Three New Couch Co-op Demos Are Available on PC

Three upcoming couch co-op games now have free playable demos on PC.

Haunted Paws

Haunted Paws released its Steam demo on October 8, 2026. Two players control customizable puppies investigating a haunted mansion, solving puzzles and fighting creatures together. The demo supports local co-op and online play through a Friend’s Pass.

• Players: Two

• Format: Local co-op

• Demo: Steam, released October 8

Hela: of Mice & Magic

Hela: of Mice & Magic released its demo on October 8 through Steam, the Epic Games Store and Microsoft Store. The self-contained adventure supports two-player local split-screen. Online co-op is not included in the demo. The full game launches December 1, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2.

• Players: Two

• Format: Local split-screen

• Demo: PC, released October 8

PixelJunk Monsters 3

PixelJunk Monsters 3 released its first playable demo on October 19. The tower-defense game supports up to two players locally or online. The PC demo is available during Steam Next Fest through October 26.

• Players: One or two

• Format: Local co-op

• Demo: Steam, October 19 to 26

Sources: Haunted Paws · Hela · PixelJunk Monsters 3 · Q-Games announcement

Little Big Adventure: Twinsen’s Quest Adds Three-Player Couch Co-op

Little Big Adventure: Twinsen’s Quest received a free update on October 12, 2026, adding simultaneous shared-screen couch co-op for up to three players. One player controls Twinsen while two others join as companions in the main adventure.

Companions can choose from 40 characters, including Zoé, Luna, Baldino and the original 1994 versions of Twinsen and Zoé. Each player has their own controller, health bar, Magic Ball and aiming option. The shared camera pulls back to keep everyone visible, while companions automatically catch up when changing rooms.

• Players: 1–3

• Format: Simultaneous shared-screen couch co-op

• Platforms: Windows PC and Apple Silicon Mac via Steam

• Availability: Free Update 1.2, released October 12, 2026

• Additional support: Steam Remote Play Together

Sources: Update 1.2 announcement · Steam

One More Plate Sets November 10 Release Date

One More Plate! launches on PC via Steam on November 10, 2026. The physics-based feed-em-up can be played solo or by two players in local same-screen co-op. Steam Remote Play Together lets a remote partner join using one copy.

Players catch, balance, and throw food with unconventional plates to fill changing orders from Glutton Monsters. The campaign supports solo and co-op play, while a versus mode is also included. An updated demo is available now on Steam.

• Players: 1–2

• Format: Local same-screen co-op, Steam Remote Play Together

• Platform: PC via Steam

• Release date: November 10, 2026

• Modes: Campaign and versus

Sources: Release announcement · Steam

Shrek 2 Remastered Listing Reveals Four-Player Couch Co-op

A Microsoft Store listing for Shrek 2 Remastered appeared on October 16, 2026, before being removed. The listing names Aspyr as developer and confirms up to four-player couch co-op, online multiplayer, and mixed local and online play.

The remaster rebuilds the 2004 action-adventure game with improved textures, an updated interface, 4K resolution, new cutscenes, Photo Mode, and Cheat Mode. Players can swap heroes during combat, boss fights, and environmental puzzles. An official announcement and release date have not been posted yet.

• Players: 1–4

• Format: Couch co-op, online co-op, mixed local and online

• Confirmed platform: Xbox Series X|S

• Release date: Not announced

Sources: Microsoft Store listing details via Gematsu · Original Microsoft Store page

A Webbing Journey Adds Four-Player Couch Co-op

A Webbing Journey added local co-op on October 16, 2026. Up to four players can play together in split-screen throughout the currently available story and sandbox modes.

The game is available in Early Access on PC through Steam. Co-op currently works locally, with Steam Remote Play Together available for remote sessions. Native online co-op has not been confirmed.

• Players: 1–4

• Format: Local split-screen

• Platform: PC via Steam

• Modes: Story and sandbox

Sources: Developer announcement · Steam

Every Couch Co-op Game Releasing in October 2026

OCTOBER COUCH CO-OP NEWS

Today we're talking about all of the couch co-op news and releases coming out in October.

October couch co-op news

GAMES I MISSED IN SEPTEMBER

• Fallosophy: This is a pinball game where you're just trying to climb up as high as you can. I'm not exactly sure how the co-op actually works here, but I did just buy this. It was on sale for only $8.99 when I recorded this, so I'll definitely try this out soon.

• Starless Umbra: Just got a new demo. This is a 16-bit style action RPG which definitely looks inspired by Secret of Mana. I love the art style here and I will definitely be playing the full release when it comes out.

• Toziuha Night: Nosferatu's Curse: Also got a demo. This is a Castlevania clone, and this is another one I'm really looking forward to the full release.

• Drown World: Was just released. I just bought this one as well. The introductory sale was $6.39 when I recorded this. There's also a demo available if you want to just try it out.

• Chop Chop Together: Added local co-op in an update. This one's kind of like a party-type game that's similar to Overcooked or something like that.

• Moss: The Forgotten Relic: This game was originally a VR game. A couple of months ago, there was a new version that didn't have VR, and now in September they added local co-op. I'm not really sure how that works. It seems kind of like an assist mode.

• Monowave: Came out and it has a really cool art style. It seems to be a puzzle platformer.

• Tandem Together: The demo just came out. This is another physics-based, lighthearted, comedy-ish type of game where you have to team up with your friend and try to ride this bike together.

• SMS Returns: Just came out on September 27th. This is a new horror game based on Slender Man, and this one actually has local split-screen co-op.

Starless Umbra (Steam)

BIGGEST SEPTEMBER CO-OP RELEASES

• Orbitals: I bought this game on day one. It's probably my most anticipated game of the year and I beat it in a couple of sittings. Obviously, if you like It Takes Two and Split Fiction, this game is clearly inspired by those. It's not nearly as big as those games, but I don't think that's a bad thing. The gameplay genre doesn't change around as much as the other games. It still has plenty of variety, but I kind of felt like this was more of a cohesive experience because the gameplay style feels a little bit more focused on your specific abilities. I love this game. Definitely one of the best co-op games of the year. If you haven't played it, this is the main reason to get a Switch 2 right now.

• WheelMates: This is another game that's built from the ground up to be co-op. There's no single-player mode whatsoever. I played through the demo of this game and I really enjoyed it. However, the controls definitely needed some work, but I've heard that they improved that. I haven't played the full release yet, but I will get around to it.

• Minecraft Dungeons 2: Just came out. I'll probably play this at some time, but it's basically like Diablo that you can play with your kids.

Orbitals (Switch 2)

WHAT I'VE BEEN PLAYING

• N2O: Nitrous Oxide: On the PS1, I would recommend N2O. This is a tunnel shooter that you can play in two-player co-op. The visuals are very psychedelic and it's just a very unique shooter. It's a hidden gem that no one talks about.

• Purikura Daisakusen: For the Sega Saturn, I would recommend Purikura Daisakusen. This game only came out in Japan, and it's basically a run-and-gun shooter from an isometric view. This is another one that I'd probably call a hidden gem. I don't hear too many people talk about it, and that's probably because it only came out in Japan. I played this with my daughter and we had a lot of fun, but it is pretty difficult.

• Sin and Punishment: Star Successor: For the Nintendo Wii, my favorite co-op game is probably Sin and Punishment: Star Successor. It's basically an on-rails shooter, but there's just so much going on, a lot of action. The character movement is great. You can move around, you can jump, you can fly, and while you're doing all that, you can move the cursor around to shoot enemies. The second player only takes control of a cursor, but it's actually very helpful to double up your firepower. One of the things that I really like about this game is that it actually lets you choose your control scheme. You're not just stuck using the Wii Remote if you don't want to. You can use a Classic Controller, or the Nunchuk and Wii Remote. This one's made by Treasure, and it's one of my favorite co-op Wii games ever made.

Purikura Daisakusen (Sega Saturn)

RETRO CO-OP NEWS

• Metal Slug Ultimate Collection: This is going to be on modern platforms and it's going to include Metal Slug 1 through 7 and Metal Slug X. All these games are co-op. They're all some of the best run-and-gun shooters ever made. If you haven't played Metal Slug, now's your chance.

• Gley Lancer Overdrive: This is a new shoot 'em up, and it's coming out on the Neo Geo as well as modern platforms. I'm not exactly sure if it has co-op. It just says expanded multiplayer, so maybe that is a competitive mode. I'm not sure, but hopefully it's co-op because this looks cool.

• Sonic Mania: We have some homebrew developers working on a Sonic Mania port on the Sega Saturn and the 32X. That's awesome because this actually feels like a game that should have been on the Sega Saturn.

• Aero the Acro-Bat Legacy + Sunsoft Lost Games: The Aero the Acro-Bat games don't have co-op, but those two Sunsoft games do. These are two Super Famicom games: Feudal Bros. and Justice Ninja Casey. They're known by their Japanese names, but those are the localized names that I'm going to list because I don't want to try pronouncing them.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Another really cool homebrew project is getting ported to the Sega Master System. This has been in the works for years, but we recently just got an update and supposedly there's going to be a demo available soon. This looks really great, and just graphically, it looks totally different from the NES version.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade (Sega Master System homebrew)

COUCH CO-OP GAMES COMING IN OCTOBER

• Dynasty Warriors 3 Complete Edition: Comes out October 1st, and it's a full remake of Dynasty Warriors 3, which is actually my favorite Dynasty Warriors game. That's the one that got me really obsessed with the series when it first came out. I put a lot of time into it, and this looks great, so I will be playing it.

• Gears of War: E-Day: One of the biggest co-op games of the year. This is finally coming out October 6th, and this might be the reason why I finally buy an Xbox Series X.

• Tiny Bomber: Comes out October 12th. This is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up that has a cute art style, but it also mixes in some bullet-hell gameplay.

• Toy Story 3: Comes out October 15th. This is a remake of a 3D platformer based on Toy Story 3. I never played the original. It came out on the 360 and PS3 and the Wii, but you can play it in local co-op, so I should probably try this out.

• ChainBeasts: Comes out October 15th. I played the demo of this and I thought it was pretty fun.

• Beyond the Dark Nightwatch: Comes out October 23rd. This is a Switch 2 exclusive and it doesn't have local co-op, but it does have GameShare. If you have an original Switch and a Switch 2, you only need one copy of the game and you can play it co-op locally. I think that's a great feature because it's cool to be able to have your own screen. This seems like an asymmetrical horror game where one player's in first person, going around these haunted areas, and the second player is looking at various screens. You have to work together. This is one that I'm looking forward to.

• Dog Man: Bark in Action: Comes out October 27th. This looks like a pretty straightforward 2D platformer based on the Dog Man graphic novels.

• Squomb: Comes out October 29th. This is a single-screen game that kind of looks like Bomberman. Visually, it's an homage to old-school home computers, specifically the ZX Spectrum.

Gears of War: E-Day

NEW COUCH CO-OP ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Rayman Legends Retold: That was supposed to come out in October, but now it's getting pushed back to December 3rd.

• The Missing Tale: Was announced. This is a cute, cozy co-op game where you play as these two cats in split-screen.

• Paddle Cats: Another cozy cat-themed game. You're in this little boat with these two cats, and you have to work together to paddle through various obstacles.

• Akiwan: Relaxing Survival: This is an active Kickstarter right now. Co-op isn't guaranteed, but one of the stretch goals does include local co-op, so hopefully it gets to that as this looks pretty good. It's described as a chill, relaxing adventure survival game, which sounds good to me.

• Cybernetic Attack: Final Mission: We're getting a remake of S.C.A.T., which came out on the NES. That was a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up, and it's actually one of my favorite co-op NES games. The art style here looks great. This is the same team that did Wild Guns Reloaded, The Ninja Saviors, Pocky & Rocky Reshrined, and Shadow of the Ninja Reborn. All those are really amazing remakes, so I'm definitely excited for this one too.

• Hela: Got a release date and a cinematic trailer. This one comes out December 1st. Definitely one of my most anticipated co-op games of the year, so I will be playing this day one.

• Kirby in the World Beyond: Got announced for the Switch 2. This is an open-world Kirby game. There's no word as to if this will have local co-op yet, but all of the recent Kirby games have had local co-op, so I'm really hoping this one does too. Kirby and the Forgotten Land was one of my favorite Switch games. It'll be very disappointing if this does not have local co-op, especially in an open world. That actually sounds awesome.

• Stage Fright: Finally got a gameplay trailer. This is coming out sometime in 2027. This is made by the same team that made Overcooked, and it's another game built for local co-op.

• Emissary One: A trailer just came out. This is a sequel to Emissary Zero, which is kind of a lesser-known horror game. I love that game. It's one of my favorite games from last year, and this looks very similar. It's basically a first-person horror game that you can actually play in local co-op. It also has online co-op. Emissary Zero was one of the best local co-op horror games that I've played in recent years, so I bet this one will be good as well.

• Exobrave: Got a brand-new gameplay trailer. This is pretty much a run-and-gun shooter with a 16-bit art style. Definitely looks like something that could have been on the Sega Genesis, but with some slightly updated visuals. Kind of looks like a mix between Contra and maybe Ninja Gaiden. No release date yet, but this is another one I'll be keeping an eye on.

• Ruffed Up: The demo just got announced. This is a physics-based game that you can play with up to four players locally or online.

• Geometry Rift: A bullet-hell shoot 'em up that comes out next year sometime.

• Silk and Sorrow: Another game that was just announced. There's not even any gameplay footage of it online yet. It's a hand-drawn dark fantasy that's built for two-player co-op. Gameplay-wise, it looks like a run-and-gun shooter with some puzzle elements as well. I think this one looks really cool.

• Twin Hooks: The demo for this is available right now. The developers say this game is built for two-player co-op. This is a fully 3D game which has some beat-'em-up-like gameplay. It's story-driven and there are supposed to be team-based attacks. All of that and the gameplay trailer definitely caught my attention.

Stage Fright (Steam, Switch, Switch 2)

FINAL THOUGHTS

So, there you go. Some games that came out in September, some retro co-op news, couch co-op games coming out in October, and all of the couch co-op news that I could find. What game are you most excited for?

Sega Saturn

I Played Every Sega Saturn Co-op Game | Here Are the 20 Best

The Sega Saturn has what I think is one of the most overlooked co-op libraries of all time. So, here are 20 of the best co-op games.

I’m talking about the US games and the Japanese releases because a lot of the best Saturn games only came out in Japan. And like usual, these are just in whatever order I feel like.

THREE DIRTY DWARVES

The main standout feature of this game is it's made for three players, which immediately makes it pretty unusual for the Saturn. Each dwarf has different weapons. There's a baseball bat, balls, bowling pins, shotguns, etc. And if a dwarf gets knocked down, another dwarf can go over to him and slap him back awake. So, that's a pretty fun co-op mechanic. And essentially, as long as one player is alive, you can keep dying over and over.

And if you play with less than three players, you can switch between the unused dwarves. I really like the cartoon art style here. It definitely reminds me of Nicktoons from the '90s. This game's still only on the Sega Saturn, and it's one of the best co-op games on the system.

Three Dirty Dwarves (Sega Saturn)

SATURN BOMBERMAN

This is still considered to be one of the best Bomberman games ever made, period. And this one's mainly famous for the 10-player competitive modes. You have to have two multitaps and 10 controllers, but that part is only versus. But you are able to play through the story mode in two-player co-op. And it's the same classic Bomberman gameplay style. You run around the mazes, you drop bombs, you destroy all the enemies, then you move on to the next stage.

And then they have boss fights, also. This game has a really great art style, and it's another Saturn game that didn't get ported anywhere else.

Saturn Bomberman (Sega Saturn)

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS COLLECTION

And the first Japanese game on the list is Dungeons & Dragons Collection. This one only came out in Japan in 1999, and it includes two Capcom beat 'em ups, Dungeons & Dragons, Tower of Doom, and Shadow over Mystara. And these are really great arcade ports. Unfortunately though, these versions can only be played in two-player, whereas the arcade games you could play with up to four.

Tower of Doom is the earlier and more simplistic game, but Shadow over Mystara totally expands on that formula, specifically with the RPG elements. You have character classes, magic, equipment, inventories, branching paths, etc. Just a ton of stuff. And unlike a lot of beat 'em ups of the time, like a Final Fight or Streets of Rage or something like that, your character choice actually changes how you approach the combat.

Both these games are great, but Shadow over Mystara is one of the best beat 'em ups ever made.

Dungeons & Dragons Collection (Sega Saturn)

DIE HARD ARCADE

This is also known as Dynamite Deka in Japan. So, this is one of those rare examples of a 3D beat 'em up that I think is actually really, really good. So, you and your partner, you're just going around fighting these terrorists with your fists, guns, pipes, chairs, and just basically anything that you can get your hands on. It has these goofy quick time events between fights, which sometimes can be an annoying thing in games, but I actually kind of liked it here because it kind of just breaks up the pace.

And despite the Die Hard license in the US, the original Japanese version wasn't a Die Hard game whatsoever. There was no relation. And in the sequel that came out on the Sega Dreamcast, they completely abandoned Die Hard in the US version and they just called it Dynamite Cop. And this is another great one that was only on the Saturn. However, there was kind of a remake that came out in Japan on the PS2.

Die Hard Arcade (Sega Saturn)

GUARDIAN HEROES

While we're talking about beat 'em ups, we have to talk about Guardian Heroes. This one was made by Treasure, and it's a beat 'em up that includes some RPG elements as well. You can play it with up to six players competitively, but the co-op story mode is limited to two players. The combat is a little bit different from other beat 'em ups, as there's multiple planes and you're going to jump between the background and the foreground.

It also has some fighting game style inputs and there's special moves. So, it's not just a button-mashing type of game. If you learn the moves, it's very satisfying. And characters can level up and you can improve your stats. There's also a huge branching storyline with choices that send you to different stages and endings. So, there's just a ton of replayability here. There's tons of playable characters in the versus mode.

Probably one of the most mechanically ambitious beat 'em ups of the entire generation.

Guardian Heroes (Sega Saturn)

DODONPACHI

And the Sega Saturn also had some amazing shoot 'em ups. One of the all-time best is DoDonPachi. This is a sequel to DonPachi and it's one of the games that helped pioneer the bullet hell shooter genre. So, you're able to choose between different ships and their shooting styles. The laser is great against tougher targets, while the regular shot is better for handling the huge crowds.

This one only came out in Japan and still holds up really well. Still one of the best shoot 'em ups ever made and just massively influential.

DoDonPachi (Sega Saturn)

RADIANT SILVERGUN

And another game by Treasure is Radiant Silvergun. This originally came out in the arcades and then it was ported to the Sega Saturn, but only in Japan. So, this one you have all of your weapons from the beginning instead of collecting traditional power-ups. I really love the visuals here. It has this great 2.5D look that just feels like a Sega Saturn game, but in the best way possible.

As you go along, your weapons can actually level up, which is pretty unique for a shoot 'em up, especially for its time. And then the levels and the bosses often feel almost like a puzzle because choosing the right weapons really matters. This is another all-time great shoot 'em up and it only came out in Japan on the Sega Saturn. And then it was later ported to the Xbox 360.

This is a really great game, but if you want to find it physically, this one is very expensive.

Radiant Silvergun (Sega Saturn)

BATTLE GAREGGA

And another Japan only Saturn shoot 'em up is Battle Garegga. This one was developed by Raizing, and it's another one of those super influential shoot 'em ups. One unique feature is it has this dynamic rank system. So, the better you perform and the more powerful you become, the harder the game gets. So, it adjusts to your skill level. And then things like firing and collecting items and power-ups can affect your rank.

So, this kind of makes a weird dynamic because sometimes you could intentionally die to try to manage the difficulty. This one has a darker industrial steampunk type of look. So, it's very different visually from DoDonPachi and Radiant Silvergun. But yeah, this is just another example of a really great shoot 'em up and just shows that the Sega Saturn had one of the best shoot 'em up libraries of all time.

Battle Garegga (Sega Saturn)

VIRTUA COP 2

And the Sega Saturn also had some really great light gun shooters. Virtua Cop 2 might be one of Sega's most famous examples. This is a pretty basic on-rail light gun shooter. It's not really doing anything too unique, but still a really important game to the genre. Basically, all you do is shoot down all the enemies. And while you're doing that, you're going to try to avoid shooting all the civilians.

And then there are certain sections that let you take a different route. The polygonal visuals definitely look primitive now, but for its time, this was very impressive to see on the Sega Saturn. And regardless of the visuals, the gameplay still is very responsive. Probably one of the most straightforward co-op light gun games, but that's not a bad thing. Because what it does, it does really well.

And there's a reason why people are still talking about it today.

Virtua Cop 2 (Sega Saturn)

THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD

And of course, we have to talk about the House of the Dead. This is Sega's iconic zombie light gun shooter, which had a number of sequels as well. But this is the one that started it all. I always have fun with this game, but my favorite part is honestly the voice acting. This is one of my favorite examples of bad voice acting in video games that is actually really fun and so bad that it's good and it actually elevates the experience.

There's just some iconic lines here. Between this and Virtua Cop, Sega really did make some of the most influential light gun shooters of all time.

The House of the Dead (Sega Saturn)

SCUD: THE DISPOSABLE ASSASSIN

And let's talk about Scud: The Disposable Assassin. So, this is a 2D run-and-gun shooter, but it also has some light gun elements and that's why I wanted to talk about it. It might not be one of the best games on the Sega Saturn, but it's definitely one of the most unique with some mechanics being implemented that I've never quite seen done this way before or since.

So, there's multiple ways you can play this. You can play it like a standard run-and-gun shooter, so something like Contra where you each take control of a character and you just run and shoot. There's another option where you can do mixed controls. So, one player uses a controller and the other uses a light gun. This is actually the way that I would recommend you play it.

So, the player with the controller is still controlling Scud and they're running back and forth and shooting, but then the second player is able to use their light gun and actually just shoot the enemies that are around Scud. And I think this works surprisingly well. It's just a really unique combination. And then there's also a mode where you can have two light guns and you're just playing this like a standard light gun shooter.

Anyways, like I said, this might not be the best game on the list, but it might be the most unique and the most interesting.

Scud: The Disposable Assassin (Sega Saturn)

HERC’S ADVENTURES

And Herc's Adventures. This one was made by LucasArts. It essentially shares DNA with Zombies Ate My Neighbors and I think I can kind of see that. You can play it in two-player co-op. The playable characters each have different abilities. And it has this huge interconnected world, rather than linear arcade stages. There's tons of weird weapons and items, and then the co-op element definitely makes it feel different from your standard action adventure type of game from the era.

I love the hand-drawn art style here. There's some good humor, and I think the only other place this came out was on the PS1. If you haven't played this one, I definitely recommend it.

Herc’s Adventures (Sega Saturn)

THE LEGEND OF OASIS

And another action RPG type of game is Legend of Oasis. So, this is a sequel/prequel to Beyond Oasis, which came out on the Sega Genesis. And it was developed by Ancient. So, that's the same studio founded by Yuzo Koshiro, who made Streets of Rage. So, this game's actually known as a single-player game, but if you enter a cheat code, you can actually play this two-player co-op.

And the second player takes control of essentially a clone, who has this translucent look. But it works surprisingly well. If you're into Zelda games, this is a pretty early example of a co-op Zelda-like. If you didn't know this game had co-op, I definitely recommend you try it out.

The Legend of Oasis (Sega Saturn)

ASTAL

This is a Sega Saturn exclusive, and it's a 2D platformer with this really beautiful hand-drawn art style. Player one takes control of Astal, and then player two takes control of the bird companion. So, the bird is able to attack and assist Astal. So, they're not just a copy of player one. However, they are more of an assist player, so it's not exactly equal between players, but I like the asymmetrical dynamic here, because it just feels pretty unique for its time.

But this is another one where I think a lot of Sega Saturn owners might not have known that it had co-op.

Astal (Sega Saturn)

BUBBLE SYMPHONY

This is another one that came out exclusively in Japan. The Bubble Bobble storyline and releases, they were incredibly confusing. You know, there was Rainbow Islands and Bubble Bobble part two and part three. And apparently this one is also considered to be Bubble Bobble part two. I don't really know where it falls into the Bubble Bobble series, but regardless, it's a really good Bubble Bobble game.

You have four playable characters and they all have slightly different characteristics. It has the same classic Bubble Bobble gameplay. You capture enemies inside bubbles and then you pop them. One unique feature to this version though is after you defeat bosses, there will be multiple doors that you can choose from. Each door leads to a different route. So there is some replayability here.

And it's kind of a nice spin on the classic Bubble Bobble formula.

Bubble Symphony (Sega Saturn)

ELEVATOR ACTION RETURNS

Another one that only came out in Japan is Elevator Action Returns. So this is kind of a sequel or a reboot of the original Elevator Action. And it pretty much has the same gameplay style, but instead of being a single screen game where you just go up and down in elevators and you shoot enemies, this one changes things up a bit. So the screen does scroll when you go down and it turns into a side scroller run-and-gun shooter at parts as well.

But this is a much darker and more violent vibe than the original. That's for sure. And there's three characters that each have different weapons and slightly different attributes. And they just all have this cool anime art style. But there's a nice mix between shooting, melee attacks, explosives, and there's some environmental interactions as well. But you're not going to be just running side to side or up and down and shooting enemies.

You actually have to go through and find specific doors and objectives. So there is a little bit more depth here than what you would expect. But this is another Japan only Sega Saturn game that definitely became very highly sought after. But for good reason, because it's one of the best co-op Sega Saturn games, and honestly, one of my favorite co-op games of the generation.

Elevator Action Returns (Sega Saturn)

SHINREI JUSATSUSHI TAROMARU

I've talked about this game a few times. It's definitely one of my go-to hidden gems that I like to recommend. This one only came out in Japan on the Sega Saturn, and it's essentially a run-and-gun shooter, but instead of conventional guns, you use psychic spiritual attacks. And it has this lock-on feature, which definitely gives the combat a really unique rhythm. It mixes 2D sprites with 3D environments, and it pulls it off really well.

There's some really interesting bosses and visuals here. The main thing that I like is how seamless the transitions between levels are. There's actually not really any levels, it's just like an ongoing mission. So, whenever you defeat a boss, you just keep moving, and there's really nothing that stops you between parts. It's just seamless. But, yeah, this is a really great game, one of the most underrated co-op games of the generation, for sure.

More people definitely need to find this one and play it.

Shinrei Jusatsushi Taromaru (Sega Saturn)

PURIKURA DAISAKUSEN

So, this is an arcade port that only came out in Japan on the Sega Saturn. It's an isometric run-and-gun action game. It has this cute anime fantasy presentation with a lot of shooting. There's multiple playable characters, and they all have different attacks. I believe the Sega Saturn is the only home console that actually got a port of this game. And I feel like it's a pretty unique game, another one that might be kind of a hidden gem.

Just visually and mechanically, it's very different from the traditional run-and-gun shooter.

Purikura Daisakusen (Sega Saturn)

METAL SLUG

And while we're talking about run-and-gun shooters, we got to talk about Metal Slug. Obviously, it's one of the most influential run-and-gun shooters ever made. Every game in the series is great, and the Sega Saturn did get a port, and it only came out in Japan. So, the original Neo Geo version is obviously the most famous version, but I love that you're able to play this on the Saturn as well.

Based on this list alone, the Saturn just did 2D games so well. It's kind of a 2D powerhouse. So, Metal Slug fits into that library perfectly. I love Metal Slug. I don't really need to say much else about it. I think you all know this game. Again, one of the best run-and-gun shooters of all time.

Metal Slug (Sega Saturn)

TEMPEST 2000

So, this one might be a weird choice, but I love Tempest 2000. I originally played this on the Atari Jaguar, but the Saturn also got a version, which is pretty much essentially the same. If you've never played Tempest 2000, it's pretty much a reboot of the '80s arcade game. So, it's kind of a shooter, but you move around the edge of various shapes.

And you're going to see these enemies that are kind of crawling towards you. So, you just keep moving around, sometimes in a circle, sometimes it's a triangle. Visually, this game is very simple, but it's one of those games where once you lock in and you really get into the zone, it becomes incredibly addictive. And it really doesn't need any more detail here.

Visually, it just does everything that it's supposed to do. The only thing that would make this version better is if there was a Sega Saturn rotary knob controller. But regardless, if you haven't played this co-op, it's a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.

Tempest 2000 (Sega Saturn)

FINAL THOUGHTS

So, there you go. Those are 20 of my favorite co-op Sega Saturn games, games that came out in the US and in Japan. What are your favorites? There’s actually a lot of games that I still could have chosen. There’s so many shoot ’em ups. These are just three of them that are my favorite, but there’s probably like 10 others that I could have thrown into this list as well.

For more games to play together, check out my 20 PS1 co-op games, co-op games that never left Japan, and the Classic Co-op database.