5 Infamous Co-Op Video Games That Always Start An Argument

Playing video games is fun — or, at least, it's meant to be. When it comes to co-op games, players can share the thrills and sense of triumph. But for every rewarding co-op experience, there are games where the presence of another player can feel like its own obstacle. With little margins for error or tightly coordinated timing needed, players ostensibly working together will be barking orders at each other as tension mounts. That means a game built around cooperation will have energies running hot as players try to figure out how to work together under pressure.

To be clear, frustrating co-op games aren't necessarily bad games because of the co-op component. In some cases, the frustration is all part of the fun and makes the in-game victories feel that much more earned. But whether adding to the quality or detracting from the enjoyment, difficult co-op games are sure to test any friendship or relationship as they unfold. Here are five infamous co-op video games that always start an argument, no matter how effective the team.

1991's "Battletoads" is one of several '90s games that make you want to rage-quit, even if you're playing it all by yourself. A side-scrolling beat 'em up, players control muscular anthropomorphic toads Rash and Zitz as they set out to rescue their friend Pimple and a princess from the evil Dark Queen. Players can join forces in a two-player co-op mode as they fight through the Dark Queen's army across a remote planet. This includes sequences where players rappel down long tunnels and race on jet skis down obstacle-filled tracks with only moments to react.

Even with an extra fighter to take on the enemies, "Battletoads" is still an immensely difficult game to get through. To make matters worse, the game features friendly fire between players working together in contrast to many other beat 'em up titles. This is especially annoying during the game's rappelling sequence, which often results in one player kicking the other as they swing across the tunnel. "Battletoads" has plenty of insane difficulty spikes and the presence of a second player has a tendency to only make that feel worse.

Yes, the "Mario Party" series largely revolves around a single player triumphing in a board game experience, but every entry has a significant amount of co-op mini-games. Whether it's 2v2 or 1v3 experiences, players are constantly tasked with working together towards a common goal. Like most of "Mario Party," these co-op mini-games are often mired in absolute chaos that will have players shouting at each other to coordinate. This includes the most dangerous "Mario Party" mini-game, which notoriously has players grinding their joysticks to emerge victorious.

When it comes to "Mario Party," betrayal and heated rivalries are all part of the overarching experience. This means that players who should theoretically be working together in a given mini-game might self-sabotage just to hold their teammate back from the ultimate prize. It's one of those cases where the frustration in co-op games actually enhances the overall gameplay, as players know only one of them can be crowned the champion. A multiplayer staple on Nintendo consoles since 1998, "Mario Party" blurs the lines between competition and cooperation.

The 2016 game "Overcooked" and its 2018 sequel revolve around players working together in a kitchen to prepare a series of food orders before customers grow impatient. Each level features a different kitchen layout — occasionally with added obstacles and quirks — and the recipes become increasingly complicated the further you go in the game. Players can either work simply to keep their respective restaurants chugging along or against a rival team in an adjacent kitchen. This, of course, means that players working together have to be in constant communication to coordinate accordingly.

If you're an SVG reader then you'll know that "Overcooked" is included on our list of the best co-op games, but this is an article consisting of frustrating co-op games, not bad ones. That is to say that both "Overcooked" games are a lot of fun — they'll just test the strength of your relationships and friendships at the same time. It's stressful enough to have orders flooding into the kitchen to keep up with while maintaining a clean workplace (that's right — you need to wash the dishes, too). It's another thing to have the progressively more challenging level layouts add to the tension, which "Overcooked" has always done so well.

2017's "Cuphead" is another one of those games that's hard to complete solo, let alone with a friend. It takes hours for players to finish the base game and its expansion "The Delicious Last Course." The game is set in a world evoking classic animation from the 1930s, right down to its art style and jazzy soundtrack. But before you can take in the beautiful aesthetics in full, players have to navigate stages full of enemies and incoming projectiles, and that's without getting into the harrowing boss battles.

With the addition of a second player, controlling Cuphead's brother Mugman, that means there is twice the chance of colliding with enemy fire. In truth, the added firepower when playing cooperatively really isn't worth the heightened risk when playing with a friend or partner. Every level becomes even more of a marathon run, culminating in unforgiving boss fights that will test relationships. "Cuphead" was never for the faint of heart and its two-player co-op takes that distinction a step further.

The 2024 indie game "Chained Together" is a co-op vertical platformer that was a streaming hit upon its release. The game has anywhere from two to four players chained together around the waist trying to climb their way out of Hell. This is done by leaping from platforms up a stratospheric tower, avoiding obstacles during their ascent. This means that players have to account for more than themselves when they navigate the tower, because, if one falls, everyone chained together will come tumbling down.

Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed streamed "Chained Together" jointly, which showcased the game's qualities and frustrations through their shared experience. It took the two streamers 12 hours to beat the game, taking a big fall on more than one occasion, with thousands watching them live. That endurance test is even greater for those trying to ascend the tower with four players at once, increasing the likelihood of error considerably. The ultimate test in coordinated cooperation, "Chained Together" can last for hours without the players making it to their intended destination.