The best multiplayer games to play with your duo this weekend

We’ve collected a list of the very best multiplayer games you can enjoy with your crew, whether it’s one special someone or an entire crew you’re ready to rock with. Playing solo is fun, but playing with a party can be that much better, and these games are all great examples of the fun you can have when multiplayer games are on tap.

It Takes Two

It Takes Two is the multiplayer game that took the gaming world by surprise in 2021. You and a partner control a married couple going through a divorce. What follows is a magical experience chalk-full of adventure, clever platforming and good laughs.

The game also tests your teamwork with said friend, so make sure you pick a good partner to work with. To date, this might be one of the most consumer-friendly games to experience. You’ll receive a “Friend’s Pass” which allows a friend to play the full game without having to own the game.

Couple that with it always being on sale or on Xbox Game Pass, and it’s literally begging you to play the game. If you’re not sold on my explanation of why you should play, trust Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. His studio is working on a movie adaptation of the game for Amazon. Who doesn’t love The Rock?

Phasmophobia

If the first suggestion was too cheesy, Phasmophobia will make you and your friends run in terror.

The premise is simple; you are a ghost hunter sent to investigate the paranormal in a variety of different settings. What follows is hilarious and scary at the same time. As you investigate for clues, ghosts will hunt you down and end your character’s life in the blink of an eye. It sounds pretty easy, but there are plenty of mechanics to make each investigation feel unique that I don’t want to spoil.

The developers have been had at work, reworking a lot of the game’s mechanics to up the fear factor. Playing it now, versus when it first came out, feels like two different experiences in the best way possible. I highly recommend you experience this with up to 3 additional friends.

Also, make sure you have a good microphone.

Sniper Elite 5

Sniper Elite 5 is the latest entry in the long standing series of disrupting Nazi operations during World War 2.

The premise is you play as Karl Fairburne: an American sniper sent on a globe-trotting adventure to stop Germany from winning World War 2. Featuring vast open world spaces and realistic sniping mechanics, you’re given all the tools you need to complete your various objectives. If you’ve never played any of the games, I highly recommend them – they’re loads of fun.

In Sniper Elite 5, you can tackle the whole campaign with a friend. The base game is fun enough, so picture that experience with a buddy – coordinating shots and fighting for survival. Think of it as a more polished Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands. That sounds pretty fun to me.

Speaking of survival, there is an added horde mode called “Survival”. As the name implies, you and up to four players can tackle waves of enemies until you fall. There is also a competitive multiplayer portion to experience as well. Trust me; this is a good one.

Fortnite

Fortnite is fun and a great time with friends. If you haven’t played Fortnite yet, kudos to you for withstanding the charm of the popular battle royale. Since its release back in 2017, the game has evolved into something massive and has redefined gaming culture forever.

The game has also become the most accessible of battle royale titles on the market. Many folks shiver at the thought of building mechanics. Epic Games realized that, and made a permanent mode where there’s no building – making Fortnite more accessible than ever.

There are also a ton of extra modes you can partake in if battle royales aren’t your thing.

Fortnite is always getting new content, so where you land this weekend may or may not be there next weekend. It might be even better next weekend. A new season just launched, and the vibes are immaculate. That’s what you get when you sit down to play one of the industries largest games.

Sea of Thieves

What better way to spend your summer than sailing the high seas with your friends? Sea of Thieves has been out for a while. Much like Fortnite and similar titles, content updates have kept this game refreshing.

You’re a pirate with plenty of open seas to sail on, forts to explore and treasures to find. As the pirate setting implies, there are plenty of encounters in which you can find yourself. Fight other players in epic ship battles, conquer fortresses for loot, and battle some of the ocean’s most legendary creatures with your friends.

Assemble the crew; we’re going sailing.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart has a reputation as both one of the best Nintendo Switch multiplayer games and a friendship ruiner. It follows that Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is no exception. With a reworked battle mode and new tracks and characters, this edition has added another layer to the classic racing game.

One of the biggest additions to the original Mario Kart 8 was battle mode, which many thought was rather weak. Alongside the transfer from the Wii U to the Nintendo Switch, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe added several new arenas and games that many have compared to the offerings in a more traditional party game.

These changes also came with new characters, tracks, and vehicles. Now, players looking for a multiplayer Switch game have a number of options with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe alone. With the Switch 2 being backwards compatible, players can continue playing MK8 on the newest Nintendo console as well.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

For players who want an even more competitive game than Mario Kart, they need look no further than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Designed for between two and eight players, the award-winning platform fighting game pits friends against each other in both online and local modes, competitive or co-op. Players also have over 70 character options and over 100 stages, making every match different.

While the online mode may be a little laggy at times, players should have no difficulty with local play. Additionally, many feel that the new mechanics and gameplay accessibility make up for any matchmaking issues.

Minecraft

Almost 15 years after its original release, Minecraft is back and bigger than ever. Minecraft is a sandbox game where players can craft to their heart’s content, fight hostile Creepers at night, and travel to new and exciting worlds. It’s one of the best-selling video games of all time and even had a movie released in its honor.

Minecraft is a perfectly fine solo game, but it’s also one of the best multiplayer games out there. Players can team up directly, through local co-op, Realms, and more. From there, it is up to them to decide whether they will build collaboratively or competitively.

Overcooked 2

A hugely popular indie game that’s perfect for friends and family alike, Overcooked 2 requires players to cook in increasingly difficult settings in order to save the world. These settings include portals, changing recipes in the middle of cooking, and other players getting in the way. As the sequel to Overcooked, Overcooked 2 also adds new recipes, themes, and levels.

One of the reasons why Overcooked 2 is one of the best multiplayer Nintendo Switch games is that it was designed to be played with multiple players from the ground up. The game supports up to four players through couch co-op or online multiplayer.

Super Mario Party Jamboree

Out of 13 total Mario Party games, many fans agree that Super Mario Party Jamboree is the superior edition. The game functions just like an online board game, where players race around the map to earn stars. They then compete in a minigame between rounds to earn more coins toward stars. The main party mode hosts up to four players online or sharing the console, but other modes can include as many as eight.

Super Mario Party Jam is the third game in the series made for the Nintendo Switch and is the most extensive by far. Players have seven total maps, 22 playable characters, and over 110 minigames to work with. That’s a lot of multiplayer content for one game.