When every developer sets out to start a new project, the ambitious end goal is often the same. Every developer, AAA or indie, wants to round off the year by being crowned Game of the Year. But it’s easier said than done, especially if you want to include kids in your target audience.
Making a game for an adult audience or a younger demographic is straightforward. But making something that resonates with both is a real task. However, there are a few games that have achieved this audacious goal and been nominated for the grand prize at year’s end.
If you’re a parent who wants to show your child the best of the best in gaming but also needs it to be age-appropriate for their developing brain, we have you covered. Here is every GOTY Nominee of the last decade that we would consider ideal for a younger gamer.
Every game on this list, except for one, is rated E10+ or lower. The ESRB generally considers an “E10+” rating acceptable for children 10 and older, while an “E” rating is generally suitable for everyone. In any case, the ESRB’s content warnings are also included for your parental consideration. I’ve also included which systems each game is available to play on.
Astro Bot
A Love Letter To PlayStation
For the longest time, I lamented the golden era of the mascot platformer. The PS2 era was a time when 3D platforming greats were a dime a dozen. It seemed like those days were gone, but then along came Astro Bot, and everything changed.
Serving as Sony’s answer to Nintendo’s Mario, this game not only resonates with fans as a love letter to all things PlayStation. But also provides some of the most fun, fluid, and creative platforming mechanics and levels in the history of the medium.
Not many games can come along and provide childish whimsy for kids and adults alike, but Astro Bot does that and then some. Truly, one of, if not the best, 3D Platformers of all time. It won’t be the last one we mention on this list, but it’s certainly the most recent success story worth playing.
This game is currently only available on PS5.
ESRB Rating: E10+
ESRB Warnings: Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence
Donkey Kong Bananza
Monkey Business
I should probably qualify that last statement, as DK Bananza is arguably the most recent platformer masterclass in the GOTY discussion. However, I would argue that DK Bananza is less about tight platforming and more about the destruction of the world around you.
Thanks to the unique moveset at your disposal and the truly groundbreaking destructible level design, exploration within this new DK outing couldn’t be more rewarding. Yet, despite these mechanics being so outlandish, it’s still a typically kid-friendly title that is easy to pick up and play.
It may not have gotten a sniff at the Game Awards this year, as Clair Obscur swept up just about everything. But, if you could only buy one kid-friendly game from 2025, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better one than DK Bananza.
This game is currently only available to play on Nintendo Switch 2
ESRB Rating: E10+
ESRB Warnings: Fantasy Violence
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
A New Twist On A Classic
Starting to see a trend here? Yes, we have another platformer making up the numbers. But, at least this one is a 2D platformer to keep things somewhat varied and interesting. It’s the first mention for everyone’s favorite mustachioed plumber, Mario.
For all intents and purposes, this is the most modern iteration of the tried-and-tested Super Mario Bros. formula that has been around for decades. So, you know it’s good for your kid, because you likely played it as a kid, too.
However, this one was hailed as one of the finest of the year due to the blend of old and new ideas. New power-ups, clever level design, seamless co-op, and pixel-perfect visuals all make Wonder a spectacle to behold. You know what they say. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
This game is currently only available to play on Nintendo Switch 2
ESRB Rating: E: Everyone
ESRB Warnings: Mild Fantasy Violence
Stray
We’re Still Purring About This One
Stray is a pretty easy sell if you’re looking to find a game that cements your coolest parent of all time status with your kid. A game that lets you play as a cute little kitty. What’s not to love about that?
However, there’s more to this one than meets the eye. Hence, it was nominated for the major end-of-year award. The game is a dystopian epic with a heartfelt narrative and boasts one of the coolest settings you’ll come across in gaming.
Not to mention, the gameplay is rather varied, offering action, stealth, semi-open-world exploration, and much more. Sure, it’s the cat game that broke the internet, but it’s more than just a meme. It’s a stellar game well worth you and your young one’s time.
This game is currently available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
ESRB Rating: E10+
ESRB Warnings: Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Island Life
We take a break from your regularly scheduled Platformers to bring you something a little different. A cozy life sim in the form of Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The most recent and most impressive outing in the long-running series to date.
As far as value for money purchases go, New Horizons is a superb investment for your kids, as this game not only has oodles of content and replay value, but it also encourages daily play for short sessions, meaning there won’t be any super long sessions that turn their eyes square.
Additionally, it instills community values and the importance of social interaction with peers in a positive way. Think of it as the opposite effect of the Call of Duty lobbies some of us endured in our adolescence.
It may not reinvent the wheel for AC as a series. But regardless, it’s a modern tweak that’s worth its weight in gold, and was well worthy of the GOTY nomination at the time.
This game is currently only available to play on Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch 2
ESRB Rating: E: Everyone
ESRB Warnings: Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
The Duo Is Lombax Again
Back aboard the 3D platformer train. That didn’t take long, did it? Next up, we have the bucket of bolts and the famous Lombax, Ratchet and Clank. In an adventure that was one of the first games to showcase the true power of the PS5.
This one is a superb kids’ game simply because it’s an accessible, gorgeous, and endlessly satisfying platformer. But, beyond that, it’s a memorable benchmark for the genre thanks to the rift-tearing mechanics and modern tweaks on the R&C format.
Plus, the game looks and feels like an interactive Pixar movie starring your favorite PlayStation mascot heroes. In short, it’s the whole package and perhaps the best R&C game ever made. Which, among such stiff competition, is high praise indeed.
This game is currently available only on PS5.
ESRB Rating: E10+
ESRB Warnings: Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence
Super Smash Bros Ultimate
Wombo Combo
Playing games with your kids is an enriching experience for everyone involved. But, there’s also plenty of room for you to swap co-op for competitive gaming and show your younglings who’s the real pro gamer in your household.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a great way to provide an outlet for this competitiveness, offering cartoonish brawling that’s as simple or as mechanically complex as you like. You can get lost in the minutiae, or just mindlessly button-mash, and either method is oodles of fun.
Ultimate is still the benchmark for Platform Fighters, and rightfully got the nod at the TGAs. To see what all the fuss is about, invest in this one, choose your fighter, and have a blast.
This game is currently only available to play on Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch 2
ESRB Rating: E10+
ESRB Warnings: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief, Suggestive Themes
Celeste
The Only Way Is Up
Being emotionally literate and aware of mental health is very important, and the younger you can grasp this concept, the better, in my view. Which is why Celeste is not only a must-play for kids, but a seminal game for all gamers.
This game tackles mental health in a profound and beautiful way. But it’s not just a game with a message. It’s a game that succeeds thanks to the sheer quality on show. From the gorgeous pixel graphics and chiptune soundtrack to the refined and addictive platforming gameplay, this title has it all.
It’s not just a game for impact; it’s a game that serves as one of the best 2D Platformers ever made, and while it’s a tricky one by all accounts, it’s still one that you should have your kids play. Just use those accessibility cheats if you need to, no judgment here.
This game is currently available on PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch & PC.
ESRB Rating: E10+
ESRB Warnings: Alcohol Reference, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
Super Mario Odyssey
A Feather In Your Cappy
While I will always fight the corner of A Hat In Time as the best video game where hats give you unique powers, it’s very hard to overlook the mass critical and commercial appeal of Super Mario Odyssey.
This is the most recent 3D Mario outing, doing what the Galaxies, Sunshines, and 64s did before it and revolutionizing the 3D platforming space with some of the finest, most vibrant, and incredibly satisfying platforming playgrounds ever devised.
The mechanics implemented through Cappy are a joy to behold, and best of all, there’s a typically excellent learning curve where all skill levels are accounted for, but even the most adept kiddos will be tested to their limit.
In short, it’s one of, if not the best, Mario games of all time, and considering that the plumber never misses, that’s a big statement. But one that Odyssey earns, and then some.
This game is currently only available to play on Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch 2
ESRB Rating: E10+
ESRB Warnings: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief
It Takes Two
Co-Op Chaos
The only thing better than a GOTY Nominee that your child can play is a GOTY Nominee that you and your child can play together. Which is exactly why It Takes Two is such a must-play, chaotic co-op title.
Josef Fares has a real knack for co-op game design, as shown recently again by Split Fiction. But of his trip of multiplayer hits, It Takes Two stands as the pick of the litter. Telling a zany tale reminiscent of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, mixed with The Parent Trap.
Every mechanic complements others to force players to work as a team, making for one of the richest gaming experiences money can buy. Truly, if you want to bond with your little one, I can think of few better ways than sitting down to play this one together.
This game is currently only available on PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S, PC & Nintendo Switch.
ESRB Rating: T
ESRB Warnings: Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Language