If you are looking for a new date night idea beyond passively watching another movie, you might want to try tackling a challenge together. My partner and I have been testing out co-op games as a way to do something more active, and the results have been, well, mixed, in the most hilarious ways.
To be fair, "testing" is a loose term. Some of these were played with friends, as my partner wisely (or bravely) opted out of a few of the more chaotic ones. This only makes my findings more unscientific, as every couple (and friend group) is unique. I discovered that playing together creates a unique kind of bond—whether you’re building a digital home from scratch, pulling off a virtual heist, or defusing a bomb.
It Takes Two
There is a reason It Takes Two won so many awards. This action-adventure platformer from Hazelight Studios is a masterpiece in cooperative design. You play as Cody and May, a couple on the brink of divorce who are magically transformed into dolls. To turn back, they must work their way through a fantastical world created from their own neglected home.
The genius of this game is that it is co-op only. You cannot proceed without your partner. Every level introduces new, complementary mechanics. One of you might get a hammer while the other gets a nail, or one controls a magnet's polarity while the other controls its movement. The game forces you to talk, coordinate, and rely on each other, all while wrapped in a surprisingly heartfelt story.
Stardew Valley
If high-stakes action sounds stressful, Stardew Valley is the perfect antidote. This is the ultimate cozy farming simulator, and its co-op mode is a dream for couples. You and your partner can share a farm, money, a house, or even get married to each other.
The beauty of Stardew is its low-stakes, high-reward loop. One of you can tend the crops and care for the animals while the other goes mining for resources or fishing. Alternatively, you can do everything as a pair. It is a long-term project you can chip away at night after night, building a digital life together. It really is the perfect game to unwind with and simply exist together in a peaceful, productive world.
Dinkum
A fantastic choice for life-sim fans is Dinkum. My partner and I have pivoted to this after hours with Stardew Valley, as we’ve found ourselves satisfied with our homestead. Dinkum captures the relaxing town-building magic of Animal Crossing but sets it in the charming and dangerous Australian outback. In multiplayer, you and your partner can move to an island, build a town from the ground up, and turn a wild landscape into a cozy home.
You can team up to hunt massive crocodiles, forage for resources, farm, fish, and decorate your shared living space. Dinkum is all about creative freedom in a shared world. It is a wonderful, long-term game for couples who want that classic life-sim experience but with a unique, adventurous twist.
Tabletop Simulator
Why settle for one game when you can have thousands? Tabletop Simulator is, beyond just a game, a whole physics sandbox that lets you play digital versions of nearly any board game imaginable. The Steam Workshop is filled with user-created mods for everything from simple classics like Chess and Checkers to complex, modern strategy games like Gloomhaven or social party games.
This is the perfect solution for a digital board game night. It is especially great for long-distance couples who miss playing games at the same table. You can collaborate on a complex puzzle game or go head-to-head in a friendly competition. And if things go wrong, you can always just flip the virtual table.
Portal 2
While its single-player campaign is legendary, Portal 2's separate co-op campaign is arguably one of the greatest two-player experiences ever made. You and your partner play as two testing robots, Atlas and P-Body, navigating a series of complex puzzle chambers designed by the malevolent AI, GLaDOS.
Each of you has a portal gun, meaning you must coordinate four portals to solve mind-bending physics puzzles. It demands a different kind of communication—not just shouting, but true collaboration and outside-the-box-thinking. Figuring out a difficult chamber together provides a massive sense of shared accomplishment.
Overcooked! 2
This game is famously known as the ultimate "relationship test." Overcooked! 2 is a chaotic couch co-op game where you and your partner are chefs in a series of absurd kitchens. You must chop, cook, plate, and serve dishes against a ticking clock, all while the kitchens are splitting in half, catching fire, or floating down a river.
Success is impossible without constant, clear, and loud communication. It’s a frantic yet hilarious that will forge your teamwork skills in the fires of a virtual kitchen. If you can three-star these levels together, you can handle anything.
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
If Overcooked is about chaotic teamwork, this game is about pure, focused communication. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is an asymmetrical co-op game. One player is in a virtual room with a complex, ticking time bomb. The other player has the bomb defusal manual but cannot see the bomb.
The Defuser must clearly describe the bizarre modules they see. The Expert must frantically search the manual to find the right instructions, like "Cut the third blue wire, but only if there is a vowel in the serial number." It’s an incredibly satisfying test of how well you can describe, listen, and interpret under pressure.
Your Turn to Play
Whether you're looking for a relaxing way to build a shared world or a chaotic test of your communication skills, the real victory for both of you is in setting aside time and creating a shared story. So boot up your device, grab a controller, pick a game, and start your next co-op adventure.
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