Best Nintendo Switch games for kids: Family-friendly games to play now
No brutal bloodshed to be found in these Switch titles!
Nintendo is synonymous with creating a wealth of family-friendly games for kids to enjoy.
With the launch of the Switch 2 on the way, you may be wondering which games that don't feature any bloodshed are the best picks for any iteration of Nintendo's hugely popular platform.
Due to the sheer amount of choice available, it can be tricky to find the best titles for young gamers to enjoy.
Thankfully, we've compiled a list packed full of excellent games that aren't going to cause any nightmares.
The best Nintendo Switch games for kids
There are absolutely oodles of games to choose from in the Nintendo Switch library, but below are some of the best.
Any one of our recommended games are a guaranteed good time - unless the young one you're buying for has absolutely dreadful taste, that is.
Super Mario Bros Wonder
Super Mario Bros Wonder may be a few years old now, but it still provides players with an excellent 2D platformer packed with gorgeous visuals.
Our review says the game features "lots of replayability and plenty of levels you can still discover after you've ended the story", giving anyone lots of game time. The ability to play four-player local co-op means kids can join forces with their friends for some wholesome fun.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Thanks to its Spring-Breeze difficulty mode, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is another excellent adventure for kids to embark on. Packed with plenty of fun and innovative mechanics, it's a great choice to play.
With all kinds of collectables to earn, the entertaining Mouthful mode and side quests to complete, Kirby is guaranteed to keep players coming back for more.
Minecraft
Even if you have never played a video game in your life and kept your head buried deep in the sand, you will absolutely have heard of Minecraft.
If, somehow, you are among the uninitiated, though, Minecraft is an open-world survival crafting game that provides limitless options. There are quests to embark on, dungeons to explore, and you can build just about anything you can think of – even working computers!
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The sequel to the excellent Breath of the Wild (which we have also listed), The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the best games of 2023 on all systems, and will provide dozens of hours of adventures and fun.
There are new physics-based puzzles and interactions that allow you to build all kinds of contraptions that will no doubt keep you distracted from the main story.
This one is better for slightly older children, as it is rated 12+ and some of the gameplay mechanics are quite complex.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
The brilliant Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is a game that we cannot even begin to describe highly enough. The massively popular Wii U game is here on the Switch, and it feels like an entirely different experience - but the dastardly Bowser is still around to cause trouble.
There are so many things to do in single-player or multiplayer, so not only will it take a lot of time to finish everything, but it's all some of the most fun you can have on the console - and that goes double for Mario fans.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a massive game, and one of the most popular titles around - arriving right at the start of the first 2020 lockdown certainly helped it gain traction.
The whimsical, light-hearted game has you set up a new home on an island that you get to name, and from there the adventure is all yours. You'll populate your home, design areas, make new friends, party and, honestly, the list goes on - as there have been so many updates, including massive ones, that it is nigh on impossible to run out of things to do completely.
Fortnite
There are a couple of reasons that we are including Fortnite in this list. One is that it is a great game, largely free to play, while also giving us tons of regular updates that continue to make the game feel fresh even years after its release - it's very much worth losing yourself in.
Another is that if kids are reading this article and they see we haven't mentioned Fortnite, we're a bit concerned about what the reaction might be - it really is a game that continues to grow in popularity every year and there are no signs of that slowing down any time soon.
Human: Fall Flat
Human: Fall Flat is a very funny platformer that sees up to eight players trying to complete levels with very wonky physics.
It's almost more satisfying to see everything go wrong, as it offers up plenty a belly laugh.
Players can customise their in-game character "Bob" to their liking, and new content is regularly added to the game, despite a sequel being in the works.
It's on sale on the Nintendo eShop until 19th December 2023, so act fast to pick it up for a proper bargain – lest you fall flat on your face.
Luigi's Mansion 3
Welcome to the adventures of Luigi and Polterpup! He's not always second best to Mario - Luigi has some great games of his own, and the plumber is at his best when taking on ghouls and ghosts in Luigi's Mansion 3. The winner of Best Family Game at The Game Awards 2019 should tell you whether this is one for the children or not, and they will likely love every second of it.
When all his friends disappear, it is left to the pair to work out what happened to them and to save the day by rescuing the whole gang. With a large and exciting single-player story as the main focus, there are also different multiplayer modes that allow you and up to seven other players to take part in various activities. Great fun for all ages. You can do much worse than grabbing yourself a copy of this game.
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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
If somehow the young 'un you are buying for hasn't played Breath of the Wild yet, then you absolutely need to pop it under the tree for them this Christmas (if they are old enough).
The world of Hyrule has been realised like never before, and vast plains full of adventure await you as you start the game.
If you suspect who you are buying for will like it, it's well worth picking up the sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, too for a proper Zelda extravaganza - more info above.
Splatoon 3
If you were a big fan of arena shooters of yore such as Quake and Unreal Tournament, you might be surprised to see how much of that DNA is present in Splatoon 3 (just without the violence).
Players take control of Inklings – cephalopods who can turns into humanoids – as they engage in nail-biting turf wars dubbed "Splatfests" against other players with whacky weapons that transform the map with colourful inks.
Teams will duke it out over just causes such as "cats vs dogs" or "chicken or the egg".
It's very family-friendly but it's by no means an easy game and requires a lot of skill.
New Pokémon Snap
New Pokémon Snap was a game that many fans of the original N64 version were crossing their fingers for over many years.
A sequel to the original Pokémon Snap game, New Pokémon Snap brings together iconic pocket monsters from various different generations of the franchise, and they are homed in different environments you will discover in the game - you explore each area on rails. Various tools are needed so you can take the best possible pictures of each Pokémon you are lucky enough to find. It's quite the relaxing game and one that you and the kids should get a lot out of.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Speaking of the Pokémon franchise, here's a game that your kids may love that you, too, may have obsessed over back when you were close to their age. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl has been remade for the Nintendo Switch, and we are happy to report that the journey through the Sinnoh region remains just as fun now as it did back then.
The only place to buy them new is Currys, who have bundled both together. If you know two younguns looking to play Pokémon, this is a great way to knock two birds with one Pokéball.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2
If you were wondering whether your kids would get any enjoyment out of Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, then all you need to do is look at the cover and the characters that come along with it.
From SpongeBob to Turtles and many well-known faces in between, this is a brilliant way to bring some of their favourite characters into your home en masse - and it's super fun to play, too.
It also improves on its predecessor in every aspect and rivals Super Smash Bros as one of the best fighting games out there.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Another port from the Wii U that's found its new home on the Switch, Mario Kart 8 is a family-friendly game that's bound to stir up that competitive spirit.
It's not quite as unforgiving as its Wii predecessor, either, so hopefully the room will remain somewhat peaceful after four (or more) races.
Read more on Nintendo:
- Nintendo Switch OLED review - handheld gaming levels up
- The very best Nintendo Switch games
- Nintendo Switch Pro release date - the latest rumours
- Best Nintendo Switch micro SD cards to buy
- How to charge Nintendo Switch controllers
- The best Nintendo Switch Lite games - take these on the go
- How to connect Nintendo Switch to TV
If you're looking for something else to play, check out our lists of the best PC games and best VR games to try in 2023.
Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Jon Nicholson is a Freelance Gaming Writer, specialising in the Call of Duty franchise. He previously worked for Gfinity, GGRecon and Red Bull writing a variety of gaming news and guides. Alongside his previous work, he's a Freelance News Writer for Esports Insider.
