We kick off the back half of our list of family-friendly games with one of the biggest surprise hits of 2020.
6) Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout was a surprise hit of 2020, giving us a unique spin on the bat0tle-royale genre with a homage to the Japanese game show Takeshi’s Castle (North American’s might remember the Takeshi’s Castle spoof, Most Extreme Elimination Challenge back in the early 2000’s). With it’s cute characters, over-the-top set pieces, and frantic fun, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is must-play multiplayer at it’s best. Currently, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is only available on PC and PlayStation 4/5, and does not support crossplay. However, more platforms should pop up in the near future and crossplay is a possibility.
7) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mario Kart 8 first debuted on the Nintendo Wii U, but received another shot at the big time with an updated “Deluxe” release on the Nintendo Switch. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe features over 40 beloved characters and 48 tracks. You’ll be able to play online with up to 12 players in either the blazing-fast races or the ultra-competitive Battle Mode. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe consistently dominates the Nintendo Switch charts and for good reason, it’s a brilliant racing game. It would be nice if Nintendo gave us some new tracks… but that doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch.
8) Roblox
Roblox is definitely the most unique contender on this list. On one hand, it’s completely free-to-play and features literally thousands of different games to play. Many of these games are heavily inspired by other games, including some on this list. However, for every decent Roblox game, there are at least 100 awful Roblox games – so wading through the trash can be a bit of a challenge at times. The game also heavily pushes microtransactions to purchase in-game items via Roblox’s currency, Robux. With that said, there’s no denying the game has some addicting qualities. For younger gamers, they enjoy having such a vast variety of games to pick from. Roblox also offers the tools to develop your own Roblox games. Game creation is by no means easy, but encouraging younger gamers to fiddle with the tools and try and make something functional is definitely a great start to a potential career in game development. Just heed our warning, do not add your credit card or PayPal account to your kid’s Roblox accounts – there are no limits to the amount they can spend which can get very pricey! If you want to treat your kids to some Robux, buy them a Robux gift card instead.
9) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Of course one of the most epic fighting games of all time will make this list. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is easily the most robust Smash Bros. game to date, featuring a massive amount of content. You’ll find game characters and stages from dozens of different iconic video games including Metal Gear Solid, Splatoon, Street Fighter, and Metroid. The gameplay is fast and frantic, allowing up to four players to duke it out online. Fans will also be able to purchase additional fighters, including the legendary villain Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, who just became available. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available exclusively on Nintendo Switch.
10)Â Minecraft Dungeons
Our second Minecraft suggestion is Minecraft Dungeons. Unlike the original Minecraft which has a heavy focus on open-world creativity and survival, Minecraft Dungeons is a self-contained story featuring up to four adventurers. The world of Minecraft Dungeons definitely shares many of the beloved Minecraft elements, but it is a different beast altogether. Fans of classic games such as Gauntlet, Diablo, and other top-down dungeon crawlers may enjoy this gem. Minecraft Dungeons is also getting a steady flow of new content, including the recently released Howling Peaks DLC that we explored recently.
And that concludes our list of 10 family-friendly games you and your friends & family can enjoy via online gaming this holiday season. This list is by no means conclusive. We also appreciate the fact that some friends & families enjoy competing in more mature games, such as Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War or Overwatch. Feel free to share some of your go-to online games in the comments below. We hope you and your friends & families have a safe holiday season and that you’ll find joy in whatever fun things you decide to do.
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