25 February 2026

The Flood of It Takes Two-Like Local Co-Op Games is Happening

By newsgame

Co-op games have been around for ages, but Hazelight Studios has only emerged as a leader in the genre space relatively recently. Building its formula with games like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out, Hazelight eventually created its magnum opus It Takes Two, whose clever cooperative puzzles, constantly evolving gameplay loop, and imaginative level design blew audiences away in 2022.

For me, it wasn’t until I played Split Fiction that I remembered how badly the world needs more games like It Takes Two, games where cooperation is not only possible, but essential for success. Playing It Takes Two with my partner for the first time all those years ago proved to be a uniquely fun and bond-elevating experience, as the game continually forced us to work together and communicate; more than that, it rewarded us for it. Put plainly, It Takes Two (and arguably Split Fiction) set the gold standard for co-op games, and if you’re looking for similarly fantastic experiences, then you’re in luck, as there’s a tsunami of compelling and original co-op titles on the way. Here are just a few of the most promising.

Hela

Hela release date: TBA 2026

“Playing and having fun in a beautiful world” is what Hela is most about, according to developer Windup, and one look at this whimsical game is a strong testament to that statement. You and up to four other players control mice familiars of a woodland witch who has fallen ill and needs help. As these tiny rodents, players can climb, jump, glide with a magical backpack, and use a lasso to form bridges and rope swings.

The forest sandbox is the most promising aspect of Hela, as it provides ample opportunities for experimentation with the game’s cooperative multiplayer systems. For example, the aforementioned lasso can be thrown to another player across a gap, making a crossable bridge. Players’ backpacks also serve as trampolines, making boosting or avoiding treacherous terrain an easy affair with a friend. These freeform, systems-based co-op mechanics look incredibly charming, so here’s hoping it all comes together in the end.

Released: 2026
ESRB: Teen
Developer(s): Windup
Publisher(s): Knights Peak
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op

WheelMates

WheelMates release date: TBA 2026

WheelMates is basically the video game representation of what most kids think RC car racing is like. My wildest 3rd-grade imagination might have pictured an RC deftly weaving throughout my home, making improbable leaps through the air, riding up walls, and overall behaving more like a housefly than a mini motorized vehicle. This is more or less what WheelMates, which sees you and a partner playing as disembodied RC cars completing platforming and puzzle challenges, accomplishes.

Its multiplayer systems include cooperative puzzle-solving (e.g. one player presses a button to open a door for another player) and exploration, which will apparently involve areas that can only be accessed with the help of another player. WheelMates has some real Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Hot Wheels energy, and it looks delightful.

Orbitals

Orbitals release date: Summer 2026

Strikingly similar to It Takes Two and Split Fiction on the surface, Orbitals boasts a hypnotizing 90s anime aesthetic and a high-stakes sci-fi action narrative. Like Hazelight’s games, Orbitals is designed with multiplayer in mind, rather than being a single-player game that can be played with two people. In other words, puzzles, platforming challenges, and the like are all built around two-person cooperation.

The game follows Omura and Maki, two space explorers whose station becomes trapped in a “supernatural cosmic storm,” and is on the brink of total collapse. Together, they need to venture through deep space in search of a solution, braving countless perils in the process. This more dramatic—though still a Saturday-morning cartoon—tone promises to make Orbitals a thrilling and entertaining cooperative adventure.

Systems

Released: 2026
ESRB: T For Teen
Developer(s): Shapefarm KK
Publisher(s): Kepler Interactive
Multiplayer: Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op

IKUMA – The Frozen Compass

IKUMA – The Frozen Compass release date: TBA 2026

If you’re looking for a chill and atmospheric game to share with a friend, then IKUMA – The Frozen Compass may be right up your alley. It comes from Mooneye Studios, whose previous work is defined by laid-back exploration and satisfying movement much more than challenge or tension. IKUMA looks very much cut from the same cloth.

Players assume the role of a young boy, Sam, and his dog Ellie, as they brave the inhospitable Arctic to find their way home. As you might have already guessed, you can play as both Sam and Ellie, which is where the cooperative multiplayer elements kick in. Knowing the studio’s history, it will be interesting to see just how deep the human and dog gameplay mechanics go, and how much they differ from each other.

IKUMA - The Frozen Compass Tag Page Cover Art

Released: 2026
Developer(s): Mooneye Studios
Publisher(s): Mooneye Studios
Multiplayer: Local Co-Op
Number of Players: 1-2 players

Haunted Paws

Haunted Paws release date: TBA

Haunted Paws may not even have a release window yet, but I suppose I simply couldn’t resist including one more dog-type co-op game. In this cute-horror adventure title, two players create their own puppies and embark on a treacherous journey through a haunted mansion, where their “best human friend” is trapped. To free them, the puppies must solve various puzzles and confront terrifying creatures, relying on each other and using their canine abilities along the way. It’s a game that is attempting to strike a balance between heartfelt and creepy,

and I, for one, will be watching it with great interest.