- Games
- Bread & Fred
Bread & Fred
Two penguins tied by a rope time their jumps and swings to climb a mountain together.
Online and local co-op for 2 players. Crossplay only between Xbox consoles.
- 2 online
- 2 on one screen
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op2 players
- Local co-op2 playersScreen type not confirmed
- YesOnly between Xbox consolesFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- Not confirmedA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- NoEveryone needs to buy itFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckPlayableValve's own rating
About the game
You control one of two penguins joined by a rope as you climb a snowy mountain. Jump between ledges, cling to walls and use your partner as an anchor to swing across gaps. A missed jump can pull you both down and leave you repeating a stretch you already climbed. You learn the rope through practice and careful timing.
You play as a pair on one device or online. Count down before a jump, decide who holds still and help your partner reach the next platform. The climb suits patient friends who can laugh at a shared mistake. Assist options let you add checkpoints or ease difficult sections, while speedrun play gives you a reason to return after reaching the top.
How it feels
Kind of game
Made for exactly two players. You play set levels or a story from start to end, and every part is built for the pair.
- Now and then
- Calm and coziness
- Story
- Time to hang out
- Rivalry in the group
- Exploring
- Puzzles and figuring out
- Unlocks and progress
- Planning ahead
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- About
- Climbing
Rated on our own feel scale. 4 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Bread & Fred
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
BattleBlock Theater
Why it scores 81%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Campaign for two
- Core to both
- Working in sync, Jumping and climbing
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Getting better
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online and local co-op for 2 players
How BattleBlock Theater differs
- More relaxed than Bread & Fred
- 2 online
- 2 shared-screen
Both are campaigns made for two players. Both need you to talk and act in sync. Both are full of jumping and climbing together.
But more relaxed than Bread & Fred.
Biped
Why it scores 81%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Campaign for two
- Core to both
- Working in sync, Jumping and climbing
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Physical comedy, Getting better
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online and local co-op for 2 players
How Biped differs
- More figuring things out than Bread & Fred
- 2 online
- 2 shared-screen
- Crossplay
Both are campaigns made for two players. Both get loud and silly when plans go wrong. Both need you to talk and act in sync.
But more figuring things out than Bread & Fred.
PHOGS!
Why it scores 77%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Campaign for two
- Core to both
- Working in sync
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Physical comedy, Jumping and climbing
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Online and local co-op for 2 players
How PHOGS! differs
- More figuring things out than Bread & Fred
- Easier to pick up than Bread & Fred
- 2 online
- 2 shared-screen
Both are campaigns made for two players. Both have clumsy physics that make you laugh. Both need you to talk and act in sync.
But more figuring things out than Bread & Fred.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Split or shared screen
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 131415161718
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Friends can join mid-game
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Platforms
Genres
Store IDs
- Wikidata item
- Not confirmed
Sources
18 pages
atari.comOfficial site, read 23 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Most players on one screen, Genres, Kind of game, Sessions, About, Puzzles and figuring out, Jumping and climbing, Planning ahead.
- Most players online: The game is designed around two penguins. Xbox separately confirms its online cap of two.
- Most players on one screen: The two-player design is confirmed by the Xbox local co-op cap.
- Genres: The publisher calls it a platformer.
- Kind of game: The fixed climb is built around a pair, with a separate solo option.
- Sessions: You work toward the summit and can return for a speedrun. This is a finite climb rather than a lasting world.
- About: The pair climbs a snowy mountain.
- Puzzles and figuring out: The Laboratory update adds obstacles and puzzles to the climb.
- Jumping and climbing: Jumping, hanging and swinging are the main actions.
- Planning ahead: You choose who anchors before using the rope to swing.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Platforms, Online co-op, Local co-op.
- Steam app ID: The live app page identifies this exact title and offers the game.
- Platforms: System requirements include Windows and macOS. Console sources cover the other released versions.
- Online co-op: The publisher lists online co-op. Xbox and PlayStation separately confirm online sessions.
- Local co-op: The publisher lists shared or split screen co-op. Xbox separately confirms two people on one console.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Release status, Release date.
- Release status: Steam lists the released game for purchase.
- Release date: Steam gives May 23, 2023. The studio history and launch press release agree. Epic displays a day earlier, so the maker date is retained.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Playable on Steam Deck.
xbox.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Most players online, Local co-op, Most players on one screen, Platforms, Crossplay, Crossplay between.
- Online co-op: The live product lists online co-op.
- Most players online: Online co-op is listed as two to two players.
- Local co-op: Xbox local co-op is listed on one console.
- Most players on one screen: Xbox local co-op is listed as two to two players.
- Platforms: Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S are released versions on this product.
- Crossplay: The product explicitly lists Xbox Live Cross-Gen Multiplayer. This confirms only the Xbox console group.
- Crossplay between: Confirmed group is Xbox One with Xbox Series X|S. PC, Nintendo and PlayStation crossplay is not established here.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Most players online, Most players on one screen.
- Platforms: The buyable product names PS4 and PS5 and gives February 24, 2026 as its release.
- Most players online: The product supports up to two online players.
- Most players on one screen: The product lists one to two players on the console.
nintendo.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Most players online, Most players on one screen.
- Platforms: The released Switch product confirms supported Switch 2 compatibility. Switch 2 plays this Switch edition.
- Most players online: The Nintendo product lists one to two online players.
- Most players on one screen: The Nintendo product lists one to two players on one system.
shacknews.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Physical comedy, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Story, Time to hang out, Getting better.
- Laughter and chaos: Shacknews, May 22, 2023, describes shared falls causing laughter as well as arguments.
- Physical comedy: Shacknews, May 22, 2023, describes rope momentum and repeated tumbles as part of the comedy.
- Working in sync: Shacknews, May 22, 2023, describes using a countdown to synchronize jumps and taking turns anchoring.
- Tension and danger: Shacknews, May 22, 2023, reports long falls that erase climbing progress, with safe ledges between attempts.
- Story: Shacknews, May 22, 2023, says narrative setup is brief and climbing takes priority.
- Time to hang out: Shacknews, May 22, 2023, describes repeated timing calls and rope practice, so conversation stays focused on the climb.
- Getting better: Shacknews, May 22, 2023, describes hours of practice before the pair settles into the timing.
purenintendo.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Calm and coziness, Exploring.
- Calm and coziness: Pure Nintendo, June 20, 2024, finds quiet music and no timer, but the repeated climbing failures prevent a high calm rating.
- Exploring: Pure Nintendo, June 20, 2024, mentions characters and collectibles along the route.
gamespress.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Release date, Unlocks and progress, Rivalry in the group.
- Release date: The original publisher launch release is dated May 23, 2023 and says the full version launches that day.
- Unlocks and progress: The publisher launch release describes missions that unlock collectibles, skins and artwork. These are minor rewards rather than growing character power.
- Rivalry in the group: The publisher launch release, 23 May 2023, names a short rock-paper-scissors game between the partners to choose who leads.
steamcommunity.comOfficial support page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Only one of you needs to buy it.
- Only one of you needs to buy it: Sand Castles Studio is marked developer. Its June 29, 2023 reply requires both players to purchase for native online play. One-copy Remote Play relies on platform sharing.
sandcastlesst.comOfficial support page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Crossplay between.
- Crossplay: The June 5, 2024 studio guide describes native join codes for cross-platform play. It does not enumerate the full hardware group.
- Crossplay between: Xbox One and Series X|S are the explicitly named confirmed pair in current store evidence. The broader studio statement does not establish every other pairing.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.epicgames.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
gog.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked PlayStation full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
xbox.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked Xbox full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
nintendo.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The checked Nintendo full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.