PICO PARK: Complete Co-op Guide

How to set up PICO PARK for local or online play, the cooperation habits that get groups through all 48 levels, what Battle and Endless modes offer once you finish, and the settings and launch options most players never find.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the November 2025 update (private lobby IDs, PICO PARK 2 style keyboard defaults). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

PICO PARK is 2–8 players, co-op first. Every level's rule is the same: grab the key, unlock the door, and get every player through it.
Talk constantly. The developer recommends voice chat (Discord, Zoom) for online play. Most failures are communication failures.
Players are solid objects. You can stand on each other's heads, push together, and block each other. Stacking is the most important skill in the game.
One person should call the plan. Rotate the "caller" per world so everyone gets a say, but have one voice per attempt.
Online needs a copy per player. Each online player needs their own copy; local play can use one copy with multiple controllers or keyboards.
Use private lobbies with friends. Since the November 2025 update you can matchmake privately with a lobby ID.
Phones can be controllers. The free TecoGamePad app turns a smartphone into a gamepad for local play.
Some worlds are marked OFFLINE ONLY. They are timing-heavy and lag-sensitive. You can still force them online with friends (see below), but expect pain.
After the 48 co-op levels, unlock the Battle Mode mini-games and Endless score mode.
If the bright colours hurt, the January 2025 update added a dark orange background option.

Modes at a Glance

Mode	Players	What it is
World (co-op)	2–8	12 worlds of 4 levels each, 48 levels total; each world introduces new gimmicks
Battle Mode	2–8	Competitive mini-games unlocked once co-op is complete
Endless	2–8	Score-chasing mode; scores grow faster when players cooperate

Battle Mode has four games: Height Battle, Region Battle, Jump Battle and Stop Watch Battle. Endless has four variants: jump, puzzle, scroll and plane (details below).

Setting Up

Local play

Up to 8 players on one PC using keyboards and controllers.
More than 5 Xbox controllers? Enable "Xbox Extended Feature Support" in Steam's Controller Settings, as the store page advises.
TecoGamePad (App Store / Google Play) lets phones act as controllers in local play mode.
If controllers get assigned to the wrong characters, disconnect extras: a 2021 fix addressed the case where more controllers than players were connected, but it is still cleaner to connect only what you use.

Online play

Each player needs their own copy of PICO PARK.
Host creates a room; others join. Use lobby ID private matchmaking for friend groups.
RTT (round-trip time) is shown in the top-left corner so you can see who is lagging.
Voice chat is effectively mandatory.

Playing OFFLINE ONLY worlds online

The developer added a hidden method in September 2021: the host moves the cursor to the OFFLINE ONLY world on the world select screen, holds Z and C (or L and R on a gamepad), and presses the confirm key. The developer warns these worlds are "very unsuitable for online play" because they are harsh on lag — try them only with a patient group on good connections.

Launch options

Right-click PICO PARK in Steam, choose Properties, and add under Launch Options:

Option	Effect
+disable_remote_input	Force-disables TecoGamePad input
+perf_check	Shows performance information on screen

The game now defaults to windowed mode (changed in July 2021); switch to full screen in the options if you prefer.

Core Co-op Techniques

Stacking

Ladders of players reach high ledges. The bottom player must stay still; tell them when you are climbing.
Carry the key-holder. Whoever holds the key can ride on top of a stack to keep it safe.
Undoing a stack is dangerous near pits. Climb down one at a time.

Pushing and weight

Heavy blocks often need a specific number of players pushing at once. Line up and push together on a count.
Pressure buttons and platforms usually need a set number of players standing on them. Count out loud.

Movement discipline

Jump on a count. "3, 2, 1, jump" solves half the synchronized sections.
Do not walk off-screen. In many levels the camera follows the group; one straggler can push others off the edge or block the view.
Let the lead scout. One player tests a new gimmick while the rest wait in a safe spot.

Roles for bigger groups

Role	Job
Caller	Counts jumps, decides the order of moves
Anchor	Bottom of stacks, stands still on buttons
Key runner	Collects and carries the key, avoids risky jumps
Scout	Tests new mechanics before the group commits

World-by-World Approach

World mode has 12 themed sets of 4 levels each. The themes below follow Wikipedia's summary (the in-game titles may be worded slightly differently), with light-spoiler tips for each:

#	Theme	What changes	Group tip
1	Hello Pico Park	Standard platforming, stacking, keys and doors	Use it to settle roles and practise tall stacks
2	Go together	Players are tied by rope, so each person's movement drags the others	Move as one unit and call direction changes before anyone jumps
3	Time limit	Levels on a timer	Plan the whole route at the start, then execute without chatter
4	Gimmick	Special character abilities and style changes, including a Flappy Bird-style level	Let the scout find out what the new ability does first
5	All for one	Alternating control of a shared character; offline only	Play it locally on the couch and hand over cleanly on a count
6	Push or jump	Jumping and pushing objects	Count pushes out loud; weight matters
7	Move and stop	Your movement affects whether the level can be cleared	Freeze when the caller says so; one fidget resets everyone
8	Retro game	Levels based on retro games such as Tetris	Talk through the piece placement before anyone moves
9	Ball park	Ball-based puzzles	Assign one ball handler and let everyone else stay clear
10	Two players	Sequential two-player challenges	Pair up your most in-sync players for each part
11	Hand gimmick	Characters have guns that suck things in	Decide who pulls what before anyone fires
12	Last park	Earlier themes combined at higher difficulty	Expect retries; reset calmly and rotate the caller

The general rule still holds: early worlds teach the basics, middle worlds tie players together or demand simultaneous actions, and the last world tests all of it with tighter timing.

General approach for any new level:

Everyone stops at the start.
Scout finds the key and the door.
Caller describes the plan.
Execute in small steps, pausing at safe spots.

Battle Mode and Endless

Battle Mode unlocks once the co-op levels are done and works well as a party game afterwards.

Battle	Goal	Tip
Height Battle	Get higher than everyone else	Players are still solid, so jumping off rivals' heads is fair game
Region Battle	Claim territory using ball physics	Control the ball rather than chasing it; positioning wins
Jump Battle	Dodge incoming cannonballs and outlast the others	Watch the cannon rhythm, not the other players. A September 2021 fix stopped 2P and 4P from cheating here, so it plays fair now
Stop Watch Battle	Press the button at the right moment	Count in your head and ignore the trash talk

Endless is for chasing high scores together, and scores grow faster when you cooperate.

Endless variant	What it is
Endless jump	A jumping score run
Endless puzzle	Co-op Tetris-style block stacking
Endless scroll	Multiplayer Flappy Bird-style flying
Endless plane	Players connected by string, dodging obstacles

Assign roles in Endless just as you would in co-op. In puzzle, one caller should decide where each piece goes. In plane, the string drags everyone, so the group has to move together.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
A controller moves the wrong character locally	Connect only as many controllers as players; reconnect in player order
Game will not detect 6+ Xbox pads	Enable Xbox Extended Feature Support in Steam Controller Settings
Phone controller interfering	Launch with +disable_remote_input to turn off TecoGamePad
Choppy performance	Launch with +perf_check to see performance info, then lower resolution or use windowed mode
Online timing sections feel impossible	Check RTT in the top-left; switch host to the player with the best connection
Keyboard layout feels wrong after the update	The November 2025 update changed defaults to match PICO PARK 2; rebind in the options

Version and Update History

Date	Release or update	What it means for you
26 Apr 2016	Original PICO PARK on Steam (now "PICO PARK: Classic Edition")	Separate, older game for 2–10 players
8 Jun 2019	Nintendo Switch version	Updated textures and levels; the basis for this edition
7 May 2021	This PC edition with online play	48 levels, online for 2–8 players
25 Jul 2021	TecoGamePad support, RTT display, windowed by default	Phone controllers and a lag readout
9 Sep 2021	Hidden way to play OFFLINE ONLY worlds online, launch options, PS5 controller crash fix	See "Playing OFFLINE ONLY worlds online"
28 Sep 2021	Local controller mix-up and Jump Battle cheat fixes	Local play with extra pads is more reliable
28 Jan 2025	Dark orange background option	Easier on the eyes
7 Nov 2025	Private matchmaking by lobby ID, new keyboard defaults matching PICO PARK 2	Easy friend lobbies; rebind if your muscle memory is from before

The July 2021 patch also let the 2P keyboard's up key rotate the blocks in level 8-1 during local play, so if a local player can't rotate a piece in 8-1, check which keyboard slot they're using.

Group Etiquette

Agree on a reset word. When a level goes wrong, one call ("reset") restarts everyone calmly instead of five people blaming each other.
Rotate the caller every world so quieter players get to lead.
No trolling in co-op. Pushing friends into pits is funny once; save it for Battle Mode.
Take breaks on late worlds; fresh eyes solve gimmicks faster.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Everyone talking at once. Pick a caller.
Rushing new gimmicks. Watch what the level does before moving.
Too many controllers connected in local play, which can scramble assignments.
Playing OFFLINE ONLY worlds online with laggy connections.
Jumping while someone is on your head without warning them.
Treating it as a race. The last player through the door matters as much as the first.

Advanced Tips

Assign fixed colours to roles so the caller can say "Blue, stand on the button" instantly.
Practise stacks in the first world until a four- or five-high tower is routine.
Use Discord push-to-talk for big groups to reduce crosstalk.
Check RTT before hard worlds. If one player is lagging badly, let someone with a stable connection host.
PICO PARK 2 (released 12 September 2024 on PC) is a separate game with new levels; the November 2025 update changed PICO PARK's default keyboard layout to match it, so muscle memory carries over.
PICO PARK: Classic Edition is the older 2016 version, renamed when this edition launched.

FAQ

How many players does PICO PARK support? 2 to 8, locally or online.

Can I play PICO PARK solo? No. Every level is designed around at least two players.

Does everyone need to own the game? For online play, yes. For local play on one PC, one copy is enough.

How do I play with friends privately? Use the private matchmaking via lobby ID added in November 2025.

What is the difference between PICO PARK and PICO PARK: Classic Edition? Classic Edition is the 2016 original, which supports 2–10 players. This version is the 2021 PC port of the 2019 Switch game, with 48 levels and online play for 2–8 players.

Is PICO PARK 2 a sequel or an update? It's a separate game with all-new levels. It came out on 27 August 2024 on Switch and 12 September 2024 on PC and Xbox. You need to buy it separately.

Which world can't be played online? The worlds marked OFFLINE ONLY in the world select, including the "All for one" set where players take turns controlling a shared character. The hidden host shortcut above forces them online anyway.

How do I use my phone as a controller? Install TecoGamePad and connect it for local play.

Can I play OFFLINE ONLY levels online? Yes, with the host holding Z and C (or L and R) while confirming the world, but it is not recommended with lag.

Is there a dark mode? The January 2025 update added a dark orange background colour.