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The holiday season is quickly approaching, which means enjoying games with the entire family. I fondly remember getting Mario Party 8 alongside the Wii on Christmas of 2007, and playing it with my grandparents all winter break. Fortunately, there are more family-friendly games available than ever before! Whether it’s a single-player experience or something everyone in the house can play, these are our family-friendly video game gift ideas for this holiday season.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
There’s nothing like waking up on the morning of a holiday to turn on your Switch and play Mario Party with the family. It’s a good thing that players can enjoy an all-new version of the game this year: Super Mario Party Jamboree! In the standard Mario Party mode, four friends can choose from 22 playable characters to challenge one another to earn the most stars. If you’re playing alone, you can enjoy the Party-Planner Trek mode against AI NPCs. The game is also the biggest in the franchise, with 112 minigames, seven boards, and thirty-seven items. All of that helps make Super Mario Party Jamboree an absolutely perfect family-friendly title.
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom shares the same visual style as Link’s Awakening, with a diorama-like world and tilt-shift visuals. In Echoes of Wisdom players will be taking on the role of Princess Zelda for the first time in a main Zelda game. A departure from traditional Zelda games, the gameplay relies on using the magical Tri Rod to create echoes, which are magical duplicates of things or monsters that she finds on her journey.
Besides being absolutely adorable, Echoes of Wisdom is also incredibly approachable for new fans who might have found Breath of the Wild or Tears of the Kingdom too overwhelming. Considering that, we thought it deserved to be on our list for adult fans looking to share their love for the franchise and gift the game to their children.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble
I am a huge fan of Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble. Both my spouse and I love playing as AiAi and GonGon, respectively, and seeing who can reach the end of every stage while also having collected the most bananas. Because of the tilting stages, every stage is a challenge and can lead to some rather chaotic gameplay. There are 200 stages, so there’s more than enough time to make up your losses! Locally, four players can play against one another, but online, you can play in a battle mode with up to 16 players. I can personally vouch for Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble being a great family-friendly gift during this holiday season as well as an alternative to games like Mario Party 8.
Sonic x Shadow Generations
Whether or not you’re a Sonic fan, Sonic x Shadow Generations is an absolutely fantastic game. Besides being a complete remaster of Sonic Generations, it includes a new story featuring Shadow the Hedgehog, just in time for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The remaster is largely the same game, but int Shadow’s version, players must work to defeat Black Doom, an antagonist from the Shadow the Hedgehog game.
The classic game gets a new twist, and players get a whole new experience to enjoy; I think that’s a win-win situation! Since the movie is so close to releasing, the gift of the latest Sonic game would be a great way to celebrate, especially after seeing Shadow himself on the big screen.
Funko Fusion
Lastly, we recommend adding Funko Fusion to your list of family-friendly games to pick up this holiday season. It came as a bit of a surprise how awesome it really is, with characters from more than 20 properties to play as, including Back to the Future, Mega Man, and The Thing. The third-person adventure game leverages every character’s powers to discover secrets, solve puzzles, and defeat enemies. More than anything, Funko Fusion is all about celebrating the different fandoms with which Funko has come to be associated. I’m sure you have a Funko of your favorite character somewhere, and if you do, I’d recommend picking up Funko Fusion.
