Short answer: yes. The Past Within has multiplayer on mobile, and it is the reason most couples install it in the first place. Here is what playing together actually looks like, and what to expect before you both download it.
What kind of multiplayer The Past Within has
The Past Within is a two-player puzzle game, and it is built around one of you seeing what the other cannot. The Past Within, from Rusty Lake, is a co-op-only puzzle adventure built for exactly two players โ each of you plays in a different time period and has to describe what you see to solve shared puzzles. It is the definition of a couple game: you literally cannot finish it alone.
The multiplayer is online, so you do not have to be in the same room. One of you can be on the sofa and the other on a train and the session works the same either way.
Playing it as two people
A lot of mobile multiplayer is built for big lobbies and reads as lonely with only two of you. The Past Within holds up better than most, for three reasons:
- Designed for exactly two players โ you truly need each other to finish.
- Splitting the story between two screens sparks constant conversation.
- A brilliant pick for a cozy couple game night in.
Those are the things worth checking in any multiplayer game before you both commit to it.
Getting into a session together
- Install The Past Within on both phones.
- Start a two-player session and connect with your partner.
- Each of you follows your own half of the story on your screen.
- Agree roughly when you will play โ the games that stick are the ones with a slot, not the ones you both mean to open.
The Past Within is on both the App Store and Google Play, so it does not matter which of you is on iPhone and which is on Android.
If The Past Within is not the right fit
Multiplayer is not one thing, and a game that suits a full friend group can feel thin with two. If that is where you land, these are the closest alternatives in the same space:
- Tick Tock: A Tale for Two โ Tick Tock: A Tale for Two is a cooperative puzzle game designed for two people โ you each see different clues on your own screen and must talk to make progress.
- Sky: Children of the Light โ Sky: Children of the Light, from the makers of Journey, is a serene social adventure about flying through beautiful realms and sharing light with others.
- Minecraft โ Minecraft is the iconic sandbox where you mine, craft and build almost anything, from a cozy cottage to a sprawling castle.
You can browse the whole shortlist on our couple games page.
Where to go next
If you are here because you want something the two of you can keep coming back to, our top couple pick is Our Flower Garden โ one shared garden, no timers, nothing to lose if you skip a day.
- Can You Play The Past Within on One Phone?
- Games Like The Past Within to Play as a Couple
- How to Play The Past Within With Friends
- Is The Past Within Cross-Platform? iPhone & Android
- Our full list of the best mobile couple games
Frequently asked questions
- Is The Past Within multiplayer on mobile?
- Yes. The Past Within supports multiplayer on phones, so you and your partner can play together from two devices without a console or PC.
- Can two people play The Past Within together?
- Yes โ two is a perfectly normal way to play it. Splitting the story between two screens sparks constant conversation.
- Is The Past Within free?
- The Past Within is free to download on mobile, so you can both try it before deciding whether it earns a place in your rotation.
- Do we both need the same phone to play The Past Within?
- No. The Past Within supports cross-platform play, so one of you on iPhone and the other on Android is fine.
