In our opinion, the Nintendo Switch is hands down the best console for kids right up to adolescence. You’ll see the flagship titles for Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft’s Xbox One X dominated by action games such as Call of Duty and Assassin’s Creed that are suitable for mature players only. At the core of the Switch’s library, on the other hand, is its plethora of great first-party Nintendo titles that are equally as fun and well-crafted as those big-budget titles on other consoles as well as being far more suitable for a younger audience. Some of these first-party Nintendo titles include iconic series such as Pokemon, Mario Kart and The Legend of Zelda that kids (including big kids like us!) of any age will love. As these titles are developed by Nintendo, they are exclusive to the Switch, meaning you won’t be able to play them on any other console – and we think family tournaments of Mario Kart are a right of passage of childhood! Local multiplayer on the Switch is also great, meaning the whole family can either compete or cooperate in games together – which is equally ideal for helping a younger child through their first gaming experience as it is for a family Friday night-in! Today, we’re taking a look at the best games for young kids around the age of five years old that can help fuel their creativity and teamwork as well as being a ton of fun to boot!

Mario Kart

We couldn’t really start of the list any other way than with Mario Kart. Of course, it needs no introduction but, happily, like everything these days the series has progressed and reached a pinnacle on the Switch. The core gameplay and what made the game so fun when it first launched on the Wii all those years ago remains, with the same iconic tracks and characters and more, all in glorious full HD. The game also includes all the downloadable DLC from the WiiU version as well as a revamped Battle Mode. What’s great about Mario Kart for families with young children is its local multiplayer modes, enabling younger children to join in the fun and play competitively with the rest of the family and feel part of the action.  To that effect, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch supports up to 4 player local multiplayer on the TV when the Switch is in docked mode – perfect for a legendary family tournament. By nature, the gameplay is very forgiving for slower players as it gives them the best power-ups to help them get back up to the business end of the race and it can also be made more so for younger kids by turning on the assists of smart steering and auto acceleration.

Kirby: Star Allies

Kirby: Star Allies may not be aimed at the seasoned gamer, but we couldn’t help falling in love with it when we first played it and we’re convinced young children will love it even more. Like all the Kirby games, Star Allies is a 2D platformer that follows Kirby in his quest to prevent a priest named Hyness from reviving a dark force to destroy the universe. It’s a charming game in every regard, from its colourful art style to the adorable characters that kids will love. Cooperative play is also at the forefront of the experience and the entire game can be played in co-op mode, enabling parents and kids or their friends or siblings to progress through the game together – ideal for helping younger kids get to grips with the game. Star Allies is a fairly easy and relaxed experience, meaning it’s unlikely to be too difficult to induce any temper tantrums and is also full of fun, positive vibes, and characters for kids to enjoy. It’s worth mentioning that Kirby and his friends defeat the enemies they encounter using weapons such as swords as well as magic and martial arts and we suggest having a look at some gameplay footage on YouTube to help decide whether or not this light violence is suitable for your child.

Yoshi’s Crafted World

Like Kirby: Star Allies, Yoshi’s Crafted World is a delightful side-scrolling platformer with super cute visuals and a cheerful theme tune that kids will love. For those unfamiliar with the Yoshi series of games, Yoshi is a dinosaur-like character that’s one of Mario and Luigi’s allies, making him one of the good guys in the world of Super Mario. Crafted Word sees Yoshi along with his iconic eggs which he can throw at enemies, running, jumping, and soaring through unique and innovative levels all characterised by the game’s colourful and somewhat photo-realistic arts and crafts aesthetic which helps the game’s world really come alive. Each level is intricately designed with a variety of challenges and puzzles for Yoshi to overcome. These challenges are easy enough for young kids to persevere through independently, or additionally with the assistance of a friend or family member as, like in Kirby: Star Allies, the whole game can be played through in co-op mode. The enemies and platforming are both very forgiving as well – again great for kids, perhaps as an introduction to the weird and wonderful world of Super Mario.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was one of our favourite games on the Wii U when it was originally launched in 2014 as a spin-off to Super Mario 3D World. It was among the top 20 best-selling games on the Wii U but, then again, not that many people actually had a Wii U, leading to many classic Nintendo titles from that era, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker being one of them, going undiscovered to many except Nintendo’s core fanbase. In a roundabout way, Nintendo has actually profited from this fact in the aftermath of the much more popular Switch’s release, re-releasing these titles with a few added features and bonus content to an audience that may not realise that it isn’t an entirely new game. And Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is one of these titles that is more than worthy of this new audience’s attention, thanks to gorgeous, fun levels and a plethora of clever and intricate puzzles to solve. For those unfamiliar with Captain Toad, he first appeared in Super Mario Galaxy and, most notably, is the leader of the so-called Toad Brigade – a group of like-minded toads who are ever willing to lend a hand to Mario in his quests. Captain Toad, himself, is the star of the show in Treasure Tracker which follows him in his quest to, quite literally, track his treasure down after it has been stolen by a massive greedy bird. Treasure Tracker is an adventure puzzle-platformer that has a small learning curve, making it perfect for young players. Where Treasure Tracker really shines is in its puzzles which manage to be simple enough for young kids to get their heads around with a bit of practice and persistence whilst remaining unique and clever enough so that they never become boring and still prove challenging for older players. The whole game can also be played through in co-op mode so if Nintendo’s clever design stumps your kid, you can easily jump in and offer some assistance.

Super Mario Odyssey

If we couldn’t kick off the list any other way than with Mario Kart, then we couldn’t end it any other way than with Super Mario Odyssey. Super Mario Odyssey is up there with the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as the hands-down best game on the Switch. Whilst Breath of the Wild has a narrative and combat that makes it only suitable for a more mature audience; Super Mario Odyssey, like all of the Mario games that precede it, can be enjoyed by all audiences. Super Mario Odyssey builds upon all that was great from its predecessors Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario 3D world (recently remastered for the Switch – highly recommended, but we feel Odyssey still nudges ahead), whilst also innovating with new features and mechanics that, in effect, reinvent the whole series to create what is truly the ultimate Mario experience to date. The standout mechanic that Odyssey introduces is Mario’s possession power courtesy of Mario’s cap, inventively named Cappy. This power gives you as Mario full control over the actions of an enemy whose head you’ve just thrown Cappy onto. It’s a simple enough idea and easy enough for kids to quickly get to grips with but it really does add something to the game – adding new possibilities for each level. Each of these levels are contained within Odyssey’s array of magnificent worlds, known as kingdoms, of which there are 18 in total, ranging from the urban metropolis of Metro Kingdom to the moonscape setting of Dark Side. Every kingdom is packed with fun, Mario’s infamous enemies, and a ton of collectibles to discover. There’s also an assist mode that makes the gameplay a lot more forgiving for younger kids – what’s not to love!