The Official Engaged Family Gaming Holiday Gift Guide: Video Games

It’s Holiday Gift Guide time!

The EFG Staff has scoured this year’s video game releases to help make some great recommendations for your family!

We had a lot of fun making these suggestions. Nintendo had a great year. PlayStation released a very, very good mascot platformer in Astrobot. And Xbox Game Pass continues to be a great value.

Take a look below to find great gifts for your family (or anyone else you want to give the gift of gaming)!

PlayStation (PS5)

Modern gaming has three major options: a PC, Xbox or PS5. The PS5 is a worthy investment with more storage, faster performance, and better visuals than its predecessors and its competition. This is a great console for those looking to upgrade from older systems, especially for PS4 owners, those without an extensive library with another console, and those willing to invest a hefty price. PlayStation offers several tempting tier options offering old games as well as earlier access to modern games. It is the best PlayStation thus far and an excellent family console.

Astro Bot

As mentioned in our review section, Astro Bot is an amazing game. It’s a single-player experience, but parents can join in by sharing the multiple references from PlayStation history. Giving gamer parents a chance to bond with their new gamer. PlayStation finally has a mascot platformer that can rival some of the best games from Nintendo. Buy Astro Bot here on Amazon

EA Sports College Football 25

This is the first college football game to come out in over a decade since NCAA Football 13. It is a great game for this holiday, especially when football season is over and you are dying to get back to the gridiron. This game has all 134 FBS teams and their respective stadiums, so more than likely you will find the college you support. Buy EA Sports College Football 25 here on Amazon

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (FF7 Rebirth) is the second game in the Final Fantasy Remake Trilogy and is better for teens and above, especially with an ESRB rating of Teen (T). This is one of the most beautiful games we’ve seen on the PlayStation 5. We loved our time with the game and are waiting eagerly for the third game. This is a must-own for Final Fantasy fans. Buy Final Fantasy VII Rebirth here one Amazon

Cat Quest III

This cat pun-infused installment to the Cat Quest Trilogy is a must-play for your family’s purrfect cat lover.  PlayStation 5 owners will love this game and with PS Plus Extra or Premium tiers, you can also access Cat Quest one and two to fully embrace your cat game journey. Buy Cat Quest III here on Amazon

Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man 2 may have come out last year, but we still consider it to be a perfect holiday addition for your PlayStation 5 owner. This is a direct sequel, so you may want to get the original Spider-Man and Spider-Man Miles Morales before you pick this game up. Buy Spider-Man 2 here on Amazon

Xbox 

One of the best parts of the Xbox ecosystem is Xbox Game Pass. The Game Pass is a subscription service bought through Microsoft for Xbox users; it provides a rotating gaming library and access to previously played games so long as the subscription remains active. Xbox Game Pass is accessible across multiple platforms, and gift cards are an easy purchase for those with Xbox gamers to shop for.

Metaphor: ReFantazio

Atlus has been making RPGs for years. The Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series are marvelous, but they are definitely not made for the light of heart. Metaphor, however, earned a T rating from the ESRB by cutting out a lot of the violence, language, and other questionable content from its other franchises. Instead, we have a beautifully animated story exploring freedom and what it means to different people. Buy Metaphor: ReFantazio here on Amazon

Balatro

Do you like poker? Do you like roguelikes? Do you like poker roguelikes? If you answered yes to all three of these questions (let’s be honest, you probably didn’t know what to say to the last one) then this is the game for you! Balatro is a poker roguelike that you don’t even need to be good at poker to play. It will help you through the basic fundamentals of the game. If you have Apple Arcade you can also play this on your IOS device with the subscription. Buy Balatro here on Amazon

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

Prince of Persia is a game franchise that dates back to the Apple II. It is generally well-loved, but it hasn’t found real success since the PS2.

The Lost Crown is a beautifully animated Metroidvania game that also includes some pretty slick combat options. Anyone looking for a cool action game to sink their teeth into should give this one a look.  Buy Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown here on Amazon

Star Wars Outlaws

Who doesn’t love Star Wars? Outlaws is an open-world action game that takes place between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. You play as a smuggler named Kay Vess as she gathers a group of scoundrels to set up and pull off a major heist.

It’s full of excitement and adventure as you travel from planet to planet infiltrating bases and completing missions for various cartel leaders.

Ubisoft games are known for being on sale often, so this is a game that should be easy to find at less than full price. Buy Star Wars Outlaws here on Amazon

Nintendo Switch

While there are rumors and questions about whether or not a Nintendo Switch investment is the right move, access to Nintendo’s extensive library alone is a valid reason to buy this incredible little powerhouse. The Switch 2 (or whatever it ends up being called doesn’t currently have a release date) will not change the amount of fun and accessibility this tiny console provides, even if owning the newest technology is important to you, you will have more than enough time to enjoy all that this mighty competitor provides.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Finally, Zelda stars in her own game and it’s a great one. If you have a daughter that wants to play a game with a female protagonist. It may be single-player, but you can also play along with your kids and give each other ideas on how to beat the many different puzzles the game throws at you. If you want more information about this game, there is a full-length review elsewhere in this magazine. Buy The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom here on Amazon

Mario and Luigi: Brothership

This is a game that someone new to the RPG genre can pick up and play and not have any problems with the mechanics. The series does a great job of making RPGs accessible to all ages, as long as they can read. Mario and Luigi: Brothership is coming soon to retail. Stay tuned for updates.

Super Mario Party Jamboree

This game is the perfect multiplayer game for the whole family. It adds five brand-new boards and two boards from previous games in the franchise. You can also add handicaps for the younger players in your group so that they are not always at the back of the pack.

If you don’t have time for a full Mario Party playthrough, you can also save in the middle of the game or just have some fun playing minigames. Buy Super Mario Party Jamboree here on Amazon

Princess Peach Showtime

This is another game with a strong female protagonist. Princess Peach explores different stage productions throughout the story and each one plays differently. This means you get to play multiple different kinds of games during your playthrough. Your kids will have fun putting Peach in different outfits and decorating her dress as the game progresses. Buy Princess Peach Showtime here on Amazon

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Remake

This GameCube remake takes the original fan favorite and makes everything awesome about the original even better. This is a little more advanced of an RPG than the Mario and Luigi series, but it is still friendly and accessible. The best part of the game is the companions you meet along the way and how they interact with Mario and the world around them. The writing is witty and some of the scenarios are laugh-out-loud funny. (Just wait till you get to the wrestling sequence.) Buy Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Remake here on Amazon

Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition

Has mom or dad ever wanted to show their kids what games were like back in the day? 

This game takes thirteen NES games and slices them up into challenges. 

Who can get a mushroom faster in Super Mario Bros.? Who can get the sword faster than the old man in The Legend of Zelda? This game has 148 more challenges for a fun family game night. Buy Nintendo World Championship: NES Edition here on Amazon

What do you think? Sound off in the comments and let us know your thoughts!

Make sure to keep your eyes on Engaged Family Gaming for all of the latest news and reviews you need to Get Your Family Game On!

The EFG Essentials

• Video Games for kids on Xbox One
• Video Games for kids on PS4
• Video Games for kids on Nintendo Switch
• Board Games for kids

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