The stereotype of the lonely gamer is so 2000. We know quite a few couples who not only enjoy playing video games, but also enjoy playing them together. For those who game regularly together and also for couples just getting their feet wet playing co-op/versus, we've compiled a list of 10 titles we believe are particularly couples-friendly (or with a group). Did we leave out the game you love to play with your other half? Let us know in the comments!
- Mario Kart Wii There is a reason why this game is a classic party game... it's really fun to play together! With easy to use controls and a game mechanism that keeps any player from getting too far ahead it's a fun game for novice gamers to play with avid gamers and not feel out of their depth. $50
- Dance Central 2 We are not sure which we love more, playing this Kinect game or watching others play it. We've been playing Dance Central for as long as we have had a Kinect and we eagerly await version 2 which will allow for two players to dance at the same time. Price TBA
- Left 4 Dead 2 Nothing says romance like running from a zombie hoard together. Because this Xbox 360 game is a first person shooter it might not be the easiest for the lay gamer to pick up (I am rubbish at FPS and I invariably spend most of my time walking into walls) but killing zombies is generally always a good time had by all. $30
- Boom Blox & Boom Blox Bash Party Although this game is developed with Steven Spielburg, there is not much storytelling going on. This Wii game is a collection of puzzles with several different modes (think some combination of Jenga and Angry Birds) that are quite fun to solve together. $30
- Little Big Planet 2 If you are not yet familiar with the adorableness that is Little Big Planet you are in for a treat! This fun PS 3 title allows you to build your own worlds and play them together. Did we mention it is quite adorable? Check out the trailer for Little Big Planet 2 below to see what we mean. $60
- Super Mario Bros Wii With this new version you can decide whether you two will play cooperatively or competitively. Rather push your darling significant other's Mario off of a cliff than lend her some help? Yes, you can do that. $50
- Scott Pilgrim vs The World A perfect game for the vintage gaming couple with a sense of humor, this PSN download title is filled with funny and unexpected game elements. $10
- Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Not getting enough superheros during your movie dates? Become your favorite Marvel superheros in this game which like most button mashers you can play either with skill or with, well, button mashing. $30
- Super Mario Galaxy 2 In this game, one player becomes Mario and the other is the "helper." The "helper" can do things like help Mario jump higher or shoot stars and is a nice no pressure way to play alongside a more game savvy partner. $50
- Kinect Sports We love the variety of games in Kinect Sports that make it easy to find just the right one for our moods when we play together. Feeling low key? Make it a bowling night. Lots of energy? Work it out in boxing. $50
Thanks Dan and Adrienne for your suggestions!
What's a great game that you love to play with your significant other?
(Images: Flickr members Jennifer Yin and Christine licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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If you're playing mario brothers wii, learn the 'bubble' technique and use it readily. It goes a long way to making it enjoyable instead of "divorce mode."
You guys are missing out on the best couples game ever, Let's Go Jungle. It's an arcade rail shooter where you and another person shoot at bugs and other creatures on an island. At the end of each level you get a score of how compatible you are as a couple. It also happens to be really fun.
any of the lego games. Currently playing indiana jones with my wife. she started star wars on her own and i help when it is needed. When indy is done, star wars clone wars is up next.
I think mario wii would just create problems. I know the bubble save can be nice but for me that was more of a one player game. Played with my brother in law and we were constantly fighting (he was a constant bubbler), if it was my wife we would have had to sleep in separate places.
Donkey Kong Country Returns for Wii is awesome to play together. Super fun.
My partner and I love our Wii it has stopped alot arguments. We start playing something and i kick his but every time...
My boyfriend actually started playing World of Warcraft because I play. Now we play together all the time! It's great!
Any Mario games are a bad idea. Believe me, I would know
Portal 2's co-op mode is wonderful, hilarious, and adorable...not to mention challenging and engaging. As a plus, you can play with your SO online if you're not in the same place.
My boyfriend and I play WWE Allstars on the xBox 360 all the time. It's amazing!
@Lalaluluj Agreed! Such. Angry. FEELINGGGGS!
Nice article Joelle! Glad I could help. Also, jmorey is totally right on about the lego games. I can't believe I forgot to mention them. I play them with my Adrie all the time!
Here's a third for the Lego games. It's one of the only games my wife has every played to completion with me.
We also played Alien Hominid on Gamecube together all the way from beginning to end. That was a ton of fun.
Anyone for Rockband? Surprised it didn't make the list.
My hubby's in the game industry and Portal games are by far the most popular with the other game company couples. I really need to give in and try it. Boom blocks and dance central are still tops for me.
With the exception of a few titles, my husband and I almost exclusively go to MMOs for our coop play sessions. Anything competitive doesn't work for us at all and I'm terrible at FPS style games, which removes a lot of the console options (not to mention that with the exception of party style games, game devs seem to be committed to the idea of 1 person, 1 console, 1 house when thinking of co-op play). We work at a MMO company now and are surrounded by a lot of gaming couples and I can also confirm that Portal 2 is pretty much the gold standard against which everything else falls a little flat, but there are a lot of other gems out there. The other thing to consider are ones that are single player based, but friendly for collaboration. LA Noir has been great fun for us to play 'together' with one of us running the controller and the other helping and watching. Beyond Good and Evil was another title that stands out in my memory as being really good for collaborative play even though it was a single player game. Last this site http://www.co-optimus.com/ is a fantastic resource for games with co-op content, although it takes some filtering to find games, at least for us, that meet our requirements for playing together.
Mario Kart is a definite favorite for us! Boom Blox is one of our favorite party games, we play it a lot when we have friends over.
Oh, and Guitar Hero is always a favorite too!
It's Ryan!
I can't play video games but I enjoy watching my husband play and then tell him what to do.
Hi Joelle,
Great selection of games!
We've actually also put together a list of computer games that would be fun for couples, so if you're interested, do come have a look for ideas! We're quite new too, so maybe we can exchange ideas? You can find us at www.gocouple.net - some couples games that you don't cover that we're planning to review are Lego Star Wars, Animal Crossing, etc...
We also cover general indoor / outdoor activities so do come visit :-) I might post a recommendation and link to this page too, as you cover some games that we don't! Would you mind?