Top 10 co-op mobile games for couples

The Rusty Lake team is known for making some very weird and unsettling experiences, the kind that you don't like to play alone. In an interesting and non-horrifying twist, they've created The Past Within, a haunting puzzle adventure that requires two people to work together. Just like horror movies have been causing couples to cuddle up since the dawn of the drive-thru, this game will make you and your partner huddle together for comfort as you play this intriguing yet still creepy game. One of you is in the past, the other is in the future, and the time to find the truth is now.

There was a period in the mid-2010s when escape rooms were all the rage and they still chug along as viable social activities, but you still have to physically go there. Thank Pixel for video games like Escape Room - Beyond Life for giving us a more convenient option. Plenty of games present a locked-in-room scenario and this one is just like that but with a heavier focus on camaraderie and fun in a fantasy setting. It sees you exploring the scenes and rooms, looking for clues, messing with anything that looks vaguely suspicious, and putting pieces together with your partner to escape as a team.

Ever since Thatgamecompany (you know the one) released Journey, we've all been craving similar games that offer that level of peace, emotion and struggle in such a beautiful way. The developer has found its bread and butter and moved onto mobile with Sky: Children Of Light. Arguably taking place in the same universe as Journey, you and your partner get to create your own robed younglings fueled by an inner light that wants to be shared with the world. The two of you can wander around a lovely and fantastical environment to take in all the sights and come up with your own adventures. You'll also encounter other souls seeking the same feelings as you which can bring everyone closer together.

This may be an example of a co-op game that isn't explicitly co-op. Heart Star is in a vein of games that look co-op but instead require the player to play both partners. However, there's a very simple solution to this: Share the device. Beforehand, you and your partner should discuss who is going to control which character and then take on the role. It's a game where only one of the characters can move at a time with different elements becoming active when they do. Take your turns platforming to reach the goal and feel your hearts glow brightly like stars.

Are you really that surprised that this game is on here? Honestly, I'm impressed that I didn't put this one at the top of the list, but Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp needs no further introduction. Your favourite cast of animal villagers and human avatars are no longer settling down in town but have bought RVs and are hitting various campsites. You and your partner can each make your own characters and then meet up to camp together. Decorate your campsites, meet other campers, and enjoy various outdoor activities. It can be nice to have a home away from home.

Wavelength is a party game plain and simple that's meant to prompt unusual conversations and thoughts among those who know you best and those you're still getting to know. Even though it's meant to be played in a group, you can make the scenario more intimate so that you and your partner are playing as a team or both of you are playing separately in the same room. It's all in the name of light-hearted fun, but you may discover new and fascinating things about each other. It's up to you whether you want to dive deeper or take a break from the game and talk on your own.

Trivia is the great equalizer. Someone may know everything there is to know about theoretical physics but is helpless when it comes to naming Batman villains. You never know when a random piece of knowledge is going to come in handy, which is why it's nice to have a partner who can teach you new things. Quizzland is an ongoing trivia activity in your pocket that you can play cooperatively or competitively. The best thing to do is try to get a quiz that tests you and your partner's knowledge on something that both of you are not experts on. You'll end up learning new things which can deepen your connection.

Some games almost seem impossible if you play them by yourself and Terraria is one such example. Sure, it's possible to play it safe, but where's the fun in that? You want to build yourself up from nothing, establish a fortress, plunder valuable resources, slay monsters, and make the best toys before hunting the biggest baddies. This is the kind of adventure that can bring a couple closer as you and your partner face all the challenges this brutal world can throw at you. Rise and fall as one so that you can climb this game's difficulty mountain and plant your flag at the peak.

With everything that's happening in your life, it can be difficult to keep your brain active when you just want to shut it off at the end of the day. This is why you and your partner need to be mental and intellectual spotters for each other and Everyday Puzzles can help with that. As the title suggests, the game presents various games meant to train your brain. They can range all over and stimulate different parts of the mind. Where you might lack, your partner may excel and the two of you can grow smarter by taking some time to puzzle it out.

This might seem like an unusual entry on this list, but Badland can be very enjoyable despite its sombre appearance. With a tone and presentation similar to Limbo, it's about guiding a giant fuzzy head with flapping arms through tunnels filled with obstacles, hazards, and strange objects that have strange effects. You and your partner can each take control of a flying head as you travel these tunnels together. It's up to you whether you want to make it competitive but the game can be harsh enough so you'll be encouraged to flap together and beat the odds.