It can be hard to find a game to play with everyone in the family sometimes, especially if you don’t know where to look. But I can say that there are plenty of options available! Here’s my list of the Top 10 best family friendly games of 2023.
Top 10 Best Games to Play With Your Family from 2023
10. Just Dance: 2024 Edition
Do you like dancing and singing? Just Dance 2024 the best family-oriented dancing video game of the year, with a huge catalog of songs and dancing routines for all members of the family. Although there aren’t that many songs suitable for very young kids, the rest will have a blast dancing to the tunes included here.
If you want to choose a dancing game specifically for younger kids, then I suggest looking at previous versions of Just Dance, which have Kids Mode (sadly left out here). However, you can always create a playlist of kid-friendly songs of your own in JD2024, so you shouldn’t feel discouraged to purchase it if that’s the only thing holding you back.
9. Minecraft: Trails & Tales
Minecraft has been a favorite of kids for many years now, allowing them to mine, build, and hunt in a safe environment free of graphic violence and negativity. But most of all, Minecraft has a terrific community that offers a whole slew of family-friendly dedicated servers, where admins are focused on creating the most friendly atmosphere possible.
If parents are looking for a way to create the most appropriate gaming space for their kids, then I highly recommend the Minecraft Realms service. There, you can approve or deny a set of permissions on private servers and monitor the activity of your kids in the game. If you want your kids to learn while playing, then Minecraft: Education Edition would be the best choice. All in all, it’s hard to beat Minecraft for the hours of cooperative fun it can provide.
8. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged
If you like arcade racing games or you’ve played and loved the first Hot Wheels Unleashed game, then take your chance with Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, which offers refined racing tracks and new modes. While the cars may look like toys (since they’re modeled after Hot Wheels, after all), but the races are quite extreme with various obstacles, including loop-de-loops, golf balls, giant spiders, and many tight corners.
On top of that, you can play with a whole plethora of customization options, so you’ll never get bored with your vehicles. It’s the perfect playground for kids and adults that grew up playing with Hotwheels.
7. Sonic Origins Plus
Last year, SEGA released a collection of remastered Sonic games under the single title Sonic Origins. But it wasn’t enough! This year saw the release of Sonic Origins Plus, which adds a whopping 12 Sonic games to the roster. All these games are Game Gear titles, such as Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble, Sonic Blast, Sonic Chaos, Sonic Drift, and many others. SEGA also added a new playable character named Amy, as well as an option to play as Knuckles in Sonic CD and even glide around the levels.
This one’s much more of a nostalgia rush, but it can be played with any member of the family, young or old. And these games still hold up, acting as some of the best platformers of all time.
6. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line
It’s no secret that the Final Fantasy series has some of the best music in the history of video gaming. That’s why Square Enix released Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, a rhythm action RPG that collects 385 songs from the entirety of the Final Fantasy series. But I was mostly impressed with the number of playable characters, which counts over 100 personalities from various Final Fantasy games.
This may be a bit overwhelming at first, but the more you play, the better you understand the complex navigation system of Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, given the extensive catalog of music, game modes, and playable characters.
5. Minecraft: Legends
If you love the Minecraft gameplay but want to try something entirely different, then Minecraft: Legends might be for you. This isn’t your typical sandbox game, but more of an action strategy with an actual story and goals, where you need to build structures and create allies to fight those pesky Piglins.
One of the most important aspects of Minecraft: Legends gameplay is the top-down perspective, which allows you to zoom in and out of areas for better navigation. Of course, the developer also included the PvP multiplayer mode, so it’s not strictly a PvE experience.
4. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake feels much more inspired than the typical nostalgic romp of the previous Battle for Bikini Bottom game. Now you and your family can take on different characters and travel through magical portals that will take you to the most unusual levels of the Multiverse, full of puzzles.
On your journey, you’ll be able to unlock various spacesuits that aren’t just cosmetic but actually provide you with a number of unique abilities. Lastly, the game will appeal to speedrunners, as there are special settings for those who want to complete the game as soon as possible.
3. Pikmin 4
It’s really hard to make a game that strikes the balance between wide accessibility for all age groups and, at the same time, offers challenges that will keep your whole family engaged throughout the entire walkthrough of Pikmin 4. But Nintendo does it again! There are many challenges here, but I think that the best option for the whole family would be the Dandori Battles.
This multiplayer mode allows all family members to take part in a challenge where they need to collect various objects within a certain time limit. But the game isn’t just about competition but also teamwork, where cooperation is rewarded, making the gameplay experience extremely positive.
2. We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie
The original We Love Katamari game was a true revelation back in 2005, but this new remaster goes even further. It not only improves the graphics and unique art style of the game but also introduces a brand-new Royal Reverie adventure that explores the origins of the King of All Cosmos. Although younger players may find this part of the game a bit too challenging, there’s an excellent option for an entire family to play in the Selfie Mode with a Photo Rally feature.
Here, you can make selfies and decorate the pictures using a vast number of in-game tools. If you feel that the time limit is a bit too limiting, then play in Eternal Mode, which removes any and all time limits in the game.
1. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
In my opinion, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the best family-friendly video game of 2023. It fits absolutely all ages and skill levels, and it innovates on the classic side-scrolling gameplay. But this time, it also introduces a number of RPG mechanics, where players collect purple coins and spend them to gain new abilities.
This adds a new dimension to the classic gameplay of the Super Mario games. But my favorite new element of Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the Wonder Flowers that offer new unexpected ways of completing levels. If you’ve always wanted to go back to that very first Super Mario Bros. game but with a new twist, then this is the game for you.
That’s it for my list of the 10 best family friendly games of 2023. Stay tuned for more video game guides and lists right here at GameSkinny.
