Family fun in a pixel world: my games to enjoy with your children

I’m not trying to turn my kids into gamers. I want them to discover their own hobbies and passions. But since I often deal with games in my private and professional life, they arouse the curiosity of my little whirlwinds. Sometimes they ask if we can play something together and sometimes it’s me who wants to game on the sofa while the kids are around.

My son and daughter are now just under three and five and a half years old respectively. Finding common ground isn’t so easy. Because of myself as well. As an avid gamer, I’m reluctant to simply satisfy my kids with generic mobile games. Fortunately, there are enough «real» games that we can all enjoy.

Since my kids are still relatively young, they’re mostly content to watch. That said, I’m always on the lookout for co-op games so we can all play at the same time. More often than not, they demand a controller too. Operating two analogue sticks is less intuitive than swiping around on a tablet. My two-year-old is patient, but if I don’t help, his player character just spins in circles. For us, the following games have provided the smiles. Sometimes more on my end, sometimes more with the kids – see our rating system:

Great 🤩
Good 😄
OK 🙂

Knights and Bikes

One of my daughter’s favourite games is Knights and Bikes. You play two adventurous girls exploring a mysterious island on their bicycles. They’re accompanied by their goose friend, Captain Honkers. There are smaller puzzles that my daughter can guess along with. Battles against wicked cardboard knights and other dangers require some skill. But since you can revive each other, we always make good progress. The graphics are colourful and creative and the story is full of childish fantasy. And most importantly, you can decorate your bikes.

Fun rating for adults: 😄
Fun rating for kids: 🤩
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch
Age rating: from 7 years
Game modes: single player or co-op

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The perennial favourite among fun racers is also popular in our house. My kids love the iconic Nintendo characters. They always wear their Super Mario and Super Luigi hats for this – yes, Luigi is super with us too. A special advantage of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is that you’ll be able to activate various driving aids. This allows the racing cars to almost steer by themselves. My kids can hardly get across the starting line without it. I only have to help when firing the power ups from time to time. As a big car fan, the game goes down a little better with the younger guy. My daughter doesn’t like to lose, which is unavoidable even with all the control aids.

Fun rating for adults: 😄
Fun rating for kids: 😄
Where: Switch
Age rating: everyone
Game modes: single player or multiplayer

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

One game that fulfils me and also excites my children is the new Zelda. From an adult point of view, I don’t need to say much more about it. The positive reviews as well as the sales figures speak for themselves. My kids also love Link’s wondrous adventure. I usually let them decide where to go next. The free gameplay is a particular strength of Tears of the Kingdom. Certain cutscenes with head villain Ganon are a bit scary for my kids, but most of the time they’re easy to avoid.

Fun rating for adults: 🤩
Fun rating for kids: 😄
Where: Switch
Age rating: from 12 years
Game mode: single player

Lil Gator Game

The most requested game even ahead of Zelda is Lil Gator Game. It has parallels to Nintendo’s megahit. Here, too, you’ll explore an open game world equipped with a sword and shield. Granted, the sword and shield are strictly speaking just a stick and a painted piece of cardboard. That doesn’t stop the little crocodile from coming up with a fantastic adventure of his own. His goal is to play with his sister, who’s visiting from college, like they used to. To do this, you gather friends scattered around the island, help them overcome small problems and kill heaps of cardboard monsters. The latter is clearly the highlight for my son. My daughter decides which hat or weapon the crocodile should bring along. Sometimes the kids play by themselves. This can degenerate into a fight over the controller, though, where they don’t get too much done – but we still have fun.

Fun rating for adults: 😄
Fun rating for kids: 🤩
Where: PC, Switch
Age rating: from 3 years
Game mode: single player

My Friend Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig is probably the most popular children’s series next to Paw Patrol. But unlike the latter series of ads disguised as a cartoon that ChatGPT might have produced, the Piggy Family is harmless. When my daughter discovers the pink piglet while scrolling through Game Pass, I let myself be talked into trying it. The game isn’t much more than an interactive joyride through the locations of the series. You take on the role of a friend that you can create yourself. Then it’s off to play in Peppa’s room, visit Grandma and Grandpa Wutz in their garden, or get a ride to Madame Gazelle’s playgroup. Play-wise, there’s little interaction, but you’ll have seen it all quickly anyway.

Fun rating for adults: 😄
Fun rating for kids: 🤩
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch
Age rating: from 3 years
Game mode: single player

Lost in Play

Lost in Play is a loving puzzle game in which you’ll accompany a brother and sister on an adventurous journey. You’ll meet magical creatures that will help you find your way back home. The design is beautiful and would easily serve as a template for an animated series. I control the game, but my daughter is busy guessing. Her younger brother also grins at all the wondrous beings and worlds that we travel through. A 100 per cent recommendation for young and old.

Fun rating for adults: 🤩
Fun rating for kids: 🤩
Where: PC, Switch, Android, iOS
Age rating: from 3 years
Game mode: single player

SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake

I like Spongebob, my kids like Spongebob, perfect conditions for this colourful jump-’n’-run game. The yellow sponge has upset the cosmic balance. So he has to restore law and order across a colourful collection of levels. Sometimes he rides through the Wild West on a seahorse, sometimes he karate-chops evil henchmen on a movie set, then he messes with bad-tempered snails in the Stone Age. Still a bit too difficult for my kids, but as entertaining to watch as the series itself.

Fun rating for adults: 😄
Fun rating for kids: 🤩
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch
Age rating: from 7 years
Game mode: single player

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Not only is it one of the best Lego games ever, The Skywalker Saga is one of the best Star Wars games out there. It can be played alone or together. It’s full of smart jokes that have my kids and me laughing. All nine films are included. You can play them in any order. Sometimes you’re fighting fast-paced space battles on the Death Star, then you’re hopping through the jungles of Dagobah, or you’re racing through the dense forest of Endor on a speeder. It’s still a bit difficult for my daughter, but the difficulty level is kid-friendly and thanks to her nerdy dad’s support we master every challenge.

Fun rating for adults: 🤩
Fun rating for kids: 🤩
Where: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Switch
Age rating: from 7 years
Game modes: single player or multiplayer

Chuchel

A game virtually bursting with wit and creativity. You control a small orange character who actually just wants to eat a delicious red cherry. But every time the fruit is within reach, someone takes it away or it otherwise gets lost. The levels usually consist of only one screen. There’s neither written nor spoken dialogue. You have to figure out for yourself what to do. The fails are just as funny as the actual solution. A terrific game for all ages.

Fun rating for adults: 🤩
Fun rating for kids: 🤩
Where: PC, Android, iOS
Age rating: from 3 years
Game modes: single player or multiplayer

Tchia

My daughter is always particularly happy about games where she can play a girl. Same goes for Tchia, an open world game modelled on New Caledonia. Tchia doesn’t just explore the picturesque archipelago on her sailing raft, she can also slip into the bodies of animals. Sometimes we fly over palm forests as a seagull, then we dive through coral reefs as a dolphin, or we trot through lush green grasslands as a deer. Apart from a few annoying fights, Tchia is a leisurely stroll of a game. My daughter also enjoys navigating the little girl through the world. And one thing’s for sure: my daughter gets to decide on the choice of hairstyle, clothes or the colour of the sail.

Fun rating for adults: 😄
Fun rating for kids: 😄
Where: PC, PS4, PS5
Age rating: from 12 years
Game mode: single player

Unpacking

Unpacking is both relaxing and thrilling at the same time. Across the different stages of life of an initially young woman, you help her unpack. First in the room she had as a child, later in a student dormitory and at some point in her own four walls. The fact that a story is subtly told through the interior only benefits me. In return, my kids happily help decide which toys go where or how to hang the pictures. With any luck, it will rub off on their own tidying behaviour for their rooms. There’s no time limit. The goal is just to unpack all the boxes and put shampoo, the DVD collection or cookware in a suitable place. Unpacking is a meditative game peppered with many little details.

Fun rating for adults: 🤩
Fun rating for kids: 😄
Where: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, Switch
Age rating: from 3 years
Game modes: single player or multiplayer

More tips from my list

The following games are either still unplayed or were experienced only by me. However, they’re high on my list to try with my kids. If you express interest, I’ll be happy to provide you with feedback on them.

Wobbledogs

A brightly coloured and crazy animal simulator in which you create your own mutant dogs. PC and Switch, from 3 years.

What the Car?

What the Golf was already chaotic puzzle fun. Now you exchange your golf club for a car.

Apple Arcade, from 3 years.

Cat Quest

A cuddly role-playing game in a cat kingdom for two players. Part 3 will be published soon.

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Xbox Series, Switch, Android, iOS, from 7 years.

Costume Quest

Candy-obsessed kids mess with nasty tooth soldiers on Halloween, transforming into their costume counterparts.

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox, Xbox Series, Switch, Android, iOS, from 7 years.