Finding the right game to play with a partner can be extremely difficult. Sometimes the person sitting next to you on the couch isn’t quite the epic gamer that you are, or maybe they’re your significant other and you probably shouldn’t flame them as hard as you would your college roommate.

After carefully examining the person on the couch next to you, it’s important to make the right decision of what game to play. One wrong move and you’ll end up with a bored friend, a hole in your wall, or divorce papers on your nightstand with your future ex-wife packing her things and your dog, Cooper, that you definitely raised all on your own.

So, yeah. Let’s pick the right game for the right situation, shall we? Each game shall receive a score in Noob-Friendly, Rage-Inducing, and Teamwork Required.

Conduct Together

Conduct Together is a cheeky little game available on the Switch where each person controls either the tracks of a railroad or the actual trains. Both gamers must work together to make sure that the trains are able to safely pick up passengers without running into other trains, cars, or other objects.

This game isn’t for anyone who is tired as the puzzles quickly ramp up in difficulty. It can get extremely frustrating as you are doing everything right and your partner isn’t, or it can feel REALLY bad when you mess up everything RIGHT as you were about to beat the level.

• Noob-Friendly: 10/10 – Literally no gamer skills required
• Rage-Inducing: 6/10 – It’s tilting, but not too bad
• Teamwork Required: 8/10 – Everyone must do their share to beat levels

Don’t Starve Together

I’ve got a soft spot for this game. Don’t Starve Together is a survival game where you play as cute little characters that hop around while you craft items, gather supplies, and stay away from the spooky monsters in the dark.

It’s a super simple game, but it definitely needs at least one person who knows that they are doing in order to setup the proper base, gather certain resources, and survive for an extended period of time. However, literally every other person can be a sack of potatoes.

• Noob-Friendly: 8/10 – You need at least one person to know what they’re doing
• Rage-Inducing: 3/10 – Sucks to die and lose everything, but that’s about it
• Teamwork Required: 1/10 – Could literally play on your own

Castle Crashers

Want to run around just smacking stuff? Brain no work just hit buttons? Perfect. Grab your other brain-dead buddy and play some Castle Crashers while you’re both half-asleep on the couch. Just run around, hit things, grab new weapons and pets, and progress through the levels. The longer you play the harder you smack and the more brain power it starts to take as enemies get harder.

However, this game isn’t inherently hard. The controls are simple enough that most grandparents could at least earn a participation trophy. Dying stinks, but it doesn’t really set you back at all. Plus, it feels good to level up and start smacking harder. Who doesn’t like progression?

• Noob-Friendly: 9/10 – Literally no gamer skills required… for a bit
• Rage-Inducing: 2/10 – Dying is no big deal you just have to sit out
• Teamwork Required: 5/10 – Might be able to do everything on your own, but not likely

Halo 2

Ohhhh, Buddy. Somebody get out their original XBOX and let’s sneak over to someone’s house who has parents that are cool enough to let us play rated-M games.

Halo 2’s campaign is one of my first memories of seriously sweating over trying to beat a game with a friend. Thankfully, it has multiple difficulty settings so, depending on your mood, you can either be a super-sweaty gamer with your epic gamer friend, or you can have a nice run-and-gun session with Gram-Gram.

• Noob-Friendly: 1-7/10 – Either it’s Hell or it’s a simple run-and-gun
• Rage-Inducing: 1-10/10 – Hole in the wall, or can play while listening to smooth jazz
• Teamwork Required: 1/10/10 – Can play by yourself or you desperately need your partner to be competent

Portal 2

I really think that Portal 2 is the best game you can play with another person. It’s a wonderful puzzle game where each person has control over their own portal gun that can transport people, lasers, and objects through the other end of a portal. The game has a beautifully written story, excellent progression, and it really is fun for absolutely anyone.

It is an icon in the gaming world for a reason. If you have not picked it up to play it with a friend, hit up literally anyone and say, “Hey I haven’t played Portal 2 before, want to play it with me?” and if their answer is no, then they don’t deserve to be a certified gamer. Play. This. Game.

• Noob-Friendly: 10/10 – literally no gamer skills required
• Rage-Inducing: 7/10 – It’s tilting at times when puzzles get hard or your partner messes something up
• Teamwork Required: 10/10 – You must be able to coordinate together to complete puzzles

Cuphead

Alright, this game sucks. It’s a really, really good game, but it sucks. It’s an absolute must-play, but you should probably learn how to patch dry-wall first.

Cuphead is an old-cartoon themed platformer where you and a partner make your way through various levels of drastically increasing difficulty until you either beat the game or each other. Run, jump, shoot. How hard can it be?

• Noob-Friendly: 1/10 – Have to be a cracked gamer
• Rage-Inducing: 99/10 – Have your therapist on speed dial
• Teamwork Required: 10/10 – You might lose friends

Unraveled 2

The art for Unraveled 2 is so cute. You and a partner are little yarn people, and you must traverse the big human world by swinging, building bridges, and smacking hopping all around. It’s a rather simple platformer with controls that are easy to get a hang of.

The sounds can be hilarious, yet there is a sort of melancholy mood to the game.

It’s a wonderful puzzle game that requires no sweat at all.

• Noob-Friendly: 9/10 – Pretty easy to pick up
• Rage-Inducing: 4/10 – Can be frustrating, but there aren’t any major setbacks
• Teamwork Required: 7/10 – You can make it easier for the other person if they can’t get some of the platforming things done, but overall, you need to be able to work together

Of course, there are dozens of other fantastic co-op games out there like Sea of Thieves, Minecraft, It Takes 2, and Phasmophobia, but I can’t quite cover them all.

What are your favorite games to play on the couch with someone? Let me know in the comments!