10 Co-Op Games With 90+ Scores On Open-Critic

Some gamers prioritize playing with others above all else. Even if a game isn’t perfect, the option to play co-op makes it worthwhile. A great example is the *Dynasty Warriors* series. While fighting endless waves of enemies can get repetitive on your own, it’s much more fun with a friend playing alongside you.

Playing with friends can make almost any game more fun, so it’s helpful to have a list of truly excellent co-op titles. These popular games, available on different consoles, cover many genres and come from well-loved series.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Earn Bells With Ease

  • OpenCritic: 90
  • Co-Op Options: Four Local/Eight Online

Okay, so Animal Crossing: New Horizons is seriously one of the most relaxing games Nintendo’s ever made. I love how much you can customize your island – it’s totally your own little world. You just wander around, collect stuff, build furniture for your house, and even plant trees like apple trees to sell for bells. It’s super chill and addictive!

You can play with up to four friends in person, or with eight others online. Plus, you can visit other players’ islands by flying over, where you can explore and work together.

Stardew Valley

Pixel Perfect Co-Op

  • OpenCritic: 90
  • Co-Op Options: Eight Local/Online

Okay, so I’m totally hooked on Stardew Valley. It’s a life sim like Animal Crossing, but honestly, it’s way more involved when it comes to gameplay. The graphics are kinda retro, reminding me of the old SNES games, which I actually dig. Basically, you inherit a farm and you’re constantly working to clear it out and plant stuff. And the cool thing is, *everything* you do – farming, fishing, mining – levels up your skills, so you’re always improving. It’s really satisfying!

I love that I can team up with up to eight other players! Honestly, taking care of animals and crops can be a bit of a grind, but with extra hands helping out on the ranch, it makes everything way more manageable and fun.

Minecraft

Mountains Of Creativity

  • OpenCritic: 90
  • Co-Op Options: Four Local/Eight Online

Minecraft is a hugely popular game all about building and creativity. Unlike many games, it doesn’t have a set story or characters telling you what to do – and that’s exactly what some players love! It’s easy to pick up because everything is made of simple, LEGO-like blocks, letting you create anything from a small house to an entire village.

The game offers local co-op for players on consoles, and even allows up to eight people to team up online. For large-scale projects, like building entire cities, cooperative play is essential and greatly appreciated by fans.

Monster Hunter: World

A World Of Possibilities

  • OpenCritic: 90
  • Co-Op Options: Four Online

Monster Hunter: World improved the classic Monster Hunter experience with several helpful features, but it remained a difficult game for solo players. The core gameplay revolves around selecting a weapon and battling massive monsters. Players gather materials from defeated monsters to craft diverse weapons and armor, preparing them to face even more dangerous foes.

It’s much easier to succeed in *Monster Hunter: World* when you team up with other players online—up to three others can join your hunt, which is especially helpful as the game gets harder. Plus, hunting with friends is a lot more enjoyable, and there’s nothing quite like the feeling of defeating a massive monster with a coordinated team.

Rayman Legends

A Sing-A-Long Platformer

  • OpenCritic: 90
  • Co-Op Options: Four Local

Rayman Legends is a visually stunning platformer that doesn’t get enough recognition. You can play as several different characters through a variety of creative levels. While there aren’t a ton of them, the music-themed levels are particularly fantastic, featuring songs like Ram Jam’s “Black Betty” and Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.”

These levels, and all others in the game, are perfect for up to four players to enjoy together locally, creating one of the best cooperative platforming experiences you can find on any console, past or present.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Mario Gets Weird Again

  • OpenCritic: 91
  • Co-Op Options: Four Local

The *Mario* series is famous for constantly innovating the platforming genre, and *Super Mario Bros. Wonder* is the best 2D *Mario* game yet when playing with friends. The new Wonder Flowers keep every level fresh and unpredictable, creating surprising moments like flower parades or pipes that move like worms.

Me and up to three friends can play through these levels, which is awesome! There’s a bunch of different characters we can pick from – you’ve got the usual suspects like Luigi, Peach, and Daisy, but also different versions of Toad and Yoshi to try out. It’s great having so many options!

Donkey Kong Bananza

Sing It Sister!

  • OpenCritic: 91
  • Co-Op Options: Two Local/Online

While not a perfect team experience, Donkey Kong Bananza is still enjoyable for players who want to watch and participate alongside the main player. Donkey Kong is the central character, and his powerful fists allow him to easily break apart the environment to uncover hidden treasures.

When playing with a second player as Pauline, she rides on Donkey Kong’s shoulders and can use her voice to both attack enemies and impact the environment. This cooperative gameplay is available locally with one Switch or online using two Switch systems and the GameShare feature.

Split Fiction

Caught Between Sci-Fi And Fantasy

  • OpenCritic: 91
  • Co-Op Options: Two Local/Online

Split Fiction is likely one of the best cooperative games ever created. It’s designed specifically for two players, whether playing together in person or online. As the characters Mio and Zoe, players work to escape a virtual reality created by an AI, which constantly throws challenging fantasy and sci-fi situations their way.

Every stage of the game offers something new, from assisting dragons to competing in futuristic bike races, keeping things fresh and exciting. It’s really designed to be played with a friend from start to finish, so finding a partner before you begin is highly recommended.

Elden Ring

Behold The Pale Horse

  • OpenCritic: 95
  • Co-Op Options: Three Online

Elden Ring is the first open-world game created by FromSoftware, the developers known for their challenging action RPGs. This open world allows players to freely explore and choose which areas they want to face, letting them prioritize easier challenges or jump right into the most difficult ones.

You can explore the game with up to three players in co-op. However, the co-op connection will end if you defeat or are defeated by a boss. If you’re interested in similar cooperative experiences in other FromSoftware games, check out *Bloodborne*, *Dark Souls 3*, and the *Demon’s Souls* remake – all of which received high scores in the 90s on OpenCritic.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Choose A Side

  • OpenCritic: 96
  • Co-Op Options: Two Local/Four Online

Baldur’s Gate 3 handles cooperative play a little differently than most games, much like Donkey Kong Bananza. Because it’s a story-driven, turn-based RPG, many players will likely have the best experience playing through the campaign solo, especially on their first playthrough.

I’ve been loving this game, and it’s awesome that you can play the whole campaign with friends if you’re into planning things out together and making choices as a team! I’d suggest playing through it solo first, though. Your decisions *really* matter and shape the story, and having a friend along can take away from that feeling of control. But hey, if you prefer playing with buddies, go for it!

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2025-10-09 09:36