Finding the best video games for kids is no easy task. There are a lot of video games geared toward children, and some of the bestselling games of all time are made for a younger audience, but sifting through all the options to find what’s “good” is quite the undertaking.
Thankfully, you don’t have to go through the process. We’ve rounded up 30 of the top games for children across PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC. Although we’ve included ESRP ratings for reference, some of them don’t quite fit. For example, Super Mario Odyssey is rated E10+ for everyone 10 and older, but the game doesn’t feature any content that really earns that rating, especially compared to previous 3D Mario games.
If you’re shopping for a particular age group, you can jump quickly to our recommendations using the links below.
The best video games for ages 3+
Super Mario Maker 2
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
LEGO Marvel Collection
Mario Golf: Super Rush
Rayman Legends
Untitled Goose Game
Peggle 2
The best video games for ages 5+
Mario Party Superstars
Super Mario Odyssey
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Minecraft
Rocket League
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Luigi's Mansion 3
Unravel Two
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon RPGs have been going strong since 1996, and there really isn’t a better RPG for kids to start with than one of the many iterations available across Nintendo handhelds. These turn-based RPGs follow a young kid on a quest to become the very best Pokémon trainer in the world. Along the way, you capture Pokémon to train and use in battle against other trainers. On Nintendo 3DS, there are three sets of excellent Pokémon adventures to choose from: Pokémon X and Y, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and Pokémon Sun and Moon. If you have two 3DS (or 2DS) handhelds, you can battle against each other to see who’s the best of the household (your kid will probably win). Arceus is a great choice. It’s a brand new experience that changes up the world and mechanics for Nintendo Switch.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Terraria
Star Wars: Episode I - Racer
Kirby Fighters 2
Spyro Reignited Trilogy
The best games for ages 10+
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
Kingdom Hearts III
Overcooked! 2
Overwatch
Sea of Thieves
Fortnite
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Splatoon 2
Stardew Valley
Editors' Recommendations
- The best multiplayer games on the PS5
- Best Meta Quest 3 deals: Get Asgard Wrath 2 for free and more
- The best Bethesda games of all time
- The best Legion Arms in Lies of P
- The best skills to research first in Payday 3