King of the Couch: The best local multiplayer games for PS5 and Xbox Series

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, staying indoors seems more and more appealing, but it can be hard to find fun ways to pass the time. But fear not, because we’ve brought back King of the Couch to provide exciting recommendations for local multiplayer gaming on current-gen consoles. So gather your friends, grab some refreshments, and get ready to spend some quality time together in one or more of the titles below.

It Takes Two (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

Starting the list strong, is a title we’d be remiss not to mention, as It Takes Two highlights cooperative play. This action-adventure game is designed specifically for two players, who take on the role of a couple in a strained marriage, who have been magically transformed into dolls, and must find their way back to their original forms and their daughter, while rediscovering their love for each other and their passions in life along the way. The game’s distinctive art style is charming, and the ever-changing level design leads to locations with distinctly different environments and mechanics, culminating in incredible boss battles.

Tiny Tina (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

Gearbox Studios’ Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has taken giant leaps forward from the Borderlands 2 DLC it was based on, and more are sure to come as the studio looks to build it up as a new franchise. Set in the world of a tabletop RPG run by Tiny Tina, this FPS adventure-RPG title is playable with up to four friends locally. Each player can customize their own distinct character, from in-game gear to classes, and even skills. With a rich world to explore, wacky quests to complete, and tons and tons of loot to roam the world, there are plenty of adventures to enjoy with friends.

King of the Couch: The best local multiplayer games for PS5 and Xbox Series

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Guilty Gear: Strive (PlayStation 5)

The latest in Arc System Works’ acclaimed Guilty Gear series, Guilty Gear: Strive is essentially a complete reboot of the franchise. With its beautiful 2.5D art style, the game is seamlessly smooth and the bizarre punk aesthetic is paralleled in the game’s story and soundtrack. Up to two people can play locally at any time, but as with Most fighting games have relatively short matches so you can quickly cycle through matches against each other. The series’ Instant Kill mechanic has been removed and replaced with a Wall Break mechanic, and the other core features of previous entries (Roman Cancel, Psych Burst, and Overdrive) have been overhauled to ensure the game still has the complexity technique and the steep learning curve that kept players hooked.

King of the Couch: The best local multiplayer games for PS5 and Xbox Series

This is an announcement:

MultiVersus (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

MultiVersus is the flagship platformer from Player First Games and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment which truly has something for everyone to enjoy. Drawing on WB’s extensive character library, the game pits characters from Scooby Doo, DC Comics, Looney Tunes and more. Up to four players can tap into this eclectic cast of characters in local play and test themselves against friends with wildly varied skills. The game also has a perks system for greater customization, and the best part is that it’s all completely free!

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

Cuphead, Studio MDHR’s acclaimed chaotic platformer burst onto the scene in 2017, but now in 2022 it has a new post-launch DLC offering with Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course. Two players in local co-op can explore new areas, discover new secrets, dominate new bosses, and even play as a Legendary Chalice with the addition of Ms. Chalice in the DLC. Cuphead’s innovative level design, high skill cap, and charming animation make it as delightful and unique as it is frustrating, but it’s worth the payoff and it’s all the better to share with a friend.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PlayStation 5)

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a spin-off of the hugely popular Little Big Planet series, stripping down the creative tools to deliver a fleshed-out 3D platforming experience akin to genre classics such as Super Mario Bros. It retains the series’ signature art style and immense character customization options, while breaking new ground in the franchise in terms of level design. Sackboy can accommodate up to four players in local co-op, and arguably the laid-back smash-and-grab gameplay style is best enjoyed that way, with your reckless adventures boosted by the game’s catchy soundtrack.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

The biggest Lego Star Wars game ever, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga encompasses all three main movie trilogies, which can be played in any order. Characters in the game aren’t limited to the movies, and in the two-player split-screen co-op mode, you and a friend can choose from over 300 playable characters from across Star Wars history. Along with this gargantuan roster, the game features a reworked combat system, which emphasizes the differences between combat styles and allows for more complex combo attacks. Whether you’re a returning Lego Star Wars fan, an achievement hunter, or looking for a casual and fun play experience, this game truly has something for everyone to love.

The Ascent (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

Set in a dystopian cyberpunk city after its corporate ownership collapses, The Ascent is a unique twin-stick shooter played from an isometric perspective. The game features heavy action-RPG elements as your character(s) jostle for control amid the growing power vacuum in the city. Four players can play together in local co-op and, thanks to the many customization and character augmentation systems in the game, have completely different playstyles as a group. The game’s levels range from tactical stand-offs where you’ll use cover to slash enemies, run-and-shoot sequences with destructible environments, and massive bullet-hell style boss battles, all set in a complex story and rich that you and your crew can shape with your actions.

King of the Couch: The best local multiplayer games for PS5 and Xbox SeriesKing of the Couch: The best local multiplayer games for PS5 and Xbox Series

Chicory: A Colorful Tale (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

Chicory is both the most and least colorful entry on this list; you play as a dog (named after your favorite food, but otherwise called Pizza) who stole a magic brush from its former caretaker, a rabbit named Chicory. In the two-player co-op mode, players work together to control Pizza and the Brush, rising to responsibility for the role they’ve fallen into as the Burns begin to seep into the world and drain it of its color. Sometimes simplistic, the game has a rich soundtrack and adorable design as players traverse the world, bringing color back to dark black-and-white landscapes and manipulating them as they solve top-down puzzles. Unlike most of the games on this list, Chicory is an ideal title for parents to play with their kids, as the game’s few boss battles can even be skipped. Overall, the game’s strong thematic message about the dangers of self-doubt and the benefits of creativity leaves a warm and deep impact after playing, and for that reason, it’s an interesting experience for everyone.

King of the Couch: The best local multiplayer games for PS5 and Xbox Series

The Quarry (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

Billed as the spiritual successor to the acclaimed Until Dawn, The Quarry is the latest choice-driven narrative RPG from Supermassive Games and 2K. Much like its predecessor, The Quarry is a cinematic horror game, choose your own style of adventure played in third person. Players take control of a group of camp counselors who spend their last night at Hackett’s Quarry after camp ends for the summer. In the game’s built-in co-op mode, control of the cast of characters can be split between two players, but it’s perhaps even more enjoyable to get a whole group together to form a makeshift council to deliberate over in-game choices. To that end, even the game’s reaction time and shooting elements can be turned off for those with a philosophical and narrative bent. With over 100 different endings to explore and a precognition system to guide your decisions, groups should just take a wild ride with friends and make a day of the experience.

I hope something on our list caught your eye, whether you’re looking for a rowdy beat-em-up, a heartfelt trip, or dark adventures with friends as Halloween approaches. Whichever you choose, be sure to let us know how you find it in the comments below.

King of the Couch: The best local multiplayer games for PS5 and Xbox Series