The best games like It Takes Two offer up cooperative puzzle solving, setpieces, and action in droves, often using unique storytelling methods or gameplay mechanics to do so. Some games might have you working together, competing against one another, or playing alongside each other to achieve the same goal.
While Hazelight is king of creating this kind of experience (with its new game Split Fiction also on its way), there are studios out there creating just as many of the best multiplayer games in their own ways. So, we've decided to shine a spotlight on the greatest It Takes Two alternatives out right now. This list covers some of the best co-op games across every platform and genre to give you something to play no matter what you and your partner, sibling, or friend like.
15. Operation: Tango
Developer: Clever Plays
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
Operation: Tango is a co-op espionage adventure where you and your friend take on dangerous missions across the globe in a high-tech near future. As a team of two, one player acts as an Agent on the mission, while the other is a Hacker who can obtain information and break into security systems.
You will need to solve unique puzzles together and communicate with one another to ensure both of you have a plan in place to complete each mission. Unlike It Takes Two, Operation: Tango offers two unique perspectives separate from one another in a futuristic setting that isn't seen anywhere else on this list.
14. KeyWe
Developer: Stonewheat & Sons
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
If you are looking for an adorable puzzle-solving title to play with a friend, then KeyWe should be the first game you look at. In this whimsical game, you play as Jeff and Debra, two Kiwi birds that work in a post office. You must jump, peck, flap, and slam onto buttons and levers to ensure messages are delivered on time.
The game shakes things up by introducing new mail rooms with new tasks and more complex challenges. There are also a wide variety of customization options and items you can adorn your kiwi bird with. Additionally, if the game ever gets too hard for one player, or you want to play solo, you can control both birds with a single controller, making it a great co-op game for those who haven’t played many video games.
13. Untitled Goose Game
Developer: House House
Platform(s): PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
While Untitled Goose Game isn't technically a platforming video game, it does include all of the other hallmarks of It Takes Two. Co-op goose gaming can be an absolutely chaotic endeavor as you and a pal attempt to solve puzzles by stealing bells, annoying shopkeepers, and generally being a collective menace.
It's funny, it's fun, and it tickles the brain to figure out all of Untitled Goose Game's shenanigans. It's also a great title that, like It Takes Two, is focused on "working together." However, instead of trying to repair a family, here you'll be working towards collective chaos, helping each other be an absolute menace. What more could you ask for?
12. Haven
Developer: The Game Bakers
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
If you enjoy the exploration and action of It Takes Two, then Haven offers a similar blend of experiences but with a romantic plot as a backdrop. You control one of two lovers, Kay and Yu. Together, you explore a vast, mysterious world you land on, turning your ship into a home with materials and parts you find while exploring and upon defeating enemies in synchronized timing-based combat.
When not exploring, you can spend some time together as Yu and Kay, enjoying the quieter moments of your relationship, from cooking and crafting to simply talking with one another. The game is also incredibly inclusive, allowing you to choose whether or not you want Yu and Kay to be a man and a woman, two men or two women, making it a great game for any couple.
11. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
Developer: Starbreeze Studios
Platform(s): PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
While this game isn't developed by Hazelight Studios, it was directed by Fares, sharing DNA with It Takes Two. In many ways, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is the foundation of Hazelight's co-op design initiative, allowing you to control the two brothers simultaneously with the use of each thumbstick.
However, a recent version of the game actually allows for true cooperative gameplay, falling in line with the likes of It Takes Two and A Way Out. Much like Fares' newer games, Brothers covers heavy, emotional topics that will no doubt pull at the heartstrings.
10. Unravel 2
Developer: Coldwood Interactive
Platform(s): PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
Unravel Two is an underrated 2.5D platforming gem that is more like It Takes Two than you might expect. In it, you play as a Yarny, a character made of yarn. But in this game, you can play with a friend, which makes many of the platforming segments more enjoyable.
However, you decide to play, Unravel Two is a beautiful journey with challenging puzzles that feel satisfying to complete. Though, if you get stuck, the game features a handy hint system to help you along the way. This is a game that excels at showing, not telling, with few moments of exposition, which makes it more immersive.
9. Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Developer: Sumo Digital
Platform(s): PS4, PS5
This is an interesting entry because it's sort of a spinoff from the main LittleBigPlanet series. Instead of allowing players to create their own levels, Sackboy: A Big Adventure follows the titular Sackboy in a 3D platforming experience, much more in line with what you'd find in a Mario game. The result is something special, giving players a surprisingly fantastic platformer with some of the most impressive visuals the PS5 has to offer.
As with most games on this list, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is more fun with a friend, though solo-play is available too. This game actually resembles It Takes Two from a visual perspective, with characters and stages that seem like they've been shrunk down. You can even see the stitching in great detail across both games! You can read our Sackboy: A Big Adventure review for even more gushing about its incredible details.
8. We Were Here Series
Developer: Total Mayhem Games
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC
For almost a decade now, Total Mayhem Games has been creating a series of co-op puzzle games that are similar to It Takes Two. They rely on both players working together and helping each other out. Whether it is performing actions to assist one another or providing information from a book or viewpoint only one player has, while the other solves a puzzle, each one is a quality experience in its own right.
So far, there are five games in the series: We Were Here, We Were Here Two, We Were Here Together, We Were Here Forever, and We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip. Each one builds off the setting and story surrounding Castle Rock and the wastes of Antarctica you explore.
7. Minecraft
Developer: Mojang Studios
Platform(s): PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android
While Minecraft doesn't necessarily lean into puzzle-platforming, it does include one of the most robust creation suites we've ever seen in a video game. If you're creative, you can pretty much make your own platforming stages, with puzzles to solve, and enemies to fight. That's the great thing about Minecraft: You're only limited by your imagination, and since the game's launch over a decade ago, we’ve seen some impressive creations.
But even if you aren't a creative type, you can still explore the world with friends while gathering resources and surviving against the deadly creatures that roam each biome. Check out our Minecraft review for even more reasons to give it a go.
6. Rayman Legends
Developer: Ubisoft
Platform(s): PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One
While Mario understandably gets a lot of love, it's a shame Rayman has been pushed to the background for some reason. Rayman Legends is arguably the best in the series, which our Rayman Legends review also argues, featuring inventive 2D stages, beautiful visuals, and equally enjoyable music throughout.
There's something almost magical about playing this game, especially when you get into a flow of perfectly-timed jumps that match up with the music. Of course, playing with friends makes it even better – even more so when it comes to defeating enemies and solving light puzzles. It's a shame Ubisoft has seemingly abandoned the series, but we're hopeful it will come back someday.
5. Portal 2
Developer: Valve
Platform(s): PC, Nintendo Switch
Portal 2 might very well be the best co-op puzzle game of all time, and our Portal 2 review reflects this view. It somehow took the unique mechanics from the first installment, added new features with cooperative play in mind, and turned everything up to 11.
Valve could have implemented co-op as an afterthought, but instead, you can tell the game is built from the ground up with multiplayer as the main focus. Aside from the expertly designed gameplay, the writing is somehow better than the first game, with a memorable cast of characters who still remain relevant all these years later. We aren’t alone in wishing Valve would make another Portal game.
4. Snipperclips
Developer: SFB Games
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Snipperclips doesn't have epic set pieces or even an emotional story, but it does have some of the best gameplay the Nintendo Switch has to offer. Once again, this is a game designed to prioritize co-op, forcing players to work together to get through the stages. In it, players start off as generic shapes made of construction paper.
Each participant must then cut one another to match the specific required shapes, which starts off easy, but quickly gets more challenging. The game then throws puzzles at you alongside the cutting mechanics, making teamwork even more essential. This is one of those cute games that will eventually lead to both players screaming at one another, but it's all in good fun.
3. Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Developer: Ghost Town Games
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch
Overcooked is an incredible co-op experience, and the All You Can Eat edition of the game includes all the content, bonus levels, and DLC from the first and second games. This complete package is a hectic, frantic co-op experience that might just end your friendship or marriage. Working together, you and your fellow cook players will need to cook up delicious meals against the clock. You will need to ensure you have dishes that are clean, the right amount of ingredients, and the right people working on each food station.
Add onto that events that can shake up the kitchen's structure and look, and you have an even more chaotic cooking experience. There is a reason Overcooked became the smash hit it is today, and if you want something fun, intense, and stressful to play at a party or with some friends at your house, then you won't find anything that is a better fit.
2. Castle Crashers
Developer: The Behemoth
Platform(s): PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PC
One of the reasons It Takes Two is so fantastic is thanks to its variety, with smart puzzles, lots of action, and impressive level design. If you're someone who gravitates towards the action side of things, Castle Crashers is absolutely one you should try because, as our Castle Crashers Remastered review indicates, every version of it is fantastic. It falls into the beat-'em-up category, with exceptionally well-designed combat, and funny animations alongside it.
On top of the fantastic gameplay, Castle Crashers is immensely funny, due in part to the crude art that looks like it would be drawn on a napkin rather than a successful video game. And, of course, the chaos is amplified when you play with friends, and thankfully, Castle Crashers supports a total of four players.
1. A Way Out
Developer: Hazelight
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Rounding out our list of games like It Takes Two is an obvious one, but still, a game that you must play if you liked It Takes Two. A Way Out is Hazelight's previous game, focusing on two escaped convicts as they run from the law. Much like It Takes Two, A Way Out is only playable with a friend, with no single-player option available.
This was a smart design decision, as it forces players to work together, giving a shared experience with each playthrough. This game is a little darker than It Takes Two, focusing on more mature themes – especially towards the end of the game. As our A Way Out review notes, the writing is excellent, the gameplay is smart, and the overall experience is memorable. It's a must-play if you need another co-op game to dive into.
If you're looking for more co-op adventures and you're playing on Switch, check out our pick of the best two-player Switch games. Or check out our It Takes Two review!
