On Valentine’s Day, most couples are going out to fancy restaurants, getting cozy on the couch while watching a movie, exchanging gifts of stuffed animals and chocolates. You however,  think of these as being a waste of time and money. Time that could be spent progressing through your favorite video game, or money that could be spent buying a game you’ve been wanting. Now, if you are lucky enough to have a partner who thinks the same way, or at least mildly enjoys video games, then for you two Valentine’s day should be spent in gamer style. After all, the best way a gaming couple can spend Valentine’s Day is to game together. The biggest question though is: what games do you play together?  Do you want to shoot people in the face, blow up some zombies, pretend to build your dream house, or drop a banana in front of your beloved’s kart so they spin out? Below is a not complete, but sufficient list of potential co-op games for lovers, with some fine points to help you decide if it’s the right one for you two.

1. Portal 2

There couldn’t be a better pair of lovers than a pair of bipedal robots, each with a fully functioning portal gun.  After working together creating portals and pressing buttons, not being able to get anywhere if you don’t communicate like a proper relationship should, you get to experience the enjoyment of getting disassembled and reassembled. While other couples are off on retreats getting romantic spa treatments, you’ll be receiving the virtual version for robots.

2. Mario Kart 7

If you  both happen to own a 3Ds, what better way to show your undying affection for each other then trying to run them off the road and make sure they never make it to the finish line? “I love you honey, please hang onto this bob-omb for me.” Though I suppose you could be a polite boyfriend/girlfriend and allow them to win, making sure you conveniently always run into every banana you see. Even if they don’t win, at least you didn’t either so they don’t feel like they lost too bad.

3. Saints Row: The Third

Were you thinking of making a trip to the naughty store and getting your girlfriend a new best friend? Well look no farther than Saints Row: The Third. It doesn’t get much naughtier than a three foot purple dildo attached to a baseball bat. Imagine the kinky night you could have after using that dildo to beat people to a bloody pulp. Or perhaps, if you have friendly fire on, you could take out all your relational frustrations on them and beat your lover to death with the big purple dildo of their dreams.

4. Little Big Planet

Whether it’s the first or the second one, this is a great co-op game to play with someone you care for. With customized sackboys and sackgirls, it’s like the both of you are really there in the Little Big Planet universe. If you’re a couple that’s good at communicating and working together, this is the game for you. Otherwise you won’t get anywhere in the levels.  You can oo and aw over the adorableness that is a sackboy, and snuggle up close while making sure you join forces to complete otherwise uncompletable levels.

5. Minecraft

If you were to think about Minecraft in a lovey way, it could get quite cheesy. If you were that kind of couple, you could imagine that your minecraft world was the world you plan on living together in when you get older. “Buy” the property you’ve always wanted, build the little house of your dreams, raise some animals and work together to get all the daily chores done so that there’s food on the table. While you can’t have children in Minecraft, you can always pretend right? Then when you catch your Minecraft hubby or wifey cheating on you with the neighbor’s pig, you can have the ultimate revenge. Conveniently misplace some lava on the living room floor, walk away whistling, and byebye dream house. After all, you can always build again, this time into an epic bachelor pad.

6.  Gears of War 3

If you want your girlfriend, or even your boyfriend with bromance tendencies, to ignore you the whole night, then this is the game for you. There’s absolutely no way they can play this game, while playing as Dom or another character, and not stare at Marcus’ ass the whole time. Oh there’s a locust over there killing you? Look to the person next to you and stare at them frustratingly as you see drool coming out of the corners of their mouths, and their screen focused on those cheeks. At that point you can just try your hardest to keep them and yourself alive while they don’t do much. Think of it as the ultimate gaming challenge.

7.  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Mw3 is a given for any couple that enjoys the thrill of running around and blasting holes in people. You can go for the Spec-Ops and work together to get the missions done while feeling all special and skilled in things you would probably die at if attempted in real life. Or you can go the multiplayer route. Now this can go two ways. First: work together to own the other team with your awesome team work skills and mind reading relationship abilities. Second: Bring out the competitive nature in your relationship and see who can get the most kills, and who can kill the other the most. This should be done in a safe distance away from your partner to avoid beating and flying objects thrown in your direction.

8. Battlefield 3

Most things for MW3 apply to BF3, the difference being that now you and your partner can work together in vehicles. One of you drives a tank with guided missles, the other hops in CITV and targets air support, you’re destined to help your team own.  Or if one of you happens to be a great helicopter pilot, the other can hop in the gun and do some serious damage to the other team. This is a game I highly suggest not playing against each other on, because it’s just too rewarding to work together.

9. Left 4 Dead

The zombie apocalypse has hit, and you’re two survivors in a group of four. You go from place to place, searching desperately for some form of rescue. In between massive mobs of zombies and trying to knock their heads off with any weapon possible, you spend any time you have to rest in the safe house snuggling up close, reassuring each other with meaningless words about how you’ll get out of this and everything will be okay. At last you finally get to the rescue  point. You fight off the meanest and toughest zombies, getting a few scrapes and bruises but making it alive. The rescue comes, you hop on with a huge breath of relief with the thought that perhaps everything will be alright for once. Then you look next to you. Your loved one isn’t with you. You look out, scanning the waves of undead for the face you recognize. Finally you see it, and your heart drops to the bottom of your stomach as you realize they aren’t going to be coming with you. Zombies tear at their flesh and you listen to their agonizing screams as the rescue vehicle takes off leaving them behind.

How’s that for a date?

10. Starcraft 2

Really want to show someone you care? Set up a nice 1v1 map with only 2 spawns, make sure you’re playing as Zerg, and promise them you’ll play fair and be as nice as possible. Then once they’re concentrated on their own screen break out the 6 Pool Zerg Rush tactic while you laugh menacingly at your lover’s demise. Of course there’s always the nice working together option. Team up, be all happy and stuff, and try your hardest to beat the other team. Chances are you’ll end up raging at times, but at least you’ll be raging together with your unconditional love making it a strong rage of bond.

11. Mass Effect 3 Demo

Generally these type of articles come in multiples of 5. I couldn’t leave out the Mass Effect 3 Demo though. If you’re a gaming couple, and you’ve both played the other Mass Effect’s, then you’re both equally curious as to how ME3′s multiplayer is going to pan out. Since it’s a co-op, you’ll get the chance to work together while experience a play of Mass Effect we have yet to see. The demo is even being released on Valentine’s Day,what bigger hint do you need?

I admit this article might be depressing for you single gamers out there. But don’t let that get to you! Boot up your gaming console, grab a second controller, and play a co-op game with yourself! Bet that’d be an interesting Valentine’s Day Or there is at least always multiplayer gameplay with friends and random people.

I’m sure there are plenty of games you feel that I’ve left out, so feel free to post a comment on your ideal Valentine’s co-op game and why!