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Parents who find themselves with a PS5 might want to play something with their kids, but which games should they try? Which titles serve as welcoming entry points for youngsters taking their first steps into the exciting world of gaming? Here are the best PS5 games for kids split into multiple genres.
Introductory Game: Astro’s Playroom
Starting with a freebie, Astro’s Playroom comes installed on every PS5, so this will likely be the first game most people play on the console. A 3D platformer that highlights the PS5’s unique features, especially the DualSense controller, Astro’s Playroom is a great tech demo. However, what makes this title so special is that it is also an amazing platformer in its own right.
Astro’s Playroom will undoubtedly delight people who have been with Sony for generations, but it is also the perfect introductory point for newcomers. With controls that are easy to grasp and an overabundance of charm, Astro’s Playroom might transform a child into a gamer.
3D Platformer: Sackboy: A Big Adventure
Astro’s Playroom can be used as a launching pad for another 3D platformer on the PS5, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a delight and a half. A LittleBigPlanet spin-off, Sackboy combines colorful visuals with responsive gameplay and a hint of puzzles. Whether played solo or in co-op, Sackboy is an absolute blast, and it is quite easy.
The platforming genre tends to be associated with children’s games, and while these types of titles are not as common as they were during the ’90s, there are usually a few stand-out releases on each modern console. Sackboy is basically the PS5’s equivalent of Super Mario 64.
Side-scrolling Classic Platformer: Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series
Klonoa produced two charming 2.5D platformers during the PS1 and PS2 eras, but the series struggled to get the attention it deserved as it came out after the genre’s peak. After more than a decade of inactivity, this underappreciated license finally got some love in the form of the Phantasy Reverie Series, a package that compiles remasters of 1997’s Door to Phantomile and 2001’s Lunatea’s Veil.
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Although a few things were refined or modernized, the collection left the games largely untouched, which serves as a testament to Klonoa’s timelessness. Both platformers deliver imaginative levels, colorful characters, and easy-to-grasp gameplay that holds a fair amount of depth for these types of games.
2.5D Platformer: Ayo The Clown
A throwback to classic 2D platformers, Ayo the Clown is a charming game that, while not exactly unique, offers something that is difficult to come by natively on the PlayStation 5. Set in small stages that promote exploration, players will make their way through vibrant levels as they gradually acquire new abilities that expand the eponymous character’s moveset.
This is a tried-and-tested formula for a reason – it simply works. 2D platformers are also fantastic for introducing children to gaming in general, as their straightforwardness makes them incredibly easy to understand and follow. Ayo the Clown is a confident example of this genre.
RPG: Kitaria Fables
There aren’t all that many RPGs specifically designed for children; even when stripped down to its bare bones, this genre typically still comes with a plethora of mechanics and systems that need to be properly understood for someone to get the most out of the journey. The PS5 also does not have a huge selection of RPGs, so pickings are slim.
If asked to select the best PS5 RPG for kids, Kitaria Fables just about gets the nod, but it should be noted that this game might still be too much for extremely young children. Boasting a fun combat system that permits players to shift their load-outs depending on their preferred build, Kitaria Fables has adorable visuals, an easy-to-digest storyline, and generally well-developed ideas.
Open-World: Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
There aren’t all that many games that completely circumvent any violence, so Alba: A Wildlife Adventure offers a welcome change of pace. As Alba, players explore an island in search of creatures that they can photograph.
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While there is some variety outside of this goal, expanding Alba’s photograph portfolio takes center stage, and it leads to a very relaxing experience. Alba: A Wildlife Adventure’s open-world is rather small, but it doesn’t lack in personality or beauty.
Racing: Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway
Kart racers are not as common as they used to be, but the industry still occasionally produces one of these projects. Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 is strictly made for kids or die-hard fans of the source material; older players looking for a kart racer should take a look at Hot Wheels Unleashed. Although not entirely lacking in original ideas, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3’s main appeal is its identifiable characters, colorful visuals, customization, and simple but enjoyable controls.
As kart racers are rare nowadays, most PS5 owners are more likely to turn to “realistic” arcade racers to experience something similar. However, those games might be too intense for very young children, and that’s where something like Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 steps in.
Online: Fall Guys
Online games suitable for children always come with asterisks since parents do not only have to take the gameplay into account. In a title like Fall Guys or Fortnite, kids will be interacting directly with other players of all ages, which can lead to them learning a few choice words if the voice chat is active. However, in the case of Fall Guys, its voice chat has to be manually switched on by players through the menu’s Audio options.
Focusing on the gameplay, Fall Guys is a party game battle royale revolving around mini-games. With a vibrant, cartoon aesthetic and an overabundance of silliness, this title does not take itself too seriously and is very accessible.
Life Sim: Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a charming life sim that also incorporates adventure and role-playing elements. Disney’s reach is inescapable, and the company’s animated movies, TV shows, and theme parks make special appearances in so many childhoods. While there are plenty of Mickey Mouse-themed games, few titles capture the magic of Disney as well as Disney Dreamlight Valley.
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After creating their own character, players step into a vibrant world filled with biomes based on Disney and Pixar’s properties. Along with collecting resources needed to cook food and complete other life sim staples, players can talk to iconic characters and complete quests for them. Once done, that persona will join the player’s village.
Business Sim: Planet Coaster
OK, management games do not exactly scream “for kids.” They typically necessitate that players focus on minor details, which can be quite frustrating, and Planet Coaster is no exception. The game comes with deep mechanics that, if someone wants to create a well-running park, will need to be mastered.
Alternatively, a player can jump into Sandbox mode and do whatever. Just let the mind go wild and have fun, caring not for logic or consistency. This approach makes Planet Coaster a fun ride for younger children, although it is probably best that parents only buy this game if they are also interested in playing.
Farming Sim: Doraemon Story Of Seasons: Friends Of The Great Kingdom
Farming sims come in many shapes and rhythms. Some, like Stardew Valley, are time-consuming and demanding, while others seek to be more relaxing experiences. Story of Seasons falls within the latter category, and Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom represents the franchise as its charming peak. Based on a hugely popular Japanese anime, this spin-off casts players as Noby, a boy who is close friends with a robot cat who can do incredible things. In this case, Doraemon uses a rocket to send himself and Noby to an alien planet, albeit one that is not all that dissimilar to Earth.
Long story short, Noby and Doraemon have to successfully grow a farm if they want to go home. Friends of the Great Kingdom’s farming mechanics are easy to grasp but also require just enough thought to be engaging. Like the best farm sims, the game fills the world with colorful NPCs for Noby to befriend.
Strategy: Autonauts
The best PS5 kids games generally streamline a genre’s core concepts without sacrificing too much variety. Autonauts does exactly that for strategy and management games, implementing quality-of-life ideas that lessen the grind synonymous with these types of titles.
In Autonauts, players spend most of their time gathering resources that can be used to craft tools and machines. This is done in service of expanding the adorable protagonist’s civilization, but such an endeavor cannot be achieved alone – this is where robots enter the picture. Players can assign repetitive tasks to these mechanical helpers, turning the project into a team effort.
Rhythm: Just Dance 2023
Ubisoft’s Just Dance is probably the most well-known rhythm franchise in gaming, with each iteration highlighting popular modern and classic tracks. If need be, the chosen tracks are tweaked to match the license’s family-friendly image, ensuring the content is appropriate for all ages.
Just Dance 2023 is shaping up to be the license’s last traditional annual entry, and new songs will be added to the app in the future. With stylish visuals and (generally) easy-to-follow choreography, this game is a safe pick for kids.
Co-Op: Overcooked: All You Can Eat
Overcooked: All You Can Eat packs in the two PS5 kids games, creating one of the most complete party co-op compilations on the market. Players must work together to prepare and plate their dishes so they can complete orders. This game is fun, chaotic, and perfect for a group of four.
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Overcooked: All You Can Eat also introduced an Assist mode that reduces the pressure during levels, making it an amazing option for young children who are getting used to the ropes.
Puzzle: Lego Bricktales
While pretty much every Lego game is suitable for children, most of the brand’s releases are action-adventure titles that do not try to translate the joy of physically building things using legos. Lego Bricktales is a rare exception.
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In order to collect Happiness Crystals, players must travel to different worlds and help out the locals with a handful of requests. Generally, this process involves solving a puzzle by building something out of legos, and these brainteasers can get quite challenging at times. Lego Bricktales is one of those games that children and parents can both enjoy; the former will appreciate the colorful worlds, while the latter can step in when the puzzles are a bit too difficult.
3D Adventure: The Touryst
Set on a series of islands, The Touryst is an open-world game with dungeon crawling thrown in, although the latter does not include combat. For the majority of the game, players spend their time traversing an array of tropical islands as they soak up their cultures.
In order to progress the campaign, players will have to enter dungeons to find alien-themed artifacts. These are not particularly difficult and typically include a puzzle or two. This game is relaxing, endearing, and generally easy.
Adventure: Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Chicory: A Colorful Tale is one of those games that everyone should play, regardless of their age. Overflowing with creativity, this delightful indie title casts players as a dog charged with using a paintbrush to bring color back to the world. This journey primarily consists of solving puzzles that are not especially difficult, along with taking on a few boss enemies. More importantly, Chicory actively encourages players to tap into their imagination, rewarding and praising them along the way.
Thematically, Chicory: A Colorful Tale has some interesting things to say about the creation process. This aspect of the experience will likely go over the heads of most children, but that just means they have a reason to revisit the game later on in life.
Action: Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania
The 2010s were not kind to Super Monkey Ball, but Banana Mania at least got the current decade off to a good start. Essentially a platformer, Monkey Ball is all about carefully navigating a sphere through winding levels toward an endpoint. Straightforward as that sounds, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania can be quite challenging and comes packed with hundreds of stages.
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Although it can be frustrating at times, Banana Mania has nothing in it that is inappropriate for children. The gameplay does require quite a bit of precision, so this recommendation is mainly for older kids who have some experience with games and are looking for something to keep them busy for a long time.
Fighting: Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl
Like the horror genre, fighting games are not usually designed with young children in mind, even if many ’90s kids grew up playing Mortal Kombat in arcades. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is the obvious exception on the PlayStation 5, as the brawler takes a page from Super Smash Bros’ playbook rather than more technical fighters like Tekken or Dead or Alive.
Collecting fan favorites from Nickelodeon’s history, All-Star Brawl moves at a blistering pace, delivering combat that seems designed to spark laughter in local multiplayer sessions. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl does lack single-player content and polish, so it is only really worth considering for children who are huge fans of the included properties.
Third-Person Shooter: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Ending on a recommendation for older kids, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is one of the best games on the PS5. With visuals ripped right out of a Pixar movie and characters that are irresistibly endearing, Rift Apart is a treat for the senses. It also happens to play like a dream.
Mechanically, there is more going on here than most other kids’ games, but Rift Apart’s controls are rather intuitive. The “Rookie Recruit” difficult setting makes the game very easy, and Rift Apart also has a range of other accessibility options.
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