We hope we’re not the first ones to tell you that it’s Father’s Day. Lucky for you, if you did forget to order dad a hilarious card to mark the occasion, there’s something you can still do to make the day special. Playing video games together, of course! Didn’t you read the title?
These couch co-op games are the perfect way for you to spend some quality parent-child time together. Whether you want to solve puzzles, get stuck in with nature, or just fly around the stars blasting some bad guys, there are plenty of great games for you to play together this Father’s Day.
Portal 2
If you need to convince your dad that video games are as much an educational tool as they are recreational, then lead with Portal 2. This legendary physics-based puzzle title is a perfect stand-in for science homework. It helps that it is a phenomenal game in its own right, encouraging good communication and co-operation to complete its collection of complex challenges.
If you’ve gone the last decade completely unaware of this game, let us fill you in. It has both single-player and co-op campaigns you can play through. In both, you are in the fictional Aperture Laboratories, using a Portal Gun to complete tests that bend the laws of physics. You’ll jump, launch, and zoom your way through these isolated scenarios accompanied by the dark humour of GLaDOS. For a Father’s Day full of laughs and gaming, Portal 2 is the way to go.
The Portal fun continues This classic was recently re-released and updated with ray tracing. Read up on Portal RTX!
It Takes Two
If you need an easy way to sell this game to your dad, just tell him Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson himself is starring in the film adaptation. Any sane human should absolutely jump at the opportunity to play Hazelight Studio’s lauded co-op experience if they haven’t already.
It Takes Two is an action-adventure game with platform elements that can only be played via split-screen co-op, making it a perfect candidate for your Father’s Day gaming session. The levels are an ode to various genres, unlocking a whistlestop tour for you to experience the full spectrum of what video games can offer. It’s also a family story, following a mother and father on the brink of divorce being turned into dolls by their daughter’s grief.
This could be some heavy subject matter for you both to tackle, but if you’re up to the challenge then It Takes Two makes for one unforgettable tale.
If you’re after more puzzle-fuelled gaming, check out our round up of puzzle platformers.
Overcooked: All You Can Eat
Forget the fancy offers restaurants might have, this is the dining deal that will win Father’s Day! Overcooked: All You Can Eat is a compilation of both Overcooked and Overcooked 2 – the ultimate two for one! It’s a frantic, fast-paced, chaotic cooking game that sees you thrust into zany kitchens atop icebergs and on the back of lorries. There you must collaborate with your fellow chefs to prepare meals from raw ingredients under a time limit and get them served.
Your fellow chefs are whomever you happen to be sharing your sofa with. Overcooked supports local co-op for up to four players, so that means you and dad can rope in even more of the family for the fun. It’s a mechanically simple game, with the key to success lies in your collective ability to communicate and plan. Which is obviously super easy for any family, right? Right?!
Sometimes the mood calls for some cartoon-y chaos. If co-operating in Overcooked is not your thing, how about going toe to toe as your favourite Nickelodeon characters instead?
Stardew Valley
Want to spend some Father’s Day time with dad in the great outdoors without actually having to leave the house? We hear you. Thankfully, Stardew Valley has you covered. This now-legendary roleplaying farming sim has eschewed sequels for updates, which now includes adding local and online multiplayer. In classic split-screen, as it happens, which could really trigger your dad’s nostalgia.
Since the premise of Stardew Valley is you inheriting a farm, why not inherit it alongside dad and work on it together? You can both take up residence on your new plot of land and spend your days working on the farm, off fishing, exploring the mines, and helping out the town. Best part is, it doesn’t even need to be in tandem – meaning you can leave dad to harvest tomatoes while you go off to fight shadow demons.
Fae Farm is a recent addition to the farming sim genre, with support for local and online co-op and a magical twist. Explore Azoria, care for critters, and grow magical crops together!
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
A franchise that crosses galaxies and generations, what better way to spend Father’s Day than exploring the stars? Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga brings all three trilogies together for the first time, in an adventure that’s been brick-built from the ground up. Experience all nine films, fly iconic ships between planets, and use the Force to explore worlds and defeat your enemies together.
With over 300 iconic Star Wars characters to play, the fun is seemingly endless. That roster includes many parent and child pairings from the series history that you and your dad can choose from. Hopefully, things are a little less Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, and more Mandalorian and Baby Yoda for you both!
Star Wars is the franchise that just keeps on giving. New series, epic games, and even gaming chairs! Explore the stars in comfort worthy of a Jedi Master with noblechairs.
Moving Out
Did you enjoy the frantic chaos presented by Overcooked but want you and your dad to recall the stresses of the last time you moved house? Maybe you just really love chores? Either way, Moving Out is another great game that’s easy for you to pick up and is full of frantic family fun for Father’s Day festivities.
As you might have guessed, you and anyone else sitting on the sofa take on the role of movers. You’ve got to get marked furniture and appliances out of the house and into the moving truck within the time limit. The rub comes from exaggerated physics, obstacles such as rakes and ghosts, fragile objects you need to take great care of, and heavy objects that require two players to do their best Chuckle Brothers bit to move. It’s an easy and delightful fare for you and dad to enjoy, even if one of you can’t stop screaming “pivot!”
Moving Out got a sequel – Moving Out 2! We were lucky enough to get our hands on a copy to review.
Father’s Day Treats
If your dad fancies himself a lone wolf of PC gaming, they might appreciate a belated Father’s Day gift just for that. Here at Overclockers UK, we have plenty of peripherals for your parent to play with and always have a part of you in their PC. For more gift inspiration, check out our full Father’s Day Gift Guide.
Glorious Model I Gaming Mouse (GLO-MS-I-MW)
The Model I Gaming Mouse from Glorious would be quite the treat for dad. This ultralight gaming mouse is equipped with their proprietary BAMF sensor, is adjustable up to 19,000 DPI, and has interchangeable side buttons. It’s one hell of a looker too, with the iconic Glorious honeycomb structure accompanying gorgeous RGB lighting. Whatever your dad’s game, this mouse is balanced to suit it.
Ducky One3 Matcha Full-Sized Keyboard (Cherry MX Red) (DKON2108-RUKPDMAEGGC1)
When it comes to Ducky Keyboards, you are going to be spoiled for choice. Their Quack Mechanics mixed with different size options and plenty of vibrant colour schemes means there’s a model to suit everyone. Even if you have a particularly picky dad! For now, we’ve just gone with the Ducky One3 Matcha Full-Sized Keyboard with Cherry MX Red switches. This gaming keyboard comes with linear feedback ideal for the rapid keystrokes FPS games demand.
Razer Kraken X Lite Headset (RZ04-02950100-R381)
A perfect premium-quality headset that will help turn dad’s gaming time into much-needed me time. The Razer Kraken X Lite Headset will help immerse him in the sound of his games, with custom-tuned 40mm drivers that deliver clear sound accompanied by a punchy bass. They’re comfy too, at a lightweight 230g, with leatherette ear pads, and a plush padded headband. Plus, they’re cross-platform compatible, so dad can take them from his gaming PC to his console without any fuss.
Happy Gaming with Dad!
What are some of your go-to two-player games? Is there anything you played with your dad you think deserves some love? Let us know by commenting below.
- 8 min read
Jacob Smith
Author
Jacob is a passionate gamer, plus a noted Pokemon and LEGO nutjob, who emerges only when doing the words here at Overclockers UK. Since starting at the tail end of 2021, Jacob has gone on to write dozens of blogs on everything from the latest games to whimsical Dickens-inspired poetry. Outside of creating content and being the one person in the office daring to champion Nintendo, he is often found fawning over his Pokemon card collection and his trio of lovely doggos.
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