Video games for kids: which console, which game
The short answer
No console yet? Under 9, a Switch 2. From 9, the console their friends play.
Which console do they have?
How old are they?
Who will they play with?
Ages 3–5
*Paid link
Games a grown-up can play alongside them, with almost no reading.
Image credit: Outright Games
Switch · Adventure
Ages 3–8
Bluey: The Videogame
Young Bluey fans aged three to eight can explore alongside a parent or big sister on a slow Sunday morning. Hardly any reading is needed, so pre-readers can join in.
Image credit: Outright Games
Switch · Adventure
Ages 3–8
PAW Patrol World
A PAW Patrol fan aged three to eight can team up with a parent or grandparent on a slow afternoon. Little reading is needed, so pre-readers can join in.
No internet needed
Optional extras for sale in the game
Image credit: Nintendo
Switch 2 · Racing
Ages 3–14
Mario Kart World
Siblings of different ages can race side by side on one screen after dinner. Little reading is needed, so younger drivers can join in right away.
Switch 2 only: won’t play on the first Switch
Switch 2 only: won’t play on the first Switch
Ages 6–8
*Paid link
Games for two on one sofa, with little reading.
Image credit: Nintendo
Switch · Party
Ages 6–12Ages 6–11
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Brings a board game to the TV for a seven-year-old, a sibling and a grandparent on a family game night, with up to four players sharing one console.
Optional extras for sale in the game
Optional extras for sale in the game
Image credit: Nintendo
Switch · Racing
Ages 3–12Ages 3–11
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
A good fit for a six-to-eight-year-old and older siblings racing side by side after dinner, with so little reading needed that even the youngest can join in.
Image credit: SEGA
Switch · Racing
Ages 6–12Ages 6–11
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Six-to-eleven-year-olds who know Sonic can race friends side by side on one console. Little reading is needed, so early readers can join every race.
Optional extras for sale in the game
Image credit: PlayStation
PS5 · Platformer
Ages 6–12Ages 6–11
Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Siblings aged six to eleven can hop through bright levels side by side on a rainy weekend. Hardly any reading is needed, so younger players keep up.
Disc: needs a PS5 with a disc drive
Ages 9–12Ages 9–11
*Paid link
Bigger worlds to explore. E suits any age; E10+ means 10 and up.
Image credit: Nintendo
Switch · Life sim
Ages 6–14
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Suits a nine-to-eleven-year-old who reads well and likes animals and building. A thoughtful gift with plenty of reading and an island to shape at their own pace.
Optional extras for sale in the game
Optional extras for sale in the game
Image credit: Nintendo
Switch · Sports
Ages 10–14
Nintendo Switch Sports
Rainy weekends turn active when a ten-year-old and their siblings play sports together in the living room. Little reading is needed, so the whole family can join in.
Optional extras for sale in the game
Optional extras for sale in the game
Image credit: PlayStation
Switch · Action
Ages 10–12Ages 10–11
LEGO Horizon Adventures
For a ten-to-eleven-year-old LEGO fan who likes action, this suits a rainy weekend at home. Two can play on one console, and little reading is needed.
Image credit: PlayStation
PS5 · Platformer
Ages 10–14
Astro Bot
A ten-to-fourteen-year-old who likes bright, bouncy platform games can play on their own on a slow Sunday. Very little reading, and no internet needed.
Disc: needs a PS5 with a disc drive
Ages 13–14Ages 12–14
*Paid link
Longer adventures to explore at their own pace.
Image credit: SEGA
Switch · Platformer
Ages 10–14
Sonic X Shadow Generations
Running and jumping levels suit a Sonic fan aged ten to fourteen on a rainy weekend. Very little reading is needed, so a child who reads slowly can keep up.
No internet needed
Optional extras for sale in the game
Image credit: PlayStation
PS5 · Action
Ages 10–17
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
For a ten-to-seventeen-year-old who likes action adventures on a slow weekend. Some reading suits a child who reads fairly well.
Disc: needs a PS5 with a disc drive
Optional extras for sale in the game
Image credit: Warner Bros. Games
PS5 · RPG
Ages 13–17
Hogwarts Legacy
A teen who reads well can get lost in a long role-playing adventure on weekends. No internet needed to play.
Disc: needs a PS5 with a disc drive
Optional extras for sale in the game
Asked for GTA 6? It is rated M for Mature 17+. What to give instead
Compare the consoles
Switch 2
For family play and travel.
- Some boxes hold a key that downloads the game, not the game itself.
PS5 with a disc drive
For friends who play on PS5.
- Discs need the PS5 model with a disc drive.
- Most online play needs PlayStation Plus.
Xbox Series X with a disc drive
For friends who play on Xbox.
- Series S and the digital Series X can't play discs.
PC
For a child who already plays on a computer.
- Steam lets parents set limits and share games.
Sources: nintendo.com, playstation.com, xbox.com, steampowered.com
How do I wrap a console or a game?
A boxed game wraps flat and neat. A console box wraps like any big box, with our box steps.
Are boxed games better than downloads as gifts?
A box gives them something to unwrap, and it can be lent or passed on later.
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