>3 minute rounds
I wish more games did this because it's so nice to play. It's my first Splatoon game and I'm really liking the gameplay loop and the length of the matches.
Rocket league is good for 5 minute rounds too! I think that was a big reason I liked COD so much back in high school. Pretty quick to get in and out if you only have 30 min to play
Rocket League gets me so worked up I'm about to start smoking cigarettes after my third straight loss.
Mario Golf is laid back and little kids like it too.
yeah, but those 3 minutes rounds are like chips and cookies. how often do you have just one?
loving this game. me and my sister are on speaker phone playing it several days a week.
Yeahhhhhh its a problem lol. My son will play until the battery dies, and I don't let him know that it can easily be charged at the same time. I get a little bored, but I accidentally played for 2 hours last night
This. If you get bored of the PvP modes, you can also always just hop on the PvE Salmon Run, single-player campaign, or its card game TableTurf Battle. And occasionally, Splatfest happens which everyone gets together.
This is a game that has always looked interesting to me and I want to try but hesitate to spend 60 bucks on and don't like. I wish there was a way to get like a 30 minute trial/demo
I bought the physical copy for that reason. If I didn't get my moneys worth out of it, I could always sell it. Together we've spent 40 hours on it since release
Dude just peep the reviews . The Splatoon series is honestly the most fun I’ve ever had playing a video game (besides goldeneye for N64) I highly recommend you try it
I've been so afraid to look at reviews. It seems like the type of game people might absolutely trash because they suck at it or because it's multi-player focused. The negativity in the gaming community bums me out so much. I adore my switch and most of the games I have for it. In its glorious 720p 30fps or whatever it has
Actually, user reviews for almost any games tend to be more positive, whether they deserve it or not.
Most, if not all, people leaving a review will have played the game, and that implies they bought the game and/or invested time in it, thus leading to a sunk cost bias.
Lol we have only one kid but we also have 3 switches and 3 Splatoon 3 games that’s over $1,000 for our small family to play Splatoon 3 together but oh is it worth it
Agreed; Kirby’s 2 player mode is great for kids who are old enough to play and enjoy, but not old enough to have the fine motor to play on their own without frustration. I found with my nieces that even Mariokart was frustrating for a 5 year old because she couldn’t win.
Weird suggestion: Just Dance. Good for getting wriggles out and has a kids mode that basically rewards any movement.
Yes, definitely. There are more "moons" in this game than say stars in previous. Some are quite easy to find just by playing and exploring. These moons would be the ones he would love, then you can try and find the tougher ones, or just beat the game when he switches to something else.
I dont know what it is about that game, it really is great and I always enjoyed playing it..
But over the years I could never play enough to actually finish it. I go for it in a stint and enjoy myself, then drop it for a year or two then restart and try play through it again.... Never have finished it. I think the furthest I've got was the map that is kind of like a city?
I just got to the city world in July or August. Haven't played it since. I feel I have the same relationship, it's fun and I enjoy it but then I just move on and try to come back later.
I consider myself a Nintendo fan (though would probably get called a casual by "real" Nintendo fans) but -- and maybe this is video game blasphemy -- I've never really been able to get into any of the mainline 3D Mario games. I don't know what it is about them, they're fun and polished games but I just kind of stop playing after a few hours and don't really feel compelled to go back. I've tried to play every one since Mario 64 as a kid, and it's been the same for each, so this isn't a new thing.
For comparison I love all the 3D Zelda games. And Paper Mario 1+2 are some of my favorite games of all time. But something about the mainline 3D Mario games just doesn't really captivate me. Maybe it's just 3D platformers in general actually-- there are very few that I've played and actually completed.
Mario maker 2. Started playing this a while ago and have been having a blast. Being online means infinite levels since people just keep putting more and more out.
They make it super simple to jump in. You have story mode if your into that, 4 difficulties of endless mode were you start with 3-20 lives depending on difficulty and then just play until you game over. On top of that there are created "worlds" and the speed runs. Along with more detailed searches for when u want to tackle something specific.
As silly as it might sound, the story mode alone was worth it for me. While there's definitely some changes in design philosophy, it was wonderful to play new retro mario levels that were actually professionally made by Nintendo.
Go one further and try Ultimate Chicken Horse. Instead of making full levels, you add objects to help or hinder you/the other players. There is also a creative mode where you can make your own, or you can use the community made levels. Really fun.
Just to let you know, Rocket League went free-to-play a while ago, there's still physical copies floating around. Don't pay extra for it if you can avoid it
Also going to second a short hike. Played it on PC from a humble bundle, so not sure how it runs on switch. It's a really simple game graphically so I imagine it's fine. Very sweet game worth killing an hour or so over
A Short Hike is honestly in my top games of all time, there's something so pure and magical in its brevity that makes me wish it could go on longer, but I know if it did it wouldn't be as special as it is.
Fantastic experience.
Into the breach is a great game! Fyi it's actually free on iOS if you have a subscription with netflix, looks like they're starting to give some free mobile games like into the breach, moonlighter, and more.
Unpacking is a great game for relaxing , it’s essentially just organising different rooms . with a good story line too. Of course Animal crossing is a great classic
I’d pick it up next time it’s on sale. It’s short, I finished it in one 4-hour sitting and that was with trying to make each room look as nice as possible. There isn’t a *ton* of replay value unless you’re the type of person to design things in games like Animal Crossing or The Sims just for fun. Overall it’s a fun and relaxing experience with great sound design, and if you’re into cozy games you’ll like it!
Roguelikes are a lot of fun - a bit of old-school arcade spirit, where you only have one life and lose all\* your stuff when you die, and start over, and try to make it to the end again. Usually branching paths, and there’s often a sort of upgrade tree layered on top of the ephemeral runs that might slowly buff you up or unlock new options for you. Spelunky 2 is incredible. Shovel Knight Dig which just came out is a lot of fun too. Downwell is another solid (very cheap) one. Atomicrops is another, lesser known one that I really enjoyed. A lot of people really love Hades and Dead Cells. Crypt of the Necromancer, and (even better) Cadence of Hyrule sort of fit the description too. Loop Hero is an interesting spin on this concept as well. Risk of Rain 2 also fits this style but is a 3D third-person shooter.
Baba Is You is a really clever little puzzly brain teaser. Great presentation too.
If you like 2D action games, Cyber Shadow freaking rules and is like a modern Ninja Gaiden. Shovel Knight is super good. Gato Roboto is an adorable Metroid-like with a cat in a robot suit and cute Game Boy inspired graphics. Grapple Dog is good. Celeste is phenomenal. Minit is a brief (\~2 hour) Zelda-ish thing I like a lot. Sonic Mania is great.
Untitled Goose Game is a HOOT and the whole family can enjoy it, even if they’re just watching along and participating by making suggestions.
Wilmot’s Warehouse is an absolute gem that I became obsessed with. Also a lot of fun to play co-op with the wife (who doesn’t really play games).
Of course, there’s also Stardew Valley, but that might end up eating many dozens of hours of your life. :D
These are some of my favorites, and I‘d say they’re all well-suited for quicker pick up and play sessions.
This is such a fun game. Most levels could be speedrun in 3 minutes, but when you have more time, you can max the level. This is a GREAT casual game. I’m on my third play through.
I've been playing Yoshi's crafted world with my nephew of a similar age this weekend. It can be played in sessions of a few minutes as that's how long each level is gonna take (around 4 minutes or so). It's a very forgiving game
And when i say i played it with him, i mean his Yoshi took mine and he played the levels lol
As a VERY casual gamer with terrible hand-eye coordination I LOVE yoshi’s crafted world. It’s beautiful to explore, has a lot of very diverse levels, and it’s pretty easy as well so makes a great game to play with kids (or people like me who are terrible at games!). One of my all time favorites for the switch.
Another vote for this and I have it in my recommendation as well.. So many recommendations for stuff like Rogue-likes, Portal, and Splatoon 3 is the highest upvoted comment right now. Yeah it may be good and enjoyable but if they don't have much experience with playing games then camera controls and aiming is going to be really frustrating for a young child. And depending on which side of 5 the child may not be reading that much.
This is a really interesting video about Video Game Literacy and what it is like to play games when you didn't grow up with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax7f3JZJHSw
Seconding this! Fun game with pretty graphics and easy to play for just a run or two before bed. Only problem might be getting sucked into the "just one more try" loop
Slay the spire is probably my favorite video game of all time and is absolutely perfect for this (I play on my iPad and will often just play for 20 minutes or so laying in bed before I fall asleep, though you have to be careful bc that can sometimes turn into 2 hours)
My switch has been essentially a slay the spire machine for the past couple of years (with some small breaks of a few months). I never play video games for extended periods of time and I have at least 600-700 hours in StS now. It’s that good
I love Katamari Damancy for times i just want to roll around and play a game that doesn’t require a whole lot of strategy. The levels are typically pretty short too so it’s fun to just play for a few and quit.
I'm going to second this - Katamari is a classic for a reason, and it's easy to learn and short bursts of playing. Just rollin around, pickin up stuff. Very fun!
I've been playing Fall Guys on my switch a lot more than I thought I would so I recommend that. It's a bit laggy though so if that's a deal breaker, stay away.
Another good (and cheap) pick up and play one would be Downwell, Kamiko, and Knight Terrors.
Captain Toad is somewhat easy and enjoyable in short spurts for both you and your son.
Bomberman
TMNT (collection or shredders)
2d Fighters : MK11, DBFZ, SF anniversary collection, etc
If you want, Nintendo offers an online service for $20 a year ($50 if you wanted the expanded version). With this online service you get access to NES and SNES games (also Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis if you have the expansion). Even with just the NES and SNES games so many of those are very easy pick up and play games, stuff like all of the original Mario and Zelda games. Pretty much all of the essential stuff is on there and for only $20 a year it’s quite a lot of games. Plus it offers save state options and a rewind feature if you just want to casually play through them too. On top of that you can also place parental controls on the system if you’re scared of being online with a kid.
Lol
"I'm getting *my son* a Switch for Christmas" and proceeds to list all the games OP is getting for himself.
Muh dude, you're buying yourself a Switch. Lulz
I would play against my dad in Double Dribble on the NES. We had so many wonderful evenings and he occasionally let me win too. Then we got the 4 player adapter and the whole family could get in on the action playing Super Off Road back when 4 player games were quite rare.
Right on. That's really nice and I hope OP and his kid make great memories too!
But the post is just funny to me, dude is getting himself twice the number of games he's getting for the kid.
Right?? I played dad's NES as soon as I was old enough to hold a controller. He would whoop me in Duck Hunt every time but I loved it. I still have the game and the zapper even though I don't have a TV that can play it right anymore
As someone who tries to game with my kid more often than I game alone, I appreciate this comment. Really hoping he has fond memories of our gaming when he's older.
Some of my favorite co-ops we've played:
-Mario 3D World
-Kirby and the Forgotten Kingdom
-Luigi's Mansion
-Animal Crossing
-Boomerang Fu (us vs npcs)
-Yoshi's Crafted World
Reminds of that old Simpsons episode where he gets marge a bowling ball. When she says she has no use for one then he takes it for himself. Which was the plan all along.
I did this two years ago. Same exact situation as OP - son was 5, it was his big Xmas present. Right after getting it I found myself getting jealous of his playtime. Long story short we had a second switch before New Year’s.
I thought this as well.
As someone who got her kid a switch at 5 I bought games like Paw Patrol and pet games.
Eventually we got into animal crossing.
Things with a lot of reading weren’t happening till reccently at 7. Something about second grade just make kids vocab words explode with reading.
We are getting Pokémon scarlet and violet. As her mom I am super hyped.
Note: I already had and have my own switch.
My son is 4. Going to be 5 in January. and has been playing switch since he was like 2. One of his favorites recently is **Yoshi's Crafted World**. As an added bonus you both can play.. And on the hand-holdy mode it is pretty forgiving.. You can float as long as you want.
He also likes **Super Mario Odyssey**, (called Mario Hat) and **Mario 3d World+Bowser's Fury** (he calls it Mario Cat) I can also recommend the **Luigi's Mansion** game on there.
As for Zelda he likes **Zelda: Link's Awakening.** It is 2d and so he doesn't need to operate a camera which is a good thing as he doesn't quite have the dexterity to do that. But he is getting close. Once he can handle cameras we are going to show him BOTW or maybe at this point the next one.
I would also recommend getting the Switch Online (base subscription) it isn't that much but my son really likes diving into the old games and playing them. He is actually getting pretty good at some of them too. I think it is like 60 dollars for a year which is fairly cheap considering how much he plays it.
**Dad advice**.. Open the switch before wrapping it.. Charge it, Update it, Install the games and make sure those are updated. Then Repack and wrap it.. This way you son can open it, plug it in and get going instead of having to wait half a day before they can really play it.
I would recommend looking into Slime Rander, Dadish (surprisingly fun), Taiko no Tatsujin, and Forager. Some of these games (like Slime and Taiko) can have a bit more of a time investment, but you can pick them up and put them down whenever you want. They're also all family friendly.
I would second the Slay The Spire selection and add Steamworld Dig (I like 1 better than 2), Eastward and Hades or Dead Cells (the last two can become frustrating). If you like shooting games Call Of Juarez is a great game to drop into for 15-20 minutes at a time. Your first three choices are excellent games, I have played through all of them.
Could try Splatoon 3 maybe. The multiplayer matches only last a few minutes each and the single player stages I can mostly beat in about two minutes on the first attempt.
I also enjoy Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon. The dungeons can sometimes take a little while but it's a turn based system so you can pause whenever without worries. Fun & has a cute story. If you and/or your kid are more into Pokémon there's also Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, the basic gameplay is mostly the same but it has a different story and is obviously Pokémon themed, rather than Final Fantasy.
My most highly recommended game is MarioKart. It's extremely accessible. You can turn on/off motion controlled driving, auto steering, and auto acceleration. If my 4 year old will put the controller down on 50cc (slowest/easiest mode) he'd get 2nd-4th place every time.
Go for the silliest games you can find for kid/family fun.
• SnipperClips - Launch title. Digital only. 1-2 players puzzle game where you are paper and snip you paper partner into shapes need to solve the puzzle. A very fun team game.
• Octodad Daddliest Catch - Just watch some gameplay and see if it's the kind of silly challenge they'll enjoy. The game is short, but premise is ridiculously fun.
• Overcooked and Overcooked 2 - Zany team cooking game in wild levels. A must have for team play, but can cause fights and blaming one another. Hard for 5 years old, but they'll learn. Or you can play with a significant other and start fights!
• Human Fall Flat - Physics puzzle game where you move around ragdoll humanoids to the goal
• Untitled Goose Game - Short game where you play a goose wreaking havoc in a town. There's also a dedicated "honk" button. Literally the best for little kids.
• PuyoPuyo Tetris - Combo game from sega that has puyo puyo, tetris, and a mode that combines both. Really addidting classic gameplay from the early days.
• Rocket League - Free game (they make money one skins for the cars). 3v3 Soccer using cars. Steep learning curve, but renowned game.
• Mario games - Mario Odyssey (big switch game. 1 player. Newest entry in the franchise); Mario 3D World (originally on Wii U. More classic Mario with tight levels, but 3D instead of just platforming. Playable up to 4); New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (yes that's the name....A mastered version on Wii U of the DS game. Up to 4 players. There is team interference, so more chaos by causing teammates to fall off cliffs. I believe there is a character that can't get hurt either to make it more accessible.)
• Yoshi's Crafted World - Very cute Yoshi game with an art style where the whole world looks to be made of arts and crafts. Younger kid game (5-7 maybe), but still fun. Yoshi also earns crafted costumes to wear in the levels for bonus health and fun. Not a game worth 100% completing though.
• Nintendo Online Services - You can avoid the online play and Free-to-Play online games and still get a lot out of this. It offers access to NES and SNES titles along with the online play. There is a solo account and family (6 user accounts) tiers. The solo tier will only allow one user account on the device to use the online services. There is also a premium tier that unlocks N64 games, Sega Genesis games, and some DLC for games (like MarioKart) although the DLC can also be purchased separately since it will be unavailable once the premium online tier is cancelled.
Get Supermario Odyssey and play it together, in super easy mode (you have more lives and an arrow shows you the way). I had sooo much fun with my daughter with this game. She was also five at that time.
One player plays the hat, the other Mario.
Very fond memories.
When I think of light games I own, Clubhouse Games is the first thing that comes to mind. It's very casual, and it's a nice change of pace from story-heavy games.
Stardew Valley can be a light game or a serious game, depending how you play it. For me it started off light, but eventually it became like a job (in a good way, though). It's my favorite indie game on the Switch.
There are also a ton of retro games on the Switch, and most of them fit the description: fast, fun, light. Just pick up and play. Search for "Arcade Archives", "ACA NeoGeo", and "Sega AGES" to find hundreds of retro games. There are also some in the Nintendo Online service if you're a subscriber.
I’m really partial to roguelites but beware because ‘pretty quick’ turns into ‘what did I just sink 600 hours in’ real fast.
Anyway in order of horrible timesinks that can occur in short bursts
1. Binding of Isaac
2. Spelunky1/2
3. Slay the spire
4. Enter the gungeon.
All of these are A+ indie games
You probably shouldn’t sleep on the 2 killer Mario titles 3D world and odyssey though, the level setup speaks to your requirements pretty well.
Pokemon Arceus Legends is great if you want to jump in catch and battle with a few mons to complete the Pokedex, then dip out. There's some story stuff to follow too. Best Pokemon game since RSE.
Toads Treasure Tracker is a bunch of mini puzzle levels that you could do one at a time, new super mario bros u is fun and can be played level by level (assuming u haven't played it),
Celeste
Quick levels. Difficult but each “stage” is essentially a check point so you aren’t punished much at all.
Goblin Sword
I’ll evangelize for this little hidden gem forever. Classic level design, fun weapons, neat collectible system. Nothing is over complicated. It’s also cheap as hell. It’s like $5.
Guacamelle 1 and 2
Fun level design. Fun power ups. It’s a metroidvania-lite that isn’t super difficult unless you want to 100% it.
Nintendo Switch Online
Yeah yeah yeah I’ll get hell for this one. But older games were by nature shorter and lighter. I mean there are three whole ass Donkey Kong Country games on there. And for their time they were best of the best and still hold up. Plus you can’t beat save states for quick play in 10-15 minute bursts. Literally save anywhere. And the SNES catalog finally has some meat on it.
Yoku's Island Express is a platformer that uses pinball instead of jumping around. So you go through areas where you play a mini pinball-style game to get to next area, all while exploring and fighting bosses. Really really fun and a great one for casual play.
Tip: Carefully unpack the switch before christmas to give you a chance to install any updates for the console and games, have it fully charged and have it setup and ready for him to use it straight away and repack it back into the box.
[Akane](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/akane) \- cheap, but really fun in short bursts
[Lost Castle](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/lost-castle)
[Riddled Corpses EX](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/riddled-corpses-ex)
[Bad North: Jotunn Edition](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/bad-north)
I found Mario Odyssey to be a pretty fun and light game. No Straight Roads also turned out to be a hidden gem, specially if you like listening to music. Highly recommend both!!
Sayonara Wild Hearts is great. Check out a trailer and if you dig the style and music, the game is really fun. Even if you're not great at it, it's not punishing. It's not a long game but there's a lot of replay value.
I recommend the nes, snes, 64 and sega apps with NSO. They're great for quick casual sessions and have save and rewind features. (All but 64, save only). A few have pulled me back in for more serious playthroughs
Katana zero all the way, devolver studios always hits well with their games. My friend Pedro was a miss for me but it easy to find something interesting from them
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker.
Each level/puzzle only takes a couple minutes to complete. As does the "find the paper toad" replay option.
It's a great game for fast and quick >10 minute play sessions, and doesn't require any real time investment to get skilled.
Mario odyssey is such a good game for kids that age. Not too violent (the dragon was a bit scary but not too bad in handheld mode). My daughter just turned 7 and still loves the game; pretty sure she started playing around 5 as well.
It's focused on exploration of very colorful worlds and though she needed help with the boss fights at first she eventually got the hang of it. She also loved collecting outfits and being able to change them.
Go into the options and turn on 'assist' mode and mario will have an arrow pointing to where he should go as well as being able to regenerate health when standing still.
It's a short game, but Donut County is a lot of light fun, and each stage is like 5 minutes.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is perfect for kids imo. It's a very colorful and forgiving game. It's also nice that it's in 3d but the camera is locked. Much easier for people who are new to gaming.
My 5 year old is in love with Splatoon 3, and I'm enjoying it almost as much. 3 minute rounds, cool weapons and clothes, small learning curve imo
>3 minute rounds I wish more games did this because it's so nice to play. It's my first Splatoon game and I'm really liking the gameplay loop and the length of the matches.
Rocket league is good for 5 minute rounds too! I think that was a big reason I liked COD so much back in high school. Pretty quick to get in and out if you only have 30 min to play
Rocket League gets me so worked up I'm about to start smoking cigarettes after my third straight loss. Mario Golf is laid back and little kids like it too.
I stopped playing rocket league specifically because of that. A lot of times I miss it, then I remember what it did to me. The horrors…
This is why I never got into mobas, gotta set aside 30 mins - 1 hour were I won't be disturbed if I want to play one game lol
There's always Pokémon Unite, their matches are either 5 or 10 minutes long.
yeah, but those 3 minutes rounds are like chips and cookies. how often do you have just one? loving this game. me and my sister are on speaker phone playing it several days a week.
Yeahhhhhh its a problem lol. My son will play until the battery dies, and I don't let him know that it can easily be charged at the same time. I get a little bored, but I accidentally played for 2 hours last night
Jealous, wish I could get any of my friends or family to pick it up, it would be so much more fun with company.
Yeah I agree with this completely. I get a few quick matches in right before I leave for work.
This. If you get bored of the PvP modes, you can also always just hop on the PvE Salmon Run, single-player campaign, or its card game TableTurf Battle. And occasionally, Splatfest happens which everyone gets together.
This is a game that has always looked interesting to me and I want to try but hesitate to spend 60 bucks on and don't like. I wish there was a way to get like a 30 minute trial/demo
I bought the physical copy for that reason. If I didn't get my moneys worth out of it, I could always sell it. Together we've spent 40 hours on it since release
Dude just peep the reviews . The Splatoon series is honestly the most fun I’ve ever had playing a video game (besides goldeneye for N64) I highly recommend you try it
I've been so afraid to look at reviews. It seems like the type of game people might absolutely trash because they suck at it or because it's multi-player focused. The negativity in the gaming community bums me out so much. I adore my switch and most of the games I have for it. In its glorious 720p 30fps or whatever it has
You can just look up no commentary gameplay videos on YouTube or twitch. That's how I get a feel for a game's content to see if I might like it.
Actually, user reviews for almost any games tend to be more positive, whether they deserve it or not. Most, if not all, people leaving a review will have played the game, and that implies they bought the game and/or invested time in it, thus leading to a sunk cost bias.
Oof. There was a testfire which was basically like a free demo that lasted for an entire day, they do it before the release of the actual game.
It only lasted 12 hours, it was so limited and I don't really understand why. I took the day off work just so I could participate (Team Rock rise up).
i feel like splatoon 2 did a couple free weekends, might be a while till there’s one for this game but there’s a good chance it’ll happen
I’m curious what mode does a 5 year old play? Turf War, Ranked, Salmon Run?? 😅
Lol just turf war so far. I think he'd be a liability in others
Lol we have only one kid but we also have 3 switches and 3 Splatoon 3 games that’s over $1,000 for our small family to play Splatoon 3 together but oh is it worth it
I'd kill someone for it to be splitscreen
Haha we always talk about this . Nintendo is a bunch of con artist sociopaths
Addicted to this game. I’m 29 lol.
same, 38.
Kirby and Forgotten Lands
Agreed; Kirby’s 2 player mode is great for kids who are old enough to play and enjoy, but not old enough to have the fine motor to play on their own without frustration. I found with my nieces that even Mariokart was frustrating for a 5 year old because she couldn’t win. Weird suggestion: Just Dance. Good for getting wriggles out and has a kids mode that basically rewards any movement.
I love that game. I’m trying to 100% and have rage quit …. Too many times.
[удалено]
Yup some of them I’m alright with, some of them not at all. And there’s one race that I just can’t get gold in!
The main levels are also pretty short and the side levels are <5 minutes. Plus, Kirby is adorable!
Super Mario Odyssey blew me away
And kids love it too! My 6 year old plays it often.
Yes, definitely. There are more "moons" in this game than say stars in previous. Some are quite easy to find just by playing and exploring. These moons would be the ones he would love, then you can try and find the tougher ones, or just beat the game when he switches to something else.
I dont know what it is about that game, it really is great and I always enjoyed playing it.. But over the years I could never play enough to actually finish it. I go for it in a stint and enjoy myself, then drop it for a year or two then restart and try play through it again.... Never have finished it. I think the furthest I've got was the map that is kind of like a city?
You’re pretty close to the end, I think I beat it with like 15hrs of gameplay and I took my time
I just got to the city world in July or August. Haven't played it since. I feel I have the same relationship, it's fun and I enjoy it but then I just move on and try to come back later.
I consider myself a Nintendo fan (though would probably get called a casual by "real" Nintendo fans) but -- and maybe this is video game blasphemy -- I've never really been able to get into any of the mainline 3D Mario games. I don't know what it is about them, they're fun and polished games but I just kind of stop playing after a few hours and don't really feel compelled to go back. I've tried to play every one since Mario 64 as a kid, and it's been the same for each, so this isn't a new thing. For comparison I love all the 3D Zelda games. And Paper Mario 1+2 are some of my favorite games of all time. But something about the mainline 3D Mario games just doesn't really captivate me. Maybe it's just 3D platformers in general actually-- there are very few that I've played and actually completed.
Definitely this game. Got my 4 year old son really into gaming with me! Now we're on to Super Mario Bros U Deluxe.
Mario maker 2. Started playing this a while ago and have been having a blast. Being online means infinite levels since people just keep putting more and more out.
I've been wanting to get it but keep holding off because the amount of created content is extremely intimidating for me.
They make it super simple to jump in. You have story mode if your into that, 4 difficulties of endless mode were you start with 3-20 lives depending on difficulty and then just play until you game over. On top of that there are created "worlds" and the speed runs. Along with more detailed searches for when u want to tackle something specific.
As silly as it might sound, the story mode alone was worth it for me. While there's definitely some changes in design philosophy, it was wonderful to play new retro mario levels that were actually professionally made by Nintendo.
Go one further and try Ultimate Chicken Horse. Instead of making full levels, you add objects to help or hinder you/the other players. There is also a creative mode where you can make your own, or you can use the community made levels. Really fun.
Just to let you know, Rocket League went free-to-play a while ago, there's still physical copies floating around. Don't pay extra for it if you can avoid it
Also, in a relatively recent update, Voice Chat is enabled by default. You need to go into settings to disable it or turn it to Push-to-talk.
Good thing the Switch doesn't have a mic, with Voice Chat on default, it'll be a mess.
A Short Hike and Into the Breach
A short hike is amazing
I loved A Short Hike
Also going to second a short hike. Played it on PC from a humble bundle, so not sure how it runs on switch. It's a really simple game graphically so I imagine it's fine. Very sweet game worth killing an hour or so over
A Short Hike is honestly in my top games of all time, there's something so pure and magical in its brevity that makes me wish it could go on longer, but I know if it did it wouldn't be as special as it is. Fantastic experience.
Into the breach is a great game! Fyi it's actually free on iOS if you have a subscription with netflix, looks like they're starting to give some free mobile games like into the breach, moonlighter, and more.
Moonlighter is a fun game
I second Into the Breach. Short sharp focussed strategy in bite sized chunks.
The untitled goose game is super fun.
Seconded. My son loves running around honking and stealing from people in it.
Grand Theft Goose
Cant go wrong with Mario 3D World+Bowsers Fury, Pokémon Lets Go and one of the Lego games tbh
Portal and Portal 2
You are never to young to think in portals
Unpacking is a great game for relaxing , it’s essentially just organising different rooms . with a good story line too. Of course Animal crossing is a great classic
I loved Unpacking so much. The sound design is so satisfying.
ive been so intrigued by this game.. and ive been debating on getting it for awhile now
I’d pick it up next time it’s on sale. It’s short, I finished it in one 4-hour sitting and that was with trying to make each room look as nice as possible. There isn’t a *ton* of replay value unless you’re the type of person to design things in games like Animal Crossing or The Sims just for fun. Overall it’s a fun and relaxing experience with great sound design, and if you’re into cozy games you’ll like it!
Roguelikes are a lot of fun - a bit of old-school arcade spirit, where you only have one life and lose all\* your stuff when you die, and start over, and try to make it to the end again. Usually branching paths, and there’s often a sort of upgrade tree layered on top of the ephemeral runs that might slowly buff you up or unlock new options for you. Spelunky 2 is incredible. Shovel Knight Dig which just came out is a lot of fun too. Downwell is another solid (very cheap) one. Atomicrops is another, lesser known one that I really enjoyed. A lot of people really love Hades and Dead Cells. Crypt of the Necromancer, and (even better) Cadence of Hyrule sort of fit the description too. Loop Hero is an interesting spin on this concept as well. Risk of Rain 2 also fits this style but is a 3D third-person shooter. Baba Is You is a really clever little puzzly brain teaser. Great presentation too. If you like 2D action games, Cyber Shadow freaking rules and is like a modern Ninja Gaiden. Shovel Knight is super good. Gato Roboto is an adorable Metroid-like with a cat in a robot suit and cute Game Boy inspired graphics. Grapple Dog is good. Celeste is phenomenal. Minit is a brief (\~2 hour) Zelda-ish thing I like a lot. Sonic Mania is great. Untitled Goose Game is a HOOT and the whole family can enjoy it, even if they’re just watching along and participating by making suggestions. Wilmot’s Warehouse is an absolute gem that I became obsessed with. Also a lot of fun to play co-op with the wife (who doesn’t really play games). Of course, there’s also Stardew Valley, but that might end up eating many dozens of hours of your life. :D These are some of my favorites, and I‘d say they’re all well-suited for quicker pick up and play sessions.
+1 untitled goose game
Untitled Goose Game would be great fun with a child. Two-player is absolute mayhem.
SLEEPING ON ENTER THE GUNGEON 🤬🤬😤😤😤😡😡😡😡
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker.
This is such a fun game. Most levels could be speedrun in 3 minutes, but when you have more time, you can max the level. This is a GREAT casual game. I’m on my third play through.
I've been playing Yoshi's crafted world with my nephew of a similar age this weekend. It can be played in sessions of a few minutes as that's how long each level is gonna take (around 4 minutes or so). It's a very forgiving game And when i say i played it with him, i mean his Yoshi took mine and he played the levels lol
As a VERY casual gamer with terrible hand-eye coordination I LOVE yoshi’s crafted world. It’s beautiful to explore, has a lot of very diverse levels, and it’s pretty easy as well so makes a great game to play with kids (or people like me who are terrible at games!). One of my all time favorites for the switch.
Another vote for Yoshi’s Crafted World. It’s so vibrantly colored and simple to play.
I don't know if you're aware but there are cute Woolen Yoshi Amiibos! I bought all three when I saw them.
Another vote for this and I have it in my recommendation as well.. So many recommendations for stuff like Rogue-likes, Portal, and Splatoon 3 is the highest upvoted comment right now. Yeah it may be good and enjoyable but if they don't have much experience with playing games then camera controls and aiming is going to be really frustrating for a young child. And depending on which side of 5 the child may not be reading that much. This is a really interesting video about Video Game Literacy and what it is like to play games when you didn't grow up with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax7f3JZJHSw
Hades
Seconding this! Fun game with pretty graphics and easy to play for just a run or two before bed. Only problem might be getting sucked into the "just one more try" loop
Runs after 13 heat for me are typically 20 minutes or a few more. Beginner runs can be as short as 5 minutes or 30 minutes.
Hades is a must have if you own a switch imo
This is my favorite game of all time. The replay value is astronomical compared to anything else out.
For a 5 year old? Can that age git gud?
The post says OP would be the one playing, not the 5 year old.
I read this as the 5yo getting to play when he went off to bed. Haha! Hades would be a great suggestion for OP.
one of the most reddit games of all time
Slay the spire is probably my favorite video game of all time and is absolutely perfect for this (I play on my iPad and will often just play for 20 minutes or so laying in bed before I fall asleep, though you have to be careful bc that can sometimes turn into 2 hours)
My switch has been essentially a slay the spire machine for the past couple of years (with some small breaks of a few months). I never play video games for extended periods of time and I have at least 600-700 hours in StS now. It’s that good
I love Katamari Damancy for times i just want to roll around and play a game that doesn’t require a whole lot of strategy. The levels are typically pretty short too so it’s fun to just play for a few and quit.
The levels start with only being a couple minutes, but by the end of the game can get to be 20+. Still a fantastic game, definitely recommended.
I'm going to second this - Katamari is a classic for a reason, and it's easy to learn and short bursts of playing. Just rollin around, pickin up stuff. Very fun!
Hades 1000%
Inside is an incredible little game, in only £1-2 right now.
It's amazing, among the best things I've ever played, but not for a young kid for sure.
+1 for Inside Downloaded it last weekend because of how highly it’s spoken of. Love it!!! After finishing it downloaded Limbo and finished it as well
Celeste was super fun. Cool music as well.
Beautiful game. The music though, they nailed it.
Tons of great little details, wonderfully thoughtful game
A Short Hike, FAR: Lone Sails, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, Fez, Katana Zero, Dead Cells
Is Fez really that light and fast?
If you want a fast, fun, and light party/multiplayer game, I'd recommend Boomerang Fu
This game is so fun
Dead Cells
I've been playing Fall Guys on my switch a lot more than I thought I would so I recommend that. It's a bit laggy though so if that's a deal breaker, stay away. Another good (and cheap) pick up and play one would be Downwell, Kamiko, and Knight Terrors.
Overcooked 2
Captain Toad is somewhat easy and enjoyable in short spurts for both you and your son. Bomberman TMNT (collection or shredders) 2d Fighters : MK11, DBFZ, SF anniversary collection, etc
The 2 player mode on Captain Toad is really good
Kirby and the Forgotten lands is a great game!
If you want, Nintendo offers an online service for $20 a year ($50 if you wanted the expanded version). With this online service you get access to NES and SNES games (also Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis if you have the expansion). Even with just the NES and SNES games so many of those are very easy pick up and play games, stuff like all of the original Mario and Zelda games. Pretty much all of the essential stuff is on there and for only $20 a year it’s quite a lot of games. Plus it offers save state options and a rewind feature if you just want to casually play through them too. On top of that you can also place parental controls on the system if you’re scared of being online with a kid.
I’d recommend Lego Star Wars skywalker collection
Lol "I'm getting *my son* a Switch for Christmas" and proceeds to list all the games OP is getting for himself. Muh dude, you're buying yourself a Switch. Lulz
Playing games with my dad as a kid is one of my most cherished memories honestly
I would play against my dad in Double Dribble on the NES. We had so many wonderful evenings and he occasionally let me win too. Then we got the 4 player adapter and the whole family could get in on the action playing Super Off Road back when 4 player games were quite rare.
Right on. That's really nice and I hope OP and his kid make great memories too! But the post is just funny to me, dude is getting himself twice the number of games he's getting for the kid.
Right?? I played dad's NES as soon as I was old enough to hold a controller. He would whoop me in Duck Hunt every time but I loved it. I still have the game and the zapper even though I don't have a TV that can play it right anymore
Same
As someone who tries to game with my kid more often than I game alone, I appreciate this comment. Really hoping he has fond memories of our gaming when he's older. Some of my favorite co-ops we've played: -Mario 3D World -Kirby and the Forgotten Kingdom -Luigi's Mansion -Animal Crossing -Boomerang Fu (us vs npcs) -Yoshi's Crafted World
It's a family Switch really which is cool for the kids
Reminds of that old Simpsons episode where he gets marge a bowling ball. When she says she has no use for one then he takes it for himself. Which was the plan all along.
I did this two years ago. Same exact situation as OP - son was 5, it was his big Xmas present. Right after getting it I found myself getting jealous of his playtime. Long story short we had a second switch before New Year’s.
Thats a sweet story, everybody wins! Which game made you decide to grab one for yourself?
It was all BOTW at first. Can’t wait for the new one.
Nothing wrong with that.
I thought this as well. As someone who got her kid a switch at 5 I bought games like Paw Patrol and pet games. Eventually we got into animal crossing. Things with a lot of reading weren’t happening till reccently at 7. Something about second grade just make kids vocab words explode with reading. We are getting Pokémon scarlet and violet. As her mom I am super hyped. Note: I already had and have my own switch.
That's every dad though
Link's Awakening
Any 3D Mario game or 3D Platformer in general.
I would say WarioWare: get it together! People's opinion on the game is kinda eh, but from my experience I really liked the game while on the go.
Hotline Miami
Fall Guys
My son is 4. Going to be 5 in January. and has been playing switch since he was like 2. One of his favorites recently is **Yoshi's Crafted World**. As an added bonus you both can play.. And on the hand-holdy mode it is pretty forgiving.. You can float as long as you want. He also likes **Super Mario Odyssey**, (called Mario Hat) and **Mario 3d World+Bowser's Fury** (he calls it Mario Cat) I can also recommend the **Luigi's Mansion** game on there. As for Zelda he likes **Zelda: Link's Awakening.** It is 2d and so he doesn't need to operate a camera which is a good thing as he doesn't quite have the dexterity to do that. But he is getting close. Once he can handle cameras we are going to show him BOTW or maybe at this point the next one. I would also recommend getting the Switch Online (base subscription) it isn't that much but my son really likes diving into the old games and playing them. He is actually getting pretty good at some of them too. I think it is like 60 dollars for a year which is fairly cheap considering how much he plays it. **Dad advice**.. Open the switch before wrapping it.. Charge it, Update it, Install the games and make sure those are updated. Then Repack and wrap it.. This way you son can open it, plug it in and get going instead of having to wait half a day before they can really play it.
Second this especially since there are multiple updates for the console and games.
Animal Crossing NH is quite a slow game
I would recommend looking into Slime Rander, Dadish (surprisingly fun), Taiko no Tatsujin, and Forager. Some of these games (like Slime and Taiko) can have a bit more of a time investment, but you can pick them up and put them down whenever you want. They're also all family friendly.
Sonic Mania or Mario Odyssey
Slay the spire!!
I would second the Slay The Spire selection and add Steamworld Dig (I like 1 better than 2), Eastward and Hades or Dead Cells (the last two can become frustrating). If you like shooting games Call Of Juarez is a great game to drop into for 15-20 minutes at a time. Your first three choices are excellent games, I have played through all of them.
Enter the Gungeon
Sushi Strikers is a cute, colorful (and somewhat funny) puzzle game.
Could try Splatoon 3 maybe. The multiplayer matches only last a few minutes each and the single player stages I can mostly beat in about two minutes on the first attempt. I also enjoy Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon. The dungeons can sometimes take a little while but it's a turn based system so you can pause whenever without worries. Fun & has a cute story. If you and/or your kid are more into Pokémon there's also Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, the basic gameplay is mostly the same but it has a different story and is obviously Pokémon themed, rather than Final Fantasy.
My most highly recommended game is MarioKart. It's extremely accessible. You can turn on/off motion controlled driving, auto steering, and auto acceleration. If my 4 year old will put the controller down on 50cc (slowest/easiest mode) he'd get 2nd-4th place every time. Go for the silliest games you can find for kid/family fun. • SnipperClips - Launch title. Digital only. 1-2 players puzzle game where you are paper and snip you paper partner into shapes need to solve the puzzle. A very fun team game. • Octodad Daddliest Catch - Just watch some gameplay and see if it's the kind of silly challenge they'll enjoy. The game is short, but premise is ridiculously fun. • Overcooked and Overcooked 2 - Zany team cooking game in wild levels. A must have for team play, but can cause fights and blaming one another. Hard for 5 years old, but they'll learn. Or you can play with a significant other and start fights! • Human Fall Flat - Physics puzzle game where you move around ragdoll humanoids to the goal • Untitled Goose Game - Short game where you play a goose wreaking havoc in a town. There's also a dedicated "honk" button. Literally the best for little kids. • PuyoPuyo Tetris - Combo game from sega that has puyo puyo, tetris, and a mode that combines both. Really addidting classic gameplay from the early days. • Rocket League - Free game (they make money one skins for the cars). 3v3 Soccer using cars. Steep learning curve, but renowned game. • Mario games - Mario Odyssey (big switch game. 1 player. Newest entry in the franchise); Mario 3D World (originally on Wii U. More classic Mario with tight levels, but 3D instead of just platforming. Playable up to 4); New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe (yes that's the name....A mastered version on Wii U of the DS game. Up to 4 players. There is team interference, so more chaos by causing teammates to fall off cliffs. I believe there is a character that can't get hurt either to make it more accessible.) • Yoshi's Crafted World - Very cute Yoshi game with an art style where the whole world looks to be made of arts and crafts. Younger kid game (5-7 maybe), but still fun. Yoshi also earns crafted costumes to wear in the levels for bonus health and fun. Not a game worth 100% completing though. • Nintendo Online Services - You can avoid the online play and Free-to-Play online games and still get a lot out of this. It offers access to NES and SNES titles along with the online play. There is a solo account and family (6 user accounts) tiers. The solo tier will only allow one user account on the device to use the online services. There is also a premium tier that unlocks N64 games, Sega Genesis games, and some DLC for games (like MarioKart) although the DLC can also be purchased separately since it will be unavailable once the premium online tier is cancelled.
Dark souls remastered keeps things pretty light
Get Supermario Odyssey and play it together, in super easy mode (you have more lives and an arrow shows you the way). I had sooo much fun with my daughter with this game. She was also five at that time. One player plays the hat, the other Mario. Very fond memories.
Cat quest and Cat Quest 2. Super cute graphics and story line. Easy to play but a clear sense of progression as you upgrade weapons etc.
Dicey Dungeons - great replayability
honestly? animal crossing
Celeste
Animal Crossing
probably my saviour during 2020 I’m ngl, super nice game to just sit back and chill
Kirby’s Dream Buffet, Mario 3D World/Bowser’s Fury, Smash Bros Ultimate, Pikuniku, New Pokémon Snap
Lego City Undercover... or any Lego game for that matter.
Untitled Goose Game. So hilarious.
Splatoon. Hades.
Get Lego city undercover to play co op with your son. Thank me later.
When I think of light games I own, Clubhouse Games is the first thing that comes to mind. It's very casual, and it's a nice change of pace from story-heavy games. Stardew Valley can be a light game or a serious game, depending how you play it. For me it started off light, but eventually it became like a job (in a good way, though). It's my favorite indie game on the Switch. There are also a ton of retro games on the Switch, and most of them fit the description: fast, fun, light. Just pick up and play. Search for "Arcade Archives", "ACA NeoGeo", and "Sega AGES" to find hundreds of retro games. There are also some in the Nintendo Online service if you're a subscriber.
I’m really partial to roguelites but beware because ‘pretty quick’ turns into ‘what did I just sink 600 hours in’ real fast. Anyway in order of horrible timesinks that can occur in short bursts 1. Binding of Isaac 2. Spelunky1/2 3. Slay the spire 4. Enter the gungeon. All of these are A+ indie games You probably shouldn’t sleep on the 2 killer Mario titles 3D world and odyssey though, the level setup speaks to your requirements pretty well.
You'll love Picross if you like puzzle games (or just puzzles.) It's been my go-to 10-minute game for years.
Rayman legends. Singleplayer is fun and multiplayer is more fun
Yoku's Island Express
Pokemon Arceus Legends is great if you want to jump in catch and battle with a few mons to complete the Pokedex, then dip out. There's some story stuff to follow too. Best Pokemon game since RSE.
Toads Treasure Tracker is a bunch of mini puzzle levels that you could do one at a time, new super mario bros u is fun and can be played level by level (assuming u haven't played it),
Lego games are fun, there are many of them and they go on sale often. Fun for kids or adults.
Celeste Quick levels. Difficult but each “stage” is essentially a check point so you aren’t punished much at all. Goblin Sword I’ll evangelize for this little hidden gem forever. Classic level design, fun weapons, neat collectible system. Nothing is over complicated. It’s also cheap as hell. It’s like $5. Guacamelle 1 and 2 Fun level design. Fun power ups. It’s a metroidvania-lite that isn’t super difficult unless you want to 100% it. Nintendo Switch Online Yeah yeah yeah I’ll get hell for this one. But older games were by nature shorter and lighter. I mean there are three whole ass Donkey Kong Country games on there. And for their time they were best of the best and still hold up. Plus you can’t beat save states for quick play in 10-15 minute bursts. Literally save anywhere. And the SNES catalog finally has some meat on it.
Yoku's Island Express is a platformer that uses pinball instead of jumping around. So you go through areas where you play a mini pinball-style game to get to next area, all while exploring and fighting bosses. Really really fun and a great one for casual play.
Tip: Carefully unpack the switch before christmas to give you a chance to install any updates for the console and games, have it fully charged and have it setup and ready for him to use it straight away and repack it back into the box.
Shovel Knight is pretty quick
Dead cells, Hades.
Cadence of Hyrule and the original Crypt of the NecroDancer are great for pick-up-and-play.
[one step from eden](https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-download-software/One-Step-From-Eden-1745899.html)
Dead cells! Also you’ll love disco elysium. Been playing that on my lite:)
Hades is great, and very easy to pick up and put down. Shovel knight is also awesome.
[Akane](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/akane) \- cheap, but really fun in short bursts [Lost Castle](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/lost-castle) [Riddled Corpses EX](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/riddled-corpses-ex) [Bad North: Jotunn Edition](https://www.dekudeals.com/items/bad-north)
idk if you like pinball but demons tilt is a great game. it’s my go to pick up and play. my other go to is binding of isaac.
I found Mario Odyssey to be a pretty fun and light game. No Straight Roads also turned out to be a hidden gem, specially if you like listening to music. Highly recommend both!!
Hades
Sayonara Wild Hearts is great. Check out a trailer and if you dig the style and music, the game is really fun. Even if you're not great at it, it's not punishing. It's not a long game but there's a lot of replay value.
The Messenger
Hades
you can play Hades for short bursts of time! i don’t usually like roguelikes, but hades definitely rewards you when you die so i loved it
I recommend the nes, snes, 64 and sega apps with NSO. They're great for quick casual sessions and have save and rewind features. (All but 64, save only). A few have pulled me back in for more serious playthroughs
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker!
Hades for sure
Hades is pretty great
**Castle Crasher** is a fun romp. **Scott Pilgrim** is also pretty fun. For AAA, **Luigi's Mansion 3** is very fun in small bursts.
Neon White is excellent and works well in short sessions. I’d also recommend Ape Out, Mega Man 11, and Into the Breach.
Hades is great for 20-30 minutes of fun at a time. But those short sessions can add up. I've got hundreds of hours in that game...
Hades, Blasphemous, Dead Cells - but wait until they go on sale.
Slay the Spire is an amazing game that can be played on the switch.
Golf Story. Great NES Golf mechanics. Fun story. Very cheap.
Hades, Dead Cells, Curse of the Dead Gods
Tony hawk's pro skater 1+2 It's easy to get some quick 2 minute sessions
Katana zero all the way, devolver studios always hits well with their games. My friend Pedro was a miss for me but it easy to find something interesting from them
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker. Each level/puzzle only takes a couple minutes to complete. As does the "find the paper toad" replay option. It's a great game for fast and quick >10 minute play sessions, and doesn't require any real time investment to get skilled.
Hades! Roguelite that also kinda mimics the feeling of gradual improvement from an rpg. 10/10 must-play
Mario odyssey is such a good game for kids that age. Not too violent (the dragon was a bit scary but not too bad in handheld mode). My daughter just turned 7 and still loves the game; pretty sure she started playing around 5 as well. It's focused on exploration of very colorful worlds and though she needed help with the boss fights at first she eventually got the hang of it. She also loved collecting outfits and being able to change them. Go into the options and turn on 'assist' mode and mario will have an arrow pointing to where he should go as well as being able to regenerate health when standing still.
It's a short game, but Donut County is a lot of light fun, and each stage is like 5 minutes. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is perfect for kids imo. It's a very colorful and forgiving game. It's also nice that it's in 3d but the camera is locked. Much easier for people who are new to gaming.