Unlike the many battle royales and MMOs on this list, Brawlhalla is a 2D fighting game — like Super Smash Bros. but without the iconic characters. Brawlhalla features local and online multiplayer in a variety of game modes, whether they be 1v1 or a free-for-all with multiple players. Millions of people have already jumped in on the fun, and you can be the next.
Despite the rise of online gaming, local multiplayer games are still incredibly popular, and on PS4, there are some particularly great co-op and split-screen games available. With that in mind, we've rounded up the best PS4 split-screen games to play in and of course, all of these games are playable on PS5 as well. Our list also includes multiplayer PS4 games that aren't technically split-screen but that can be played locally with friends and family on one screen. The following picks are organized alphabetically, not ranked, with split-screen games listed first.
Online multiplayer has come to dominate the world of video games, bringing players together from all over the globe. But there are still games that capture the old-school feelings of cooperation and competition of taking on someone sitting next to you on the couch, controller in-hand. This list compiles the best PS5 split-screen multiplayer games, while also delving into games that offer great local multiplayer by sharing one screen or offering cooperative play. Many of these games are PS4 games that are backward compatible with the PS5, but they've mostly received updates to enhance them on the newer, more powerful hardware. Rocket League has been one of the most popular online multiplayer games around for years, but you can also play it offline with up to four players on one screen.
Rocket League is a ridiculously fun sports game that is essentially soccer with a giant ball that's played in vehicles instead of on foot. Rocket League also happens to be the only free-to-play game on this list, so you should absolutely check it out during your next game night. Klei Entertainment's survival game Don't Starve always felt like a game that would be great to play with friends, but it took a few years for that feeling to be confirmed.
The standalone multiplayer expansion Don't Starve Together released in 2016, and it remains one of the best survival games to play split-screen with a friend today. It has three game modes, each of which offers a different sort of survival experience. The main Survival mode truly emphasizes working together, while Wilderness and Endless modes let you take in the scenery a bit more and feature more forgiving experiences. Don't Starve Together has a fun and challenging combat system and a gorgeous art style. This is the type of co-op game you can come back to over and over again thanks to its randomly generated environments and dynamic combat encounters that change with each run. If you're a PS Plus member, then you'll want to make the most of your subscription by playing with friends and strangers from around the globe.
Whether it's football with cars to constantly changing shooters, it can be tough to decide what to play with so many options, so we've compiled a list of what we believe are the best online games you can play on PS4. This is largely focused on competitive multiplayer games, but don't worry if you're looking for co-op or local multiplayer, as we also have lists for the best PS4 co-op games and best PS4 local multiplayer games. If you want to know what we think are the best PS4 games overall, head through the link. Rock Band is quite the iconic video game that doesn't get brought up much these days. It was a rhythm-based video game where players played with makeshift instruments in a band.
You can still enjoy this game on the PlayStation 4 with Rock Band 4, which was the latest mainline release from developers Harmonix. It's a bit older now with the game releasing back in 2015, but overall the gameplay itself remained the same. You had a wide selection of tracks to play with and it's overall just a solid fun game to play with friends. We might not ever see the huge hype over rhythm games like we did back in the mid-2000s but you're bound to have some fun if you play this game next time you have a party gathering.
In this game, players are starting in a corner of a map with one arrow that they can fire at their enemy. When the game starts, the players are attempting to hit each other with their arrows or avoiding a hit by jumping around the different platforms. Meanwhile, players can pick up arrows to use as ammunition or gather up a powerup found within the map. Similar to a battle royale type of game, when players take too much time the map shrinks in size. It's a simple game, yet an incredibly addicting party title to enjoy with some friends locally. The Star Wars Battlefront series has been around for a while but it was during last-generation video game console platforms that the series got picked back up in a slight reboot.
Currently, the latest installment for this series is Star Wars Battlefront 2 and it's what you would expect from these types of games. Outside of the campaign, there are plenty of battles to partake in as you typically play a ground soldier attempting to fight off the opposing side. Did you know that you could play split-screen with this game as well? Here you can take part in different iconic scenarios from the Star Wars films or simply create your customized battle to your liking.
TowerFall Ascension is a fast-paced and rather humorous action game that's simple to get the hang of. Up to four players can play locally on one console, with each taking on the role of an archer and trying to be the last player standing. The small arena-style maps make each match go quickly, and a wide variety of power-ups help keep the gameplay fresh. TowerFall Ascension feels incredible in motion and remains one of the coolest party games on PS4 more than seven years after its release. Though primarily a competitive multiplayer game, there is a co-op quest mode that lets you and a friend take on AI-controlled archers and monsters. The Madden franchise has been a great multiplayer offering for years, and Madden 22 continues that tradition on PS5.
The game offers both online and local multiplayer, so you can both play against your friends (or people you don't know) and alongside them on the same team. In fact, Madden 22 lets you to do both at the same time, with games that support 6-on-6 play online, allowing you to team up with your friends and try to take on human opponents. If that doesn't excite you, it's always possible to team up against AI opponents and work through a season to build your franchise. The Call of Duty genre continues to be a dominant force on the first-person shooter scene, with a huge multiplayer following.
But with Black Ops - Cold War, Activision and developer Infinity Ward brought back the ability to jump into the competition from your couch. The game supports split-screen multiplayer both in its competitive deathmatch arenas and its Zombies mode. For more local multiplayer games, make sure to take a look at our list of the best couch co-op games for couples and best games to play with people who don't normally play games. A refreshing take on your regular racing and football games, this online multiplayer game is a combination of both.
And this hybrid of cars replacing the players has quickly grown to be one of the most popular games on the online gaming circuit. A simple twist on football and racing that could have been nothing but a neat distraction for many has turned into a phenomenon. You can challenge your friends online and also pass some time with your younger siblings. I get really bored of battle royale games and for some reason they're at the top end of the list. I played the Beta for Hunters Arena and whilst it was more unique as it had enemies that drop loot and help level you during battles before fighting other people, at the end of the day it was still too repetitive.
Basically a roguelite because you lose everything at the end of battle. Those looking to get some competitive gameplay in then you can't go wrong with Ultimate Chick Horse. It's a fun little party platformer where players take the role of animal and race through a series of difficult levels in hopes of racking up points.
Each level is filled with obstacles and hazards which makes it tough to maneuver through in a race to reach the finish line first. This is also a very quick game with rounds only lasting a minute which means that not only are you racing to reach the end first but you'll also have to deal with a timer. It's a simple party game that you'll likely have a blast playing with family and friends. Currently the last installment to the LittleBigPlanet main series, LittleBigPlanet 3 offers gamers a new puzzle-platformer to enjoy with a friend. Overall, the game follows the same gameplay mechanics as the past two main entries of the series.
The third installment to the series brings in three additional characters which offers their own unique abilities and that will come to play in solving certain puzzles through the campaign. Luckily, if you complete the game, the development team has allowed user created levels to be uploaded to go through. Likewise, players are able to craft their own levels and upload them for other gamers to enjoy. If you enjoy Souls-like video games and want something of a local co-op split screen experience then give Hellpoint a chance. This is a game that doesn't throw a bunch of story lore for you but instead lets you come up with what's going on your own as you progress through the game.
It's a brutal tense battle as you go through this science-fiction game, you have a ton of hellish monsters to battle with. When you die off the game throws in a version of yourself to battle with so the better the gear you had will result in the tougher the fight. From the development team NetherRealm Studios, we have the Injustice series. These are the folks behind the Mortal Kombat games as of the last several years, but in this game series, we're dealing with DC Comics characters.
It's not as violent and bloody as Mortal Kombat, but the gameplay, in general, is very much the same. There's a nice flow to the fighting while players are picking one of several different iconic DC Comics heroes or villains to fight with. Not only will the characters have different level designs to feature the comic setting each character is from but also certain characters will have some unique interactions with each other. Players will find that there are two video game installments readily available today with fans expecting a third installment will be unveiled in the future. Fortnitehas had a meteoric rise since its release in 2017, and it's not hard to see why.
The free-to-play battle royale game offers players an energetic and enjoyable online multiplayer experience, either competing alone or co-op, and throwing in some building mechanics to set it aside from its competitors. Nearly every popular fighting game supports local multiplayer, and there are no shortage of great options on PS4. We're going with Dragon Ball FighterZ as our top recommendation thanks to its stylish visuals, fast-paced battle system, and dedication to being both approachable and layered in its combat. Of course, Dragon Ball fans will be far more interested in this one than those who don't care about the anime. That said, it's such a finely crafted fighting game that it wouldn't be surprising if you convinced those who know nothing about the franchise to tag along. It's chaotic and over-the-top and features a wealth of unique playable characters, including a bunch of DLC fighters that are worth paying for.
The most popular video game in the world allows groups of eight players to meet online, explore vast blocky worlds and construct amazing buildings together. You and your friends could collaborate on a project – such as building a scale model of the Taj Mahal – or play one of the competitive mini-games. In a battle between Materia and Spiritus, the gods of protection and destruction, two teams of heroes from the Final Fantasy series must fight for them. You can't play the game's story mode, but you can play online with people who have bought the game, and transfer your progress from the free version if you decide you enjoy it enough to buy the full experience. Blizzard's hero shooter ranks among the top multiplayer games ever created, and when you're playing with friends and communicating through voice chat, it gets even better. You and your allies can coordinate with each other, selecting the perfect characters for each setting and announcing enemies' positions as they approach or secure an objective.
The good news is that all of the additional maps and characters added since launch are available for free. So, even if your friend doesn't have the game, they can still play with you if you do. The Dirt games have always been great rally games, but the recent fourth iteration took the series to the next level. In online multiplayer, you can either attack rally stages at the same time as other players, scrambling to set the best time, or you can jump onto the same track in rally cross.
In any of the modes, however, the game feels fantastic and you're kept updated on how your friends are doing. In any of the modes, however, the game feels fantastic and you're kept updated on how your friends are doing. The Borderlands franchise has been one that several gamers easily flocked to when wanting to enjoy a cooperative gameplay experience. Fortunately, Borderlands 3 is everything we've come to love from the franchise with several big enhancements to keep players awe inspired. If you haven't played a Borderlands game, then this is a looter shooter.
It's all about taking down enemies while grabbing new gear and there is a vastly wide range of gear to pick up. Unlike before, players will not be stuck just on Pandora but will be going through a variety of unique looking planets full of colorful scenery and wacky characters as you seek out Vaults. If you owned a Sega Genesis back in the day, you had the Streets of Rage series, or at the very least Streets of Rage 2. The video game franchise is a classic beat 'em up series that had only three installments available though the gameplay remained the same. In this game, players take on a character that is forced into fighting off all sorts of thugs and criminals as they restore society. While the franchise was quite popular, it would be decades before a new installment released.
Now we have Streets of Rage 4 available to enjoy which takes place ten years after the events of Streets of Rage 3. We're waiting on the Street Fighter 6 announcement, but for now, Street Fighter V is the latest release for the mainline franchise that you can pick up and enjoy today. In this game, we have the V Trigger system in place which changes up some of the gameplay. Each character has some kind of an ability to use when the meter is filled. It could be a more powerful attack or a buff that gives a character more opportunity to rank up a combo set.
Those of you wanting a more simple game to play will want to dive into Nidhogg. It's a 2D game fighting game where the goal is to reach the end of the level, depending on which way your character faces when the game starts. When you reach the end of the level, you're sacrificed to a giant monster. Players are dueling each other with swords so it's a constant battle to parry and sink the sword into your opponent's body. When you successfully kill the opponent, you move onto the next screen where the player will have respawned and ready to fight again.
This process repeats until one player manages to reach the final screen where the monster awaits. If you enjoy the game, then there's a sequel worth trying out as well. Currently, Nintendo offers the biggest seller when it comes to platform fighters. The Super Smash Bros franchise is highly beloved with players taking control of an iconic video game character as they head into battle. Several different level designs force players to jump around to avoid opponents while making use of the level design to deliver powerful blows. Meanwhile, several unique items will drop down onto the map which offers some kind of a buff whether it's to reduce the damage you've taken already or a weapon that can be used against your opponents.
Fortunately, there's a free alternative that you can pick up on the PlayStation 4 which is Brawlhalla. It's a game that mimics the Super Smash Bros formula but with a different roster of characters. While there are some unique characters for this game, players will find that there are also crossovers that have happened to bring in more iconic characters for players to use. In the past, we've seen franchises such as Rayman, WWE, Adventure Time, The Walking Dead, to Tomb Raider showcased in Brawlhalla. The game comes with attractive graphics and touch optimised controls. Epic Games released three LEGO Batman Games at the end of September for FREE to go along with three great Arkham games.
The LEGO series doesn't support online multiplayer, but with Parsec, every game can be played online with your friends — all you have to do is send them a link, and they can join your game. This works with any LEGO game as well as any game that supports multiplayer. Head to the Parsec Party Finder to find people who are playing these games right now and join them. Both characters acquire new abilities and powers the more this miniscule adventure goes on, as the action only ever takes place in split-screen. This dedication alone is enough to make It Takes Two easily a top pick on our list of the best 2 player PS4 games.
Plus, when you taking into account that only one copy of the game is needed to play with a friend locally or online, this colourful action-adventure should be a co-operative duo's delight. Constantly surprising and ever joyful, It Takes Two is one of the best co-op PS4 games out there. This list ranks the best PS4 multiplayer games to play with your friends, whether it's online multiplayer or couch co-op. Final Fantasy XV lets players create their own story in the multiplayer expansion, Comrades.
Here, you can make your own character and explore the world with three other friends in online play. Players have a wealth of customization options, from weapons to abilities, and there's a vast area just waiting to be explored. Similarly, you can also follow the storyline that takes place six months after chapter 13 in the main game. The latest installment in the Madden franchise on the PS4 adds a multiplayer game mode called MUT Squads, which acts as an extension of Madden Ultimate Team. This feature includes 3v3 game modes wherein you can play with friends or join the lobby to match up with teammates.
