Nintendo's newest console offers unlimited fun for the whole family.
Nintendo has always been the first choice for parents looking for a console that favors age-appropriate gaming for kids. While the Nintendo Switch has seen more Mature-rated releases than normal for a Nintendo platform, the Switch’s playful design and emphasis on old-fashioned couch-sharing multiplayer means it’s still the console with the strongest line-up of child-friendly gaming.
Keep checking back with SuperParent, as we’ll update this list with more of the “best of the best” games your family and kids may want to try. If you want to see any of the older games we’ve featured — which are equally recommended — head over to Page 2.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Rated E for Everyone
This life simulation game lets players of all ages travel to a deserted island where they can build a new life for themselves. They can plant flowers, collect fruit, catch bugs, go fishing, interact with friendly talking animals, and much more as they customize the island to suit their tastes. If you only have one Switch system, multiple people can share the same island. Or, if you have multiple Switches, each family member can have their own island, and you can visit other players through local or online multiplayer. New Horizons is one of the most wholesome, relaxing games to come out in quite a long time, and you don’t need to be a kid to enjoy it. For more information, check out our review.
Luigi’s Mansion 3
Rated E for Everyone
Luigi’s Mansion 3 lets kids and adults join Luigi on another haunted adventure, as he must rescue Mario from a hotel full of ghosts! As you explore the hotel, you can use Luigi’s Poltergust G-00 vacuum to suck up ghosts and other objects or even slam them around. While the game may feature ghosts, it’s family-friendly and charming, rather than realistic and scary. This time around, Luigi also has a doppelganger companion named Gooigi, who can help you out on your quest. If you’re playing solo, you can control both Luigi and Gooigi by switching between them. Or, you can team up with a friend and let them control Gooigi for you. Outside of the game’s story mode, a ScareScraper mode allows up to eight players to compete in a variety of mini-games locally or through online multiplayer. Learn more in our review.
Splatoon 3
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
This latest installment in the Splatoon series of kid-friendly shooters features a single-player story mode and a variety of multiplayer modes. While the game has all of the fast-paced action of a competitive shooter, it includes none of the realistic violence that’s typically found in the shooter genre. For instance, instead of shooting bullets, in Splatoon 3, players use weapons that shoot colorful paint that covers the battlefield. You can learn more about Splatoon 3 in our First Look.
Super Mario Party
Rated E for Everyone
Think of this as an elaborate digital board game loaded with mini-games and one goal: Get around the board and score as many Stars (and coins) as you can in 10 turns. Play solo with the computer or against your family, go free-for-all, or team up and see who wins in the end. The only concern is that Super Mario Party can only be played with the Switch’s detachable Joy-Con. DO NOT buy this for the Switch Lite. To see Super Mario Party in action, check out our First Look.
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield
Rated E for Everyone
These Pokemon-themed role-playing games let players become a Pokemon Trainer on a quest to become the Champion of the Galar Region. Players will be able to travel through beautiful environments full of wild Pokemon to capture and other trainers to battle. As they explore, they can put their skills to the test in a series of Gym battles against some of the game’s most powerful characters. There are 400 Pokemon to collect across both games, which should keep kids and teens busy for quite some time. Plus, they can go on even more adventures if you purchase either game’s optional Expansion Pass, which gives players access to new areas of the Galar region called The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra. For more information about Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, check out our review.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Rated E for Everyone
This life simulation game allows players to create a new life for themselves in a magical world inhabited by Disney and Pixar characters. Players can befriend characters like Mickey Mouse, Buzz Lightyear, and Moana, and complete a wide variety of quests alongside these characters. In addition to completing quests, players can go fishing, mine for gems and other resources, grow crops, cook dishes, and more. Disney Dreamlight Valley is regularly updated with new quests, characters, and other content, so players will have new experiences to look forward to as they play.
As of this writing, Disney Dreamlight Valley is available in Early Access on Switch, which means players will need to purchase one of the game’s three “Founder’s Pack Editions” in order to play it. In 2023, the game will launch out of Early Access as a free-to-play game, meaning players will no longer need to spend money to play the game. While Disney Dreamlight Valley will eventually be a free-to-play experience, the game gives players the option to spend real money on Moonstones, a premium currency that can be used to purchase optional in-game content. Players have the option to purchase Moonstones even if they’ve already purchased a Founder’s Pack Edition of the game. You can learn more about Disney Dreamlight Valley in our First Look for the game.
Super Mario Maker 2
Rated E for Everyone
Super Mario Maker 2 is the sequel to the original Super Mario Maker, which was released on Wii U in 2015. The hook: Create your own Super Mario-style levels and share them with the world, as well as download and play levels created by other users. For this sequel, players can choose from new themes and level elements, such as slopes and the Angry Sun. In addition, a brand new Story Mode introduces players to some of the game’s many design elements as they complete 100 stages created by Nintendo itself. For more on Super Mario Maker 2, check out our guide.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Rated E for Everyone
A multiplayer stalwart for over 25 years now, Mario Kart remains the go-to racer for kids with a competitive streak (ie. basically all kids). Though Mario Kart 8 was originally released for Nintendo’s Wii U console, this Switch version is bigger, faster, and perfectly portable. It’s also the perfect game to play with your child, though you have to promise to not get mad when they nail you with a blue shell right before you cross the finish line. Learn more in our guide.
Super Smash Brothers Ultimate
Rated E10+ for Everyone 10+
If your kids have ever gotten into friendly debates about which video game character is stronger, this is the game for them. Pick your favorites — there are MANY in-game to choose from — and battle buddies or family members to settle the score. While the venerable series has been around since 1999 (first on the Nintendo 64), the Nintendo Switch version truly lives up to its “Ultimate” name. It isn’t just a collection of characters from the Nintendo universe — it gathers up favorites ranging from Street Fighter characters and Pac-Man to super soldiers and Pokemon. If you ever wanted to slap around your favorite video game characters in a cartoony fashion, this is the game for you — and your family.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit
Rated E for Everyone
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit allows you to create race tracks in your own home using cardboard gates and arrow signs, and then use your Switch to race a real world kart around those courses while viewing the racing action on your Switch’s screen. Each kart comes equipped with a camera that outputs to the Switch’s screen so you can see where you’re driving. That is, instead of racing on virtual tracks like in other Mario Kart games (like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe above), you’ll see the real-world environment on the screen thanks to the camera on the back of the kart. To learn more, check out our hands-on overview of what it’s like getting started with Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit.
My Friend Peppa Pig Complete Edition
Rated E for Everyone
My Friend Peppa Pig is more of a virtual toy than a traditional video game, but that’s not a bad thing! Designed for preschoolers, My Friend Peppa Pig allows players to create their own animal character and explore Peppa’s world alongside Peppa and her family. Kids can visit Peppa’s house, Potato City, Granny and Grandpa’s house, the beach and more, where they can complete a variety of simple and wholesome activities, such as playing dress-up, helping Grandpa Pig in his garden, splashing in mud puddles, and building a sandcastle. The Complete Edition of My Friend Peppa Pig includes the game’s Pirate Adventures downloadable content (DLC) that was released after the original game. The Pirate Adventures DLC includes extra locations for players to explore and activities for them to complete. You can learn more about My Friend Peppa Pig in our review.
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.
