The best ‘family friendly’ video games to play this Christmas – and the not so best family-friendly video games

Whether you’re looking for video games to play with your own kids, or if you’re looking to purchase games for nieces or nephews as presents, it would be helpful to know about a new study that reveals the best family-friendly video games to play this Christmas. That same study also shares which video games are not considered to be in the family friendly category. The research, conducted by Hearts.Land gathered data on 50 local multiplayer video games averaging user reviews from Metacritic, GameSpot, and IGN, to find the top family-friendly video games.  

To make this accessible to families of all ages, the study has omitted any games that include blood, swearing, and other mature themes.   

Portal 2 is placed top with a rating of 9.06, a 20.1% increase compared to the average game rating. In cooperative mode, users will control robots Atlas and P-Body and will come across puzzles designed for teamwork, requiring communication and coordination between players to solve.  

The second-best game to play this Christmas is It Takes Two, with a rating of 8.86. The game follows the adventures of two tiny characters, Cody and May, offering a wide variety of challenges and puzzles that require collaboration between players. 

Despite its high completion time, Stardew Valley takes third spot with 8.7. Players take on a role of characters who inherit a neglected farm, with the main objective to transform the neglected farm into a thriving agricultural enterprise. Players can cultivate crops, raise animals, mine for resources, fish, and engage in various activities to make their farm prosperous. 

Rayman Legends is placed fourth with a rating of 8.66, followed closely by Nintendo’s Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in fifth with a rating of 8.63. 

Rank	Video Game	Average user rating	Completion Time
1	Portal 2	9.06	8.5 hours
2	It Takes Two	8.86	14 hours
3	Stardew Valley	8.7	52.5 hours
4	Rayman Legends	8.66	10
5	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe	8.63	6 hours
6	Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1+2	8.6	7 hours
7	Sonic Mania	8.36	5.5 hours
8	Kirby and the Forgotten Land	8.3	10.5 hours
9	LEGO City Undercover	8.23	15.5 hours
10	Rocket League	8.2	112 hours

On the other end of the scale, Star Wars Battlefront II is named the worst family-friendly video game to play this Christmas, with a rating of 4.63 – a 48.8% decrease compared to Portal 2.  

Gran Turismo 7 is ranked second worst with a rating of 5.8 and followed by the LEGO Movie 2 video game in in third with 5.9.  

As well as looking at the top user-rated video games, the analysis also looked at which of the games had the lowest completion time for the main game – with Crawl placed first with just 1 hour.   

A video game with a low completion time is ideal for a family during Christmas, as it fits in to busy schedules and reduces potential frustration and offers replayability.  

The second and third best games for minimal time commitment are Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge and Untitled Goose Game – both with 3 hours. 

Interestingly, the video game with the highest completion time is Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 with 140 hours for co-op mode with your family – an 853% increase compared to the average.   

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson at Hearts.Land said: 

“Family video games can be a fantastic choice for Christmas, fostering a sense of togetherness and fun for everyone involved. 

Many family video games encourage collaboration and teamwork. Whether it’s solving puzzles together, competing as a team, or working towards a common goal, these games can enhance family dynamics and communication. 

The joy and laughter shared during family video game sessions can create lasting memories. These shared experiences can become cherished stories that family members reminisce about for years to come.” 

Full 50 video games ranking: 

Rank	Video Game	Average User Rating	Completion Time
1	Portal 2	9.06	8.5 hours
2	It Takes Two	8.86	14 hours
3	Stardew Valley	8.7	52.5 hours
4	Rayman Legends	8.66	10 hours
5	Mario Kart 8 Deluxe	8.63	6 hours
6	Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1+2	8.6	7 hours
7	Sonic Mania	8.36	5.5 hours
8	Kirby and the Forgotten Land	8.3	10.5 hours
9	LEGO City Undercover	8.23	15.5 hours
10	Rocket League	8.2	112 hours
11	LEGO Marvel Superheroes	8.1	12.5 hours
12	Overcooked 2	8	7 hours
13	Escape Academy	8	4.5  hours
14	Guacamelee 2	7.93	8.5 hours
15	Overcooked	7.9	8 hours
16	Crash Bandicoot 4	7.9	10 hours
17	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Shredders       Revenge	7.86	3 hours
18	Cat Quest II	7.76	8 hours
19	Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2	7.7	140 hours
20	Sackboy: A Big Adventure	7.7	10.5 hours
21	Crawl	7.7	1 hour
22	Trine 4	7.7	10 hours
23	Unravel 2	7.66	5 hours
24	LEGO Dimensions	7.6	13.5 hours
25	Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare	7.6	6.5 hours
26	Everybody’s Golf	7.6	15.5 hours
27	Untitled Goose Game	7.56	3 hours
28	Knack 2	7.5	11.5 hours
28	LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga	7.5	18.5 hours
30	Death Squared	7.46	6 hours
31	Human: Fall Flat	7.43	6 hours
32	LEGO: Jurassic World	7.33	10.5 hours
33	LEGO: DC Super Villains	7.3	10 hours
34	LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens	7.3	9 hours
35	Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime	7.26	5.5 hours
36	Ghosts n Goblins: Resurrection	7.23	6.5 hours
37	LEGO: Marvel Avengers	7.23	8.5 hours
38	LittleBigPlanet 3	7.2	6 hours
39	LEGO Batman 3	7.16	10.5 hours
40	LEGO The Hobbit	7.16	9 hours
41	LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2	7.13	12.5 hours
42	Team Sonic Racing	7.1	9 hours
43	LEGO Movie	7.06	7.5 hours
44	Minecraft Dungeons	6.9	5.5 hours
45	LEGO The Ninjago Movie	6.83	6 hours
46	LEGO The Incredibles	6.73	7 hour
47	Star Wars Battlefront	6.03	24 hours
48	LEGO Movie 2	5.9	6 hours
49	Gran Turismo 7	5.8	25 hours
50	Star Wars Battlefront II	4.63	6 hours

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Ace News Today wishes all our readers
a Family-Friendly Gaming Christmas!

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(Source:  Hearts.Land)

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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