The best Nintendo Switch games for kids

Kirby has always been a fantastic game for kids. His games are never terribly difficult, and his bright, happy personality is impossible not to fall in love with. From his adventures on the GameBoy to turning into yarn and other crafting materials, Kirby has always been a 2D-style game. That all changed with Kirby and the Forgotten Land in 2022. Now able to explore freely in all directions, Kirby’s world is even more fun to run through, sucking up enemies to see what new powers he can get. For a new bit of variety, and hilarity, Kirby can also suck up inanimate objects like cars and traffic cones, warping his shape to fit around them in an adorable way (as long as you don’t think too hard about it). Kirby and the Forgotten Land also has a co-op mode so you can join your younger gamer or have them bring a friend along for the entire adventure.

There is no cuter dino in the video game world than Yoshi. Nintendo shows us how cute he can really be with Yoshi’s Crafted World, giving us a whole new egg-filled adventure. The Yoshis are living peacefully on Yoshi’s Island, and at the topmost peak sits a gem-set artifact known as the Sundream Stone. The stone has the power to “make anyone’s wildest dreams come true.” Unfortunately, Kamek and Baby Bowser have their eyes set on the stone. While attempting to steal it, the gems are flung across the world. This leaves the sweet Yoshis to work together, find all of the missing gems, and put the Sundream Stone back together to save Yoshi’s Island. Yoshi gives us a new perspective on everyday objects, such as boxes and paper cups, in this side-scrolling adventure. You are able to flip each level, allowing players to see behind each paper item that was previously passed. You’ll also have the chance to play in co-op mode, adding more Yoshi goodness to your party. The adorable game is perfect for younger players.

When the world feels gray, there’s no better way to shake it up than to throw colors everywhere. Despite being the third in a series, Splatoon 3 is as easy to jump into for kids as any other. You take control of a customizable squid-kid who is armed with various ink-spreading tools like water pistols, paint brushes, and buckets to cover the area in vibrant ink. This colorful and fun game is a delight for players over the age of 9 without worry about it being overly violent. The game is so full of music and joy that it’s almost hard to believe that a tough time is ahead. There is a multiplayer mode, a single-player story mode, and DLC to keep kids entertained for quite some time.

Another Nintendo staple is Kirby, the adorable pink ball who absorbs the powers of enemies he inhales. And Kirby Star Allies is the perfect addition to the Kirby franchise. Far away from Kirby’s home planet, Planet Popstar, a dark crystal heart explodes. This sends numerous fragments called Jamba Hearts hurtling through space, affecting different planets it encounters. Unfortunately for Planet Popstar, a few of its inhabitants decided to investigate these Jamba Hearts. This led to them being possessed by the dark heart crystals. Fortunately for Kirby, when he investigates the hearts, he gains the ability to befriend enemies. Now it’s up to Kirby to rescue his friends, Planet Popstar, and defeat the Jambastation bad guys to save the day! In order to defeat the Jambastation baddies, you’ll need to recruit different friends to join your battle. By encouraging enemies (and old friends) to fight by your side, you’ll be able to gain more abilities than ever before. Up to four players can join the battle, encouraging teamwork and cooperation between different people. This game is easy enough for young children to learn the controls, so all ages are invited to try it out!

RPGs tend to be a bit too much for younger gamers, but the remake of Super Mario RPG is the perfect entry point to the genre for kids. This adorable game combines some light platforming Mario is known for with a turn-based combat system using hammers, shells, and other classic Mario powerups. The story is charming, easy to follow, and not terribly long. Nothing is meant to be overly difficult, and there’s always a new place to visit, character to meet, or enemy to jump on. If you want to test the waters to see if a younger gamer in your life might be interested in RPGs, this is the best way to get them started.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the perfect addition to any aspiring video gamer’s collection. The game takes on the classic Mario side-scroller adventure, but this time players will get to choose from an array of different characters to play as. The real “wonder” the game presents is in the wonder flowers. Picking one up will completely transform the level in a new and exciting way. This can be a visual change, or even mechanical. The game isn’t too hard so younger players can have fun, but slightly older kids can go for the more challenging stages to test their skills too. Plus, it is all co-op so everyone can play together.

Video games have also taken the next step in gaming by moving toward tabletop games. Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics compiles some of the world’s most popular tabletop games into one place. Kids will have a chance to try out tabletops that they may not have had the chance to get their hands on. It also helps to save money because instead of buying 51 individual tabletop games, parents will only need to buy the one video game. Kids who love tabletop games or want to try games from other countries will love the opportunity to try Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics. From Majong to Mancala, this game has almost every classic tabletop you can think of.

Celeste is a challenging platformer with an awesome heroine. Players help Madeline survive her incredible journey to the top of Celeste Mountain. In the process, she has to survive her inner demons and insecurities. The game is narrative-driven and has a charming cast of characters. This touching story of self-discovery will help kids think about their actions in a more introspective way. The controls for the game are accessible and simple. The hard part of the game isn’t the controls but rather how well the controls are implemented. With every death, kids can learn a little bit about how the game works and how to properly use each function. Also, respawns happen quickly, so you won’t have to wait through a loading screen to get back in the game. This game would work best for kids over the age of 10. Because kids will have to master when to use the controls, it can be a little frustrating for younger players to get a handle on how the game works. Additionally, some of the ideas may be too complex for younger kids to understand.