Most of Nintendo’s most iconic franchises are both approachable and appropriate for kids of all ages.
And the Nintendo Switch is home to some of the very best first-party games in Nintendo’s heralded history.
We’ve rounded up the best Nintendo Switch games for kids.
Games of all different genres are represented, too.
We’ll continue to add more to list as more great family-friendly experiences land on Switch.
So far this year we’ve addedPokemon Legends: ArceusandKirby and the Forgotten Land.
Part of the joy of Animal Crossing is visiting your friends' (and kids'!)
islands, sharing resources, and hanging out in a calming, pleasant setting.
See ourAnimal Crossing: New Horizons review.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
Dragon Quest Builders 2was one of the more surprising games of 2019.
See ourDragon Quest Builders 2 review.
See ourGolf Story review.
Two-player local co-op is supported, and Good Job is even more zany when playing with a partner.
See ourGood Job review.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a revelation.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land supports two-player local co-op, with the second player controlling Bandana Waddle Dee.
See ourKirby and the Forgotten Land review.
See ourKirby Star Allies review.
See ourThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild review.
It’s the third time Link’s Awakening has been released, and it remains as charming as ever.
Unlike most Zelda games, Link’s Awakening isn’t set in Hyrule.
It takes place on the bizarre Koholint Island, which is filled with plenty of interesting characters.
See ourLuigi’s Mansion 3 review.
As the name suggests, Mario Golf: Super Rush largely revolves around speed.
The new Speed Golf mode tasks golfers with running across obstacle-ridden courses to finish holes as quickly as possible.
Super Rush also has an excellent Battle Golf mode and standard golf, too.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a wonderful cart racer that is ideal for both kids and adults.
It’s an enjoyable experience whether you’re playing solo or against family and friends.
See ourMario Kart 8 Deluxe review.
See ourMario Kart Live: Home Circuit review.
In addition to the delightful solo campaign, Mario + Rabbids has a two-player co-op mode and local multiplayer.
See ourMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle review.
It’s an ideal throw in of experience for kids who are just getting into sports games.
See ourMario Tennis Aces review.
Thanos is on the prowl for the six Infinity Stones, and it’s your job to stop him.
See ourMarvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order review.
Overall, though, it’s fairly tame when it comes to games that are rated Teen.
Metroid Dread offers a return to the iconic franchise’s side-scrolling roots.
The sandbox game has captivated millions of players young and old across the world.
It’s a game that will appeal to kids who love building and tinkering with things.
With Minecraft, your imagination is everything.
You make your own rules and run with it, which is a premise plenty of kids thoroughly appreciate.
Minecraft Dungeons
Minecraft Dungeonstakes the pixelated world of the sandbox staple and merges it with Diablo-style gameplay.
Most importantly, it’s kid-friendly and extremely accessible to players of all skill levels.
It also has four player co-op both online and locally.
Think of it as a charming introduction to action-RPGs.
See ourMinecraft Dungeons review.
New Pokemon Snap
New Pokemon Snap is one of the more surprising sequels in recent memory.
The fan-favorite originally released on Nintendo 64, and Nintendo finally released a sequel for Switch.
New Pokemon Snap is an on-rails shooter where you take pictures of Pokemon in their natural habitat.
For kids who love Mario, New Super Lucky’s Tale is a good bet.
It also adds two new playable characters, Toadette and Nabbit, who are particularly great for inexperienced players.
See ourNew Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe review.
Each player takes the role of a chef tasked with serving food to some very hungry though invisible customers.
All you’re free to Eat comes with both Overcooked games as well as every piece of DLC.
It’s a fantastic package loaded with content.
See ourOvercookedandOvercooked 2 reviews.
It’s one of the best Switch games of 2022 so far.
Where Let’s Go differs is that random battles are replaced by visible Pokemon wandering in the grass.
See ourPokemon: Let’s Go review.
Regardless, Sword and Shield are must-plays for young Pokemon fans and serve as great primers for JRPGs.
See ourPokemon Sword and Shield review.
Unmasked, meanwhile, melds the Scribblenauts fundamentals with a comic book adventure featuring DC superheroes and locations.
Both games can be played solo or with another player.
Two players can jump into the campaign as Snip and Clip, two sentient pieces of paper.
Additionally, up to four players can partake in a collection of puzzles and competitive games.
Splatoon 2
Splatoon 2is one of the most popular multiplayer games on Nintendo Switch.
Splatoon 2 also has a co-op mode dubbed Salmon Run and a solo campaign.
The Octo Expansion adds a more robust single-player campaign with more than 80 new levels.
The only downside to Splatoon 2 is that it doesn’t support split-screen multiplayer.
Otherwise, Splatoon 2 is the best game starring squid ever made.
See ourSplatoon 2 review.
Unlike most games on this list, you really need to pick it up sooner rather than later.
See ourSuper Mario 3D All-Stars review.
It also supports up to four-player local co-op, so it’s great fun for the whole family.
New to the Switch version is Bowser’s Fury, a small-scale open-world adventure starring Mario and Bowser Jr.
The drag-and-drop creator mode lets you easily build your own side-scrolling levels.
It’s a ton of fun to take turns creating levels for each other to play.
See ourSuper Mario Maker 2 review.
Super Mario Odyssey
Super Mario Odysseyis arguably the best 3D platformer on Switch.
It even has a welcome Assist mode that makes it more inviting to younger players and newcomers.
See ourSuper Mario Odyssey review.
For anyone who has ever played Mario Party, the loop will be familiar.
Between each round of turns, you play minigames to compete for coins.
By design, every minigame is fast-paced and easy to grasp.
If you’ve already played Super Mario Party, check outMario Party Superstars, which released in 2021.
See ourSuper Mario Party review.
Part sandbox, part stealth, part puzzle–Untitled Goose Game has an engaging gameplay loop.
It’s more than just an incredibly meme-able experience.
That said, it’s consistently hilarious.
See ourUntitled Goose Game review.
It’s a familiar experience for anyone who has played a Yoshi platformer.
See ourYoshi’s Crafted World review.
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