We have “How well do you know your best friend?” quizzes, as well as compatibility apps such as Checkmate, but have you ever tried playing online games where intense synergy and collaboration with your friends are crucial to success? From cooking to strategy, these games will measure your true compatibility with your friends by testing your capability to cooperate under fire (and even how well you can keep your cool). So, what are you waiting for? Grab your nearest gaming device, your closest friends or family members, and let the test of friendship begin!
Overcooked! 2
(Available on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox)
As the name suggests, Overcooked! 2 is a cooking strategy game that allows up to four players to play at a time (locally and online). Overcooked! is a game where communication, speed and strategy are essential to success as you and your friends must work together to cook, assemble and deliver food in a certain amount of time. However, don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this game’s tasks. Fires can erupt, and as you move up in levels, the maps become exponentially harder to navigate through (think maps with conveyor belts, river rafts and even locations in the sky). The game has a ton of levels and even special events, so it’s definitely a game that can always keep you and your friends entertained. Overcooked! 2 is personally one of my favorites on this list because it tests your ability to communicate and multitask under pressure (and sometimes even your patience with friends).
PICO PARK
(Available on Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch)
Unlike the other games mentioned on this list, PICO PARK is by far the most accommodating in terms of player count — allowing up to eight players. However, the more players there are, the more intricate and difficult the game becomes because it requires you to effectively and efficiently communicate with even more people than the other games on this list. In PICO PARK, the objective is to collect a key in order to unlock the door to the next level. As mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t be fooled by the simplicity of the game’s objective. In order to collect that special key, every player in the game is needed — whether that be building a bridge high enough to grab the key or playing while linked alongside another player. Compared to Overcooked! 2, PICO PARK is much shorter (although it does offer three special game modes). However, that’s what I think makes the game a perfect party game — it’s quick and short, yet it’s still exhilarating and maybe even frustrating for some.
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!
(Available on Nintendo Switch)
Although I’ve only played this game a few times, it’s so memorable that I just had to include it in this list. Allowing up to four players at a time, players play as “paper pals” and collaborate to solve puzzles by snipping each other into different shapes and sizes. In order to successfully overcome obstacles in the game, players must be creative with their cutting and puzzle-solving skills.
Super Mario Party
(Available on Nintendo Switch)
Saving the best for last, another personal favorite is Super Mario Party; it’s just so nostalgic. Allowing up to four players (locally or online), Super Mario Party is easily one of the most well-known cooperative games on this list — testing a team’s ability to unite through a collective goal of winning the most stars. The game is comparable to a board game where each player rolls a die to move on the map, collecting items and coins to purchase stars. Unfortunately, landing on unlucky spaces means players will have to forfeit coins. However, what’s unique about this “board game,” is that after every round, there is a minigame that gives players the opportunity to win more coins. This game requires intense teamwork because each player’s dice roll is totaled up in teams and mini-games are very rarely a one-man show. While also boasting a variety of game modes such as river racing and rhythm games, Super Mario Party is truly an epitome of, well, a party game.
