If you're a parent or loved one shopping for a video-game loving kid, it can be hard to figure out what games are geared towards kids and what games are geared towards adults.
Now more than ever, video gaming has been taken over by adults, and even "cozy games" are geared towards adults, especially millennials. A lot of Nintendo Switch games have complicated mechanics and hidden controls that will confuse kids but provide a welcome challenge for the adults that play.
Below are 10 of the best Nintendo Switch games that are perfect for young kids ages 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. Sometimes it's easy to go back to the basics with Mario & Luigi and their new game Brothership, or dive into a new story with familiar characters in Detective Pikachu Returns.
The games below have little to no violence, easy controls, an easy-to-follow story, and no online multiplayers gameplay, perfect for young children that are just starting to play video games!
Mario & Luigi: Brothership just released this November 7th, and is a heartfelt tale where Mario takes to the seas to find Luigi. Mario & Luigi Brothership tanked in many reviews. Reviewers said the dialogue is repeated too often, the puzzles are too simple, and the game holds your hand the entire time. Maybe Nintendo just intended for this game to be played by children!
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is one of the best new games for children ages 7-10. The game constantly reminds players where to go, what buttons to press, and what the main point of the story is. Mario & Luigi: Brothership is rated E for Everyone with Mild Fantasy Violence, and is available both on Amazon and in the Nintendo Switch Store.
Detective Pikachu Returns is a new adventure set in Ryme City, where Detective Pikachu and his partner are solving a jewel heist. If you know a child or pre-teen that loves Pokémon, this is the perfect game for them!
Detective Pikachu is a narrative game instead of an exploration game, meaning the game will help guide young children to the next chapter automatically.
In Detective Pikachu Returns, players get help from other Pokémon around Ryme City to help solve cases and investigate scenes where the player simply points out clues to progress the game.
Detective Pikachu Returns is the perfect adorable and kid-friendly game for the Nintendo Switch! Detective Pikachu Returns is rated E for Everyone, includes Mild Fantasy Violence, and is available both on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch Store.
Super Mario Party Jamboree is the perfect Nintendo Switch party game for siblings, holidays, and a family New Years Eve party! Super Mario Party Jamboree is the next addition in the Super Mario Pary franchise, and has more content than ever.
Super Mario Party Jamboree has over 110 mini-games and 22 different characters to play. This is the best Nintendo Switch game for sleepovers, children with siblings, and big family events with cousins, aunts, and uncles! Play with the entire family in 8-player local co-op. Children can even play by themselves and compete against computer-generated characters on quiet nights.
Super Mario Party Jamboree is rated E for Everyone with Mild Fantasy Violence and is available on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch store.
Yoshi's Crafted World is a new Nintendo Switch game that features the beloved dinosaur as the main character! When Baby Bowser attempts to steal a gemstone, he shatters it into a million pieces, and it's up to Yoshi to find them! Yoshi's Crafted World is one of the best Nintendo Switch games for children ages 7-10 because it's a classic Mario platformer game with adorable characters.
Yoshi's Crafted World is a classic Mario platformer. The player and a friend can progress through maps, collecting all the coins and flowers you can find. Yoshi's Crafted World is rated E for Everyone with mild cartoon violence and is available both on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch Store.
Endless Ocean Luminous for Nintendo Switch is the best Nintendo Switch game for children that love animals. In Endless Ocean Luminous, you can discover over 500 species of animals that will all be catalogued with their names. This is the perfect game for children who love animals and learning!
In Endless Ocean Luminous, the ocean will change every single time the player takes a dive, meaning it will be fun for hundreds of hours. With over 500 species to discover, your child will spend hundreds of hours exploring a vast ocean and learning! Endless Ocean Luminous is rated E for Everyone with In-Game Purchases, and is available on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch Store.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is the perfect game to start getting into the Legend of Zelda series! Link's Awakening features the classic Zelda soundtrack and the original world of Hyrule. This game has a 4.8-star rating with over 24,000 reviews on Amazon.
Link's Awakening is the best Nintendo Switch game for kids ages 7-10. This new Zelda adventure gives frequent reminders for what buttons to press and where to go. Link's Awakening features lots of easy puzzles and simple combat that will be easy for children to understand.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is rated E for Everyone with Mild Fantasy Violence and is available on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch Store!
Princess Peach: Showtime! is a new Mario game that features Princess Peach as the main character! This is the first game to feature Princess Peach as the main playable character.
Princess Peach is tasked with saving the Sparkle Theater from a wicked troupe of actors and will use a ton of sparkly abilities and transformations to save the day. Princess Peach can transform into a figure skater, a dashing thief, a mermaid, a cowgirl, a swordfighter, a chef, a detective, and more!
Princess Peach: Showtime is the perfect game for children that love pink dresses, mermaids, ice skaters, and more! Princess Peach: Showtime is rated E 10+ for Mild Fantasy Violence, and is available both on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch Store.
Pikmin 4 is the most recent addition to the Pikmin Franchise, an adorable team-building game filled with little plant creatures with special powers. In Pikmin 4, players grow and gather these little plant creatures and explore the world with Otachi, your space dog!
To succeed in Pikmin 4, players will need to balance caring for their little Pikmin and leading their team into mysterious new areas filled with danger. Similar to Pokemon, Pikmin have different types like ice and fire, and players will need to create a balanced team for all situations!
Pikmin 4 is an adorable game for children ages 7-10 that will start engaging their critical thinking skills. Pikmin 4 is rated E 10+ for Comic Mischief and Fantasy Violence, and is available both on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch Store.
Fae Farm is an adorable farming and crafting game with a magical twist. There's no end of things to do in the game Fae Farm. Players can farm crops, craft furniture, cook, create potions, fish, and explore the world outside their farm.
In Fae Farm, players can collect fuzzy magical creatures to keep on their farm and build friendships with the other in-game characters. Fae Farm is the perfect farming sim for children to start with, as the game offers a detailed introduction, easy-to-follow quests, and adorable graphics.
Fae Farm also now includes two free bonus content updates, adding even more hours of playtime and making this one of the best Nintendo Switch games for children ages 7-10. Fae Farm is rated E 10+ for Fantasy Violence and is available both on Amazon and the Nintendo Switch Store.
MySims: Cozy Bundle is an adorable intro to the Sims franchise for children. This game includes two different stories to play through - help Mayor Rosalyn rebuild an island town and then travel with King Roland to different islands and explore.
In MySims: Cozy Bundle, players will unlock new clothes and building options by completing quests and exploring the world. In MySims, players will not only build their own house, but will be able to design an entire town. In the second storyline, players will also unlock magic to help them complete puzzles.
MySims: Cozy Bundle is releasing on November 19th, 2024 and will be rated E for Everyone on both Amazon and the Nintendo Switch store!
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