The Greatest Combo Co-op Games

Occasionally, you may get into a situation where you want to play co-op games with two friends, but only one of them is sitting on the couch with you, as the other is somewhere else entirely. This is why combo co-op was invented. It allows you to play co-op titles with people locally and online simultaneously.

The feature has been around for plenty of years by this point, but unfortunately, not every game has adopted it. However, on a more positive note, some of the titles that allow combo co-op happen to be excellent. The following examples are several of the best ever.

6 Left 4 Dead 2

Combo co-op is only available on the Xbox version of the game.

Left 4 Dead 2 is arguably the ultimate co-op game, which is why it's still so well-remembered all these years after its release. The game doesn't have the deepest mechanics or story. It's just an action-packed zombie game that is very fun to play.

As a group of survivors, you go from safehouse to safehouse, killing the many hordes of fast-paced, undead creatures in your path. Rarely does the game let up, as it continually throws more creatures at you that you must fend off. It's very exciting.

5 Borderlands 3

Only console players can play combo co-op.

Borderlands 3 could be considered an action RPG or a first-person shooter. It has the character progression and abilities of an RPG, but it plays very much like an FPS. Throughout the campaign, you're tasked with completing all sorts of quests and fighting all kinds of creatures.

The latter is undoubtedly the focal point, as this game is all about participating in action-packed shootouts. You do so on the beautiful planet of Pandora, which is filled with some nice sights and plenty of morally questionable people. It's an engaging and humorous adventure.

4 Minecraft

Only console players can play combo co-op.

At this point, Minecraft is among the most famous video games ever. It's a sandbox survival game in which you're placed in a blocky, open world and can do whatever you desire. You can mine, build, kill things, and more, as there aren't many restrictions.

In fact, even the co-op aspect is optional. There is nothing forcing you to team up with the friends you're playing with. You can come together and build some great things, or work alone and destroy what your friends have built. It's up to you.

3 Overcooked 2

Running a restaurant is likely very stressful and chaotic at times. If so, then Overcooked 2 is a great re-creation of that. Yet, it also happens to be a lot of fun. As adorable and colorful little characters, you have to work as a team to prepare and cook the orders that are coming in.

While doing so, time ticks down, as you have to complete the orders within the time provided. How many you complete dictates your star rating. If you're gunning for three stars for each level, things will likely get hectic and exciting.

2 Gears 5

Gears 5 is one of the best co-op shooters out there right now. It follows the series tradition of providing fluid and satisfying third-person shooting mechanics. The cover system is excellent, and the enemies are varied.

Three players can enjoy the campaign together, with two playing as armed soldiers and another as their supportive flying bot. The story is a deeper and better one that it's often given credit for. It revolves around protagonist Kait Diaz and her family's complicated history.

1 Baldur's Gate 3

Players on Xbox Series S and Google Stadia can't play combo co-op, but those on Xbox Series X and other systems can.

When it comes to cooperative role-playing games, you don't tend to see pure RPGs. Yet, that is exactly what Baldur's Gate 3 is, and it's one of the best in recent memory. The title contains deep turn-based combat that rewards strategy.

Sometimes, you can avoid battles altogether by making certain choices before the fighting commences. This is because the title tasks you with making many choices that heavily alter your experience. Whatever decisions you make, though, you are likely to still experience a compelling narrative filled with wonderful characters.