As gamers grow up and have children, they are often excited to share their passion with the next generation. Unfortunately, you can't just start a toddler off with an Xbox controller and a copy of Halo 3. Many games require some understanding of video game language, mechanics, controls, etc. to understand what's going on. Without that foundation, newcomers are sure to struggle.
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In this list, we detail some of the best games to start a young new gamer off with. These titles teach you what you need to know or give you the space to figure it out on your own, and many of them can be enjoyed in multiple ways. Prefer decorating? We've got it. Want to take down enemies? That's here. Can't wait to explore an open world? Nothing's stopping you!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
- Local Multiplayer?: No
- Online Multiplayer?: No
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is like magic when put into the hand of any free-thinking young mind. As gamer parents can attest, watching their child play this game is as intriguing as it is hilarious. Breath of the Wild is an action-adventure game – players spend as much of their time climbing mountains as they do fighting bad guys. Once through the tutorial, they gain access to a world of breathtaking proportions and get to explore it at their leisure. Activities they'll do include catching chickens, fighting enemies, traversing a volcano, solving mysteries, riding their shield down sand dunes, and so much more.
As an extra bonus, Breath of the Wild is an excellent educational tool for young minds. Not only does it require the problem-solving and hand-eye coordination that playing any video game might teach, but it also includes deliberate, bite-sized puzzles, the ability to creatively interact with your environment (i.e. using fire to create an updraft or using a metal weapon to attract lightning), and the freedom to set out your own course over a massive open world with very little guidance.
The Sims 4
- ESRB Rating: Teen
- Local Multiplayer?: No
- Online Multiplayer?: No
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS
The Sims 4 is a sandbox game in which players get to create their own "Sim" and their house, family members, neighbors, and more! Basically, it's an excuse to create your own little world. Buildings can be created from the ground up, the Sims are totally customizable, including clothes, makeup, costumes, and more, and they go to jobs, converse with other Sims, even pay their bills! There are a number of small expansions to add more content to the game, but you don't need to buy them all – cater them to your child's interests! Do they love the outdoors? Maybe try the Cottage Living expansion. Excited to start college one day? There's the Discover University expansion!
If you're concerned, the game has a "Teen" rating mostly because of the huge variety of things that can occur. Marriage, sex, childbirth, death, and violence can all occur. Children who are a little younger than their teens do often play it, however, since they tend to be interested in things that wouldn't lead to seeing the age-inappropriate content. It's entirely up to your comfort level as a parent.
Super Mario Odyssey
- ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
- Local Multiplayer?: Yes, 2 Player
- Online Multiplayer?: No
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Mario games have been kid-friendly and beloved by young audiences since the very first installment. In the latest entry to the franchise, Super Mario Odyssey, Mario must travel between worlds to collect special "Moons" and defeat Bowser. He uses his hat, a character named Cappy, to take control of things in the world and use their special abilities – for example, a frog's incredible jumping height – to solve puzzles.
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There are plenty of bright and beautiful regions to explore in Odyssey (like the sprawling streets of New York or kind of vibrant jungles from when dinosaurs roamed the earth) and it's challenging – but not impossible – for a young gamer. Many fans of the franchise praise Odyssey as Mario's best game in years!
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Rating: Everyone
- Local Multiplayer?: Yes, 4 Players
- Online Multiplayer?: Yes, With Paid Subscription
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the quintessential kid's game. In this title, players take on the role of a human moving to their very own deserted island. You must create your own little paradise there and invite lots of animal friends to live with you! Some kids will love the chance to decorate with the hundreds of unique items available, while others may get more of a kick out of exploring every nook and cranny of the island.
This is another game with a sly educational twist. One of the first goals is to catch a number of native fish and bugs, after which a Museum Curator named Blathers comes to stay on your island. Each time you bring Blathers a new creature, he tells you a little about it and why it's special! The fish and bugs that spawn on your island will change with the seasons, too. Combined, all of these mechanics help to teach children about the environment around them without having to wait through every season and catch every bug in real-time.
Cuphead
- ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
- Local Multiplayer?: Yes, 2 Players
- Online Multiplayer?: No
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS
Cuphead is a "run and gun" video game that's unique for the way it was designed; the developers wanted to mimic the style of old cartoons (like the original Micky Mouse ones) and found that the best way to reproduce it was by producing it the same way. Modern games' animations are usually developed on a computer, but Cuphead was entirely hand-drawn. It took over seven years to complete!
The gameplay is incredibly simple: the player must simply beat 19 enemies. However, each enemy is a unique boss with its own strategy and quirks. Gamers familiar with this title may be surprised to see it on a list of children's games, but kids have been wrestling with tough games since their invention! They'll spend all summer working their way through it.
Untitled Goose Game
- ESRB Rating: Everyone
- Local Multiplayer?: Yes, 2 Players
- Online Multiplayer?: No
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS
The Untitled Goose Game is just as goofy as it sounds. This lighthearted title asks the player to take up the role of a mischievous local goose. You can just mess around if you like, but the real goal is to collect particular items and complete certain objectives. Either way, your child will have oodles of fun running loose on the town (like they've probably always wanted).
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It's enjoyed by people of all ages and, for that, it won the BAFTA Games Award for Best Family and Social Game – beating out well-funded titles like Luigi's Mansion! It's also intended to be a comedy, which is especially appealing to young audiences.
Minecraft
- ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
- Local Multiplayer?: Yes, 4 Players (Depends on Platform)
- Online Multiplayer?: Yes, Varied Methods (Depends on Platform)
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Java, Android, iOS
Minecraft has become a cultural phenomenon like no other. It began as an indie video game by a Swedish developer and has blossomed into a Microsoft franchise worth millions. Minecraft has won dozens of awards, including the Kids' Choice Award for Favourite Videogame in 2020, the Kids' Choice Award for Most Addicting Game in 2015, the TIGA Game Of The Year in 2014, and a Golden Joystick Award for Best Downloadable Game in 2012.
At its simplest, Minecraft asks the player to explore an empty open world while collecting resources. From there, the choice is yours! You could build an entire city from scratch, map out the entire world, or journey into other dimensions. Updates come out consistently to this day, so there's often something new to do.
Ori and the Blind Forest
- ESRB Rating: Everyone
- Local Multiplayer?: No
- Online Multiplayer?: No
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Ori and the Blind Forest is a gorgeous platforming title. The above image might look like a cutscene, but the actual game is just more of the same! Stunning.
The gameplay is in the "Metroidvania" style, meaning it's a sidescroller with a huge map for you to explore. You'll need to revisit areas you've already been as you gain access to more knowledge, skills, etc. that allow you to uncover new secrets. It's incredibly rewarding because, by the end of the game, the player has so many new abilities and so much fresh knowledge that you can coast through areas that used to give you a hard time. So satisfying! Like Cuphead, Ori and the Blind Forest is on the challenging end of children's games. However, unlike Cuphead, it's not just one boss after another. Your kid can spend dozens of hours on it before getting bored!
Just keep an eye on them as they watch the story unfold; it's pretty heartwrenching, although we promise that there's a happy ending. Try not to tear up a little yourself!
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- ESRB Rating: Everyone
- Local Multiplayer?: Yes, 4 Players Per Switch, 8 Players Per Local Connection
- Online Multiplayer?: Yes, With Paid Subscription
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
There's no kid who can resist Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's charms. It's a racing game that pits players against their friends and NPCs, but isn't too harsh on the rules. You'll get special items to shake up the match by tripping your opponents, stunning them, covering their view, and more! As a result, it attracts gamers of all types.
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People who aren't skilled can still rank high on the leaderboard and have fun with the items and adorable maps, while the ones who prefer to win can focus their energy on the perfect drift timing or kart combination. For this reason, families love it – did some of your children pick up the gaming hobby more than others? In this game, none of that matters.
Pokemon Sword and Shield
- ESRB Rating: Everyone
- Local Multiplayer?: Yes, Between 2 Switches, 1 Player Per Switch
- Online Multiplayer?: Yes, With Paid Subscription
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
There's a reason that Pokemon has survived this long as a children's franchise. Adult gamers now – even people who are making games now – remember trading Pokemon cards as a kid. Today, the same phenomenon occurs on school playgrounds. Kids can't get enough!
In the games, players usually take on the role of trainers (people who have chosen to raise their own collection of Pokemon). They battle their Pokemon against other trainers' and work to beat the best trainers in their region, known as Gym Leaders. The latest mainline video game title, Pokemon Sword and Shield, is a lovely game with plenty to do and explore. It's inspired by the UK and the passionate love Europeans have for soccer (or football). Fights with 3D Pokemon have never been so dynamic!
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