25 MORE Nintendo Switch Family-Friendly Multiplayer Games by Christopher Smith

We’ve played a ton of Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 games in our house. Ranked with the help of my kids—Ezra (10), Annalie (8), and Eden (6)—here are 30 of the most fun local multiplayer games (2 to 8 players, rated E or E10+) we’ve played. The vast majority are on Switch 1 but there are a couple Switch 2 games mixed in. If you need even more inspiration, don’t miss the link at the bottom to my original 20-game roundup from a few years back!

#25 – Pizza Possum (Digital Only)

1-2 players – eShop $6.99 / ~$3.49 on sale

Pizza Possum is one that only Ezra (my 10 year old) and I enjoy. You have to go around town eating food as a possum (player 1) and a raccoon (player 2) without getting caught by the guard dogs. It features funny power ups and arcade-style pick up and play action. It is hard to beat but it’s fun even if you don’t get very far. It’s also only $6.99!

#24 – Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition

1-8 players – Physical $59.99  / eShop $29.99

Supporting up to 8 players, this party game features 150 split-second challenges across 13 classic NES titles. Ezra and I mostly played it two-player, but it would be a blast with a full group. Tasks range from a few seconds to over a minute, scoring you on pure speed—no prior NES experience required!

#23 – Cuphead

1-2 players – Physical $39.99 (includes DLC) / eShop $19.99

I mentioned Cuphead in my previous article, but Ezra and I have since played it extensively together (he loved it!). While two-player mode doubles boss health, being able to revive each other actually makes it easier than playing solo—provided both players are competent gamers. Fair warning: the cartoonish devil and soul-contract theme might not be for everyone. It’s exceptionally tough, but easily one of the most rewarding games I’ve ever played. Note: this is the last entry on the list that Annalie hasn’t played yet.

#22 – Pikuniku

1-2 players – eShop $12.99 / $2.99 on sale

Pikuniku is a 2-player cooperative 2-D puzzle platformer. It’s funny and has a lot of charm. There’s a 3D sequel releasing soon that we are excited for!

#21 – Overcooked! All You Can Eat

1-4 players – Physical $39.99 / eShop $39.99 / $11.99 on sale

I mentioned Overcooked in my previous article, but my wife, Ezra, Annalie, and I have since played through the first game and started the second. Stages feature environmental obstacles that force you to communicate, divide tasks, and cook increasingly complex meals under pressure. It’s challenging, chaotic, and incredibly satisfying to beat together.

#20 – My Little Universe (Digital Only)

1-4 players – eShop $14.99 / ~$4.49 on sale

At its core, My Little Universe has a game loop of exploring, harvesting resources, and upgrading your gear. But while many craft-and-grind games feel generic, this one stands out with a surprising amount of charm. With 4-player co-op, it’s a total crowd-pleaser for all skill levels since your team levels up together. Gamers can tackle the heavy lifting while beginners jump right in without feeling left behind!

#19 – PlateUp!

1-4 players – Physical $39.99 / eShop $19.99 / $5.99 on sale

PlateUp! combines restaurant management with roguelike mechanics—if your team fails a day, you start over, but beating challenges unlocks new layouts and recipes. While difficult (and occasionally unfair), its deep strategy makes a successful run even more thrilling and satisfying than Overcooked. Highly recommended for families with older kids or adults.

#18 – All Hands on Deck (Digital Only)

1-2 players – eShop $12.99 / ~$7.79 on sale

All Hands on Deck! is a quirky, hilarious 3D puzzle-platformer built from the ground up strictly for two players. It drops you and a partner into a world of clever, teamwork-tested brainteasers, where success hinges on constant communication and laughing off your inevitable blunders.

#17 – Super Mario Party Jamboree

1-4 players – Physical $59.99 / eShop $59.99

I’m surprised my kids didn’t rank this higher, especially since it’s their go-to when friends visit! The main mode is set up like a board game where you take turns trying to get to the star and compete in mini-games between turns. The mini-games (which make or break Mario Party games) are really fun here. We love the whole trilogy on Switch (with Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars on our previous list). Note: We haven’t tried the Switch 2’s Jamboree TV content yet, which gets mixed reviews.

#16 – Ultimate Sheep Raccoon (Digital Only)

1-8 players – eShop $19.99 / on sale $16.99

As the sequel to Ultimate Chicken Horse, this is a wild 2D platform racer. Players take turns dropping blocks and traps and then race to the finish for points—often with hilarious, disastrous results. It supports up to 8 players, taking full advantage of the max 8 Joy-Cons you can connect to a Switch or Switch 2.

#15 – Kirby Air Riders (Switch 2 Exclusive)

1-4 players – Physical $69.99 / eShop $69.99

Kirby Air Riders is a chaotic and fast-paced racing game with a high skill ceiling and an accessible entry point for younger players (not quite as easy of an entry point as Mario Kart World). We haven’t played this a ton but the main racing mode and city trials are really fun. This one is Switch 2 only.

#14 – Runbow

1-8 players – Physical $29.99 / eShop $14.99 / on sale $1.99

 #13 – Farm Together

#12 – Trombone Champ (Digital Only)

1-4 players – eShop $14.99 / on sale $5.99

Trombone Champ is glorious, unadulterated nonsense. You slide and honk your way through 45 tracks—mostly public domain songs with a few originals—where the comedy lies as much in the missed notes as satisfaction comes in the landed ones. While the controls take a minute to click, they quickly become second nature. Annalie isn’t a fan, but every time we break it out with extended family, it devolves into tears of laughter both for players and spectators.

#11 – Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble

1-4 players – Physical $49.99 / eShop $49.99 / on sale $24.99

While we’ve enjoyed the previous game Banana Mania, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble takes the cake by letting up to four players tackle the entire campaign in local split-screen. The objective is classic Monkey Ball: rather than steering your character directly, you tilt the maze itself to roll your monkey through 200 increasingly tricky courses before time runs out. It’s super accessible for all skill levels, too, since only one person needs to reach the goal for the whole team to advance to the next stage!

#10 – Flat Heroes (Digital Only)

1-4 players – eShop $9.99 / on sale $1.99

Flat Heroes proves that top-tier gameplay doesn’t need photo-realistic graphics. Controlling nothing more than a lively colored square, up to 4 players dash, jump, and wall-cling through a single-screen 2D arena. The goal is pure survival: dodge a relentless barrage of incoming missiles, homing lasers, and screen-filling hazards across over 300 bite-sized levels and massive boss fights. With instantaneous restarts and a cooperative mode where only one player needs to survive to advance the team, it delivers non-stop, pulse-pounding excitement!

#9 – Pico Park 2 (Digital Only)

2-8 players – eShop $8.99 / on sale $6.29

Featuring adorable cat-like characters, Pico Park 2 is a minimalist puzzle-platformer for up to 8 local players. Total teamwork is mandatory—if one person fails, the entire team resets the level. While we haven’t beaten all of its tough stages yet, mechanics like rope-chaining, player-stacking, and gravity flips make it a hilarious, high-energy test of family cooperation!

#8 – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

1-8 players – Physical $59.99 / eShop $59.99

Mentioned as an aside in my previous list, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has become a go-to staple for larger groups. Up to 8 players—in teams or free-for-all—battle to knock each other off-screen using a massive roster of iconic Nintendo characters and beyond. It’s action-packed and wildly popular for good reason (just skip if fighting games aren’t your family’s style!).

1-4 players – Physical $39.99 / eShop $39.99

One of the fresher additions to our collection, Rhythm Heaven Groove tests your timing as you tap to the beat across a series of quirky, music-driven minigames. While the single-player campaign has its own unique content, the game shines with a robust set of exclusive multiplayer challenges built specifically for co-op. The minigames are surprisingly varied, hilariously absurd, and an absolute blast to play together!

#6 – Go-Go Town! (Digital Only)

1-2 players – eShop $29.99

Go-Go Town! tasks you with turning a blank canvas into a thriving, cozy town. At least one player will need to be able to read to advance the game and unlock shops, houses, and services. There is a clever implementation of automation which allows you to keep exploring and expanding. Though it feels like a traditional single-player experience, the developers brilliantly made the entire game fully playable in two-player co-op! Ezra and Annalie built a town of their own, while my wife and I have been playing together on ours. Note: We have the Switch 2 version so I can’t comment if there are any performance issues on the Switch 1.

#5– Mario Kart World (Switch 2 Exclusive)

1-4 players – Phyriscal $79.99 / eShop $79.99

Mario Kart World might be the most obvious pick on this list, but it easily earns its crown. It’s pure, chaotic fun and undeniably the most accessible racer out there—thanks to auto-steer and auto-accelerate features that let absolute beginners, younger kids, and seasoned pros race side by side. Every time we break this one out with a group, it’s an instant hit!

#4 – Ultimate Chicken Horse

1-4 players – Physical $34.99 / eShop $14.99 / on sale $6.74

Ultimate Chicken Horse is a hilarious 2D platformer, where you and up to three others build the level as you play—placing platforms, traps, and absurd hazards to pave your own path to the finish line. The trick? You score points if you make it to the end and other players do not! Every match devolves into a brilliant mess of strategic betrayal, impossible jump attempts, and non-stop laughter.

#3 – Pico Park (Digital Only)

2-8 players – eShop $4.99 / on sale $3.49

While Pico Park 2 is generally seen as the better game, the original remains our family’s most-played. Ezra and Annalie find the sequel a bit too difficult, though I slightly prefer Pico Park 2 myself. Both offer the same great puzzle-platforming style, complement each other well, and are absolute must-haves for families and large groups!

#2 – Heave Ho 2 (Digital Only)

2-4 players – eShop $9.99

Our family has never been more hyped for a game reveal than we were for Heave Ho 2—and it completely delivers! You play as long-armed creatures, grabbing hands, swinging off each other, and hurling your teammates across treacherous gaps to reach the finish line. It takes real coordination and patience, so it can lead to some frustration if you’re playing with less-experienced gamers. Note: We have the Switch 2 version so I can’t comment if there are any performance issues on the Switch 1.

#1 – Stardew Valley: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

1-4 players – Physical (base game) $34.99 / eShop (base game) $14.99

I almost left Stardew Valley off this list to avoid repeats from my previous list, but as our undisputed family favorite, it deserved an exception—especially with the Switch 2’s free upgrade adding 4-player local split-screen! In this cozy masterpiece, you rebuild your grandfather’s overgrown farm into a thriving paradise by planting crops, raising animals, mining, fishing, and befriending the local townspeople. It offers incredible depth and endless replayability. You can jump straight into a brand-new split-screen farm together, or easily transform your single-player save into a multiplayer one simply by having Robin build a cabin for each player!

Honorable Mentions:

• Boomerang Fu: A household staple that easily holds the #2 spot overall.

• Luigi’s Mansion 3: A returning favorite—the mini-game mode actually supports up to 8 players and we’ve since go the DLC with more levels

• Drawful 2: Perfect for groups up to 8 (requires a phone or tablet for each player). Just make sure to turn family-friendly mode on.

• Star Fox (Switch 2): Features a two-player co-op mode where one player pilots and the other shoots.

• Pokopia (Switch 2): Includes a local co-op area via GameShare (requires a second Switch 1 or Switch 2).

• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: The full campaign supports two-player co-op (currently played single-player only).

• Nicktoons & the Dice of Destiny: A fun casual pick.

Original article of 20 Best Nintendo Switch Family-Friendly Multiplayer Games:

20 Best Nintendo Switch Family-Friendly Multiplayer Games by Christopher Smith