- Games
- Ship of Fools
Ship of Fools
Two shipmates move cannons, repair their boat and combine strange items through repeated battles with sea monsters.
Online and shared-screen co-op for 2 players. No crossplay.
- 2 online
- 2 shared-screen
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op2 players
- Local co-op2 playersShared screen
- NoSame platform onlyFriends 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.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckPlayableValve's own rating
About the game
You sail through an archipelago threatened by a spreading storm. Sea creatures attack from both sides of your boat, so you move cannons between mounts, load ammunition and fire before they reach the hull. Your paddle knocks boarders away and sends projectiles back. Between battles, you choose a route across a map, looking for supplies, shops and items that work together.
Two players share the deck locally or online. One can keep the guns loaded while the other aims, but repairs and boarding enemies quickly pull you away from those jobs. You return to shore after a run and spend what you earned on upgrades and unlocks. Random items change your options next time. It suits a pair who enjoy building useful combinations while keeping each other out of trouble.
How it feels
Kind of game
Everyone runs a station on one ship or vehicle, and the crew lives or dies by its call-outs.
- At its heart
- Now and then
- Calm and coziness
- Story
- Time to hang out
- Exploring
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- About
- Monsters, Fantasy adventure
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 Ship of Fools
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Void Crew
Why it scores 81%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Ship crew
- Core to both
- Tension and danger, Working in sync, Fighting
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How Void Crew differs
- Fits a bigger group than Ship of Fools
- 6 online
- Crossplay
Both put you in a crew where everyone has a station. Both keep you on edge. Both need you to talk and act in sync.
But fits a bigger group than Ship of Fools.
We Need To Go Deeper
Why it scores 80%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Ship crew
- Core to both
- Tension and danger, Working in sync
- About
- Monsters
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Getting better, Fighting, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How We Need To Go Deeper differs
- Fits a bigger group than Ship of Fools
- 4 online
Both put you in a crew where everyone has a station. Both are about monsters that hunt you. Both keep you on edge.
But fits a bigger group than Ship of Fools.
Jump Space
Why it scores 74%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Ship crew
- Core to both
- Working in sync, Fighting
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Tension and danger, Planning ahead, Getting better, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op
How Jump Space differs
- More jumping and climbing than Ship of Fools
- Fits a bigger group than Ship of Fools
- Early access
- 4 online
Both put you in a crew where everyone has a station. Both get loud and silly when plans go wrong. Both have a lot of fighting side by side.
But more jumping and climbing than Ship of Fools.
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
- 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.
- 1314151617
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Crossplay between
- Does not apply
- Friends can join mid-game
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
17 pages
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Release status, Release date, Local co-op.
- Release status: The released base game is available to buy.
- Release date: Steam gives 2022-11-22, matching Xbox and Nintendo.
- Local co-op: The native local cooperative mode requires controllers on Steam. The developer separately describes shared-screen local play.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Platforms.
- Steam app ID: The response identifies app 1286580 as Ship of Fools.
- Platforms: The PC build supports Windows. Console stores establish the other released versions.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 23 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Playable on Steam Deck.
steamcommunity.comOfficial support page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Most players online, Local co-op, Most players on one screen, Split or shared screen, Crossplay.
- Online co-op: The developer describes inviting a friend to a peer-to-peer online run.
- Most players online: The developer specifies a two-player co-op design.
- Local co-op: The developer gives instructions for local play on the same device.
- Most players on one screen: Both players choose a character before the local run. The Xbox and Nintendo caps also equal two.
- Split or shared screen: The developer explicitly calls local play shared screen.
- Crossplay: The developer says online play has no crossplay.
steamcommunity.comOfficial support page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Crossplay, Most players online, Most players on one screen.
- Crossplay: The developer FAQ says players must use the same platform.
- Most players online: The FAQ rules out four-player play and confirms the two-player design.
- Most players on one screen: The FAQ describes two-player play on one device.
store.playstation.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Most players online, Most players on one screen.
- Platforms: The sold version is PS5.
- Most players online: The page lists up to two online players.
- Most players on one screen: The page lists one to two players.
xbox.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Most players online, Most players on one screen.
- Platforms: The page lists Xbox Series X|S. Cloud access does not add an Xbox One version.
- Most players online: Online co-op is listed as two players.
- Most players on one screen: Local co-op is listed as two players.
nintendo.comStore page, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms, Release date.
- Platforms: The sold edition is Switch. This exact product confirms supported Switch 2 compatibility, so both systems are included.
- Release date: The page gives 2022-11-22.
team17.comOfficial site, read 23 October 2026
Backs Genres, About, Kind of game, Exploring, Planning ahead.
- Genres: The publisher calls the game a cooperative roguelite.
- About: Sea monsters and a supernatural storm threaten the Archipelago.
- Kind of game: The crew shares cannons, hull repairs and item effects on one ship.
- Exploring: The publisher describes hidden treasure and remote island shops along routes through the storm.
- Planning ahead: The crew chooses routes and combines item effects.
nintendolife.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Laughter and chaos, Tension and danger, Story, Fighting, Working in sync.
- Laughter and chaos: Nintendo Life, 2022-11-29, describes amusing loading mistakes and frantic calls for help.
- Tension and danger: Nintendo Life, 2022-11-29, describes escalating enemy waves and simultaneous ship jobs.
- Story: Nintendo Life, 2022-11-29, finds little story beyond the storm premise.
- Fighting: Nintendo Life, 2022-11-29, describes repeated cannon battles and paddle attacks.
- Working in sync: Nintendo Life, 2022-11-29, describes sharing reloading and deck defence.
gideonsgaming.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Sessions, Getting better, Unlocks and progress.
- Sessions: Gideon’s Gaming, 2024-01-17, reports runs under an hour with escalating difficulty.
- Getting better: Gideon’s Gaming, 2024-01-17, describes learning enemy attacks and climbing a difficulty ladder.
- Unlocks and progress: Gideon’s Gaming, 2024-01-17, describes earned currency unlocking items and improving cannons.
gamingdebugged.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Calm and coziness, Time to hang out, Planning ahead.
- Calm and coziness: Gaming Debugged, 2025-07-31, describes returning to a hub and choosing routes between battles.
- Time to hang out: Gaming Debugged, 2025-07-31, describes urgent calls during combat. The breaks provide limited room for other chat.
- Planning ahead: Gaming Debugged, 2025-07-31, describes weighing repairs against loot and choosing item combinations.
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.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.
shipoffoolsgame.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Free base co-op.
- Free base co-op: The maker factsheet states paid base-game access across its released platforms. Nintendo US purchase-widget uncertainty remains separate from that published licence model.