Choosing the right game atChristmascan be particularly difficult, especially if the person buying is not familiar with the games themselves. The past year has seen some incredible family-friendly titles released, offering fun, enjoyable gameplay for a wide age range and on varying formats so that there is something for everyone.
RELATED:10 Games Designed For Kids That Are Actually Difficult
For those looking to pick up a game that can be played by kids and adults alike, or shared between family members, check out this list of ten of the very best gaming titles released in 2020 that will fit the bill.
10PHOGS
PHOGSis an adorable puzzle game where the player takes control of two dogs joined at the belly (reminiscent of theCatDogcartoon), and their names are Red and Blue. The game offers both single-player and co-op, allowing players to explore the three themed worlds of Food, Sleep, and Play.
The puzzles are challenging, but not frustrating, leading to a sense of accomplishment for all ages as players explore this rather cute game with charming graphics and fun gameplay mechanics.
9Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Sackboy: A Big Adventureis a spin-off title from theLittleBigPlanetfranchise, and offers a new platform gaming experience for fans that features full 3D, rather than the 2.5D of its predecessors.Sackboyallows up tofour-player co-op, meaning that more than one member of the family can enjoy the game at a time.
The game is available on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 and has plans to offer multiplayer in the future, with support for cross-generational multiplayer so that players can join in the fun regardless of what console they are playing on.
8Super Mario 3D All-Stars
Super Mario 3D All-Starsreleased for the Nintendo Switch in September and brings three classicSuper Mariotitles from three different generations of consoles together in one high-definition compilation. The game featuresSuper Mario 64from the N64,Super Mario Sunshinefrom the GameCube, andSuper Mario Galaxyfrom theWii.
RELATED:10 Best Selling Super Mario Games, Ranked (& How Much They Sold)
Super Mariogames have always been a hit with kids and adults alike and this is a great opportunity to gift someone the favorite games of their youth, or to introduce some younger family members to some of the best titles from Mario’s past.
7Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time
It came as no surprise that after the success of theCrash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy(a remake of the original three games) that fans would be given a brand-new sequel to get hands-on with.Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Timereleased in October for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, giving a new adventure to new and old fans of the series alike.
As well as maintaining some of the core DNA of the original games,Crash Bandicoot 4also adds a range of new features and gameplay elements to refresh the franchise andbring it back on form.
6Paper Mario: The Origami King
Paper Mario: The Origami Kingreleased in July for the Nintendo Switch and it is the sixth title in thePaper Mariofranchise. The game follows Mario as he attempts to stop the evil King Olly from turning everyone into origami.
This is a great entry RPG foryoung playersbut is equally enjoyable by older players too. Unlike the previous titles in the series,The Origami Kingfeatures a mixture of puzzle-based combat combined with turn-based combat. It offers really enjoyable gameplay in an adorable style, featuring familiar characters and some out-of-the-box thinking.
5Bugsnax
Bugsnaxboth confused and made every viewer fall in love with its adorable weirdness when it was first revealed during a Sony event earlier in the year. Players find themselves on Snaktooth island, where they can capture over100 different types of Bugsnax(essentially living food that resemble bugs).
Weirdly, players can then feed the Bugsnax to the locals, whose body parts begin to look like the Bugsnax they have eaten. The plot has the player trying to find where the explorer Lizbert has vanished to, and arguably the story takes a darker twist than most would believe of this cutesy looking game.
4Nexomon: Extinction
Nexomon: Extinctionis very similar in gameplay to the highly-popularPokémonseries, but unlike otherimitators,Nexomondelivers a solid game with a lot of aspects and features that fans have wanted inPokémontitles for years.
RELATED:10 Awesome Creature Collecting Games That Aren’t Pokémon
There are over 300 monsters in this monster-catching game, ready to catch, train and battle with. The characters and story are great, with plenty of humor added in, and the art style is particularly gorgeous, as well as making it stand out as more of an individual when compared to the 3D style of thePokémongames.
3Minecraft Dungeons
TheMinecraftfranchise broadened its scope by adding adungeon-crawlerto its repertoire with the release ofMinecraft Dungeonsin May. Instead of the open-world builder of the originalMinecraft, this game sees players travel through procedurally-generated levels where they hack and slash their way to completion.
This title offers a great chance for family members to play co-operatively on a new adventure, while still in the comfort of a familiar brand. The game has had three DLC packs added since launch, adding new levels, weapons, artifacts, monsters, and more.
2Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockoutreleased back in August and quickly became a sensation everywhere. Inspired by TV shows such asTakeshi’s CastleandWipeout, Fall Guysmixes the battle-royale andplatformergenres together and sees 60 players compete to become the last jellybean-like man standing.
Fall Guysadds new seasons with new themes every couple of months, keeping the game nice and fresh. It’s perfect for all ages and is incredibly fun to play, so it’s bound to be a winner this Christmas.
1Animal Crossing: New Horizons
The ultimate family-friendly title that released this year is undoubtedlyAnimal Crossing: New Horizons,with many players and critics contributing its unparalleled success due to the fact that it offered players a form of escapism into an idyllic, simpler world in a year when they needed it the most.
The game is great for all ages and even if there is only oneNintendo Switchconsole in the household, there can be more than one character made per island, so more than one family member can escape to the island for some adorable island life.
NEXT: The 10 Best Action & Adventure Games Of 2020, Ranked (According To Metacritic)
