, with one player charging the frontline while the other takes out high-priority targets during the distraction.
7Terraria
Re-Logic, 2011
Terrariawas released in an era of sandbox builders likeMinecraft, butset itself apart with its 2D graphics and focus on defeating the game’s many bosses.Terrariaalso has many NPCs with their own backstories, personalities, and services. This means that even a solo player is unlikely to feel lonely, but exploring the game world is certainly better with a friend.
Some people prefer building while others prefer exploring, andTerraria’s split-screen allows each player to act according to their preference. An explorer can go out and gather supplies which the builder uses to improve their village.The two can also be combined in the construction of arenas for boss fights, which are encouraged for defeating certain bosses.
While there are definitely benefits to cooperative gameplay, there are also downsides. The most prominent example is the difficulty of seeing the details on the screen. The game’s icons and artwork are designed with a PC interface in mind, and it can be hard to get all the information needed at any moment without squinting. Split-screen makes this issue even worse by shrinking the screen further. This can also make it easier for players to forget which side of the screen is theirs.
6Stardew Valley
ConcernedApe, 2016
Stardew Valleyis the poster child for casual, relaxing gameplay, and that makes it perfect for free time with friends or loved ones. Players can choose to focus on building a successful farm, fully taking advantage of the increased energy available to two players instead of one. Alternatively, they can work to solve mysteries in the town orbuild relationships with its NPCs.
While its 2D pixel art is similar toTerraria,Stardew Valleyhas larger tiles and icons, making it easier to see everything, even in split-screen. That being said,there is potential awkwardness in some situations, such as romancing NPCs. It can also be somewhat confusing to start up split-screen mode, and while it can be played casually, it can be difficult to remember what happened in the last session if too much time goes by.
5ARK: Survival Ascended
Studio Wildcard, 2023
ARK: Survival AscendedbringsSurvival Evolved’sgameplay to Unreal Engine 5, improving its graphics and performance while also overhauling its building system. Players are free to hunt andtame dinosaurs and other creatures, construct farms, sail, fight bosses, and go from stone-age tools to futuristic weaponry. On default settings, it can take quite a while to gather enough resources to build even small settlements, soplaying with another person certainly helps with gathering. Another weapon in a dinosaur fight is also always welcome.
However, one of the biggest issues with playingARK: Survival Ascendedon the same screen is the tether distance. Unlike many other games which allow local co-op,players can only get so far away from each other. This is largely a hardware limitation, as the resource-intensiveARKcan only handle so much of the map being rendered from the same machine. An optimistic interpretation of this limitation is that it encourages players to work on the same goal or at least close enough to provide support in an emergency.
Another factor to consider is thatARK’s progression and mechanics are designed around a multiplayer experience with many players rather than one or two. However, this should not deter people from playingARKnext time they check Xbox Game Pass.The challenge and time investment of taming and training dinosaurs leads to a feeling of satisfactionthat is difficult to get in other games, and this feeling is magnified when shared between two people.
4Minecraft
Mojang Studios, 2011
As a Microsoft property,Minecraftis likely to stay on Xbox Game Pass for quite a long time. This is fortunate, as it is not uncommon to put hundreds of hours into a singleMinecraftworld. It is one of the most popular games in the world with millions of monthly players, and that is for good reason.Minecraftoffers an unparalleled degree of freedom and creativityto its players.
Minecraftis split into creative and survival modes, which offer their own unique advantages. Creative mode is great if both players simply want to build cool projects without gathering the necessary resources. It offers the ability to construct villages from the ground up in a shorter time frame than survival, andplayers are free to embrace chaosand place crates of TNT wherever their hearts desire.
Survival mode, meanwhile, requires exploration and farming to gather the resources required to meet the players' goals. Though it sounds counterintuitive,survival mode can be effective at inspiring creativity in those players who did not have a specific project in mindwhen loading the game, as working within constraints encourages creative thinking. It also offers the sense of accomplishment which comes with earning the end result.
Minecraft’ssimple graphics also ensure that the game runs fairly smoothly even in split-screen. The visuals are large enough that players are able to understand what is happening onscreen at all times. LikeTerraria,Minecraft’sgameplay also allows players to build, explore, fight, farm, or do whatever else they feel like doing. This makes it a great option when people cannot agree on what game to play, asit offers enoughvariety to offer something for almost everyone.
3A Way Out
Hazelight Studios, 2018
Cooperation inA Way Outis not only encouraged, it is outright required. While this means there is less freedom in gameplay than something likeMinecraft,it does lend itself to a more focused experience. Despite the emphasis on cooperation, there are also moments of light competition, and this helps keep both players invested. The cooperative and competitive elements ofA Way Outblend perfectly with its story about two men trying to escape prison and survive outside it.
The gameplay ofA Way Outworks seamlessly for both players. Unlike most games, which often put players in the same cutscene, the game has many moments in which one player can walk around and the other watches a wonderfully-done cinematic. The split-screen is also an advantage more than a limitation. One player might sneak into a restricted area while another distracts the guards, and both people can see how the other is doing. If the distraction is not going well, the other player will know to change their strategy. It is certainly a must-play for local co-op.
2Unravel Two
Coldwood Interactive, 2018
Unravel Twois another Xbox Game Pass game designed for a cooperative experience, similar toA Way Out.It combines platforming with puzzle-solving, both of which require its players to work together to progress. UnlikeA Way Out,Unravel Twohas a more pleasant aesthetic, and this, combined with its simpler gameplay, makes it perfect for younger audiences. This does not mean adults cannot enjoy it, but it does makeUnravel Twoa great early game for children.
Platforming is fairly straightforward, but satisfying, especially the wall jumps. Its puzzles can be confusing, butUnravel Twooffers several hints to the player if needed, preventing frustration. Many of these puzzles require cooperative play, which makes it soboth players are able to feel important throughout a level.
1It Takes Two
Hazelight Studios, 2021
Hazelight Studios focuses on cooperative, split-screen gameplay, and so it should not be surprising that they appear on this list twice and take the top spot.It Takes Twohas a brighter aesthetic thanA Way Out, but that should not fool potential players. The game uses its mechanics and story toexplore a complex, messy relationship between its two protagonists. It is full of both heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, and seeing it to the end is a worthwhile goal.
Each player inIt Takes Twogains abilities the other cannot use, and this gives both players a sense of importance in the gameplay while also increasing its replayability. These abilities also change for each level. In one level, a character might have the ability to throw nails to solve environmental puzzles, only for that ability to be swapped with a cannon that launches tree sap in the next level. This variety in mechanics might prove a challenge in other games, butIt Takes Twomanages to juggle each one, keeping gameplay fresh but allowing players to gain skills.
The levels are wonderfully designed in both form and function. Players will work together to cross fields of ice within a giant snow globe or climb through a wasp-infested tree. Each setpiece is more beautiful than the last,It Takes Twoalways has another surprise around the corner. All of these factors and more makeIt Takes Twothe best local co-op game available onXbox Game Pass.
