10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Overcooked

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Overcooked is a cooperative game all about communicating, whether that is talking calmly or screaming at the top of your lungs is up to you. Designating jobs can be a quick key to success, just like every relationship: who chops, cooks, and washes dishes is simple, but soon it turns into a frenzy and myriad of things going wrong. Phrases like “You didn’t wash the dishes” and “this isn’t cooked right” start to fly out of your mouth: reminding you that you’ve had these fights before. It is a game that can turn friendly chatter into a yelling match as the difficulty ramp up.

Overcooked constantly throws players for a loop by having them overcome obstacles while cooking. This may entail sliding tables on a pirate ship, slipping around a glacier, or trying to cook while the level splits in half. It puts even the most faithful companions at odds with each other and truly tests your communication skills.

Overcooked can be very stressful at times, but it can also be hilarious. Despite it’s chaotic nature, Overcooked has some of the most fun cooperative experiences you can share with a loved one. Just don’t be surprised if your partner throws a controller or two.

 Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

There is not a more romantic place in this universe than hurling through alien infested space with a loved one. Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime has up to four players controlling a ship as it traverses different areas: each player responsible for the engines, weapons, shield, and map. Nothing quite says I love you like pulling up the shields at the last second to protect your partners energy cannon. These roles are dynamic and will change on the fly constantly. Moving from station to station to ensure survival is key. Calling out to your partner to let them know when and where they are moving is just as important. Communication is important in any relationship, whether that is “honey can you do the dishes?” or “Sweetie don’t forget to release the giant space mace to eviscerate that alien”. As enemies and objects are being hurled towards the ship it will become hectic quickly. As levels progress communication is necessary to keep everything from falling into disarray. 

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Mario Kart may look like all fun and games, but it is deceiving: a well timed blue shell can ruin a romantic night in mere seconds. Between the variety of items, characters, and courses, this is a game that can be downright spiteful. There are no friends or loved ones in a game of Mario Kart. All friends vanish once those wheels hit the track. Mario Kart’s battle mode is another game mode flirting with disaster. Balloon battle is a staple of the Mario Kart series for a reason. Three Balloons each, first one to lose all three is the loser, those are high stakes for anyone. With its endless replayability and in-game moments, it is hard to top Mario Kart in terms of joyful stress.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

It is hard to describe any situation with a ticking bomb as anything other than “tense”. If you and your partner are looking for a peaceful night in, this may not be the game for you. One person is faced with defusing the bomb in front of them, while the other reads a manual and communicates the steps necessary. Talking back and forth to one another to determine the correct buttons to hit and not hit can cause tension to rise quickly. Add making a mistake and a big red X being put on the bomb doesn’t help matters. When successfully defusing a bomb, a wave a relief washes over, and its time to switch spots and go at it again. Before you switch spots be sure to say “I’m sorry for what I said to you while there was an active ticking time bomb”.

Cuphead

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Don’t let Cuphead’s visual charm fool you: despite its cartoonish nature it is not a game for the faint of heart. Both you and your partner are in for a real test of persistence here, with a high skill cap it can often be extremely punishing. While Co-op will make the game more difficult, it does have its advantages. Sitting on the couch with someone you love and sweaty hands gripping the controller can create a true bond. Finally defeating a boss after countless tries grants personal and team morale to keep the fight going. Cuphead’s design deserves to be appreciated by all, and who better to journey through this world with than someone you care about?

Don’t Starve Together

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Why go out to eat on Valentines Day when you can pick up a controller and try to not starve with a loved one. Don’t Starve Together is a free multiplayer expansion for the 2013 game Don’t Starve. It is for partners who are in it for the long haul. This grueling survival game will put cooperation to the test. Is it better to stay together, or split up to cover more ground? What items are necessary to craft for survival? Is there enough food and supplies to make it through the harsh winter? Is my insanity level rising in game, or in real life? These are the kinds of questions that will force players to come together on. No one said survival or relationships were easy, it will take teamwork and a little ingenuity.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Octodad is true to its name: a video game about an octopus with a family of two kids. Co-op in this game works a little differently than most. Instead of playing two different characters, each player controls different limbs of the octopus. This creates a dynamic of trying to work in tandem with your partner to complete the objective without looking like you know, an octopus in a suit. The controls of Octodad fall into a category coined “nightmare controls”. This simply means that he is very difficult to control and will take serious patience and communication. Octodad can be filled with frustration, but has plenty of laughable and lighthearted moments to share with someone you love.

Rocket League

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Rocket League is a constantly evolving rocket-powered car soccer game. The matches are short, fast-paced, and filled with excitement. Whether you and your partner want to team up or go head to head there is no shortage of memorable moments. With tons of customization options ranging from beefy muscle cars, to sleek sports cars there is something for everyone. Rocket League has plenty of modes that include power ups, customizable gravity and ball size, and players of all different skill levels. Locking horns with your partner in Rocket League can be seriously intense. Scoring goals and flying through the air is a match made in heaven when it comes to fun. Its a great game for some laid back fun, or for those who like to get competitive with each other.

Snipperclips

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Snipperclips is the friendly shape cutting puzzle game for the Nintendo Switch. So how does this game put your relationship to the test? Well, Snipperclips is a game that consists of trial and error, with no one correct way to solve a problem. The way you think the problem can be solved, may not be the same way your partner sees it. There is also the act of actually having your partner cut the shape they need to test their idea. Rotating around to make sure the snips are done properly is a small game within itself and can be quite frustrating if not on the same page. Solving puzzles in Snipperclips is a blast and if you and your partner are in sync it might never be a problem, but you’ll never know unless you snip.

Gang Beasts

10 Multiplayer Games That Put Your Relationship to the Test

Gang Beasts is a competitive and cooperative brawler. These clay people grab, hurl, and headbutt their opponents off of the map to claim victory. The difficulty comes from the actual control of the character. Having to use momentum against the opponent. Gang Beasts is as fun as it is crazy, which can cause chaos between partners. Have you ever wanted to throw your partner off of a moving truck? Well now you can! After having an argument take out your frustrations on the clay creations of gang beasts. Headbutt, dropkick, and wrestle your problems away. Whether you choose to duke it out head to head, or try and survive a hoard mode together, Gang Beasts is sure to have the blood pressure rising.