Nintendo occupies a unique space in the video gaming landscape. For one, it’s much older than its industry competitors. Believe it or not, the company has been around since 1889. Now, the Japanese company hasn’t been making video games all that time: Its first foray into video games kicked off in the 1970s. But in the time since, Nintendo has become a titan of the industry.
That is, in large part, due to the company’s family-friendly focus. Mario, Legend of Zelda, Pokémon—these are all famous Nintendo franchises that appeal to players of all ages.
But that family-centered strategy is reflected in more than just its gameography: Nintendo even eschewed the console hardware arms race (against prime competitors Sony and Microsoft) to instead focus on community and distinctive gameplay. That emphasis on innovation has culminated in Nintendo’s most recent consoles, the Switch and Switch 2.
Odds are, Nintendo is the company that comes to mind when you think about family-friendly video games. And Plugged In has reviewed quite a few of them! With that in mind, here are the five best Nintendo Switch (and Switch 2) games for families that we’ve reviewed so far.
Mario Kart World – Nintendo Switch 2
Since we’re listing family-friendly Nintendo games, you probably guessed that a Mario game was going to make the cut. The company’s beloved Italian plumber has been featured in more than 200 Nintendo games to date—and most, if not all, of those games are fun for families.
Mario Kart has been Nintendo’s staple racing franchise since the Super Nintendo console came out in the ’90s, and the series has come a long way since those SNES days. The newest installment, Mario Kart World, may not break the mold of this well-worn (and well-loved) racing series, but it’s an entry that “expands its familiar formula in fun and graphically pleasing ways” while making it easy for even the littlest racers in your family to pick up a controller and have a blast.
Read the full review of Mario Kart World here!
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – Nintendo Switch
Developer TT Games has been cranking out the LEGO video games for years now, most of which put their plastic-brick take on a variety of beloved media franchises. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga may not be the developer’s first crack at the Star Wars franchise, but it may be their best … and most expansive.
There’s plenty of brick collecting and puzzle solving to enjoy in this humorous retelling of the famous space saga, and local co-op multiplayer means family members can enjoy all the stud-collecting, light-hearted fun together. With gameplay tweaks that feel “fresh and spirited,” Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a blocky blast in that galaxy far, far away.
Read the full review for Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga here!
Pokémon Pokopia – Nintendo Switch 2
If your kids love Pokémon but you don’t like the gotta-catch-them-all, battle-till-you-faint mechanics of the main games, Pokémon Pokopia could be the right fit for your family. This game is a cozy building and life sim game where players work to rebuild and restore the habitats of Pokémon on an island.
Pokémon Pokopia has “an immersive single-player experience that combines casual building with an ongoing adventure storyline.” But three additional players can be invited to join you on your island, too, which lets families share in the fun. Really, the only concern that we have with the game is that, if players aren’t careful, they could lose a lot of time to the game’s one more goal gameplay. But, with a little self-control, Pokémon Pokopia is a colorful, casual experience that families can enjoy together.
Read the full review for Pokémon Pokopia here!
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain – Nintendo Switch
If you love both brain teasers and video games, maybe you’ve heard of Big Brain Academy. If not, allow me to introduce you to the latest installment in the game series, Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain. The game is “a collection of short games that use mental deduction, logic, memory and math skills,” but it does so in a way that keeps these challenges fun rather than making them a chore.
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain offers multiplayer contests, so families can compete against each other to solve its brainy challenges. But here’s the unique part: Each player can choose his or her own difficulty level for each task. This difficulty scaling allows gamers of different ages to play together without any disadvantages, adding to the family fun.
Read the full review for Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain here!
Splatoon Raiders – Nintendo Switch 2
The Splatoon series has occupied a niche space in the gaming market as a third-person shooter without the violent mess that accompanies most shooter games, trading bullets and blood for gleeful splashes of ink. Splatoon Raiders spins off this original concept into a “paint-lobbing, shooter/looter adventure” that offers online co-op play as well.
The gameplay in Splatoon Raiders feels more forgiving than most modern shooters, and it’s also easy for parents to pick up a controller and help their kids if things get a little tougher. There’s not much objectionable content in this game at all. The messes found here are “colorfully kid-friendly.”
Read the full review of Splatoon Raiders here!
Do you have a video game that you would like us to review? Let us know in the comments below or contact us at letters@pluggedin.com.
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