What are the best games for couples? It's a good question. For gamers, playing games with their partner is one of the best ways to spend time together. It certainly is for me and my better half. You play cute little adventures together, tear the track up in some racers, or kick each other's ass in a fighter.
Not all games have multiplayer, but you can still enjoy solo adventures together. There's nothing like backseat gaming with Castlevania games, Mega Man games, and Tomb Raider games to keep things interesting in your relationship. If you're the backseat gamer, maybe avoid offering advice if your partner is playing a game like Dark Souls, let them rage in peace.
Here are the best games for couples:
Pokémon Go
Portable platforms: iOS and Android
Pokémon Go is so good for couples that some even get engaged while playing it. You all know how this game works, you need to go outside and catch some 'mon. As you wander about, you encounter them from all generations (though not every Pokémon is in the mobile game yet, given there are more than 1,000 at this point).
Not only do you get some much-needed exercise with this creature capture game, but you also get to spend some quality time with your loved one. It's great. If you play together, you can exchange resources by giving each other gifts, boost the numbers while in a Pokémon Go raid, enjoy the Pokémon Go events together, and just have a grand old time trying to catch 'em all.
It Takes Two
Portable platforms: Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and Windows handhelds
If you want to try It Takes Two, you have no choice but to play with someone, so why not try it with your partner? In fact, it might be quite apt given the story revolves around a couple. Mind you, it's not exactly the happiest of relationships, with the main characters Cody and May getting ready for a divorce, which has a very negative impact on their daughter Rose.
Unfortunately for the quibbling pair, they find themselves trapped in their daughter's dolls after she plays with them and pretends to repair her parent's relationship. Together, May and Cody need to complete a series of levels to return to their normal bodies. There are a lot of different gameplay mechanics to consider, though they all come together to form different puzzles for you to solve. One example is that in one level May can replicate herself while Cody can rewind time.
There's a heartwarming story at the center of It Takes Two, we gave it a nine for a reason in our It Takes Two review. We can also tell you what the best games like It Takes Two are if it has you hankering for more cooperative experiences.
The Sims Mobile
Portable platforms: iOS and Android
What better way to plan your future together than with The Sims Mobile? You can each get into the career you want, work your way up the ranks, and grow from living in a teeny rundown house to a massive mansion – you may as well do that here as the average Joe doesn't get to live in a mansion in real life, though I wish that wasn't the case.
You can also have a little virtual family together; the pair of you can get married, have babies, and live that perfect, idyllic life. You may also catch your partner mid-woohoo with Deirdre from next door; it's swings and roundabouts, but hey, at least it makes a change from being mad because they cheated on you in a dream.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch
Ever want to knock your partner into the middle of next week? Like, you love them and all that jazz, but sometimes they just grind your gears and need an ass whooping. Enter Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It's time to do battle as you fight to knock each other out of the arena while beating the ever-loving hell out of some popular videogame characters.
Each character has a different fighting style, weapon, and attacks. If you don't know which one to use, our Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tier list can help – after all, you need to use the best to ensure you get bragging rights. All jokes aside, it's one of the best Switch fighting games and is sure to make for an enjoyable date night, so long as there are no sore losers in the relationship.
Stardew Valley
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
What a perfect game. Stardew Valley is a god among men and is definitely one of the best games for couples. You get to go to a new town for a fresh start, inheriting some rundown farmland that needs a bit of love, but together, you can bring it up to scratch. Prepare yourselves, though; your farm is overrun with weeds, boulders, trees, and more when you first arrive in Pelican Town.
At the start of the game, you get to choose which Stardew Valley farm layout you want, which determines what you can actually do. As you expand, you can bring in some of your favorite farmyard animals, create new buildings, and make room for crops. Beyond life on the farm, you can become friends with all of the Stardew Valley characters, such as Stardew Valley's Shane, Stardew Valley's Emily, and Stardew Valley's Alex.
In our Stardew Valley review, we gave it a coveted ten, and if you read it or play the game for yourself, it's not hard to see why.
Genshin Impact
Portable platforms: Steam Deck, iOS, Android, and Windows handhelds
Hoyoverse's game is one of the best RPGs out there, but its multiplayer aspects also make it a solid choice for those who want a game to play as a couple. You can wander the world of Teyvat aimlessly, gather resources, fight bosses, or just spend some quality time together. The developer clearly meant for this to be a bonding experience for relationships, as the gacha game even features a heart-shaped pond you can visit.
While you may start your journey as the Traveler, neither of you needs to play as them. You can select any character you have in your party, though you may need to do a lot of pulls from the Genshin Impact banners to get who you want – luckily, our Genshin Impact codes list can keep you stocked up on primogems.
Hey, here's an idea: you guys could even play as your favorite ship. Genshin Impact's Beidou and Genshin Impact's Ningguang, Genshin Impact's Alhaitham and Genshin Impact's Kaveh, or Genshin Impact's Zhongli and Genshin Impact's Childe are favorites among the PT team – I know, they all need to go to horny jail.
Wingspan
Portable platforms: iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows handhelds
If you and your partner love birds, I have the perfect game for you. Wingspan is originally a board game, but like other games such as Uno, Scrabble, and Monopoly, it has a videogame adaptation. The aim of the game is to attract birds to your wildlife reserve. To do so, you need to gather food resources and use them to acquire different types of birds, all of which come from various habitats, such as the forest and wetlands.
Each player has a different habitat, and over the course of the game, you need to spend those important resources to not only get new birds but to gather food and have them lay eggs, too. In order to win, you need to hit more objectives and gather more birds than the other players.
Hello Kitty: Island Adventure
Portable platforms: iOS, Steam Deck, Windows handhelds, and Nintendo Switch
Hello Kitty games are always cozy, but Island Adventure takes it to a whole other level. You and your partner can work together – assuming you both have Apple Arcade – to bring new life to an abandoned island. It's not too dissimilar to Stardew Valley in that sense. Of course, there's more to it than rebuilding an island, you get to explore it, and who knows what adventures you may find.
The island features many friendly faces, so even if you do decide to push ahead without your significant other, you can still hang out with some friends. You get to create your own avatar, give gifts, go fishing, get those all-important selfies, decorate your home and other cabins, cook delicious meals, and even become a mermaid.
All of that goes to say that you're in for a fun and chill time with Hello Kitty: Island Adventure – it's perfect for cuddling up under a blanket together on a rainy day. If you want to learn more, check out our Hello Kitty: Island Adventure review, where we give it a very respectable nine.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch
Mario Kart needs no introduction. The chances are you've played at least one version of it, the most recent of which among the console entries is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch. If you can't agree on who's doing the dishes tonight, challenge your partner to a Mario Kart tournament. The winner can put their feet up while the loser skids over to the sink.
The tracks in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe are a lot of fun, so no matter which tournament you pick, you're bound to like the look of at least one of them. Then again, Rainbow Road is pretty to look at, but it sucks to speed around. Every time I drive on Rainbow Road, I fall off at least five times, and on occasion, it's even because my partner launches a well-placed banana peel.
The Mario Kart character you pick makes a difference, as does the vehicle, wheels, and other items. They all come together to give different stats, so consider that when selecting who you are and what car or bike you want. If you go for what looks best, you might find yourself in last place while your partner breezes to first place, looking worse than you do on laundry day.
If you want to see what makes this Mario game so great, check out our Mario Kart 8 Deluxe review. There's also Mario Kart Tour on mobile if you prefer to play games on iOS or Android.
Dark Souls
Portable platforms: Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and Windows handhelds
Okay. We admit it: this isn't a couple's game for the faint-hearted. While many entries on this list are cute, easygoing, or based on a popular board game, Dark Souls isn't. In fact, it's an absolutely brutal experience, but that's part of what makes it so good for couples – those who suffer in Lordran together stay together. Or you may turn on each other to pass the blame for who messed up and caused you to lose a grueling boss fight.
Dark Souls is known as one of the most difficult games for several reasons, and the Dark Souls bosses are one of them. Luckily, not all of them are mandatory, but some of the really difficult ones are, so good luck with that. At least with your partner beside you, it becomes a two-on-one situation, and hey, you can use them as cannon fodder if all else fails.
Lordran is huge, with many locations for you to explore, each with its own enemies, dangers, and loot. Taking someone with you can help to ensure you reach the next Dark Souls bonfire, and who knows, perhaps your other half will spot something you'd have otherwise missed.
As a Dark Souls veteran, I highly recommend you go for two different builds if you plan to play together. A strength-based melee fighter and a powerful magic user make for quite a lethal combination, though if you both want to use massive swords, it's a lot of fun. You can even fight each other if you want; determine who really messed up that last encounter.
Uno
Portable platforms: iOS, Nintendo Switch, Android, Windows handhelds, and Steam Deck
Uno, tearing families apart since 1971. Thanks to advancements in technology over the decades, you don't even need a physical Uno deck for it to test your relationships, with the family game being on Nintendo Switch, mobile, and other platforms. I'm not joking when I say it will test your relationship. This game might be more notorious than Monopoly for causing arguments, and that's saying something.
The aim of the game is simple: you need to get rid of all your cards before any other player. That's it. But the trouble comes in the form of having to pick up a new card whenever it's your turn, and you can't match the color or number of the card the person before you put down. You can even be hit with the nasty pick-up two, which forces you to add two cards to your hand and skip a turn. Some variations of the game even have a pick-up four card, and I've still not forgiven my partner for giving me that not once but twice in a single game.
Unravel 2
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch, Windows handhelds, and Steam Deck
If you want a fun platform puzzle game, you and your partner are in for a treat with Unravel 2. While you can play it solo, the local co-op is delightful and is a lot of fun for couples, asking you to work together to solve intricate puzzles by manipulating the world. The game features a cute story about coming together to overcome the odds while offering an even more challenging time than the first game. If you like It Takes Two, this is sure to be a hit.
Mario Party
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch, DS, and 3DS
The Mario Party games are always good for fun multiplayer action, and there are several you can try out on Nintendo Switch – Super Mario Party, Mario Party Superstars, and Super Mario Party Jamboree. Not much has changed about the series since its inception in 1998, except an increase in minigames and characters as time went on.
These Mario games are also great if you want to have a double date night or just a fun time with a bunch of friends. Check out our Mario Party Superstars review and Super Mario Party Jamboree review to learn more about them.
Monster Hunter
Portable platforms: Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, and Windows handhelds
The Monster Hunter games probably aren't the first that comes to mind when thinking of a game to play with your partner, but trust us when we say that they're a really good option. Think about it: to succeed in hunts, particularly the tricky ones that last up to an hour, you need someone you can trust to watch your back and help you cause some damage; who's better for that than your partner?
There are numerous MH games on Nintendo Switch, including Monster Hunter Rise, Monster Hunter Stories, and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin. In our Monster Hunter Rise review, we gave it a massive 9/10, saying that "Rise nails the theme, introduces smart improvements to combat, and is a thoroughly fun experience from start to finish."
We can even help you get started if you're new to the series with our Monster Hunter Rise weapons and Monster Hunter Rise skills guides. Furthermore, should you prefer to play games together on mobile, we recommend you give Monster Hunter Now a try, especially if you like Pokémon Go, as the game is essentially the MH of that. You can learn more about it in our Monster Hunter Now review, in which we score it a respectable 8/10.
Resident Evil 5 and 6
Portable platforms: Nintendo Switch
There are numerous Resident Evil games on Nintendo Switch, including the remakes for 2 and 3, as well as the adventures of Resident Evil's Ethan with RE7 and Village. All of those are fantastic single-player experiences, a true treat for those who enjoy horror games, but while it can be fun to pass the controller back and forth to enjoy them together, there are multiple Resi games in which you can play cooperatively.
Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 are two examples. For example, in the former, Chris gets a partner called Sheva while on his travels in Africa, who your player two can play as. RE6, meanwhile, has numerous campaigns, all but one of which allow cooperative play. If you're a couple that enjoys the spooky things in life, give Resident Evil a try.
Far Cry 6
Portable platforms: Windows handhelds and Steam Deck
Personally, I don't consider Far Cry 6 to be as good as 5 or 4, but it's a whole lot better when you play it with someone else, and who better to explore Yara with than your partner? If you've played any previous Far Cry game, you know exactly what to expect – you play as an unfortunate soul who finds themselves in a situation that's so much bigger than them, with the fate of an entire region at stake.
In Far Cry 6, you play as Dani Rojas, a guerrilla fighter who wants to help free Yara from the regime of its current president, Antón Castillo, portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito). You get access to a vast array of weapons and vehicles as you go on missions full of explosions and mayhem.
Minecraft
Portable platforms: Steam Deck, Windows handhelds, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android
Everybody and their grandmother knows what Minecraft is at this point; it remains the go-to sandbox game for many people, even all these years after its initial release in 2011. While it's an enjoyable experience solo, there's something extra special about playing it with other people – being able to erect buildings and set up shop a lot faster is a real bonus.
Plus, speaking from personal experience, you might witness some hilarious things as you watch Endermen attack your partner or a creeper blow them up. Sure, it's not all that fun for them, but it's amusing for you, and you then get to pick up all of their stuff, so they don't even have to lose anything.
There's much fun to be had with Minecraft, people create all sorts, including the likes of Hogwarts and King's Landing from Harry Potter and Game of Thrones.
Phasmophobia
Portable platforms: Steam Deck and Windows handhelds
If you and your partner enjoy horror games, you should give Phasmophobia a try – speaking from experience, it can be a lot of fun with some hilarious moments if you play with the right people. You and your pals get to play as paranormal investigators, entering haunted locations and choosing what equipment to use to uncover what ungodly evil is stalking the place.
Of course, these ghosts aren't too happy with what you're doing, so you can expect them to come after you, especially as you get further into your investigation. With any luck, you can solve the mystery. But if things become too dangerous, you can always run. Sometimes, you might need to be selfish and leave your partner behind – survival of the fittest and all that.
There you have it, the best games for couples on Switch and mobile. Some are cute, others are wholesome, and a few will test your relationship – have fun! If you find yourself on the couch after a particularly dicey game of Uno, our list of the best single-player games can help you pass the time.