Split Fiction Tops Metacritic’s Best Co‑Op Games of 2025
• Key Takeaways:
- Split Fiction and Donkey Kong Bananza lead Metacritic’s co-op rankings for 2025 with 91 metascores.
- The list spans genres: from Hazelight’s narrative co-op to big‑budget shooters like Battlefield 6 and Borderlands 4.
- Several classics and remasters (Super Mario Galaxy, Heretic + Hexen) proved co-op remains timeless.
Why co-op mattered in 2025
Games in 2025 emphasized shared experiences: teamwork mechanics, couch split‑screen, and online squads dominated player conversations. Metacritic’s aggregate scores highlight titles that made cooperative play central to the design rather than an optional add‑on.
Standout titles and what they offer
Split Fiction
Metascore: 91
Hazelight’s Split Fiction tops the list, praised for imaginative level design and polished two‑player mechanics. Reviewers singled out its tag‑team gameplay and character work as reasons it feels like a modern co‑op classic.
Donkey Kong Bananza
Metascore: 91
Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Bananza pairs destructive platforming with a helpful second‑player role, turning collectible hunts into a genuinely cooperative experience that works for families and speedrunners alike.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Metascore: 88
Capcom’s hunting epic rewards coordinated squads: combat synergy and specialized builds make taking down enormous beasts a shared achievement—albeit with a steeper multiplayer setup.
Abiotic Factor
Metascore: 88
A survival‑crafting throwback inspired by ‘90s PC classics, Abiotic Factor makes apocalypse survival more memorable when played with friends, combining base building and cooperative problem solving.
Borderlands 4
Metascore: 81
The loot‑driven shooter refines co‑op play for four Vault Hunters, delivering buildcrafting and colorful chaos that rewards team composition and shared progression.
Battlefield 6 and Mario Kart World
Metascores: 83 / 86
Battlefield 6 reinforced large‑scale squad tactics in online multiplayer, while Mario Kart World showcased smooth split‑screen and team modes on the Switch 2—two very different but equally social experiences.
Honorable mentions across genres
Several other co‑op entries scored highly on Metacritic: Absolum, Arc Raiders, Europa Universalis V, PowerWash Simulator 2, Sonic Racing Crossworlds and remasters like Heretic + Hexen. Sports and party titles (MLB The Show 25, NBA 2K26, Peak) rounded out a year where co‑op appealed to both competitive and casual players.
Bottom line
Metacritic’s 2025 co‑op list shows variety: narrative two‑player experiments, shared survival, large online squads, and family‑friendly couch play. Whether you favor precision teamwork or chaotic looter shooters, 2025 offered co‑op experiences worth sharing.
