Gaming has always worked better when people are playing together. Experiencing what the game has to offer with someone else in-person has a certain, special quality to it that's hard to replicate online. There was at time when the option of playing with friends has been dwindling over the last few years, but the rise of indie gaming coupled with the massive success of an innovative console like the Switch has led to players being spoiled for choice when it comes to such titles.
Of course, local multiplayer games are common on other consoles as well, and the Xbox One is no exception to this golden rule. is something of a luxury now, so when a game offers local play it's a surprise. The console has a ton of options in terms of local play so there's no shortage of fun. The good thing about local play on the Xbox One is that it's fully supported, so here are some of the best local games that can be played on the Xbox One and next-gen Series X/S consoles. Players can easily pick up one of the many great multiplayer titles on this console and enjoy hours upon hours of fun with up to three other people from the comfort of their own couch.
Updated on May 31, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra:Couch gaming is a great way for players to spend time with their friends and family, with these games either encouraging teamwork and helping people bond together or pitting people against each other in competitive titles that can get pretty intense. It's easy to see why so many people flock to these games, but it can be really easy for players to accidentally waste their time going through a multiplayer game that wasn't worth their time or money. The Xbox One has a great library of such games, but there are several duds that are better off avoided.
Thankfully, many quality titles are present on this console that support up to four players locally, which is bound to be a huge draw for obvious reasons. Players who own an Xbox One can check out these games for themselves and see the wealth of creativity and fun that's on offer. Playing these titles with up to four players is bound to be a great time for obvious reasons.
26 Lovers In A Dangerous Spacetime (2015)
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime is one of the more unique co-op titles that players can check out. Players have to coordinate their movements while steering a ship and taking care of any enemies along the way. Teamwork is essential in this game, with a single mistake leading to the spaceship either crashing or enemies getting too many hits in before any retaliation.
While this sounds somewhat stressful, the cute art style and charming gameplay of the title make it more relaxing than it has any right to be. Having up to four players on a ship makes for a chaotic time as players try to coordinate their movements and ensure that no base is left uncovered when going through the game's many levels.
25 SpeedRunners (2013)
SpeedRunners is a fun and unique multiplayer game where players are tasked with running around a map and leaving their friends behind as they try to cover as much ground as possible. This is easier said than done, with many powers either switching positions, slowing players down, or performing a bevy of debilitating moves that keep the action constant and engaging.
Staying ahead of the pack is critical to succeeding in this game, especially with the game's screen shrinking as players get eliminated. Trying to win becomes a challenging affair where a single misstep can lead to a player's doom, making SpeedRunners a fun party game that four players can easily play on the Xbox One without too many issues.
24 Boomerang Fu (2020)
At a glance, Boomerang Fu looks like the cutest game in the world. The characters are all anthropomorphized food items who look downright adorable, and it's hard to imagine this game being an action title where players have to slice and dice their opponents to bits. However, Boomerang Fu shows its true colors when players get into a match, with the frantic action leading to these characters being sliced up, chopped, and minced over and over again.
The game is pretty action-packed, with players having to either aim their boomerang properly or come up close and personal to dish out a melee attack that can take enemies out in no time flat. Along with this, there are several powerups that players can use to augment the attacks of their boomerang or change the dynamic of the battle arena itself! The sheer amount of depth in what seems like a simple game is astounding, and it's a massive achievement that Boomerang Fu is easily one of the best couch multiplayer games anyone can check out for themselves.
23 Divinity: Original Sin 2 (2017)
Typically, RTSs are for a niche audience, but when they get even more complicated by making them turn-based, players may turn away. Divinity: Original Sin 2, is much like that because of its steep learning curve, which has rendered it one of the hardest turn-based RPGs to date. Because of the turn-based aspect, and the difficulty players may not be able to get through the game. However, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is a fun game once players get into it.
Playing locally makes the game pretty fun because each character can contribute better than an AI player. Plus, Divinity: Original Sin 2 has great customization for the characters, so they can put themselves into the game, this way Divinity: Original Sin 2 has an immersive feel to it, and players can contribute more. This allows the game to be different and rewarding for all players in the party. On top of that, every character is different and makes each player equal, this makes Divinity: Original Sin 2 fun to play.
22 MultiVersus (2022)
Borrowing the core gameplay from games like Smash Bros, but with its own spin. However, while MultiVersus, can be a local co-op game, it's not fully local. Meaning, if players want to go online they can't play locally with their friends. But, with the expansive offline mode, four players can go up against each other. Even if players play offline, the game is still fun and competitive. Plus with the expanding roster and levels, MultiVersus has made itself one of the best multiplayer games of 2022.
As mentioned before, it brings its own spin to the genre. If players and their friends do 2 v 2, they can equip many powerups, and each is different for the character they pick. So every fight will be different, and that's when skills matter. Because of that, they won't really miss the online section of MultiVersus because the 4 player multiplayer is still jam-packed on its own.
21 Mortal Kombat 10 (2015)
Just like MultiVersus, players can do team battles with their friends, which makes things super competitive. Mortal Kombat 10 is a challenging fighting game, which needs players to time their attacks. Because of that, every fight will be impactful for all 4 players involved. Plus, Mortal Kombat 10 is unforgiving so even if one player picks a rather easy-to-use character, they can still lose, because another player has better skill.
One of the better things about Mortal Kombat 10, is that each of the characters has difficulties so even though not every player is good at Mortal Kombat 10, they can learn better that way. The wide roster of character is diverse, and play in different ways, this allows Mortal Kombat 10 to be far more immersive and fun to play. On top of that, it can be a great party game, one that all sorts of players can jump into easily.
20 Lego Star Wars Skywalker Saga (2022)
The Lego games are usually built for local 4-player co-op, and when they have a theme like Star Wars, the gameplay gets even more fun. There are many reasons why Lego Star Wars Skywalker Saga are considered top tier because of how easy they are to get into. Plus the immersive world that's in these games will make the 4 players get lost, and that's a good thing because the Skywalker Saga has tons of things going on.
From different worlds to different characters, each player will always be doing something for the story. By going on Game Pass, players and their friends can jump into this full-fledged game all without spending a lot of money. If players want to play a game that is story-driven, and makes all 4 players work together the Skywalker Saga is just that, and in turn, it becomes a fun and entertaining experience.
19 TMNT: Shredders Revenge (2022)
This classic beat-em-up game has everything for 4 players. Each character can be any of the turtles, all with different play styles this makes gameplay rather fun for all. The reason why TMNT: Shredders Revenge is a great game to play, is that every player can feel like they're the main character. This helps them fight more aggressively. On top of that, all 4 turtles are available at the start, so all 4 players can pick their favorite right off the bat without feeling left out.
Also, TMNT: Shredders Revenge has 6 player co-op, where things can even get more chaotic, however, 4 player local co-op feels right. The balance of each turtle is way more impactful, each player is doing something, and when each player is in sync, all character's strengths come out. This makes TMNT: Shredders Revenge immersive and fun to play.
18 Diablo 3 (2012)
Players can engage in a full 4-player co-op experience full of complete customizations for everyone. Already having a rich and fully fleshed-out story, game design, and combat mechanics it has something for all that are involved.
On top of all that, being an RPG-based game, Diablo 3offers a different experience for all, from the classes each character can pick to the upgrade points being spent it gives a different feel for everyone. Also while playing with 4 players, they can level up a lot quicker because of the bonuses they get. Diablo 3 also offers a PVP section if players want to play against each other and test their skills.
17 The Ascent (2021)
The Ascent plays a lot like Diablo 3 but with guns and is a shooter rather than a hack-and-slash type of game. Both games share a handful of similarities like the RPG mechanics, but both are still pretty different. The abilities give each player a sense of uniqueness, something, not a lot of games can do.
While The Ascent can be quite difficult, having the other players in the same room can make a big difference, especially in taking down the many bosses. Having players make something their own is quite rewarding, The Ascent offers just that from gameplay upgrades to cosmetic upgrades. Everything gives players a feeling that it's their own game and adventure.
16 Left 4 Dead (2008)
This classic zombie shooter is jam-packed to the brim with fun and action, and quite easy to get into. Players can drop into the action on one of the many storylines and try to escape, going on a higher difficulty with 4 players is a pretty fun experience on its own.
Not on that but Left 4 Deadhas a sequel, which gives players even more content and more things to do. To some gameplay may feel limited, but when zombies are chasing players, and they need to escape, Left 4 Dead takes a whole new chaotic form. Trying to avoid The Witch zombie is already difficult, now with 4 other players, it becomes more fun than scary. Left 4 Dead is just an easy game to get into for a wide range of gamers, and it's full of drama for everyone.
15 Overcooked 2 (2018)
Now, this is a pretty unique game and can be a party game, but the whole point of the game is that players have a recipe and have them get the ingredients, cook, and serve customers. Overcooked 2 is pretty hard on its own, it can get harder with more players because each player is yelling at one another about what they're doing.
Communication is kind of key in Overcooked 2 because players will need to get the ingredients, prep them, and send them to another player that needs them. It's all about timing and being ready when other players need ingredients, otherwise, it becomes a yelling match. Overcooked 2 is a great couch co-op game that challenges players in a one-in-a-kind way and has hours of fun.
14 Gears Of War Franchise (2006-2019)
Players will have to dedicate a whole weekend or a long weekend to getting through the Gears Of War series. The best part is that players will have hours and hours of action thanks to the fact that it has 5 games in the series. The rich, compelling, and surprisingly deep story will make players want to marathon all of them.
With a pretty flat learning curve, players will pick up all the movesets quite fast and become pretty good early on, so it can be for a lot of players. Also, if players want to stay away from the campaign of Gears Of War, there's horde mode that places 4 players in an area, and they need to survive waves of enemies, this is quite a hard mode because it forces players to work together and be quick, or they'll get overrun.
13 Rare Replay (2015)
Gaming compilations aren't as in vogue as they once were, but Rare Replay is definitely a collection worth buying. It comes packed in with a large handful of the developer's greatest classic titles, from Banjo-Kazooie to Perfect Dark.
The latter, along with several other games, offers four-player support. PerfectDark is an especially welcome addition since it is the spiritual successor to GoldenEye on the Nintendo 64. With a new game in the franchise announced, now is as good a time as ever to play Rare's classic first-person shooter.
12 Borderlands: Handsome Jack Collection (2015)
Playing any Borderlands game split-screen in its original incarnation can be rough, slowing down the frame rate and graphical fidelity. The Handsome Jack Collection, which packages in Borderlands 2, all the DLC, and The Pre-sequel, lets players play a four-player split-screen.
The frame rate still takes a hit, but it is a worthy sacrifice for some local mayhem. The first game in the franchise was also remastered for modern consoles, so the whole series is now playable on Xbox One.
11 Streets Of Rage 4 (2020)
People expect to wait anywhere between two and four years for a sequel, but fans of beat 'em ups had to wait about 26 years to receive a sequel to Streets of Rage 3. By all accounts, it was well worth the wait.
The combat of Streets Of Rage 4 retains the intuitive feel of the classics, being easy to understand while giving players constant room to improve. The aesthetic is also a delight to behold, exploding with personality on every level.
10 Castle Crashers (2008)
This isn't a new game since it was first out on the Xbox 360, but Castle Crashers deserves to be on the list. This 2D button-smashing game has very deep, and rich elements with a fully fleshed-out story. Not a lot of local play games offer each player a sense of individualism in the way Castle Crashers does.
For up to four players, each player's character has their own attributes and weapons. It's also hard to confuse who is who since each character has its own color that matches the gameplay for the characters.
9 Rocket League (2015)
While Rocket League can be played online, it works really well on the local level as well. The car and sports mashup ones are the types of games where anything can happen. The craziness of playing two-on-two with friends while playing soccer, basketball, or even hockey is unique to Rocket League.
Full customization, with licensed vehicles like the Batmobile, adds hours on top of hours of a good time. It's no wonder why Rocket League is one of the better co-op games. The challenge also adds to the fun, though that should not deter newcomers from checking it out.
8 WWE 2K20 (2019)
While not the best sports game in 2k's catalog, WWE 2K20 does have its upsides such as playing with friends using the player’s favorite wrestler. For all the single-player sections, it has a multiplayer counterpart like all the game modes and all the events. Even better, all of these can be done with four players.
WWE 2K20 offers hours and hours of fun beating up players’ friends with iconic wrestlers like The Rock, Triple H, and many more. It can be fun for everyone, even if someone who is playing in the group doesn't really like wrestling.
7 Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)
Usually, triple-A games force players to buy the game if they want to play with friends. Call of Duty continues offering split-screen options, however. Given how Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4 is considered to be one of the best multiplayer games of 2018, it does make sense.
With the absence of a campaign, it's the Zombies mode that really offers replay value. While going online and playing the battle royal mode Blackout or the typical online section are options as well. Having four players together in Zombies mode certainly makes things a little more manageable.