The best games for couples in 2026
Inevitably, in any relationship, there comes a time when your partner will say these words: “Why don’t we play a game together?” Don’t shy away from this, don’t ponder whether they’re any good at simply holding a controller. This is one of the greatest pastimes you can do, because after all, you’re doing it with the person you love the most. So, if you’re searching for the best games for couples, then you’re in the right place.
Don’t worry, this list of games for couples isn’t just full of cutesy or cozy adventures. There’s a little something for everyone here. Whether you love a good action narrative or journeying into fantasy realms, you and your loved one may just find a game that becomes one of your favorites.
The best games for couples on handhelds are:
1. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is tailor-made for playing as a couple. You arrive in Pelican Town with nothing but a neglected farm and a new life to begin, but that slowly turns into something special. Clearing weeds, breaking rocks, and chopping trees might sound mundane, but it’s oddly satisfying when you’re tackling it as a team or with your partner. After all, it supports up to eight players in co-op.
In our Stardew Valley review, we give it a perfect score, and it earns it. Whether you’re in it for the love of farming or just for the rhythm of daily life together, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best games for couples.
The first choice you’ll make is a big one: your farm layout. It’s the initial step toward creating the perfect rural paradise. From there, it’s all about growth. You can raise animals, build new structures, and carve out space for crops, while also stepping away from farm life to connect with the town itself. Make sure you say hello to Stardew Valley’s Alex or Stardew Valley’s Emily when you swing by.
Check prices: iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds
2. Split Fiction
Following up a hit like It Takes Two is no small task, yet the excellent Hazelight Studios rose to the challenge with Split Fiction. The studio takes everything that worked in its previous co-op adventure and pushes it further, delivering tighter teamwork, better puzzles, and even more spectacle. The opening level alone is worth the price of admission.
With a striking blend of sci-fi and fantasy settings, each world pulls ideas straight from the imaginations of its two leads. Mio and Zoe are authors whose stories become very real after a shady tech company traps them inside their own creative works. What follows is a steady stream of inventive challenges, ramped-up action, and clever co-op sequences that demand communication and coordination. Please, no arguing.
Like It Takes Two before, the game’s story becomes about more than just teamwork, with nuanced writing that shows why Hazelight are masters of co-op games.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, and Windows Handhelds
3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Yeah, there are plenty of titles that claim to be just as good as Animal Crossing. But let’s be real, New Horizons just hits different, doesn’t it? The highly celebrated Nintendo Switch exclusive is more than deserving of a spot on this list. We’d feel like criminals if we didn’t include it, to be honest. Before Heartopia came along to try and ape it, New Horizons raised the bar for cozy games, offering a slice of life simulator unlike any other.
It’s a bold statement, but you can read our glowing Animal Crossing: New Horizons review, as well as our Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 review, to find out why. As you board a Dodo Airlines flight in its opening moments, New Horizons begins with you getting into some heinous debt in the middle of paradise. Thanks, Tom Nook. It isn’t the start anyone expects, but from here, your island life flourishes into something beautiful. Villagers begin to make friends with you, plants bloom, food grows, and fish flop out of the sea.
Your life can be anything you want it to be, and you don’t have to do it alone. Players can have up to eight guests through online multiplayer, or four players locally. If you are wondering what the best games like Animal Crossing are, though, then our handy list has got you covered.
Check prices: Nintendo Switch
4. The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Online is great for playing together. Rolling through the hills of Auirdon, sipping ale in Glenumbra, or fishing in Daggerfall? That’s a good life. While some of the game’s aspects are admittedly a little dated, there’s that usual Bethesda charm all over ESO. Completing quests, dungeons, and delves together is a blast with a co-op partner. Or if you prefer, you can both wander around the entire world freely, building your characters up steadily.
If you’re into games like Skyrim, then it doesn’t get more authentic than Zenimax’s offering. Chilling out in voice chat and completing quests is a good way to unwind. There’s a huge amount of freedom to shape your character, mixing abilities, passives, and buffs from different skill lines to create a build that feels unique. Between chasing better gear and learning how systems interact, there’s always something to work toward.
That balance makes The Elder Scrolls Online easy to recommend, whether you want relaxed questing or a deeper grind toward endgame power. You can dip in for an evening or lose entire weekends to it without realizing the time has gone. An Elder Scrolls Online Nintendo Switch 2 port would be a dream for many players, but even as it stands, ESO remains one of the most rewarding long-term MMORPGs you can play.
Check prices: Steam Deck and Windows handhelds
5. Pokémon Go
Pokémon Go works surprisingly well as a couples game, turning everyday walks and mundane errands into shared mini-adventures. Whether you’re heading out for a quick afternoon walk or traveling somewhere new, the game gives you a reason to explore your local area, compare catches, and celebrate those rare finds together. I highly recommend playing it in the supermarket; turn that grocery shop into something exciting.
Best of all, Pokémon Go fits around your life rather than making logging in feel like a chore. You can play casually or go all in depending on your mood. It’s up to you. You can read our Pokémon Go review to see how it shapes up all these years later.
Playing together also adds a cooperative edge; just don’t blame us if it ends in tears. You can team up for raids, trade different Pokémon, help each other complete research tasks, and take over Gyms as a duo. Events and community days feel more special when you experience them together, especially when you are coordinating strategies or racing to see who gets the better shiny. Pair this with Pokémon Go codes, and you’re off to a great start.
Play for free: iOS and Android
6. Call of Duty Warzone
If you really want to test the strength of a relationship, drop into Verdansk or Haven’s Hollow as a duo. Call of Duty itself is normally a pretty sweaty experience, but the introduction of casual playlists makes all the difference. Whether you’re an FPS game expert or just want to try your luck at outlasting other players, Call of Duty: Warzone doesn’t fail to provide laughs, tears, and joy in one fell swoop.
Since the game’s early days in March 2020, Warzone has changed a lot. Verdansk went away for a while, then it came back before the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Now, you can hop into Rebirth Island, Verdansk, and Haven’s Hollow whenever you please. For those of you who love COD Zombies, Haven’s Hollow is an expanded version of Liberty Falls. Each map is playable on Resurgence mode, a playlist where players can redeploy within 40 seconds, as long as their team stays alive.
Hopefully, we’ll get a Warzone Nintendo Switch 2 version, as Microsoft is set to make good on its promise to port Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms. There is full cross-play across PS5, Xbox, and PC, though. Oh, and it’s completely free.
Play for free: Steam Deck and Windows handhelds
Upcoming games for couples
While we love the picks on this list, we’re still keeping an eye on what’s next. Our lists of upcoming Switch games and upcoming mobile games make it easier for you to track all the latest releases, which include plenty of games to play as a couple. There are picks like Neverness to Everness, an open-world game that blends anime aesthetics with GTA antics. Tomodachi: Living The Dream is ideal if you’re eager for something in the same flavor as Stardew Valley. Or if you’d prefer to add some action to your screens, The Division Resurgence could be a major co-op shooter to jump into.
There you have it, that’s our list of the best games for couples. What do you think? Any games you think we’re missing or hidden gems that need highlighting? Feel free to jump into Pocket Tactics Discord to let us know. When you’re not playing with others, you can also use our guides for the best Switch games, best Steam Deck games, and best mobile games to find your next adventure.
