February is the month of love, and while many of us will be stocking up on traditional flowers and chocolates, what better way to show your love than by sharing something you are passionate about with that special someone in your life?
I don’t think I need to sell anyone here reading this post on the unbridled joys of gaming; we all know it, and it’s something that many of us first fell in love with back when games were little more than a bunch of unrefined blocks moving around a screen – and who can forget those iconic triangle breasts, brought to life by a whole lot of imagination.
However, as with all things, gaming is at its best when shared and, better still, when shared with that special someone in your life, your player 2.
Now, I’m a gamer who takes their work very seriously (read: frequents social media), which means I see posts with people asking how to get their partners into gaming almost daily. I also see where a lot of these posts go wrong.
Just because Elden Ring is your favourite game of all time doesn’t mean it’s where your partner, who has nothing more than daily Wordle to their name, should be thrown into the gaming deep end.
When you think back at your gaming journey, many, if not most, of us started with the basics, the Circus Charlie’s of the world, where all you had to do was press one single button to jump and let’s face it, most of us struggled to master just that.
When getting a fellow adult into the world of gaming for the first time, there is a fine balance between finding a game that will get your partner excited to play and understanding that not everyone knows what or where the L3 button on a controller is.
So, without wasting any more time, here is where I think you should start whipping your future gaming partner into shape.
And who knows, maybe at the end of this journey, you’ll end up sharing your home with a fellow Elden Ring addict, or perhaps you’ll just squeeze some fun, laughter-filled date nights out of the whole thing.
Enjoy.
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Everyone needs to start somewhere, and while it might be easy for you to sit down and play a game alone for hours on end, for someone who has never so much as picked up a controller before, it might not be as easy to find the fun.
So one of the best ways to introduce your partner to gaming for the first time is to take advantage of something you already know they enjoy: spending time together.
Not only are games that you can sit next to each other and play a great way to bond, but it’s also a lot easier to learn the mechanics when you have someone right next to you to help you or make the journey seem less daunting.
So, with that in mind, here are five games you can play right alongside your special someone.
Overcooked – PlayStation 4; PlayStation 5; PC; Xbox One; Xbox Series X/S; Nintendo Switch
Overcooked is a chaotic couch co-op cooking game for one to four players. Working as a team, you and your fellow chefs must prepare, cook and serve up a variety of tasty orders before the baying customers storm out in a huff.
While you wouldn’t think Overcooked’s high-speed chaos would lend itself to newcomers, that’s precisely what it does. Overcooked is a party game at its core, meaning the controls are simple to grasp, even if the game is tricky to master.
Snipperclips – Nintendo Switch
If the inherent chaos of Overcooked isn’t for your special someone, then Snipperclips is another excellent starting point.
Snipperclips is a game about communicating with your partner and working together to solve the game’s various puzzles.
Whether there’s a shape to be filled in, a basketball to dunk or a hamster to help out, the game’s two characters, Snip and Clip, must work together to figure out how to solve the problems.
Snipperclips might look unassuming, but they can make for a wonderful, relaxing night of working and gaming together.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure – PC; PlayStation 4; PlayStation 5
While the previous two games on this list might not be the prettiest, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is stunning.
It’s a 3D multiplayer platforming adventure that relies on chaotic and always hilarious teamwork to make it through.
If you’re looking for a game that’s just pure fun, then you won’t go wrong exploring the crazy lands of Craftworld with your special someone while introducing them to some more advanced yet easy-to-grasp gameplay mechanics.
There is also something profoundly enduring about running around and throwing each other off ledges. It never gets old, no matter how many times you do it.
Unravel Two – Nintendo Switch; PlayStation 4; Xbox One; PC
After playing through Sackboy: A Big Adventure, you and your partner are ready to dive into something a little more challenging but with even more heart.
Unravel Two is a game all about building relationships and learning how to support each other throughout the torturous journey – and if that isn’t the perfect setup for a great date night, then I don’t know what is.
It’s a game with an immersive story, and every single challenge will require an unbreakable bond to overcome. As you and your partner dive into the heartfelt story, the world around you will flourish and evolve, opening fresh challenges and spaces to explore.
It Takes Two – Nintendo Switch; PlayStation 4; PlayStation 5; PC; Xbox One; Xbox Series X/S
I’ve saved the best for last here because when it comes to great beginner-friendly games to play with your partner, it doesn’t get any better than It Takes Two.
There is a reason why It Takes Two walked away with the Game of the Year award in 2021, and it’s a game every couple should play together, whether they’re new to gaming or not.
While all the other games on this list can be played alone and co-op, It Takes Two is an exclusively co-op adventure.
As the clashing couple Cody and May, two humans turned into dolls by a magic spell, players are challenged with saving their fractured relationship.
This game is all about teaching you that together, you’re better, and it does that by letting players master unique and connected character abilities at every level to help each other overcome unexpected obstacles.
Trust me if you only play one game on this list, let it be It Takes Two.
Looking for more games in this category? Try these:
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- The Lego Games
- The Legend of Spyro: Dawn of the Dragon
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By the time you reach this point, I’m presuming you listened to me and started your partner off with some, if not all, of the games listed above.
That means they’re now equipped with many of the skills needed to progress on their own gaming journey.
And if they are still interested in playing games, I’d say it’s fair to presume that the bug has bitten.
Now it’s time to introduce them to games that they can still play with you but also ones they can play alone while they experience and develop their own taste in games. That’s where the following five titles come into play.
Stardew Valley – PC; PlayStation 4; Xbox One; iOS; Android; Nintendo Switch
If you play games, then you’ve undoubtedly either played Stardew Valley or, at the very least, know about it. It’s essentially a farming RPG where players have inherited their grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley.
Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, they set out to begin their new life. Players will be tasked with turning an overgrown field into a lively farm. Raise animals, grow crops, mine, start an orchard, craft useful machines, fish, and build relationships while returning Stardew Valley to its former glory.
Not only is Stardew Valley a tremendously addictive single-player game that teaches many mechanics in an easy and fun way, but it can also be enjoyed with up to 4 players all working together and sharing resources while they improve the local community.
Don’t Starve Together – Nintendo Switch; PlayStation 4; macOS; Xbox One; PC
If you’re looking for something to play with your partner that is equal parts fun and mentally challenging, then Don’t Starve Together is where it’s at.
Don’t Starve Together is a cute-looking and brutally challenging wilderness survival game where players will find themselves in a strange, unexplored world full of odd creatures, hidden dangers, and ancient secrets.
The core concept is easy: gather resources to craft items and build structures, all while trying not to starve. However, that is all easier said than done, and players must work together if they hope to survive.
Fallout Shelter – Android; Nintendo Switch; iOS; PlayStation 4; Xbox One; PC
If your partner is looking for a game that they can play on their own and also on the go, then Fallout Shelter is an excellent introduction to a post-apologetic colony sim.
Fallout Shelter puts players in control of a state-of-the-art underground Vault from Vault-Tec, where they need to build the perfect vault to keep their colony happy and safe.
It’s a straightforward game that lends itself to mobile play but will introduce your partner to a new gaming genre while teaching them the basics of base management.
Life is Strange – PlayStation 4; PC; Xbox One; iOS; Android; Nintendo Switch
By this point, you should have a good idea about what your partner looks for in a game, and if that thing is a story, you won’t do better than Life is Strange.
Players take on the role of Max Caulfield, a photography senior who discovers she can rewind time while saving her best friend, Chloe Price, from a violent altercation.
Life is Strange is an excellent story game and introduces the concept of altering the story through your choices and the moral consequences in games.
Oxenfree – Nintendo Switch; PlayStation 4; Android; Xbox One; PC; iOS
As with Life is Strange, Oxenfree is an excellent game for a partner looking for a solid narrative and strong story elements in their game.
Oxenfree is a supernatural thriller about friends who unwittingly open a ghostly gate spawned from the Island’s cryptic past.
Players will determine every aspect of the story while exploring the Island, uncovering the dark past, and changing their friends’ lives forever.
Looking for more games in this category? Try these:
- Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
- Epistory – Typing Chronicles
- Super Mario Odyssey
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And finally, if you’ve gotten to this point, congratulations, we’ve managed to convert yet another unsuspecting person to the gaming cult.
But in all seriousness, if you reach this point, your partner has progressed from those daily Wordles to picking up a controller and playing games with you, to playing games on their own and looking for even more advanced games – you’ve got them.
But just because they’ve now got the basics down, it still doesn’t mean that they’re ready for those Dark Souls bosses, so before then, these are a few games that step up the mechanical and mental complexity while still being accessible enough that it won’t fill them with frustration and dread… looking at you Sekiro… looking at you.
A Way Out – PlayStation 4; Xbox One; Xbox Series X/S; PC
From the same creators behind It Takes Two, A Way Out is another co-op-only game that every couple should play together.
Players take on the role of one of two prisoners making their daring escape from prison. What begins as a thrilling breakout quickly becomes an unpredictable, emotional adventure unlike anything seen or played before.
Each player controls one of the main characters, Leo and Vincent, in a reluctant alliance to escape prison and gain their freedom.
A Way Out requires players to use teamwork to solve puzzles and overcome obstacles, and we will see them sneak, fight, run, drive, and even go fishing along the way.
It’s a great game that elevates all the co-op elements your partner has learned up until now.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – Nintendo Switch
Every gamer needs to play at least one Legend of Zelda game, and one of the most accessible of these to have been released for modern platforms is The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening,
Playing as Link, gamers will find themselves in a strange land away from Hyrule, where animals talk and monsters roam.
To uncover the truth behind their whereabouts and rouse the legendary Wind Fish, they must explore Koholint Island and all its trap-ridden dungeons.
This is a great game to introduce some intricate gameplay mechanics, encourage exploration, and solve challenging puzzles while keeping the tone light and breezy, giving them a fun way to experience a totally different genre of games.
Until Dawn – PlayStation 4
Until Dawn is the best game to introduce innovative choice mechanics and the Butterfly-Effect Interface that will show players the path their story has taken amid the thousands that are possible.
It’s a great way to see how seemingly insignificant choices and huge moral dilemmas can have significant unforeseen consequences in games.
When eight friends are trapped on a remote mountain retreat, and things quickly turn sinister, they suspect they aren’t alone.
Gripped by fear and with tensions in the group running high, players will be forced to make snap decisions that could mean life or death for everyone involved.
Through the night, anyone can live, anyone can die, and things aren’t always what they seem.
Detroit: Become Human – PlayStation 4; PC
Detroit: Become Human is an award-winning video game featuring world-renowned actors, including Jesse Williams, Clancy Brown, Lance Henriksen, Bryan Dechart and Valorie Curry.
If your partner is looking for a game that feels like a cinematic movie that they get to control, then this is the game for them.
The game is set in Detriot in 2038, and technology has evolved to a point where Human-like androids are everywhere. They speak, move and behave like human beings, but they are only machines serving humans.
Players will play as three distinct androids and see a world on the brink of chaos through their eyes. Every decision will dramatically alter the game’s intense, branching narrative.
Not only is Detroit: Become Human a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s also a great way to get your partner used to juggling different characters and keeping track of intertwining narratives.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – PC; PlayStation 5
There is a point that every gamer needs to experience the joy that is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart! and by the time you’ve worked through the games above, it’s time for your partner to as well.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart features everyone’s favourite intergalactic adventurers while dimension-hopping through space and time to take on an evil emperor from another reality.
Of all the games on this list, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the most mechanically challenging and the perfect way to round everything off.
After your partner can grasp all the controls, timing and mechanics needed for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, they’ll be good to go, and pretty much every other game will be within their wheelhouse.
Looking for more games in this category? Try these:
- Blacksad: Under the Skin
- The Wolf Among Us
- Tunic
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And there you have it, your crash course to introducing your favourite person to gaming.
Please note that while I’ve done my best with this list, results may vary, and at the end of the day, not everyone will feel that same excitement you do when playing games, and that’s okay – really.
Do you have any games that should be included in this list? Drop them into the comments below, and together, let’s make this the ultimate guide for every kind of Pokemon, I mean partner, you could have.
Happy love month, NAG readers – we love you.