Our pick of the best videogames for all the family
Whether you’re looking for a new game that you can all play together as a family or just want something you can be happy to leave them playing on their own, you’ll find something to suit in our round-up of top family videogames.
World of Warriors
If you’ve owned a Nintendo console any time in the past two decades, chances are you’ve played a Mario Party title. The franchise has been going since 1999, and the core gameplay hasn’t really changed in all that time. This is essentially an interactive boardgame – make your way around the board, tackling mini-games as you go. That’s still the play in this 10th game of the series, and the games are simple enough for everyone in the family to join in.
£24.99, Wii U, Zavvi.com
Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show
As you can guess from the name, this game cast you within a TV show – one that’s been populated by the hilarious/aggravating (actual experience may vary) Rabbids, stars of many a family-friendly party game. The game comes with 20 different episodes, each of which you join in with through mini-games. Gameplay is via your Kinect or PlayStation Camera, so it’s lots of leaping around and waggling various limbs in the air – all stuff that you can thoroughly expect your six-year-old to roundly beat you at each time.
£15.98, PS4, Zavvi.com (also out on Xbox One, X360)
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
This recent release from Nintendo is undeniably kid-friendly, but it’s also one of those games that you’ll be switching back on for a sneaky go once they’ve gone to bed. Bit-part Nintendo character Captain Toad gets his very own game here, which is essentially an expanded version of his side missions in Super Mario 3D World. The twist to the game is that Captain Toad is puny – he can’t run, he can’t jump and he has no superpowers. Solving the levels is therefore more of a puzzle game than a platformer (and therefore most suited to slightly older kids).
£28.00, Wii U, Amazon
Beach Buggy Blitz
There are a ton of games to download for mobile, but this is one that we love right now for its sheer breadth of content and the fact that it’s totally free. It’s a kart racer in the grand tradition of Mario Kart, with eye-catching graphics that wouldn’t look out of place on a home console. There are tons of levels taking in all kinds of different landscapes, and every race helps you unlock new vehicles and upgrade those you own. Such options can be sped up via in-app purchases, but they’re not essential if you’d rather stick to free play.
Free (in-app purchases), iOS and Android
You can’t beat a dance game for getting everyone in the family laughing, and the Just Dance series long ago nailed the genre. This is the sixth Just Dance game to have been released, but little has really changed other than the songs that are included. That set-list has something for everyone, from the 80s pop of Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out For a Hero through to up-to-the-minute offerings from the likes of One Direction, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. If your kids are really young, consider Just Dance Kids 2014 – it’s more accessible for little ones, though the songs are not as wide-ranging.
£19.99, PS4, Argos (also out on Xbox One, Wii, Wii U, PS3, X360)
