Summary
It Takes Twoby Hazelight Studios is among the best co-op games of the 2020s so far. While plenty of great projects support cooperative multiplayer, very few implement the feature as a built-in requirement. Yes, Hazelight opted against providing a single-player option for the campaign; if somebody wants toexperienceIt Takes Two, they will need to find someone willing to tag along for the ride. Such a risky move could have backfired, but this co-op exclusivity meant the game could be designed specifically to prioritize and highlight two-player coordination.
Narratively,It Takes Tworevolves around a couple who are on the verge of a divorce, a situation that troubles their young daughter. In a strange, supernatural turn of events, the parents find themselves inhabiting their child’s dolls, an inciting incident that leads them on a creative and absurd adventure that regularly throws out new ideas and mechanics.
Fantastic co-op games are not infinite, and few of these releases scratch the same itch as Hazelight’s masterpiece. That said, there are enough platform, puzzle, and adventure projects to keep fans busy for a while. These titles emphasize coordination and communication, and they help bring people together. Let’s take a look at some of thebest co-op games likeIt Takes Two.
Updated on July 16, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Co-op games similar to It Takes Twoare fairly rare, especially if the criteria involve sticking specifically to 3D projects. However, the options expand when 2D titles are included. As such, two more side-scrolling puzzle games have been added: ibb & obb and Pikuniku.
Some recommendations are almost too obvious. Anyone who lovesIt Takes Twowill want to prioritizeSplit Fiction, Hazelight’s latest co-op masterpiece that covers fairly identical ground. Once again, the campaign guides players to different dimensions, and the worlds are this time based around stories created by the two protagonists. Mio and Zoe are unpublished writers who accept an opportunity from a company, but they quickly learn that the latter’s goal is to steal their ideas. They get stuck in a machine that brings to life their sci-fi and fantasy narratives, and they must pursue glitches and complete their stories to preserve their creations and, hopefully, get out.
Similar toIt Takes Two,Split Fictiongrounds an over-the-top concept in relatable emotions, with both characters going through personal hardships that could hit close to home with viewers. The story is fantastic and completely fits the gameplay, which is Hazelight’s best to date. Refusing to stick to just a handful of ideas,Split Fictionintroduces mechanicsin each level, and that goes even for short stages that only last 10–15 minutes. Beyond just the worlds themselves, the game constantly throws fresh ideas at players, ensuring that nothing outstays its welcome.
As Hazelight’s first game,A Way Outis one of the most obvious options forIt Takes Twofans. The 2018 project is built on the same co-op foundation as the developer’s subsequent title, which means it also requires two players to be experienced. Both games deliver puzzles, mini-games, diverse gameplay, and character-driven stories.
Despite overlap in some areas, these games are hardly carbon copies of each other. Their stories are nothing alike, both in terms of content and tone.A Way Outrevolves around two convicts who are planning a prison break, and the presentation reflects that relatively major setting. Vincent and Leo are both complex and ambiguous, and their dynamic is nothing like Cody and May’s relationship.
Just to be clear, all of the above are positives.It Takes TwoandA Way Outare a fantastic double act due to both their similarities and differences.
Before establishing Hazelight, Josef Fares worked with Starbreeze onBrothers: A Tale of Two Sons, a project that shares a few things in common with the creator’s subsequent releases.Brothersfocuses on two siblingsas they go on a dangerous journey to find a cure for their father’s alignment, and their fragile bond is tested and strengthened along the way. The game tells a powerful family story, and it highlights a different dynamic thanIt Takes Twowhile still hitting similar highs. Unlike Hazelight’s masterpieces, the original version ofA Tale of Two Sonswas specifically designed to be a single-player experience, despite featuring two playable characters. Players are expected tosimultaneously use each thumbstick to control one sibling, a format that can take some getting used to at first; however, this decision complements and enhances the story brilliantly.
In 2024, Avantgarden released a remake with a graphical upgrade and tweaked controls, along with one significant alteration:co-op support. Now, this feature was already implemented in the Switch port of the 2013 original, but it was kept away from the other versions; consequently, the remake represents the first time that PlayStation, PC, and Xbox users can experienceBrothers: A Tale of Two Sonsin co-op. And, it is a fine option that could help encourage a second playthrough, especially since the campaign does not otherwise have all that much replay value.Brothers: A Tale of Two Sonsshould first beexperienced as a single-player game.Co-op is a bonus but not the default.
An endlessly charming blend of suburban culture and fantasy,Knights and Bikesfollows two girls as they explore their town in search of a mysterious treasure, a journey driven out of desperation and fueled by imagination. While their dynamic is obviously different fromIt Takes Two’s couple, Nessa and Demelza nevertheless make for an endearing duo, and their relationship is both wholesome and fairly realistic.
Similar to Hazelight’s masterpiece,Knights and Bikessends its characters on an over-the-top and fantastical adventure that grounds its emotional core in relatable and mature themes like grief. The title combines puzzles, combat, and exploration, all the while including fun mechanics like upgradable bikes. While supporting solo play,Knights and Bikesis designed with co-op in mind, especially since the story is driven specifically by two friends.
Players who want to truly test their cooperative skills should look intoMoving Outor its 2023 sequel. Thismultiplayer moving gamesees colorful characters band together to move furniture, boxes, and other items from a variety of locations.
Each levelrewards players for moving itemsto a nearby truck as quickly as possible and there aretons of replayabilitywith special tasks and challenges that unlock for each level after players complete it for the first time. With up to four players at a time,Moving Outis a chaotic blast that rewards cooperative play, planning, and execution.
Those looking for afun and wholesome experiencethat’s just as colorful and endearing asIt Takes Twowill want to go throughKirby and the Forgotten Landwith a friend or loved one. ThisKirbyadventure is unlike any other, pitting the pink puffball (and a friend in Bandana Waddle Dee) up against a colorful cast of enemies in a3D-styled adventuresimilar toSuper Mario Odyssey.
Kirbyis no stranger to multiplayer games in general, with the franchise even releasing a couple of spin-offs specifically designed around co-op; however,The Forgotten Landis afull-blown single-player adventurethat just happens to support a partner. The second player takes charge ofBandana Waddle Dee, a spear-wielding fighter who lacks most of Kirby’s unique abilities. Although fairly fun to use, Bandana Waddle Dee very much feels like a sidekick who is along for the ride but will never overshadow the main hero. Disappointing as this can be at times,The Forgotten Landis such a fun co-op platformer that it is still an easy recommendation.
Super Mario Bros. Wonderis just as polished and charming as any other mainline entry in Nintendo’s franchise. After roughly a decade, Mario and friends finally returned in October 2023 for a new 2D adventure, andWonderserves as a great evolution of this formula. While a great pick for solo runners, the game alsosupports 4-player co-op, with the participants being able to pick from12 playable characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and Light-Blue Yoshi.
Accessibility is a cornerstone of most of Nintendo’s primary franchises, none more so than Mario. Consequently,Wonderis designed to be as beginner-friendly as possible, including the incorporation of an invincibility feature that can be assigned to individual characters. As such, parents can introduce their young children to the magic of gaming throughWonder, all the while removing the frustration that might come from a mistake.
It Takes TwoandSuper Mario Bros. Wonderare very different games in the grand scheme of things, with the latter largely disregarding its story. However, they both take players onvisually gorgeous adventuresfilled with memorable characters and locations.
Sure, many co-op games permit two players to go on a joint journey, but how many titles allow them to take charge of the same body? Kind of like Nickelodeon’sCatDog,Phogs!features a protagonist consisting of animals seemingly stitched together, albeit this cute creation consists of two canines. As Red and Blue, respectively, players get to explore a series of stages across three worlds, all the while engaging in puzzles, mini-games, and (hopefully) a lot of laughter.
Now, compared toIt Takes Two,Phogs!basically has no story, even if there is some world-building courtesy of NPCs. Still, if someone is specifically craving a narrative, they will need to look elsewhere. On the other hand, this project warrants a mention due to its puzzle-based gameplay, well-implemented co-op that requires both parties to discuss solutions and work together actively, and vibrant visual style.Phogs' presentation and stages feel almost abstract at times, like they are fun fever dreams brought to life by the developers.
Something of a cult classic by this point,ibb & obbis a charming co-op puzzle game that primarily revolves around one concept/mechanic: Gravity. Divided by a threshold, the screen is always split into two halves, with their gravitational pulls being flipped. Nearly all the game’s puzzles challenge players to coordinate and use both gravities to get past obstacles, be it difficult jumps or enemies.ibb & obbis 100% intended to be played with a partner, as single-player is not offered as an option; unsurprisingly, the title emphasizes communication, and most of the puzzles are borderline unbeatable if players do not have a way to talk to each other (via online co-op).
ibb & obbdoes not quite have the visual diversity or story nuance ofIt Takes Two, but it is nevertheless a highly effective cooperative game that takes full advantage of that feature. The graphics and color palette are also quite nice and have aged pretty well over the last decade or so. For those who have never played this release and are looking for something to pass a couple of hours, they can do much worse thanibb & obb.
As its 10-year anniversary slowly approaches,Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freezemight soon be described as a “classic,” a label the game fully warrants. One of thebest titles on the Wii U,Retro Studios' project was eventually ported to the Switch, where it immediately established itself as one of that console’s premium titles. In the grand scheme of things,Tropical Freezeis a relatively safe entry in theDonkey Kong Countrycanon as the game does not deviate too significantly from the beaten path; that said, the platformer is about as polished of an experience as they come.
The AAA Nintendo game can be played single-player without any issue, and most people will undoubtedly have a blast going through the campaign’s fantastic stages on their own. That said,co-op is an optionand a pretty good one at that. While Donkey Kong is the primary playable character, players do eventually unlock Dixie, Diddy, and Cranky as support figures. All three of them have unique abilities that come in handy when traversing levels, and co-op allows a player to take charge of one of these characters. Theirmain function is to aid Donkey Kong, but they should still be kept busy throughout most of the game.
