Playing games together on one screen is still one of the best ways to have fun with friends or family. The Nintendo Switch games and Switch 2 are perfect for this, thanks to their local co-op support and easy pick-up-and-play design. From calm puzzle games to kart racing and deep action adventures, there is something for every type of duo. This list covers some of the best 2 player games on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 that you can enjoy right now. Let’s dive in.
Best 2 Player Games on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2
Mentioned below are some of the best 2 player games to play on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
10. Unravel Two
Unravel Two is a co-op puzzle game where you control two small yarn creatures, called Yarnys, tied together by a single thread. You move through calm, natural environments, solving physics-based puzzles that rely on swinging, climbing, and working together. The story is wordless but shows two children facing fear, bullying, and hardship, while the Yarnys help guide them forward. This game is designed to be relaxing but still offers tricky platforming sections that feel rewarding when solved with a friend.
- Genre: Puzzle-platformer, co-op platformer
- Release Date: 9 June 2018 (PS4, Xbox One, Windows); 22 March 2019 (Nintendo Switch)
- Other Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows (PC)
9. Overcooked
Overcooked is a cooking game where up to four players try to prepare and serve meals in absurd kitchens before time runs out. You chop ingredients, cook them, wash dishes, and deliver plates while the level constantly shifts around you. Kitchen floors split, trucks move, and counters slide, forcing players to shout instructions and cooperate quickly. The simple controls make it easy to pick up, but the levels quickly become intense and hilarious.
- Genre: Cooperative cooking simulation, party game
- Release Date: 3 August 2016 (Windows, PS4, Xbox One); 27 July 2017 (Nintendo Switch)
- Other Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows (PC), Nintendo Switch
8. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime
This is a bright co-op space shooter where players control a round spaceship from the inside. The game allows up to four players to run between different stations to steer, fire lasers, raise shields, and upgrade the ship while fighting enemies and rescuing space creatures. This one is all about teamwork, because no single player can manage all systems alone. The action is fast, and the visuals; colorful, softening the chaos.
- Genre: Action space shooter, co-op action
- Release Date: 9 September 2015 (Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox One); 9 February 2016 (PS4); 3 October 2017 (Nintendo Switch)
- Other Platforms: Windows (PC), OS X, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
7. Kirby Air Riders
Kirby Air Riders is a colorful racing game where Kirby and friends ride floating machines called Air Ride machines through bright, simple tracks. It builds on the classic Kirby Air Ride idea, but expands it with more modes, more vehicles, and a bigger focus on customization. Races are easy to control but have depth, because different machines handle speed, turning, and charging boosts differently. You get to explore a city-like map, power up your ride, and then battle in a final event.
- Genre: Action, party, racing
- Release Date: 20 November 2025 (Nintendo Switch 2)
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
6. It Takes Two
This is a co-op-only adventure where two parents, Cody and May, are turned into dolls and must work together to fix their relationship and return to their daughter. Every level introduces new mechanics such as time control, cloning, magnets, or shooting sap and matches. The game mixes platforming, puzzles, action, and mini-games, so it stays fresh and surprising from start to finish. Making one of the best 2 player games to play on Switch.
- Genre: Co-op action-adventure, puzzle
- Release Date: 26 March 2021 (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows); 4 November 2022 (Nintendo Switch)
- Other Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Windows (PC)
5. Diablo 3
Diablo 3 is an action role-playing game where you get to pick a hero class, fight demons, and hunt for powerful loot across a dark fantasy world. The core loop is simple: kill monsters, gather gear, and grow stronger so you can tackle harder difficulties and larger hordes of enemies. You can play alone or in co-op, both online and locally on consoles. The game also keeps on bringing seasonal events, and different character builds give it long-term replay value, encouraging players to try new skills and items.
- Genre: Action role-playing (ARPG), hack and slash
- Release Date: 15 May 2012 (Windows, macOS); 19 August 2013 (PS3, Xbox 360); 19 August 2014 (PS4, Xbox One); 2 November 2018 (Nintendo Switch)
- Other Platforms: Windows (PC), macOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
4. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a hack-and-slash spin-off that shows the war 100 years before The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. You control Link, Zelda, the Champions, and other characters as they face waves of monsters across large battlefields. The game mixes Warriors-style combo-heavy combat with Zelda touches like runes and familiar locations. Some cutscenes expand the story, plus character-specific weapons and upgrades to unlock. It is more about fast, satisfying combat than puzzle-solving, but it still feels very Zelda in its world and characters.
- Genre: Hack-and-slash, action, musou
- Release Date: 20 November 2020
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
3. Split Fiction
Split Fiction is a co-op-only action-adventure where two writers, Mio and Zoe, become trapped inside a machine that steals their ideas and throws them into wild story worlds. One world is sci-fi, full of robots and neon cities, while the other is fantasy, with dragons and trolls. As in It Takes Two, each level changes the gameplay, giving the pair new abilities and challenges to master together.
- Genre: Co-op action-adventure, puzzle-platformer
- Release Date: 6 March 2025 (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows); 5 June 2025 (Nintendo Switch 2)
- Other Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows (PC)
2. Donkey Kong Bananza
Donkey Kong Bananza is a 3D action-platformer where Donkey Kong and Pauline team up to recover the stolen Golden Bananas from a shady group called Void Company. In this one, the levels are built around smashing, climbing, and using DK’s strength to break through almost any wall or floor.
Stages are connected by a large underground network you can explore, with hidden paths, puzzles, and collectibles that reward curiosity. This game brings an energetic and playful tone, with big set pieces and lots of humor. It also received a nomination for the Game of the Year Award for 2025. Making it undoubtedly one of the best 2 player games to play on Nintendo Switch 2.
- Genre: 3D action-platformer, adventure
- Release Date: 17 July 2025
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
1. Mario Kart World
Considered as the best 2 player games for Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World is a kart racing game that pushes the series into a more open, connected world on Nintendo Switch 2. Instead of only separate circuits, many tracks link into a larger map where you can drive across plains, cities, oceans, and volcanic areas between races.
It supports up to 24 racers in Grand Prix and Knockout Tour modes, and adds Free Roam, where you can explore, find missions, and take photos. It also allows you to customize outfits and karts, giving extra style to each character.
- Genre: Kart racing
- Release Date: 5 June 2025
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2
Summary
So these are some of the best 2 player games on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. They are perfect if you want to spend some quality time with your family or friends, whether you are sitting on a couch or playing on the go. Covering various genres, like racing, action, and party play, every pair can find something that fits their mood. Some titles are perfect for beginners, while others reward good teamwork and communication.
What’s your favourite 2-player game on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2? Let us know in the comments below, and for more gaming news, guides, tips, tricks, and more, don’t forget to check out Driffle Blog.
