Best Split screen games: 25 ranked (2026)
265 split screen games ranked by the GamingPickz Score, a published composite of player sentiment and critic reception. The formula is below in full, and no placement on this page can be bought.
The split screen games on a map
Compare the whole catalogueThe same 25 games, plotted rather than listed. The two axes below are the ones the ranking is built from, so a game sitting high and right is a game the formula placed near the top. Change either axis to see the field a different way. Where we hold a publisher wordmark, the game is drawn as its mark rather than a dot.
25 games have both
Axes are fitted to these 25 games rather than the full 0 to 100 scale, because a filtered list shares a narrow band and would otherwise sit in one corner. End values are marked. A point on the left edge is the lowest of thesegames, not a low score.
Players. The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000.
Popularity. A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it.
- Mobile
- Multi-platform
- PC
Every point links to that game's entry. The value map and the reception map are fixed views of the same data.
How positions are decided
No paid placement, no favouritism, live third-party data
- Placed by the published method, not by us. Every coordinate is computed from the axis definitions and weights printed on this site. Nobody moves a point. See the axes.
- Nothing here is paid for. No sponsored placements, no promoted slots, no arrangement of any kind affects a position. If that ever changes it will be labelled and sit outside the ranking.
- No favouritism, including our own. The 16 games we have written full reviews of are scored by exactly the same formula as the other 1,510, from the same third-party inputs, and they land where it puts them. Our own opinion of a game does not enter its coordinates.
- A position is not an endorsement. It says how a game was received and what it costs, not that we recommend it. Where we do recommend something, it carries a written review with a name on it.
- Fetched from live third-party data. Player sentiment from Steam, critic aggregates as published on store pages, prices checked hourly, attention from Wikipedia. Each figure carries its source and the date it was read, and we do not adjust any of them.
The short version
- Top pick: Portal 2, GamingPickz Score 9.1/10 from 466,026 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 95.
- 10 score 8.5 or above out of 265 ranked split screen games.
- Price range free to $69.99, median $19.99, with 9 free to play.
- 129 are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing.
- 19 declare six or more accessibility features. Listed per game below.
At a glance
The top 12 side by side. Full entries below.
| # | Game | Best for | Score | Players | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portal 2 | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 9.1 | 99% (466,026) | $9.99 |
| 2 | Stardew Valley | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.8 | 98% (1,035,189) | $14.99 |
| 3 | Counter-Strike | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.8 | 97% (261,499) | $9.99 |
| 4 | Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.8 | 96% (205,637) | $44.99 |
| 5 | Project Zomboid | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.7 | 94% (476,732) | $24.99 |
| 6 | It Takes Two | The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence | 8.7 | 95% (268,937) | $39.99 |
| 7 | Cuphead | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.5 | 96% (220,388) | $19.99 |
| 8 | Castle Crashers | Playing through with a friend online | 8.5 | 96% (140,408) | $14.99 |
| 9 | Brotato | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.5 | 96% (118,244) | $4.99 |
| 10 | Pizza Tower | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.5 | 98% (72,574) | $19.99 |
| 11 | Rhythm Doctor | Handheld play, small install and Deck verified | 8.4 | 98% (26,941) | $15.99 |
| 12 | Quake | Playing through with a friend online | 8.4 | 96% (16,302) | $9.99 |
25 best split screen games, ranked
Ordered by GamingPickz Score. Every figure links back to the source that produced it.
- 1
Portal 2
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
9.1GamingPickz Scorehigh confidencePortal 2 at a glance Released 2011 Studio Valve Player sentiment 99% positive of 466,026 Critics 95/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 8 GB Accessibility 7 declared features Raw 99% shrinks to 99.0 on 466,026 reviews, then blends with the 95 critic aggregate, giving 9.1.
What the data supports- 99% positive across 466,026 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 7 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
- 2
Stardew Valley
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceStardew Valley at a glance Released 2016 Studio ConcernedApe LLC Player sentiment 98% positive of 1,035,189 Critics 89/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.49 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 98.0 on 1,035,189 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 98% positive across 1,035,189 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.49 GB.
- 3
Counter-Strike
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceCounter-Strike at a glance Released 2000 Studio Valve Player sentiment 97% positive of 261,499 Critics 88/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck playable Install size Not stated Accessibility 4 declared features Raw 97% shrinks to 97.0 on 261,499 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 97% positive across 261,499 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 4
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.8GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceDivinity: Original Sin 2 - Definitive Edition at a glance Released 2017 Studio Larian Studios Player sentiment 96% positive of 205,637 Critics 93/100 Price $44.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 60 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 205,637 reviews, then blends with the 93 critic aggregate, giving 8.8.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 205,637 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 5
Project Zomboid
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.7GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceProject Zomboid at a glance Released 2013 Studio The Indie Stone Player sentiment 94% positive of 476,732 Critics No aggregate Price $24.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 94.0 on 476,732 reviews, giving 8.7. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 94% positive across 476,732 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 6
It Takes Two
Best for: The safest bet on this list, by weight of evidence
8.7GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceIt Takes Two at a glance Released 2021 Studio Hazelight Studios Player sentiment 95% positive of 268,937 Critics 89/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 50 GB Accessibility 3 declared features Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 268,937 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.7.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 268,937 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
Worth checking first- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
Cuphead at a glance Released 2017 Studio Studio MDHR Player sentiment 96% positive of 220,388 Critics 88/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 4 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 220,388 reviews, then blends with the 88 critic aggregate, giving 8.5.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 220,388 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 4 GB.
Castle Crashers at a glance Released 2012 Studio The Behemoth Player sentiment 96% positive of 140,408 Critics No aggregate Price $14.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 3 declared features Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 140,408 reviews, giving 8.5. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 140,408 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- 9
Brotato
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.5GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceBrotato at a glance Released 2023 Studio Blobfish Player sentiment 96% positive of 118,244 Critics No aggregate Price $4.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 96.0 on 118,244 reviews, giving 8.5. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 96% positive across 118,244 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.2 GB.
- 10
Pizza Tower
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.5GamingPickz Scoremedium confidencePizza Tower at a glance Released 2023 Studio Tour De Pizza Player sentiment 98% positive of 72,574 Critics No aggregate Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.29 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 97.9 on 72,574 reviews, giving 8.5. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.29 GB.
- 11
Rhythm Doctor
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.4GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceRhythm Doctor at a glance Released 2025 Studio 7th Beat Games Player sentiment 98% positive of 26,941 Critics 89/100 Price $15.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 1 GB Accessibility 4 declared features Raw 98% shrinks to 97.8 on 26,941 reviews, then blends with the 89 critic aggregate, giving 8.4.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 1 GB.
Quake at a glance Released 1996 Studio Nightdive Studios Player sentiment 96% positive of 16,302 Critics 94/100 Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.7 on 16,302 reviews, then blends with the 94 critic aggregate, giving 8.4.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Nintendo 64PCPlayStation 4PlayStation 5Xbox OneXbox Series X and Series S
- 13
Stick Fight: The Game
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceStick Fight: The Game at a glance Released 2017 Studio Landfall West Player sentiment 93% positive of 125,325 Critics No aggregate Price $1.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.39 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 93% shrinks to 93.0 on 125,325 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- 93% positive across 125,325 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.39 GB.
Worth checking first- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 14
Ultimate Chicken Horse
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceUltimate Chicken Horse at a glance Released 2016 Studio Clever Endeavour Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 53,449 Critics No aggregate Price $14.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 53,449 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- Small install at 2 GB.
Worth checking first- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 15
Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.3GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSpiritfarer: Farewell Edition at a glance Released 2020 Studio Thunder Lotus Player sentiment 95% positive of 53,228 Critics 84/100 Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 7 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 94.9 on 53,228 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.3.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 7 GB.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
- 16
Wobbly Life
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceWobbly Life at a glance Released 2025 Studio RubberBandGames Player sentiment 97% positive of 35,653 Critics No aggregate Price $24.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 96.9 on 35,653 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 2 GB.
- 17
Just Shapes & Beats
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.3GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceJust Shapes & Beats at a glance Released 2018 Studio Berzerk Studio Player sentiment 98% positive of 26,015 Critics No aggregate Price $11.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 1 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 98% shrinks to 97.8 on 26,015 reviews, giving 8.3. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 1 GB.
- 18
Human Fall Flat
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceHuman Fall Flat at a glance Released 2016 Studio No Brakes Games Player sentiment 95% positive of 226,636 Critics 70/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.49 GB Accessibility 7 declared features Raw 95% shrinks to 95.0 on 226,636 reviews, then blends with the 70 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- 95% positive across 226,636 reviews is a strong signal at that volume, where a few enthusiasts cannot move the number.
- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Declares 7 accessibility features, well above the catalogue norm.
Worth checking first- Players rate it well above critics, 95 against 70. Usually a sign it improved after launch, or that it delivers something reviewers undervalued.
ROUNDS at a glance Released 2021 Studio Landfall Player sentiment 95% positive of 44,331 Critics No aggregate Price $2.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 4 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 95% shrinks to 94.9 on 44,331 reviews, giving 8.2. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Small install at 4 GB.
Worth checking first- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 20
Rivals of Aether
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.2GamingPickz Scoremedium confidenceRivals of Aether at a glance Released 2017 Studio Aether Studios Player sentiment 96% positive of 38,134 Critics No aggregate Price $29.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.29 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.9 on 38,134 reviews, giving 8.2. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.29 GB.
SpeedRunners at a glance Released 2016 Studio DoubleDutch Games Player sentiment 94% positive of 37,163 Critics 84/100 Price $14.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 0.78 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 94% shrinks to 93.9 on 37,163 reviews, then blends with the 84 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- Small install at 0.78 GB.
DOOM + DOOM II at a glance Released 2007 Studio id Software Player sentiment 97% positive of 28,979 Critics No aggregate Price $9.99 Steam Deck verified Install size Not stated Accessibility 6 declared features Raw 97% shrinks to 96.8 on 28,979 reviews, giving 8.2. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
Worth checking first- Flagged for mature content on its store page.
Bopl Battle at a glance Released 2023 Studio Johan Grönvall Player sentiment 97% positive of 25,699 Critics No aggregate Price $9.99 Steam Deck playable Install size 2 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 97% shrinks to 96.8 on 25,699 reviews, giving 8.2. No critics data, so that weight was redistributed across the rest rather than counted as zero.
What the data supports- Small install at 2 GB.
Worth checking first- Multiplayer only. There is no solo mode to fall back on.
- 24
Spelunky 2
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceSpelunky 2 at a glance Released 2020 Studio Mossmouth Player sentiment 93% positive of 21,915 Critics 91/100 Price $19.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.59 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 93% shrinks to 92.8 on 21,915 reviews, then blends with the 91 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Cloud saves and cross-platform play, so progress follows you between machines.
- Small install at 0.59 GB.
- 25
Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
Best for: Handheld play, small install and Deck verified
8.2GamingPickz Scorehigh confidenceShovel Knight: Treasure Trove at a glance Released 2014 Studio Yacht Club Games Player sentiment 96% positive of 16,898 Critics 85/100 Price $39.99 Steam Deck verified Install size 0.24 GB Accessibility 1 declared feature Raw 96% shrinks to 95.7 on 16,898 reviews, then blends with the 85 critic aggregate, giving 8.2.
What the data supports- Valve has tested it and rates it Verified on the Steam Deck.
- Small install at 0.24 GB.
How to choose between these
25 entries, six things that separate them
The ranking answers "which is best received". It cannot answer "which is best for you", because that depends on things no formula knows. Here is what actually separates these 25 split screen games, in the order worth thinking about it.
Check the sample size before the score
A score is only as good as the evidence under it. 14 of these have more than 50,000 player reviews, which makes their number very hard to move.
Look at where critics and players disagree
The widest gap here is Human Fall Flat, where players sit above critics by 25 points. A gap that size usually means the game changed after launch, or that it does something critics undervalue. It is worth reading why before deciding which number you trust. The disagreement map plots this across the catalogue.
Decide what you are actually willing to spend
The median here is $14.99, and the cheapest paid entry is Stick Fight: The Game at $1.99. Prices move constantly, so a game a place or two down the list is often the better buy this week. Filter by price below rather than assuming the top pick is the right purchase.
Match it to the hardware you own
21 of these are Steam Deck Verified by Valve's own testing, and install sizes vary by more than an order of magnitude. If you are choosing for a handheld or a drive that is nearly full, that narrows the field faster than any score.
Check it supports how you want to play
Solo, with a friend online, or two people on one sofa are different requirements, and a well-reviewed game that does not support yours is the wrong game. The filters below answer this directly.
Look for the things a score hides
3 declare six or more accessibility features, and 0 carry in-game purchases. Neither shows up in a review score, and both change the experience substantially. Each entry lists its own.
Choose one if…
Tick what matters to you. This filters the ranking above rather than reordering it, so the order you see is still the order the formula produced, minus the games that do not fit. Every filter reads a field from the game's own store listing.
Nothing selected, so all 25 split screen games are shown below. Pick one or more above to narrow it.
The best split screen games for a specific need
The ranking answers "which is best overall", which is rarely the actual question. These are the answers to the narrower ones, computed from the same scores, so a single pick is named for each.
- What is the best cheap split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 18.
- What is the best co-op split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 21.
- What is the best single-player split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 19.
- What is the best split screen game for the Steam Deck?
- Portal 2, top of 21.
- What is the best split screen game for a small hard drive?
- Portal 2, top of 18.
- What is the best accessible split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 3.
- What is the best split screen game to play with a controller?
- Portal 2, top of 20.
- What is the best offline split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 10.
- What is the best split screen game with the most reviews?
- Portal 2, top of 14.
- What is the best cheap co-op split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 14.
- What is the best co-op split screen game for local co-op?
- Portal 2, top of 21.
- What is the best single-player offline split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 9.
- What is the best cheap split screen game for the Steam Deck?
- Portal 2, top of 14.
- What is the best Steam Deck co-op split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 20.
- What is the best controller-friendly split screen game for local co-op?
- Portal 2, top of 20.
- What is the best highly rated cheap split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 10.
- What is the best accessible single-player split screen game?
- Portal 2, top of 3.
Why trust this list
Most "best games" lists are either one person's taste presented as fact, or an affiliate feed with the highest commission at the top. This is neither. It is a ranking of 265 split screen games computed from two third-party signals we did not generate, using a formula printed below.
Our team has played and reviewed games for over twenty years, somewhere around 3,000 titles across every generation since the PS1. A good number of the split screen games on this page are among them, and that experience is what lets us tell you which of these numbers are worth trusting.
It is not, however, what set the order. The formula did, and we think that is the right way round: a list ordered by one person's memory is a list you have to take on trust, and this one you can check line by line.
The order comes out of the grid. Every game in the catalogue is placed on eighteen measured axes, each one a number read from a named source rather than an opinion: player sentiment and its sample size, the critic aggregate, review volume, Wikipedia language editions, price, install size, Steam Deck rating, accessibility features. A ranked list is that grid collapsed to one dimension. The map at the top of this page plots these same 25 games on two of those axes, so you can see the position the ranking gave each one and check it against where the game actually sits. If the list and the map ever disagreed, the list would be wrong, and they read the same numbers so they cannot.
None of the entries on this page carry a full written review from us yet. The score reflects how other people received the game. Where we do publish a review, it is marked and linked.
Update history 1
- First published with 25 entries ranked.
How we chose these
This ranking is a projection of the same axes the grid plots, not a second scoring system sitting alongside it. The grid answers where a game sits on two chosen measures; a ranked list needs one number, so the axes are collapsed using published weights. A game cannot be high on the grid and low here for a reason nobody can point at, because both read the same values.
Every ranked game gets a GamingPickz Score out of 10. It is a weighted blend of the axes below, and these percentages are read directly from the code that computes the ranking rather than written out separately, so the published formula cannot drift from the applied one.
| Component | Weight | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 52% | The share of Steam reviews marked positive, pulled toward the catalogue average in proportion to how few reviews stand behind it. A game with 200 reviews moves a long way toward the average; one with 200,000 barely moves at all. Without this a title sitting at 100 percent on nine reviews outranks Half-Life 2 at 98 percent on 278,000. |
| Critics | 23% | Metacritic and OpenCritic aggregate, normalised to 0 to 100. |
| Popularity | 20% | A blend of two things that are not the same. Audience is how many people wrote a Steam review, which is a floor on how many played it. Reach is how many language editions of Wikipedia document the game, which is cultural footprint rather than sales. A game can score high on one and low on the other: a huge free-to-play title has audience without reach, and a landmark console exclusive has reach without a Steam audience at all. Where both exist they are averaged; where only one does, that one carries it. |
| Reader likes | 5% | How many GamingPickz readers tapped the heart on the game, log-scaled to 0 to 100. This is the only signal here that comes from our own readers rather than a third party, so it carries a deliberately small weight and is a snapshot taken at the last build, not a live figure. A per-browser flag stops the same person liking twice; it is a popularity reaction, not a verified poll. |
Shrinkage is the part that matters most. Without it a game with nine reviews at 100 percent outranks Half-Life 2 with 278,000 at 98. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 84 using a 400-review prior, in proportion to how thin the evidence is.
Popularity is deliberately a minority weight. At 20 percent it nudges well-known games up without letting fame decide the order. Weight it higher and the list becomes "games you have already heard of", which nobody needs a ranking for. Weight it at zero and a game almost nobody played can top the list on the strength of a few hundred enthusiastic reviews. Neither is useful, so it sits in between. How popularity is measured.
Where a game has no critic aggregate, that 35 percent is redistributed onto player sentiment rather than counted as zero, and the entry says so.
Games with fewer than 50 reviews are excluded outright. Shrinkage is symmetric, so a game sitting at 0 percent on one review would otherwise be pulled up near the average, which flatters something nobody has actually assessed.
What we deliberately do not do. No paid placement, no sponsored slots dressed as editorial, no hidden weighting. If sponsorship is ever introduced it will be labelled and will sit outside the ranking. The formula above is the whole formula.
Split screen games by the numbers
The figures below describe all 265 entries on this page together, not the top pick. They are recomputed on every build, most recently on 19 October 2026, from 10,040,033 player reviews.
What the pricing looks like
226 of the 265 carry a listed US price, with a median of $19.99 and a mean of $20.77. The mean sitting above the median tells you the field is pulled up by a few expensive outliers. The cheapest is Golf With Your Friends at $1.49, the most expensive NBA 2K25 at $69.99. 9 are free to download. 30 carry in-game purchases on top of whatever they cost. Prices are read hourly from the US Steam storefront and move constantly.
How much this field agrees with itself
Player sentiment spans 70 points across these 265 entries. That is a wide band, which means the position of an entry here genuinely matters rather than splitting hairs. 136 carry a critic aggregate, averaging 80 out of 100. Players rate this field 6 points higher than critics on average, which is worth knowing before you weigh either number. See where the two diverge.
Who makes them, and what they overlap with
The studios appearing most often here are Traveller's Tales (16), Visual Concepts (11), Capcom (6), NetherRealm Studios (5) and Team17 (5). The genres these entries also sit in are rpg (67), simulation (63), open-world (57), platformer (57), strategy (57) and fighting (41), which is a fair map of what you are actually choosing between.
Which way attention is moving
We track Wikipedia pageviews over 28 days for 69 of these. 25 are gaining attention and 22 are losing it, with the rest flat. Attention is not quality, and we do not feed it into the ranking. The full monitor shows the movements across the catalogue.
The other 284 split screen games
The 25 above are the top of the ranking. These 284 are the rest of the category: games that ranked below the cut, and games with too few reviews or no store listing to be ranked at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives.
Also catalogued
284 more split screen games, not yet reviewedNone of these carry a review yet. The rest are catalogue records: title, year, studio and platforms, sourced from Wikidata. They are not indexed by search engines, because a record is not a review.
- Spacewar!source
- Mortal Kombat 11source
- Minecraft Dungeonssource
- Mortal Kombat Xsource
- Call of Duty: Black Ops IIIsource
- Beyond: Two Soulssource
- Quake IIsource
- Tekken 7source
- Team Fortress Classicsource
- Rayman Legendssource
- Rayman Originssource
- Sonic Maniasource
- Tekken 8source
- Lego City Undercoversource
- Untitled Goose Gamesource
- Mortal Kombat 1source
- Street Fighter IVsource
- Catherinesource
- Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academysource
- Lego Marvel Super Heroessource
- Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcastsource
- Tales of Symphoniasource
- Resident Evil: Revelations 2source
- Street Fighter X Tekkensource
- eFootballsource
Common questions
What is the best split screen game?
Portal 2 ranks first, with a GamingPickz Score of 9.1 out of 10 drawn from 466,026 player reviews and a critic aggregate of 95. That is a statement about how it was received, not a claim that it is the one you personally will enjoy most.
How is this ranking calculated?
The GamingPickz Score is 52% player sentiment adjusted for sample size, 23% the critic aggregate published on the game store page, 20% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions, 5% popularity, from review volume and Wikipedia language editions. Player sentiment is pulled toward the catalogue average of 83.7% using a 400-review prior, so a game with a handful of reviews cannot outrank one with hundreds of thousands. Nothing on this page is paid for and no placement can be bought.
How many split screen games are ranked here?
265 of them qualify. A game needs at least 50 player reviews to be scored, which excludes titles with too little evidence to place fairly.
Why is a game I love missing?
Three likely reasons. It has fewer than 50 player reviews, so it is excluded rather than ranked on noise. It has no Steam listing at all, which is normal for console and Nintendo exclusives. Or it is not in the catalogue yet.
Do you get paid for these placements?
No. Positions are computed from the formula above and nothing else. The site carries advertising, and advertisers can neither see nor influence this page. A position is not an endorsement, it is a measurement of reception.
How current is this?
Recomputed on every build from source data read on a stated date. This page was last rebuilt on 19 October 2026. Player review counts move daily, so positions in the middle of the list shift more than those at the top or bottom.
What is the best cheap split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best cheap split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 18 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best co-op split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best co-op split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 21 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best single-player split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best single-player split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 19 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best split screen game for the Steam Deck?
Portal 2 is the best split screen game for the Steam Deck, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 21 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best split screen game for a small hard drive?
Portal 2 is the best split screen game for a small hard drive, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 18 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best accessible split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best accessible split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 3 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best split screen game to play with a controller?
Portal 2 is the best split screen game to play with a controller, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 20 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best offline split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best offline split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 10 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best split screen game with the most reviews?
Portal 2 is the best split screen game with the most reviews, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 14 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best cheap co-op split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best cheap co-op split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 14 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best co-op split screen game for local co-op?
Portal 2 is the best co-op split screen game for local co-op, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 21 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best single-player offline split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best single-player offline split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 9 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best cheap split screen game for the Steam Deck?
Portal 2 is the best cheap split screen game for the Steam Deck, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 14 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best Steam Deck co-op split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best Steam Deck co-op split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 20 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best controller-friendly split screen game for local co-op?
Portal 2 is the best controller-friendly split screen game for local co-op, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 20 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best highly rated cheap split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best highly rated cheap split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 10 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
What is the best accessible single-player split screen game?
Portal 2 is the best accessible single-player split screen game, ranking 9.1 out of 10 on the GamingPickz Score. 3 of the 25 split screen games qualify.
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