Can you play It Takes Two with keyboard and mouse on PC?

As a long-time co-op gaming fanatic, It Takes Two instantly entered my personal pantheon of all-time greats when it launched last year. The razor-sharp platforming, fantastically varied gameplay concepts, and touching story come together to form nothing short of a monument to the power of playing together.

Of course, the full magic requires a second player. While It Takes Two always seemed perfect for PC gamers to dive into via online co-op, some still wonder:

"Can I play It Takes Two on PC with just a keyboard and mouse?"

The unequivocal answer is yes! While playing with two controllers is ideal, you can fully enjoy Hazelight Studios‘ masterpiece using standard PC peripherals.

I‘ll cover the ins and outs gameplay using keyboard and mouse, best practices, and tips for an optimal co-op experience without console controllers. Let‘s dive in!

It Takes Two‘s Co-op Requirements

While entirely built around cooperative play, It Takes Two‘s requirements are thankfully quite flexible:

• Online co-op supports any mixture of input devices across platforms
• For local couch co-op, each player needs their own unique input device
• So keyboard & mouse for one player and controller for the other works perfectly

The critical detail is that both players can‘t share the same keyboard. Outside of that, you‘re free to mix and match!

Ideal Control Schemes for 2 Player Local Co-op

Based on my experience, here are the best local multiplayer configurations if playing on the same PC:

Using wired Xbox or PlayStation gamepads proves reliable and comfortable. But a surprising number of It Takes Two‘s wacky activities feel great with mouse & keyboard!

Customizing Keyboard & Mouse Controls

It Takes Two offers stellar binding options for keyboard and mouse on PC. You can freely remap every in-game action to suit your playstyle and comfort.

I prefer mapping movement to WASD, core actions to left mouse and E, interact to right mouse, jump to spacebar, etc. The native bindings felt a bit awkward coming from other PC games.

Here‘s an example keyboard and mouse control scheme I recommend as a starting point:

Get accustomed to swapping between characters frequently with your selected switch key. Trying out different bindings until everything clicks intuitively pays dividends through It Takes Two‘s 20+ hour adventure!

Recommended PC Specs for Smooth Performance

Given the fast-paced action and frequent split-screen, maintaining a high framerate proves critical for this co-op gem.

Here are the PC specs I recommend for 60 FPS performance based on my testing:

Upgrading to 1440p or 4K resolution requires an even beefier graphics card like an RTX 3070 or RX 6800 XT.

It Takes Two ran beautifully for me on high settings at 1440p using an i7-10700K CPU, 32GB RAM, and RTX 3080 GPU. Maintaining a high frame rate proves critical for smooth split-screen action!

Leverage Remote Play for Seamless Online Couch Co-op

While official same-system co-op requires a controller and keyboard/mouse combo, software exists to simulate local multiplayer over the internet.

Solutions like Parsec let your online partner stream and control a second player on your PC. This opens the door for both of you to use keyboard and mouse in perfect tandem as if side by side on the couch!

The major perk compared to standard online play comes down to latency. With remote solutions, your inputs and camera output transmit directly between PCs rather than through distant servers.

If building a new rig solely for It Takes Two co-op proves daunting, give Parsec remote play a whirl for that true local couch co-op feel online.

Final Thoughts – Play This Masterpiece However You Can!

At the end of the day, It Takes Two stands tall as Hazelight‘s magnum opus – a love letter to the bonding power of play regardless of platform or peripherals.

While Xbox Wireless supports seamlessly swapping controllers, PlayStation DualShocks, and other devices back and forth on PC these days…mouse & keyboard proves more than capable as well!

If building two gaming PCs exceeds your budget, try the handy solutions mentioned above. Grab a like-minded friend, family member, or special someone and dive into this co-op classic however makes sense for your setup.

Just make sure each player has their own discrete input device and you‘re set. Now go save Cody and May‘s fractured marriage through the transformational magic of play! No matter your setup, It Takes Two will sear itself into your memory as one of cooperative gaming‘s apex achievements.

Have you played It Takes Two on PC using keyboard and mouse? Share your experience in the comments! For more of my co-op focused content, follow me on Twitter and YouTube at @CoOptimus.