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25 Best Xbox One Co-Op Games: Top Splitscreen, Local, Multiplayer, and Online Co-Op Experiences

Here, we discuss our top picks for the best Xbox One co-op games. Playing games on the couch or online communicating over headsets with your best buds is hard to beat. Sharing a gaming experience with your best friend or spouse and being fully engaged together is a blast too! Older gamers will remember with nostalgia the days of Halo on the original Xbox and Goldeneye on the N64. On this page, we’ve curated a list of the top Xbox One split screen, couch co-op, 4 player, 2 player, and online co-op games. There’s a little something for everyone.

25 Best Xbox One Co-Op Games

Here’s our definitive list of the best Xbox One co-op games currently out there.

1. Borderlands 3

Our pick for the best co-op Xbox One game overall

Borderlands 3 new co op game

The latest and greatest Borderlands is Gearbox’s biggest game to date. A massive open-world packed full of goofy and silly characters awaits you and your friends. Sure, it can be played solo, but that’s just not doing it right! The humor can be hit or miss sometimes, but over the long haul you won’t be able to help yourself from letting loose a chuckle. Gearbox offers gamers a lot of flexibility: play this game splitscreen with a friend on the couch (with up to 2 other players online); or everyone can play from home individually and keep their screen real estate all to themselves.

One of the biggest changed they’ve made to Borderlands 3 is the new level-sync feature. That means if you and some friends have been grinding, but your buddy has been feeling left out and finally got around to buying the game, they can join up with you even at their super low level. Another change is the looting system. Once your squad defeats an enemy, everyone gets their own unique drops.

Borderlands 3 Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): First Person Shooter, RPG, Loot Driven
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 35 hours

2. Sea of Thieves

Our pick for the best adventure Xbox One online co-op game

Sea of Thieves

An Xbox One Exclusive title, Sea of Thieves had a bit of a rocky launch and was met with a lot of complaints about thin content. Fortunately, developer Rare steadfastly kept making Sea of Thieves bigger and better. In its current state, we feel confident recommending it as one of the top co-op experiences currently out there. Sea of Thieves may fall under the MMO umbrella, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t make for an awesome cooperative experience. Keep in mind, this game does not have an intricate skill tree or large array of weapons, most the upgrades you can get in this game are purely cosmetic. So if you’re looking for a game with strategic depth, look elsewhere. This is a lighthearted game that will be sure to have ye and your crew draining bottles of rum and having lots of fun in no time.

Sea of Thieves is a very specific kind of game. If you like rolling through story-driven content and part of the challenge to you and your squad is how fast you can beat things (say you’re a bit competitively tuned), then you will probably be disappointed with Sea of Thieves. On the other hand, if you love a loose framework (a sandbox if you will), to play in and create your own interesting player interactions and stories, Sea of Thieves is the perfect match. That may indeed be why the game found a large following on Twitch for a little while there. Most of the fun to be had is running into other pirates with you and your crew and seeing what mischief you can brew up.

  • Genre(s): First Person Action Adventure, Multiplayer, Sandbox
  • Local Co-Op: Not Supported
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Not Supported
  • Co-op Campaign: No
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Playtime: 50 hours

3. Gears 5

Our pick for the best Xbox One exclusive co-op game

Gears 5

Coming in at #3 is the action-packed Xbox Exclusive Gears 5. If you like Transformers and Pacific Rim type blockbusters this is the game for you. Heavy on spectacular visuals, light on plot, Gears 5 is one of the best Xbox One co op games with split screen. Beautiful cut scenes are peppered throughout the game — each time you defeat a boss or get through a difficult part your eyes will be rewarded. You won’t care about the lacking plot because you will be too busy shooting aliens and blowing things up with your co-pilot. You and your bud will be commanding muscular bros, charging through waves of vicious and frightening enemies.

Sometimes you can charge right up the gut with shotguns blazing and/or meleeing things with the chainsaw attachment on your machine gun. Other times you’re going to need a little strategy on your side. Taking cover behind rocks and dashing or rolling to the next safe place is key to achieving victory on the more difficult parts. The main campaign will last two players about 10 hours on average.

Gears 5 Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Third-Person Shooter
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 5 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 3 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 13 hours

4. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Our pick for the best couch co-op Xbox One game

Halo The Master Chief Collection

Our top pick for the best split screen remaster, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a bundle best enjoyed with others. You get Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo 4 and every one of them offers split screen. That’s a total of over 100 multiplayer maps and 45 missions. The graphics are all updated wonderfully and played on the Xbox One you’ll get a fluid 60 FPS. Every single cut scene has been redone with 3D rendered cinema quality. One cool thing about the Halo 2 port is that you can switch between the old and new graphics on the fly, so you can really see how much they updated the game.

Another neat feature in this game is that you can hop into any mission at anytime. That means you and your friends can experience the Halo series in any order you please, seamlessly jumping between Halo 1, 2, 3, 4 mission playlists. Get one of the best split screen Xbox One games and fall in love with Halo again. The jaw-dropping updated graphics, lengthy playtime, and nostalgia bonus points make for a winning two player package.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): First-Person Shooter
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 60 hours

5. Divinity: Original Sin 2

Our pick for the best RPG Xbox One co-op game

Divinity-Original-Sin-II-Definitive-Edition

Haven’t been able to fire up D&D with your friendlies lately? That’s okay, you can get your fill in Divinity: Original Sin 2. This open-ended isometric RPG has all the trimmings of a well-written fantasy land complete with engaging turn based strategy and loads of quests. The co-op experience is masterfully articulated and the innovative shared dialog feels seamless. The depth of character customization is perhaps a little mind-boggling, so be prepared to spend at least a few hours just in the character building process. Even though it was originally released in 2017, this game is still arguably the best RPG co-op Xbox game currently available. Be sure to pick up the Definitive Edition for new areas, items, beefier story arcs, new dialogue, 4K/HDR support, and more quality of life improvements.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): First-Person Shooter
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 50-100 hours

6. Warhammer: Vermintide 2

Our pick for the best difficult Xbox One co-op game

Warhammer Vermintide 2

Developer Fatsharks second go-around is that much better. You can tell that they didn’t rest on their laurels after the success of their first Vermintide game. They added a ton of new stuff to Warhammer: Vermintide 2. A deeper loot system, more enemy diversity, and loads of cool environments just to mention a few. If we had to underline the biggest improvement over the first game it is the variety. And that variety will keep you and your friends coming back for more.

What really adds a ton of flavor in this game is all the wonderful ways you can smash and hack your way through the hordes of enemies. The compelling melee weapons and combat system make it just plain fun to simply go around and mindlessly wreck baddies. Not to worry, for those looking for a little more depth there’s a progression system in place with subclasses and talent trees; plus there’s a total of five characters to choose from.

Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Action
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 20 hours

7. A Way Out

Our pick for the best story-driven 2 person co-op Xbox game

A Way Out

How about a game that’s strictly co-op only? That’s right, there is absolutely no single-player mode in A Way Out. If you and your buddy have ever wanted to co-star in your own action thriller movie, this is the game for you to fulfill that fantasy. That is how many game critics have described A Way Out — like an interactive movie — that’s how great the storyline is. Unfortunately, it is a little short coming in with an average playtime of around 6 hours and about 7 hours for completionists.

Nevertheless, there’s a lot going on in those 7 hours of A Way Out, with a blend of stealth, puzzle, shooter, adventure, and driving genre elements. If we had to choose one element that stood above the rest it would be stealth, however, and that means you and your friend need to be sneaky, very sneaky. Success then boils down to your communication skills and execution. Just don’t play this game with that one friend who’s prone to raging, or you may be in for a bad time!

A Way Out Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Stealth
  • Local Co-Op: 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 7 hours

8. Diablo 3

Our pick for the best Xbox One co-op campaign game

Diablo 3 Eternal Collection

The Diablo series has made its way over to the Xbox and Diablo 3 is easily one of the best multiplayer Xbox one games. Console gamers rejoice! Those of us gamers who spent endless hours playing Diablo and Diablo 2 on their PCs will understand. They may even have had unrealistic expectations for Diablo 3. If you love playing games for their stories and the lore, the Diablo series is one of the best ways to share that with a friend, or two or three.

This is a top-notch port over to the Xbox One. The UI, controls, and looting system have been well thought out and streamlined. Players on the same console will get to share the same loot drops, and those connecting to the same game over the internet will see their own set of drops. The attention to detail is apparent at every corner. One nice touch, for example, is if you’re playing co-op and someone puts down their controller for a bathroom or snack run, their character will automatically follow around the other party members.

Diablo 3 Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Action RPG
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No (shared screen)
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 40 hours

9. Destiny 2

Our pick for the most co-op campaign content for Xbox

Destiny 2 Forsaken - Legendary Collection

Destiny 2 boasts one of the largest active player bases right now. We suppose that’s what happens when you combine the talent of Bungie with the industry juggernaut that is Activision. And Bungie isn’t done with Destiny 2 yet. Many thought Destiny 3 was soon to be out the door, but the talk on the street is that what was going to be Destiny 3 is going to be packaged as a massive update to Destiny 2 perhaps as soon as later this year. Destiny 2 is also our pick for the best first person shooter Xbox co op game.

Not familiar with the Destiny series? Destiny 2 is like a theme park for shooter genre lovers. You’ve got an array of PVE and PVP activities to enjoy all wrapped up in gorgeous graphics and some of the most memorable environments you’ll ever see in a game. Bungie doesn’t skimp on the story either with multiple story-driven campaigns that when played in order, make for one sprawling-epic. That makes it fun to play with all your friends, no matter if they are competitively or cooperatively tuned. It’s a vibrant game, with a stream of steady updates and new seasons the downside is that it can sometimes get grindy just to keep up with it all. For those that do, it’s a rewarding experience.

Destiny 2 Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): MMORPG Shooter, FPS
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 6 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No (shared screen)
  • Avg. Campaigns Playtime: 75+ hours

10. Warframe

Our pick for the best free-to-play multiplayer Xbox One game

Warframe free to play

We can’t imagine that Warframe’s developers had any idea of the growth their game would undergo upon the initial launch date in 2013. 9 expansions later, developer Digital Extremes had by most folks’ counts over 50 million players in 2019. And the way 2020 went, we can believe with confidence that number skyrocketed even higher. One big draw to Warframe is that it’s available on all major platforms and it’s free-to-play done right.

What else is awesome about this game? Think ninjas in space. Sure it’s a lot like MHW or Destiny in its sometimes grindy nature, but what’s unique here is the acrobatic combat and science fiction universe that has interesting politics weaved into its storyline. Plus, the ultra-futuristic looking suits and gear (and the ability to customize things) look so sweet. With over 300 weapons to acquire, this is a looter shooter through-and-through. Each weapon is split into three classes: primary, secondary, or melee.

Warframe Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Third-Person Shooter, Space Ninjas
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 100+ hours

11. Full Metal Furies

Our pick for the best hidden gem Xbox Co-Op game

Full Metal Furies

A side-scrolling beat-em-up game with surprisingly good storytelling and humor, Full Metal Furies is loads of fun for up to 4 players. In this war to end all wars, you’ll find one of our favorite couch co-op experiences for four players. Even better, you also have the flexibility of playing online or a combination of local and online. There are four distinct classes to choose from: fighter, sniper, sentinel, or engineer. Your selection significantly changes the way the game feels, offering replayability down the line.

The world map is reminiscent of the Super Mario overworld map with short roads ushering you along on your journey to save everybody and everything. In our opinion, Developer Cellar Door Games absolutely nailed the equipment upgrades and skill trees for each character. They encourage players to experiment and work together with their teammates to deliver devastating combos. And you better work together, Full Metal Furies is no walk in the park, and you’ll need some persistence to prevail. Fortunately, you’ll have plenty to look at along the road to victory — all of this action is wrapped up in well-polished, visually pleasing pixel art.

  • Genre(s): Action Adventure, 2D Side-Scroller, Beat-em-up
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 15 hours

12. Monster Hunter: World

Our pick for the best Xbox One online co-op game

Monster Hunter World Iceborne Master Edition

For gamers who like their games with layers Monster Hunter: World is the ticket. You can work with up to three other ‘hunters’ to complete quests and takedown fierce beasts. You’ll be progressing through this game by following a simple formula: tracking monsters, slaying monsters, and then crafting. The crafting system in the game is extensive. Players can cook and garden to their heart’s content as well as craft items like potions, ammunition, traps, and bombs. The great thing is that all this complexity is wrapped in huge maps with wondrous arrays of lush, dense rainforest type environments loaded with really cool realistic-looking monsters.

Monster Hunter World Snapshot:

  • Genre: Action RPG
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen:  No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: n/a

13. Gears of War 4

Our pick for the best 2 player Xbox One game

Gears of War 4 one of the best xbox one co op games

For players that prefer their “of War” with their “Gears”, look no further than Gears of War 4. Gears 5 was a little more polarizing in the critics’ camp, but Gears of War 4 seemed to press all the right buttons. The first couple of games in the series defined what a blockbuster action-packed co op game could be. Gears of War 4 further refines the formula that worked so well in the past. It has dazzling graphics, satisfying kill animations, and smooth responsive controls. Cruise through the campaign and looking for more? We highly recommend the Horde mode, where you must survive 50 waves of onslaught. In Horde mode, you’ll find exciting tower defense elements and a challenging boss every 10th wave.

Gears of War 4 Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Third-Person Shooter
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 5 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 2 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 15 hours

14. Journey to the Savage Planet

Our pick for the best Xbox One exploration co-op game

Journey to the Savage Planet

Do you have a fascination with the great beyond and a sense of adventure? Look no further than Journey to the Savage Planet. Released in 2020, this relatively new game is better with a friend! Teeming with humorous dialogue, puzzles, and interesting environments to explore, this game is 100% the best game to putter around in with a friend, share some laughs, and go “Oooh! and Ahhh!” together. Be forewarned, the focus of Journey to the Savage Planet is not on combat, but on exploration. There is plenty of cataloging of flora and fauna to be done. If you’re a completionist and you most enjoyed filling out the Pokédex in the Pokémon series, you and your buddy need to hop on this.

Journey to the Savage Planet Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Space, Adventure, Exploration
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 2 Players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 11 hours

15. Borderlands: The Handsome Collection

Our pick for the best 4 player Xbox One game

Borderlands The Handsome Collection one of the Best Xbox One Split Screen Games

Our number 5 Xbox One split screen game pick is Borderlands: The Handsome Collection. Out of the few 4 player split screen Xbox One games, this is the best. The Handsome Collection includes Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel + Borderlands 2 + a crap ton of extra goodies (DLCs). The cool thing about both The Pre-Sequel (TPS) and Borderlands 2 (BL2) is that they feature split screen for up to four players. That’s right, you and up to 3 other friends can hop on the couch for nights of gaming fun. Don’t forget to order pizza.

Another really cool thing is that you and your friend(s) can level your characters solo or online on different consoles. Then, when you all end up at one house, you can load up all your characters and continue progressing them together! Be wary that enemies will get more health with more people, so things get proportionately harder — you’ll need to work together to succeed. The winning combo of the Borderlands experience is that it is much more than a first person shooter. You’ve also got skill tree and gear progression to concern yourself with. 12 differentiated playable characters, 1080p resolution, and over 100 hours of story and side missions propelled this game to a high ranking in our top Xbox co-op games list.

Borderlands: The Handsome Collection Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Action RPG, Loot Driven
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 100+ hours

16. Resident Evil 6

Our pick for the best Xbox One multiplayer survival game

Resident Evil 6

Gamers that love a good scare but want a friend there to keep them safe should pick up a copy of Resident Evil 6. Some Resident Evil enthusiasts were not happy about the co-op mode being added to Resident Evil 5 and carried over to this 6th game (co-op was actually removed from Resident Evil 7), but we think co-op gamers will appreciate what is here. This survival horror game offers 6 characters and 3 stories in its campaign mode to choose from.

Each of the three stories feels a little different. For example Chris’ campaign there’s wide open areas and lots of big guns and plentiful ammo to play with, whereas Leon’s you’ll find that ammo is hard to come by and the environments are cramped and spooky. In addition to the story modes, Resident Evil 6 also supports a two player mercenary co-op mode which is sort of like an arcade type mode where you can earn skill points for your characters.

Resident Evil 6 Snapshot:

  • Genre: Action, Survival Horror
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 25 hours

17. Trackmania Turbo

Our pick for the best Xbox One racing co-op game

Trackmania Turbo

Trackmania Turbo is a fast, fun, and colorful racer that offers a 4 player split screen experience. It is a hidden gem on the Xbox One. Again, this is one of the few Xbox One 4 player split screen games out there. Xbox One split screen racing games are pretty sparse. But Trackmania Turbo helps out in all the categories split screen players are hoping for and is probably the closest thing to Mario Kart Xbox One has got. It is easy to pick up but hard to master. On top of the four-player split screen mode there is a two player co-op mode called Double Driver. This is where two players control the same car.

Beneath the go, stop, and turn there’s a world of physics that must be mastered to consistently beat your friends in every race. On top of the physics, there are four different vehicles each with their own unique handling characteristics. You’ll need to develop some muscle memory to successfully navigate to the finish line. Probably the biggest letdown is that they didn’t keep adding content to Trackmania Turbo. They left it at four locations and 10 events per location for a total of 40. Now overall there are 200 levels and if you do all the extras you can stretch that playtime out to over 20 hours. The great thing is the price is right and you can probably find a copy for under $20. That’s a tremendous value for one of the best and only split screen racing games for Xbox One.

Trackmania Turbo Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): Racing, Family-Friendly
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Online Co-Op: No
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 10 hours

18. Call of Duty: WWII

Our pick for the best Xbox One split screen game

Call of Duty WWII

Last but not least in our list of the best Xbox One split screen games is Call of Duty: World War II. The latest Call of duty game offers many multiplayer experiences. However, there is no two player for the campaign mode. You can play zombies, against bots, or against each other as two player splitscreen.

The best split screen experience in our opinion is the Zombies mode. Killing zombies with friends in co-op mode goes together like peanut butter and jelly. Zombies is a game within a game so to speak. This mode alone propels Call of Duty: WWII to the top of the Xbox One multiplayer split screen games out there. You and your co-pilot can play split screen locally or online with 1-2 more players for a total of up to four on a team. The zombies mode offers wave after wave of bloodthirsty zombies you and your teammates will have to shoot your way through. There are also objectives to work together on and progress through. That means there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Zombies mode is challenging and sometimes grueling to complete, but a heck of a lot of fun if the zombies don’t scare your pants off.

As far as a competitive FPS splitscreen experience goes, this is hands down the best. Account for all the competitive game modes that can be played split-screen plus the zombie mode and you and your homie are in for hours of gameplay. That’s why CoD: WWII makes our list of the best Xbox One 2 player split screen games. If you’re familiar with the Call of Duty series you probably know what you’re getting into: plenty of replay-ability and a well-polished title.

Call of Duty WWII Snapshot:

  • Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Zombies
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: No
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: n/a

19. Rayman Legends

Our pick for the best Xbox One offline multiplayer game

Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends isn’t exactly a split screen game because both players get the same 2D view. It is, however, one of the best family-friendly co op experiences out there. It is the 5th title in the Rayman series and features five different worlds spanning 48 levels. This sidescroller has gorgeous levels and is just plain fun. Both players will have to work together to dash, jump, slide, and boost each other through levels. Everyone has to keep up (if you’re playing with 3 other people that can get tricky at times) or else the screen will progress past lagging players leading to some unfortunate deaths.

You’re not simply trying to survive and get to the end, there’s plenty of things to collect along the way. If you’re daring and go for it all, expect each level to take a lot more time to complete. Murphy is Rayman’s magical helper occasionally appears throughout each level. Murphy can be controlled by either player and helps you progress by clearing your path or raising a door and other such actions. It adds another dimension to the game and you and your friend will have to decide who wants to control Murphy when. With beautiful animation, fitting music, and fast-paced play, it is a blast for 2 or more people.

Rayman Legends Snapshot:

  • Genre: Platformer, Family-Friendly
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Online Co-Op: No
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No (shared screen)
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 15 hours

Runners Up

Here are some of our other picks for the best coop Xbox One game.

20. Left 4 Dead 2

Our pick for the best Xbox One co-op zombie game

Left 4 Dead 2
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter, Survival Horror, Zombies
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 2 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 2 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: Yes
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 25 hours

21. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Our pick for the best new Xbox One co-op game

Call of Duty Modern Warfare
  • Genre: First-Person Shooter, Zombies, Competitive
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players (Spec Ops Mode)
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: No
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: n/a

22. Overcooked 2

Our pick for the most fun Xbox One co-op game

Overcooked 2
  • Genre: Simulation, Family-Friendly
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): Up to 4 players
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No (shared screen)
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 8 hours

23. Forza Horizon 4

Our pick for the best Xbox One online co-op racing game

Forza Horizon 4
  • Genre: Racing
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 6 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: No
  • Splitscreen: No
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: n/a

24. Lovers in a Dangerous Space Time

Our pick for the best Xbox One local co-op game

Lovers in a Dangerous Space Time
  • Genre: Platform, Action
  • Local Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Online Co-Op: No
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No (shared screen)
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 8 hours

Honorable Mention

Looking for something new and different? This game mode, overshadowed by another certain game mode you may have heard of, is worth checking out!

25. Fortnite: Save the World

Fortnite Save the World
  • Genre: Third Person Shooter, Survival
  • Local Co-Op: No
  • Online Co-Op: Up to 4 players
  • Combo Co-Op (Local + Online): No
  • Co-op Campaign: Yes
  • Splitscreen: No (shared screen)
  • Avg. Campaign Playtime: 150+ hours (new content added regularly)
  • Crossplay: Supported on Xbox One, PS4, and PC

What is this? Fortnite? If you thought battle royale was the only Fortnite experience to be had, you thought wrong Miss or Mr. Fortnite: Save the World pits you and your friends against hordes of enemies called Husks (think zombies). Mother nature said eat this and summoned a giant supernatural storm that wiped out pretty much all of humanity aside from a few survivors. Your mission is to save the survivors, eliminate the husks, and ultimately bring an end to the storm. Refreshingly, the writing and voice acting is actually pretty good, something one wouldn’t expect from a game mode that’s #2 in popularity. If you’re a big fan of Fortnite: Battle Royale, you’ll be pleased to hear you can earn V-Bucks while playing the Save the World mode.

Unfortunately, this game is not free like Battle Royale, you’ve got to pay around $40 bones or wait for a deal to roll around and get it at a discount. For the money, you get a co-op experience chock full of side quests, challenges, weapons, and random events and enemies. The gameplay itself takes a little getting used to. Unlike most co-op games, you’ll end up spending a good bit of time exploring different parts of the map without your friends at your side (up to 3 others). This time is spent completing mini-events and collecting resources in preparation for building fortifications to survive those hordes of husks we mentioned earlier. On the harder missions, collaborating on when to build and where, what class abilities to use and when, how many resources to expend, and which enemies to target become key. Everyone better find their headset and their voice!

An update in 2019 tidied up the interface so doing things like navigating the menus, weapon upgrades, and modifying things like character abilities is much easier. Sure, Save the World doesn’t get as much attention from Epic as Battle Royale, but there’s still a stream of new content and events flowing into a river that appears to be widening. Epic says Save the World will go free-to-play soon enough, so expect even more players to jump in at that time.

Splitscreen vs. Co-Op vs. Multiplayer

Let’s get our multiplayer definitions out of the way first. Split screen is not a term that is unique to consoles like Xbox and PlayStation since there are indeed some PC games that offer a splitscreen option. However, when most gamers think splitscreen it usually brings to mind couch co-op console play.

Xbox Split Screen Game Example
Gears of War Split Screen Example

When you start looking at games that feature shared experiences, the terminology can get confusing. You’ll find the terms multiplayer, co-op, online co-op, split screen among many others. Here’s a quick overview of what each means:

Split Screen. Two or more players with their own view playing against the AI or other humans on the same console. Screen is literally split horizontally and/or vertically. Think Call of Duty or Left for Dead.

Local Co-Op. Two or more players playing against the AI offline via the same screen or LAN.

Couch Co-Op. Two or more players playing against the AI on the same console. Sure, it’s easy to jump online and chat over headsets but it’s not quite as intimate as couch gaming. Think Halo or Gears of War.

Co-Op. Two or more players playing against the AI with other humans on the same console or online. Also referred to as online co-op. Think Destiny 2 fireteams.

Combo Co-Op. Two or more players playing locally with online players at the same time. Think Borderlands.

Multiplayer. More than one player in the game. Don’t think Skyrim or Assassin’s Creed.

Online Multiplayer. Playing with others and against other humans online. All co-ops are multiplayer but not all multiplayers are co-op.

We hope you found your next game to hop on with your friend(s). Time to slap up the sticks.

Happy gaming!

 

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Join the Discussion

Give feedback on the article, share additional tips & tricks, talk strategy with other members, and make your opinions known. High Ground Gaming is a place for all voices, and we'd love to hear yours!

Frank

“Split screen is a term unique to consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, there is no such thing for PC gaming.”

That’s not correct. I play plenty of split screen games on my PC. Dirt 3 is one. https://store.steampowered.com/tags/en/Split+Screen

Thanks for writing in Frank. You’re right, I just updated this sentence to make it accurate.

ASGARD

Great article!

Chuck G

Awesome article. Daughter just bought and Xbox One and wanting to play together. Weirdness is we have HALO MCC but having really hard time getting split screen to work. Any pointers on where to find easy directions for the process? Sorry… newbies…

Thanks Chuck! Great choice!! It definitely has split screen on Xbox One. Check out this YouTube video for a walkthrough: Halo MCC Splitscreen

Pat

If you have not figured it it out yet you have to get the first remote logged in under your profile, go to campaigns then take the second players remote and hit the start button, add guest then pick the mission and enjoy!

Amar

Thank you for the list. Love playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 in quarantine

john reeves

Nice article and sadly many of them are not suitable for 2 player with my 8 year old son (feels like a gap in the market as more parents are now gamers and want to share with their kids). But number One for us as to be ‘Fall Flat’. Its hilarious and co-op is essential to complete the puzzles. [and did you miss Minecraft? surely one of the top split screen games]

Glad you wrote in John, I realized I only have a few father/son friendly games on here. I’ll look at potentially adding Fall Flat and Minecraft to our list down the road.

Yo mamms

Wish my dad would of shared my love for video games.

Pete

I think this is a pretty good list and a good read… Would you consider a list of shared screen only titles? I been playing a lot of D3 with the family and that’s been great fun, but then we did some batman Lego and the split screen drives me crazy. I can’t be the only one who feels this way!


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