6 amazing video games that count as quality bonding time with your children

If you’re a parent of a certain age, you probably still play video games and have some kids that enjoy playing them, too. However, you want to be a good parent and bond with your kids while possibly wanting that gaming fix. Well, why not mix both?

Since a study is showing that playing video games for long stretches of time doesn’t impact life satisfaction, and people who grew up on them know how many of them encourage critical thinking, teamwork, and other life skills that could benefit their children. So let’s add gaming time into family time.

But what game should you all play? It can be hard to find a game that your teenager, middle schooler, elementary schooler, and (let’s be honest) you will all enjoy playing together equally. Fortunately, there are some great fun games that won’t alienate anyone in the household regardless of age or gender. In fact, you and your partner might still play them on your own when the kids go to bed. Let’s take a look at some titles that’ll make everyone grab a controller.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder

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Super Mario Bros. Wonder has the classic Mario side-scrolling platforming gameplay but with some fun modern additions that make it a fun couch co-op game for you and even the littlest kids in the room. The bright colors, fun graphics, and catchy music bring a sense of fun as you play, with a different level of difficulty depending on which character you and up to three others choose. This means that while you might be an old pro at Mario games that wants a challenge, you can enjoy it while your youngest can play a character that doesn’t take damage when hit or has a Badge to give them an assist to keep up with you and their older siblings. The game has several award nominations for Game of the Year and Family Game of the Year and it challenges you not to dance when a Wonder Flower is found.

Unspottable

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Unspottable is a party game for up to eight players in which you all blend within a group of robots, with everyone and have to try to eliminate one another without the other players finding you. After all, if you move too oddly or accidentally eliminate a robot instead of a player, you might tip off the others of your position. This is a fun game of hide and seek that requires strategy, patience, and a love for punching robots.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

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You know that scene in action movies in which the hero is on a call with a bomb disposal expert and has to listen to which wire to cut? Well, what if that was a game? With different bombs and different instructions every time? That’s the conceit of Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes in which one player sees the bomb and has to follow the instructions of the other players who have the manual but cannot see the bomb. There are several reasons why Destructoid gave the game a 9 out of 10 review. It’s a fun way to bond, create teamwork skills, and teach the lesson to kids about listening. There’s no better motivator for kids to listen to their parents than “pay attention or we’ll all explode!”

Overcooked! 2

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If you are looking for something to build teamwork within your family, the Overcooked series of games is highly recommended. Up to four players have to work in different kitchen levels alongside one another to take orders from customers, cook the food, plate it, serve it, wash dishes, and do all of the various tasks of a successful restaurant. It will require communication, patience, and speed for everyone to cooperate and accomplish everything without burning the food, overloading the sink with dishes, and not bump into one another. The playful-looking cooks and gameplay make this an easy family favorite, especially since it has been nominated and won several Family Game of the Year awards.

Ultimate Chicken Horse

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If you ever wanted to play a combination of Super Mario Maker, the basketball game “horse,” and the television show Wipeout, then your family is gonna love Ultimate Chicken Horse. Up to four players have to get across each level to the flag with each player having a turn to make a pathway one piece at a time. Although, instead of helping build an easier path, a player could choose to build an obstacle or set traps to throw off other players instead. Points are gained each round for reaching the flag, setting up a successful trap, and other achievements. It’s a critically-acclaimed game of creativity mixed with sabotage that’s a fun time for the family after dinner.

Unravel Two

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Getting one-on-one time with your kid and finding a joint task to do together is a great way to build trust and bond, and Unravel Two is a great low-stakes way to do that. As one of two “Yarnys” (creatures made from yarn), both players need to work together to solve puzzles, manipulate objects, and traverse across the world. There’s a reason why it won the 22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Award for Family Game of the Year.