Why Local Coop Changes the Climb
Stick It to the Stickman local coop matters because a second player turns a frantic office-brawl climb into a shared experiment in improvised combat. You can build different move sets, rescue momentum when a fight becomes messy, and still face a delightfully unfriendly question at the top: who gets to be CEO?
The game frames its action around a strange corporate ladder. Your stickman starts as an unwanted job seeker, enters the finance offices, and fights through employees, bosses, and absurd workplace demands. Local play gives both players a stake in that climb, but it does not remove the game’s competitive corporate satire.
Instead, it creates a useful split in responsibilities. One player can focus on close-range kicks and recovery, while the other chooses attacks that control crowds or deal heavier damage. The best runs come from treating upgrades as a combined plan instead of two unrelated collections of moves.
| Local coop element | What happens | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Two player characters | Each player has a distinct color and health bar | You can track your own survival during crowded fights |
| Shared run setup | Players enter the same office climb and make choices together | The team needs to agree before moving forward |
| Move selection | Each player adds attacks to their own combo options | Different builds can cover different situations |
| CEO encounter | The run can lead to a fight over who becomes CEO | Cooperation can give way to a competitive finale |
Starting a Shared Run
A local cooperative session begins with both players joining before the action starts. The early sequence introduces the office setting: a bench, a job opportunity, a ride to the workplace, and the company’s casually cruel hierarchy. The jokes establish the tone, but the practical point is simple: get both players into the run and confirm who controls which character.
During a demonstrated local session, the players had separate blue and purple indicators. That visual distinction matters once the screen fills with enemies, falling hazards, attacks, and movement effects. If you lose sight of your character, check your health bar and reposition instead of blindly attacking through the group.
The opening job choice may place both players in the same starting role, such as the Temp. That is fine. Early runs are for learning how attacks cycle, how enemies react, and which upgrades fit each player’s instincts.
Use the first few rooms to establish a simple division of labor:
- Let one player engage enemies at the front.
- Have the other watch for opponents coming from behind or another level.
- Avoid taking identical attacks only because they appear powerful.
- Pause briefly at upgrade choices before committing to a build.
- Watch health before major confrontations.
The local format is especially useful for learning because mistakes are visible to both players. If one character is launched off an edge, misses a jump, or takes repeated hits, the other player can identify the cause and adjust their own positioning.
| Early decision | Example shown in play | Local coop advice |
|---|---|---|
| Starting role | Both players began as Temps | Learn controls before chasing a perfect build |
| Basic attacks | Forward and roundhouse-style kicks were selected | Choose different attack patterns for broader coverage |
| Combo direction | Repeated inputs cycle through available moves | Practice timing together before tougher rooms |
| Health upgrade | Healing from groin kicks appeared as an option | A sustain build can stabilize a risky team |
| Damage upgrade | Increased kick damage appeared as an option | Give burst damage to the player staying on offense |
Combat, Combos, and Upgrade Choices
Combat is built around selecting attacks that become part of your combo sequence. The moves shown included kicks, a bicycle kick, a spinning kick, and a projectile-like special move. That variety gives local players a reason to specialize instead of simply mashing the same button beside one another.
Think about range first. If both players build around short forward attacks, they may pile into the same danger zone and get interrupted together. A stronger arrangement gives one player reliable close pressure while the other takes options that reach farther, reposition quickly, or punish enemies knocked away.
The game also presents modifiers that change how a build feels. Increasing kick damage rewards consistent offense. Health recovery tied to a particular kick can make a player more durable. Temporary double experience can accelerate growth during a run. These choices become more valuable when the pair treats them as a team decision.
Try this approach when choosing upgrades:
- Identify the cause of recent failures: low damage, poor crowd control, or depleted health.
- Give one player an answer to that problem.
- Let the other select something complementary.
- Test the combination for several encounters.
- Save risky experiments for runs where both players know the controls.
Do not assume that flashy moves are always best. A simple forward kick can be more useful if it lands consistently and keeps enemies in reach. Spinning or bicycle kicks may offer better coverage when office enemies surround the team. The right choice depends on the spacing both players naturally create.
| Build focus | Useful upgrade direction | Best use in local play |
|---|---|---|
| Direct offense | Higher kick damage and forceful forward attacks | Clears priority targets quickly |
| Crowd control | Spinning, wide, or repositioning kicks | Creates room when players are surrounded |
| Sustained survival | Health recovery effects and safer attacks | Keeps a run alive after mistakes |
| Fast progression | Temporary experience boosts | Reaches more upgrades sooner |
| Mixed approach | One aggressive build and one durable build | Avoids both players sharing the same weakness |
Communication does not need to be elaborate. Calls such as “left,” “back off,” “take the upgrade,” and “I’m low” are enough. The action can become chaotic, and spoken coordination is often more useful than trying to parse every effect on screen.
From Office Fighter to CEO
The immediate objective is to keep moving up through the organization. Bosses and office scenes reinforce the central joke: every promotion is tied to someone else getting fired. At the top, the CEO confrontation makes the theme literal. There can only be one CEO, and players may have to fight over the job.
That shift makes local coop memorable. Much of the run rewards teamwork, but the corporate structure does not necessarily reward shared success. A pair that has cooperated through every room may suddenly need to decide whether they are still allies.
If the run moves into the CEO sequence, prepare for changed priorities. Health that seemed unimportant during the cooperative climb can become decisive in a player-versus-player clash. Attacks that knock opponents away or cover a wide area may become more dangerous than straightforward damage options.
After a CEO is chosen, the office story continues with the new boss selecting an employee and receiving shareholder demands to expand. The tower expansion area acts as a broader progression system, offering purchases such as brief death defiance, healing-related benefits, and other unlock paths.
| Run stage | Main concern | How local players can respond |
|---|---|---|
| Office climb | Survive enemies and hazards | Coordinate spacing and attack roles |
| Upgrade stops | Improve the team’s options | Pick complementary moves and modifiers |
| CEO showdown | One player may need to win | Enter with health and a close-range plan |
| New boss sequence | Continue the corporate story | Expect the hierarchy to change after victory |
| Tower expansion | Unlock longer-term options | Choose purchases that help future runs |
The tower matters even if a run ends badly. It gives the climb a longer arc beyond one session, encouraging players to return with new possibilities rather than treating every defeat as a total reset. For a couch group, that creates a good rhythm: attempt a run, enjoy the office chaos, make a progression choice, and try a different build next time.
FAQ
Is Stick It to the Stickman local coop actually cooperative?
It supports a shared local run where two players fight through the office climb together, choose moves, and manage separate health bars. However, the CEO sequence can turn the partnership competitive because only one character can become CEO.
Do both players use the same moves?
No. Each player can select attacks for their own combo options. Building different move sets is usually more useful than duplicating every choice.
What should two players prioritize first?
Start with consistent attacks, clear character recognition, and survival. Once both players understand the combat flow, experiment with damage, healing, crowd control, and experience upgrades.
Does local coop remove the CEO fight?
No. The CEO confrontation is part of the game’s corporate-climbing premise. A cooperative run can still end with players fighting for the top job.
What are tower expansions for?
Tower expansions provide longer-term progression choices after reaching the boss role. Examples shown include brief death defiance and options related to gaining health and bonuses.