Forget the usual game of Monopoly and instead try these family friendly video games over Christmas, with titles on Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.
Chances are you’ve already bought some new video games for yourself, friends, and/or family for Christmas, but thanks to digital downloads, it’s never too late for a last minute purchase, should you need something to play with relatives over the holidays.
While there’s no shortage of multiplayer games on the market, some are far more suited to family play than others, allowing gamer parents to share their enthusiasm with their young kids or vice versa.
We’ve narrowed down the best examples of family friendly multiplayer games, available across a wide spectrum of platforms, all of which are worth spending time and money on this season.
Disney Illusion Island
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
This Disney themed Metroidvania is too simplistic for veterans of the genre, but it’s a great entry point for kids who’ve yet to cut their teeth on a proper Metroid game. The characters feel great to control, so you can still have a blast playing in co-op and assisting your younger relatives.
Initially a Nintendo Switch exclusive, it saw PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC ports earlier this year and has three batches of free DLC if you and your family get particularly hooked.
Donkey Kong Bananza
Nintendo Switch 2
Winner of the Best Family Award at The Game Awards 2025, Donkey Kong’s big 3D revival is typically a solo adventure but does offer a co-op mode where a second player takes control of Pauline (the girl sitting on his shoulders) to fire projectiles with her singing chops.
Donkey Kong Bananza is already quite easy, but co-op is a great way for inexperienced players to feel like they’re helping. Or you can play second banana and give player one some extra back-up if they’re struggling.
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Just Dance 2026
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S
Turning Just Dance into a live service game, that can update each year with new music, instead of being an annual boxed release was probably one of the smartest moves Ubisoft ever made.
The 2026 edition’s track list prioritises modern hits, to appease the kids (there’s even a Bluey tie-in), but there are some old favourites and all-time classics for the older generations. And no matter your age, it’s just a hoot watching everyone look ridiculous as they try to dance to the beat.
Kirby And The Forgotten Land
Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2
Kirby And The Forgotten Land’s incredibly low difficulty level means even little kids are unlikely to struggle with it, but this does make it a great entry level platformer. And with its co-op option, you can lend some assistance as the spear-wielding Bandana Waddle Dee.
The updated Nintendo Switch 2 version is now the definitive option, since it includes a bunch of fun extra levels. Just be prepared for a surprising difficulty spike near the end. If its admittedly high price tag is too steep for you though, you can’t go wrong with the original Switch 1 version either.
Lego Party!
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
If you’re somehow exhausted of Mario Party, or simply don’t own a Switch, the studio behind Moving Out 2 (which you can consider as an unofficial number 13 on this list) has made a great Lego themed alternative for all platforms.
It does owe a lot to Mario Party, and isn’t as stacked with content, but it has some unique ideas that help it stand out, plenty of fun minigames and slapstick humour, and Lego obsessed kids and adults alike will love the aesthetics.
Lego Voyagers
PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
Speaking of Lego, if you’d prefer a more calming experience than Lego Party’s brand of chaotic multiplayer, or the usual Lego co-op games like The Skywalker Saga, this year’s Lego Voyagers is a fantastically relaxing time that’s short and sweet enough to be cleared in an evening.
Like most other examples on this list, it’s not particularly challenging but that makes it a great co-op game to play with younger relatives. And players of all ages will be enamoured with its charming physics-based puzzles and graphics.
Mario Kart World
Nintendo Switch 2
For all the backlash and criticism it’s received from some players since launch, Mario Kart World is still, at its core, a fantastic continuation of Nintendo’s racing series and the perfect multiplayer game for Switch 2 owners.
If you’re getting a Switch 2 for Christmas, we sincerely hope you picked the Mario Kart bundle if only because it’s much cheaper than buying the game separately. Outside of the brilliant multiplayer racing (with a recent update improving some of the linear intermission tracks), the open world is a lot more fun to explore as a group.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion
PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
Tribute Games and Dotemu have been responsible for several retro-inspired 2D beat ‘em ups over the years, but easily the best of their licensed games is their most recent release: Marvel Cosmic Invasion.
The straightforward combat has some complexities to it that fans of the genre will appreciate, but it’s simple enough for kids to get to grips with. Plus, they’ll be thrilled getting to play as their favourite superheroes and engage in some colourful carnage. The boss battles can be a menace, but four-player co-op means friends and family can at least struggle together.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
Overcooked and its sequel remain some of the best modern co-op games around and that’s partially because they can get more heated than some competitive games. A perhaps appropriate recreation of the stresses of preparing and serving meals.
Both games are available in a compilation package and are immediately approachable thanks to the easy-to-understand controls. You’ll want to throttle one another as things get more hectic but, like a good restaurant, you’ll always want to come back for more.
Party Animals
Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Look up any video on Party Animals and you’ll immediately see how delightfully chaotic this physics-based party game can get. The goal is simply to knock everyone else off the map, but players must stumble around like they’re wearing an ill-fitting mascot costume.
There’s no shortage of cute animals to play as and its simple premise belies how intense matches can get. Initially an Xbox and PC exclusive, it thankfully launched on PlayStation 5 earlier this year, although it’s surprisingly lacking a Switch port.
Peak
PC
When it comes to ‘friendslop’, some of the more famous examples tend to be horror themed and thus not entirely suitable for family friendly gaming sessions. Thankfully, Peak exists, which boasts pleasingly cartoonish graphics and sees up to four players working together to climb pre-generated mountains.
There are some creepy enemy encounters like zombies, giant spiders, and an especially unnerving figure called the Scoutmaster, but they’re just the right level of scary for young kids. Honestly, the scariest thing that can happen is falling down the mountain and needing to climb all the way back up.
Split Fiction
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC
Split Fiction has too much crude humour and violence to be suitable for little kids (making its Best Family Game nomination at The Game Awards a bit surprising), but if you have a teen relative, a housemate, or partner, it’s a fantastic co-op experience and another massive win for developer Hazelight.
Starring two would-be authors thrown into a virtual recreation of their clashing story ideas, Split Fiction is full of incredibly designed puzzles and set pieces from start to finish. It might not strictly be for all the family but it’s the best new co-op game this year.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2
The most obvious pick for a list like this. Mario Party has always been the quintessential party game and last year’s Super Mario Party Jamboree is the apex of the series, boasting more characters, more minigames, and more involved boards.
You might be tempted to pick up the Switch 2 version for its Jamboree TV expansion, but it honestly isn’t worth paying extra for. The Switch 1 version has more than enough to make it the definitive Mario Party experience and can be enjoyed on Switch 2 through backwards compatibility anyway.
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