Beating your friends at a board game is the perfect low-stakes victory — one that you can enjoy (and even gloat about a little) without ruining friendships.But for some, even gentle competitiveness can make game nights less fun. That’s where cooperative games come in. Instead of pitting you against your friends, these games take your competitive energy and direct it toward a common enemy: the game itself.Cooperative games aren’t just excellent for defusing tension; they’re also ideal for less-experienced gamers in your friend group because veteran players can show them the ropes. Plus, cooperative games lend themselves extremely well to campaign-style games that play out over multiple sessions.