Cozy video games to play solo

For a solo night, look for a game that lets you make one small decision at a time. A single room, hill, or patch of map is enough to make the session feel complete.

1. A Short Hike

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, or Xbox One. Players 1. Developer’s game guide.

Walk, climb, or glide through a small provincial park. The trail to the summit gives you direction, and there’s room to wander every time something catches your eye. First move. Follow the trail until you see a side path or a place to glide from. Twenty-minute fit. Excellent for one detour.

2. Unpacking

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. Players 1. Official platform list.

Open moving boxes and find a place for each object. A shelf gradually tells you who might live in the room and what they carried from the last one. First move. Set up one shelf or one corner of the first bedroom. Twenty-minute fit. Good if you give yourself one small area to finish.

3. Dorfromantik

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. Players 1. Developer’s platform and mode guide.

Place hexagonal tiles until a little landscape begins to take shape. It’s satisfying to see one more river bend line up. First move. Pick Creative Mode for open-ended building, or Quick Mode for a shorter run. Twenty-minute fit. Good for building a single corner of a map.

4. Townscaper

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, or Xbox. Players 1. Publisher’s PC listing.

Place colorful blocks on the water and watch them turn into buildings, stairs, and courtyards. There’s no score to manage. First move. Build a three-house waterfront in two colors and spin the camera around it. Twenty-minute fit. Excellent. A single row of houses can be the whole session.

5. PowerWash Simulator

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. Players 1 for this pick. Publisher’s guide to Career and Free Play.

There’s a particular pleasure in seeing the clean stripe you just made on a filthy surface. First move. Take an early Career job and clean one part you can name, like a wheel or a door. Twenty-minute fit. Good for one section. A full job can take longer.

Couch co-op video games for two

Pair two controllers and choose how much coordination sounds fun. A good first session gives both players a job they can understand in the first few minutes.

6. Untitled Goose Game

Play on PC or Mac, Nintendo Switch, PS4, or Xbox One. Players 2 in local co-op. Official controller and co-op instructions.

Two geese make a small village’s day more complicated. One can distract the gardener while the other makes off with an object. First move. Pick one task from the list and trade roles after the first attempt. Twenty-minute fit. Excellent for a few small schemes.

7. Snipperclips

Play on Nintendo Switch. Players 2 for the recommended co-op puzzles. Nintendo’s mode guide.

You play two paper shapes that can trim each other into tools. Some of the funniest moments come from realizing the shape you need is much simpler than the one you made. First move. Talk through the shape before pressing the snip button. Twenty-minute fit. Good for an early puzzle or two.

8. Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Play on Nintendo Switch. Players 2 on one system. Nintendo’s co-op and demo details.

One person plays Kirby and the other plays Bandana Waddle Dee. That gives a less experienced player a defined role while you explore the same stage together. First move. Try a stage in the free demo, which supports two-player local co-op. Twenty-minute fit. Good once you’re in a stage.

9. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. Players 2 in local co-op. Publisher’s split-screen listing.

A familiar scene can give you just enough story to follow while you spend five minutes smashing scenery into studs. First move. Pick a trilogy you both know, then aim for one mission or one stretch of exploration. Twenty-minute fit. Better once you’re past the opening setup.

10. It Takes Two

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. Players 2 required, with couch co-op available. EA’s platform and co-op guide.

Each player gets a role in a story about a couple turned into dolls. The mechanics change often, and some sequences ask for timing from both of you. First move. Try the opening together and talk through who needs to move first. Twenty-minute fit. Better for a return visit. Give the first session more room.

Video games for a group in the same room

Count the controllers before you pick the game. With more people than seats, short matches and a simple rotation make it easy for someone to hand off a controller without leaving in the middle of a story.

11. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Play on Nintendo Switch. Players Up to 4 on one original Switch in TV mode. Nintendo’s local multiplayer listing.

Most people understand a race as soon as the countdown starts. First move. Choose 50cc, pick a familiar track, and offer Smart Steering to anyone who wants help staying on course. Twenty-minute fit. Good for a few races and a controller swap.

12. Boomerang Fu

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. Players Up to 6 locally. Official game and platform guide.

Food characters throw boomerangs at each other in compact arenas. Someone can figure out the buttons by watching a round from the couch. First move. Play a practice round so everyone can try a throw and a recall. Twenty-minute fit. Excellent for a group that likes quick resets.

13. PICO PARK 2

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, or Xbox. Players 2 to 8 locally. Developer’s platform and player guide.

Everyone has to work together to get through each little platforming puzzle. The room will probably learn the value of saying “jump” before jumping. First move. Start with an early level and let one person call the timing. Twenty-minute fit. Good if the group is happy to replay a level together.

14. Quiplash 2

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox with The Jackbox Party Pack 3. Players 3 to 8, using phones or other web-enabled devices. Jackbox’s game guide.

People write answers to short prompts and vote for the ones they like. First move. Put the game on a shared screen and have everyone join using the room code instructions. Twenty-minute fit. Excellent. Jackbox lists a game at about 15 minutes once everyone is in.

15. Ultimate Chicken Horse

Play on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or Xbox. Players Up to 4 locally. Developer’s game and platform guide.

Players build a platforming course one object at a time, then try to finish the course they’ve made together. The best joke is often a trap that catches the person who placed it. First move. Put down one helpful platform before the group starts adding hazards. Twenty-minute fit. Good for an early round of building and scrambling.

If the group would rather put the controllers down, try our games for friends that use conversation, cards, and paper.

Frequently asked questions

What’s a good video game to play while high alone?

A Short Hike is a good pick for wandering with a loose goal. Try Unpacking if you want a small task you can finish, or Townscaper if you just want to build and see what happens.

What’s the easiest couch co-op game for two beginners?

Try Untitled Goose Game for two people who like experimenting, or the Kirby and the Forgotten Land demo if you’d rather explore a stage together. Pick Snipperclips if the fun for you is talking through a puzzle.

What can we play with six people and too few controllers?

Quiplash 2 takes 3 to 8 players and lets each person join from a web-enabled device. You’ll need a host system, a shared screen, and internet access for players to join.

Which games are good for a short session?

Build a block in Townscaper, cross one task off the list in Untitled Goose Game, or play one game of Quiplash 2. If you’re starting something new, allow time to install it or get everybody into the lobby.

What if fast games or moving cameras feel like too much?

Choose Unpacking or Dorfromantik in Creative Mode. Both let you take your time with the next object or tile. If a game feels overwhelming, pause it or hand the controller to someone else.