Here are the top local co-op and split-screen PS3 games, ranked:

For many players, especially those who grew up with the PlayStation 3, games for this console that could be played locally with friends and the opportunity to experience cooperative or competitive gameplay in a variety of games were some of the most thrilling childhood moments ever.

During that time, a wide variety of games were released that either provided intense combat or a lively party atmosphere when players gathered with their friends on the same couch. From renowned franchise entries to forgotten gems, the finest local cooperative and split-screen games of the PlayStation 3 are now fondly remembered by many players.

8 Resident Evil 6

This long-standing game franchise has gained renewed popularity recently due to the success of the remakes of Resident Evil 2 & 3, as well as the release of Resident Evil: Village. However, during the era of the PS3, Resident Evil 6 changed the game by deviating somewhat from the roots of the Resident Evil franchise.

While the more action-oriented style was controversial among players, there was no doubt that Resident Evil 6 provided excellent gameplay, especially in terms of local co-op. More players could participate in the franchise than ever before, thanks to the split-screen style.

7 Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

The Uncharted franchise has always had some form of multiplayer capability alongside its excellent single-player campaigns. However, Uncharted 3 introduced the ability to play together locally with friends, allowing players to participate in the action together through the LAN system.

The variety of game modes made Uncharted 3 an immensely popular game among split-screen enthusiasts and helped elevate the franchise to a new level by making the multiplayer mode highly replayable. The multiplayer aspects of the franchise had never been as successful as they were in this third installment on the PS3 and could potentially receive a modern remake.

6 Spelunky

The first game in the Spelunky franchise provided a wonderful local co-op experience, similar to some of the 2D Mario games for systems like the Nintendo Wii. Spelunky allowed up to four players to explore the randomly generated level system of the game.

While some players were frustrated by the lack of split-screen, the system in Spelunky worked well by allowing players to survive as long as they stayed close enough to the player with the white flag, who took the lead. Spelunky offered a very distinct style of cooperative local play that not many PS3 games were able to execute as successfully.

5 Diablo 3

Diablo 3 still remains one of the great RPGs for cooperative local play. Typically, such large-scale RPGs only offer collaboration through online multiplayer, but Diablo 3 has dramatically changed this by allowing up to four players to play together on a PS3 system.

While it is already challenging to create the style of an RPG of this length and magnitude, the creators of Diablo 3 did not shy away from attempting a local co-op style that could have changed the gameplay dynamics into that of a great party game. However, since then, not many RPGs have attempted to add such features, as online multiplayer continues to dominate the concept of players playing together.

4 Far Cry 3

Games like Far Cry have always been popular for playing together or against each other. The level of destruction and chaos that is possible, especially in Far Cry 3, made the game a wonderfully open experience to participate in together in split-screen co-op mode and make it a bit easier with friends.

Players were able to join forces locally to participate in various missions specifically designed for cooperative play in a separate mode alongside the regular single-player campaign. Far Cry 3 was one of the last major games to offer such a format, but it remains a great game that players still enjoy revisiting today, with characters like Pagan Min even making a recent return to the series.

3 Portal 2

Portal 2 is one of the more peculiar games ever released. With a full single-player campaign and a completely different cooperative 2-player campaign that challenges players and their friendships in both online and local play, this enigmatic puzzle-platformer is one of the best games in history.

Portal 2 is filled with a variety of increasingly difficult challenges that players must face together. Often, they can only solve a puzzle by collaborating and finding a solution in an open environment that sometimes offers players more than one option on how to progress. The challenge and length of the cooperative campaign were some of the main selling points of this game, which continues to frustrate players to this day.

2 Rayman Legends

Arguably the best platform game for local co-op play ever to exist, Rayman Legends was heavily underrated upon its release but still received much love from fans and critics for its easy drop-in/drop-out local co-op gameplay. Players could engage in mini-games, challenges, and a wide variety of levels, including bonus levels from Rayman: Origins.

All of this made for a wonderful experience that worked excellently in both single-player and local co-op style. With a great mix of levels, beautiful sound design, and occasional frantic pacing, Rayman Legends was a favorite among many PS3 players to engage in together with their friends.

1 Call Of Duty: World At War

The Call of Duty franchise offered an infinite number of games for the PS3. However, one of the standout titles that made significant strides in the local co-op realm was World At War. This early entry in the franchise introduced the Zombies mode, which could be played online or locally on four different maps. The campaign could also be largely played in this manner.

The split-screen options worked exceptionally well and showcased what the franchise could achieve. The Zombies mode, in particular, became a notorious couch gaming mode for players and their friends. World At War offers countless hours that can be spent alone, online, or locally with friends, and it should soon receive a remake.