Lego Party

If you’re looking for a hilarious party game that the whole family can jump into, Lego Party’s wacky challenges are the way to go. Every player must compete to win by collecting the most golden bricks, by taking part in 60 different minigames spanning all of your favorite Lego collections. With tons of minifigures to unlock and customizable challenge modes, Lego Party is sure to keep the whole house entertained – play it split-screen or online with up to four players. 

Overcooked 2 – Available with Xbox Game Pass Essential, Premium and Ultimate 

Avoid the inevitable real-life arguments bubbling during the food preparation stages with Overcooked 2, a game in which you can easily simulate those same arguments with digital cooking instead. Get a group of budding chefs together in-person or online and test your skills (and friendships) in a series of timed cooking challenges – chop, prep, cook and serve beloved meals, aim to get a three-star rating before the clock runs out, and try to not wreak too much havoc before your actual dinner is ready.  

Minecraft – Available with Xbox Game Pass Premium and Ultimate 

For many families, playing Minecraft together is already a tradition, so why not make it a holiday tradition? Starting a new seed and hopping into split-screen co-op is incredibly simple – and once you’re in, the options are limitless. From setting off on a short adventure together in Survival mode, to creating a wonderland across the entire holiday season in Creative mode, there’s always something new to try. And, with the sheer amount of new content added this year – new blocks, new weapons, new biomes, new mobs, and even a whole new look thanks to Vibrant Visuals – your winter break is the perfect opportunity to check back in if you haven’t played for a little while.

Grounded 2 (Game Preview) – Available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass 

The family that survives together, thrives together. Or so we’re told. And what better way to put that theory to the test than with Obsidian’s excellent Grounded 2? Placing you and (up to) three other friends/family in the sprawling Brookhollow Park after being shrunken down to the size of an ant, you’ll traverse the landscape on your trusty Buggy mounts; work together with your crew to gather resources like grass planks and weed stems to build a shelter; craft smoothies from algae and mushrooms to give yourself and your party a health boost; assemble weapons and armor from red ant mandibles to fight off all manner of creatures like bees, spiders, and more. And when you’re all ready for even more adventure, explore the mysteries of this park to discover all the various secrets that will shed some light on how the heck you all got here in the first place.

Arc Raiders

This enormously successful new extraction shooter is a fantastic new take on the genre du jour – head out on expeditions into the blasted remains of humanity’s past, scavenging what you can while avoiding robots and other players alike. It’s perfectly playable solo, but with a three-person group online, Arc Raiders becomes an incredible, constantly shifting exercise in tension and exhilaration. Let the underground city of Speranza become your home for hangouts this holiday. 

Gears of War Reloaded – Available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass 

For a more intense co-op gaming session, Gears of War: Reloaded can provide the perfect action-packed afternoon – as well as a trip down memory lane. Reloaded reinvents the original Gears of War, both campaign and multiplayer, in stunning 4K 60 FPS, with a host of graphical and gameplay improvements for a modern, split-screen experience across console and PC.

Whether you’re playing this Xbox classic for the first time or revisiting a beloved game from your youth with a family member, Gears of War Reloaded is the best way to experience the explosive start of Delta Squad. 

PowerWash Simulator 2 – Available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass 

If you’re looking to sit down and unwind on the sofa, the multiplayer modes in PowerWash Simulator 2 are a great option. Hop online and get into some satisfying cleaning with up to four friends online, or try out the new split-screen couch co-op, where two players on the same device can clean collaboratively. With an array of weird and whimsical locations to hose down, ranging from small vehicles to teapot-shaped hideaways and funfair attractions, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

House Flipper 2

If creativity (or taking a sledgehammer to a wall) is your calling, House Flipper 2’s co-op mode supports up to four budding decorators playing online together across PC and console. Enjoy a linear experience with the story mode, or hop into the sandbox mode, where you’ll be able to freely clean, decorate and furnish an array of homes together, or even build your own from the foundations up. Take a room each and see what everyone designs, or try to build your own house – there’s tons of ways to express yourself and have fun together. 

Split Fiction

If you’re looking for a truly epic co-op experience, Split Fiction’s explosive setting is sure to please. Following two young authors unexpectedly pulled into each other’s sci-fi and fantasy worlds, this two-player adventure offers high-action gameplay, exciting platforming and puzzle-solving across several gorgeous landscapes, inspired by high fantasy, cyberpunk, and other magical inspirations. Enjoy it as a duo on the same couch via split-screen play, or enjoy the same experience online if you can’t get together with your co-op partner this holiday. Plus, with the Friend’s Pass system, only one of you needs to own the game to play together! 

Lego Voyagers

Effervescent and brimming with charm, Lego Voyagers is a perfect solution if you want to cozy up for a shorter, but equally as exciting jaunt. As two tiny Lego bricks, you’ll hop, shuffle and snap across a vibrant three-dimensional world, using your two-player power to build solutions to puzzles and environmental hurdles. It’s a lovely, light-hearted, approachable adventure, and even your grandparents have heard of Lego, so why not give it a try with them? Even better, with the Friend’s Pass, two people can play together with just one copy of the game, either locally or online. 

Stardew Valley – Available with Xbox Game Pass Essential, Premium and Ultimate 

Step into Stardew Valley and reclaim your grandfather’s farm, a wild patch of overgrown land waiting to be shaped into a farming paradise. Build the homestead of your dreams, unlock new items and recipes, master your skills and build friendships with the locals in the ultimate cozy farming simulator, worth visiting time and time again. And, with a co-op mode that can support up to eight players, Stardew Valley is the perfect retreat to build and adventure together.

Lightyear Frontier – Available with Xbox Game Pass Premium and Ultimate, and PC Game Pass 

If you’re looking for a hilarious party game that the whole family can jump into, Lego Party’s wacky challenges are the way to go. Every player must compete to win by collecting the most golden bricks, by taking part in 60 different minigames spanning all of your favorite Lego collections. With tons of minifigures to unlock and customizable challenge modes, Lego Party is sure to keep the whole house entertained – play it split-screen or online with up to four players. 

Towerborne (Game Preview) – Available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass 

Bringing modern flair to a beloved genre, Stoic’s brawler supports co-op for up to four players (including couch co-op on console). Picking a class, specializing for a unique team composition, and heading out on adventures with your pals makes it a perfect fit for both a quick blast or a lengthy season to eat up those long winter nights. After a year in Early Access, Towerborne has seen 9 major updates, adding swathes of new content to dig into, so even if you’ve visited before there’s lots to see – take a trip to the Belfry and find out what awaits beyond its walls.

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Marvel Cosmic Invasion – Available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass 

Fans of both retro beat ’em ups and Marvel will be feasting with Marvel Cosmic Invasion, the latest co-op side-scroller from Tribute Games, who gave us the immaculate TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge a few years ago. Up to four players can team up as two Super Heroes each (creating unique combos through the cosmic swap mechanic), with a roster ranging from MCU mainstays like Captain America to deeper cuts like Beta Ray Bill, all lovingly rendered in gorgeous pixel graphics. It’s always been a genre best enjoyed with friends, and this is no different.