Best 2-Player Nintendo Switch Games to Play Right Now

With over 150 million units sold, the Nintendo Switch is by far the most popular modern video game system, and it’s also one of the best family friendly gaming options. The incredible selection of 2-player Nintendo Switch games is part of what makes it such a popular choice for gamers of all ages. With thousands of games to choose from, you might have a tough time knowing where to start. That’s why we’ve got a list of the 10 best 2-player Nintendo Switch games available right now, from cooperative to competitive. 

Check out our list of the top multiplayer Switch games below, and learn how easy it is to save on your next Nintendo Switch game using Fetch.

What makes a great 2-player Switch game?

It might sound obvious, but the best multiplayer Switch games are the ones where both players are actively playing the game. This doesn’t mean that everyone needs to be playing the same character or the same role, and it doesn’t mean you need to be competing with each other. You just don’t want one player to feel like a passenger while the other player drives (these can be great Switch games for young kids, though). 

How to identify a great 2-player Switch game

The Nintendo eShop lists over 3,000 games marked as “multiplayer,” but they aren’t all created equal. Here are some things to look for when shopping for multiplayer Switch games:

1. Character selection and/or customization is a sign that a game offers variety for different kinds of players.
2. Levels and challenges of varying difficulty ensure everyone has fun.
3. Significant main game and/or DLC content so you’re less likely to get bored playing the game you bought to play with friends.
4. Playable with the controllers you already own; you don’t want to find out while playing the game that everyone needs a pro controller.

Most importantly, know what kind of multiplayer your game supports:

• Some games only support online multiplayer while others are in-person (also known as “couch co-op”). 
• There are even some Switch games that let you and a friend play together locally on your own Switches. 
• The upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 will offer more local multiplayer options, letting multiple players share a single copy of a game to play together.

In the Nintendo eShop, check the supported play modes and number of players. 

The 10 best 2-Player Switch games (2025 edition)

It was hard enough to narrow the field down to the 10 best 2-player Switch games, they aren’t ranked. We’ve numbered them so you know how many you’ve read through, but you can’t really rank Mario Kart against Diablo against NBA 2k24. So check out the best multiplayer Switch games to shake up your home gaming.

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Since its debut on the Super Nintendo, Mario Kart has been a go-to multiplayer game, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the most popular 2-player Switch games. Choose from 42 different playable Nintendo characters with dozens of customizable karts, bikes and ATVs. Once you’ve selected your driver and kart, there are 96 tracks to race on.

Walking the line between competitive and fun-for-all, the friendliness of Mario Kart will depend on who you’re playing with. Don’t worry, though; even if you’re racing a 300cc champion, all it takes is one blue shell to ruin their day.

2. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes the Nintendo stable of characters and throws them into competition together. The difference? Instead of racing around familiar worlds, you’re fighting each other. With 89 fighters to choose from, including heroes from popular games like Breath of Fire and Metal Gear, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the 2-player Switch game with something for everyone.

Whether you’ve got your own arcade stick controller or you’ve never played a fighting game before, Smash Bros. is for you. Adjust the settings to take it easier on newer and/or younger players or force seasoned fighters to start the match damaged. 

3. Overcooked! All You Can Eat

You won’t have trouble getting the kids to help in the kitchen when you’re playing Overcooked! This co-op cooking simulation handles up to four local players, but it’s one of our top 2-player Switch games because we’ve had the most fun playing it with two players. Having too many cooks in your Overcooked! kitchen can leave seasoned chefs feeling a bit bored, and two players is that sweet spot of fun and excitement without feeling hard. 

Perfect for newcomers to the Overcooked! series or gamers looking to bring their cooking expertise to the Switch. Overcooked! All You Can Eat includes the Gourmet Editions of Overcooked! and Overcooked! 2 and featured remastered graphics, cross-play and exclusive levels and chefs.

4. Luigi’s Mansion 3

Perfect for gamers who like a bit of scary fun, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is one of the most unique 2-player Switch games: one player controls Luigi and another controls Gooigi. Who’s Gooigi? He’s a green, gooey clone of Luigi (think of him like a cross between Luigi and Slimer, from Ghostbusters).

Gooigi, being sort of a ghost, can pass through some objects and give Luigi help he desperately needs to free Mario and Princess Peach from the haunted hotel King Boo has them trapped in. This action-adventure puzzle game is sure to be plenty of fun (and just a little scary for younger gamers).

5. Minecraft

Minecraft is one of the most popular Nintendo Switch 2-player games for kids, with sandbox style gameplay that lets you do pretty much whatever you want. Split-screen multiplayer ensures you don’t have to craft by yourself, either. Just press the “+” button on a second controller and the game will prompt you to add a second player. 

While it’s certainly fun to build your own creations in Minecraft, it’s easier when you have help gathering resources, crafting tools and building structures. Collaboration makes it all go faster and lets you build a bigger and more imaginative world! And parents, even if you don’t know much about Minecraft, going split-screen is a great way for your kids to show you what they’ve been making in the game (and you’ll pick up the controls quickly).

6. Cuphead

Part of the “run and gun” style of games, Cuphead might feel familiar if you grew up playing Contra or Metal Slug (both of which you’ll find as digital 2-player Switch games in the Nintendo eShop). The difference between Cuphead and those games is in the look and feel. Traditional run and gun games feel much more war-like and realistic.

Cuphead looks like it came from early Walt Disney studios cartoons. And that’s part of the fun: the game’s animation and soundtrack are what draws so many players in and keeps them coming back. As far as its 2-player-ness, Cuphead makes that clear from the cover: each of you will be controlling either Cuphead or Mugman as you blast your way through side scrolling adventure. 

7. Streets of Rage 4 

If mentioning Contra and Metal Slug made you long for the days of 8-bit side-scrolling action, you’ll be happy to know that Streets of Rage 4 is also a Nintendo Switch 2-player game ready to give you an injection of nostalgia. A classic beat ’em up style game, the new game continues from the original trilogy published by Sega in the ’90s.

While this is set 10 years after Streets of Rage 3 and aims to continue the story, newcomers don’t need to go back to the originals first. Providing you with just enough background to get started in the new story, this really is one of the best examples of how to do a nostalgia-fueled sequel. With five main playable characters (and more unlockable and via DLC), you’ll want to head back to the streets with new friends until you’ve cleared the game with everyone.

8. It Takes Two

While most 2-player Switch games make the second player optional, It Takes Two doesn’t. This critically acclaimed game requires two players, as it’s built around a couple who have been turned into a pair of living dolls. Playing as either May or Cody, each player has unique abilities and different strengths and weaknesses.

Playable in online or local split-screen co-op, It Takes Two challenges you to think differently and combine your skill sets to get May and Cody back into their bodies. Make clones of yourself as May or rewind time as Cody to find unique ways to solve the action adventure puzzles that have made It Takes Two a favorite among gamers and critics alike.

9. Diablo III: Eternal Collection

In Diablo III: Eternal Collection, players choose from one of seven classes and work with up to 3 others to save the world from the coming of Diablo and his demonic brothers (played across five acts). It might sound like a standard action-adventure/dungeon crawl story, but the gameplay is what makes it one of the best Nintendo Switch 2-player games available. 

Characters can reach level 99 and the five story acts are repeatable through difficulty levels from “Normal” to “Torment,” making it one of the most replayable games as you work to find treasure and level up your character. What makes the Nintendo Switch version different from the PC/Mac is that you can play together with friends in the same room. This unique gameplay mode sits up to four players in front of a TV and lets you collaborate in real time in a way only available on the console version.

10. NBA 2K24

As the 25th installment of the NBA 2K franchise, you probably already know what you’re getting with NBA 2K24: you begin the game as one of the hottest prospective basketball players, struggling to become a superstar and achieve your dreams on the court. While there’s a lot of fun to be had in the MyNBA career mode, couch co-op is all about dunking on your friends and family.

Hand over a controller, pick teams and hit the court to play one of the most realistic looking basketball games ever made. Thanks to ProPLAY technology, genuine NBA footage has been turned into gameplay, giving a more realistic look than the motion capture used in old games. It’s the next best thing to actually being on the court.

How to get Nintendo Switch games for less with Fetch

Fetch rewards you for the things you do every day, and using those rewards for Nintendo Switch games is one of the easiest ways to get them for less (or even for free).

• Fetch Play lets you earn points just for playing mobile games on your phone.
• Fetch Shop rewards you for doing your video game shopping online at retailers like Walmart and Target in the Fetch app (or using the Fetch Chrome extension).
• Snapping your receipts in the Fetch app earns you points on grocery, restaurant and gas station purchases.

Worried you’ll have a hard time redeeming your rewards? Fetch makes it easy to redeem points for your next 2-player Switch game.

Redeem Fetch Points for free Nintendo gift cards

Turning your Fetch Points into a new 2-player Switch game is easy:

1. Open the Fetch app on your phone.
2. Look to the top right of your screen and tap your point total.
3. Search for “Nintendo” (or your favorite video game retailer).
4. Redeem your points for a gift card.
5. Buy yourself Mario Kart 8 Deluxe or Streets of Rage 4 (or your game of choice!) and start playing.

When you use your Fetch Points for a Nintendo gift card, that money can be spent right in the Nintendo eShop on a digital game that will be ready to play as soon as it downloads!

Find your next 2-player Switch game in Fetch Shop

You should always head to the Fetch app when it’s time to find your next 2-player Switch game. If you’re redeeming rewards, then you’re using Fetch to get that game for less (or for free). If you’re just buying your next video game, though, do it through Fetch Shop to earn points on the dollar at the same retailers you’d buy from online or in-person. 

Whether you’re redeeming rewards or just buying your next game, Fetch works for you. Head to Fetch Shop and see how easy it is to earn rewards when buying your next Switch game.