The 12 Best Offline Multiplayer Games of 2020

When you don't have Wi-Fi or internet, play one of these local MPGs

By
Brad Stephenson - Lifewire Writer
Brad Stephenson
Freelance Contributor
Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.
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Brad Stephenson
Updated January 24, 2020
Two men playing an offline local multiplayer video game on their PlayStation 4 console.

 Oliver Rossi / Getty Images

Online multiplayer video games may be popular but sometimes you just want to sit back and play a game's offline local multiplayer mode with a friend or family member in the same room.

Whether you're gaming on a Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, there are numerous titles whose two-player modes can be played without connecting to the internet at all. Some even support multiplayer gaming with up to 8 people.

Here are 12 of the best offline multiplayer video games worth playing on console and mobile.

01
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Best Offline Multiplayer Racing Game: Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe offline multiplayer video game on the Nintendo Switch console.

 Nintendo
What We Like

  • Up to four players can play offline on the same console at the same time.

  • Lots of characters and courses to unlock and play.

What We Don't Like

  • Buying digitally will fill up a lot of the Nintendo Switch's local storage space.

  • 1080p resolution feels dated compared to other games' 4K graphics.

In Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, gamers can race in family-friendly local multiplayer matches with up to four players on the same Nintendo Switch or eight players via a local wireless connection using multiple consoles.

This title features some of the best controls found in any racing game on the market and will appeal to fans of Nintendo franchises such as Super Mario Bros, Zelda, Donkey Kong, Animal Crossing, and Splatoon.

02
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Best Offline Multiplayer Dance Game: Just Dance 2019

Just Dance 2019 local multiplayer video game on Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation consoles.

 Ubisoft
What We Like

  • Very easy for first-timers to jump in and play.

  • Smartphones can be used for motion tracking if no Kinect (Xbox 360 and Xbox One) or PlayStation Move (PS3 and PS4) is available.

What We Don't Like

  • Dance moves aren't taught to the player at all.

  • Song selection can be hit or miss depending on personal taste.

The Just Dance video games are essentially choreographed music videos that players are asked to dance along to. Up to six players can dance to a song at the same time and individuals' dancing skill is judged using the Kinect sensor on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, the PlayStation Move camera on the PS3 and PS4, or the controller on the Nintendo Wii, Wii U, and Switch.

Every year, Ubisoft releases a new version of their popular Just Dance video game with around 40 new songs and routines for fans to experience. Almost all of the songs from previous versions can also be played from within the game via a streaming service that requires a monthly fee.

03
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Best Offline Multiplayer Sim Game: Overcooked 2

Overcooked 2 offline multiplayer video game.

 Team 17
What We Like

  • One to four players can participate in local offline multiplayer.

  • Teaches puzzle and problem solving to younger gamers.

What We Don't Like

  • The top-down camera angle and art style won't appeal to everyone.

  • Not different enough to warrant buying if you own the original Overcooked game.

Overcooked 2 is the sequel to the popular Overcooked video game and is very similar to its predecessor. Players are tasked with managing a chaotic restaurant by managing customers' orders and cooking dishes within set time limits all while navigating surreal kitchen environments.

Up to four players can play at once and there's enough variety in food and kitchen locations to keep most fans of sim and management games coming back for more.

04
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Best Offline Fighting Game for Kids: Super Mario Smash Bros Ultimate

Super Mario Smash Bros Ultimate offline multiplayer fighting game on the Nintendo Switch.

 Nintendo
What We Like

  • Over 74 popular video game characters to choose from.

  • Up to eight players can play offline on the same Nintendo Switch at the same time.

What We Don't Like

  • Casual gamers won't recognize all of the Fire Emblem characters, many of which look too similar to each other.

  • Super Mario Smash Bros Ultimate fills up a lot of memory on the Switch when bought digitally.

Super Mario Smash Bros Ultimate, as its name implies, is the ultimate version of Super Smash Bros with every single character and stage from previous entries in the franchise plus a large amount of fresh content as well.

Like previous Super Mario Smash Bros games, Ultimate is a fun fighting game which tasks players with weakening opponents enough so that they can be pushed off of the screen during a frantic free-for-all. The visuals are incredibly family-friendly and gamers of all ages will recognize playable characters from series such as Mega Man, Pokemon, Super Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, Metroid, and more.

05
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Best Offline Fighting Game for Teens: Injustice 2

Injustice 2 offline fighting video game on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. / NetherRealm Studios
What We Like

  • Ninja Turtles, Hellboy, and Mortal Kombat characters complement the DC Comics roster nicely.

  • An original story with stunning animation and impressive voice acting.

What We Don't Like

  • Too violent and graphic for younger players.

  • Characters are based on the comics so they don't look like their TV and movie counterparts.

Injustice 2 is a fighting game developed by the same studio behind the famous Mortal Kombat video game franchise and features a large roster of characters taken from popular DC Comics comic book series.

Household superhero and supervillains such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Arrow, and Aquaman are all playable as are a variety of lesser-known characters like Black Manta, Black Adam, Firestorm, and Swamp Thing. All four Ninja Turtles, Hellboy, and Sub Zero and Raiden from Mortal Kombat are also playable characters in Injustice 2.

If you own an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, the original Injustice video game is a good alternative.

This fighting game features an incredible story mode to power through for solo gamers but the main focus is the local multiplayer which allows two players to play against each other as any of the unlocked characters.

06
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Best Offline Multiplayer Sports Game: Glow Hockey 2

Glow Hockey 2 local offline multiplayer game.

Natenai Ariyatrakoo
What We Like

  • Two players can play on the same device.

  • Very easy to understand and play quickly.

What We Don't Like

  • A bit fiddly on smaller screens, especially when playing with two players.

  • Not enough variety in game modes to keep players entertained for long.

Glow Hockey 2 is a fun casual game for iPhone and Android smartphones for playing quick games of table hockey. Players control the paddles by swiping their finger across the screen with the aim of scoring a goal in the opposing team's goal.

Two players can play against each other either by connecting their devices by local Wi-Fi or by sharing the one device. The futuristic neon design can also be changed by selecting one of 11 themes available from within the app.

07
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Best Casual Local Multiplayer Game: Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu / Eevee

Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu / Eevee local 2-player multiplayer.

 Nintendo / Pokemon Company
What We Like

  • Seamless switching between solo and multiplayer gameplay.

  • A full Pokemon video game story and world.

What We Don't Like

  • Second player supports the first player rather than having their own experience.

  • Second player can't carry any experience over to their own game.

Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Pokemon Let's Go Eevee are modern remakes of the classic Pokemon Yellow Version video game that came out on the Nintendo Gameboy in 1998. The entire Kanto Region and its inhabitants from the original Pokemon game are present and have received significant visual upgrades to help them appeal to today's gamers. All of the original story content is also used.

Pokemon transferred to Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee from Pokemon Go cannot be returned to Pokemon Go.

Both Pokemon Let's Go games feature connectivity with the super-popular Pokemon Go smartphone app which allows trainers to import the Pokemon they've caught in the real-world on mobile into the Nintendo Switch game. One of the best features of Let's Go is its support for casual local multiplayer by letting a second player jump in and out of another player's game and join them on their adventure.

08
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Best LEGO Game for Local Multiplayer: LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2

LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 video game on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PC, and macOS.

TT Games
What We Like

  • Over 155 Marvel characters to play as and numerous Marvel movie locations to explore.

  • Two-player co-op mode is incredibly fun and flexible.

What We Don't Like

  • The four-player battle mode is incredibly boring and confusing.

  • No X-Men, Deadpool, or Fantastic Four characters.

All LEGO video games feature solid local multiplayer for two players but LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 is one of the best due to its improved graphics and focus on story elements with extensive voice acting recorded for almost all of its 155 Marvel Comics characters.

LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 can be played as a single-player experience but a second player can jump in at any time and participate equally in both the Story and explorative Free Play modes. There is a four-player battle mode, a first for a LEGO game, but it takes a long time to load and isn't a very rewarding experience.

Marvel fans will get the most out of LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 due to the number of major and minor characters used from the comic books and films but it's also good casual multiplayer gaming fun for anyone really.

09
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Best Racing Game for Cartoon Fans: Nickelodeon: Kart Racers

Nickelodeon: Kart Racers video game on Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PS4.

Bamtang Games
What We Like

  • Fantastic collection of characters from popular cartoon series.

  • Four-player multiplayer is great fun.

What We Don't Like

  • 12 characters is a rather small roster despite them all being well-known.

  • No online multiplayer will disappoint some players.

Nickelodeon: Kart Racers is a racing game with a very similar look to Nintendo's Mario Kart franchise. What sets it apart, though, is its roster of characters which features familiar faces from popular cartoon series such as SpongeBob Squarepants, Ninja Turtles, Hey, Arnold, and Rugrats.

Up to four players can play against each other at the same time on 24 courses based on locations from the same shows as the characters and karts can be customized and upgraded to improve performance or to simply add an individual creative flair to the vehicles.

10
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Best Offline Multiplayer for Retro Gamers: Street Fighter 30th Ann Collection

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection video game collection on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC

Capcom
What We Like

  • All of the most-popular Street Fighter games are included in this bundle.

  • Loads of bonus content which will appeal to hardcore fans.

What We Don't Like

  • No offline tournament modes for larger groups of players.

  • Newer Street Fighter games aren't included.

Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection is the ultimate video game collection for fans of the Street Fighter franchise. This one bundle contains 12 Street Fighter video games including five versions of the popular Street Fighter II iteration.

Many of these Street Fighter games are also available to purchase individually on older gaming consoles.

All games feature their original graphics but are complemented by a variety of digital frames showcasing artwork associated with the characters and series. Each Street Fighter game features local offline multiplayer for two players and each has also been given online functionality for those who want to challenge others around the globe.

11
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Best Offline Multiplayer Game on Android: BombSquad

Offline multiplayer Android video game, BombSquad.

 Eric Froemling
What We Like

  • BombSquad is available on Android TV.

  • Up to eight players supported in local multiplayer.

What We Don't Like

  • Each player needs their own Android device to play in multiplayer matches.

  • The graphics look a tad outdated by modern gaming standards.

BombSquad is a collection of fun, casual, mini-games bundled into one Android app. All of the games feature the same visual style and quirky characters but there's a decent amount of variety in the game modes to keep most players entertained.

Games range from running and flying races to mini-hockey and soccer matches and each event can be fully customized to suit the skill level and available time of those playing. Multiplayer matches can support up to eight players, however, each player must own their own Android smartphone or tablet to take part.

12
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Best Offline Multiplayer Platformer on Mobile: Badland

Badland multiplayer video game on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.

Frogmind
What We Like

  • Four players can play with one smartphone or tablet.

  • Captivating design aesthetic.

What We Don't Like

  • Art style may not appeal to all gamers.

  • Younger players may be scared by the dark nature of the characters and levels.

Badland is one of the most critically acclaimed platformer games on mobile and with good reason. Its touch controls are intuitive, its design is unique, and its four-player local offline multiplayer mode is incredibly fun and fast paced.

In addition to the main game and the multiplayer mode, Badland also features a level creation tool which allows players to make and share their own platforming levels with others.