If you're looking for family-friendly games everyone can enjoy this holiday season, Nintendo's platforms have you covered.
While you can find family-friendly video games on every console (and some truly fantastic ones, too), nobody does family-friendly gaming quite like Nintendo. Here are some of the best Switch and 2DS/3DS products you can pick up this year.
Nintendo Switch Fortnite Bundle
Price: $299.99
Fortnite is rated T for Teen
Perfect for the Fortnite fan in your life, this bundle contains a standard Switch console, along with $45 worth of in-game Fortnite items. This includes 1,000 V-Bucks (the game’s premium currency – 1,000 V-Bucks are worth $10), as well as a Double Helix Outfit, Telemetry Back Bling, Rotor Glider, and Pinpoint Pickaxe for users to show off in matches. This bundle costs the same as a standard Switch console, so you’re really getting the Fortnite items for free.
Nintendo Switch Pokemon: Let’s Go Bundle
Price: $399.99
Pokemon: Let’s Go is rated E for Everyone
This Pokemon-themed Nintendo Switch console has a yellow, brown, and black color scheme, with pictures of Pikachu and Eevee on the front of the dock (the base the Switch console sits in when playing games on the TV) and silhouettes of these Pokemon on the back of the console itself. In addition to the themed console, this bundle contains a copy of either Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu or Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee, depending on which bundle you choose to pick up. Finally, it includes the Poke Ball Plus, a new accessory which can be used to play the games (it also pairs with Pokemon Go on mobile devices). Learn more about Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee in our review.
Nintendo Switch Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Bundle
Price: $359.99
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate won’t be out until December 7, but you can pick up this Switch console bundle right now. The Switch console and Joy-Con in this bundle are covered in Smash-related artwork that will let kids and adults head into battle in style. You also get a code to download Super Smash Bros. Ultimate when the game launches.
Nintendo Switch Mario Tennis Aces & 1-2-Switch Bundle
Price: $359.99
Games in this bundle are rated E for Everyone and E10+ for Everyone 10+
This bundle contains a black Switch console along with one red and one blue Joy-Con controller. You also get download codes for two family-friendly games: Mario Tennis Aces (our review) and 1-2-Switch.
Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle
Price: $299.99
Release Date: November 23, 2018
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is rated E for Everyone
This is one of Nintendo’s holiday bundles, which will be available for $299.99 (the price of a standalone Switch console) beginning Black Friday and while supplies last. It has a standard black Switch console, and includes a code to download the fantastic family-friendly racing game Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Pro Controller
Price: $74.99
Release Date: December 7, 2018
If your family wants an upgrade from the standard Switch Joy-Con (or they’re just more comfortable with controllers like those used by other consoles) Nintendo’s Pro Controllers offer a more traditional gameplay experience. This Super Smash Bros. Ultimate controller has a cool black and white color scheme that will look great with the Smash-themed Switch we featured above.
Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee
Price: $59.99 each
Rated E for Everyone
Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee are the latest video games in the long-running Pokemon franchise. They’re set in a world inspired by Pokemon Yellow, which was released on Game Boy in 1999, but they offer a more casual experience than traditional Pokemon role-playing games (RPGs). Each game allows players to become a Pokemon trainer and travel the in-game world, capturing Pokemon using a capture system that’s similar to the one from Pokemon Go. If you or your kiddos have played Pokemon Go, you can transfer critters from the mobile game into Let’s Go and add them to your team.
Nintendo Labo
Price: Varies
Rated E for Everyone
Three Nintendo Labo kits hit store shelves this year: the Variety Kit ($69.99), the Robot Kit ($59.99), and the Vehicle Kit ($69.99). Each one lets kids unleash their imagination by building cardboard controllers called Toy-Con that can be used to play special games on the Switch. Each version of the Nintendo Labo Switch software also includes a special area called Toy-Con Garage, where kids (and adults) can create their own programs and games that use the Toy-Con controllers (and even other items they may have around the house). Finally, certain Toy-Con are compatible with another Switch game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
If you’re interested in picking up more than one Nintendo Labo kit this holiday season, Nintendo has a great deal going exclusively at Best Buy: Until December 1, 2018, you can purchase any two Nintendo Labo kits at Best Buy for $99.
Super Mario Party Joy-Con Bundle
Price: $99.99
Rated E for Everyone
The latest installment in Nintendo’s popular party game series will let up to four players compete in 80 mini-games as they make their way around a virtual game board. In addition to this traditional mode, players can team up in a two-vs-two mode, or play sets of mini-games in the Mariothon mode. If your household has two Switch consoles, you can also try the Toad’s Rec Room mode, which pairs the two systems and allows you to play special games.
This Joy-Con bundle includes two Joy-Con controllers (one neon green, one neon yellow), so additional players can quickly jump in on the fun. Of course, the controllers can also be used with other games after the party is over. This bundle is a $39.99 savings over purchasing Super Mario Party ($59.99) and a pair of Joy-Con ($79.99) separately.
Civilization VI
Price: $59.99
Rated T for Teen
This turn-based strategy game allows players to become 24 different global leaders from throughout history, such as Cleopatra of Egypt and Trajan of Rome. In each game, players must work against other world leaders (in a single-player game, these are controlled by the game) to achieve world dominance in one of four areas: military power, scientific advancement, religious domination, or cultural advancement. Users can interact with other civilizations peacefully or otherwise, depending on how they’d like to play in each game. If you’re looking for a game to help your teen practice their critical thinking skills, this is a great option.
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Price: $59.99
Rated E for Everyone
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (our review) is a colorful platforming game that lets up to two players team up to complete levels by jumping off of platforms (and enemies), swinging on vines, and blasting out of barrels. The game includes both an Original Mode (seen in the game’s original Wii U release) and a new Funky Mode starring Funky Kong. This mode offers a more relaxed experience for new or younger players, who can take advantage of Funky’s extra health points and special abilities.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Price: $39.99
Rated E for Everyone
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker for Switch (as well as 3DS) is an updated version of the game’s original Wii U release from 2014. The game challenges players to complete level-based puzzles by rotating the game world to find hidden paths and items to collect. In this new Switch release, two players can team up to complete puzzles together, making this a great game for kids and parents, or siblings, to play together. If you want to learn more, check out our review of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker on Switch.
Octopath Traveler
Price: $59.99
Rated T for Teen
This role-playing game lets teens become eight different characters, each with their own story. Players will explore the fantasy-themed world of Orsterra, and use each character’s special abilities in strategic, turn-based battles. The game features suggestive themes, alcohol use, and mild language, so it earns its Teen rating.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas
Price: $74.99
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
This action adventure game combines real-world figures with virtual gameplay as players become the leader of a group of interstellar pilots on a quest to save the galaxy from a powerful enemy named Grax. The game’s starter pack comes with everything players need to jump into the adventure, including a pilot figure, a spaceship, and multiple weapons that can be attached to the ship to bring them into the game’s digital world. Additional pilot, spaceship, and weapon figures can be purchased separately, so kids can mix and match their favorite items to suit their play style. In addition, the Switch version of Starlink: Battle for Atlas features Fox McCloud from Nintendo’s Star Fox franchise. The Switch starter pack includes a Fox McCloud pilot figure, as well as an Arwing spaceship, which is also from the Star Fox games. To learn more about Starlink, check out our review-in-progress.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Price: $59.99
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
Release Date: December 7, 2018
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a kid-friendly fighting game that brings together characters from Nintendo’s games and other series (like Mega Man and Sonic) to do battle in intense environments. Ultimate includes every fighter from every Super Smash Bros. game ever released, as well as lots of new fighters, like Daisy from the Super Mario series, Isabelle from the Animal Crossing series, and Inkling from the Splatoon series.
Katamari Damacy REROLL
Price: $29.99
Rated E for Everyone
Release Date: December 7, 2018
Katamari Damacy REROLL is an updated version of the original Katamari Damacy, which launched on PlayStation 2 way back in 2004. The game challenges players to recreate the stars and other objects in the sky after the King of All Cosmos accidentally deletes them. How, you ask? By rolling around a sticky ball known as a katamari, which will automatically pick up items it touches, so long as they’re small enough to be grabbed. The more items players collect, the larger the katamari becomes, and the larger the items that can be scooped up. Gameplay is split into different levels, each with its own goal to complete.
Nintendo 2DS Super Mario Maker Edition
Price: $79.99
Release Date: November 23, 2018
Super Mario Maker is rated E for Everyone
This bundle will be available beginning Black Friday and while supplies last. It includes a yellow and red 2DS console with Super Mario Maker pre-installed. Super Mario Maker lets players design their own “Super Mario”-style side-scrolling platforming levels using different elements from throughout the franchise’s history (blocks, enemies, bonuses, etc.). Users can also play levels created by other users. Nintendo 2DS plays most Nintendo 3DS games, but doesn’t support 3D graphics. The Nintendo 2DS also can’t play any games that are exclusive to the “New Nintendo 3DS” line of handhelds.
Detective Pikachu
Price: $39.99
Available On: Nintendo 3DS
This unique Pokemon game follows a boy named Tim Goodman, who teams up with a talking Pikachu detective to solve cases around Ryme City. Players will need to investigate crime scenes, gather testimonies, and interact with other Pokemon to learn the truth behind each case. Don’t worry, though — even though this game is about solving crimes, it’s rated E for Everyone, so it’s totally ok for littles to enjoy.
Luigi’s Mansion
Price: $39.99
Rated: E for Everyone
In this family-friendly action adventure game, players need to help Luigi rescue Mario from a mansion full of ghosts! But don’t worry, even though this game has a spooky haunted house setting, it’s adorable, charming, and just fine for youngsters to enjoy. Armed with the powerful Poltergust 3000 vacuum and a trusty flashlight, players will be able to stun ghosts and suck them up on their quest save Mario before it’s too late!
WarioWare Gold
Price: $39.99
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
WarioWare Gold lets players complete over 300 microgames presented by Wario, Mario’s arch-rival from the Mario games. Some of these games are new, while others are “remade classics” from other games in the WarioWare series. The games are split into four different play styles, which take advantage of the 3DS’ many features. Some will ask players to tilt their device or use the 3DS microphone to play, while others will ask players to interact with the touch screen or use the directional pad and buttons. The WarioWare games are full of fast-paced action, so if you’re looking for a slow, relaxing game, this isn’t it.
Brandy Berthelson has been writing about video games and technology since 2006, with her work appearing on sites including AOL Games, Digital Spy, and Adweek. When she’s not gaming, Brandy enjoys crafting, baking, and traveling with her husband.
