Gaming
The best couch co-op Nintendo Switch games (2024)
Forget family disputes with these couch co-op classics you can play on the Switch.

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Thanks to its versatile design, the Nintendo Switch is one of the best game consoles for anyone looking for the best couch co-op games to play this year.
From platformers to arcade classics, there are tons of co-op Nintendo Switch games to choose from, which can sometimes be a little overwhelming when you’re looking for something new to play with your friends and family.
While other consoles have plenty of co-op games, Nintendo has always been one of the best consoles for anyone looking to play games socially.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the latest game in the Mario series, bringing with it some of the craziest gameplay from a Mario game.
With 12 playable characters to choose from, including four types of Yoshi, and Nabbit, who cannot take damage, you won’t be short of choice.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder can be played solo, or with up to three friends. The game also features a series of collectible badges that give all players a special ability, making the game even more interesting.
But the highlight of the game is the Wonder Flowers. They completely change the level, adding whacky new challenges to face such as giant chomping fish, walking and singing piranha plants, and even a tidal wave of rhinos that you have to ride.
If you’re looking for a co-op game on the Nintendo Switch that’s going to keep you and your fellow players entertained for a while, Super Mario Bros. Wonder includes a whopping 152 levels to conquer.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The Mario Kart games have been around for a long time now, with Mario Kart 8 still being one of the most popular co-op games on the Nintendo Switch.
Thanks to Mario Kart 8‘s multiple settings, which can change whether you need to hold the A button to accelerate, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is perfect for gamers of all ages and perfect for getting your kids into gaming.
If you purchase the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass there are a total of 96 uniquely themed tracks to enjoy, giving you plenty of fresh courses to race on.
If you’re not a big fan of racing games (not that I would call Mario Kart 8 Deluxe a proper racing game) there’s also a battle mode. Here players use special powers scattered around the course to try and pop three balloons, fighting to be the last player standing.
Minecraft: Nintendo Switch Edition

If you’re looking for a more chilled-out co-op game for Nintendo Switch, Minecraft might be one of the most chilled games ever made.
Of course, most gamers, and even non-gamers have heard about Minecraft, and while most gamers know you can play on Minecraft servers, the game also has a local co-op mode you can enjoy with friends too.
If you’ve been living under a rock, and haven’t heard of Minecraft, let me enlighten you. Minecraft is a block-based crafting game where players are able to create almost anything they can think up.
While Minecraft is a survival game with hunger and enemies, those who are looking for a more relaxed experience can simply change the game mode to peaceful, letting you enjoy the game without hunger or pesky creatures trying to ruin your day.
Rocket League

Are you a fan of soccer and cars? Well, you’re in luck. Rocket League is a mashup of both with players controlling customizable cars in an epic game of motorized soccer.
If you’re looking for a serious Nintendo Switch co-op game, maybe give Rocket League a hard pass. With its ridiculously oversized ball, crazy nitrous-powered stunts, and the very fact you’re playing soccer with a car, it’s not a game to be taken seriously.
As you progress in Rocket League, you can customize your vehicle with custom wheels, decals, and boosts, helping you to stand out if you decide to play Rocket League online against other players.
Moving Out 2

Moving Out 2 is a whacky co-op game where players simply need to take on jobs as a moving company. Sounds simple enough, right? Wait till you have to herd sheep into a truck, or deal with weird obstacles getting in your way.
In some cases, players must work together to move bigger items, such as a couch, while bypassing obstacles and all while being scored on how quickly they can get items out and into the moving truck.
While it might not sound like it Moving Out 2 is one of those games that will put your relationships to the test, as you try to decide the best way to get items out as quickly as possible.
It can often become a little exhausting as you both disagree on the quickest and safest way to remove items as quickly as possible.
Super Mario Maker 2

It wouldn’t be a proper list of the best Nintendo Switch couch co-op games without more than one Mario game.
Super Mario Maker 2 is unique in the fact that not only does it feature multiplayer, but two people can work together to make custom and unique courses that you can then enjoy together as Mario and Luigi.
Depending on which game mode you are playing, Super Mario Maker 2 can be played with up to four players in total.
It also features both pre-built levels and the ability to create new levels across multiple previous Mario titles, including:
- Super Mario Bros.
- Super Mario Bros. 3
- Super Mario World
- New Super Mario Bros. U
- Super Mario 3D World
With such a wide range of previous game’s game styles to create and play, Super Mario Maker 2 is perfect for those who love retro Mario.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat!

It might be easy to overlook a co-op game about cooking, but somehow, Overcooked! All You Can Eat! makes it work.
Work together with up to four other players to help run a kitchen, where the demands become increasingly more intense, making it difficult for you and your friends to serve delicious food and keep customers happy.
Similar to Moving Out, players will need to communicate well in Overcooked! All You Can Eat!, otherwise things can quickly become a little chaotic.
What’s worse, all players must work together to create a perfect flow. You can’t really have one player carrying the rest of you, one weak link can ruin the game and turn a happy kitchen into a frantic nightmare.
It Takes Two

It Takes Two isn’t just one of the best co-op games for the Nintendo Switch, it’s quite honestly one of the best co-op games ever made, which is a pretty bold claim.
It Takes Two features an incredible story that centers around a couple on the verge of divorce, as they are shrunk down and turned into dolls, and tasked with saving their own fractured relationship.
Unlike most other multiplayer games, It Takes Two doesn’t feature a solo mode, and has to be played either locally or online, with another player.
Diablo 3: Eternal Collection

If you’re looking for something heart-warming that will give you a fuzzy feeling inside, you should have stopped at It Takes Two.
Diablo 3: Eternal Collection is more heart-racing than heart-warming, as you and up to three friends work together to kick the crap out of hordes of hell-spawned enemies, led by the Prime Evils, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal.
If you’ve ever played any of the Diablo games, you should know what to expect here—hordes of enemies, an ever-lasting quest to improve your gear and become stronger, and an absolutely fantastic, but dark story.
As well as playing Diablo 3: Eternal Collection locally with friends, you can also play online, however, that does require you to have a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
Mario Party Superstars

If party games are more your thing, Mario Party Superstars might just be the perfect Nintendo Switch couch co-op game for you.
Mario Party Superstars includes 100 minigames from the entire Mario Party series, letting you enjoy classic minigames from throughout the game’s history.
Play with up to three other players, as you battle to get the most coins and the most stars across multiple minigames. But players need to watch out, as each board has game-changing action spaces that can completely alter where the star is located, or make getting to it harder.
Each player in Mario Party Superstars takes a turn to roll a die that is unique to their character, in the hope of being the first to reach the star. At the end of each round, once each player has had their turn, players are pitted either head-to-head or in teams for a random minigame.
Mario Golf Super Rush

While Mario Golf Super Rush might not be one of the most well-known games out there, it’s certainly not one to be missed, especially for anyone who enjoys golf.
Of course, being a Mario game, don’t expect a seriously realistic game of golf. However, playing against the AI, or friends and family can be a fun and addictive experience, as you all fight to be crowned the ultimate Mario Golf Super Rush champion.
Starting the game, you only have a couple of courses you can play, but completing 18 holes on the default courses will unlock new courses for you and your co-op buddies to play.
And if you fancy brushing up on your Mario Golf skills, there’s also a single-player mode that you can play against AI, as well as a story mode. Although, I’m not sure why a game about golf needs a single-player mode.
Nintendo Switch co-op FAQs
Can you play multiplayer on Switch without online?
If you want to ditch couch co-op games and move on to playing Nintendo Switch games online, you can. However, you will need to purchase a Nintendo Switch Online membership in order to play multiplayer games online.
Do you need a second controller for Nintendo Switch co-op?
It depends on the game. In some cases you will be able to detach the JoyCons and use them as two controllers, however, in other cases, you might need to purchase a second Nintendo Switch controller.
Do you need Nintendo Switch Online to play locally?
No, if you’re playing a Nintendo Switch co-op game locally, you don’t need to purchase the online membership. Also, if you connect two Nintendo Switch consoles together wirelessly to play co-op, you won’t need to purchase an online membership.
Are there any co-op Switch games you’d like to see on this list? Let us know in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.
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