🎼 Pico Park markets itself as a cooperative action-puzzle game, but what it really is is a test of whether your friendships can survive 64 levels of coordinated chaos. Spoiler alert: some won’t.

The premise is deceptively simple: You and up to 7 other players control adorable little pixel mascots who must work together through a platform level to collect a key and reach the goal. The mascots are undeniably cute, with their stubby legs and determined waddle, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when you watch your friend accidentally doom the entire team by jumping precisely at the wrong moment.

The genius of Pico Park lies in how it escalates from “Oh, this is charming” to accusatory yells of “Okay, who pressed the button?” in record time. Early levels lull you into a false sense of security with basic jumping and switch-pulling. Then suddenly you’re expected to form human chains, create perfect timing sequences, and coordinate movements with the precision of a Swiss watch. Think the trust needed for It Takes Two and the chaos of Overcooked.

Unlike cooperative games where one skilled player can carry the team, here everyone matters equally, which forces genuine cooperation (and frustration). The weakest link won’t just slow you down — they’ll send everyone tumbling into spikes while the rest of the group watches in slow-motion horror. It’s democracy in action
 that makes a strong case for authoritarianism.

But Pico Park succeeds because it understands that the best cooperative games aren’t about making teamwork easy — they’re about making teamwork rewarding. When your group finally locks in and nails a sequence, the celebration is genuine. Each victory makes the team more present and engaged — it rewards attention and patience, and hones your ability to laugh when things go spectacularly wrong for the 15th time in a row.

💯 Rating: 9/10 on Steam and a 97% audience rating on Google

⌛ Hours of gameplay: 3 hours for a single playthrough with the same group of friends

🔁 Replay value: 10/10

đŸ‘Ÿ Platforms: Steam, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2

đŸ’” Price: USD 2.99 on Steam, USD 4.99 on Nintendo eStore

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