Co Op Platformer Games: The Best Ones to Play Together Online and on the Couch

Published · By Alehundred Studios

A co op platformer is a platform game where two or more players run, jump and climb through the same levels as a team, and the best ones on PC today include It Takes Two, Split Fiction, Rayman Legends, Trine 5, Unravel Two and PICO PARK. Platformers are some of the oldest and most readable video games ever made, which is exactly why they work so well with friends: everyone instantly understands the goal, and every missed jump becomes a shared laugh. Below you will find what "platformer" means, what turns a platformer into a great co-op game, the standout picks for PC and Steam, which ones you can play online, the best 3D options, the newest arrivals, and what research says about playing them.

What does platformer mean?

A platformer is a video game built around moving your character past obstacles, mostly by jumping and climbing between platforms. Merriam-Webster defines it as "a video game where the play is primarily focused on moving past obstacles in real time with one's avatar by using various abilities (such as jumping and climbing) and items (such as weapons)."

Platformers come in a few main styles:

What makes a platformer co-op?

A platformer becomes co-op when the players share the same levels and need each other to get through them, not just play side by side.

The best co-op platformers build that need into the design:

  1. Abilities that connect. It Takes Two asks you to "Master unique and connected character abilities in every new level," per its Steam page.
  2. Levels that require the team. In PICO PARK, for 2 to 8 players, "every level requires cooperation to complete."
  3. Difficulty that scales. Trine 5 has an upgraded puzzle difficulty system "adapting the challenge to the number of players," so a solo run and a four-player run both feel fair.
  4. Easy drop-in. Rayman Legends promises that "You and three friends can seamlessly jump in and drop out of the action," according to its Steam page.
  5. Helping hands. Unravel Two is built around support: its Steam page invites you to "Support each other as you solve tricky trials and seamlessly traverse enchanting worlds together."

There is also a camera question. Some co-op platformers keep everyone on one shared screen, which makes the group stay close together. Others give each player a split screen or their own camera, which lets the team spread out and tackle different parts of a level at once.

What are the best co op platformers on PC?

The best co-op platformers on PC cover every style, from big story adventures to quick party puzzles. Here are standout picks, all on Steam:

To find more on Steam, browse the Platformer, 3D Platformer and Puzzle Platformer tags together with Online Co-Op or Local Co-Op, then check each page's Features list.

Are there online co op platformers?

Yes, there are many online co-op platformers, and on Steam you can confirm it by looking for "Online Co-op" in the Features list of the store page.

It Takes Two, Split Fiction, Trine 5 and PICO PARK all list online co-op. PEAK is an online co-op game too.

Some great platformers are local only, but you can still play them with friends far away. Rayman Legends and Unravel Two list Remote Play Together, a Steam feature that, according to Valve's Steamworks documentation, lets players invite Steam friends to join "as though they were sitting at the same computer playing together." Unravel Two's page even opens with the note "PLAY ON STEAM USING THE REMOTE PLAY TOGETHER FEATURE."

For online platforming, voice chat matters more than in most genres, because a jump often depends on a friend saying "now." The Entertainment Software Association's 2026 Essential Facts report found that 72% of online players age 8+ have used communication tools like in-game text and voice chat, and 52% have used platform or in-game voice chat.

What are the best co op 3D platformers?

The best co-op 3D platformers right now are It Takes Two and Split Fiction for pairs, with PEAK as a 3D climbing alternative for a bigger crew.

3D platformers add depth: you judge distances in all directions, steer a camera and read the space around you. That is harder than a side-scroller, but it pays off with bigger worlds and more spectacular set pieces. In co-op, it also means players can split up, cover each other and meet again at the next checkpoint.

When you pick a co-op 3D platformer, check three things:

What new co op platformers are worth trying?

The newest notable co-op platformers on Steam include Split Fiction, released in March 2025, and PEAK, released in June 2025 and winner of the Better With Friends Award at The Steam Awards 2025.

To stay on top of new releases, follow the Platformer and Co-op tags on Steam and keep an eye on Early Access games. Early Access lets you play a game while it is still being built, and many developers add levels and features based on what the community asks for.

Why are platformers great for playing together?

Platformers are great for playing together because the goals are instantly clear, the action is physical and funny, and success depends on timing that friends can coordinate out loud.

They also give your brain a real workout. In a study published in Molecular Psychiatry, Kühn and colleagues trained adults "for 2 months for at least 30 min per day with a platformer game," a Super Mario title. Compared with a control group, the training group showed gray matter increases in the right hippocampal formation, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum. The authors concluded that "Video game training augments GM in brain areas crucial for spatial navigation, strategic planning, working memory and motor performance."

A later randomized study in PLOS ONE tested 3D platform training with older adults ages 55 to 75 over six months. After training, "a within-subject increase in grey matter within the hippocampus was significant only in the VID training group, replicating results observed in younger adults."

Teamwork is part of the appeal too. In the ESA report, 67% of U.S. adults agree that video games help develop teamwork and collaboration skills.

Where does Coins Catcher: Co-op Lands fit?

Coins Catcher: Co-op Lands is an online co-op 3D platformer for up to 8 players, with voice chat for everyone and crossplay between PC (Steam), mobile and VR. It is made in Unreal Engine 5 by Alehundred (solo developer Alejandro Friant) and published by Alehundred Studios.

You are 10 cm (about 4 inches) tall and travel through magic portals into giant dioramas of seven real historical eras, from Italy 1956 back to Alexandria 300 BC, starting from The Ale, a sacred forest hub with giant mushrooms and glowing butterflies. The story is inspired by the Brothers Grimm tale The Seven Ravens, twisted on purpose: a shadowy curse traps a princess, and her seven brothers are turned into seven giant beasts, one per era, from a wolf in Italy to a giant spider in Alexandria. Players collect coins and spend them on talents (jump height, run speed, ability power and more) and on unlocking the next eras, while the team defeats the enemies and the beast of each era. When the group gathers 100 coins, the era's tower opens and a race to the top starts; the first to the top claims the Magic Gem. Fire, ice, oil and bubble spells add friendly chaos.

In VR it uses third-person puppeteering: the camera floats behind your character and you control it from behind, so you get full VR immersion in a platformer without a first-person camera. The game is in Early Access on Steam and open to suggestions from the community.

FAQ

What is a platformer?

A platformer is a video game focused on moving your character past obstacles in real time, mainly by running, jumping and climbing between platforms. Merriam-Webster notes it is also called a platform game.

What are the best co op platformers on PC?

Top picks include It Takes Two and Split Fiction for two players in 3D, Rayman Legends and Trine 5 for up to four, Unravel Two for a gentle pair adventure, and PICO PARK for groups of up to eight.

Are there online co op platformers?

Yes. It Takes Two, Split Fiction, Trine 5 and PICO PARK list online co-op on Steam, and local-only games like Rayman Legends and Unravel Two can be played online with Remote Play Together.

What are good co op 3D platformers?

It Takes Two and Split Fiction are the standout two-player co-op 3D platformers, and PEAK offers 3D co-op climbing for a larger group.

Are there new co op platformers?

Yes. Split Fiction arrived in March 2025 and PEAK in June 2025. Following the Platformer and Co-op tags on Steam is the easiest way to spot new ones.

How do I find co op platformer games on Steam?

Browse the Platformer, 3D Platformer or Puzzle Platformer tags together with Online Co-Op or Local Co-Op, then confirm the co-op type in each store page's Features list.

Sources

  1. Merriam-Webster. Platformer: definition and meaning. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, 2026.
  2. Kühn S, Gleich T, Lorenz RC, Lindenberger U, Gallinat J. Playing Super Mario induces structural brain plasticity: gray matter changes resulting from training with a commercial video game. Molecular Psychiatry, 2014.
  3. West GL, Zendel BR, Konishi K, et al. Playing Super Mario 64 increases hippocampal grey matter in older adults. PLOS ONE, 2017.
  4. Entertainment Software Association. 2026 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry. ESA, 2026.
  5. Valve Corporation. Steam Remote Play. Steamworks Documentation, 2026.
  6. Hazelight Studios, Electronic Arts. It Takes Two. Steam store page, 2026.
  7. Hazelight Studios, Electronic Arts. Split Fiction. Steam store page, 2026.
  8. Ubisoft Montpellier, Ubisoft. Rayman Legends. Steam store page, 2026.
  9. Frozenbyte, THQ Nordic. Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy. Steam store page, 2026.
  10. Coldwood Interactive, Electronic Arts. Unravel Two. Steam store page, 2026.
  11. TECOPARK. PICO PARK. Steam store page, 2026.
  12. Team PEAK. PEAK. Steam store page, 2026.