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Best Family-Friendly Games On Xbox Game Pass

Family-friendly video games are often overlooked in favor of chaotic shooters, mature RPGs, or complex strategy games. That’s a bit of a shame, as there are dozens of incredible titles out there that carry a rating suitable for even the youngest gamer in your family. Game Pass has unsurprisingly become a haven for these sorts of adventures, with hits like Banjo-Kazooie, Minecraft, and Overcooked 2 gracing its catalog. If you’re looking for the next game to check out as a family--or just want a break from your current FPS--consider downloading one of these titles. We’ve scoured the Game Pass roster to come up with a list of the 24 best family games on Game Pass. Our list includes cooperative and competitive multiplayer games that the whole family will love as well as titles with great single-player modes that kids can enjoy. We chose to only highlight games that are rated E or E10, so you won't find any games rated for teens on this list. Many of these are playable across both Xbox and PC, and you can even stream most of them through Xbox Cloud Gaming on your phone and other devices. All of these games are available on Xbox, of course, but we also noted if they are supported on PC and Cloud Gaming. Keep in mind you need Xbox Game Pass Ultimate to play across all three platforms. Game Pass Ultimate costs $22.99 per month. Alternatively, you can get Game Pass Essential for $9.99 per month or PC Game Pass for $13.99 a month. Game Pass Essential doesn't include access to EA Play titles and is limited to just over 50 games as opposed to Ultimate's 500+, while PC Game Pass restricts your Game Pass list to just the titles that are up for grabs on PC. Game Pass Ultimate provides all of the perks, and it's well worth the monthly fee. Don’t see anything you like? Be sure to check out our list of the best overall games on Game Pass, along with a full list of every game in its current lineup. Banjo-Kazooie Series Banjo Kazooie is an iconic 3D platformer, and you can play three entries through Game Pass, including Nuts and Bolts, Banjo-Tooie, and the original Banjo-Kazooie. Quirky characters, impressive level design, and fluid platforming action make this a great option for the entire family, and a nostalgia trip for those who were there the first time. Advertisement Barbie Horse Trails Barbie Horse Trails is a bit of a dream come true for any kid (and their adult) who loves horses. All the fun, none of the expense (or cleaning up poop). You'll take on the role of Junior Ranger, customizing your character and exploring an open world of trails, rivers, and forests with your loyal horse and her pals. Pretty much every element of your horse can be customized and decorated, and you'll learn to care for them and keep them happy and healthy. There's a park wildlife book to fill out, collectables to find, and challenges to complete along the way, too. Advertisement Ben 10 Power Trip Ben 10 Power Trip serves as a great introduction to combat and 3D world exploration for younger fans of the series, taking Ben and his Omnitrix of alien transformations to Europe for what starts as a vacation and ends as a showdown against the evil Hex and his monsters. Split-screen co-op is also supported, so friends, siblings, or parents can jump in and help save the day. Advertisement Bluey: The Videogame Possibly the most wholesome game on this list, Bluey: The Videogame is a sweet and charming way to bring your kids into gaming using characters they already know and love. Bluey is joined by Bingo, Mum, Dad, Muffin, Uncle Stripe, and her grandparents in a collection of mini adventures. Dress up in funny outfits, explore and find collectables, and play mini games of keepy uppy and the ground is lava. It's easy to play on Xbox Game Pass, even for little hands. Advertisement Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling Explore the land of Bugaria as you step into the insect-sized shoes of Vi, Kabbu, and Leif. Along the way, you’ll engage in turn-based combat, explore a colorful overworld, and be treated to eye-catching graphics that are reminiscent of the classic Paper Mario games. Advertisement Disney Dreamlight Valley Disney Dreamlight Valley is great if you or your kids like games like Animal Crossing--relaxed, creative experiences where you can take your time to explore a self-contained world. It's a life sim that has players maintaining, helping, and befriending a local community of Disney characters through cooking, crafting, and taking care of the wildlife. Characters like Daisy Duck, Hercules, Stitch, and Peter Pan can all be unlocked, given gifts and used to acquire quests and challenges. Over time you'll expand the locale to feature shops, services and restaurants and unlock memorable locations from greenhouses to spaceships. It's definitely enough to keep you busy for a while! If you need some help getting started, be sure to check out our Disney Dreamlight Valley guides. Advertisement Disneyland Adventures It's not quite a trip to the happiest place on earth, but it's as close as you can get without leaving the house and it's included in your Game Pass subscription. Part game, part virtual experience, you'll get to walk around Disneyland and meet a host of classic characters, completing more than 100 challenges and adventuring through several of the park's main attractions--from the Matterhorn to Peter Pan's Flight. Advertisement Forza Horizon 5 Speed through a gorgeous Mexican landscape consisting of pristine beaches, bubbling volcanoes, and claustrophobic cities. The game features distinct driving mechanics for each vehicle, and since just about every action grants you experience points, you can play in whatever style you'd like. It's a family-friendly game, without being childish. Advertisement Gang Beasts Gang Beasts is one of the most bizarre games on this list. You’ll play as boneless, flimsy creatures as you fight against your fellow players and try to knock them out. The physics engine is reason alone to check it out, although the frantic (and hilarious) gameplay makes it the perfect choice for game night. Advertisement Human: Fall Flat Clamber your way through more than a dozen levels of physics-based hilarity. Its characters and quirky gameplay are similar to Gang Beasts, only this time you’re trying to solve a variety of puzzles and platform your way to victory. Advertisement Little Kitty, Big City If you're not quite at the stage where you want to commit to a real life pet, Little Kitty, Big City should satisfy those feline cravings pretty quickly. Causing havoc in the city is the main aim of the game, as well as befriending strays, dressing yourself in adorable hats, and exploring the nooks and crannies of a towering metropolis. It's a great Game Pass game for kids who love kitties, and adults who need to experience what it's like to have no deadlines and take a nap in the sun. We've got a bunch of Little Kitty, Big City guides to help you grab all the cute collectables, hats, and buddies. Advertisement Minecraft Mine blocks, craft useful objects, and piece together whatever your heart desires. Minecraft has seen tremendous growth over the years, now offering a slew of multiplayer features along with dozens of biomes to explore and hundreds of items to collect. Advertisement Minecraft Dungeons Minecraft Dungeons shares the same blocky aesthetic as its older sibling, but plays like an ARPG instead of an open-world epic. There’s no shortage of ways to customize your player, and a variety of difficulties let you cater the playstyle to gamers of all ages and skill levels. Advertisement Monster Sanctuary Hunt and collect over 100 monsters in this adorable metroidvania. Every monster on your roster brings special skills into battle--and you’ll need to master them all to defeat some of the game’s most challenging bosses. Advertisement Moonlighter Moonlighter is an action-RPG that tasks you with going on dangerous journeys while also running a thriving business. Sell items, manage your budget, and hire helpers, then dive back into tense combat in search of more loot and deadlier enemies. Advertisement New Super Lucky's Tale It’s not Mario, but New Super Lucky’s Tale is a great platformer in its own right--and among the best on Xbox. Each level is filled with family-friendly action, and you’ll get to explore both 2D and 3D worlds as you attempt to stop an evil sorcerer before they carry out their evil plan. Advertisement Overcooked 2 You’ll need careful cooperation if you want to craft the best pizza, burgers, and fries in Overcooked 2. You and a few other chefs will need to manage new orders as they come in and figure out the best way to piece them together. It’s a lot more hectic than it sounds, with ridiculous levels that give you more to deal with than just picky customers. Advertisement Slay the Spire Slowly work your way up the Spire, duking it out against enemies in turn-based battles that are built around a card-based battle system. Hundreds of cards are up for grabs, and with more than 50 different encounters and 200+ items, there’s no shortage of roguelike fun to be had in Slay the Spire. Advertisement Stardew Valley Stardew Valley is more than just a farming game. Beyond restoring a dilapidated farmhouse to its former glory, you’ll also mingle with your fellow townsfolk, explore a deep dungeon in search of rare material, and take part in a bunch of seasonal festivities. Advertisement Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge Old-school beat-em-ups don’t get much better than this. Whether you’re playing with a few friends or solo, Shredder’s Revenge gives you a complex combat system to master along with plenty of levels that’ll test your skills. Advertisement Terraria Terraria lets you explore a stunning 2D world as you see fit. Your first few hours will likely be spent stockpiling resources for crafting and developing your arsenal of weapons, but once you’ve built up a stable of useful tools, you can head into some surprisingly nuanced boss fights and slowly create a sprawling empire. Advertisement Tunic Tunic is a mysterious action game that merges old-school Zelda with Dark Souls. You’ll stomp around a small island with little direction, diving into dungeons and slaying challenging bosses as you go. It’s easy on the eyes, too, with striking, minimalistic graphics that accentuate every biome in the game. Advertisement Unravel 2 The first Unravel is also available on Game Pass, but feel free to skip right to the stellar second installment. It shares the same main character, but the narrative doesn’t have any big ties to the original. With an emotional story, distinctive graphics, and fun platforming segments, Unravel 2 isn’t a game to miss. Advertisement Viva Pinata It’s a bit old (having launched on Xbox 360), but this family-friendly adventure has held up incredibly well. You’ll attempt to collect and breed a bunch of different pinatas, creating a vibrant garden as you go. It’s a relaxing game, but one with plenty of depth if you choose to dig in. Advertisement

The Best Point-And-Click Games To Play In 2026

The bad news is: if you're old enough to have been around for the golden age of point-and-click games, you probably need to start a stretch routine. The good news is: there are plenty of new (and new-ish) point-and-click adventure games that truly live up to the classics of the genre. The best point-and-click games hook you with a great premise, double up with fun dialogue or iconic characters, and then keep you coming back to solve tough-but-fair puzzles and dig around in that ever-growing inventory.  The games on this list are hugely varied, from remasters of legendary old games to brand-new titles worthy of your best thinking-caps. We've got occult mysteries, folk horror tales, post-apocalyptic adventures, dreamy far-off worlds, police procedurals, and even a clown-based dialogue-free point-and-click with a toggle for squeaky shoes. If you're looking for your next point-and-click game, we've got you. More best lists Best Souls-likes Best Metroidvanias Best Zelda-likes Best games like Elden Ring Best games like Apex Legends Advertisement Riven 2024's Riven remake already had the legacy of an all-time classic at its disposal, but also the benefit of almost 30 years of advancement in what these kinds of games can do. Fortunately, Cyan didn't squander these gifts, and came out with a mesmerisingly beautiful solo adventure through some of the most beloved worlds in the Myst franchise. Stranded on a mysterious and seemingly deserted island, your mastery of various contraptions and puzzles is required to unlock a genuinely fascinating story. Riven is a near-perfect point-and-click game for those who love to decipher languages, dig up clues, and tinker with machines. Puzzles still follow the same complex logic as the original, but have been tweaked and expanded for the benefit of those who played all those years ago, as well as newcomers expecting a more polished product than 1997 could offer. See at Steam Advertisement The Darkside Detective If you've wished your point and click games could have more of a buddy cop feel to them, The Darkside Detective might be the answer you're looking for. Real point-and-click-heads will appreciate plenty of references to pop culture sprinkled between genuinely funny dialogue, in the vein of the old classics. Despite being faceless pixel art people, the characters come alive in their own right, adding charm to what is already a veritable toybox of twisty paranormal tales. Your job is to investigate these strange goings on, using your wits and puzzle solving abilities to solve cases involving bizarre and otherworldly threats. The Darkside Detective is lighthearted, fun, and a little spooky--it's also the closest you'll get in the modern day to that golden era feel. See at Fanatical GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom Advertisement The Excavation Of Hob's Barrow Mixing folk horror and investigative mystery-solving is always a winning combination, add in some Victorian vibes and a creepy rural English town and you've got a bit of a masterpiece on your hands. The Excavation Of Hob's Barrow is dark and gloomy, but tinged with an otherworldly magic and a deeply British charm. As antiquarian Thomasina Bateman, you'll soon get roped into suspicious disappearances, terrifying folk tales, and locals who all seem to fear the same thing. If you enjoy atmospheric narrative tales with clever puzzles, you'll enjoy every minute of The Excavation Of Hob's Barrow. See at Steam Advertisement Dropsy Dropsy is at once tragic and wholesome, a sad story of a clown looking for love and acceptance in a cold world. Using a traditional point and click interface but eschewing any use of intelligible language means you'll have to really engage those brain muscles and start thinking outside the box. Your mission is to cheer people up--not easy when you don't understand what they're saying and they all seem to hate you for some reason--but things quickly get derailed when your dad becomes unwell, leading Dropsy to team up with his animal pals and go deep into the sinister secrets of the town and its leaders. Underneath the darker elements of Dropsy's narrative, the light shines through with touching, tender moments and big payoffs for solving genuinely complex puzzles in a colorful open-world. See at Steam Advertisement Paradigm Paradigm is weird. It's a ridiculous, funny, surreal, surprising game for people who love classic adventure games like Monkey Island and Day Of The Tentacle, but want something new, too. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic Eastern-European country, mutated lab-grown Paradigm is the unlikely hero of the tale. While he dreams of making it big on the electronic music scene, he has to take a quick break to save the world, meeting potentially the most bizarre cast of characters in all of video game history. Paradigm is the kind of game you can't stop recommending to people once you've played it, but you won't quite know how to explain it to them. See at Steam Advertisement Shardlight Another post-apocalyptic setting, Shardlight is an atmospheric adventure through a dying world from publisher Wadjet Eye Games, a sure sign of quality for modern point and click games. The game paints a stark picture of what life is like after the bombs fall, with a deadly plague infecting those too poor to get their hands on the expensive vaccine. There's a shortage of food, water, and supplies, and even books are a hard-won commodity. In order to qualify for a vaccine, protagonist Amy takes on government jobs and risks her safety to find what she needs. Shardlight's beauty lies in its subtle storytelling, gorgeous artwork, and tough-but-logical puzzles. See at Steam Advertisement Day of the Tentacle Remastered Ahead of its time in multiple departments, 1993's Day of the Tentacle is still a wonderfully absurd point-and-click from the golden age of LucasArts. Finally remastered in 2016, Day of the Tentacle remains a masterpiece that helped lay the foundation for a genre that was about to reach its peak. The remaster is a perfect reminder of this, sharpening the visuals with original hand-drawn art, adding a high-fidelity soundtrack, and retaining all the classic gameplay that made this title a hilarious head-scratcher. See at Steam Advertisement Grim Fandango Remastered LucasArts at its very best, Grim Fandango's tale of love and death is a sprawling adventure that plays out across several years. Packed with fantastic voice-acting and dripping with level design that set a new benchmark for games when it first arrived in 1998, Manny Calavera's journey through the underworld is still regarded as the pinnacle of the point-and-click genre. The remastered version is well worth a look, and like the best games in that category, it's packed with a number of substantial upgrades. See at Steam Advertisement Monkey Island Collection LucasArts had been on a creative roll since its formation, and in 1990 the studio continued to prove that it was a heavyweight force to be reckoned with when it released The Secret of Monkey Island. Witty, charming, and well-animated sequels further fleshed out the tale of wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood and the comical world he inhabited. LeChuck's Revenge and Curse of Monkey Island all contributed to creating an incredible trilogy of high seas adventure, and while additional titles might not have recaptured that magic, the whole collection is still worth checking out on PC. Return to Monkey Island is the sixth entry in the series and the first in more than a decade. See at Steam Advertisement Sam and Max Save the World Telltale Games found a recipe for success with Sam and Max, as the revival of the classic LucasArts IP came at the perfect time. Featuring an original story told in episodic fashion, the freelance police were back in action and ready to turn the town upside down in search of clues. Somehow managing to be both bizarre and logical, Sam and Max Save the World was a bonkers return to form for the duo. Later seasons might not have reached the same level of quality, but the tongue-in-cheek escapades of the first season is still a highlight worth experiencing. See at Steam Advertisement The Walking Dead: A Telltale Game Series At its peak, Telltale Games was a creative force in gaming that was regularly churning out well-received point-and-click games. The Walking Dead was the studio's breakout game and led to a flurry of episodic adventures across numerous popular franchises. Building on the foundation set by earlier projects and defining the studio for a new decade, the Walking Dead Games are a haunting collection of cel-shaded episodic horror, fast-paced QTEs, and decisions that had tangible consequences. Five games in The Walking Dead Telltale series were released. The first entry was always the best, and there were some less-than-stellar spin-offs, but the final story arc brought Clementine's emotional journey to an impactful close. The Walking Dead's structure and gameplay found its way into other Telltale adventures such as the brilliant Telltale's Batman and The Wolf Among Us. See at Amazon Advertisement King's Quest Time has taken its toll on the King's Quest series, but the original point-and-click is still an incredibly important part of gaming history. Essentially helping Sierra Entertainment evolve into a gaming juggernaut during the 1980s, King's Quest was a pioneer with its use of animation and almost-3D environments to create a graphic adventure. If you're looking to enter that kingdom and experience a less medieval point-and-click approach, check out the 2015 remake for a nostalgic dive into the past. See at Steam Advertisement Thimbleweed Park What happens when you mix Twin Peaks with X-Files? You get this gentle love letter to supernatural TV series that also throws in plenty of LucasArts influences into its mix of puzzles and retro graphics. The big draw with Thimbleweed Park was its creative approach to puzzles, as it regularly tested your grey matter with imaginative solutions for its various puzzles. Loaded with a regular number of "EUREKA!" moments when you figured out those enigmas, the game is an ingenious homage to the past. Read our Thimbleweed Park review. See at Steam Advertisement Myst Myst is required gaming for any point-and-click fan, and easily one of the biggest titles in the entire genre. A blockbuster game that had some fiendishly challenging puzzles to solve, Myst also featured some of the best set design of its time. If you were going to be stumped, at least you'd get a great view in the process. In the years since it first arrived, Myst has been ported to a wide range of platforms and can be found on most modern consoles. To get the most immersive experience possible, check out the VR version if you're able to. Read our Myst review. See at Steam Advertisement Maniac Mansion The game that introduced the world to the revolutionary design of the SCUMM interface, Maniac Mansion paved the way for LucasArts to create some of the best point-and-click games of all time. At the same time, Maniac Mansion is more than just a genre-defining tech showcase. It's a game that pokes gentle fun at horror films and B-movies, always having fun with its subject matter and thinking outside of the narrative box. Technology comes and goes, but the genuine affection for its cinematic inspirations and heartfelt humor helped define an era of gaming. You can pick up Maniac Mansion for cheap on Steam. See at Steam Advertisement Phantasmagoria Point-and-click mechanics have been used across a wide variety of genres, but Phantasmagoria was one of the few titles brave enough to use the format for horror. A huge departure from the more family-friendly King's Quest that Roberta Williams had created, Phantasmagoria mixed FMVs with terrifying encounters that was groundbreaking for its time. While some of the visuals might look dated by today's standards, the game still has a talent for being constantly unsettling. It's an interactive B-movie with some of the best overacting around. A cheesy classic that was unique for its time. R See at Steam Advertisement The Longest Journey Credit to Funcom, as The Longest Journey certainly lived up to its title. A sweeping odyssey set across time, The Longest Journey is seen as one of the last great point-and-click games during the twilight of the genre. Released in 2000, it was a beautifully-rendered visual masterpiece, loaded with dialogue, and filled with foul-mouthed characters. If you have plenty of time to spare, give it a look on PC. See at Steam Advertisement Kentucky Route Zero Fans and supporters of Kentucky Route Zero had to exercise extreme patience for this episodic series, but with each chapter released, developer Cardboard Computer reminded people that the wait was more than worthwhile. Delayed satisfaction wrapped up in intriguing layers of mystery and fresh perspectives, Kentucky Route Zero is one of the finest point-and-click games of the modern era. If you're just checking it out, the good news is that you can grab all five acts of this magical realist adventure game in one complete package. No waiting years between chapters required. Read our Kentucky Route Zero reviews. See at Amazon Advertisement Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis Harrison Ford's whip-wielding hero of archeology was destined to be a video game headliner, and in 1992 he got to embark on what is arguably considered to be the best Indiana Jones game. Fate of Atlantis was an adventure that would have been impossible to realize on the silver screen, a swashbuckling tale of mystery and danger that offered versatile play styles. An Indiana Jones game that was heavy on cerebral challenges and punch-powered action, it was another feather in the LucasArts fedora when it first hit the scene. See at Steam Advertisement There is no game: Wrong Dimension There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension is as high-concept a title that you can point and possibly click at, a collection of meta-commentary and silliness that never takes itself too seriously. It's one of those titles that has to be played to be understood, as its abstract design and clever puzzles create one of the best paradoxes you'll ever interact with. It's a game, but it also isn't one. And the only way for that statement to make sense, is to try this underrated gem out for yourself. See at Steam Advertisement The Procession to Calvary Every great point-and-click game has an element that helps it stand apart from others in its genre, and for The Procession To Calvary, that X-factor is its beautiful absurdity. Taking a museum's worth of fine Renaissance art and using those assorted canvases to paint a puzzling picture, the game runs wild with Monty Python-esque humor. Whip-smart dialogue and bizarrely fun puzzles make this game a must-play on the bucket list for anyone who's a fan of the point-and-click genre. See at Steam Advertisement Gorogoa A point-and-click game in an arthouse movie format that blends sliding-tile puzzles into its elegant design, Gorogoa still manages to use these cathartic themes to create exciting moments within its world. Some of the puzzles may leave you scratching your scalp raw, but nothing beats the feeling of successfully completing its visual riddles. Even if you can't solve those puzzles, the game is gorgeous to look at, an artisanal and hand-crafted mystery that'll challenge your perception. Read our Gorogoa review. See at Steam Advertisement Norco An adventure game that features a more retro inspiration in its art direction, Norco is a more somber tale of life in the South. Melancholic characters inhabit a land that bears the scars of the merciless march of the oil industry, environmental ruin has set in, and a community is under siege in a game that has deep layers of storytelling. It's leagues more somber than anything else on this list, but Norco still manages to provide a thin sliver of hope within its pixelated tale of decay. R See at Steam Advertisement Device 6 Mobile devices have become the perfect platform for point-and-click games, and the 2013 game Device 6 still stands apart from the pack for its novel approach to taking advantage of that technology. What starts out as a text adventure quickly evolves into a highly interactive puzzle game that's backed by a jazz soundtrack and a unique layout. It has an eye-catching design that uses the iOS medium to tell a fantastic story. See on App Store Advertisement

The Best Nintendo Switch Online Games

Nintendo Switch--and Switch 2--players don't have to look far to find a library of retro classics, as subscribing to Nintendo Switch Online will unlock a library of all-time classics. At the time of writing, there are more than 100 SNES and NES games on the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) service ($4/month, $8/3 months, $20/year), and in the years since it was first introduced, an additional batch of Nintendo 64 games and Sega Genesis games were made available as part of the NSO Expansion Pass ($30/year). Not only can you access a library of nostalgic games, but you can also play them with a few modern touches like optional save states and the ability to rewind these titles--perfect for those sticky situations when you bungle a jump in a hard-as-nails platformer. There are even unique versions of some games that let you start with endgame stats and gear so that you can blast through each level. With so many games available, it can be hard to figure out where to start. While many of the included titles are among the best games ever, there are some clunkers in the mix, too. For anyone wondering which of these games are worth your time, we picked a bunch of titles across the service's four available console libraries that we think represent the best on the service. That said, just because your favorite isn’t listed doesn’t mean we think it’s unworthy. There are so many amazing retro games available on NSO, more than we have space to list. So think of this as a starting point for anyone unfamiliar with Nintendo’s (and now Sega’s) legacy catalog. Sign up for Nintendo Switch Online Get 1 year for $20 or a family plan for $35. See at Best Buy Switch Online + Expansion Pack Get 1 year for $50 or a family plan for $80 See at Best Buy NES Kirby’s Adventure Kirby's Adventure Kirby’s Adventure is the cute pink puff ball's first game on home console, and the follow up to 1992’s Kirby’s Dream Land on Game Boy. It’s also the game that introduced many of Kirby’s now-iconic abilities. Like in other 2D action-platformers, Kirby runs and jumps over obstacles and give baddies the boot, but he can also inflate himself to float over danger, or inhale enemies then spit them out as star-shaped projectiles that can hurt enemies and destroy objects. He can also gain special abilities by absorbing certain items and enemies, which opens up new paths and secrets hidden in each of the game’s 41 levels. See our Kirby's Adventure review. The Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda The original Legend of Zelda is a surprisingly open-ended adventure that still holds up today. Zelda 1 features recognizable elements in its story and gameplay, such as a secret-packed overworld, numerous dungeons and bosses to overcome, and an array of items that unlock new abilities. However, unlike many of its sequels, most of Zelda 1 can be tackled in any order. And once you beat the game, you unlock a “Second Quest” mode that remixes the locations of dungeons and treasure for a totally new experience. Just be warned that there’s very little hand-holding in the original adventure compared to later entries in the series. Stumbling into strong enemies or impassable obstacles too early can be frustrating, but players are free to explore as they please and there’s something to discover on almost every screen, making your progress feel more genuine. See our Legend of Zelda review. Punchout!! Punchout!! Speaking of NES games whose influence is still apparent in gaming today, the next NES game you should play on NSO is Punchout. This 1v1 proto-fighting game has elements of rhythm and puzzle games, and inspired everything from Street Fighter and fighting games in general, to action games with deliberate combat like Dark Souls and Monster Hunter. No, seriously. Punchout Is all about timing and patience. Each opponent in the game’s roster has a unique fighting style and a unique personality to match. Your opponent will telegraph their moves with small tells that you need to memorize so you can respond with the proper counter move or dodge. Timing is also important, as some of the animations are quick and hard to spot, and your window of opportunity is short. Punchout is a tough game to master (and some of its characters are woefully outdated stereotypes), but the unique gameplay is still worth experiencing today--and hey, you can always use NSO’s built-in rewind feature for an easier playthrough. Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. wasn’t the first Mario game on NES, but it was Nintendo’s mustachioed plumber’s first full 2D platforming adventure. Even if you’ve never played Super Mario Bros, you probably know what to expect: The evil turtle King Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach, and Mario’s gotta save her by running left and jumping on things. The plumber can consume mushrooms that make him bigger and stronger, use fire flowers to throw fireballs, or collect stars that make him temporarily invincible. Super Mario Bros. still holds up today, but if you want some more variety in your platforming... See our Super Mario Bros. review. Super Mario Bros. 3 Super Mario Bros. 3 If you’re going to play just one game in NSO’s NES collection, it should be Super Mario Bros. 3. Super Mario Bros. 3 is arguably the best game on NES, and still one of the best 2D platformers ever made. It outshines all previous Mario games and, frankly, many of the games that came after. It’s also notable for refining and cementing many elements the series is still known for, such as the Tanooki Suit and Super Leaf power-ups, sectioning levels into “worlds” with specific themes, and characters like the Koopalings. There’s also an SP version that starts at the final stage of the game, and lets players select from one of eight different power-up boxes for extra help. See our Super Mario Bros. 3 review. SNES Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest Donkey Kong Country 2 refined the core gameplay ideas introduced in the first Donkey Kong Country and added unique elements that make for a better game than the original. Like in the original, players control a tag-team of two characters exploring dangerous levels set in a variety of tropical lands, but you won’t be playing as the titular Donkey Kong this time. Instead, Donkey Kong Country 2 is the first game in the series to give Diddy Kong the starring role--but he’s not alone. Diddy’s pal Dixie Kong joins him on a quest to save Donkey Kong from the clutches of series villain King K. Rool. You can play the entire game solo or with a partner, and there’s tons of secret items and bonus levels to discover, adding plenty of replay value to this charming 2D platformer. See our Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest review. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past A Link to the Past set the structure that almost every Zelda would follow for the next 20-plus years. Like the two previous Zelda titles, players controlled the hero Link on his adventure across Hyrule to defeat Ganon and save Princess Zelda. However, A Link to the Past is more guided and story-driven than the first Zelda, ditches the RPG mechanics Zelda II experimented with, and took dungeons from enemy-filled gauntlets into puzzle-filled labyrinths with unique themes, resulting in a well-paced adventure. That formula would remain core to the series’ gameplay until 2017’s Breath of the Wild, but A Link to the Past’s gameplay loop was novel, and a refreshing change for the action-adventure genre at the time. It’s considered by many to be the best Zelda game, and it's easily one of the best games on SNES. See our Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past review. Super Mario Kart Super Mario Kart Super Mario Kart wasn’t the first arcade racer with combative powerups, but it was certainly the most notable. It paved the way for the franchise’s dominance as the best-selling games on nearly every subsequent Nintendo console and handheld. Fans of modern Mario Kart may be initially disappointed by the SNES game’s lack of kart customization options and slimmer roster of racers and tracks compared to other games in the series, but Super Mario Kart is still a joy to play. It’s a pure arcade racer that doesn’t need gameplay gimmicks or excessive customization to hold your attention. Star Fox Star Fox Star Fox was one of the first fully-3D console games, and one of the few games on the SNES to take full advantage of the Super FX chip--the first-ever 3D rendering chip available on a home gaming console. While not as pretty as future Star Fox games or the rail shooters that came after, the original Star Fox was a mind-blowing leap in video game graphics. To be fair, Star Fox 64 (which is available in the NSO Expansion Pack's N64 library) is basically a 1-to-1 remake of the SNES game's story, gameplay, and music, and is arguably a much better game, but the SNES version is still fun and worth playing if you’re a fan of Fox McCloud and crew. And if you need more space shooting goodness, Star Fox 2--which was originally canceled just after the game was finished and left unreleased for decades--is also available on NSO. Super Mario All-Stars Super Mario All-Stars Super Mario All-Stars is a collection of the original Super Mario Bros trilogy on the NES, plus Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan) on a single cartridge. All four games in the compilation were remade for the SNES with new graphics, controls, extra content, and more. Some have argued that the remakes are inferior to the originals, but they are easier on the eyes and have better controls. But hey, if you really want to play the original versions, they’re available in NSO’s NES library. Super Mario World Super Mario World Look, we know we keep calling the Mario games on this list some of the “best games ever made,” but for many, Super Mario World is the best. Super Mario World was the first all-new Mario game on the SNES and the immediate sequel to Super Mario Bros. 3. World built upon everything Mario Bros. 3 excelled at--specifically the excellent level design, pacing, and responsive controls--and expanded the formula with bigger levels filled with secrets that encouraged players to replay and explore more than any prior game in the series. Super Mario World was also the first game in the series to feature Yoshi as Mario’s rideable companion, as well as all-new power ups, enemy types, and gameplay mechanics that make World an incredibly deep game. And topping it all off is the richly detailed 16-bit sprites the perfectly capture the “feeling” of Mario, and an amazing soundtrack from series composer Koji Kondo. If you only have time to play one Mario game in the NSO collection, it should be Super Mario World. See our Super Mario World review. Super Metroid Super Metroid Super Metroid is a masterpiece of non-linear level design, atmospheric story presentation, and 2D action-platforming. The game starts strong with players controlling the intergalactic bounty hunter, Samus Aran, investigating a distress call from Ceres space station. As you quickly find out, almost all life on the station has been killed by space pirates and their leader, Ridley, who are after the last known Metroid--a parasitic organism that saps the life energy from its prey. Samus follows the space pirates down to the planet Zebes, the setting of the original Metroid. From there, the game never lets up. Players explore a winding labyrinth of seamlessly interconnected levels, collecting power ups that bolster Samus’ arsenal with new weapons and abilities that unlock more of the map to explore, while the eerie (but catchy) soundtrack and atmospheric sound design create an engrossing atmosphere. There’s a reason this game inspired a massively popular sub-genre that bears the Metroid franchise’s name, and why Super Metroid is often considered the best game in the series. Everyone should play it and find out why. See our Super Metroid review. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island is a strange game. A good game, mind, but a strange one. It’s technically the second entry in the World series, but is a major departure from the established gameplay and art style of previous Mario games. The most notable change is that you play as Yoshi--an entire pack of multi-colored Yoshis, actually. Mario is still here, but as a baby the Yoshis are escorting back to his parents (while also saving baby Luigi along the way). Controlling Yoshi is also a departure from Mario’s purely jump-focused skills and power-ups. Yoshi can eat enemies to turn them into eggs, throw said eggs at enemies and obstacles, and jump longer distances than Mario ever could thanks to his floaty double-jump. In turn, Yoshi’s Island’s level design differs from other Mario games to accommodate the dinosaur sidekick’s unique kit, offering a more exploratory, puzzle-platformer structure. Nintendo 64 Sin & Punishment Sin & Punishment It’s hard to recommend many games in the NSO N64 collection due to the subpar emulation for Nintendo’s fifth generation console, but there is one N64 game every NSO Expansion Pack subscriber should play: Sin & Punishment. Sin & Punishment is an on-rails sci-fi shooter that was originally exclusive to Japan, but gained a cult following in the west from the import crowd. Nintendo finally made it available to other territories in 2007 via the Wii Virtual Console, but with the Wii’s shopping services long-since shuttered, the NSO Expansion Pack is the only way to play this game today (aside from buying an expensive copy on the used retro market). And you should definitely play Sin & Punishment. It’s a gorgeous game for the time, with face-paced gameplay that remains buttery smooth from start to finish. It’s a quick playthrough, too, only lasting about 2 hours depending on how quickly you get through each stage, but Sin & Punishment’s unique levels and high score-chasing incentives provide plenty of replayability for those who want to spend more time with the game. Sega Genesis Gunstar Heroes Gunstar Heroes If you’re looking for a fast-paced run-and-gun shooter from the 16-bit era, Gunstar Heroes should be near the top of your list. This action-platformer is often regarded as one of the best in the genre and one of the best games on Sega Genesis in general. Critics lauded the fast-paced gameplay, varied level designs, and lush graphics at the time, and those elements still hold up well today. Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millenium Phantasy Star was Sega’s answer to Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, and while the series never caught on as widely as its competitors, the early games are among the best JRPGs ever made. Phantasy Star IV is by far the pinnacle of the entire franchise. It was lauded for its unique science-fantasy setting, deep combat system, and manga-inspired cutscene presentation. Simply put: every RPG fan needs to play Phantasy Star IV. Don’t be intimidated by the “IV” in the title, though. While Phantasy Star IV concludes the series' storyline, you don’t need to play the other games to understand what’s going on. Phantasy Star IV is set 1,000 years after the previous games, featuring a unique cast of characters on a mostly standalone adventure to save the Algol star system that will stick with you long after the final boss is defeated. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic 2 is a bigger and faster evolution of the original game’s 2D platforming gameplay, and many cite Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as the pinnacle of the Blue Blur’s cartridge-based games. This is also where series-staple elements were introduced for the first time, such as Sonic’s now-iconic spin dash move, the pseudo-3D “special stages,” and--most importantly--Sonic’s trusty sidekick Tails as the second playable character. Tails tags along with Sonic in single player mode, or a second player can take control of the double-tailed fox in split screen mode. See our Sonic the Hedgehog 2 review. Streets of Rage 2 Streets of Rage 2 Streets of Rage 2 is yet another game on this list that many consider the pinnacle of its respective genre--in this case, 2D beat-'em-ups. Players select one of the four playable characters: Axel, Blaze, Max, and Eddie. Each of the brawlers has their own unique look and fighting style, plus three difficulty levels to choose from, giving this brawler lots of replay incentive in either single or two-player mode. Streets of Rage 2 was also a showcase of the Sega Genesis’ hardware strengths. The large, detailed sprites were some of the best in the 16-bit era, and the soundtrack from famed composer Yuzo Koshiro took full advantage of the console’s Yamaha YM2612 soundchip. See our Streets of Rage 2 review. GameSpot Best Lists and Recommendations The Best Nintendo Switch Games The Best Xbox Series X Games To Play Right Now The Best PS5 Games So Far The Best PC Games To Play Right Now Show More GameSpot Best Lists and Recommendations Links (1)