It Takes Two Age Rating: What Parents Need to Know

What Is the It Takes Two Age Rating?

Colorful toys and magical gardens can make this adventure look like an easy choice for family game night. The It Takes Two age rating is T for Teen in the United States, with content descriptors covering violence, blood, mischief, and language. Understanding the It Takes Two age rating matters because the playful presentation comes with swearing, fantasy violence, and a story about a troubled marriage.

You play as Cody and May, a couple transformed into dolls and forced to cooperate through an oversized, unpredictable world. Their abilities complement each other, so moving forward means communicating, solving puzzles, and helping your partner through obstacles.

The age classification and the challenge level answer different questions. One concerns what children will see and hear; the other concerns whether they can manage the controls and teamwork.

Region	Classification	Meaning
United States	ESRB T for Teen	Teen content classification
United Kingdom	PEGI 12	PEGI content classification

The It Takes Two age rating gives you a starting point, but the details matter more than the colorful cover. A child who handles demanding platformers comfortably can still find the relationship conflict uncomfortable. Another might follow the story easily while struggling with timed jumps.

Keep both questions in mind before choosing it: Is the content appropriate for your child, and will the shared challenge feel enjoyable?

Why Is It Takes Two Rated Teen?

The U.S. rating includes four content descriptors: Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, and Language. Together, they explain why the game sits above an all-ages classification despite its whimsical environments.

Image: Steam / Hazelight Studios

Content descriptor	What to expect
Animated Blood	Stylized blood content within the animated presentation
Comic Mischief	Comic situations involving fantastical characters and interactive objects
Fantasy Violence	Combat, boss battles, and harm involving fantastical creatures, objects, and living toys
Language	Swearing during dialogue, including occasional stronger words

Fantasy Violence and Dark Humor

Cody and May do more than jump between platforms. Their adventure includes fighting enemies, confronting bosses, and using tools or weapons as part of combat and puzzle solving.

The fantasy setting makes much of this exaggerated, but the characters affected can have personalities. That distinction matters for children who become attached to talking creatures or toys. A scene involving an expressive character can feel more upsetting than an ordinary action sequence.

The frequently discussed elephant scene deserves particular attention before a family playthrough. Preview that sequence if your child finds harm to toy characters upsetting. Its dark humor is a separate consideration from the game's cheerful colors.

Swearing and Other Content

Dialogue includes words such as “crap,” “goddamn,” and occasional “shit.” An optional reference to A Way Out also includes bleeped swearing.

Sex and nudity, alcohol, drugs, and smoking are not the central content concerns here. The more relevant combination is language, stylized violence, and emotionally complicated behavior.

When weighing the It Takes Two age rating, look at that whole combination. Focusing only on the combat can overlook the dialogue and story moments that make a bigger impression on a particular child.

Marriage Conflict Is Part of the Adventure

Cody and May's fractured relationship drives the story. They argue, blame each other, and gradually work toward reconnecting, with the talking relationship guide Dr. Hakim pushing them along.

Image: Steam / Hazelight Studios

This gives the adventure a different emotional focus from a straightforward quest to rescue someone or defeat a villain. Much of the humor comes from two adults who struggle to get along while needing each other's help.

Their relationship also shapes the mechanics. At one point, complementary magnetic abilities turn attraction into something the players physically use to solve puzzles. Elsewhere, success depends on one character preparing an opportunity that the other must act on.

For children, understanding the practical teamwork can be easier than understanding the marriage metaphors. You can enjoy coordinating a jump without catching every implication in Cody and May's conversation.

Still, the argument-heavy dialogue deserves attention, especially when family conflict is already a sensitive subject. Consider that emotional context alongside the It Takes Two age rating.

Keep the Conversation Open

Use the shared format to talk about the characters when their behavior raises questions:

• Ask how Cody and May could explain a problem without blaming each other.
• Point out moments when listening helps them cooperate.
• Invite your child to say when a joke or scene feels uncomfortable.
• Connect successful teamwork on screen with the communication you are using together.

Keep those conversations brief and responsive. There is plenty of room for laughter, exploration, and playful competition between the story beats.

The game's relationship theme also gives adults something to follow beyond the platforming. Just remember that a child's interest in the magical world does not necessarily mean the adult conversations carry the same meaning for them.

Can Younger Kids Handle the Co-op Gameplay?

The It Takes Two age rating measures content suitability, not controller skill. The game combines platforming, puzzles, combat, and changing character abilities, so a younger player has several things to learn at once.

Image: Steam / Hazelight Studios

Basic movement includes jumping, double jumping, and air dashing. Those actions become more demanding when combined with moving obstacles, precise timing, or a partner-controlled tool.

Gameplay element	What the players must do	Tip for playing together
Jumping and air dashing	Combine movement abilities to cross gaps and obstacles	Practice the movement sequence before attempting a demanding crossing
Complementary tools	Use one character's ability to help the other advance	Explain what your tool changes before your partner moves
Timed cooperation	Coordinate actions across shared obstacles	Use a clear countdown before acting
Changing abilities	Learn new mechanics throughout the adventure	Explore each new ability together before rushing ahead

Early cooperation can involve Cody throwing nails into surfaces while May uses her hammer to swing between them. Later, May's water gun and Cody's plant transformations create a different kind of partnership. Familiarity with one mechanic does not remove the need to learn the next.

That variety keeps the adventure lively, but it also means an adult cannot handle every difficult task while the child simply follows. Both characters contribute to progress.

Checkpoints Help, but Participation Still Matters

Infinite lives and generous checkpoints make experimentation less punishing. Missing a jump does not mean running out of chances, which gives you room to practice.

Use retries to identify the specific problem. Work out whether the difficulty comes from timing, remembering a button, understanding the route, or coordinating with your partner. Then explain that part instead of repeating several instructions at once.

Avoid assuming that one character is always the easier choice. Cody and May receive different abilities, and their responsibilities change across the adventure.

During a difficult section, describe the action in plain language: “Jump, then dash toward me” is easier to process than a rushed explanation of the entire obstacle. Keep your instructions focused on the next move, and give your partner time to respond.

Plan Your Family Play Session

After considering the It Takes Two age rating, choose how you will play together. The adventure is built entirely around cooperation and supports both couch co-op and online co-op.

Play option	How it works	What to prepare
Couch co-op	You and a partner share the adventure through local split-screen play	A shared screen and suitable controls for both players
Online co-op	You and a partner cooperate online	Compatible platform accounts and an online partner
Friend's Pass	A partner joins through the free Friend's Pass download	Full-game ownership, Friend's Pass installation, and a partner on the same platform

Friend's Pass provides a way to share the full adventure without both players owning a copy. The joining player needs the Friend's Pass installation and an applicable platform account. Online play requires a partner on the same platform.

For a parent-child session, sit together when possible so you can discuss both the puzzle and the story as they happen. Split-screen play lets you see each character's situation, which helps when someone asks where to go or what to do.

Make Room for More Than Progress

The environments contain interactive objects that exist simply to entertain. Curious players can discover playful distractions alongside the main challenges, including opportunities for friendly competition.

Let those moments breathe. An impromptu snowball fight or a shared drawing can become part of the fun rather than an interruption to the adventure.

Before starting, work through a short checklist:

• Review the content descriptors: Include language and emotional themes in your decision.
• Preview sensitive scenes: Pay particular attention to the elephant sequence.
• Discuss the premise: Explain that Cody and May are adults struggling to cooperate.
• Practice communicating: Agree on a simple countdown for coordinated actions.
• Allow breaks: Pause when repeated attempts stop being enjoyable.

The It Takes Two age rating remains the same when an adult joins in. Playing together does, however, give you a direct way to explain dialogue, respond to discomfort, and help with demanding mechanics.

If its content fits your household, you can explore It Takes Two and its co-op options on the official website. Make the decision around the whole adventure: the arguments and dark humor belong to the experience just as much as the imaginative puzzles.

FAQ

What is the It Takes Two age rating in the United States?

It Takes Two is rated T for Teen in the United States. Its content descriptors are Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, and Language. It also carries a Users Interact notice.

Is It Takes Two appropriate for an eight-year-old or ten-year-old?

The game carries a U.S. T for Teen rating. Consider the swearing, relationship conflict, harm involving living toys, and the child's comfort with demanding platforming. Enthusiasm for colorful adventures alone does not address those content and gameplay considerations.

Does It Takes Two have bad language?

Yes. Dialogue includes words such as “crap,” “goddamn,” and occasional “shit.” An optional A Way Out reference also features bleeped swearing. Include spoken dialogue in your decision even if fantasy combat is acceptable in your household.

Can a parent and child play It Takes Two together?

Yes. You and your child can cooperate locally through couch co-op or play online. Both control a character and contribute to puzzles and platforming. For online Friend's Pass play, full-game ownership is required to share the complete adventure, and the joining partner needs Friend's Pass and an applicable account on the same platform.