9 Best Nintendo Switch Games for Kids That Guarantee Smiles

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Nintendo is particularly suitable for young players thanks to its family catalog. We offer you our selection of the best Nintendo Switch games for kids to introduce them to the joys of gaming gently.

The Nintendo Switch has been designed to appeal to people of all ages, allowing them to play the games they love most, including games for kids. Technological advancement has also allowed Nintendo to create more fun experiences, including magical worlds with new and entertaining mechanics. That is why the gaming experience made for the little ones is today more complete than ever.

When kids ask for a new game, the vast store selection can quickly overwhelm you. Knowing which games are hidden behind the colorful covers is not always easy. So that you don’t completely lose sight of the big picture and find a good game for kids, check out our selection of the best Nintendo Switch games for kids:

Animal Crossing New Horizons

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons is much more than an endearing island experience with fun characters: it’s a hilarious way to share little big adventures that are more and better enjoyed by two Joy-Cons. 

Preview Product Rating Price
Animal Crossing New Horizons Switch - (UK VERSION) Animal Crossing New Horizons Switch - (UK VERSION) 33,125 Reviews $50.97Amazon Prime

The game’s simplicity, which has no villains or an objective to overcome, is relaxing and captivating. The island has various natural resources that can be used to create anything. Animal Crossing is also a Nintendo Switch multiplayer game, and allows you to visit the island with friends and family or welcome them to your island, still crowns a simulation and construction experience that borders on perfection within the Nintendo Switch.

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: March 20, 2020

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

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Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is the definitive sequel to the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy from the 90s and arrives 22 years after the last entry in the main series. Crash 4 is a true spectacle that impresses with its beauty and gameplay. The subtitle also plays with fans as the game plays with ideas of time portals, which most kids love.

Preview Product Rating Price
Crash 4: It's About Time - Nintendo Switch Crash 4: It's About Time - Nintendo Switch No ratings yet $33.24Amazon Prime

The game brings the best of the series and evolves the formula. Well-crafted 3D platform, stages, and many moments with the 2D platform, runner stages, collectibles, unlockables, secret stages, skins, and much more. Crash 4 brings a lot of content and will entertain you for hours, days, and weeks because “it’s about time.”

Developer: Toys for Bob

Publisher: Activision

Release Date: March 11, 2021

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

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Everyone knows the gang from the Mushroom Kingdom; they need no introduction, as the completely wild Rabbids appeared as a spin-off of another much-loved franchise, Rayman, in 2006 with the game Rayman Raving Rabbids. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is a wonderful and clear improvement of the later game Kingdom Battle. It greatly improves the battle and exploration mechanics of the previous game, which after a while became a little tedious; it is a more fun game that doesn’t offer very high difficulty, especially if you analyze the battlefield well and choose your characters and sparks intelligently which makes it ideal for kids.

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Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope – Standard Edition Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope – Standard Edition No ratings yet $19.93Amazon Prime

The game is not very long, but it is not too short either; if you want to explore everything, collect all the planetary coins, do the secret missions, and get the weapon skins, you’ll easily spend 30 or so hours of play. Also, the battles are less similar, as experimenting with new combinations of characters and sparks gives the game an interesting replayability factor. 

Developer: Ubisoft

Publisher: Ubisoft

Release Date: October 20, 2022

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order

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Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is a game easily recommended for kids who are Marvel Comics fans. The quick response of the controls, the extra mechanics in boss fights, and the different types of attacks, skills, and extreme attacks combined to leave me hooked on the game for hours on end. This high-quality experience fits the Nintendo Switch like a glove.

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Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order - Nintendo Switch Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order - Nintendo Switch No ratings yet $50.69Amazon Prime

The focus on colorful and stylized visuals for a more familiar experience allows Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 to boast a graphical quality full of interesting moments. The gameplay itself is an example of the balance that Team Ninja and Marvel Games sought for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 – an accessible game but with enough difficulty to challenge the most demanding gamers. The great veterans of the genre will stroll through this Action RPG, but the gameplay foundations have the depth to go beyond button-mashing.

Developer: Team Ninja

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: July 19, 2019

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

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Pokemon Legends: Arceus combines action and free exploration, touching on the roots of the Pokemon series. The adventure takes place in the Hisui region, the original past of Sinnoh. The title is much more than a new gameplay proposal. It’s a real breather for the franchise’s formula, accommodated for years with linear progression and turn-based fights.

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Pokémon Legends: Arceus - US Version Pokémon Legends: Arceus - US Version No ratings yet $50.99Amazon Prime

Pokemon Legends: Arceus adds non-linear progression, an all-new battle system, and a dynamic relationship between Pokemon and trainer. Creatures have their personality and behaviors and, in nature, will not think twice before attacking humans.

Developer: Game Freak

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: January 28, 2022

Super Mario Odyssey

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Super Mario Odyssey puts plumber and new ally Cappy on an immense 3D adventure worldwide. The duo captures and controls objects, animals, and enemies, transforming gameplay.

Preview Product Rating Price
Super Mario Odyssey - US Version Super Mario Odyssey - US Version No ratings yet $53.99Amazon Prime

In this installment, the intrepid Mario travels with his new friend Cappy in search of Princess Peach, who has been kidnapped by the evil Bowser, who wants to force her to marry. With magical worlds to explore and new mechanics, it is an almost mandatory title for young kids.

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: October 27, 2017

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

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More than the definitive fighting game for the Nintendo Switch, with colorful, frenetic combat and lots of personality, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a playable museum of the video game industry’s history. At the top, 89 iconic characters from the most different franchises face off in fights between up to four players locally or via the internet. Each fighter carries characteristics very specific to their original games.

Preview Product Rating Price
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version No ratings yet $51.95Amazon Prime

Ultimate still advances in relation to its predecessors, presenting a consistent story mode with around 450 stages and new scenarios for the franchise, based on the Castlevania series, Super Mario Odyssey, and much more. This is truly one of the best Mario games on Nintendo Switch that you can play today!

Developer(s): Bandai Namco Studios & Sora Ltd.

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: December 7, 2018

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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The game that redefined the standards for The Legend of Zelda franchise and the open-world RPG genre itself could not be in a different place on this list. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has a world of discovery, exploration, and adventure at every turn. The adventurer who controls Link is invited to travel through Hyrule while discovering what happened to the kingdom.

Preview Product Rating Price
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - US Version The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - US Version No ratings yet $46.29Amazon Prime

With a lot of freedom and creativity, the game evolved the formula of one of the most beloved franchises in history. It’s a must-see for fans and those who have never played a Zelda game. You’ll probably fall in love and understand why Breath of the Wild is one of the best games ever. This is a Nintendo Switch exclusive that you can’t afford to miss.

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: March 3, 2017

Yoshi’s Crafted World

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Yoshi’s Crafted World is one of the most unique games on this list. Beyond its fascinating presentation inspired by dioramas, this irresistible platform designed for all audiences offers all possible facilities for the little ones in the house (and the not-so-little ones) to enjoy its colorful levels, including a relaxed mode that allows them.

Preview Product Rating Price
Yoshi's Crafted World - Nintendo Switch Yoshi's Crafted World - Nintendo Switch No ratings yet $47.97

Regarding its two Yoshis modes, it is possible to join at any time, and it is even allowed for a player to carry the other on his back (or transport it in his mouth) to help him through the most complicated sections of the adventure. It is a little great genius that makes the whole more accessible.

Developer: Good-Feel

Publisher: Nintendo

Release Date: March 29, 2019

Wrapping Up

Nintendo games are renowned for being family-friendly, and the Switch is, unsurprisingly, the ideal console for kids and perfect to introduce the youngest to the pleasures of gaming. We hope our selection of the best Nintendo Switch games for kids helps you find a good way to spend an afternoon with your family.

Next, check out the best Nintendo Switch indie games for something truly unique!

Talha Khalid
Talha Khalidhttp://medium.com/@talhakhalid101
Gaming enthusiast turned writer, weaving words to capture the essence of virtual worlds, while doubling as a full stack developer, crafting immersive experiences both in and out of code. I have also written for GoTeleport, InfluxDB, and Loft Labs.

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