In our family gaming is a huge part of what we do for fun. The kiddos, Hubby, and I all have our favorites and we regularly have family gaming nights almost every week. And while Hubby and I enjoy spending this time together as a family, sometimes he and I just want to play by ourselves and have some couple time. So recently we decided to try out a Couch Co-op Date Night while the kiddos were away with their grandparents for the night. We weren’t sure how we were going to pull it off, but we worked together and got everything figured out!
What is a Couch Co-Op Game?
We had never heard this term until we were researching a game the kiddos wanted to get and we were trying to figure out if they would be able to play it together. It turns out this is the industry term for games that can be played with two or more people on the same device. This distinguishes them from games that you can only play with two or more people online with separate devices. Basically, think of these as games you can play together while sitting on the same couch (hence the name!) These games are great for playing as a couple as you can work together to solve problems or battle against each other to let off steam. These games are also great for family play, but right now let’s focus on couple time! The above image has several of our favorite games but there are many others!
What We Eat on Gaming Nights
With family gaming nights, we learned there are two different types of meal options. First, something you cook and eat before you start playing, usually while watching some TV that gets you pumped up for the gaming that is about to happen. Second, pickety bits you can eat without getting your hands too dirty while gaming. We prefer the first option for family gaming, but Hubby and I love the second option for our date nights in general. We tend to call is snack dinner, but it could also fall under the category of a charcuterie board. The most important thing is to make sure you select a theme and individual items that can be eaten that keep your hands clean and do not require both hands to eat. We went for a classic snack lunch for us: apples, carrots, cheese cubes, summer sausage, pretzel rolls, and everything bars from our local grocery store. Other options would be cocktail appetizers that can be eaten with toothpicks, mini pizzas, pinwheel wraps with veggies and fruit on the side, or even kababs.
Time to Get Everything Set Up
The best date nights are when you feel like you can let go of your everyday concerns and to-do lists, so when setting up a date night its super important to create a space when you can just focus on each other. Tidy away anything that doesn’t belong in the space, wipe off all surfaces, give the floor a quick sweep or vacuum, and make sure that where you are going to sit is prepared with pillows, blankets, or anything else you like to have to get comfy! For this night in particular, it was super important to have napkins handy to keep your hands clean to not wreak your controllers. We prefer cloth napkins but you could also opt for a lightly moistened paper towel or cloth if you like. We lined up all the games we had so they were handy if we decided we wanted to switch games or if something went wrong. It turned out several of our games wouldn’t work in our current devices so that made things much easier having them all handy. You also will need to get beverages ready for the evening so that you don’t have to take lots of breaks to run and get something. If you are having something store-bought you can bring your favorite cooler in and use it to hold everything close at hand. If you are making something that needs to be prepared make sure to set everything up in a small station so you can quickly get everything prepared and get back to gaming.
We Had A Blast!
We knew this would be a fun night for us, but we had no idea how much we would enjoy this date night! Since this evening, we have had several other gaming date nights and keep an eye out for new couch co-op games we can add to our collection. It was fun to relax with each other and just enjoy some time doing something we don’t normally get a chance to do in our home. We loved having the food and drinks handy and didn’t have any issues keeping our controllers clean. And with the upmost honesty, we learned a bit more about how to work together and communicate effectively as a team. So will you and your special someone give this date night idea a try? Let me know how it goes and anything you learn in the comments below!
