9 Great Nintendo Switch Games for Young Kids (That Don’t Have Mario)
Before Barbie tiptoed into theaters, the number one movie of 2023 was an animated children’s film based on a video game about a mushroom-picking plumber, a primate with daddy issues, and a giant fire-breathing turtle crooning about peaches.
Of course, this sounds strange if you look at it. However, the Super Mario Bros. movie The movie introduced younger generations to a video game series that has been going strong for four decades, prompting many young children to put down Roblox and pick up the Nintendo Switch their parents bought for entertainment during the pandemic.
If your kids (or you) are looking for age-appropriate fun on the Switch, here’s a list of some of the best games for kids on the platform to get you started—minus the data (that is, all the games featuring said plumber). /mushroom lover).
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Think of SimCity without the disasters, taxes and all the sociological crises, and you will understand the idea of this extremely popular game. You are building your dream island home with animal inhabitants. Along the way, you fish and grow food, dig for fossils, study wildlife, craft furniture, and help your neighbors. The only real rule of the game is to live your best life, which is why this simulator is a Switch staple.
Dismantling the scribblers
One of my son’s friends introduced him to this creative party game where players solve puzzles using a book that can conjure up anything from zombies to dinosaurs. While critics have argued that this edition pales in comparison to other games in the series, seeing how it tapped into my son’s creativity and talent for problem solving made it worthy of inclusion.
New story of a super lucky guy
Originally developed for Xbox and Oculus, New Super Lucky’s Tale has been remastered for Switch and has found its audience. It’s a simple game that an experienced player can play through on a Saturday afternoon, but with enough simple gameplay and story (the main fox must collect clover to protect an artifact known as the Book of Ages) to introduce little ones to what makes platformers fun.
Nintendo Switch Sports
This is Wii Sports for the next generation! Players use the gyroscopes on their joycons to play bowling, badminton and tennis or golf with friends online or in person. If you’re worried that video games will make your kids inactive, have them play chambara (sword fighting) for an hour and see how tired they get.
Blanc
Can a video game make you cry? Players of this visually stunning co-op about a fox and a deer trying to find their home in a snowstorm say they’ve never been more emotionally invested in a game. Follow the tracks and solve puzzles to guide them to their destination. If you’re looking for something to play together, Blanc uses silence to tell her story, making it perfect for kids just learning to read.
Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain
With adjustable difficulty levels for each player, families have a level playing field to compete in puzzles and other activities to see who has the biggest skull.
Kirby’s dream buffet
Which Kirby can pick the strawberries the fastest? Players can race through levels to meet their quota of sown fruits, collect them in simple mini-games that anyone can play, or fight in a fruit battle royale. The more berries collected, the larger players become, making them easy targets for other participants in this fun party game for all ages.
Disney’s Island of Illusions
Filled with fun cutscenes and colorful gameplay, this family action game is light on violence and heavy on team building. The Core Four Disney gang helps the island of creatures find the mysterious books that keep their village thriving. You can set the difficulty to make things more difficult or make each character invincible, and plenty of multiplayer controls can make this game easier for younger players.
Game Developer Garage
If your kids don’t like the video games they have, let them create their own. This game introduces them to various aspects of programming including input, game output, logic, and display objects to help them build the multiplayer platform of their dreams or inspire them to keep trying until they get it right.