Finding games for kids that have the right balance of difficulty and fun factor can be a challenge. It is also important to find games that you can play with your kids either in co-op, light hearted competition, or by taking turns and passing the controller back and forth. We have put together our list of recommended kids games on the Xbox 360. We tried to avoid most licensed games because they are generally terrible, and wanted to focus just on good games for the whole family.
1. LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga
LucasArts
Simple gameplay. Relatively easy difficulty. Co-op play. Fun graphics and sound. LEGO Star Wars is a great kids game. And, even better, it is very enjoyable for adults too!
2. Spider-Man: Friend or Foe
Activision
Friend or Foe is a very light hearted, funny, and cartoonish take on Spider-Man. The combat is pretty simple, but parents can jump in and play co-op if things get too rough. It looks and sounds great and will definitely appeal to the little Spidey-fan in your house.
3. Beautiful Katamari
Namco Bandai
The Katamari games are successful because they take such a simple concept – rolling up garbage and making a huge ball – but wrap it in a fun graphical package and play some fantastic music that make it fun for everyone. Some tasks can be a bit challenging, but this game is as fun to watch as it is to play which makes it a great title to play with your kids.
4. Viva Pinata
Microsoft
Viva Pinata looks like a kid game thanks to bright and cartoony visuals, but the gameplay is surprisingly deep and fun for adults. This is a game that kids can certainly play on their own, but I think you will get the most enjoyment out of it by playing with them and making decisions about your piñata garden together. There is a co-op option where both players control the same onscreen cursor, so you can let them play but you’ll be there to help them out.
5. Mini Ninjas
Eidos
Don’t let the cute and colorful aesthetic fool you, Mini Ninjas might be “kid friendly”, but that doesn’t mean it is “kids only”. It is fun and funny and accessible and a blast to play through for gamers of all ages. This is going to go down as one of the great underrated games of this generation. Find out all about Mini Ninjas in our full review.
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
EA
Another Harry Potter movie, another Harry Potter game. This is a good thing, of course, because we actually quite liked the last one. Half-Blood Prince isn’t a huge jump over Order of the Phoenix as far as presentation or core gameplay goes, but it does offer a few great minigames and a couple of hilarious set-pieces, and even though we ran all over the castle in the last game already, exploring Hogwarts is still a lot of fun. Fans of the series, especially kids, will love it.
7. Cars + Cars Mater-National
THQ
The two Cars racing games are solid kids games because they offer nice graphics and sound that looks pretty close to what you get in the movie, and feature fun-but-simple driving gameplay that fans of all ages can enjoy.
8. LEGO Rock Band
Warner Bros.
Rock Band / Guitar Hero in general are great for kids and families to play together, but sometimes the lyrics in the songs can be a little over the top for kids. To ensure that you are truly getting a family-friendly music game experience, LEGO Rock Band is a good choice. The song list has been carefully selected to make sure the songs are kid-appropriate, and if you have Rock Band DLC already, the only songs playable in LRB are approved songs, so you can be confident that the music your kids will play is appropriate. Not a great pick for older players, but as a kids game, LEGO Rock Band is highly recommended.
