Cometh July, cometh the summer holidays: soon, hordes of kids will be pouring out of the school gates for 12 long weeks of freedom. Which, of course, leaves parents with quite a conundrum – what’s the best way to keep them entertained while they’re off?
One obvious answer is with an exciting new video game. But with new ones being released all the time, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice out there. After all, what’s best if you’re choosing between Pokémon and Kirby? And what’s best: a multiplayer or a single-person adventure?
Fortunately, that’s what we’re here for. Here are our picks for the best games to play over the long break.
Adventure
This exceedingly sweet indie game puts players in the shoes of Mimi, a grown woman returning to the French home of her grandma where she spent a summer as a child. The gameplay (which flicks between Mimi’s childhood and the present day) is very simple, the plot sedate and the whole thing has been drawn in gorgeous watercolours. With tasks like taking photos, scrapbooking and making picnics, it’s the perfect summery game for the summer.
Age rating: PEGI 3
Price: £12.99
Consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe
The adorable pink ball that is Kirby is back in this remastered Switch game for all ages. Playing as Kirby (or, if you’re playing with friends, a series of Kirbys), solve simple puzzles by taking on the form of all sorts of magical creatures and tools. Originally released in 2011, it has since been lovingly remastered and its low difficulty makes it a good choice for younger players.
Age rating: PEGI 7
Price: £49.99
Consoles: Nintendo Switch
This adorable island-hopping adventure is almost like a summer holiday in a game. Play as young girl Tchia as she sets off to explore a fictional archipelago inspired by the tropical country of New Caledonia. Though the main aim is to free her father from the cruel tyrant Meavora, you can also jam on your ukulele, make friends and even work with animals to overcome enemies.
Age rating: PEGI 12
Price: £24.99
Consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Windows PC
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
This whimsical adventure plays like Harry Potter crossed with Studio Ghibli. Take control of young witch Bayonetta as she sets out on a quest to find her mother and accidentally ends up summoning a demon into her stuffed cat, Cheshire. From there, the player controls both Bayonetta and Cheshire as they seek to solve puzzles and find their way around the enchanted forest that they’re trapped in.
Age rating: PEGI 12
Price: £34.64
Consoles: Nintendo Switch
The huge and sprawling world of Octopath Traveller 2 is sure to satisfy any budding explorers – or fantasy fans. With eight intersecting stories, turn-based combat and a massive, gorgeous-looking 2D/3D world to explore, players can choose to play one of eight characters with completely different quests and fighting styles, and decide how their story will pan out.
Age rating: PEGI 12
Price: £41.99
Consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC
Familiar faces
Peppa is surely one of the best-known faces (and franchises) in the world at this point – and if your children are addicted to the series, why not try them out with the game? Become a cat, kangaroo, donkey (whatever your heart desires) and go on globe-trotting adventures with Peppa. Make pizza, go on a cruise ship, visit Hollywood Boulevard – basically, it’s a summer holiday from the comfort of your sofa.
Age rating: PEGI 3
Price: £34.99
Consoles: Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC
SpongeBob Square Pants: The Cosmic Shake
Sure, it’s a licensed platform game, but it’s actually quite smart, varied and imaginative. It’s not as good as Crash Bandicoot 4, but it’s very entertaining, especially if you love the show – playing as SpongeBob, you’ll journey across several alternate realities called Wish Worlds to save the town of Bikini Bottom.
Age rating: PEGI 3
Price: £17.97
Consoles: PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
The downloadable content (DLC) is just on the horizon, so there’s no better time for your kids to discover (if they haven’t already) the joys of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. In the latest iteration of the franchise, players attend a sort-of Hogwarts of Pokémon trainers, catch new variations of Pokémon and travel all over the island of Paldea in the franchise’s first open-world game.
Age rating: PEGI 7
Price: £49.99; buy the DLCs for £31.49
Consoles: Nintendo Switch
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
The Lego games are still fantastic for family gaming and The Skywalker Saga is one of the best. Relive the events of the entire franchise (that’s nine films, if you were wondering) while playing as characters as varied as Rey, Luke Skywalker and JarJar Binks. It’s also now on Xbox Game Pass, so there is no excuse for not getting involved. Hours of fun.
Age rating: PEGI 7
Price: £34.99
Consoles: PlayStation4, PlayStation5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.
Team games
They don’t get much less challenging than this. Nintendo’s newest team-sports game, released this year, boasts a host of mini games that are easy to play – perfect for competing against other members of the family. Make friends with aliens, fill balloons or serve customers ice-cream; it’s all whimsical as heck and good fun.
Age rating: PEGI 3
Price: £24.99
Consoles: Nintendo Switch
Play anywhere, race against anyone and build your dream cars in this wacky game. The racing’s fun, the Lego world is brilliant and you can waste hours just mopping up side quests and doing stupid stunts. Even better, it’s kid-friendly, but with enough for grown-ups to get their teeth into. Perfect.
Age rating: PEGI 7
Price: £49.99
Consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC
This beloved multiplayer (which has just released its fourth season) has everything kids (and adults) need to while away hours: cute main characters, endless customisation and a series of ever-changing races that keep switching up the action in exciting new ways. Play against people from all around the world in your quest to be the last one standing, battle royale style. The design is wacky, the controls simple and the action fun: what’s not to like?
Age rating: PEGI 3
Price: free (but with in-app purchases)
Consoles: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC
Looking for a party game that will entertain the kids (or indeed adults)? Look no further: this charmingly chaotic game operates on the premise that you and your mates are running some kind of car repair service. As the cars come in, the right parts need to be picked off a moving conveyor belt, knocked into shape and then fitted before the next car arrives. Inevitably, the pile of operationally-challenged autos builds up (as well as random hazards that will further hamper your fixing skills), making for a simple but fun game – who knew a game about cars would include alien invasions?
Age rating: PEGI 3
Price: £19.99
Consoles: Nintendo Switch
Strategy
This heartwarming (and short) game puts the player (or players – this can be played co-op) in the shoes of a baby deer and wolf, who become friends after getting lost in the snow. Together, they must traverse a series of gorgeous landscapes and solve puzzles to find their way back to their families. With a gorgeously minimal art style (think all black and white) and pretty challenging puzzles for a one or two hour game, it’s a beautifully crafted experience that’s perfect for passing away an afternoon.
Age rating: Everyone
Price: £11.49
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PC
The latest edition of the Pikmin franchise puts the player in the shoes of a tiny astronaut as they try to save their friends from a spaceship crash. Alongside an army of Pikmin (sentient plant creatures), you’ll be solving puzzles, collecting loot and battling baddies in your quest to collect your missing colleagues. Extra cuteness points for the game’s canine companion, Oatchi.
Age rating: PEGI 7
Price: £49.99
Consoles: Nintendo Switch
The Piglins are trying to take over once more! The latest iteration of the worldwide hit game veers from sandbox into real-time strategy: working either by yourself or with friends, collect resources, build castles and summon Golems to thwart the Piglin scourge. It’s a fun take on a well-known IP, and one that will easily pass hours of time. Plus, it’s available on Xbox Game Pass.
Age rating: PEGI 7
Price: £30.97
Consoles: all
Nintendo’s Switch strategy game is great for whiling away the time, with a solid story, a great cast of characters and challenging – but not too challenging – tactics. Play as the Divine Dragon alongside legendary heroes to save the continent of Eylos.
Age rating: PEGI 12
Price: £49.99
Consoles: Nintendo Switch
