The wacky miniature world of It Takes Two would not be as vibrant and fun without its entertaining cast of characters. The co-op game brilliantly takes mundane objects from around a typical family’s house and turns them into villains and ing characters.
From a neglected vacuum to an insistent book, there’s no shortage of wild characters in It Takes Two. The best among them have storied histories with the protagonists and add value to the gameplay in unique ways. Players often have to either defeat them or convince them to help in order to progress.
Hammerhead
Hammerhead is a funny ing character in the game and is actually one of the first NPCs players meet after Cody and May shrink. Unfortunately for May, Hammerhead also used to be her favorite tool to use for her woodworking hobby.
May became too preoccupied with her job, which caused her to abandon her hobbies, along with Hammerhead. The poor character has lost his wooden handle and even has rust around his head. Players have to help him rescue his other tool friends from the evil toolbox to make it up to him. He also offers his services to the protagonists who can use him to smash objects and secure nails.
Bumblebee
It’s hard to blame Bumblebee for her choice to switch sides in the war against the Wasps. She’s initially sent out by the Squirrels as a spy dressed in a giant Wasp Queen suit, with the mission of infiltrating and destroying the colony. Bumblebee becomes drunk with power and chooses to adopt the role of the Wasp Queen, hoarding precious honey for herself.
The fight against her is tough, as she can control her minions to take various forms like fly swatters to deter players. When she’s defeated, Bumblebee is revealed to be an insecure character. There’s a moving moment where Cody explains to her how important bees are, which helps her gain the confidence to break away from both factions. Overall, the character offers a challenging boss battle and a fascinating narrative.
Squirrel Chief
Squirrel Chief is an intimidating character who acts like a stereotypical army leader. He’s immediately suspicious of Cody and May when they unintentionally find the Squirrels’ headquarters. He blackmails players into cooperating with them to defeat the Wasps, providing powerful weapons made by the Squirrels themselves.
When players decide against killing Bumblebee for her betrayal, Squirrel Chief orders his troops to shoot Cody and May. The battle against him on the toy plane is among the most thrilling boss fights in the game. He’s a well-written villain who definitely tests players’ skills and reaction times.
Joy
One of the reasons It Takes Two is the best game to play with a partner is that all of its boss fights require teamwork. Each giant battle is harder than the last, with one of the toughest ones being against Joy, a corrupted flower Cody forgot about in his overgrown garden.
Contrary to her name, Joy is first introduced as an evil and vengeful plant who’s determined to get rid of Cody and May. Players learn the heartbreaking story behind her corruption, which started out as a small infection that got out of control because of Cody’s neglect. It’s satisfying to cure her of the disease, as Cody gets to see her as the beautiful flower she once was.
Moon Baboon
Moon Baboon used to be Rose’s favorite toy, but she got tired of him and shoved him in a corner after a few years. This never stopped Moon Baboon from watching over her from his hideout, stopping potential infiltrators like Cody and May from hurting her.
Although his overprotectiveness of Rose is misguided, it’s sweet to think about how an abandoned toy could care that much about his owner. The segments with him are some of the most exciting sequences in the game, as he sends Cody and May through Mario Kart-like roads and delivers a tricky boss battle in the end.
Cutie
As Rose’s favorite toy, Cutie enjoys her role as the ruler of the Magic Castle. She’s portrayed as an innocent and sweet character who even offers players hugs and chocolates when they meet her. This complicates Cody and May’s mission to kill her in an attempt to make Rose cry, as the protagonists argue about whether it’s the right thing to do.
It’s a hilariously dark moment in an otherwise family-friendly game. Cutie screams as players drag her towards the edge of the castle. There’s even a comical scene where her ear gets snagged on a nail and gets ripped off before she falls to the floor. Players shouldn’t feel bad or worry about her ultimate fate, though, as a post-credits scene shows her ear reattached to her body, implying that she’s alive and well.
Rose
It Takes Two is one of the best co-op games because it tells a simple but relatable story, which is anchored on Rose’s experiences as a confused daughter having to deal with her parent's divorce. Although players never actually get to interact with her, she dominates the cutscenes and keeps Cody and May motivated enough to overcome every new level.
It’s Rose’s book that helps repair her parents’ relationship, albeit in a wacky way. Without her, the entire narrative would fall flat, as Cody and May likely wouldn’t bother even trying to get back together.
Cody
In the first half of the game, fans can’t be blamed for seeing Cody as the victim. He whines about May’s lack of attention towards their family and blames her for the state of their relationship. Players eventually realize that Cody is just as flawed as his partner. He doesn’t appreciate her efforts to provide for their family. What’s more, he’s quick to give up on his ions and dreams, but always finds a way to blame others for his shortcomings.
There’s an incredible amount of detail in his backstory, which is revealed through the fun gameplay players experience through his character. From shooting a nail gun to changing size, each new mechanic around his character keeps the game interesting.
May
May is the other half of the heartwarming story of the video game couple in It Takes Two. She’s initially portrayed as a controlling and selfish character but is shown to be more caring and fun than she seems. It’s exhilarating to watch her rediscover her childish side and even pursue her ion for singing.
When it comes to gameplay, it’s just as enjoyable to play as May as it is to control Cody. She gets a variety of tools like the hammer and space boots throughout the different levels. Her fearlessness makes both Cody and the players feel at ease about conquering hard situations.
Dr. Hakim
The best character in It Takes Two also happens to be the most annoying one. Dr. Hakim pops out of nowhere after Cody and May shrink, thwarting their attempts at reaching Rose. He can be obnoxious at times, as he’s insistent on taking the most difficult paths to solve levels and would even throw players into dangerous situations.
That said, he does all of these seemingly horrific actions for a good reason. Since he’s a book about love, he knows that Cody and May need to overcome adversities together to repair their relationship. The cutscenes that feature him are often humorous and comical, and players probably learn to like and appreciate him towards the end.
