Cooperative multiplayer is more prevalent than ever, but it is mostly relegated to online play. What about those who want to share an experience with a close friend or loved one on a couch? Plenty of split-screen or couch co-op options still exist, but some people want something beefy.
To help out, the following list will present ten lengthy couch co-op games. The shortest ones range between fifteen and twenty hours, while the biggest ones can take upwards of thirty. Nothing solidifies a bond more than going through an epic virtual journey together and watching each other's backs.
10 Secret Of Mana
Not only does this SNES game have split-screen co-op, but it also lets players drop in and out on a dime, making the game perfect for both casual players and long term, committed friends. A third one can even jump in for a more interesting time. It eschews the turn-based battles common for the time for an action-adventure style. This way, newcomers aren't bored or confused by the idea of people taking turns to hit each other. While an older title, the game has been remade and re-released for modern consoles. The Switch even has Collection of Mana, which comes with two additional games, one of which didn't see a release in the West until the 2017 compilation.
9 Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Don't expect a short and sweet beat 'em up with Marvel Ultimate Alliance. It's more of a dungeon crawler than a Streets of Rage clone. The sequels focused the game play a little more, but the original takes some time and dedication to get through. For Marvel fans, it is a treat to go through the story and see one's favorite comic book characters kick butt. The first two games were released on the PS4 and 360, but Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is a Nintendo Switch exclusive.
8 Borderlands 3
The entire Borderlands franchise is perfect for long play sessions with friends. The progression system is easy to understand and makes the game hard to put down once its hooks are inside the player. Even those who bemoan its juvenile sense of humor have to admit the world has its own special charm.
Gearbox has found itself in some controversy in recent years, though that shouldn't stop friends from having a good time with the Vault Hunters on Pandora and many of the other planets explored in Borderlands 3.
7 Diablo III
Diablo IV is still years away, so now is as good a time as ever to jump into the series' third numbered entry with a bunch of buds. The hammy voice acting and ridiculous story do nothing the hamper the joy of tearing down demonic hordes and collecting progressively better loot. With the several classes available, there is something for every play style to enjoy.
After beating the main quest, new game plus and bonus modes make the game endlessly replayable. Despite the complexities of its stats and the potential to fall into a rabbit hole of loot, the game play is easy to understand and accessible.
6 Spelunky
Derek Yu's legendary adventure game has kept gamers entertained for years. A less advertised feature of the title is its local multiplayer. While Deathmatch is included, the co-op is where it's really at. Going through the game's hazardous environments is thrilling enough alone; doing it with a friend means sharing in the discovery. It hardly makes the title any less challenging, however. While waiting for Spelunky 2, take another trip down the original's labyrinthine caves.
5 Hellidvers
On the surface, Helldivers appears to be a mindless twin-stick shooting gallery. While this would be enough for a decent co-op adventure, the title goes far and beyond this, presenting layers of tactical possibilities and dozens of hours of game play. Several different enemy types among the factions force the player to think strategically about what weapons they bring into battle. Playing with four friends adds even more potential strategies.
4 Resident Evil 6
Granted, Resident Evil 6 is probably the weakest of the numbered titles. That doesn't mean it doesn't provide hours of mindless co-op fun, however. With four different campaigns scattered across a wide variety of locations, it will be upwards of twenty hours before all the story content is done.
Afterwards, tackle the Mercenaries mode with a friend to extend the playtime even further. Resident Evil 5 offers a better co-op campaign, but it is not as beefy as Resident Evil 6. It is just unfortunate how lackluster the game is compared to its peers.
3 Don't Starve Together
Don't Starve's original release was a single-player only affair. Many fans loved the game thought it could only get better with the addition of multiplayer. Thankfully, developer Klei Entertainment heeded the call with Don't Starve Together, an expansion which adds the ability to brave the dangerous wilderness with a friend on the same console. Considering the game's rogue-like structure and the permadeath mechanic, the game offers potentially limitless replay value.
2 Gauntlet Legends
The Gauntlet series is synonymous with arcade cooperative mayhem. Gauntlet Legends also released on home consoles, including the N64, Dreamcast, and PlayStation. Despite arcades being known for carrying shorter games, doing everything there is to do in Legends will take a couple dozen hours. Unfortunately, the game is fairly difficult to get these days, never having been brought to modern hardware. But if someone still has their N64 plugged in and running, four player co-op doesn't get much better on the old console than Gauntlet Legends.
1 Divinity: Original Sin
Rarely do long RPGs offer the chance to go through it with a buddy on a couch. The two Divinity: Original Sin games offer two-player co-op throughout its entire campaign. From start to finish, both titles will each take over fifty hours to complete.
Doing all the side activities will extend this further. Just be sure a dedicated buddy starts the game with you, though. Having someone flake out often will mean taking years to beat the games. It can be played solo, of course, but everything is better when a friend is by your side.