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Best Kids Games on Switch – Top 12

James and the boys at SwitchWatchTV have compiled a wonderful list of games you can enjoy with the whole family! That’s right. A list of the Best Kids Games on the Nintendo Switch, and I think for all the mothers and fathers out there, like myself, this will serve as a very helpful guide as to what are genuinely great games for your kids to play. Without further adieu, here are the Top 12 Best Kids Games on Switch! Check out the video below, or you can continue to read the list here on SwitchWatch.co.uk.

Nintendo has a well-earned reputation for making great games that kids love either alone or with the whole family, and the Nintendo Switch carries on that tradition. But which are the best kids games on Switch? I’m James Romero here at SwitchWatch, and along with Jordan and Juan we’ve got you covered. We picked our 12 favorites for best kids games, and we’ve included the ESRB rating for games and the UK rating when it differs.

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As a parent, everyone has a slightly different take on what you think is appropriate for your kids. Generally, we’ve picked games that we personally find suitable for young children, and if we think it’s for a slightly older audience, we’ve highlighted that so you can make an informed decision. Now, let’s jump in and take a look at the best kids games!

Luigi’s Mansion 3

ESRB rating: Everyone
Mild cartoon violence and mischief

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Jordan: Luigi’s Mansion 3 was my personal game of the year 2019. We all knew it would be good, but I don’t think many were expected just how polished and well designed it turned out to be. This is a game that was cooked to almost perfection. In this game, Luigi and his buddies are invited to stay at a hotel when suddenly his companions are captured by King Boo. Luigi needs to brave up and scour the many floors in order to rescue them. While there’s a hint of horror in here, it’s cartoony enough and packed with comedy that many kids will enjoy. It may also put up a challenge in places, but the 2 player co-op mode where a second player takes charge of Gooigi, Luigi’s malleable doppleganger, this is the perfect game for a parent and child to take on together. Great time spent together as you work out how to solve the puzzles and find all the delicious secrets.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

ESRB Rating: Everyone
Comic mischief

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Juan: Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the quintessential game for families. Not only is it one of the most relaxing games you can play on the Switch, but there is literally something to do every day to keep you and the kids busy. Building your island together can be a lot of fun, and the fact that you can play locally up to 4 players allows for some great co-op entertainment!

On top of it all, the game is constantly updating to cater to each holiday, so this means your kids can learn about the meanings of holidays around the world, especially places like Japan and Europe. Collecting fossils, fish, bugs, and paintings also gives the kids a sense of discovery as they explore the island. I cannot recommend this game enough! It isn’t just fun for little kids, but it is genuinely fun for the whole family.

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Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

ESRB rating: Everyone
Comic mischief

James: For me this is an obvious stand out choice. There is no game that will lead to more competitive family game time than Mario Kart 8 Deluxe! This is one of the few games that even non-gamers will enjoy and is in my opinion the best Mario Kart game to date. Combining racing with whimsical weapons is the classic Mario Kart combo and it hasn’t changed here, with dozens of excellent tracks and all of our favorite Nintendo characters to play as, lots of cars to chose from, and lots of different unlocks that this should be a family staple.

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As well as competitive local play, there are solo cups to take on and online options with friends or a wider audience to enjoy and battle modes to mix things up nicely. There are difficulty steps built in, starting out with the slower paced 50cc races and working their way up to the frantic 200cc races. There is something for every ability level to enjoy! The fact that you can play using just a single JoyCon is a great addition if you don’t own enough controllers but want to play together, and there are a number of handy auto features, taking away various controls so your youngest can still enjoy the action. There’s a reason this is the best selling game on the Nintendo Switch, because it’s an essential purchase that everyone can enjoy.

Rayman Legends

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
(7+ in the UK)
Mild cartoon violence and mischief

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Rayman Legends on the Nintendo Switch is a great blast! It’s one of the best platformers in recent years, and the definitive version on the Switch brings a few additions to the already large game. Kids will enjoy this on their own and take advantage of playing on the move, but it’s equally as fun playing with a friend as you take on the colorful worlds. In fact, up to four players can enjoy this one together, and cooperation will be needed so there is some nice learning on that front.

With 120 beautifully drawn levels to explore and a fantastic soundtrack, this is a magical world that children of all ages can enjoy.

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Unravel Two

ESRB rating: everyone
Mild fantasy violence

Unravel Two is a charming side scrolling puzzle platformer game where you control two yarnys, little characters made of thread through a series of adventures. In the story, these characters are made from positive energy and are trying to assist two children on the run. The gameplay is clever as you need to use both yarnys together to progress making this an excellent game for kids to work together and collaborate. The positive story and puzzle solving nature of the game set in a cute and wondrous world make this an excellent choice for kids of all ages. While you can play this solo, it’s certainly better together.

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Spyro the Dragon Trilogy Reignited

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
(7+ in the UK)
Mild cartoon violence and mischief

Spyro the Dragon was a hit back on the PlayStation, designed as a mascot to compete with the much loved Nintendo icons like Mario. Fast forward to today, and we’ve gone full circle as the original trilogy has been remastered lovingly and ported onto the Nintendo Switch. I remember playing these games as a youngster, and the magic hasn’t been lost. In fact, this is my 5-year-old niece’s favorite game when she visits my house!

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The original exploration and platforming gameplay hasn’t been messed with. There are a few tweaks to bring the game up to modern standards, but none that detract. Graphically, this is a complete overhaul from the ground up. Spyro and the worlds he visits look glorious in HD. A lot of love went into these games, and it shows with subtle details. If you don’t move for a while, Spyro will turn around give you a cheeky grin. When you breathe fire onto grass, it burns, and enemies have new animations as well.

Across the 3 games, there are over 100 levels, so you are certainly getting a lot of bang for your buck with this package and the difficulty isn’t too high. That said, there are lots of secrets and collectibles, so this scales nicely from younger children all the way up to adults.

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Super Mario Odyssey

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
(7+ in the UK)
Mild cartoon violence and mischief

Super Mario Odyssey is probably the best ever 3D platforming game. An impressive feat! Years in the making, Super Mario Odyssey introduces a new generation to the wonder of the Mario world and is extremely fun for older players too! Taking place in a large semi-open world, each of the game’s kingdoms is distinctly different, full of character, and a delight to be discovered.

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Your objective is to find power moons in order to travel onwards and ultimately face Bowser. Along with your trusty sidekick Cappy, who can be controlled by a second player in co-op. You explore these wonderfully varied worlds from the Sand Kingdom to the Metro Kingdom, and the game is surprisingly large but well balanced. You only need a handful of power moons from each world to progress, so kids won’t get tired and give up too quickly. For those that want to explore and delve deeper, there are many many secrets and tougher areas to explore. One of the great things about the game is that youngsters will need to use their wits to figure out how to reach certain areas and are rewarded for exploring. The graphics and music are superb, too! There is nothing not to like about this game.

Yoshi’s Crafted World

ESRB rating: Everyone
Mild cartoon violence

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Yoshi’s Crafted World is a wonderful introduction to the world of side-scrolling 2D platformers, taking place in a papercraft world that uses everyday objects like cups, pencils, cardboard, and cloth. The story is lightweight, and there are a few little moments from time to time, but ultimately this is a sugary sweet glorious world to enjoy and explore.

The layout of the world is clever using the surroundings to great effect and hiding lots of pleasant surprises when you flip the world and travel the reverse. The 40 levels on offer are pretty easy, ideal for younger children to enjoy without getting too frustrated. This is a perfect game to introduce a younger audience to platforming in a feel good way. That said, there are lots of hidden objects to find and bonuses for completing stages without losing any health adding a little bit more challenge and longevity to the game. It also features co-op for the entirety of the game, so two can pick this up and work together.

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Just Dance 2020

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
(3+ in the UK)
Mild lyrics, mild suggestive themes

One of the struggles parents have, especially at the moment, is keeping kids active or finding a way for them to burn off excess energy. Just Dance 2020 fills that void absolutely perfect and has the added bonus of being a great way for you to sneak a workout in while playing together as a family!

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Just Dance has you following a professional dancer’s silhouette while holding a single JoyCon or your mobile phone along to a bunch of popular tracks. The series is well refined after over 10 years of iterations, and there are some great features including a kid’s mode that lowers the difficulty and ups the nonsense on screen to delight your youngsters!

The game ships with 50 tracks, and there is an optional annual subscription called Just Dance Unlimited which adds a deep catalogue of over 500 songs. There’s also a free one month trial.

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I’ve personally been really enjoying this one at the minute, with online leaderboards for each song, the option of co-op play, and little challenges to keep things interesting. There’s never been a better time to pick this game up, and your children will love replaying some of these songs to get a better scores!

Katamari Damacy ReRoll

ESRB rating: everyone
Mild fantasy violence
Alcohol and tobacco reference

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Katamari first came out on the PS2 in 2004 and has been lovingly remastered for the Nintendo Switch. Lovingly known as a roll-em-up, this is a puzzle game where you need to grow sticky balls (called a Katamari) by running over objects to get it large enough. You start out rolling over gum and paperclips but eventually step up to trucks, boats, cars, and even people! The graphics are intentionally blocky to avoid any gore or detail, and the whole thing is bonkers, fast paced fun. Rolling up your ball is tricky to control, making it harder than it sounds. Speaking of sounds, the soundtrack is superb! You can play with a JoyCon in multiplayer as well. If you are after a simple and fun game, this is one to look at!

Minecraft

ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+
(7+ in the UK)
Mild fantasy violence

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The phenomenon that is Minecraft has found its way onto pretty much every possible place a game can be played, including the Nintendo Switch. If you are unfamiliar with the game, it is essentially a large sandbox world where your creativity can run wild. Taking inspiration from LEGO, Minecraft is all about blocks, along with a handy set of tools you can craft any world that you can imagine and then explore it either alone or with friends locally or online.

As you break down blocks and mine different materials, you can craft stronger materials and tools which in turn opens up the options at your disposal. There is no set way to play. If you prefer to jump into a pre-made world and essentially play a game, you can do that. When it first came out on the Switch, it was wonderful to experience the game on the go or docked. Switching between both with proper controls is brilliant, but there were limitations when compared to PC or other consoles, for examples.

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However, the Switch version uses the bedrock engine, opening up larger maps, more features, and improving stability. It also means that your kids can play with their friends regardless of what console they have due to cross platform play, a handy feature! There are no games out there that lets your children be as imaginative or creative as Minecraft. It’s also one of the most addictive games, so watch out for your kids not wanting to switch this off after playing for hours in a row!

Labo VR

ESRB: Everyone 10+
(7+ in the UK)

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The Nintendo Labo is designed with children in mind. The premise is to use cardboard sheets which kids assemble into toy controllers which they then use to interact with games on the Switch. Assembling these kits is itself a great activity, complete with stickers and various colors your kids can build these with a bit of help from you.

Once assembled, the kit comes with a bunch of different ways to play, the VR kit is perhaps the best of the bunch. You get to build VR goggles, a toy-con blaster, a camera, elephant head, bird, and a wind pedal which you can use to bring the infamously expansive world of VR into your home in a fun way. The addition of the garage lets kids work on building their own experiences and mini games giving creative types a lovely outlet. As a nice touch, a lot of Nintendo’s games have some small additional content in which you can use the kit to discover something new.

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And there you have it, folks! 12 of the best kids games on the Nintendo Switch. With so many great games for kids, there are certainly other fantastic games to choose from. What are your favorites? Let us know in the comments down below!

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