Best Family Games

About Family Games

Family games take several forms. Party games — Mario Kart, Mario Party, Overcooked — are competitive or cooperative experiences designed for groups in the same room. Cozy games — Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, A Short Hike — create low-stakes, relaxing worlds to inhabit at your own pace. Classic platformers — Super Mario Odyssey, Kirby, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy — offer accessible movement mechanics with clear visual feedback. Co-op family games — It Takes Two, Unravel Two, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime — are specifically designed for two players to complete together, making them excellent for a parent and child or a couple.

When buying family games, platform matters more than in most genres — Nintendo Switch exclusives like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey are unavailable anywhere else, so platform ownership determines your options significantly. Check whether a game supports your needed player count and age range: some family titles are appropriate for very young children (Kirby); others are better suited to teens and adults who want a chaotic party experience (Super Smash Bros). Also verify local co-op requirements — some games need multiple controllers; others need separate accounts or game copies.

Nintendo exclusives are famously resistant to discounting — Mario Kart 8 Deluxe launched in 2017 and still frequently sells near full price on the eShop. Third-party family games on PC and other platforms are far more deal-friendly and appear in sales regularly. GameTheca compares prices across Nintendo eShop, Steam, and all major stores so you can see at a glance whether a family game is cheaper on PC or console.

65 family titles tracked — ranked by rating and popularity.