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King of the Couch: The Best Local Multiplayer Games for PS5 and Xbox Series

We've pulled together a list of ten great games to play together on the current-generation of consoles.

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As the days grow shorter and the weather colder, staying inside is looking more and more appealing, but it can be hard to find fun ways to pass the time. But fear not, as we've brought back King of the Couch to provide some exciting recommendations for local multiplayer games on current-generation consoles. So gather your friends, get some refreshments, and get ready to sink some quality time together into one or more of the titles below.

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

Starting off the list strong, is a title we'd be remiss not to mention, as It Takes Two highlights co-op play. This action-adventure game is designed specifically for two players, who take the roles 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, whilst rediscovering their love for each other and 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 some incredible boss battles.

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

Gearbox Studios' Tiny Tina's Wonderlands has come leaps and bounds from the Borderlands 2 DLC it was based on, and more is sure to come as the studio looks to build it out as a new franchise. Set within 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 customise their own distinct character, from in-game gear to classes, and even skills. With a rich world to explore, zany quests to complete, and tons and tons of loot to scour the world for, there's plenty of adventure to get stuck into with friends.

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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

Guilty Gear: Strive (PlayStation 5)

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

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King of the Couch: The Best Local Multiplayer Games for PS5 and Xbox Series

MultiVersus (Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5)

MultiVersus is the flagship platform fighter from Player First Games and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment that truly has something for everyone to enjoy. Drawing from WB's extensive library of characters, the game pits figures from Scooby Doo, DC Comics, Looney Tunes and more against each other. Up to four players can draw from this eclectic cast of characters in local play and test themselves against friends with wildly varying skill-sets. The game also features a perks system for greater customisation, and the best part is that the whole thing is completely free!

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

Cuphead, the acclaimed chaotic platformer from Studio MDHR 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, uncover new secrets, dominate new bosses and even play as the legendary chalice with the addition of Ms. Chalice in the DLC. Cuphead's innovative level design, high skill ceiling and charming animation make it as delightful and unique as it is frustrating, but the payoff is worth it and it'll be all the better shared with a friend.

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Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PlayStation 5)

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a spinoff of the wildly popular Little Big Planet series, stripping back the creation tools to provide a fleshed out, 3D platforming experience akin to genre classics such as Super Mario Bros. It retains the series' trademark art-style and immense character customisation options, whilst breaking into new ground for the franchise in terms of level design. Sackboy can host up to four players in local co-op, and arguably the casual smash-and-grab game style is best enjoyed this way, with your reckless adventures spurred on by the game's catchy soundtrack.

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 SeriesKing of the Couch: The Best Local Multiplayer Games for PS5 and Xbox Series

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

The biggest Lego Star Wars game ever seen, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga encompasses all three mainline film trilogies, which can be played in any order. The characters in the game aren't limited to just the films though, and in the two player split-screen co-op mode you and a friend will have over 300 playable characters from throughout Star Wars' history to choose from. Alongside this gargantuan roster, the game features a reworked combat system, which emphasises the differences between combat styles and allows for more complex combination attacks. Whether you are a returning Lego Star Wars fan, an achievement hunter, or looking for a casual and fun gameplay experience, this game truly has something for everyone to love.

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

Set in a dystopian cyberpunk city following the collapse of its corporate ownership, The Ascent is a unique twin-stick shooter played from an isometric perspective. The game features heavy action-RPG elements as your character(s) scrambles for control amidst the growing power vacuum in the city. Four players can play together in local co-op, and thanks to the extensive character customisation and augmentation systems in the game, have completely different play styles as a party. The game's levels range from tactical stalemates where you'll utilise cover to whittle down enemies, run-and-gun sequences with destructible environments, and massive bullet-hell style boss battles, all taking place within a complex and rich story 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 colourful entry on this list; you play as a dog (named after your favourite food, but who is otherwise named Pizza) who has stolen a magical paintbrush from its former keeper, a rabbit named Chicory. In the two player co-op mode, players work together to control Pizza and the paintbrush, stepping up to the mantle of the responsibility of the role they have stumbled into as blights begin to seep into the world and drain it of its colour. At times simplistic, the game has a rich soundtrack, and an adorable design as players traverse the world, restoring colour to the bleak black and white landscapes and manipulating them as they solve the top-down puzzles. Unlike many of the games on this list, Chicory is an ideal title for parents to play with their children, as the few boss battles the game has may even be skipped. All in all, the game's strong thematic message about the perils of self doubt and the benefits of creativity leave a warm and profound impact after playing, and for this reason it's a worthwhile experience for anyone.

King of the Couch: The Best Local Multiplayer Games for PS5 and Xbox Series

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

Framed 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, choose your own adventure style horror game played from a third-person perspective. Players take control of a group of camp counsellors spending their last night at Hackett's Quarry following the end of the camp for the summer. In the game's inbuilt co-op mode, control of the cast of characters can be split amongst two players, but it's perhaps even more enjoyable to get a whole group together to form a makeshift council to deliberate in-game choices. To this end, even the reaction time and shooting elements of the game can be disabled for the philosophically and narratively inclined. With over 100 different endings to explore and a premonition system to guide your decisions, groups should buckle in for a wild ride with friends and make a day of the experience.

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Hopefully something on our list has caught your eye, whether you're looking for a rowdy beat-em-up, a heartfelt journey or some grim adventures with friends as we draw closer to Halloween. Whatever your choice, be sure to let us know how you find it in the comments below.



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