Here are the Best Nintendo Switch Games for Kids

Portable, durable and loaded with multiplayer games, the Switch is the definitive gaming system for kids. The console is the easy choice, but what are the best Nintendo Switch games for kids? It might be easier to list the Switch games that aren’t kid-friendly. 

While plenty of teens and adults play the Switch, the top three selling games give you a great place to start:

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
2. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
3. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Fetch is here to help you make the right choices for family-friendly video games and to save money on the kids’ Nintendo Switch games with free gift cards. Keep reading to learn how to build out your Nintendo game library.

How to get free Nintendo gift cards with Fetch

Many of the best games for the Switch are made by Nintendo, which means they carry a $60-70 price tag and don’t often go on sale. It’s a good thing you have the Fetch app to earn you free gift cards, making the best kids’ Nintendo Switch games more affordable. 

If you earn enough points, you might not even need to pay for that next video game at all. Fetch makes it easy to earn points for free Nintendo gift cards.

1. Play games

Fetch Play rewards you for playing some of the best new mobile games like Merge Mayor or Toon Blast. Every game featured in Fetch Play is free to play. Complete your tasks and watch the points pile up.

2. Shop online or in-store

Earn points on nearly every purchase you make with Fetch:

• Snap pictures of your receipts in the app.
• Link your Amazon account.
• Do your online shopping in Fetch Shop.

3. Redeem your points. 

It’s easy to redeem your points, too.

1. Open the Fetch app.
2. Tap the coin icon in the upper right corner.
3. Tap the search button and type in “Nintendo.”
4. Redeem your points for a gift card.
5. Find the gift card in your email and buy that new game!

You don’t need to use Nintendo gift cards if you prefer to buy physical copies; you could redeem your points for a Best Buy, Walmart or Amazon gift card, too.

What makes a Nintendo Switch game great for kids?

When the Nintendo Entertainment System first arrived in homes, parents could pretty reliably trust that it was kid-friendly. Video games have grown up quite a bit since then, but Nintendo Switch games for kids still dominate the console. 

Here’s how we decided which are the best Nintendo Switch games for kids:

• Age appropriateness. We looked at ESRB ratings and the reasons for those ratings to suggest top kids’ Nintendo Switch games.
• Gameplay style. The best kids’ games encourage creativity, problem solving and collaboration. Cooperative games are a top priority.
• Budget-friendly. Some $60 games are budget-friendly while some $20 games aren’t. It all depends on how much time you get out of the game. You want to ensure your money (or Fetch gift card) is well spent.

Best Nintendo Switch games for kids by category

Simulation games

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Go fishing, collect fossils and landscape your own personal island while building homes for yourself and animal friends. 
• Story of Seasons: Formerly known as Harvest Moon, the classic farming simulator is on the Nintendo Switch. Tend crops, raise animals and build relationships with the townsfolk.

Adventure games

• Super Mario Odyssey: Mario returns in a universe-spanning adventure where he transforms into other characters (including a T-Rex) with the help of Cappy, a new character that happens to look just like Mario’s hat but with a pair of eyes.
• Lego Star Wars: Head to a galaxy far, far away and follow your favorite characters as Lego versions of themselves. Kid-friendly and loaded with in-jokes, Lego Star Wars is a great couch co-op game parents can play with kids.

Puzzle games

• Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker: A great Mario game for young kids, Captain Toad features Toad from Mario, solving puzzles and finding collectibles across new worlds.
• Snipperclips: A cooperative puzzle game, you and a partner cut the paper characters Snip and Clip into different shapes to solve the puzzles they encounter.

Sandbox games

• Minecraft: One of the most kid-friendly games on any console or computer, Minecraft lets your gamer conquer, carve out and build their own blocky world.
• Mario Maker 2: This game is just what it sounds like; edit or create new side scrolling Mario levels like the ones found on classic Mario games from the NES and SNES.

Top 5 best kids games for Nintendo Switch

Each of those Nintendo Switch games for kids are great options, but we think these are the five best Nintendo Switch games for kids:

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: The classic cart racer is back with even more characters and courses for endless family fun (just keep younger kids off Rainbow Road). 
2. Pokémon Let’s Go: A 3D reimagining of the first Pokémon game, Pokémon Let’s Go comes in either pikachu or eevee varieties, starting your budding Pokémon trainer with one of the two most popular companions.
3. Luigi’s Mansion 3: Perfect for the kid who likes to be a little scared, this Nintendo Switch game is full of lighthearted spooky fun as Luigi tries to free his friends from a haunted hotel.
4. Kirby and the Forgotten Land: The hungry, pink puffball is back in a new (and forgotten) land, rescuing kidnapped friends and fighting the ferocious Beast Pack.
5. Yoshi’s Crafted World: An adorable platformer, the latest Yoshi game also gives you the option of “mellow mode,” giving Yoshi a pair of wings to fly through levels.

Educational games for Nintendo Switch

Most kid-friendly Nintendo Switch games are educational in some way, either learning how to cooperate with others, solving puzzles or building dexterity skills with controls. These educational games for Nintendo Switch specifically help kids flex their brains and/or keep them active:

• Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain: A multiplayer version of the popular brain teaser game, go head to head (or brain to brain) to make game time both fun and educational.
• Ring Fit Adventure: A platformer that makes you do the jumping, Ring Fit is a fun game that gives your kids some exercise rather than an exercise routine disguised as a game.
• Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training: Memory and math skills are put to the test as Dr. Kawashima determines your brain’s “age” based on how well your brain processes different kinds of games and puzzles.

Tips for saving on Nintendo Switch games

If you’re looking to save money on Nintendo Switch games, we’ve got a few tips. 

• Get familiar with the Nintendo eShop. When you favorite a game in the eShop, it will notify you with an email when the game goes on sale.
• Shop sales or bundles. Keep an eye on ads for Walmart or Target and check in on Amazon regularly to snag games when they’re discounted.
• Use Fetch. Turn your everyday purchases into free gift cards to get free or discounted games.

You can use your free Nintendo gift cards from Fetch in the eShop or use your other gift cards at retailers. Buying discounted games means your gift cards go further!

Have fun and save while gaming with Fetch

There are about 5,000 games available on the Switch, giving you no shortage of Nintendo Switch games for kids to keep your budding gamer busy. From educational games to classic platformers to simulations, kids’ Nintendo Switch games offer variety that fits the gaming needs of any family.

Now that you know the best Nintendo Switch games for kids and how easy it is to save money on them, check your point balance on the Fetch app and redeem some for a Nintendo gift card and your kids’ next video game. If you still don’t have the Fetch app installed, download it and start working toward your first free game.