10 Best PS1 Co-Op Games, Ranked

The original PlayStation has a phenomenal library of games ranging from mainstream staples we adore decades later to obscure gems lost to time. There are plenty of multiplayer games on the system, and Sony even made the Multi Tap so four players could play simultaneously.

However, there are far fewer games that use the hardware or even provide co-op gameplay at all. With this in mind, here are some incredible games you can enjoy on Sony’s humble gray box with a friend.

10 Re-Loaded: The Hardcore Sequel

Mindless Bloody Shooting At Its Finest

Re-Loaded is a simple but addictive top-down shooter where you play as one of a selection of undesirables and take down scores of baddies with your guns.

I mean it when I say ‘undesirable.’ The roster proudly displays all of the playable characters’ crimes, including cannibalism and being a ‘big baby.’ Each has a specific weapon and special ability, so there’s plenty of replayability.

The gameplay of Re-Loaded is rudimentary, but that’s part of the charm. You and a friend must explore a 3D landscape in search of the exit while killing everything that moves.

Enemies typically explode into a bloody puddle, and the techno soundtrack just screams ‘the 90s.’ Re-Loaded may lack the substance of other titles on this list but it remains an oddly relaxing game where you don’t have to worry about gear or complicated controls.

9 Crash Bash

Don’t Sleep On The Spin-Offs

Crash Bash was poorly received compared to the trio of single-player masterpieces from Naughty Dog. That said, it’s clear that the title’s focus is multiplayer, and that’s where it shines.

Crash Bash trades the precision platforming of the original for a creative library of mini-games. Like every compilation, there are some duds, but the good outweighs the bad. You can team up with a friend in Crash Bash and even tackle an entire campaign together.

A word of warning. Don’t let the vibrant visuals lull you into a false sense of security, and Crash Bash is sometimes deceptively tough. You and your co-op buddy must bring your A-game if you want to conquer the story mode.

8 Um Jammer Lammy

Kick, Punch, Ya’ll Remember!

Parappa the Rapper is a classic cult rhythm game full of absolute bangers, and while the sequel Um Jammer Lammy isn’t nearly as popular, it deserves a mention for its great co-op features.

The big difference between Parappa and Lammy is one is a rapper while the other is a guitarist. The gameplay in each title is largely the same. You’re given a string of commands to hit to the music and must do so as accurately as possible.

Sequences in Um Jammer Lammy are much tougher than Parappa, but they can be played with a friend as part of a duet. Player Two takes control of ‘Rammy,’ and while the character is just a monochrome version of Lammy, the formula works perfectly for two players.

An Arcade Classic At Home

Metal Slug X is a brilliant 2D scrolling arcade shoot-em-up with fast-paced gameplay, gorgeous pixel art animation, and ridiculous boss battles where the odds are firmly stacked against you.

Metal Slug X is one of the series’ strongest entries, and the carnage hits differently with a friend by your side. Like the arcade versions, Metal Slug feels like it’s made for two players, and the difference is that it won’t munch your coins on a home console.

Thanks to the arcade pedigree, you can finish Metal Slug X in roughly an hour, but it’s an upgrade from Metal Slug 2, which X is based on. It will take much longer if you want to rescue every hostage, and there are a couple of unlockables when you beat the Arcade mode for the first time.

6 Command and Conquer: Red Alert

That Tesla Coil Sound, Though

The Command and Conquer series includes some of the best RTS games of all time. While most players associate the genre with PC, Red Alert has a fine console port on PS1, and it even offers co-op if you have the hardware!

Red Alert is a beefy game for the PS1, but it can be enjoyed co-op, provided you have two consoles, two TVs, two copies of the game, and the coveted Link Cable. I’ve actually used this setup, and it’s an absolute pain to put together, but it felt revolutionary at the time and works perfectly.

You can play grand-scale skirmishes controlling independent armies on the same team. The best part is that you can build your bases around each other to make a monstrous war settlement that evaporates anything in range.

Oh, you can also press Select to switch allegiance and watch all of your defenses attack your friend!

C&C takes effort to play co-op, but it serves as a platform for unforgettable battles.

5 Team Buddies

It’s In The Title

Team Buddies seems to crop up in many of our PS1 lists, but it’s a hidden gem just begging for a remake.

For the uninitiated, Team Buddies is a 3D shooter with RTS mechanics. You control a team of colorful beans with a dedicated swearing button and must comb the map for cubes. Those cubes can be spent to create guns, vehicles, and new teammates.

Thanks to the RTS gameplay, you must compete with multiple teams trying to do the same thing and hatch strategies on the fly to stay ahead. Team Buddies works flawlessly split screen, and the short matches mean you don’t need to invest dozens of hours to enjoy the title.

The crass humor may not be for everyone, but it adds a bit of charm, in my opinion.

4 Diablo

I Wouldn’t Want To Live Here

Diablo is another game that is more well-known in the PC space. However, the PS1 port is not only faithful, it has co-op baked in, and the entire epic story can be enjoyed with a friend.

Diablo is the first entry in a legendary ARPG series that is still alive and well in 2025. The original is brutally tricky and arguably quite rough around the edges. That said, the series had to start somewhere and it doesn’t detract from the fantastic gameplay and addictive chase for loot and power.

The town of Tristram is surprisingly bleak and gritty and serves as the hub for your adventures. You can play as a Warrior, Sorcerer, or Rogue, and each class has defined strengths and weaknesses to explore with a friend.

It’s a pity that Diablo 2 didn’t make it onto the system, but it’s worth seeking out if you enjoy the original.

3 G-Darius

A Top Tier PS1 Shmup

Space shooters make for excellent co-op games where you tackle waves of enemies, and giant boss ships with a wingman. And fortunately for you PS1 addicts, the console has one that’s tailor-made for two players.

G-Darius is a fantastic Taito space shooter and part of the Darius series, known for its bizarre obsession with mechanical aquatic monsters. You and your friend both pilot your very own Silver Hawk, a tiny ship that packs a big punch.

Everything in G-Darius can be enjoyed alone or with a friend. If you’re playing together, there are 15 campaign stages in a story with multiple endings. Each level has a boss with two variants, and if you’d prefer to focus on those, you can do so in the boss rush mode.

2 Worms World Party

Worms Finest Gets An Upgrade

Any longstanding Worms player will likely tell you that the series peaked with Worms Armageddon. I would agree on PC, with all of the fantastic mods, and Worms World Party gives console players a tantalizing taste of that freedom.

Worms World Party would likely be DLC if it were released today, as it simply adds a few features to the legendary Worms Armageddon.

Everything you love about Armageddon is here, from the goofy voice lines to the enormous weapon pool. Worms World Party adds optional modifiers to the mix and an unrivaled level of customization.

Worms gameplay is turn-based chaos at its finest, and it is even better co-op. You can duke it out against your friends or team up and squash armies together. Maps are procedurally generated, so no two games are the same, and the World Party options ensure you never tire of the gameplay.

1 Future Cop LAPD

A Cult Classic

Future Cop LAPD is an ambitious 3D adventure/shooter where you and a friend pilot mechs and take on crime syndicates across the city.

The title has a die-hard following as the premise is simple but perfectly executed. The difficulty is firm but fair, and battle demands a strategic approach, as while the mechs are tough, they aren’t bullet sponges. The story, or Crime War Mode, offers a campaign that can be enjoyed alone or in 2-player split screen mode.

Both players share a life bar in co-op, making the Crime War surprisingly tense. You can plan smart approaches to avoid damage with multiple players, and there’s plenty of welcome variance in mission objectives.

Many fans adore Future Cop LAPD for Precinct Assault Mode, which is basically a MOBA-lite long before the genre even had a name. Even if you’re not interested in that, the title is worth playing for the campaign.