Games the whole family can actually play together.
By Stephen V., Founder & Editor · Last updated July 21, 2026 · How we pick
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 | $41.99 |
| 2 |  Nintendo Switch Sports Party sports | A mixed-age room that wants get-off-the-couch party games. | No - Switch only | $34.97 |
| 3 |  Super Mario Bros. Wonder Platformer | Up to four on the couch who want the freshest Mario platformer. | No - local co-op (Switch only) | Check price |
| 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 | $23.40 |
| 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 | $33.99 |
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.
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.
Two related pages worth having open. If a child in the house is about to start playing online with school friends, our setup guide for letting your kid play online covers the account, chat and spending settings to change first. And for a holiday or a house with unreliable wifi, local multiplayer with no internet needed filters this list down to the games that genuinely work offline.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Games a whole household can play, and the pad that lets them.
The settings to change before they join their first online game.
The wifi is down or there isn't any. Play anyway.
For the friend who says they're bad at video games.
The game you put on when four people arrive and nobody agrees.
Same couch, same screen, no internet required.
A game they'll actually play - with you.
The Switch game-night question, settled.
Grab the Joy-Cons. The best Switch group games.
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.
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.
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.