Mario and friends looking at something next to a castle in Super Mario. Bros.

Screenshot via Nintendo

Best family-friendly games of 2023

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Aleksandar Perišić

Published: Dec 27, 2023 12:14 am

2023 was a fantastic year for gaming. We’ve had incredibly immersive RPG experiences, huge open worlds, and plenty of games we can play with the entire household. It doesn’t matter if you are holding the controller for the first time or if you are an avid gamer. These games are for everyone, especially the little ones.

Our best 10 family-friendly games of 2023

For this list, I picked some of my favorite games I played together with my family and friends. I made sure to make the games as varied as possible and to cover them on as many platforms as I could. Don’t worry; not all the games on the list are Switch exclusives.

Without further ado, enjoy the list of 2023’s best games you can play with your family.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo Switch)

Official art for Super Mario Bros Wonder, one of Nintendo's games in 2023. The image features Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Yoshi. — Nothing beats a fun Mario game. Image via Nintendo

The new Super Mario Bros. Wonder feels both familiar and brand new. While it’s still the same old 2D Mario game with tight platforming and controls, the wonder flowers add a whole new twist to the genre.

The game has a very smooth difficulty curve fit for both veteran players and those who have never held a controller before. You just can’t go wrong with Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

WarioWare: Move It! (Nintendo Switch)

Wario angrily throwing stone Joy-Cons away. — Screenshot by Dot Esports | Image via Nintendo

If you happen to have a bunch of Nintendo Switch joy-cons, you might as well put them to good use. And there’s no better way to take full advantage of your joy-cons than with the new WarioWare: Move It!

Gather the entire family, make sure there’s enough room, and see who can win the most microgames. There’s a very low chance you won’t be laughing out loud when you play this game with friends and family.

Disney Dreamlight Valley (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC)

The player taking a group selfie with Eve, Rapunzel, and Gaston. — Your favorite Disney characters, all in one valley. Image via Gameloft

If you ever dreamt about living in an Animal Crossing version of Disneyland, there is no better game out there than Disney Dreamlight Valley. The game left early access on Dec. 1 and brought a new biome along with a few more characters.

Even before the game got its official release, there was plenty of content available, and developers Gameloft have kept adding new items and characters via Star Paths and content updates. If you haven’t played the game in early access, there is enough content to keep you and the entire family busy for months, if not more.

Lil Gator Game (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC)

A small Alligator is running around a playground with a small stick and shield pretending to be Link — Gators! Image via Playtonic Games

This humble yet adorable game is all about family values. You play as a little alligator who wants to convince his older to have fun again. To do so, you walk around the island and do various tasks and some good platforming and just have fun.

The graphics and the gameplay remind me a lot of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, which is always a good thing in my book. Short, simple, and absolutely adorable, Lil Gator Game is a great pick for platform fans and those who like little alligators.

Tchia (PC, PlayStation)

Showing the main character standing in front of other characters from the game with a beach in the background. — Explore in paradise. Image via Steam

Tchia came out in March 2023 and became a hidden gem overnight. In this game, you play as a little girl on a journey to save her father while exploring an open-world archipelago. While it’s not perfect, this is a gorgeous open-world game where you explore islands and soul-jump into animals.

It’s also filled with New Caledonia lore and culture, including native songs. Other than that, it’s a relaxing exploration game with a lot to offer. It’s also available on PlayStation Plus Extra.

Bluey: The Video Game (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC)

Bluey and the rest of her family happily jumping in front of their house — Bluey The Video Game. Image via Steam

In November, Bluey got her first official video game. In Bluey: The Video Game, the Heeler family goes on a treasure-hunting adventure where they visit several locations where they partake in various activities.

Each location will have different activities and different interactable characters, both from the show and new ones. The entire game is also voiced by the same cast that voices the show. If you or your household are fans of Bluey, this seems like a perfect pick.

Dave the Diver (PC, Nintendo Switch)

The loading screen for Dave the Diver, showing the title above the sea and a boat, with a sushi restaurant in the distance. — Cheers, Dave! Image via Mintrocket

A super-addictive and super-relaxing game about a chubby diver who catches fresh ocean fish for a sushi restaurant. Dave the Diver mixes a lot of gameplay elements from many different game genres and crams them into one pixelated delight.

Want to dive under the ocean? You can do that. Want to serve food at a restaurant? Can do! How about taking care of a farm? It has that too! You won’t tell me there is a Tamagotchi in the game as well, will you? Wait, are you kidding? Dave the Diver has so much going for it, perhaps even too much, but it’s still a fun experience that players of all ages can enjoy.

Super Mario RPG (Nintendo Switch)

Another Mario title, they just can’t be stopped. Image via Nintendo

A turn-based JRPG starring the Italian plumber? Does that even work? You bet it does. Super Mario RPG is a remake of the original SNES game where you play as Mario and battle your way by jumping and stopping enemies through a turn-based battle system.

While at first, it looks like any other Mario adventure, the story quickly shifts into something unique and wacky. At one point, even Bowser joins you on your adventure. If you want to take a break from the standard Mario formula, Super Mario RPG is a great pick.

Headbangers: Rhythm Royale (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC)

Two pigeons next to the title of the game. One pigeon is wearing red headphones — Headbangers intro screen. Screenshot by Dot Esports via Glee-Cheese Studio

Ever wanted to play a game as a musically gifted pigeon? No, well, neither did we, but that’s exactly what you do in this fun battle royale. Instead of being the last man standing, here, you compete against other players in various rhythm-based games.

Press the button when the time is right, follow the beat, or just memorize a pattern and see if you can be the last pigeon standing. Headbangers: Rhythm Royale is available on Xbox Game Pass.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure (Apple Arcade)

Hello Kitty and friends waving at the player from various locations on the island — Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Image via Polygon

Last but not least, we have a cozy game for Apple users. Hello Kitty Island Adventure is an Apple Arcade game where you explore a cozy island and meet the inhabitants as a Hello Kitty character. After you create your character, you are ready to do quests, decorate your home, collect things, and even go through a surprisingly long main story. For an Apple arcade game, there is surprisingly a lot to do. Most importantly, it’s fun and relaxing and can be played by players both young and old.

And those are my picks for some of the most fun, family-friendly games I played this year. Happy holidays, and I hope you look forward to 2024 when we will hopefully get even more family-friendly games.

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