- Games
- Cassette Beasts
Cassette Beasts
A turn-based monster-collecting RPG where a friend can take over your partner character on the same screen.
Online co-op for up to 8 players and shared-screen co-op for 2 players, with crossplay.
- 8 online
- 2 shared-screen
- Crossplay
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op8 players
- Local co-op2 playersShared screen
- YesPC, Xbox, SwitchFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- YesA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckVerifiedValve's own rating
About the game
You wash up on New Wirral, a strange island where people fight by turning into monsters. You record monsters onto cassette tapes and then become them in turn-based battles. Any two forms can be fused into a new one. Between fights you explore the island, use monster abilities to reach new places and look for a way home.
A second player can join from the pause menu and take over your partner character, both on the map and in battle. You share one screen and each pick the moves for one fighter. Online, up to eight players meet in one world to trade tapes, duel each other and take on tough roaming monsters together. Crossplay works between PC, Xbox and Switch.
Turn-based fights leave time to talk through each move, and your partner stays at your side. Online play leaves the story alone, so it is for trading, duels and raids.
How it feels
Kind of game
You play on the same side through shared levels, matches, missions or jobs. Progress comes from combining your actions toward the same objective.
- At its heart
- Now and then
- Laughter and chaos
- Fear
- Tension and danger
- Time to hang out
- Rivalry in the group
- Jumping and climbing
- Puzzles and figuring out
- Getting better
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- About
- Island exploration, Monsters
Rated on our own feel scale. 8 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Cassette Beasts
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Charlie Murder
Why it scores 76%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared team objectives
- About
- Monsters
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Notable in both
- Fighting, Unlocks and progress
- Co-op
- Online and shared-screen local co-op
How Charlie Murder differs
- Less cozy than Cassette Beasts
- Fits a smaller group than Cassette Beasts
- 4 online
- 4 shared-screen
Both give your team shared objectives to work through together. Both are about monsters that hunt you. Both are campaigns you play to the end together.
But less cozy than Cassette Beasts.
Cat Quest III
Why it scores 75%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared team objectives
- About
- Island exploration
- Notable in both
- Calm and coziness, Working in sync, Exploring, Fighting
- Core to both
- Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Shared-screen local co-op for 2 players
How Cat Quest III differs
- No online co-op
- Fits a smaller group than Cassette Beasts
- 2 shared-screen
Both give your team shared objectives to work through together. Both are about exploring islands. Both are calm and low on stress.
But no online co-op.
Infernax
Why it scores 74%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Shared team objectives
- About
- Monsters
- Notable in both
- Story, Working in sync, Exploring, Fighting, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Campaign to finish
- Co-op
- Shared-screen local co-op for 2 players
How Infernax differs
- Less cozy than Cassette Beasts
- No online co-op
- Fits a smaller group than Cassette Beasts
- 2 shared-screen
Both give your team shared objectives to work through together. Both have a story you follow together. Both are about monsters that hunt you.
But less cozy than Cassette Beasts.
All co-op facts
Last checked 28 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
Steam sells the game for $19.99. The checked computer edition requires purchase of the base game. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 2141521
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
21 pages
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Local co-op, Genres, Sessions, About, Laughter and chaos, Calm and coziness, Exploring, Story, Jumping and climbing, Fighting, Unlocks and progress, Planning ahead.
- Local co-op: Key features list Shared/Split Screen Co-op, and the page text offers local multiplayer with a friend.
- Genres: The page text calls it an open-world RPG.
- Sessions: User tags include Story Rich. The goal is to find a way home, so the game is one story to finish.
- About: The page sets the game on a remote island to explore, with monsters to record and fight.
- Laughter and chaos: User tags include Comedy.
- Calm and coziness: User tags include Relaxing.
- Exploring: User tags include Exploration and Open World.
- Story: User tags include Story Rich and Lore-Rich.
- Jumping and climbing: Monster abilities such as gliding, climbing and dashing are used to get around the map.
- Fighting: User tags include Turn-Based Combat and Party-Based RPG.
- Unlocks and progress: User tags include Creature Collector and Collectathon.
- Planning ahead: User tags include Tactical RPG and Turn-Based Combat.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 28 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Release status, Release date, Platforms, Free base co-op.
- Release status: Steam lists the game as released, with no Early Access mark.
- Release date: Steam shows Apr 26, 2023.
- Platforms: Steam lists Windows and Linux builds and no Mac build.
- Free base co-op: Steam sells the game for $19.99. The checked computer edition requires purchase of the base game. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 28 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Verified on Steam Deck.
wikidata.orgWikidata, read 28 October 2026
Backs Wikidata item, Genres, Release date.
- Genres: P136 is role-playing video game.
- Release date: P577 is 2023-04-26.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Most players online, Crossplay, Crossplay between, Rivalry in the group.
- Online co-op: The maker's multiplayer notes let a friend join you in a raid against a Rogue Fusion. Steam's feature list has no Online Co-op tick, but later maker posts call this online co-op, so the maker's wording wins.
- Most players online: Up to 8 players connect in one lobby. Raids and gauntlet fights are described as a friend joining you, so the 8 is the lobby cap.
- Crossplay: Says cross-play works between Steam, Xbox and Nintendo Switch with temporary invite codes. On PC it is off while mods are active.
- Crossplay between: Steam is mapped to windows. The post says Xbox without a generation and does not name Linux, so the list follows the Xbox store.
- Rivalry in the group: Players can challenge each other to optional PvP battles with custom rules.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Online co-op.
- Online co-op: The 1.7 post says Magikrab's Gauntlet is entirely playable in online multiplayer with a friend, and calls it online co-op.
news.xbox.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Crossplay.
- Most players online: Raw Fury's brand manager says up to eight players can join one session with a shared code. The post also says connected play does not change the story or cutscenes.
- Crossplay: The post says players can join together across different platforms.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Local co-op, Kind of game, Working in sync, Time to hang out.
- Local co-op: The maker blog says in local co-op the second player takes control of the active partner character.
- Kind of game: Both players fight the same battles with one shared party, which is same-side co-op toward shared objectives.
- Working in sync: Each player controls one character in battle and chooses that character's move.
- Time to hang out: Two players choose moves in turn-based fights, so the talk is mostly about the next move.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Split or shared screen, Kind of game, Working in sync.
- Split or shared screen: The maker says the two characters travel together by design. That fits one shared view, which the French guide below states outright.
- Kind of game: The maker calls the game mainly a single-player experience, with a local co-op mode where the second player stays with the first.
- Working in sync: The maker says the pair stays together on purpose, so the players have ways to interact.
steamcommunity.comOfficial support page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Local co-op, Most players on one screen.
- Local co-op: The publisher's pinned FAQ answers yes to co-op. A second player takes over the companion in the world and in battle.
- Most players on one screen: The FAQ describes one second player next to the first.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Friends can join mid-game.
- Friends can join mid-game: The demo post says to connect two controllers and press RB and LB or Start to assign players, once the partner is unlocked.
store.steampowered.comOfficial news, read 28 October 2026
Backs Friends can join mid-game.
- Friends can join mid-game: The demo patch notes call the controller slot screen the drop in/out UI.
rawfury.comOfficial site, read 28 October 2026
Backs Local co-op, Platforms.
- Local co-op: The publisher's game page offers local multiplayer with a friend.
- Platforms: Lists PC, Switch, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. No PlayStation.
xbox.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Most players on one screen, Crossplay between, Platforms, Free base co-op.
- Most players online: Capabilities list online multiplayer for 2 to 8 players. The publisher text mentions raids with up to 8 friends.
- Most players on one screen: Capabilities list Xbox local co-op for 2 to 2 players.
- Crossplay between: Capabilities list cross-platform and cross-gen multiplayer, and the page covers Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
- Platforms: The exact product plays on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
- Free base co-op: The checked Xbox edition requires purchase of the base game. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op. The page says a game purchase is required.
nintendo.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Most players on one screen, Platforms, Free base co-op.
- Most players online: The player table lists online play for 1 to 8.
- Most players on one screen: The player table lists one system for 1 to 2.
- Platforms: The Switch edition has game-specific supported Switch 2 compatibility with consistent behavior. Switch 2 play is backward compatibility, not a separate edition.
- Free base co-op: The checked Nintendo edition requires purchase of the base game. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
actugaming.netPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs Split or shared screen, Friends can join mid-game.
- Split or shared screen: French guide from 2023-06-09 says there is no separate screen. Both players share one view, and a player who strays is pulled back next to the other.
- Friends can join mid-game: The guide says to open the pause menu and press both top triggers to add the second player.
thegamer.comPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs Friends can join mid-game.
- Friends can join mid-game: Guide from 2023-05-01 points to a Local Multiplayer Drop In/Out prompt in the menu once the first companion has joined.
nintendolife.comPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Tension and danger, Exploring, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress.
- Laughter and chaos: Review from 2023-05-25 calls the fusion results often hilarious.
- Tension and danger: The review's accessibility panel lists low pressure and reaction time not critical.
- Exploring: Says you explore the island fully, though the map is dense rather than wide.
- Planning ahead: Says type effects and status moves matter most in boss fights.
- Getting better: Says most fights end by spamming damage moves, while bosses ask for more.
- Unlocks and progress: Describes recording new monsters and remastering them into stronger forms.
thumbculture.co.ukPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Story, Puzzles and figuring out.
- Laughter and chaos: Review from 2023-04-26 praises the British humour.
- Story: Says each companion has a questline to finish.
- Puzzles and figuring out: Mentions working out dungeon puzzles.
ggrecon.comPress, read 28 October 2026
Backs Fear, Story, Puzzles and figuring out.
- Fear: Review from 2023-04-26 says the game can shift into an eerie, otherworldly horror tone.
- Story: Calls the story entertaining, heartfelt and more sinister underneath.
- Puzzles and figuring out: Says some map areas stay closed until you solve environmental puzzles.
apps.apple.comStore page, read 28 October 2026
Backs Fear, Free base co-op.
- Fear: The Apple age rating lists horror and fear themes as infrequent.
- Free base co-op: The Apple edition lets you play the opening free. A one-time purchase unlocks the full game. The listing shows no co-op.