Forget the annual argument over the Monopoly board. This Christmas, why not bring the family together with some brilliantly accessible video games instead? With digital stores making last-minute purchases a breeze, there's still time to pick up the perfect title for some festive couch co-op.
While the market is flooded with multiplayer options, not all are suited to a mixed-age group. We've curated a list of the 12 best family-friendly multiplayer games available across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, ensuring fun for gaming parents and their kids alike.
Festive Fun for Younger Gamers
For families with younger children, finding a game that is engaging but not frustrating is key. Disney Illusion Island is a charming, simplified Metroidvania featuring Mickey and friends. Originally a Switch exclusive, it's now on PS5, Xbox, and PC, with free DLC adding to the adventure.
Kirby And The Forgotten Land remains a stellar choice for its gentle difficulty. The co-op mode lets a second player help as Bandana Waddle Dee, and the updated Nintendo Switch 2 version offers extra content. Similarly, the award-winning Donkey Kong Bananza includes a clever co-op mode where a second player controls Pauline to assist Donkey Kong directly.
Chaotic Party Games & Relaxing Co-op
If you're after laughter and lighthearted competition, several titles deliver. Super Mario Party Jamboree is the quintessential party game, packed with minigames and boards. While a Switch 2 version exists, the original Switch edition offers more than enough content.
For those without a Switch, Lego Party! provides a fantastic, multi-platform alternative full of slapstick humour. Meanwhile, Party Animals—now on PS5 as well as Xbox and PC—is pure, physics-based chaos as players control wobbly animals trying to knock each other out.
Seeking something calmer? Lego Voyagers is a short, sweet, and relaxing co-op puzzle adventure perfect for a single evening. For a unique team challenge, Peak on PC tasks four players with cooperatively climbing a mountain, offering just the right level of spooky tension for kids.
Action-Packed Adventures for Older Families
Families with teens or older children have some spectacular options. Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a vibrant 2D beat 'em up where players can team up as iconic superheroes. The straightforward combat is easy to grasp, though the four-player co-op is welcome during tougher boss fights.
The legendary kitchen chaos of Overcooked! All You Can Eat (a compilation of both games) remains a top-tier co-op test of communication and patience. For racing fans, Mario Kart World on Switch 2 is a must, especially if bought as part of the console bundle, with its brilliant multiplayer and open world to explore.
Finally, Split Fiction is a masterpiece of co-op design from Hazelight, though its crude humour and violence make it best for teens and adults. It features ingeniously linked puzzles and is arguably the best new co-op game of the year.
And don't forget Just Dance 2026. Its shift to a live service model with yearly updates was a masterstroke, offering a tracklist with modern hits for the kids and classics for the adults, guaranteeing hilarious fun for everyone.
This Christmas, move beyond the traditional board game and create some new, digital holiday traditions with these exceptional family-friendly video games.
