5 Family Friendly Video Games to Play With Your Kids

5 of the most family friendly video games to check out for your next family game night!

My husband and I both grew up in video game households. I don’t remember a time in my childhood that we did not have some console that we played on a weekly basis. We were definitely not allowed to veg out in front of it for countless hours. Growing up on 200+ acres we spent most of our time outside. But on bad weather days we would pull out the SNES or the N64 and play a split screen 4 player game or take turns trying to beat a level on Super Mario.

Once we had a family of our own we’ve tried our best to strike a healthy balance between screen time and imaginative play. We definitely have not perfected this and occasionally will draw in the reigns a little more. But with family video games being such a fun part of our childhoods we want to share that experience with our kids, just with moderation. 

My kids know that there are no video games on school nights and it’s not even something they ask for any more. But on Saturdays and the occasional Fridays we will break out the tablets or the Switches and have a fun little game night before bed. 

We’ve gone through many various game ruts over the years where we will definitely gravitate to one game time and time again. But there are a few games that we always come back to. So without further ado, here are our family’s favorite video games to play as a family.

Minecraft

When my husband and I were first dating in 2012 he introduced me to a blocky little game he and his friends played on their computers. He downloaded it to my crappy little laptop using a USB jump-drive and it was the oddest game I’d ever played. The game was Minecraft.

Nowadays Minecraft is probably the most popular game to exist. You can hardly walk down a single aisle in Walmart without seeing the Minecraft branding on some product. But it is popular for good reason.

To this day it is still a favorite in our family and one we go back to time and time again. It is on so many devices, including the Kindle Fires, and it is cross platform compatible. Meaning my kids can play on their tablets, while my husband plays on his PC and I play on the Switch while all playing on the same world!

Playing together as a family and developing a little world is just so fun. It’s also really fun to see how creative your kids are. Both of my kids have surprised me with some of the stuff they’ve come up with. It’s kinda like digital legos!

We splurged and purchased a realm so other family members can join us online, but there is local connection as well. For that you just have to be on the same wifi network. Or split screen for up to 4 players which we used to do all the time on the PS4.

This ability to play and work together is why I think Minecraft is one of the most family friendly video games. It promotes creativity and working together to build something, find solutions, and whoop up on some creepers. What’s not to love!?

Minecraft Dungeons

I have been hearing about Minecraft Dungeons since the game came out. For years I was super confused as to what this game actually was. Just recently my husband picked it up to play with his younger brother and the kids on New Years Eve. We’ve basically been hooked since then. 

The game play is pretty much nothing like Minecraft. The art style is the same along with the character design. You’re going through blocky little biomes and often fighting creepers, Illagers, Skeletons, Witches, and so forth. But the game play is completely different. 

I’ll admit that I haven’t paid much attention to the storyline. But you are weaving your way through various maze like maps trying to find the end and saving villagers along the way. You also find chests with emeralds and supplies.

There are various armors you get that give you different abilities, as well as a variety of weapons. The combat is simple in theory but there are definitely challenging enemies and combat scenarios. So it’s fun for the kids but challenging for my husband and I. 

If a player dies in combat another player can revive them so my 5 year old can have as much fun as his little reckless heart desires knowing mom will always be there to revive him! The game is also shared screen as opposed to split screen so if a player gets left behind, or falls off the ledge (5 year old, again) then they will teleport back to the group.

I feel all of these features make Minecraft Dungeon a great family friendly video game and one you should definitely check out!

Super Smash Bros.

Super Smash Bros is another game that I’ve been playing for decades (HOLY COW I thought I was just being dramatic but I added it up and it literally has been 2 decades #i’vefallendownandican’tgetup) My brothers and I spent countless hours battling it out on Super Smash Bros Melee for the Gamecube (which is still my favorite Nintendo console to this day.)

The conglomeration of all of these characters from different games all fighting against each other, or alongside each other, was just too fun. There’s SO many characters to choose from and unlock and various ways to battle it out. 

We currently own the Wii and Switch version. Both are fantastic, but we have been playing more Switch just because that’s what is hooked up. 

This is a game that might not be for everyone. I would think that it would be tricky for little players and maybe more suited for preteens and up, but my 5 year old has been gravitating to it over all other games here lately. There is a team option that allows you to team up against each other or the whole family can team against NPC. The combined glory of winning as a team seems to be enough for my son to feel like an absolute champion.

So if you have older kids, or younger kids that are fine with sharing your glory, I would definitely recommend checking out Super Smash Bros for your next family game night!

Stardew Valley

As a cozy gamer I can not talk about video games in any capacity without bringing up Stardew Valley. It’s just SO good. I have been playing on the Switch for years. I had the house, the farm, the greenhouse, the husband, and baby #2 on the way. My little character is LIVING. 

I had gotten to the point where I was really just working towards 100%ing it. I really felt like I had pretty much squeezed as much joy and cozy time out of it I could. But then something magical happened. My husband bought me a Steamdeck for Christmas and suggested we start a Co-op world. 

BEST HUSBAND EVER. I knew the PC version had a co-op option but I couldn’t really wrap my mind around it. Well, let me tell you, it is fantastic! Additional players join the world as “farm hands” and get a little cabin of their own added to the farm. You can have up to 8 players playing on the same world. You all share the same farm but this means you can garden together, tend to animals together, mine together, fish together, or divide and conquer, like we tend to do. 

You can keep and decorate your own little cabin as you see fit, or you can use the cabin as extra farm space for jam making, smelting, etc. We haven’t quite figured it out yet, but apparently your characters can marry one another. Our little characters have already been sharing a bed so I definitely intend on making an honest man out of him. 

My husband and I play through LAN but there is a split screen option we haven’t tried yet. This way you wouldn’t need multiple gaming PCs to play as a family. Now I will admit, we have never played with our kids. This is only because we are selfish and want to keep this little world to ourselves for now. But I do think it would be fun to add the kids in the future. 

If you are into farming games or just want a little more of a laid back gaming experience I would definitely recommend checking out the co-op mode on Stardew Valley. If you do, let me know what you think!

Mario Kart

Mario Kart has always been, and in my opinion, remains to be the most family friendly video game out there. My siblings and I spent countless hours playing Mario Kart N64 when we were kids. Mario Kart Wii was better and to this day we break it out at my in-laws and will play a round with our Niece and Nephew. And it got even better with Mario Kart 8 on the Switch!

Mario Kart 8 is our personal favorite. It really is fun for all ages. It is a fun challenge for older kids and adults, but yet easy enough for my 5 year old to play. There is a “Smart Steering” feature you can turn on for the littles that help keep them off the out-of-bounds area and going the right direction.

The power ups are allotted based on your position in the race. Players in or close to last place tend to get more speed boost including my son’s personal favorite, Bullet Bill. This allows him to often place higher and occasionally beat his older sister which of course is his favorite thing ever.

If you are looking for a game to play with the kids that’s fun for all ages I would definitely recommend picking up Mario Kart. If you don’t have a Switch and that’s not in the budget, grab up a used Wii! The games on the wii console still hold up and there is a TON of family friendly games to choose from.

*Bonus*

Now there are a few games that I feel deserve an honorable mention. I did not include them in the bulk of this post because they require every player to have their own device or their own copy of the game. In our house family friendly also means budget friendly and purchasing an additional Switch or 2 is just not budget friendly. But these are still worth mentioning. 

Jack-Box-Games

This game is actually a package of many party style games that is hosted on a console or pc, but all players tune in with their own internet connected handheld device. This could be a phone, or tablet so long as it can load a website.

My husband and I have played these games with both of our families in various settings and it’s ALWAYS the best part of the night. There is always so much laughter and fun had by all. Most of the games have a “Family Friendly” setting that you will probably want to use. We have never played without it, but I can only imagine it’s necessary.

Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing is another game I have been playing for decades [ :’{ ] and has always been a favorite. The Switch multiplayer is not my favorite co-op experience, but my kids have so much fun when we all play together. There was a few years where we didn’t have any New Years plans or had a sick kid so we would all meet up at one of our Animal Crossing islands and do the count down with the town people. This probably sounds very lame and pathetic but we sure enjoyed it. (They have little New Years hats and glasses!!!)

There is a couch co-op option but it just really isn’t that enjoyable. The best experience for multi-player is when you all have your own device and copy of the game, but obviously that it not an option for everyone. 

That’s a wrap!

That concludes my current list of the best family friendly video games. I might add more in the future as new ones arise or just make a new post. If you’ve made it this far I would love to hear from you! What are some of your favorite games to play as a family?

I’ll leave Amazon links below for the games that I mentioned. Buying games and consoles can get pretty pricey so before making any purchases I would definitely recommend checking out your local pre-owned options. We’ve had luck at Game X Change and Gamestop as well as Ebay. Most of these games have been out for a while and should be easy to find used. With the new Switch 2 coming out now might be the time to add a new Switch to your gaming cabinet.

You can also find my master list here with links to all of our favorite gaming gear and accessories!

Minecraft App – https://amzn.to/4hlqibC

Minecraft Switch – https://amzn.to/4hlqibC

Minecraft Dungeons Switch – https://amzn.to/4hGMPiK

Minecraft Dungeons Xbox – https://amzn.to/3Q5z2q6

Stardew Valley – https://amzn.to/4gtw3T6

Super Smash Bros. Switch – https://amzn.to/4aIK9ip

Super Smash Bros.  Wii – https://amzn.to/40CDQIw

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