TheSteam Deckis one of the most capable handheld computers on the market, and it should be no surprise that it’s great at running the bevy of multiplayer titles available on Steam. However, since online isn’t exactly a handheld’s strong suit, and many options exist, finding the best titles for your needs can be difficult.
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This list will go over the best multiplayer games, going for a nice balance of local and online (though all can be done online through Steam Remote Play). Whether you’re in bed playing with friends miles away, or sitting on a couch to play together, these titles can be a great time.
10Tower Unite
A Fun Social Hub, With No In-Game Purchases
Tower Unite
Tower Unite is one you probably haven’t heard of yet but definitely should have. It’s a condo building, arcade gaming, minigame-filled social simulator, with a ton of funny models in the workshop and some great conversations to have. It’s online only, but it’s a great way to play with friends or make new ones.
The only caveat is that it has a large file size, and doesn’t always run the best on the Steam Deck. It’s mostly going to chug when you go to massive condos with tons of stuff in them, but 90% of the game should run above 30fps, and framerate isn’t exactly important in a game like this.
9Sonic Adventure 2
Old, But Still Fun
Sonic Adventure 2
You may not expect it, but Sonic Adventure 2 genuinely has a great multiplayer battle mode, on top of just being a really fun game. If you didn’t know, battle in the title was added because the game got this mode when it came to GameCube, and it’s weirdly in-depth.
Just like the main game, you’re able to compete in speed stages, mech shooting stages, or treasure hunting stages, usually racing against the other player and occasionally using your character-specific ability to slow them down. It’s fun, easy to hop in and play, and just weirdly quality.
8Risk Of Rain 2
An Incredible Timesink
Risk of Rain 2
If you’ve got three friends who are a little bit more adept and challenge-seeking than the average gamer, Risk of Rain 2 is absolutely up your alley. It’s a roguelike third-person shooter where youprogress through stages, grab items, and try not to die as you coordinate with your team.
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Runs usually take around 30 minutes to an hour but can go on longer if you want, making it a great game to dedicate entire gaming sessions to. It doesn’t have local co-op, but it does work perfectly and controls well on deck, and the console ports suck, so this is the best way to go.
7Stardew Valley
Farming If It Was Real
Stardew Valley
If you’re looking for a game that’ll be fun whether you and your friends are casuals, love taking games super seriously, or somewhere in between, Stardew is great. It’s a bit of a commitment, being something that takes weeks or months to finish, but it’s always a great time.
This farming game has so much more to it, namely roguelike mines,a ton of items to collect, really in-depth characters, and way more you’re able to explore in online co-op with up to three other people. It’s great, and it allows you to marry other players, which is certainly a plus.
6Jackbox Party Pack 7
Great For Big Groups
The Jackbox Party Pack 7
Jackbox is a series that is renowned for being one of thebest party games on the market, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t put at least one party pack on this list. I decided to go with 7, since it has one of the best game lineups out of all of them, and is great to stream over Discord.
If you’re looking for something to play with only one or two other people, Jackbox won’t be great, but if you have a group of 5–10 people, it’s absolutely the life of a party. 7 has a great drawing game, a fun PowerPoint game, quiplash, and two other niche but good times.
5Enter The Gungeon
Quick Co-op Roguelike Fun
Enter the Gungeon
Gungeon is a top-down roguelike bullet hellyou’ve probably heard of, but you may not know it has some pretty fun local co-op (which, again, can be online through Steam remote play). It’s incredibly fun, either when you’re both coordinated and experienced or if you’re both fumbling through it.
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It is only two-player, but that just means you grab your best buddy and throw yourselves through a bunch of characters, grab a ton of really cool guns, and shoot some really difficult bosses. It’s a great time if you’re looking for something to either commit to for a long time or just have a fun short session with.
Building And Running Together
The only game on this list to have a theoretically infinite player count, Terraria is a great time, no matter how many people you’re playing with. It’s super easy to invite people, not very expensive, and really easy to get into. Unless you’re a Twitter user, in which case it’s incomprehensible.
It’s got a ton of content, even more if you’re willing to make your own content by building and creating whatever you want with the thousands of blocks in the game, or just speedrun the game and tear through all the bosses within an hour or two. It’s always fun with friends, and it’s great on deck.
3Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
Two Great Puzzlers In One
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
If you’re a fan of puzzle games with a ton of modes, depth, and accessibility to both pros and newcomers, with the addition of both local and online multiplayer,Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is one of the easiest recommendationsever. It’s a combo of Puyo Puyo and Tetris, and both are great here.
You’ve got a bunch of characters that are all mildly annoying. Also, Sonic. You can play Puyo Puyo or Tetris by itself, swap mode where you play both at once, and a few other somewhat gimmicky modes. They’re all really fun though, incredibly easy to get into, and awesome on Deck.
2Rivals Of Aether
An Incredibly Good, Accessible Fighting Game
Rivals of Aether
If you’re looking for a great fighting game that’ll run well on Deck and give you easy access to tons of fun mods, Rivals of Aether is absolutely where you should go. It’s got the fundamentals of Super Smash Bros but in a smooth pixel art style with very quick gameplay that isn’t too intimidating.
It’s a very fun, very in-depth platform fighter that I’d heavily recommend trying out if you’re a fan of Smash. It’s a great time with friends, either on the couch or online, and it’s got a ton of content to dig into and a massive skill ceiling it’ll take hundreds of hours to scratch the surface of.
Just As Good As It Was 13 Years Ago
Finally, we get to one of Valve’s best titles, Portal 2. This excellent puzzler has an extensive multiplayer campaign that’s incredibly fun if you’ve got a buddy who’s willing to run through the entire thing with you, but it’s also great with a stranger if they’re smart enough.
The amount of shenanigans you can get into is immense, the hub world is incredibly fun to mess around with, and it runs perfectly on the Steam Deck, as is to be expected.It’s great online, or local co-op, and it’s got a ton of workshop maps you can mess around with too. It’s perfect for two people.
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