Best Family-Friendly Games On Xbox Game Pass

Family-friendly video games are often overlooked in favor of chaotic shooters, mature RPGs, or complex strategy games. That’s a bit of a shame, as there are dozens of incredible titles out there that carry a rating suitable for even the youngest gamer in your family. Game Pass has unsurprisingly become a haven for these sorts of adventures, with hits like Banjo-Kazooie, Minecraft, and Overcooked 2 gracing its catalog.

If you’re looking for the next game to check out as a family–or just want a break from your current FPS–consider downloading one of these titles. We’ve scoured the Game Pass roster to come up with a list of the 24 best family games on Game Pass. Our list includes cooperative and competitive multiplayer games that the whole family will love as well as titles with great single-player modes that kids can enjoy. We chose to only highlight games that are rated E or E10, so you won’t find any games rated for teens on this list.

Many of these are playable across both Xbox and PC, and you can even stream most of them through Xbox Cloud Gaming on your phone and other devices. All of these games are available on Xbox, of course, but we also noted if they are supported on PC and Cloud Gaming. Keep in mind you need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to play across all three platforms. Game Pass Ultimate costs $22.99 per month. Alternatively, you can get Game Pass Essential for $9.99 per month or PC Game Pass for $13.99 a month. Game Pass Essential doesn’t include access to EA Play titles and is limited to just over 50 games as opposed to Ultimate’s 500+, while PC Game Pass restricts your Game Pass list to just the titles that are up for grabs on PC. Game Pass Ultimate provides all of the perks, and it’s well worth the monthly fee.

Don’t see anything you like? Be sure to check out our list of the best overall games on Game Pass, along with a full list of every game in its current lineup.

Banjo-Kazooie Series

Banjo Kazooie is an iconic 3D platformer, and you can play three entries through Game Pass, including Nuts and Bolts, Banjo-Tooie, and the original Banjo-Kazooie. Quirky characters, impressive level design, and fluid platforming action make this a great option for the entire family, and a nostalgia trip for those who were there the first time.

Barbie Horse Trails

Barbie Horse Trails is a bit of a dream come true for any kid (and their adult) who loves horses. All the fun, none of the expense (or cleaning up poop). You’ll take on the role of Junior Ranger, customizing your character and exploring an open world of trails, rivers, and forests with your loyal horse and her pals. Pretty much every element of your horse can be customized and decorated, and you’ll learn to care for them and keep them happy and healthy. There’s a park wildlife book to fill out, collectables to find, and challenges to complete along the way, too.

Ben 10 Power Trip

Ben 10 Power Trip serves as a great introduction to combat and 3D world exploration for younger fans of the series, taking Ben and his Omnitrix of alien transformations to Europe for what starts as a vacation and ends as a showdown against the evil Hex and his monsters. Split-screen co-op is also supported, so friends, siblings, or parents can jump in and help save the day.

Bluey: The Videogame

Possibly the most wholesome game on this list, Bluey: The Videogame is a sweet and charming way to bring your kids into gaming using characters they already know and love. Bluey is joined by Bingo, Mum, Dad, Muffin, Uncle Stripe, and her grandparents in a collection of mini adventures. Dress up in funny outfits, explore and find collectables, and play mini games of keepy uppy and the ground is lava. It’s easy to play on Xbox Game Pass, even for little hands.

Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling

Explore the land of Bugaria as you step into the insect-sized shoes of Vi, Kabbu, and Leif. Along the way, you’ll engage in turn-based combat, explore a colorful overworld, and be treated to eye-catching graphics that are reminiscent of the classic Paper Mario games.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley is great if you or your kids like games like Animal Crossing–relaxed, creative experiences where you can take your time to explore a self-contained world. It’s a life sim that has players maintaining, helping, and befriending a local community of Disney characters through cooking, crafting, and taking care of the wildlife. Characters like Daisy Duck, Hercules, Stitch, and Peter Pan can all be unlocked, given gifts and used to acquire quests and challenges. Over time you’ll expand the locale to feature shops, services and restaurants and unlock memorable locations from greenhouses to spaceships. It’s definitely enough to keep you busy for a while! If you need some help getting started, be sure to check out our Disney Dreamlight Valley guides.

Disneyland Adventures

It’s not quite a trip to the happiest place on earth, but it’s as close as you can get without leaving the house and it’s included in your Game Pass subscription. Part game, part virtual experience, you’ll get to walk around Disneyland and meet a host of classic characters, completing more than 100 challenges and adventuring through several of the park’s main attractions–from the Matterhorn to Peter Pan’s Flight.

Forza Horizon 5

Speed through a gorgeous Mexican landscape consisting of pristine beaches, bubbling volcanoes, and claustrophobic cities. The game features distinct driving mechanics for each vehicle, and since just about every action grants you experience points, you can play in whatever style you’d like. It’s a family-friendly game, without being childish.

Gang Beasts

Gang Beasts is one of the most bizarre games on this list. You’ll play as boneless, flimsy creatures as you fight against your fellow players and try to knock them out. The physics engine is reason alone to check it out, although the frantic (and hilarious) gameplay makes it the perfect choice for game night.

Human: Fall Flat

Clamber your way through more than a dozen levels of physics-based hilarity. Its characters and quirky gameplay are similar to Gang Beasts, only this time you’re trying to solve a variety of puzzles and platform your way to victory.

Little Kitty, Big City

If you’re not quite at the stage where you want to commit to a real life pet, Little Kitty, Big City should satisfy those feline cravings pretty quickly. Causing havoc in the city is the main aim of the game, as well as befriending strays, dressing yourself in adorable hats, and exploring the nooks and crannies of a towering metropolis. It’s a great Game Pass game for kids who love kitties, and adults who need to experience what it’s like to have no deadlines and take a nap in the sun. We’ve got a bunch of Little Kitty, Big City guides to help you grab all the cute collectables, hats, and buddies.

Minecraft

Mine blocks, craft useful objects, and piece together whatever your heart desires. Minecraft has seen tremendous growth over the years, now offering a slew of multiplayer features along with dozens of biomes to explore and hundreds of items to collect.

Minecraft Dungeons

Minecraft Dungeons shares the same blocky aesthetic as its older sibling, but plays like an ARPG instead of an open-world epic. There’s no shortage of ways to customize your player, and a variety of difficulties let you cater the playstyle to gamers of all ages and skill levels.

Monster Sanctuary

Hunt and collect over 100 monsters in this adorable metroidvania. Every monster on your roster brings special skills into battle–and you’ll need to master them all to defeat some of the game’s most challenging bosses.

Moonlighter

Moonlighter is an action-RPG that tasks you with going on dangerous journeys while also running a thriving business. Sell items, manage your budget, and hire helpers, then dive back into tense combat in search of more loot and deadlier enemies.

New Super Lucky’s Tale

It’s not Mario, but New Super Lucky’s Tale is a great platformer in its own right–and among the best on Xbox. Each level is filled with family-friendly action, and you’ll get to explore both 2D and 3D worlds as you attempt to stop an evil sorcerer before they carry out their evil plan.

Overcooked 2

You’ll need careful cooperation if you want to craft the best pizza, burgers, and fries in Overcooked 2. You and a few other chefs will need to manage new orders as they come in and figure out the best way to piece them together. It’s a lot more hectic than it sounds, with ridiculous levels that give you more to deal with than just picky customers.

Slay the Spire

Slowly work your way up the Spire, duking it out against enemies in turn-based battles that are built around a card-based battle system. Hundreds of cards are up for grabs, and with more than 50 different encounters and 200+ items, there’s no shortage of roguelike fun to be had in Slay the Spire.

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is more than just a farming game. Beyond restoring a dilapidated farmhouse to its former glory, you’ll also mingle with your fellow townsfolk, explore a deep dungeon in search of rare material, and take part in a bunch of seasonal festivities.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Old-school beat-em-ups don’t get much better than this. Whether you’re playing with a few friends or solo, Shredder’s Revenge gives you a complex combat system to master along with plenty of levels that’ll test your skills.

Terraria

Terraria lets you explore a stunning 2D world as you see fit. Your first few hours will likely be spent stockpiling resources for crafting and developing your arsenal of weapons, but once you’ve built up a stable of useful tools, you can head into some surprisingly nuanced boss fights and slowly create a sprawling empire.

Tunic

Tunic is a mysterious action game that merges old-school Zelda with Dark Souls. You’ll stomp around a small island with little direction, diving into dungeons and slaying challenging bosses as you go. It’s easy on the eyes, too, with striking, minimalistic graphics that accentuate every biome in the game.

Unravel 2

The first Unravel is also available on Game Pass, but feel free to skip right to the stellar second installment. It shares the same main character, but the narrative doesn’t have any big ties to the original. With an emotional story, distinctive graphics, and fun platforming segments, Unravel 2 isn’t a game to miss.

Viva Pinata

It’s a bit old (having launched on Xbox 360), but this family-friendly adventure has held up incredibly well. You’ll attempt to collect and breed a bunch of different pinatas, creating a vibrant garden as you go. It’s a relaxing game, but one with plenty of depth if you choose to dig in.