Everyone can play
Mario Kart World
The best family game on any console right now. Smart Steering, Auto-Accelerate and Auto-Use Items can be turned on for each player separately, so a five-year-old and a grandparent can race on fair terms. No in-game purchases. Nintendo sells a Switch 2 bundle that includes it.
Check priceNintendo Switch Sports Resort
Twelve motion-controlled sports, released October 22, 2026. It gets everyone off the couch, like the old Wii Sports. Rated E10+ for Mild Violence, mostly from the boxing. There's also a Switch 2 bundle.
Check priceJust Dance: Decades of Hits
The newest Just Dance, released October 13, 2026, with the Switch 2 version arriving November 10. Up to six people can dance, and a phone works as the controller, so you don't need to buy extras. Rated E, with Users Interact and In-Game Purchases.
Check priceParty games
Jackbox Party Pack 12
Five party games where everyone plays on their own phone or browser, and only one person needs to own it. It's the best choice for adults, older kids and holiday gatherings, because nobody needs to know how to hold a controller. Released October 2026. Jackbox humor can lean adult, and many packs include a family-friendly setting. Check the rating on esrb.org before playing with young kids.
Check priceSuper Mario Party Jamboree
A digital board game full of minigames. The Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV adds camera and microphone games. Rated E, with Users Interact and In-Game Purchases.
Check priceLEGO Party!
The best party-game pick for PS5 and Xbox families. LEGO-themed minigames for up to four players, also on Switch and Switch 2. Rated E.
Check priceNew arrivals this season: Hello Kitty Party Land (Switch / Switch 2, October 29, 1–4 players) and Sonic Pico Park (all major platforms, November 12, 2–8 players, rating pending at the time of writing).
Teamwork games
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Run a chaotic kitchen together. It's loud, funny and teaches teamwork, sometimes the hard way. Rated E for Mild Cartoon Violence.
Check price SIBTG verdictMoving Out 2
Carry furniture out of houses as a team, ideally without breaking everything. Rated E for Crude Humor.
Check pricePowerWash Simulator 2
Calm, satisfying cleaning, two players on one console. It's a surprise hit with parents and grandparents.
Check priceFor two players
For a pair of teens, a parent and teen, or a couple, Hazelight's co-op games are the best in the business. Both are rated T:
- Split Fiction: two-player co-op, with a free Friend's Pass so the second person doesn't need to buy it. Now on Switch 2 too.
- It Takes Two: two-player co-op about a couple working things out.
Our It Takes Two vs. Split Fiction comparison helps you choose, and our couples co-op guide has more.
The controller problem
Family games are only fun if everyone has something to hold. Before the big day:
- Count controllers against the number of players.
- Buy extras for the right console. See gifts to go with a new console.
- Or choose a game that uses phones: Jackbox, or Just Dance with the phone controller.
Our four-player setup guide covers the rest. Back to the main gift guide.
Quick answers
What's the best video game for a family with mixed ages?
Mario Kart World on Switch 2, because the assist settings can be turned on per player, so young kids and adults can race together. Jackbox Party Pack 12 is great for older kids and adults, since everyone plays with their own phone.
How many controllers do we need?
As many as the number of people who'll play at once. Most of these games support up to four players on one console. Jackbox uses phones instead, and Just Dance: Decades of Hits can use a phone as the controller for up to six dancers.
Is Split Fiction good for families?
It's a superb two-player co-op game, but it's rated T for Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Language and Violence. It's better for teens and adults than a family with young kids.
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