Choosing a game to play with your loved ones can be tough – one of you might prefer cosy farming games while the other might be into intense shootouts. Worse still, you might spend money on a game only to play it once and never pick it up again. To save you from buyer’s remorse and make gaming nights more fun, we’ve paired games for couples and friends to different duo dynamics that are sure to appeal to both parties playing.
Simply pick the dynamic that suits your relationship or friendship best, and get your game night started.
Table of Contents
Image credit: Steam
As its name suggests, One-armed robber is a game about pulling off a heist and trying to get away without getting arrested. Oh, and you only have 1 functional arm. At first glance, it seems like a classic stealth game: putting down security guards with tranquiliser darts, staying in blind spots to avoid cameras, and picking locks like a pro.
But everything can go sideways at any time, and if you’re the type to thrive under pressure, this is your time to take charge by going in with guns blazing to bail out your partner. Adapt to the different scenarios, but make sure not to lose sight of your objective – robbing the bank and making a clean getaway.
Image credit: Steam
The best part is that the game is free to play and can host up to 4 players – perfect for a group of friends to enjoy together. Of course, the more players you rope in, the higher the chances of things going south – your once peaceful heist might end up turning into an all-out brawl.
Available on:
Image credit: Steam
Bread & Fred is basically the cosier, cuter cousin of the chaotic Pico Park games. You play as adorable penguins trying to scale a mountain while being tied together. It’s a great pick, especially if your partner is a non-gamer, thanks to its easy controls and straightforward gameplay.
The challenging part of the game, however, is syncing your jumps and timing just right – which is way harder than it sounds when you’re physically tethered together. No matter how good (or bad) you are at playing games, Bread & Fred is designed to test your patience and coordination with your partner.
Image credit: Eris xd via Steam Community
The slightest mistake could cost you everything as you’ll both free-fall all the way back down to the bottom of the mountain. If anything, this game teaches you how to laugh through the pain and work together even when everything’s falling apart.
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Image credit: Steam
If the two of you squabble like siblings on a daily basis, feel free to let out your frustrations with Gang Beasts. The sole objective of this game is to be the last person standing, by all means necessary. Make full use of your ability to punch, kick, jump and yeet the other toward their doom.
The chaos gets turned up a notch with dangerous maps like a wobbly crane, shark-infested waters, and an incinerator waiting to claim clumsy fighters. So, you’d better watch your step while fighting it out. It would be a major aura loss if you tripped and fell to your own doom.
Image credit: Steam
This slapstick fighting game can host up to 8 players, so it could even be a family activity if there’s some beef to settle between you and your real-life siblings. But if you prefer staying amicable, try the co-op mode instead, where you’ll get to join hands and defeat another group to become the ultimate duo.
Available on:
Image credit: Steam
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is exactly what it sounds like – one of you is trapped in a room with a bomb, and the other has the manual to defuse it. Only the defuser can see the bomb, and only the “expert” knows what to do. So yes, communication is everything.
This game is a perfect fit for the yapper and listener duo. The chatterbox gets to describe every blinking light and wire in detail, while the calm one flips through the manual like a pro. Or, spice things up by swapping roles and seeing who actually handles pressure better.
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Image credit: Steam
BOKURA follows the story of 2 boys running away from home, only to find themselves in completely different worlds – either a bleak, monochrome wasteland or a colourful forest. You’ll need teamwork to navigate and discover the secrets of a strange reality.
Both the optimist and pessimist would enjoy this game as it highlights how 2 people can see the same situation in totally different ways. With its unique gameplay and touching storyline, BOKURA is a heartwarming and thought-provoking reminder that varying perspectives are valid and essential.
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Image credit: Steam
What starts off as a routine heist in Dark Hours quickly takes a turn when you and your partner are hunted down by supernatural forces. This game requires serious teamwork, coordination and cooperation to complete your mission.
Every monster in the game has specific weaknesses and triggers that you’ll have to figure out. This is where your roles come in – the brave one can lure monsters away or stun them as the other plans the best way to carry out the heist. The scaredy cat can take advantage of the distraction, sneakily stealing items and hacking locked doors to get the job done.
Image credit: Mrs DeclASS via Steam Community
This game is so scary it’s almost comical, especially when you find out some of the absurd ways you can die. It hosts up to 4 players, so bringing in more people might make the game a little easier to beat. Hopefully, not everyone in your friend group is a scaredy cat, because those monsters won’t be distracted by your screams.
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A little bit of competition has never hurt anybody, so if you and your partner are competitive, Tricky Towers is the perfect game. Inspired by the classic game Tetris, Tricky Towers amps up the challenge by having both of you play side by side, scrambling to build the highest tower.
Image credit: Steam
If that isn’t enough to light a competitive fire, the game also has light and dark spells for extra fun. Some dark spells obscure your opponent’s vision and summon a ghost to steal a brick from their tower. Light spells give you power-ups that bind bricks together with a vine for extra support, or offer a second life. So if you get hit by 3 dark spells in a row, don’t lose hope because the tides can change at any second.
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Image credit: Echo991 via Steam Community
Become the main characters of a noir detective comic in this point-and-click puzzle game called Unboxing the Cryptic Killer. Your objective? To solve a murder case gone cold. The left-brain and right-brain duo would enjoy this game because the in-game puzzles require both logical thinking and creativity to solve.
Image credit: cledus.com via Steam Community
Work together and combine both your skill sets to solve this case. The best part about the game is that you can play it twice as either detective because the gameplay for each is completely different, despite them being linked. Channel your inner Sherlock Holmes and see if you can figure out who the cryptic killer is.
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Image credit: Elianor via Steam Community
You can’t say that you’ve truly tested your bond unless you’ve played Overcooked 2 together. Battle obstacles, moving maps and a ticking clock as you rush to complete orders for your customers. The chiongster and chillax duo will thrive in this game as it requires a good mix of urgency and calm to run an efficient kitchen.
One thing’s for sure – rushing through everything is impossible because cooking takes time, but being too chill isn’t any better as there are hangry customers to serve. If you want a perfect 3-star run, make sure to delegate jobs that suit each other’s vibe, like having the chiongster man the cooking stations and the laid-back one in charge of plating and serving.
Image credit: Gocha via Steam Community
Overcooked 2 can host up to 4 players, so adding another duo is always an option. But having more hands doesn’t always mean more help – sometimes, too many cooks could spoil the broth. Less space, more bumping and communication breakdowns lie ahead in your culinary journey.
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In We Were Here, an asymmetrical co-op game, you and your partner are thrown into a mysterious castle full of secrets. To escape, you’ll have to think logically and solve problems on the fly.
Numerous puzzles await you, but the mystery solver has a role to play too – you’ll have to piece together information and lore to solve the greatest mystery of all: what happened to the rest of your crew.
Image credit: Salsa via Steam Community
We Were Here is a spin on traditional co-op puzzle games and detective games as it combines elements of mystery, puzzle-solving and a thrilling tale of secrecy.
Plus, if you can’t get enough, you’ll be glad to know that We Were Here is a whole franchise with 4 other games. We Were Here Too, We Were Here Together, We Were Here Forever, and We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip all have the same vibe, but new mysteries to unravel.
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Image credit: Steam
The brains behind the hit game, It Takes Two, have created a new, co-op experience called Split Fiction that is unlike its predecessor.
With a mix of complex controls, quick-time events (QTEs) and complicated visuals, this game is objectively tough to play. Gone are the days of calm, puzzle-solving as you and your partner are thrown into fight sequences, chase scenes and high-pressure boss fights.
Image credit: Steam
Gamer duos would enjoy the adrenaline rush, seamless split-screen co-op gameplay, stunning visuals and inspiring story. Bonus: only 1 of you needs to buy the game for 2 to play – so splitting the cost essentially means you get the game for half off.
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No matter your skill level, if you and your duo match any of these dynamics, we guarantee you’ll have a blast. Some of these games for couples and friends even let you bring in more players to up the chaos for a vibey gaming night.
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Cover image adapted from: Steam
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