Couples
Of course Mario Kart made the list.
Sometimes playing games in your relationship is a good thing, if you’re talking about Rocket League or Stardew Valley. As the best video games for couples prove, there’s nothing like a little friendly competition to keep that spark alive. Whether you like racing, team sports, role-playing games, or a little bit of everything, there’s sure to be a game you and your partner will love.
Because 64 % of U.S. adults are video game players, according to the 2020 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry report from ESA, chances are at least one person in the couple is already a gamer. Gaming is basically everywhere, and with good reason: there’s something for most everyone in the gaming world now. For a bonding experience, try a cooperative game that requires you to work together. (Puzzle-solving games are great for this.) Feeling more competitive? A racing or brawler style game might be more up your alley. Big franchises such as Mario and Pokémon are still producing fun titles, and there’s a whole world of indie gamers creating wildly imaginative, gorgeous, and sometimes downright bizarre games. So fire up your PC or console and enjoy the best video games for couples who take this whole having fun thing very seriously.
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1
Animal Crossing
Create your own island paradise in this super-relaxing (and wildly popular) game. You and your partner can even visit one another’s island and enjoy all the sights in multiplayer mode. It’s basically a vacation on your screen.
2
Combat Core
A 3D arena fighting game, Combat Core is a casual brawler with a fun sci-fi vibe. Perfect for anyone who’s nostalgic about Power Stone, this game invites you and your partner to compete as customizable characters.
3
Cuphead
Play as Cuphead (and his pal Mugman) in this classic game inspired by 1930s animation. And don’t let the cute, retro-cool graphics fool you, because those boss battles are a challenge.
4
DJMAX RESPECT V
Featuring over 150 original tracks, DJMAX RESPECT V is a rhythm game that invites you to compete for top score. Because it’s online-only, you and your SO can meet up and battle from basically any place on the planet (with a Wi-Fi signal).
5
Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm & Exercise
Enjoy a two-player workout with this beat-based boxing game. Customize your workout and jab it out to songs by Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, and Ed Sheeran.
6
Human: Fall Flat
Play as a wobbly human figure who explores dreamscapes and solves puzzles in this lighthearted game. If you’re looking for a cooperative game that’s more than a little weird, then Human: Fall Flat is perfect. It’s worth playing around in this game for the physics alone.
7
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!
Catch wild Pokémon, battle other trainers, and explore Kanto in this expansion of the Pokémon world. Oh, and you can choose a selection of outfits just for your Pikachu. (There’s also a Let’s Go Evee! version for fans of the Pokémon best known for its evolutionary abilities.)
8
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
Steer a battleship through this colorful world, rescuing space-bunnies along the way. Who knew a shooter game could be so adorable?
9
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
The wildly popular racing game is still going strong in Mario Kart 8. Select from 42 different characters and 48 tracks, including Mount Wario and SNES Rainbow Road. Just watch out for those bananas.
10
Meow Pow
Billed as “sports-ish”, Meow Pow is a free game that invites players to become cats that slap at everything. Fast-paced and adorable, it’s a great casual game.
11
Microsoft Flight Simulator
This isn’t a super competitive game, but it can be incredibly fun to fly over your favorite places around the globe. How else can you visit the Grand Canyon, Paris, and Tokyo all in the span of a few minutes?
12
Portal 2
The two-person cooperative version of Portal 2 includes its own story and gameplay, so give it a go even if you’ve completed the single-player version. Work together to solve these challenging puzzles in a game that’s been a fan favorite since its debut about 10 years ago.
13
Rocket League
Play a fast-paced game of soccer with super-speedy cars in Rocket League. Don’t let the bright, fun graphics fool you, either, because it’s amazingly easy to get competitive when going for the goal. Plus, it’s free.
14
Stardew Valley
Try your hand at farming in Stardew Valley. In this beloved indie game, you and your partner can team up to raise animals, grow crops, and help improve your community. Plus, the pixelated art style adds a nostalgic vibe to the gameplay.
15
Swimsanity!
An underwater shooter game, Swimsanity! invites you to play cooperatively or as rivals. There’s over 150 aquatic challenges to enjoy.
16
Ultimate Chicken Horse
This silly competitive game invites you to build the level as you go along, setting traps for your competitors. Escape into this cartoony world for an evening.
17
Wilmot’s Warehouse
Organize objects into groups to get your orders out to customers as quickly as possible. You and your partner can work together to organize and deliver each new shipment of goods, which could be anything from ducks to umbrellas.
18
Wingspan
This strategy card game invites players to build a nature preserve using the game’s 170 types of birds. The addition of real-life bird calls to the game only adds to the calming, natural atmosphere.
