With Family

Games the whole family can actually play together.

By Stephen V., Founder & Editor · Last updated July 21, 2026 · How we pick

Quick picks

The short answer first. Tap any row for the full write-up; the price button goes straight to Amazon.

#	Game	Best for	Crossplay	Price
1	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Kart racing	A Switch group that wants instant, everyone-can-play racing.	No - Switch only	$59.88
2	Nintendo Switch Sports Party sports	A mixed-age room that wants get-off-the-couch party games.	No - Switch only	$48.99
3	Super Mario Bros. Wonder Platformer	Up to four on the couch who want the freshest Mario platformer.	No - local co-op (Switch only)	$53.30
4	Overcooked! All You Can Eat Party co-op	A group of 2-4 that wants controlled chaos and a lot of yelling.	Yes - full crossplay	$23.75
5	Minecraft Sandbox / survival	A mixed group that wants to build or survive together, any devices.	Yes - Bedrock crossplay across all platforms	$29.83
6	LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Family co-op action	A parent and kid, or two friends, on the couch.	No - local co-op only	$24.88
7	Stardew Valley Farming / life sim	A calm group on the same system that wants to build a farm together.	No - multiplayer is same-platform only	$34.00

Games the whole family can actually play together

A family game night has to clear a specific bar: simple enough for a young kid or a grandparent, deep enough that the teenagers don't tune out, and calm enough that nobody storms off. The best games to play with family hit all three - gentle on-ramps, no twitchy reflexes required, and content everyone's comfortable with.

Our top family pick is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - anyone can grab a controller and have fun in the first race, with assist options that let a five-year-old keep up with an adult. Nintendo Switch Sports gets everyone off the couch, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and LEGO Star Wars are the drop-in co-op adventures, and Minecraft is the crossplay pick for a family across different rooms and devices.

Match the game to the ages in the room

For the youngest players, prioritize games with assist modes and no fail state that matters - Mario Kart's smart steering, LEGO games' invincible co-op. For a mixed-age group that wants a bit of competition, Switch Sports and Mario Party keep it friendly. Most of these are on the Switch, the natural family console, and they overlap with our couch co-op picks.

One to skip

Stardew Valleyis wonderfully wholesome, but its co-op is same-platform only and its slow, menu-heavy pace can lose younger kids and less patient adults at a lively family night. It's a great calm pick for two, but for a full family room, Mario Kart or Switch Sports keeps everyone engaged.

The picks, in depth

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

SwitchCrossplay: No - Switch only

Best for: A Switch group that wants instant, everyone-can-play racing.

1-4 local, up to 12 online · Kart racing

The easiest 'everyone grabs a controller' game on Switch - four-player split-screen locally and up to twelve online. Zero learning curve. Switch-only, so it does nothing for a mixed-console group.

Facts verified via Nintendo store page.

Also a top pick in Best Games to Play With Friends and Party.

$59.88 · View on Amazon

#ad · Price as of July 22, 2026 · Disclosure

Nintendo Switch Sports

SwitchCrossplay: No - Switch only

Best for: A mixed-age room that wants get-off-the-couch party games.

1-4 local, online · Party sports

The spiritual successor to Wii Sports - bowling, tennis, and more that anyone can pick up in seconds. Perfect for a family gathering. Switch-only, and you'll want enough controllers for everyone.

Facts verified via Nintendo store page.

Also a top pick in Party and Switch.

$48.99 · View on Amazon

#ad · Price as of July 22, 2026 · Disclosure

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

SwitchCrossplay: No - local co-op (Switch only)

Best for: Up to four on the couch who want the freshest Mario platformer.

1-4 local co-op · Platformer

Four-player local co-op Mario with a genuinely inventive bag of tricks - forgiving enough for kids, surprising enough for adults. Couch co-op only. One of the best all-ages picks on Switch.

Facts verified via Nintendo store page.

Also a top pick in Couch Co-op and Switch.

$53.30 · View on Amazon

$59.99-11%

#ad · Price as of July 22, 2026 · Disclosure

Overcooked! All You Can Eat

PS5XboxPCSwitchCrossplay: Yes - full crossplay

Best for: A group of 2-4 that wants controlled chaos and a lot of yelling.

1-4 players, online + local · Party co-op

Both Overcooked games remastered with full crossplay across every platform - genuinely the easiest way to get four friends on four different systems cooking together. Local and online. It will test friendships; that's the point.

Facts verified via Steam store page.

Also a top pick in Best Games to Play With Friends and Party.

$23.75 · View on Amazon

#ad · Price as of July 22, 2026 · Disclosure

Minecraft

SwitchPS5XboxPCMobileCrossplay: Yes - Bedrock crossplay across all platforms

Best for: A mixed group that wants to build or survive together, any devices.

1-8+ players, online + local · Sandbox / survival

The Bedrock edition plays crossplatform across phone, console, and PC, so it is the default answer when your group is on wildly different hardware. Endless, low-pressure, and works for kids and adults alike. Java edition (PC-only) does not crossplay with Bedrock - buy the console/mobile version for mixed groups.

Facts verified via Minecraft official site.

Also a top pick in Best Games to Play With Friends and Online.

$29.83 · View on Amazon

#ad · Price as of July 22, 2026 · Disclosure

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

SwitchPS5XboxPCCrossplay: No - local co-op only

Best for: A parent and kid, or two friends, on the couch.

2 players local co-op · Family co-op action

Drop-in, drop-out two-player couch co-op across all nine Star Wars films - genuinely all-ages and hard to get stuck on. It is local co-op only (no online), so it is a same-room pick.

Facts verified via LEGO official site.

Also a top pick in Couch Co-op and Switch.

$24.88 · View on Amazon

#ad · Price as of July 22, 2026 · Disclosure

Stardew Valley

SwitchPS5XboxPCMobileCrossplay: No - multiplayer is same-platform only

Best for: A calm group on the same system that wants to build a farm together.

1-4 players co-op (same platform) · Farming / life sim

Four-player co-op farming that is the antidote to competitive stress - everyone shares one farm. The catch: multiplayer is same-platform only, so everyone needs to be on Switch, or everyone on PC. Not a crossplay pick.

Facts verified via Stardew Valley official site.

Also a top pick in Best Games to Play With Friends and Switch.

$34.00 · View on Amazon

#ad · Price as of July 22, 2026 · Disclosure

Keep exploring

Couch Co-op

Same couch, same screen, no internet required.

Top pick: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe · from $59.88

Switch

Grab the Joy-Cons. The best Switch group games.

Top pick: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe · from $59.88

Party

A room full of people and one screen. Make it loud.

Top pick: Overcooked! All You … · from $23.75

Frequently asked questions

What are the best games to play with family?+

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo Switch Sports, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Overcooked, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga are the top all-ages family picks - simple to learn, forgiving, and fun for kids and adults alike.

What family games work for young kids?+

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (with smart steering), LEGO Star Wars (drop-in, invincible co-op), and Super Mario Bros. Wonder are the gentlest picks - young kids can join without getting stuck or left behind.

What family game can we play across different devices?+

Minecraft (Bedrock edition) has full crossplay, so family members on Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC, or a phone can all share one world - ideal for a family spread across rooms or houses.