Spelunky 2

Spelunky 2 is ruthless couch co-op, and that’s exactly why it makes the list. Runs are short, every level is a new mess, and the game creates constant “we did that to ourselves” moments when someone triggers a trap chain reaction. I put it at #9 because accessibility is the barrier. New players will die a lot, and sometimes you’ll die because your teammate panicked and threw you. That’s part of the story you tell afterward, but it’s not relaxing. Best for patient groups who like roguelikes and don’t mind failure as the main teacher.

Spelunky 2 is the punishing one. Someone on the group will die to something embarrassing in the first five minutes, and it will probably be me. The co-op stories this game generates are unlike anything else here: a last-minute revive before the level ends, someone accidentally setting off a bomb that kills the entire party, a run that goes further than you have any right to expect. Runs cleanly on low-end hardware given its 2D presentation. Not for every group. If your friends enjoy a real challenge and find failure funny rather than frustrating, this earns its spot.