Best Nintendo Switch Games For Kids

6 hours agoLast Updated: December 17, 2024

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We’ve given this list a big spruce up ahead of the Festive season so you can prepare for some holiday gaming with the family!

Nintendo Switch is a console with brilliant software for gamers young and old. Nintendo’s wholesome, family-friendly image is well-earned, and with characters like Mario, Luigi, and the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom gang, Switch games cater to the young and the young-at-heart alike.

For more details on our thinking behind this selection, please read the FAQ section at the bottom of the page.

Let’s take a look at the best Nintendo Switch games for kids.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone, PEGI: 3, NL minimum age recommendation: 3-4

We kick things off with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. This kart racer is arguably the most welcoming game on Switch with tons of accessibility options — including auto acceleration and steering aids — to give even the tiniest humans the chance to get involved on the racetrack.

The aids are generous to the point where you can turn them on, leave the controller alone, and still place 4th. Hardened gamers may baulk at that notion, but it’s perfect for very young kids who want to move up from spectating and feel included in the fun.

If for some reason you prefer your kart racers with less moustachioed plumber in them, Team Sonic Racing and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled both provide solid, if less remarkable, alternatives. Mario is undoubtedly king of the kart, though.

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New Pokémon Snap (Switch)

Yoshi’s Crafted World (Switch)

Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+ ‘Cartoon Violence’, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 4-5

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a great big colourful joyride of an adventure that’s extremely forgiving for younger players, especially with the optional Spring-Breeze Mode, which lowers the difficulty even further, plus a co-op mode that lets you play along.

This 3D platformer is bursting at the seams with fun and inventiveness, managing to transpose everything we know and love about past Kirby games to this all-new arena whilst adding plenty of delightful new aspects as it goes. Mouthful Mode is just as daftly entertaining as it looked in the trailers, each and every level is packed full of secrets and dripping in wonderful detail, and there are enough side activities, collectibles and co-op fun here to keep you entertained and coming back for more for a good long while.

And if you love Kirby, there’s also Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe and Kirby Star Allies, both colourful side-on platforming games offering Fun for the Whole Family™. The first one would definitely be our pick, but Star Allies is solid, too.

Disney Illusion Island (Switch)

Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone, PEGI: 3, NL minimum age recommendation: 4-5

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the best 2D Mario game for decades, and its colourful, crazy world is perfect for kids to enjoy, likely alongside their old-school-Mario-fan parents. Its Wonder Flowers, badges, and friendly online aspects serve up an endlessly inventive and impressive platforming adventure with charming animation details and an infectious, anything-could-happen spirit.

Its got a good roster of characters to choose from (including a couple which can take no damage — perfect for the littlest ‘uns), relatively sedate challenge with a star system indicating each stage’s difficulty level, and four-player local co-op gameplay to enjoy. It’s one of the most joyous games on the system, and a great time for old and young alike.

Alternatively, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe was an earlier return to Mario’s side-on platforming roots that also provides manic four-player action and a huge single-player adventure. It’s stuffed with quality platforming content to keep your whippersnappers occupied for many manic hours, although we’d personally play Wonder first.

Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! (Switch)

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Switch)

New Super Lucky’s Tale (Switch)

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (Switch)

LEGO DC Super-Villains (Switch)

Super Mario Odyssey (Switch)

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+ ‘Comic Mischief, Cartoon Violence, In-Game Purchases’, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 5-6

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a fantastic experience on Switch, a great big celebration of everything Star Wars that’s made the jump to Nintendo’s console in surprisingly fine form. The upgrades to the series’ core gameplay here — the combo-focused combat, flashy space battles, boss encounters, over-the-shoulder shooting action and cover system — all combine to make this the best Lego Star Wars has ever felt to play, although they also make things a teensy bit more complicated (and engaging) than other Lego games.

Throw in a humongous open-world setting that’s bursting at the seams with secrets and collectibles and you’ve got an absolute smorgasbord of all things Star Wars to dig into. Yub nub.

Splatoon 3 (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 5-6

A third-person shooter where you spray paint rather than bullets, Splatoon 3 has a single-player campaign which acts as a perfect tutorial for the online team modes where players compete to capture a moving platform, repel waves of encroaching salmon or simply paint as much of the stage as possible before the time runs out in Turf War.

Control-wise, there’s a lot going on with Splatoon, but kids pick things up fast and with the aid of its gyro-controlled aiming, we have personal experience of a 5-year-old who went from idly spraying the ground in Splatoon 2 to completing that game’s rock-hard Octo Expansion DLC in the space of a year.

Which reminds us: Splatoon 2 is almost as good as this entry and has its own great single-player campaign (and the aforementioned DLC), so there’s no shortage of splattage on Switch.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone, PEGI: 3, NL minimum age recommendation: 5-6

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a slow, sedate life sim which puts you on a deserted island and encourages you to build a new life for yourself and its lovable animal inhabitants by shaking trees, selling fruit, fishing, catching bugs in a net, crafting furniture and a whole bunch of other wholesome activities.

It’s a wonderful game, and the perfect tonic if you’re stuck at home and in need of some fresh (digital) air to keep mind and body healthy. To get the most out of it and interact properly with all residents (and read item names) your child will need basic reading skills, although they could quite happily catch fish and bugs and run around the island without reading a word.

One important thing to note is that while it’s possible to have up to eight players ‘live’ on a single island, only one player can be the ‘Resident Representative’ – the person who controls progress, projects, and the like in the game. Other people can catch fish and do basic things, but the majority of the experience centres on the player who sets up the island at the start of the game. You cannot change the Resident Rep once you’ve started, either, and you can only have one island per Switch console (regardless of how many copies of the game you may own – save data is tied to the console, not the cartridge).

For many, these caveats won’t matter but they’re worth bearing in mind, especially if you have a single ‘family’ Switch used by more than one child.

Princess Peach: Showtime! (Switch)

Minecraft (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 6

Let’s face it, if you’ve got children and you’ve got a Switch, there’s a very good chance you’ve already got Minecraft. A first-person sandbox game which lets their creativity and imaginations run wild, there’s a reason it’s been such an all-conquering hit with kids around the world for nearly a decade: it’s really, really good.

Navigating the 3D world and crafting materials to create your own cuboid paradise isn’t simple, but in our experience it’s incredible how quickly children pick up the basics.

Perhaps the only drawback of getting Minecraft for your kids (if you’re not playing it yourself) is being regaled with extremely in-depth descriptions of their accomplishments and feeling very old for not having a clue what they’re talking about.

Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 6-7

Another fine 2D platformer, this time from Ubisoft, Rayman Legends on Switch is the ‘Definitive Edition’ of a game which first appeared on Nintendo’s previous console. That being the case, it’s available for a budget price, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it offers a cut-price experience.

This is one of the best platforming games ever made which doesn’t feature Nintendo’s mascot, and with gorgeous art, a host of characters to play as and a fun Kung Foot minigame thrown in for good measure, it’s an excellent option for younger gamers who can’t get enough of jumping on platforms.

If they devour this and want more 2D platformers, both Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze are excellent, although the latter in particular isn’t for the faint-hearted and can get pretty challenging in the later stages.

Nintendo Labo Toy-Con 04: VR Kit (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 6-7

Note. This isn’t compatible with either Switch OLED or Switch Lite — only the original Switch. Definitely something to consider!

Nintendo’s Labo kits are ingenious cardboard constructions that you assemble (carefully) and slide your Joy-Con (and even the Switch console itself) into to create a wide variety of toys and fun experiences which interact with the screen in different ways.

The Labo Variety Kit is a great way to jump in, although the Labo VR Kit has gone down well with the kids we know, offering some fun and simple VR experiences as well as small VR mode updates for a number of other games including Super Mario Odyssey and Captain Toad. These kits can be found very cheaply right now, so there’s no better time to give one of them a try, and replacement cardboard templates can be ordered direct from Nintendo.

For parents, there are two main things to consider with Labo. Firstly, you will be required to help with assembly (if not take over entirely), which can take multiple hours depending on the Toy-Con. Secondly, you will end up with an awful lot of cardboard. On the one hand, this is perfect for when they inevitably get ignored – simply crush them down and throw them in the recycling – but you’ll need to store them all the while Labo’s in vogue in your home.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (Switch)

Super Mario Party Jamboree (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone, PEGI: 3, NL minimum age recommendation: 6-7

Super Mario Party Jamboree is probably the best Mario Party game ever, delivering multiplayer minigames in a lively package that places Mario and his Mushroom Kingdom pals into what is essentially a digital board game.

Parents should be aware that while the assorted minigames can be hilarious, gameplay outside of those is turn-based (as you take turns to roll the dice and move around the board, etc) and involves a lot of reading and, potentially, waiting. It can take well over an hour to complete a board (depending on the mode you select), so just bear that in mind – if your kids aren’t old enough to read the on-screen prompts and instructions, they’ll need a chaperone for this party. You’ll also need multiple partygoers to get the most out of it.

For our money, Jamboree is the best Mario Party to date, but Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars are both great, too.

Sonic X Shadow Generations (Switch)

Luigi’s Mansion 3 (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 7

One of the best-looking games on the Switch, Luigi’s Mansion 3 puts Mario’s lanky brother in the spotlight as a ghostbuster, of sorts. Armed with a vacuum cleaner and a torch, it’s up to Luigi to rescue his big brother in this brilliantly spooky sequel.

The game’s light comic peril and spooky setting might not be every kid’s cup of tea (we have younger relatives who have put it on the shelf for when they’re a bit bigger) and its control scheme might take a while to get to grips with, but this is an utterly delightful game enhanced by a co-op mode that’s available once you’ve unlocked Luigi’s goo-based counterpart, Gooigi, after an hour or two.

Throw in a host of minigames and Luigi’s Mansion 3 is the perfect game for getting in the Halloween spirit without scarring your poor child with bloodied axes or hockey masks. And if you’re having trouble vacuuming up those last few gems or Boos, we’ve got guides that’ll help you out.

And if you’ve busted all this game’s ghosts, there’s always Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD to blast through.

ARMS (Switch)

Pokémon Sword and Shield (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 7

With various concessions to convenience and a bold, bright presentation, Pokémon Sword and Shield is the perfect introduction to the Pokémon universe for slightly older children. While we recommend Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu! and Let’s Go Eevee! for younger gamers, this full-fat traditional Pokémon game features a huge number of Pocket Monsters to catch. While it’s been superseded by Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, we’d still start with this one given the choice.

The main campaign is relatively easy to get through even if you’re not the best Pokémon strategist, but there’s a ton of post-game content once you’ve become Pokémon Champion. Then, of course, there’s the series’ slogan to consider: Gotta catch ’em all! With that in mind, Pokémon Sword and Shield should keep your little ones occupied for a long time.

Super Mario Maker 2 (Switch)

Rocket League (Switch eShop)

ESRB: Everyone, PEGI: 3, NL minimum age recommendation: 7-8

Combining two of many a child’s passions, Rocket League essentially involves playing 3-against-3 football except the ball is enormous and instead of controlling a person, you’re driving a car. That might sound like a nightmare of seven-point turns and sluggish gameplay, but what can we say – it works!

It might take a while to click — specifically getting used to the camera which follows the ball by default rather than your car — but when it does click, Rocket League is one of the most fun and addictive competitive games on Switch. With tons of customisation options and decorative doohickeys to plaster over your car, it’s a blast whatever your age and if your child is into either football (or soccer, if you prefer) and/or RC-style cars, this is an obvious winner.

And it’s free-to-play, meaning it’ll cost you nothing to download and find out if it’s your bag.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+, PEGI: 7, NL minimum age recommendation: 7-8

With the titular princess taking a starring role in her namesake series for the first time, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom lets you copy and paste ‘echoes’ of objects and creatures in the world to solve puzzles and defeat foes, putting strategy and experimentation before the series’ traditional swordplay (although you can still wield a sword for a limited time if you like).

Younger kids will likely need a hand, as some sections can be tricky and the menus can be cumbersome, but the large world to explore and the opportunities for solving problems in different ways make this a great Zelda for kids.

Alternatively, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is equally as cute-looking, and would make an excellent introduction to Nintendo’s premier action-RPG series. A remake of the Game Boy original, it requires a certain amount of reading and patience, but it’s a captivating little adventure with big, cartoon-y monsters that you’ll be happy to help out with if the kids get stuck. Of course, guide-based help is only a click away if you’re really in a bind.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle (Switch)

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)

ESRB: Everyone 10+, PEGI: 12, NL minimum age recommendation: 8

Everyone is here. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate includes every single fighter from the previous games in the series in a roster that’s still growing thanks to new Downloadable Content. The range of characters to play as will be a massive draw for kids, and there’s a huge number of modes whether you’re playing along or you’ve got a room of eight (!) friends. With an adjustable difficulty that makes button-mashing an option, there’s plenty of scope for ‘growing’ with the game, too, finding more depth the longer you spend with it.

The on-screen action can get a little chaotic, so some children (and some adults, to be fair) may find it tough to follow what’s happening, especially when eight players are scrapping. Still, this is one of the best fighting games ever, and your kids are gonna love it.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Switch)

ESRB: 10+, PEGI: 12, NL minimum age recommendation: 8

The beauty of Breath of the Wild is that it’s really whatever game you want it to be. Its vast open world lets you completely avoid combat if you like; simply run away from any monsters you find and you’ll have a great time just exploring, catching bugs, cooking and riding around on a horse. Alternatively, you can stealthily infiltrate enemy strongholds and demonstrate your prowess with the bow and blade, and gradually beat all the shrine challenges which test your brains and brawn.

It’s entirely up to you — you play at your own pace, which makes it a great game for all ages and abilities; we have personal experience of an 8-year-old and a 66-year-old who have both beaten the game 100%. Aside from some slight darkness around Calamity Ganon (a black cloud of malignancy engulfing the castle in the centre of the world) and some unforgiving (although largely avoidable) enemies, Breath of the Wild is an easy pick for kids looking to expand their horizons in one of the most beautiful, enticing worlds in all video games.

And now there’s this game’s direct sequel, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, too, which involves a contraption-building mechanic enabling you to construct and ride vehicles to complete tasks. They’re both phenomenal games worthy of your time.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Switch)

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (Switch)

Ring Fit Adventure (Switch)

Fortnite (Switch eShop)

ESRB: Teen, PEGI: 12, NL minimum age recommendation: 9-10

Finally, you’ll have no doubt heard about Fortnite even if you have zero interest in video games, such is this shooter’s popularity. This gun-based, cartoon-y, free-to-play game is a ‘Battle Royale’, meaning it drops 100 players onto an island and leaves them to find guns and ammo, blasting their way to victory until only one remains.

While it’s free-to-play, there is plenty of opportunity to spend money on cosmetic items and costumes or get involved with seasonal Battle Passes which offer exclusive gear after completing certain objectives. The currency used is known as V-Bucks (purchased with real money, of course).

As ‘deathmatch’ games go, Fortnite is as colourful and carefree as they come, and with constant updates and fresh content, it’s no surprise that the game has been such a colossal hit with kids across the world. Its violence is bloodless and comic, but bear in mind that Fortnite involves shooting other people with bullets. Being a free game, it’s easy enough to download and check out for yourself first if you have concerns.

Fortnite now also contains three more free-to-play games in its download — Rocket Racing, Fortnite Festival, and LEGO Fortnite — which, in their own ways, are all quality offerings.

That’s all of our top recommendations for great Switch games for kids. There are, of course, hundreds more available that are very good, but the ones above are games we’ve reviewed and rated highly.

Nintendo Switch Kids Games FAQ

Before we wrap up in time for tea, let’s answer some common questions readers have about kids games on Switch.

Why are your recommended ages different from the ESRB/PEGI ratings?

ESRB and PEGI’s official ratings in the US and Europe respectively are useful guidelines for parents, especially for flagging violent or inappropriate content. However, they’re not designed to rate a game’s quality or factor in the skills needed to fully interact with the software and get the most out of it.

With our recommendations, we’ve tried to take into account various factors that contribute to a player’s enjoyment according to their age, including the level of skill needed to master the controls, if co-op is an option, how long sessions typically last, and the reading comprehension required to follow any story or instructions.

Generally speaking, the games towards the back half of our list tend to involve more reading and more complex controls. That doesn’t mean your 10-year-old won’t also love the choices at the beginning, though. ‘Minimum’ is just that and doesn’t exclude older kids (or, indeed, adults). Every single game above is a winner, whatever your age.

Many kids might enjoy simply watching you play a game (something like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, for example). If so, bully for you — the eShop is your oyster!

What about Game X, Y, Z…?

There are many more games aimed at kids on Switch; we’ve concentrated on what we consider the very best examples.

For instance, if your kids love Crayon Shin Chan, there are a couple of great life-sim-style Shin chan games on Switch. Star Trek fans might really enjoy co-op puzzle-platformer Star Trek Prodigy: Supernova.

Also, there are games — like Bluey — that we didn’t rate highly, but you and your kid(s) might love.

Can a 4-year-old / 5-year-old play Switch?

Many parents will wonder if a Switch is okay for a four- or five-year-old, or even younger children. As you can see above, in our opinion, it’s an ideal introduction to the world of gaming and digital play for kids of all ages, although the younger the child, the more help and supervision they’ll need.

If your child is interested, we highly recommend playing with them as much as possible, especially when they’re young. Gaming can be a fun, engaging, and creative hobby, but it can also be frustrating if you’re having trouble with a particular section or mechanic in a game.

What Switch is best for a 5-year-old?

It depends. The Switch Lite is the smallest switch available and is best suited to smaller hands as it doesn’t have detachable controllers.

However, the big caveat with Switch Lite is that it doesn’t dock to a TV. Not only does this make it more difficult to play games together with your child, but it’s also tougher to keep tabs on exactly what they’re playing.

Of course, the comprehensive Parental Controls app makes monitoring your child’s gaming time easy, but if you want to be able to watch the screen and share their progress, it’s probably more comfortable to watch a larger, shared screen. If so, you’ll want to opt for a regular Switch or Switch OLED model that can also be played on the TV.