10. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection (PS5)

The retro-reviving masters at Digital Eclipse have compiled the Cowabunga Collection, a game comprising pretty much all the beloved TMNT games from back in the day. Each game has save and rewind features as well as custom button mapping, and some have even been updated with full online play, bringing these old school titles into the 21st century. With some true arcade classics, there's a huge amount of turtle-tainment to be had here, and that's before you get into the behind-the-scenes stuff — development art, sketches, and TMNT-related media is thrown in too.

9. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (PS5)

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a brilliant remake of two incredibly impactful games. The skateboarding series might have been scraping its knees for a while, but this new version puts it right on track, updating the PS1 classics to modern standards while keeping that old-school, arcadey magic alive. The PS5 version is a great update, too, enhancing the title with super smooth performance, 4K resolution, reduced loading, and some subtle usage of DualSense's features. If you're a long-time fan, this is pure joy.

8. Guilty Gear Strive (PS5)

The PS5's first native fighting game has set the bar very, very high. Guilty Gear Strive is a superb brawler, bolstered by jaw-dropping visuals and the best online netcode that we've ever experienced in a fighting game. A relatively small but brilliantly diverse character roster allows for a deep and hugely rewarding experience, while accessible gameplay mechanics on a base level pave the way for new players. A stunning beat-'em-up backed by an incredible heavy rock soundtrack.

7. Street Fighter 6 (PS5)

Street Fighter 6 puts the series back on the map. Following the comparably dismal launch of Street Fighter V, this iteration of Capcom's fighter is the most robust package yet, catering to both competitive and casual players brilliantly. New mechanics add more strategy to fights, different control schemes level the playing field for newcomers, and the online play is seriously smooth. Add to that the incredibly high-effort single-player World Tour mode, in-depth tutorials, a multitude of fun ways to fight, and a vibrant roster of familiar and new characters, and you have one of the best fighting games in recent memory.

6. Helldivers 2 (PS5)

Live service executed effortlessly, Helldivers 2’s success can be attributed to Arrowhead putting gameplay ahead of business models. The game’s systemic approach means cinematic moments unfold emergently, as part of the co-operative action and physics at play. Doing your part has never felt quite so good.

5. Tetris Effect (PS5)

Tetris Effect was great on PS4, but its PS5 version just takes things up a notch. Merging that classic falling block game with mesmerising visuals and entrancing music, it's an amazing experience that truly sings in 4K and HDR. We'd highly recommend playing it on your TV, but it's also brilliant in PSVR2. There's little sacrifice to picture quality, and the extra immersion you feel with the special effects swirling all around you is awesome. With so many modes to enjoy, this is the ultimate Tetris experience on PlayStation.

4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (PS5)

Inspired by the many beloved TMNT games of yesteryear, Shredder's Revenge is a wonderful beat-'em-up that blends old and new for a turtle-y refreshing experience. You can of course play as the reptilian quartet, but Splinter, April O'Neil, and an unlockable Casey Jones all join the fight too, each with unique stats. The game features gorgeous pixel art with superb animations, as well as an excellent soundtrack and varied, enjoyable stages to fight through. With co-op either locally or online, this is an incredibly enjoyable game to play with some pals and pizza.

3. Tekken 8 (PS5)

Arguably the most explosive Tekken game yet, Tekken 8 is a truly bombastic fighter. Fundamentally, it builds on the already fantastic foundations of Tekken 7, but the new Heat system brings so much aggression to the series' trademark 3D gameplay. Featuring a healthy list of modes — both online and offline — a rock solid character roster, and the promise of many memorable battles, Tekken 8 is probably the franchise at its peak.

2. It Takes Two (PS5)

When you think of co-op games, one should spring to mind immediately: It Takes Two. This action adventure is from the makers of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out, and sees you and a partner take on the role of an estranged couple. Turned into dolls by their daughter's tears, you and a friend must go on a wildly imaginative, endlessly varied, adventure to return to normal. Constantly presenting you with new puzzles and ideas, each as good as the last, you'll never grow weary of this brilliant game, playable locally or online.

1. Gran Turismo 7 (PS5)

After Gran Turismo Sport’s esports centric approach, Gran Turismo 7 returns to the revered RPG format of developer Polyphony Digital’s long-running simulation racing series. With a slick driving model and hundreds of cars to collect, it’s the addictive Pokémon-esque GT Café that will keep franchise faithfuls occupied for hours on end. And for competitive players, the online approach innovated by GT Sport remains intact, making for the most complete Gran Turismo in a generation. The cherry on top is that the entire thing is playable in PSVR2, with minimal loss in picture quality; it's incredibly immersive, and among the best games you can play with Sony's headset.

There we go: our list of the best local multiplayer games on PS5. What do you think? Again, this list has been determined by the Push Square community's user scores. If you don't like what you see, remember that it's up to you to influence what the list looks like. You can rate games by either returning to the search bar at the top of this article, or by clicking the star next to any game name. Additionally, if you spot a PS5 game that's totally absent from our PlayStation Games Database, please let us know. All that out of the way, tell us what your favourite local multiplayer games on PS5 are in the comments section below.

Best PS5 Games