There’s nothing better than getting cozy on the sofa and booting up a fun adventure with a pal. With hundreds of thousands of games out there, it can be really hard to narrow down what you will both enjoy… Look no further than the brilliant world of 3D platformer titles.
Related
3D platformers are simple to understand and yet provide endless fun that any player of any skill level can enjoy. From non-gamer partners to your younger siblings, 3D platformers will make you smile unlike anything else. This genre is best experienced with a friend, so call up that buddy you haven’t spoken to in years and bring them over for some great fun with these fantastic titles.
While some amazing 3D platformers have Co-Op, sometimes this Co-Op can be a bit lacking. For example, Super Mario Odyssey is one of the greatest 3D platformers but the Co-Op has one player stuck in a limited helper role. We have made sure all the titles here give both players a chance to actually experience and play the game together, without one being too handicapped.
10
It Takes Two
The New Form Of Couple’s Therapy, Platforming!
The classic go-to-pick for something to play together will always be It Takes Two. This tricky 3D platformer has you leaping around trying to help the couple, Cody and May come back from the brink of their divorce by getting some creative couple’s therapy. With the two being turned into tiny toys, they must make their way around their giant house to heal their relationship and return to normal.
Even if you are playing with a friend or family member and not a partner, rest assured that it will be a blast of creativity and fun for anyone. The giant environments will take you right back into your childhood imagination and the beautiful story of watching the two lovers slowly repair their relationship is a heart-wrencher.
9
Human Fall Flat
Physics And Platforming Are A Perfect Match
If you are looking for something that will make you laugh, look no further than Human Fall Flat. This is a gem of a 3D platformer like no other and that is because of one gimmick, physics-based platforming. This leads to not only creative-level design that involves both of you using each other’s bodies and momentum to solve puzzles and jump your way to the goal, but also hilarious moments.
With years of updates, there is a bucketload of diverse and interesting levels to ragdoll your way through. We can never get enough of the wacky antics that ensue when our character’s physics starts to glitch out. With a short-level structure, it’s easy to pick up and play a level or two even when you only have a few minutes to spare.
8
The Smurfs – Dreams
A Smurfing Good Time
No matter what genre of games you enjoy, there is likely a Smurfs game for that genre. The Smurfs – Dreams has to be one of the best of any Smurfs titles as it flings you and a friend into a platforming adventure through the beloved Smurfs character’s dreams. With beautifully colored-filled worlds and creative out-of-the-box design, this is one bubbly platformer that you need to experience.
Hopping around as a tiny Smurf is such a great idea, as there’s so much to play with around their scale, and in The Smurfs – Dreams it is captured perfectly. This is a game that is heavily inspired by some of the greatest 3D platformers but, despite that, it still feels super fresh with ideas and levels that will surprise you from beginning to end.
7
Phogs!
Double-Headed Chaos
This silly little game has you and your player two being fused to become a lovable two-headed dog sausage creature named a Phog. You both control one side of the little thing and can stretch out their dough-like bodies to extreme lengths. This can quickly become one of the most chaotic forms of pure fun as you fight to control which way you both wish to go.
Aside from the silly premise, this game is a wonderful little puzzle game with 3D platforming elements that will have you solving puzzles and using your stretchy body to overcome any obstacle. This game is perfect for those looking for something that has strange and silly gameplay and cooperative quirks that put your teamwork and puzzle-solving to the test.
6
Portal 2
The Greatest Puzzle Platformer Of All-Time
If you have still yet to play any of the Portal series, now is the perfect time to grab a friend and enjoy the most finely crafted game around. Portal 2 brings Co-Op into the series for the first time, and it is a perfect addition that makes the series even more enjoyable. In this game, you will have to solve physics-based puzzles together while platforming around the Aperture Science Labs.
Portal 2 is known to be one of the greatest puzzle games around, but it is also an excellent platformer. There are many moments where your skills and smarts will be tested at the same time to escape the lab and there’s no better feeling than solving these tricky puzzles together. We just wish the original game also had Co-Op as it is a delight to beat Portal 2 with another.
5
Kirby And The Forgotten Land
Too Much Cuteness To Handle
You will be hard-pressed to find a cuter platformer than Kirby And The Forgotten Land. In this adorable game, you control the sweet little pink ball of happiness, Kirby, alongside his buddy Bandanna Waddle Dee, as you explore an abandoned dystopian world that is not far off our own modern society. Just with a ton more soft fluffy creatures that will make your heart ache from cuteness overload.
Related
19 Best Co-Op RPGs On The Nintendo Switch
Co-Op games may not be as popular as they used to be, but there are still plenty of titles on the Nintendo Switch that support cooperative play.
With a plethora of gimmicks and wonderfully designed levels, every moment is bliss, especially when experienced together. The simple yet charming levels are perfect for having a relaxing time with anyone, no matter their skill level, and we can’t stop smiling for a single second as long as Kirby is on-screen.
4
A Hat In Time
The Silliest Platformer Around
If you enjoyed Super Mario 64 as a kid and are looking for a Co-Op way to experience a modern title inspired by that masterpiece, A Hat In Time is perfect for you. In this silly little title, you will explore sandbox levels on a wacky planet filled with excentric characters to gather a plethora of collectibles.
The best part of the game is the hats, which involve you collecting different kinds of wool to create new permanent hats that act as power-ups that you can switch between on the fly. Each level requires you to use your knowledge of what each hat does and use them around tight explorative level design, which is super enjoyable when you bring an ally along with you in Split Screen Co-Op.
3
Frogun: Encore
Low-Poly Perfection
If you want to take your gaming duo back to the good ol’ days of gaming, then the modern indie Frogun: Encore brings that classic style back with a fresh coat of paint. In this game, you control the quirky protagonists, Renata and Jake, who wield the cutest and most creative thing ever designed: a frog gun and a snake gun. This Frogun can be used to launch a tongue that can be used for a variety of fluid platforming across many different levels.
Not only is the game a huge wave of nostalgia for its arcade level-by-level structure and its low-poly art style, but it also has a ton of modern twists that make it a brilliantly executed game. With many bosses, secrets, and collectibles to find on your adventure with your buddy, you will both spend hours with your tongue stuck to the game.
2
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
A Brilliant World Full Of Fluffy Stuffing
Coming from the great minds behind the Little Big Planet games, this entry in the series takes Sackboy into a brand-new dimension, 3D! In Sackboy: A Big Adventure there is all the fun you would expect from a Little Big Planet game but expanded to glorious higher heights.
Related
From Contra to Lego Star Wars, here are the best games with co-op for the PS2!
Exploring the giant levels that are filled to the brim with charm, you can find tons of items that allow you to customize your Sackperson. This is one of the best aspects of the game, as it rewards you with a ton of amazing costumes and, of course, there are tons of PlayStation character references, just like the beloved Astro Bot. If you enjoyed your time with Astro Bot, you will love this game for many of the same reasons, but now you can bring a buddy along with you!
1
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
The Ultimate Co-Operative Adventure
You can never go wrong with a Mario series platformer and Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is the best one to enjoy with friends. This colorful platformer has you jumping through beautifully stylized levels to collect Green Stars and reach a goal pole. This simple gameplay structure is surrounded by some of the most creative and well-designed levels in the history of 3D platformers.
New to the Nintendo Switch version of the game is an additional campaign called Bowser’s Fury which adds even more content to an already stacked adventure. Unfortunately, unlike the main game, player two must play as an assistant. Despite this, it can still be a blast to play this additional content, and it is a welcome cherry on top of the cake that is one of the greatest Co-Op 3D platformers around.
Next
Super Mario: Which Games Are Co-Op?
We take a look at all the Mario games that have co-op modes and what the feature brings to the gameplay experience.