13 Games Like Castle Crashers
Our assembled collection of games like Castle Crashers offers more 2D hack and slash titles with emphasis on local and online co-operative gameplay.
Launched back in 2008 for the Xbox 360 Castle Crashers launched as a simple 2D arcade title with beat ‘em up elements and later expanded to other platforms with additional content. At the core of Castle Crashers players engage in side scrolling action as up to 4 players advance through instanced levels and minigames while collecting coins and experience from enemies to upgrade and enhance their selected character.
Said characters are picked from a list of over 30 knight themed characters that are unlocked in different ways, start with a particular weapon, magic element and special attacks. Unlocking all the characters and their different styles ensures Castle Crashers has never been short on variation to the core gameplay loop. The main appeal of Castle Crashers though is the co-operative gameplay and associated laughs that sees gamers fighting off enemies with melee attacks, combos and magic in various stages with friends while also playing simple minigames.
The games like Castle Crashers collated below focus heavily on other co-operative experiences that see you dispatching waves of enemies, playing minigames, upgrading your characters and unlocking new ones. Particular emphasis has been given to other games that have an arcade or 2D art style similar to Castle Crashers.
Ultimate Chicken Horse
Ultimate Chicken Horse is a party platformer title that lets you challenge your friends to reaching the finish line first in a deadly environment of traps. In addition to the competitive gameplay players can also create their own game levels to create new personalised challenges for yourself, friends and others in the community. Chicken Horse supports up to 4 players online or through local play. While your core objective in Ultimate Chicken Horse remains the same in every match the wealth of le...[Read Review]
Spiral Knights
Spiral Knights is a co-operative game that draws inspiration from the likes of Zelda while also offering a MMO inspired experience focused on co-operative play. While Spiral Knights was originally available to play in your browser this has been retired given its reliance on Java limiting the game to the downloadable client through the official website or Steam. In Spiral Knights players control their own knight which belongs to the Spiral Knight Order as they explore the planet Cradle and its va...[Read Review]
BattleBlock Theater
From the same development team that brought you the exceedingly popular Castle Crashers comes BattleBlock Theater which employs similar mechanics while being just as wacky in design. Originally for Xbox 360 the game was later released on Steam where it featured the same co-operative focused gameplay. The story of BattleBlock Theater is told predominately through stick puppets and begins with players boarding the S.S. Friendship which finds itself in a heavy storm and shipwrecked on a strange isl...[Read Review]
Magicka 2
Magicka 2 continues on the franchise legacy as you control your mage at the element level which creates a diverse range of spell combinations to be utilised in battle. By building on the previous magical adventure Magicka 2 continues to offer tight co-op action adventure gameplay while also refining certain mechanics. Set around the world of Midgard players team up into a maximum team of 4 to rid evil from the land by using their devastating and experimental magic. Underpinning the adventure is ...[Read Review]
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land
Embark on a Kirby adventure on Wii and Wii U with up to 3 friends in cooperatively cute gameplay adventure titled Kirby’s Return to Dream Land. With all the staples of Kirby platform gameplay you’ll jump, inhale and copy enemies during your adventure as your friends follow you along with their own character or an alternatively coloured Kirby. With a Kirby appropriate story Kirby’s Return to Dream Land opens up with Kirby carrying a delicious cake while being chased by King Dedede and Waddle Dee,...[Read Review]
Rampage Knights
Rampage Knights opts to mix the action of the side scrolling beat’ em up genre with rouge like elements to create a challenging fast dungeon crawler where exploration and quick thinking are rewarded. Built on the foundation of randomised dungeons Rampage Knights also ensures it provides a wealth of content and variety as each run will play completely different to your last. Designed to be playable alone and with friends co-operatively players take on the role of hero trapped in a dark magi...[Read Review]
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is the 2014 remake of the original title which features primarily the same core gameplay albeit with additional content and features. Building on the success of the original this remake is available on a broader range of platforms and follows the same plot of Isaac as he fights all manner of horrors in a roguelike framework. This story sees players control Isaac and in time several other unlockable characters after you flee into the basement from your mother who is ...[Read Review]
Helldivers
Top down shooting and high quality sci-fi setting is what Helldivers delivers across Windows and PlayStation consoles. Take to the galaxy alone or (preferably) in a team of 4 players in co-operative missions to seize enemy controlled planets and other objectives with your own unique character that contributes something special to your broader team composition. This galaxy is highly dystopian where managed democracy (de facto authoritarian government) rules the human race with a strong grasp on t...[Read Review]
Lost Castle
Employing cute graphics that hide a difficult RPG is Lost Castle, a game with randomised dungeons to conquer and the typical range of rogue-like features to provide a dungeon crawling worthy challenge. You’ve got beat’ em up gameplay, hand drawn environments, lovable characters and a retro vibe in a single role playing package. Surrounding this game package is your standard story of darkness that sees Castle Harwood once governed by wise nobles and the centre of happiness in the land now overcom...[Read Review]
Viking Squad
Take up arms as a massive Viking as you jump right into the chaotic lane based battles of Viking Squad. Available for Windows, Mac and PS4 this title pulls plenty of inspiration from the age of Vikings long past to deliver a combat focused co-op brawler. Supporting a Viking squad of up to 3 players (local and online) the game is all about obtaining loot and dominating fights against various enemies. You’ve got 4 different characters to select for this loot filled adventure that each have their f...[Read Review]
Moon Hunters
Live out the legends of the stars in Moon Hunters a game that lets you explore a mythical world of mystery with between 1 and 4 players. While a single game of Moon Hunters will take only a few hours it’s the legacy that you create in each adventure and the hidden secrets that encourage you to start a new journey again and again. It’s a game full of so many mysteries that aren’t apparent at first glance and will require many hero adventures to fully appreciate the gravity of th...[Read Review]
Guacamelee!
Guacamelee! offers platforming and action in a Mexican themed game world for a large list of gaming hardware platforms. Originally released in early 2013 the game has two versions available; Guacamelee! Gold Edition and an enhanced Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition with availability depending on your platform and introduces new characters and bosses to challenge players beyond the original adventure. Set in a small village in the heart of Mexico the game follows Juan Aguacate a humble...[Read Review]
Sacred Citadel
Clear the danger from the peaceful Ancaria with 3 player co-op in Sacred Citadel, a game that borrows the setting from the Sacred action RPGs and brings some of the light RPG elements into the beat em’ up side scrolling scene. While the story is a fairly typical battle between the forces of good and a growing evil the added Sacred elements give it that extra flair for followers of the franchise and pays respect to several lore items from the main game. Told over 4 different acts with a number of...[Read Review]