As we approach the colder months, it's becoming the time when sitting inside and playing some of the best local co-op games is looking more and more appealing. Even though couch co-op and split-screen play is often pushed to the side in favor of online co-op, there are still plenty of modern games that allow players to sit side-by-side and play together. And believe it or not, some of those games are great!
We've opted to leave out some of the games that are already incredibly popular, so while It Takes Two, Overcooked 2, and Stardew Valley are fantastic games, they're also included on every list under the sun. We're going for slightly lesser known titles, so hopefully we'll help you uncover some hidden gems. Here are, in no particular order, the best local co-op games you can play across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X in 2026.
The newest game on the list, Gears of War: E-Day is the sixth main instalment in the long-standing Xbox series and the first in seven years. It's also one of the best. Taking place during Emergence Day, aka when the horde invaded for the very first time, Gears of War: E-Day is Gears at its finest, with that crisp, cover-based shooting the series is famous for and plenty of visceral, gory boss fights.
E-Day also has a hard-hitting story that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster, especially for longtime Gears fans, because it offers a new look at iconic characters such as Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago. The whole campaign can be played by two players in split-screen, or if you're playing online, up to four can play together, with the other two controlling newcomers Mags Carter and Lucas Reyes. If you're anything like me, Overcooked (and its sequel) are entertaining games, but they are also incredibly stressful.
Moving Out 2, the second game in the series, uses a similar concept, but rather than cheffing up meals in chaotic kitchens with constantly changing orders and mechanics, you play as removal folk, responsible for getting loads of furniture out of houses and into the back of your truck, complete with wacky ragdoll physics and plenty of surprises. I'm not saying Moving Out 2 is completely stress-free, especially if you're trying to achieve some of the bonus goals, but because lots of items can be carried by one player, you're not constantly reliant on the other players, nor are you barking orders at each other as frequently. The approach my partner and I take is to tackle all the solo items first, then collaborate for the heavier stuff when there isn't as much left in the house.
Hazelight Games truly entered the limelight with It Takes Two, which won game of the year at The Game Awards in 2021, and is lauded as arguably the best local co-op game of all time. Split Fiction followed it up in 2025 though, and while it was still received incredibly well, it didn't quite get the same amount of attention. You can expect the same sort of gameplay this time around, but rather than playing as a couple falling out of love with one another, you play as two authors who get trapped in the worlds of their respective stories — one who writes sci-fi, the other fantasy.
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