The 10 best family friendly video games to keep you and your children entertained during the summer holidays

With the summer holidays here, parents will be looking at ways to keep kids entertained during the break. The Met Office has forecast that the rainy weather will continue until a heatwave will bring back the summer sunshine on August 12, meaning that there are still plenty of rainy days ahead of us.

Many parents will be looking for games to play as a family, as well as games that can keep children distracted for a while. Here are some of the best video games for families to enjoy over the summer holidays.

Top 10 family friendly video games

Pikmin 4

Nintendo has released their latest game in the Pikmin series perfectly timed ahead of the summer holidays. Arguably one of the Japanese gaming companies best games of the year, Pikmin 4 can be played alone or in co-op mode. In the game, players will play as a rookie space cadet as you venture to a new planet to save Captain Olimar.

Working your way through five different levels, you will collect little Pikmin who will help you kill creatures, move objects and collect valuable items to build up your Sparklium and help get your spaceship back-up and running. The game has great puzzles and its adorable features make the game addictive to play.

Disney Illusion Island

Disney Illusion Island gives players the opportunity to play as Mickey and Friends as they explore a mysterious island to recover three mystical books and save the world from disaster. Choose your favourite characters and work together to solve puzzles and take on boss battles, as you unlock special abilities.

Manic Mechanics

Fans of games like Overcooked will enjoy the latest release by 4J Studios which enables up to four players, both local and online, to work together to repair a variety of car parts and get vehicles back on the road.

In Manic Mechanics, you can work your way through Octane Isle’s five neighbourhoods, as you repair various transportation, including cars, trucks and even UFOs as you race against the clock to fix as much as you can. The game is simple and easy, meaning it’s great for all ages and a great game for a family video game night.

Lego 2K Drive

Lego 2K Drive is an open-world driving adventure game where you can race and build dream rides whilst defeating a range of racing rivals to win the Sky Trophy. Explore the vast land as you get behind the wheel as you prepare for thrilling races.

Players can race as well as participating in a host of minigames to master the art of drifting, boosting, jumping and using power-ups to help defeat opponents. Improving vehicles in the garage brings the nostalgic feel of Lego, with the opportunity to build new cars from scratch.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The second game in Nintendo’s latest version of the Legend of Zelda series came out just a couple of months ago and is the perfect game to kill some time during the summer holidays. The open world The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a single player game, which is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.

The sequel to Nintendo’s popular The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, players can use new abilities to explore a changed Hyrule. Harness the new abilities as you take to the skies and the depths as you fight back against Ganondorf.

Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8 is an oldie but a goldie when it comes to fun co-op games which are suitable for all ages. Although the game was initially released in 2014, Nintendo is releasing booster wave packs which are bringing some iconic remastered tracks to the game.

The booster pack can be purchased through the Nintendo store or comes with the Nintendo Online Expansion pack which will unlock all five waves that are currently available. Unlocking the Mario Kart 8 Booster Pass will bring 40 new tracks to the game, making it a great game to come back to over the summer holidays.

Nintendo Switch Sports

Nintendo Switch Sports was released last summer but is the perfect game to get children up and moving. The game can be played with up to four players and also has an online mode which gives people the chance to play with their friends.

The game comes with virtual bowling, football, golf, volleyball and tennis and plays homage to the much beloved Wii Sports which was released in 2006. The game is a great family game and can bring out anyone’s competitive side.

Dordogne

Dordogne is an immersive narrative experience where you embark on a journey that will awaken your senses and evoke treasured memories. Playing as Mimi, you will explore recollections of childhood memories with your late grandmother.

The story driven game will make players confront your adult choices as you uncover lost family secrets. Dordogne brings vibrant watercolour environments as you go on an adventure and recount vivid memories.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

A great game to bring the summer feeling which is great for all ages is the pandemic hit Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Although the game is a couple of years old, it’s a great game to pick up and start building your island from scratch or even return to those beloved villagers who have been missing seeing you.

Take on Tom Nook’s offer to move to an island getaway as you meet animal villagers, decorate your island and create your own unique land. The game is the perfect cosy game which will be loved by fans old and new.

Final Fantasy XVI

Final Fantasy XVI was released by Square Enix at the end of June and is a great action role-playing game which is suitable for slightly older players. Released as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, play as Clive in semi-open environments as you combat with a variety of melee and magic-based attacks.

Explore the world of Valisthea in the single player RPG, which is the 16th standalone entry in the Final Fantasy series. The game summons the series’ iconic Eikons, which are deadly creatures housed within Dominants, which are men and women who inherit immense power at birth.

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