It Takes Two might be the best co-op game of all time… at the very least, it is the best of the 2020s. Simply put, games like It Takes Two don’t come around often, especially ones that embrace co-op with complete confidence. Hazelight’s masterpiece delivers beautiful visuals, a cheesy but charming story, great gameplay that constantly evolves, and a vast range of environments. As brilliant as it is, the game is relatively short and not extremely replayable, so there will come a time when every fan will say, “What’s next?”
In recent years, co-op has enjoyed something of a renaissance, with more developers showing interest in pursuing projects that prioritize cooperation. Therefore, let’s highlight a few recent releases that It Takes Two fans should play once they are done with all of Hazelight’s projects.
Updated on April 10, 2026 by Mark Sammut: Co-op games similar to It Takes Two are not easy to come by, but they still exist. I’ve updated this article with two new recommendations that might not be that obvious at a glance: Peak and Reanimal.
Reanimal
It Takes Two Isn’t The Only Special Co-Op Game
What makes It Takes Two special is that, except for Split Fiction, there is no other game that is truly 100% like it. Don’t get me wrong, you can find something that fills the same void, albeit in a different way, as this article will prove; however, a game cannot be compared to It Takes Two if it isn’t unique. Reanimal is one of those releases, despite Tarsier’s history with Little Nightmares. On the surface, the former might seem like a blatant spiritual successor to the latter, but that sells both of them short. Unlike Little Nightmares, which is a puzzle-platformer with horror undertones, Reanimal fully commits to that genre, somewhat at the expense of gameplay.
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While not specified outright, the story follows two siblings as they explore a terrifying island in search of their missing friend. Right from the very start, Reanimal creates a tense tone that seeps into every scene, making even the smallest decisions feel nerve-wracking. Instead of dimension-hopping like It Takes Two, this game visits new locations that have their own personality and monsters, each one of which is haunting. Now, I will say that Reanimal‘s gameplay is quite simple and basic, playing it more like an adventure story than a puzzle-platformer. However, the relationship between the siblings takes center stage in both the story and the interactive elements, the latter of which emphasize coordination.
Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons Remake
A Powerful Story About A Strong Family Relationship
Before establishing Hazelight, Josef Fares worked with Starbreeze on Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, a project that shares a few things in common with the creator’s subsequent releases. Brothers focuses on two siblings as they go on a dangerous journey to find a cure for their father’s alignment, and their fragile bond is tested and strengthened along the way. The game tells a powerful family story, and it highlights a different dynamic than It Takes Two while still hitting similar highs. Unlike Hazelight’s masterpieces, the original version of A Tale of Two Sons was specifically designed to be a single-player experience, despite featuring two playable characters. Players are expected to simultaneously use each thumbstick to control one sibling, a format that can take some getting used to at first; however, this decision complements and enhances the story brilliantly.
In 2024, Avantgarden released a remake with a graphical upgrade and tweaked controls, along with one significant alteration: co-op support. Now, this feature was already implemented in the Switch port of the 2013 original, but it was kept away from the other versions; consequently, the remake represents the first time that PlayStation, PC, and Xbox users can experience Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons in co-op. And, it is a fine option that could help encourage a second playthrough, especially since the campaign does not otherwise have all that much replay value. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons should first be experienced as a single-player game. Co-op is a bonus but not the default.
Knights And Bikes
Child-Like Wonder
An endlessly charming blend of suburban culture and fantasy, Knights and Bikes follows two girls as they explore their town in search of a mysterious treasure, a journey driven out of desperation and fueled by imagination. While their dynamic is obviously different from It Takes Two‘s couple, Nessa and Demelza nevertheless make for an endearing duo, and their relationship is both wholesome and fairly realistic.
Similar to Hazelight’s masterpiece, Knights and Bikes sends its characters on an over-the-top and fantastical adventure that grounds its emotional core in relatable and mature themes like grief. The title combines puzzles, combat, and exploration, all the while including fun mechanics like upgradable bikes. While supporting solo play, Knights and Bikes is designed with co-op in mind, especially since the story is driven specifically by two friends.
Peak
You Can’t Climb A Mountain Alone
If you are craving a story-driven co-op game defined by deep characterization and tight levels, Peak will not satisfy you. However, if you are looking for a game designed to deliver those “we actually did it” moments, there might not be a better option. While solo play is possible, Peak is designed around co-op, and it is basically as forced as It Takes Two. The premise revolves around climbing a mountain, a process that pretty much requires everyone to lift each other if they want to survive. There will be moments when your friend is hanging off a ledge with almost no stamina, begging for help before they drop to their doom. That’s your moment to shine.
It Takes Two is a very linear experience that gives players a few tools that they can use to solve every problem. Although far more open-ended due to being a sandbox, Peak is entirely about creative problem-solving using knowledge and the tools at your disposal. Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this game to just everyone, but Peak is perfect for those who absolutely loved It Takes Two‘s intense moments where players have to align their inputs.
Kirby And The Forgotten Land
Nintendo’s Charming 3D Platformer
Those looking for a fun and wholesome experience that’s just as colorful and endearing as It Takes Two will want to go through Kirby and the Forgotten Land with a friend or loved one. This Kirby adventure is unlike any other, pitting the pink puffball (and a friend in Bandana Waddle Dee) up against a colorful cast of enemies in a 3D-styled adventure similar to Super Mario Odyssey.
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Kirby is no stranger to multiplayer games in general, with the franchise even releasing a couple of spin-offs specifically designed around co-op; however, The Forgotten Land is a full-blown single-player adventure that just happens to support a partner. The second player takes charge of Bandana Waddle Dee, a spear-wielding fighter who lacks most of Kirby’s unique abilities. Although fairly fun to use, Bandana Waddle Dee very much feels like a sidekick who is along for the ride but will never overshadow the main hero. Disappointing as this can be at times, The Forgotten Land is such a fun co-op platformer that it is still an easy recommendation.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
A Mario Game Made For Co-Op
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is just as polished and charming as any other mainline entry in Nintendo’s franchise. After roughly a decade, Mario and friends finally returned in October 2023 for a new 2D adventure, and Wonder serves as a great evolution of this formula. While a great pick for solo runners, the game also supports 4-player co-op, with the participants being able to pick from 12 playable characters such as Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and Light-Blue Yoshi.
Accessibility is a cornerstone of most of Nintendo’s primary franchises, none more so than Mario. Consequently, Wonder is designed to be as beginner-friendly as possible, including the incorporation of an invincibility feature that can be assigned to individual characters. As such, parents can introduce their young children to the magic of gaming through Wonder, all the while removing the frustration that might come from a mistake.
It Takes Two and Super Mario Bros. Wonder are very different games in the grand scheme of things, with the latter largely disregarding its story. However, they both take players on visually gorgeous adventures filled with memorable characters and locations.
ibb & obb
Defying Gravity Together
Something of a cult classic by this point, ibb & obb is a charming co-op puzzle game that primarily revolves around one concept/mechanic: Gravity. Divided by a threshold, the screen is always split into two halves, with their gravitational pulls being flipped. Nearly all the game’s puzzles challenge players to coordinate and use both gravities to get past obstacles, be it difficult jumps or enemies. ibb & obb is 100% intended to be played with a partner, as single-player is not offered as an option; unsurprisingly, the title emphasizes communication, and most of the puzzles are borderline unbeatable if players do not have a way to talk to each other (via online co-op).
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ibb & obb does not quite have the visual diversity or story nuance of It Takes Two, but it is nevertheless a highly effective cooperative game that takes full advantage of that feature. The graphics and color palette are also quite nice and have aged pretty well over the last decade or so. For those who have never played this release and are looking for something to pass a couple of hours, they can do much worse than ibb & obb.
As Dusk Falls
Family Drama
As Dusk Falls
4/10
- 8-Player Local Co-Op
- 8-Player Online Co-Op
As Supermassive Games has proven, interactive dramas can be a good fit for co-op experiences. While Until Dawn, The Dark Pictures Anthology, and The Quarry are all fun, they are horror games and quite far removed from It Takes Two. Consequently, Interior Night’s As Dusk Falls is a more complementary recommendation since, similar to Hazelight’s title, it also deals with family relationships.
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Solo players can enjoy As Dusk Falls‘ gripping narrative, but the game’s multiplayer feature adds a fresh dimension to the experience. Rather than assigning players to different characters, everyone gets to vote on the choices made in the story, with the most popular pick transpiring.
Nikoderiko: The Magical World
A Modern Platformer That Looks At The Past And Does Justice By It
Admittedly, Nikoderiko: The Magical World is less of a specific recommendation for It Takes Two fans and more for people craving a modern platformer that takes inspiration from the greats of yesteryear. Vea Games put together a delightful project inspired by the likes of Crash Bandicoot and Donkey Kong Country, which is never a bad thing, especially when those franchises seem to produce a new game every decade or so. Nikoderiko jumps back and forth between 2D and 3D platforming, even within the same level. The former sections are fairly straightforward but also consistently challenging, and the latter offer heightened visual flair while holding back from being too ambitious to the game’s detriment.
Story-wise, Nikoderiko follows two adventurers who love to find treasure. Unfortunately, their latest escapade ends with them putting a dangerous relic in the hands of the evil Grimbald, a situation that could spell considerable danger for the island they find themselves on. Now, Nikoderiko is specifically a platformer, which puts it in stark contrast with It Takes Two‘s puzzle-driven nature. However, both games are colorful, featuring fun movement, and frequently introduce fresh ideas to try and shake up their core formulas.
KeyWe
Cute Co-Op
KeyWe
- 2-Player Local Co-Op
- 2-Player Online Co-Op
A puzzle-platformer that can be played solo but is really meant for co-op, KeyWe‘s charm goes beyond a clever pun. Players are cast as Jeff and Debra, two kiwi birds operating a busy post office. In order to manage an avalanche of letters and responsibilities, Jeff and Debra must efficiently split the workload to ensure they are covering all their bases.
Although not story-driven, like It Takes Two, both games emphasize communication. In KeyWe‘s stages, players will be off doing their own thing as they need to work independently to achieve most objectives; however, these actions need to be well coordinated.
