Hot Take: Any Game can be a Co-op game

Before I dig too deep into this concept, I should say that this article is not exactly an original concept. Zoe Hannah from Polygon wrote about this topic using personal experiences for a date night as evidence. I want to take this a step further, but the general idea is simple: Any game can be played cooperatively.

The origin of this idea in my family (and likely other families as well) started with my grandfather. He purchased an Atari, and he and my mother (who was young at the time) would take turns getting high scores on Space Invaders and making progress on other games. As my mother got older, this evolved. In the present day, my grandfather shares his gaming experiences with my grandmother.

When my mother started dating my father, the two of them would sit together some nights, playing games like Tomb Raider and Landstalker (a classic; look it up) together. One would play until a puzzle or level frustrated them, or they had progressed through a level or two and wanted a snack, etc. Then the other would take over, continuing to either finish the puzzle or put their heads together to figure things out to progress.

As I came into the picture, I watched my dad become less interested in gaming himself, but he would start a trend that we called “passive gaming.” He would hold a strategy guide and watch my mother “drive” the game, and he would help by answering questions if she got stuck or looking up strategies for particularly tough bosses. My mom was a completionist, too, so if they had already finished a game, he’d look for side quests they missed or ways to get ultimate weapons, etc.

I was gaming too by this point, so Mom and I would do this as well, with Mom taking on the role of “Guidemaster” at times. As her arthritis got worse, I’d “drive” games that were too demanding on her hands, and she and I would experience them together. The original God of War franchise was too taxing for her, but we played and enjoyed them together.

You’re probably thinking, “This isn’t much different than streaming, right?” and you might be right. However, many of my gaming experiences feel so much richer now having spent them with her. She passed in 2023, and thinking back on it now, some of the games we played together toward the end feel like sweeter memories.

She loved Fallout 4, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Dreamlight Valley, Chained Echoes, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (a re-released favorite from the ’90s), Stardew Valley, and so much more. I found myself enjoying watching her play Story of Seasons and Rune Factory games, as well as a few other low-impact games just so I could spend more time gaming with her.

I got my love of gaming from her, but if I’m honest, some of my recent gaming experiences feel less satisfying. It isn’t that I ever intend to stop gaming; rather, there are certain games (Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth in particular) that I wish I could experience with her.

The topic of this article might seem redundant. However, I think what I’m getting at is that you can play single-player games with a loved one and build memories that will last far longer than reaching the end credits. Certain games and franchises will always remind me of her, and that’s a beautiful thing.

So, when you pick up games like Split Fiction or It Takes Two, don’t feel as though these are the only games you can share with those you love. Sometimes, all it takes is sitting together with a single controller, passing it back and forth, or just talking your way through a game together. Anything can be a Co-op game if you want it to be.