Best PS5 Games For Kids

Sony’s PlayStation 5 is building its library, both in terms of quality and variety. Demon’s Souls, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, Hades, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Deathloop, Returnal, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Hitman 3, Resident Evil Village, and Elden Ring are all great games that should satisfy teenagers and adults with a wide range of needs; however, none of these are suitable for young children.

Parents who find themselves with a PS5 might wish 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? Although not necessarily synonymous with kid-friendly projects, the PlayStation ecosystem tries to cater to as wide of an audience as possible, and that naturally includes youngsters who are taking their first steps in the world of gaming. Here are the best PS5 games for kids split into multiple genres.

Astro’s Playroom

Introductory Game

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.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

3D Platformer

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 the PS5’s equivalent of Super Mario 64​​​.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania

Action

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.

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.

DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos

Action RPG

Strangely, a 2023 game featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman went by largely unnoticed. Boasting a cartoonish art style that reveals the project’s family-friendly approach, DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos is undoubtedly designed with children in mind, putting it in stark contrast to DC’s flagship properties like Arkham, Injustice, and the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. However, despite its fairly simplistic combat and silly tone, Cosmic Chaos is a tasty treat that should satisfy even die-hard fans of the comics.

Mr. Mxyzptlk is up to no good, and it is up to DC’s legendary trio to put an end to the powerful being’s shenanigans. The campaign features a small but charming overworld that serves to usher players from dungeon to dungeon, with the latter playing out similarly to popular isometric action RPGs like Diablo. While nothing too special, the combat is explosive and satisfying, particularly since players can swap between the three heroes on the fly.

Lil Gator Game

Adventure

Lil Gator Game is the type of adventure that a child would come up with, and that is meant to be taken in the most positive way possible. As the eponymous gator, players will go on a self-driven adventure to create an adventure worthy of impressing their older sibling, with the main goal being to create an opportunity for family bonding. It is a simple premise that is executed beautifully and with endless charm. The latter is really Lil Gator Game‘s selling point since, in terms of gameplay, there is not all that much here to get excited about; just to be clear, what is included plays well, but most of the mechanics are fairly stripped down and straightforward.

While obviously great for younger players looking for a lighthearted and cute adventure, older folks might also appreciate Little Gator Game‘s innocence and whimsy. As the years roll by and flights of fantasy give way to hard reality, child-like wonder and imagination become fleeting skills that are rarely exercised; Little Gator Game might spark them to life in parents as they watch their kids have a good time.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Beat ‘Em Up

Modern beat ‘em ups are not only rare, but they tend to be fairly hard as well. Consequently, the genre is not the greatest pick for very young kids, as they might find themselves getting frustrated. On the other hand, the genre typically utilizes straightforward and easy-to-grasp controls, even if the mechanics might be difficult to master.

Shredder’s Revenge is really no exception. The short campaign gradually increases its difficulty until it becomes genuinely challenging, although it is overall not as tough as, say, Streets of Rage 4 or 3D brawlers like Sifu. More importantly, the game’s dynamic visuals and quirky characters are likely to keep the attention of kids, especially if they have been exposed to the TMNT cartoons. Shredder’s Revenge also supports co-op, so older siblings or parents can join in to lend a helping hand.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is on PS Plus Extra.

Fall Guys

Battle Royale

Battle royale 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 cartoony aesthetic and an overabundance of silliness, this title does not take itself too seriously and is very accessible. Perfect for short sessions when the only goal is to have a good time and maybe a few laughs, Fall Guys can be thrown on whenever someone is not sure what they feel like playing, and that goes for both children and adults.

Planet Coaster

Business Sim

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.

Overcooked: All You Can Eat

Co-Op

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.

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. When played normally, Overcooked can become fairly frustrating since the stages gradually ramp up the requirements, eventually demanding a near-flawless kitchen. As such, kids might start to feel overwhelmed after a while.

Overcooked! 2 is on PS Plus Extra.

Doraemon Story Of Seasons: Friends Of The Great Kingdom

Farming Sim

Farming sims come in many shapes and rhythms. Some, like Stardew Valley, are time-consuming and demanding, while others offer 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.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2

Fighting Game

The first Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl was a decent Super Smash Bros. clone that did not really do enough to stand out from the crowd, making it difficult to recommend it to anyone but the most die-hard fans of the central properties. With a sequel debuting just about two years later, someone who was not impressed with the original will likely see no reason to pick up its successor; however, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 builds considerably on its predecessor’s foundations. This 2023 release serves as a prime example of what a sequel should be, delivering not only a more fine-tuned core experience but also adding ideas and mechanics that elevate the overall package to the next level.

Kids can look forward to trying out Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2‘s impressive roster of fan-favorite characters that includes personalities from SpongeBob, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Rugrats. More excitingly, the characters come with their nuances and strengths, meaning players are incentivized to take each fighter out for a spin since they play differently from each other. Mechanically, the sequel implements a Slime meter that can provide a wide range of boosts to different moves and attacks, along with providing access to a special finisher. This concept is well executed and by far Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2‘s freshest idea, one that elevates it from a clone to a standout product.

Costume Quest 2

Horror

Simply put, there are not all that many PS5 horror games that are fine for kids. The genre’s standout efforts cater to a mature audience, and titles like Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, The Callisto Protocol, and Alan Wake 2 earn their Mature rating. A couple of Teen-rated horror games such as Limbo and Little Nightmares are somewhat passable for older children who have a tolerance for creepy visuals, but they are still a bit too much for anyone under 10. So, is there nothing that might be OK for kids to play around Halloween? Well, there is an exception: Costume Quest 2.

Similar to its predecessor, which is not playable on the PS5, Costume Quest 2 follows two siblings and a few friends as they must save Halloween from the clutches of an evil dentist. Silly as it sounds, the story is dripping in charm and personality, and it even throws out a few surprises courtesy of a time-travel plot twist. While never really trying to be scary or creepy, the game is nevertheless packed with horror imagery that fits its central holiday. Gameplay-wise, Costume Quest 2 blends exploration with turn-based RPG battles, the latter of which are fairly simple but get the job done. The campaign is also quite short, to the point that it can be completed over a weekend.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Life Sim

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.

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.

Tetris Effect: Connected

Online

Tetris is eternal. The original game was a masterpiece in the ’80s and time has done nothing to dilute the core concept’s appeal. Tetris Effect gives the franchise a modern makeover by incorporating music into the mix and a stylish aesthetic that makes each movement exciting. Originally released in 2018, Tetris Effect launched with a plethora of single-player options, all of which were retained for the Connected re-release; however, the latter added multiplayer on top of everything the vanilla version contained.

Supporting local and online co-op along with PvP, Tetris Effect: Connected encourages players to either work together to create the Tetris puzzle or to face off in epic battles. Both modes work well and are a lot of fun, but they are also very different from each other. More importantly, this game has way more to offer than just online matches. Even with a few modern twists, this is still ultimately Tetris, which means gameplay that nearly everyone can enjoy.

Tetris Effect: Connected is on PS Plus Extra.

Sonic Frontiers

Open-World

Sega’s Blue Blur has been introducing children to the magical world of games for the best part of three decades. Sure, not everything Sonic touches turns to gold, but the franchise is still capable of producing something special every once in a while. Sonic Frontiers marked the license’s first attempt at adopting an open-world format, something that initially seemed a poor fit for a property that depends heavily on tightly-designed levels. Unsurprisingly, this transition was not seamless, and there are certainly times when the game threatens to fall apart; however, overall, Sonic Frontiers is a respectable addition to the oversaturated open-world sphere.

These sorts of projects can be rather overwhelming, drowning players in content and busy work that hurts rather than elevates the overall experience. Although not devoid of these issues, Sonic Frontiers is a fairly streamlined take on the open-world concept, and it is also pretty easy. As Sonic generally controls well, running around Starfall Islands is simply fun, which makes the minute-by-minute gameplay loop enjoyable.

Moving Out 2

Party

There is nothing fun about moving furniture in real life, but gaming can make everything a blast. Moving Out 2 is a silly physics-based party game that challenges players to complete a series of levels by moving the required items, which range from the ordinary to the absurd. While retaining its predecessor’s core gameplay, the 2023 sequel shakes things up by going for broke in its settings and challenges, a decision that pays off beautifully.

Although potentially frustrating at times, Moving Out 2‘s imprecise controls lend themselves well to co-op shenanigans, and they are likely to inspire laughter in children. Kids can also look forward to visiting a wide spectrum of bizarre locations since the sequel introduces a multiverse twist. Ridiculous as that might sound on paper, it works well within the game.

Moving Out 2 is on PS Plus Extra.

Peppa Pig: World Adventures

Preschoolers

While most of the best PS5 kids games should work for a wide age range, they are not really intended for preschoolers. Peppa Pig: World Adventures is specifically designed for very young children, to the point that anybody over the age of 4 will likely not get too much out of this package.

Petoons Studio’s game takes players on a worldwide trip, allowing them to visit some of the most recognizable sights alongside Peppa Pig. The gameplay is, unsurprisingly, basic, with most of the content revolving around easy mini-games and educational content.

Cocoon

Puzzle

Geometric Interactive’s Cocoon reflects Jeppe Carlsen’s resume, which includes Limbo and Inside. The 2023 release comes very close to matching the brilliance of those two masterpieces, and it is more appropriate for young players than Playdead’s horror-leaning efforts. Cocoon casts players as a bug who must traverse a relatively open map in search of orbs that are not only power sources but also contain unique worlds that can and need to be visited.

While combat is one slice of the pie, the game prioritizes puzzle-solving, which expertly walks the line between overly simplistic and needlessly convoluted. The core mechanics and controls behind the puzzles are easy to grasp, but Cocoon regularly adds new layers to ensure a continuous challenge. Very young players will love exploring each new world and engaging in the occasional boss fight, although they might need help solving more than a few puzzles. Older children will likely be able to get through the campaign without too much trouble. Cocoon is not necessarily a PS5 kids game as it appeals to adult players as well, but it should work well as a mature puzzle game for children.

DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing (Or Others)

Racing

The PS1/N64 era was arguably the peak for kart racers, and the subgenre has fallen somewhat by the wayside since then. Sure, Mario Kart is one of the most successful Nintendo franchises of all time, but that series is an outlier that works by its own rules. Generally, most years might produce a game or two that conjure up flashbacks of Diddy Kong Racing and CTR, but the good ones have been few and far in between. Or, at least, that seemed to be the case for the longest time, but it is not quite that accurate anymore. The PS5 has surprisingly a few decent kart racers that should be able to satisfy children and adults looking to relive childhood memories. In fact, Sony’s console has enough options in this area to allow players to pick a project that best suits their preferences.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 is fun and probably the most polished option on the console. Lego 2K Drive is a gorgeous open-world racer with good controls and great customization, albeit parents should be aware that it features microtransactions. Speaking of the latter, Disney Speedstorm is a free-to-play game that comes with all the issues associated with that business model. Still, if a child loves Mickey Mouse, they will get a kick out of the game without having to spend money. Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway is considerably better than its two underwhelming predecessors, and its roster covers a wide spectrum of beloved franchises.

Finally, there is DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing, a game that is much better than it has any right to be. To be clear, the 2023 release is not the best kart racer on the PS5, and it plays things very safe by leaning heavily on Mario Kart‘s mechanics. Nevertheless, the game controls well, looks fine, and has a respectable lineup of characters.

Super Mega Baseball 4

Sports

Sports games, in general, receive “Everyone” ratings since their core gameplay does not typically contain anything that would make them inappropriate for children. That said, games like FIFA, Madden, and NBA 2K emphasize their online components, which tend to feature microtransactions. As such, while the gameplay might be fine for kids, parents should still keep an eye on them.

Super Mega Baseball 4 offers a fairly similar experience to other sports games on the market, albeit without pushing additional purchases. Players can still engage in online matches and take part in multiplayer leagues, but these modes do not feature microtransactions; consequently, this title is easier to recommend to young children.

Ultimately, none of this would matter if SMB 4‘s gameplay was not sound, which it thankfully is. The series strives to find the middle ground between arcade and sim action, and while not perfect, it generally succeeds. Franchise and Shuffle Draft modes are fantastic single-player options that should delight baseball fans.

Minecraft Legends

Strategy

Mojang’s Minecraft is unquestionably the biggest game of the last decade, and its sandbox design lends itself to every age group. There is a good chance that someone’s first exposure to gaming will be Minecraft, and the main entry provides players, both young and experienced, with a canvas to explore their creativity. Over the last few years, Mojang has started to expand its license to other genres, and these spin-offs have largely attempted to be entry-level experiences in their own right. Minecraft Dungeons is an accessible dungeon crawler, while Minecraft Legends tackles the more niche real-time strategy world.

Strategy games have historically struggled to simplify their core ideas in a way that does not directly undermine their appeal to their main demographic. Legends succeeds where many others failed since it is arguably designed with Minecraft fans in mind rather than strategy game enthusiasts. While perhaps a bit too streamlined for die-hard genre veterans, its mechanics are still largely in line with standard strategy offerings, just streamlined in the name of accessibility.

Lego Fortnite

Survival

The survival genre is not generally intended for young kids. Most of these types of games are primarily known for being punishing and harsh, putting players in situations where they must be constantly struggling to make ends meet. Their gameplay loop typically revolves around collecting resources and monitoring meters rather than a heavy focus on combat or story, a setup that might be slightly too slow-paced for children. While accessible survival games certainly exist, they are usually still directed toward older players, even if their mechanics might be streamlined. Consequently, Lego Fortnite slots in nicely as a “beginner’s guide to survival,” serving a similar role as the Minecraft spin-offs (or, in fact, Minecraft itself for the survival genre or gaming in general).

The free-to-play mode drops players in relatively large open areas and generally leaves them to their own devices, all the while still providing some direction rather than a complete blank slate. As with most survival games, Lego Fortnite challenges players to meet their basic needs and also craft a base, the latter of which takes center stage as the closest thing to progression the game has is bringing in NPCs to create a village. Exploration can lead to a few neat fights, although there is not too much to find at the moment.

Lego Fortnite is charming and a decent recommendation for survival fans craving something on the relaxing side; however, it is particularly perfect for anyone taking their first steps into the genre.

Park Beyond

Theme Park Creator

There are some great theme park creators already on the market, like Planet Coaster, but Park Beyond takes creation to the next level by offering unique and thrilling items and rollercoaster production tools. What is perhaps the most chaotic theme-park creator currently on the market, Park Beyond sets itself apart from the competition by offering up interesting places to build a park, along with some entertaining tools that will let players really flex their creative muscles. It’s wacky, colorful, and exciting, making it perfect for the whole family to enjoy.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Third-Person Shooter

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 irresistibly endearing characters, Rift Apart is a treat for the senses that 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.

Story-wise, Rift Apart is a fast-paced blockbuster that throws the eponymous heroes on a multiversal adventure that puts them in direct contact with their counterparts from another universe, Rivet and Kit. The latter newcomers are also playable, and they have fun personalities that are reminiscent of Ratchet and Clank but not copycats. While perhaps not a conventional “children’s game,” Insomniac’s title is the type of release that can make someone fall in love with gaming. It is that good, and the campaign is short and linear enough that it should be able to keep the attention of younger players.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is on PS Plus Extra.

Bish Bash Bots

Tower Defense

The PS5 does not have all that many native tower defense games, with most of the genre’s selection being PS4 releases that can be played on the newer console. As such, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is probably the best kid-friendly option, although it plays closer to a third-person shooter than traditional tower defense releases. Dungeon Defenders 2, Orcs Must Die! 3, and They Are Billions are also good picks for anyone interested in the genre.

When it comes specifically to PS5 tower defense games, Bish Bash Bots might be a name that not all that many people have heard since it flew under the radar when it was released toward the end of 2023. Still, the indie project presents an interesting twist on the genre, and its gameplay is fairly action-oriented, which might help keep kids entertained. Essentially, levels require players to carefully place turrets (which can be upgraded) so they can eliminate bots, with the oncoming onslaught getting harder with each new wave. On the surface, this concept sounds straightforward, but Bish Bash Bots does a great job of adding nuance and variety with each new level.

Bish Bash Bots is one of those games that is fun to throw on as a palette cleanser between other projects. While its contents are generally OK for older kids, the gameplay can be quite challenging and even exhausting at times, so mileage may vary.

That said, the PS4 releases are safer bets.

Sea Of Stars

Turn-Based RPG

While not as common nowadays, ’90s kids grew up on isometric turn-based JRPGs created by developers like Square. As the genre’s mainstream projects steadily moved away from these origins, the indie scene gradually stepped up to carry the flag, and Sabotage Studio’s Sea of Stars is one of the best modern interpretations of these retro concepts. Set on an island, players take charge of two protagonists who are tasked with protecting the locals, a journey that comes with world-saving responsibilities. Naturally, they might need some help to complete their task, so they are eventually joined by four other playable characters.

Sea of Stars screams “old-school JRPG” without coming across like an uninspired rethread or a blatant copy of timeless masterpieces. The game utilizes a fairly active and involved turn-based combat system that incorporates mechanics like combos and timed presses, all of which work well together to create an overall impressive package. Visually, Sea of Stars is bursting with color and personality, and that includes the environments, main characters, and enemies. The story is also pretty good, and while it does make a few complicated turns, it should not be too much for children. That said, the campaign is not particularly easy, so very young players might struggle during some moments.

Sea of Stars is on PS Plus Extra.

Beat Saber

Virtual Reality

Beat Saber is not only a great game for people of all ages, but it is also the ideal entry point into the world of virtual reality. The rhythm title is arguably VR’s most popular gateway project, and it is not difficult to see why it has acquired that role. For one, the core concept is easy to grasp and does not require too much living space to pull off; furthermore, while the gameplay is straightforward, the game ramps up the difficulty substantially as it goes along, offering a genuine challenge that also suffices as a home workout. Beat Saber is close to a perfect VR experience.

Armed with two color-coded lightsabers, players have to strike incoming boxes with the correct weapon. At the lower levels, this process is fairly simple, granting players an opportunity to enjoy some nice music while having a bit of fun. On the harder levels, the patterns become far more complicated and move at a much quicker pace, so it can be genuinely difficult to keep up. Beat Saber is a stellar option for the whole family. Children will likely have a blast dancing along with the music and enjoying the colorful visuals, while parents can do the same.