Sometimes a solo video game session isn’t enough, as you might want to try playing co-op games with your siblings or friends. While there are some co-op games you usually play with family and friends on occasion, not everyone is looking for fast reflexes, competitive pressure, or high-stakes challenges.
Relaxing co-op games offer a different kind of multiplayer experience. These focus on collaboration, creativity, and slow-paced gameplay, making them perfect for unwinding after a long day. If you’re searching for low-pressure multiplayer games that let you and your friends play at your own pace, check out these 10 relaxing co-op games to enjoy with others.
10. Unravel Two
In Unravel Two, you form new bonds with new Yarnys. The sequel to Unravel, this game allows you to connect with your friends, travel, and witness breathtaking landscapes through the eyes of a Yarny. From problem-solving to experiencing a heartfelt storyline, you and a friend will use the power of positivity in the face of uncertainty.
As a local co-op game, Unravel Two can be mainly played on local co-op or through Steam’s “Remote Play Together” feature. Overall, the game has the right balance of storytelling and puzzle challenges that make it still relaxing to play with a friend.
9. Webfishing
Another relaxing co-op game you should check out is Webfishing. This game is as simple as it sounds, as you simply relax and go fishing on the web. Webfishing allows you to hang out, make friends, and catch fish together. You can snag almost 100 different creatures and get rewards. There are even some features like customization and playing with tools and toys in the game.
8. Spiritfarer
Next is Spiritfarer, a cozy management game where you guide spirits to the afterlife. While the story itself is known to be played in single-player, you can do local co-op by playing as Daffodil, a cat. The game also supports Remote Play Together.
Spiritfarer allows you to build, manage, and improve your own spirit ferry. You can gather resources through farming, mining, fishing, harvesting, cooking, weaving, and crafting. Plus, you’ll enjoy the wide range of characters you’ll meet. It’s a heartwarming and relaxing co-op game that allows you to experience a lot of features in more than 30 hours of gameplay.
7. Supermarket Together
Is it Supermarket Simular or Supermarket Together? Well, the two games have very nearly identical concepts. However, Supermarket Together focuses on the multiplayer supermarket aspect. You and your friends work together to build a successful supermarket franchise with over 300 different products.
While the game sounds ordinary, there are a lot of secondary tasks you also need to do to succeed. This includes cleaning, watching for shoplifters and catching them, preventing financial leaks, and even decorating your grocery store. It’s a fun game that involves a lot of organizing, tracking, and is just a good management sim that’s relaxing.
6. Luma Island
As with most cozy games, you often find yourself starting fresh on an island or piece of land and building a community from the ground up. What makes Luma Island different as a relaxing co-op game is that you collect magical Lumas, which are the residents of the game’s setting. The best part of this game is that there are no stamina bars, no inventory limits, and no limits for your creativity. You can play in cozy, adventure, or hero modes, whether in solo or with up to four players.
5. It Takes Two
Are you ready for the craziest journey of your life? You’ve probably heard of It Takes Two, an award-winning game known for its disruptive challenges in a fantastical world. Playing as the couple of Cody and May, two humans who have turned into dolls, you and another player are tasked with saving the couple’s fractured relationship.
Each character has unique abilities. At the same time, while It Takes Two is a puzzle-like platformer, it comes with some surprising and absurd moments that will make you laugh out loud while still experiencing a sincere story. It’s definitely a must-play for co-op enthusiasts.
4. Hello Kitty Island Adventure
With the rising popularity of Sanrio’s characters comes Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Here, you start as a customizable character crash-landing with Hello Kitty and her colorful friends on an island with lots to explore and uncover. Each area’s stories are both epic and cozy. Plus, there’s always something for you to do on the island, like celebrating the holidays, crafting items, and befriending the island residents.
There are even hidden puzzles, gardening features, and collecting rare critters you can put on display in the Nature Preserve. Additionally, you can team up with your friends, explore, get bonuses, and solve challenges together. You have the freedom to customize the different island houses and play the game however you want. It’s the perfect relaxing co-op game if you’re looking for something as chill as a literal island vacation.
3. Minecraft
Minecraft is certainly a standout classic. With its open-ended world, limitless possibilities, and constant updates. You can build anything you can imagine, unravel the world’s mysteries, and survive against a unique roster of mobs. The game pretty much requires you to craft your way through its infinite world. Furthermore, you can play Minecraft in different ways, especially with mods, plugins, and similar add-on content.
In terms of the co-op aspect of Minecraft, you can play Minecraft with any number of players. There’s the option of local co-op in the comfort of your own home by setting up a local private server, subscribing to Minecraft Realms, or even joining or hosting your own Minecraft server online. So if you’re playing with nearby friends or meeting people from across the world, Minecraft is the relaxing co-op game that can make this happen.
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
An icon of the relaxing co-op games scene is Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Dubbed as an inspiration to most island cozy games, Animal Crossing: New Horizons allows you to explore your island, decorate your paradise, fish, catch bugs, and more. You can even meet a variety of characters and invite them to live on your island. But you still need to ensure you have the resources and make everyone’s stay worth it.
The game allows you to craft everything you need to turn your island into the ultimate getaway. For co-op gameplay, you and your friends can visit each other’s island, collect resources, gift each other items, and more. With Animal Crossing: New Horizons as a huge game, especially with its upcoming Version 3.0 free update, there will be more for you and your friends to have fun with.
1. Stardew Valley
Finally, we have Stardew Valley. After inheriting your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley, you learn to live off the land and turn the fields into a vibrant and thriving home. A renowned, relaxing co-op title, Stardew Valley lets you raise animals, grow crops, craft machinery, and more. You can even invite up to seven players to work and build on your farm, and share its resources.
Besides starting a farm together, you and your friends can also meet the local community filled with over 30 unique characters. Each character has their own story, which you can dive into more as you build a relationship with them. Besides romancing some of the available bachelors and bachelorettes, you can also romance your fellow players. With that, Stardew Valley has become a well-beloved game known for its relaxing co-op gameplay and expansive story.