It is no secret that indie games always find a way of delivering a creative and different experience to the gaming community, since they are not afraid of thinking outside the box, and this willingness to take risks often allows them to grab the spotlight that AAA projects crave so much – all while ignoring the biggest market trends.
And this phenomenon is especially common in the co-op genre, which has become increasingly popular every year, likely due to the “It Takes Two effect” that brought cooperative play back to the forefront of the gaming industry.
10 Best Co-Op Games That Respect Your Time
If you have limited free hours and a bunch of friends, this list is specifically made for you.
So there are many indie titles that have managed to outperform AAA titles in some way over the past decades, whether in terms of popularity within a specific genre or by reaching incredibly high sales figures, finding a special place in players’ hearts.
That is why we have decided to embrace our team spirit and put together a list of 10 indie co-op games that outperformed AAA titles in some way, whether in terms of popularity within a specific genre or by reaching incredibly high sales figures. Shall we take a look at them?
10
Terraria
The Ultimate Sandbox Experience
Often called “2D Minecraft”, Terraria quickly proved it was a beast of its own by offering a progression system so deep that most AAA RPGs look shallow by comparison.
With thousands of items to collect, dozens of bosses, diverse biomes, and complex crafting, it provides a sense of discovery that keeps players hooked for hundreds of hours. The world evolves as you play, constantly introducing new threats and materials, making it highly replayable, especially since you can take on every challenge with the help of a friend in its seamless co-op mode.
Even after a decade, it continues to sit at the top of the Steam charts, consistently outperforming big-budget releases in terms of active players. Its longevity is a testament to the developers’ incredible dedication, offering a complete and constantly updated experience for a fraction of the cost of a standard triple-A title.
9
Spelunky 2
Chaos in Every Depth
Spelunky 2 is an indie masterclass in emergent gameplay, where every run tells a different (and often hilarious) story of failure and narrow escapes due to its randomized, roguelite challenges.
So, while many big-budget titles try to script their epic moments from beginning to end, this baby lets them happen naturally through its complex physics and unpredictable chain reactions.
Additionally, playing this in co-op is a test of true friendship! Unlike AAA games that often hold your hand, this game makes you and your friend face chaotic gameplay that rewards you with an incredible feeling when you finally manage to reach a new area as a team. It truly is the kind of game that proves you don’t need a massive budget to create a perfect gameplay loop.
8
Human Fall Flat
A Massive Phenomenon in Asia
While it might look like a simple physics-based puzzler, Human Fall Flat is a global juggernaut! It has seen incredible success worldwide since its original release, but its popularity in Asia is truly staggering, often outperforming the biggest AAA franchises in the region.
Its slapstick humor and messy physics simply transcend language barriers, making it a universal hit by having a co-op experience that is centered around coordinated clumsiness. Trying to solve a puzzle while your friends are accidentally grabbing your character’s head instead of a lever in a crucial moment that leads to defeat always leads to endless laughter.
It is simple, it is fun, and it is the rare type of game that focuses purely on the joy of interaction rather than complex combat or heavy narratives. But the game’s success surely proves that a unique hook and a funny premise can go much further than high-end graphics.
7
We Were Here Series
Before It Takes Two Made It Cool
Long before It Takes Two became the main reference for mandatory co-op, the We Were Here series was already perfecting the art of “asymmetrical” puzzles.
The franchise relies entirely on communication, as you and your partner are often separated and must describe what you see over a walkie-talkie to survive, which can also lead to some tension and disagreement. And that’s the real challenge: manage to keep up with the team spirit and overcome all the obstacles together!
9 Co-Op Games Reviewed Higher Than It Takes Two That Deserve Much More Attention
Not the only cooperative reference!
The developers have built an entire saga around this concept, proving that there is a massive market for games that require two people to actually cooperate. It is a brilliant example of a small studio identifying a gap in the market and filling it with a high-quality, atmospheric experience that feels truly unique.
6
Lethal Company
The Viral Horror Hit
Every once in a while, an indie horror title comes along and becomes an overnight sensation. Lethal Company is one of these cases. Upon its release in 2023, it skyrocketed to the top of the Steam charts, standing side by side with major releases and proving that a creative concept can beat a massive marketing budget.
The game is a survival with horror elements that tasks you and your friends with exploring abandoned, industrialized moons to collect scrap in a dystopian, retro-futuristic world. Its true charm, however, lies in how it manages to create a specific atmosphere that is both terrifying and incredibly funny, especially when things go horribly wrong for your crew in the most unexpected ways!
Also, one of the game’s greatest feats is its use of proximity voice chat (a stroke of genius that many AAA developers often overlook, by the way). Hearing a friend’s voice fade away as they are dragged into the darkness, or catching a distant scream suddenly cut short, adds a layer of organic immersion and tension that scripted cutscenes simply cannot match.
5
Overcooked
The King of Couch Co-Op
Overcooked is known for taking the concept of cooking and turning it into a high-stakes, frantic management game that requires surgical precision from all players – and, by doing that, created an all-time classic for the co-op genre… and also a quick way of breaking friendships, but that’s a story for another day.
In a time that AAA focused on online-only experiences, this baby doubled down on the local co-op couch experience, and it proved that there is still something magical about sitting next to someone and screaming about a burnt tomato or a missing plate.
In addition to stealing our hearts, Overcooked’s success also led to a whole new genre of frantic management games. Still, the original remains the gold standard by being the first to make everyone notice that a single, well-executed idea can be extremely fun.
4
Phasmophobia
Who You Gonna Call?
Before Phasmophobia, most horror games prioritized a solitary experience to heighten the player’s immersion and fear. However, this indie title changed the scenario by turning ghost hunting into a team sport.
By using voice recognition technology that allows the ghosts to actually hear you and your friends, the game tasks you with entering abandoned locations, ranging from simple houses to massive prisons. So you all must cooperate by using specialized tools to identify supernatural clues and figure out exactly what kind of entity is haunting the place (before it hunts you down).
This unique combination led to massive success on Twitch and YouTube, making the game one of the most-watched titles online and allowing it to outperform established horror franchises! It effectively proved that the most frightening thing isn’t a scripted jump-scare, but rather the sound of your friend’s flashlight flickering out while you are left alone in the dark.
3
Vampire Survivors
The One-Dollar Powerhouse
Despite its 8-bit aesthetic and simple formula, Vampire Survivors offers a dopamine hit that most live-service triple-A titles spend millions of dollars trying to engineer and often fail to achieve. And the addition of a local co-op option only served to make this chaotic bullet heaven even more addictive, turning a solo obsession into a shared one.
That’s because, when you have company, the screen becomes a beautiful mess of colorful projectiles and thousands of enemies. Coordinating your power-ups and evolutions with a partner to become an unstoppable force of nature is incredibly satisfying, as you work together to survive the literal thousands of monsters closing in on you from every direction.
In the end, it is a game that truly values the player’s time and money, offering a premium, high-quality experience for the price of a cup of coffee. So it naturally became a reference for its genre and continues to steal the spotlight every time a new update or DLC is announced.
2
Stardew Valley
More Than Just a Farming Sim
Stardew Valley remains the gold standard for cozy games to this day, famously created by a single developer. However, while it started as a solo experience, the addition of multiplayer transformed it into the ultimate long-term co-op game, where you and your friends can build a digital life together over dozens of hours!
Since its release, the game has consistently outperformed AAA simulators by possessing a genuine, charismatic soul. Every character in town has a unique story, the world feels reactive to your choices, and sharing these moments with friends (whether you are fishing together at the docks or exploring the dangerous depths of the mines) makes the farm feel like a true shared home.
It is no wonder the game has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide, and it still remains a beloved title because it prioritizes depth, charm, and player freedom over everything else, proving that a heartfelt indie project can make the impossible possible.
1
Cuphead
A Masterpiece Inspired in the 1930s
Known for its incredible 1930s cartoon art style and challenging gameplay, Cuphead features an incredible co-op option that I feel is often overlooked by the broader gaming community.
For me, playing with a partner is the definitive way to experience the game. Not only does it make every boss fight feel more dynamic and chaotic, but it also expands the gameplay loop through its unique revival mechanic. Being able to parry a friend’s soul back into their body after they lose their final life provides a desperate second chance that turns every encounter into a true test of teamwork.
We also can’t forget that from the very first minute it was released, Cuphead became one of the most acclaimed indie titles in history and a massive commercial success, even spawning a hit Netflix show.
It literally serves as a powerful reminder that indie doesn’t mean less ambition – quite the opposite! With enough vision and hard work, it proves how a small team can create a visual and mechanical masterpiece that stands toe-to-toe with the giants of the industry.
50 Best Indie Games of All Time
Forget blockbuster AAA games! We want some plucky little indies!
