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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment magazine in the UK“, a new study has found the best family friendly video games to play this Christmas – with Portal 2 crowned top!
Family Friendly Video Games
The hustle and bustle of the holiday season can be overwhelming, and family friendly video games offer a welcome escape. They provide a relaxing and enjoyable activity that can help reduce stress and promote a sense of calm. Immersing oneself in a virtual world can offer a temporary distraction from the daily routine, allowing for a moment of respite during the festive season.
Family friendly video games cater to a wide range of ages, offering engaging experiences for both children and adults. They often feature simple yet enjoyable mechanics, vibrant graphics, and relatable storylines that appeal to a broad audience. This inclusivity ensures that everyone can find something to enjoy, whether they are novice gamers or experienced players.
Research by Hearts.Land gathered data on 50 local multiplayer video games, averaging the user reviews from Metacritic, GameSpot, and IGN, to find the top family friendly video games to play this Christmas.
To make this accessible to families of all ages, the study has omitted any games that include blood, swearing, and other mature themes.
Portal 2
Portal 2 is placed top with a rating of 9.06, a 20.1% increase compared to the average game rating. In cooperative mode, users will control robots Atlas and P-Body and will come across puzzles designed for teamwork, requiring communication and coordination between players to solve. Â
The story of Portal 2 is driven by its witty and often absurd humor, which appeals to a wide range of ages. The game’s dialogue and interactions between the characters are cleverly written and delivered, providing plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. The overall tone of the game is light-hearted and non-violent, making it enjoyable for families to experience together.
It Takes Two
The second-best game to play this Christmas is It Takes Two, with a rating of 8.86. The game follows the adventures of two tiny characters, Cody and May, offering a wide variety of challenges and puzzles that require collaboration between players.Â
The game shines through its innovative cooperative gameplay mechanics, requiring players to utilize their unique abilities and collaborate effectively to overcome obstacles and solve puzzles. This teamwork aspect fosters communication, problem-solving skills, and a sense of shared accomplishment among family members.
Stardew Valley
Despite its high completion time, Stardew Valley takes third spot with 8.7. Players take on a role of characters who inherit a neglected farm, with the main objective to transform the neglected farm into a thriving agricultural enterprise. Players can cultivate crops, raise animals, mine for resources, fish, and engage in various activities to make their farm prosperous.Â
Stardew Valley offers a charming, relaxing, and wholesome gaming experience that caters to families of all ages. Its calming environment, open-ended gameplay, simple mechanics, emphasis on community, and positive themes make it an excellent choice for families seeking a shared gaming experience that promotes relaxation, bonding, and valuable life lessons.
Top Ten Family Friendly Video Games
| Rank | Video Game | Average user rating | Completion Time |
| 1 | Portal 2 | 9.06 | 8.5 hours |
| 2 | It Takes Two | 8.86 | 14 hours |
| 3 | Stardew Valley | 8.7 | 52.5 hours |
| 4 | Rayman Legends | 8.66 | 10 |
| 5 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 8.63 | 6 hours |
| 6 | Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1+2 | 8.6 | 7 hours |
| 7 | Sonic Mania | 8.36 | 5.5 hours |
| 8 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 8.3 | 10.5 hours |
| 9 | LEGO City Undercover | 8.23 | 15.5 hours |
| 10 | Rocket League | 8.2 | 112 hours |
Family video games can be a fantastic choice for Christmas, fostering a sense of togetherness and fun for everyone involved.Â
Many family video games encourage collaboration and teamwork. Whether it’s solving puzzles together, competing as a team, or working towards a common goal, these games can enhance family dynamics and communication.
The joy and laughter shared during family video game sessions can create lasting memories. These shared experiences can become cherished stories that family members reminisce about for years to come.
-spokesperson at Hearts.Land
Top 50 Family Friendly Video Games Ranking
| Rank | Video Game | Average User Rating | Completion Time |
| 1 | Portal 2 | 9.06 | 8.5 hours |
| 2 | It Takes Two | 8.86 | 14 hours |
| 3 | Stardew Valley | 8.7 | 52.5 hours |
| 4 | Rayman Legends | 8.66 | 10 hours |
| 5 | Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 8.63 | 6 hours |
| 6 | Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1+2 | 8.6 | 7 hours |
| 7 | Sonic Mania | 8.36 | 5.5 hours |
| 8 | Kirby and the Forgotten Land | 8.3 | 10.5 hours |
| 9 | LEGO City Undercover | 8.23 | 15.5 hours |
| 10 | Rocket League | 8.2 | 112 hours |
| 11 | LEGO Marvel Superheroes | 8.1 | 12.5 hours |
| 12 | Overcooked 2 | 8 | 7 hours |
| 13 | Escape Academy | 8 | 4.5 hours |
| 14 | Guacamelee 2 | 7.93 | 8.5 hours |
| 15 | Overcooked | 7.9 | 8 hours |
| 16 | Crash Bandicoot 4 | 7.9 | 10 hours |
| 17 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Shredders Revenge | 7.86 | 3 hours |
| 18 | Cat Quest II | 7.76 | 8 hours |
| 19 | Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 | 7.7 | 140 hours |
| 20 | Sackboy: A Big Adventure | 7.7 | 10.5 hours |
| 1 21 | Crawl | 7.7 | 1 hour |
| 22 | Trine 4 | 7.7 | 10 hours |
| 23 | Unravel 2 | 7.66 | 5 hours |
| 24 | LEGO Dimensions | 7.6 | 13.5 hours |
| 25 | Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare | 7.6 | 6.5 hours |
| 26 | Everybody’s Golf | 7.6 | 15.5 hours |
| 27 | Untitled Goose Game | 7.56 | 3 hours |
| 28 | Knack 2 | 7.5 | 11.5 hours |
| 28 | LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | 7.5 | 18.5 hours |
| 30 | Death Squared | 7.46 | 6 hours |
| 31 | Human: Fall Flat | 7.43 | 6 hours |
| 32 | LEGO: Jurassic World | 7.33 | 10.5 hours |
| 33 | LEGO: DC Super Villains | 7.3 | 10 hours |
| 34 | LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens | 7.3 | 9 hours |
| 35 | Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime | 7.26 | 5.5 hours |
| 36 | Ghosts n Goblins: Resurrection | 7.23 | 6.5 hours |
| 37 | LEGO: Marvel Avengers | 7.23 | 8.5 hours |
| 38 | LittleBigPlanet 3 | 7.2 | 6 hours |
| 39 | LEGO Batman 3 | 7.16 | 10.5 hours |
| 40 | LEGO The Hobbit | 7.16 | 9 hours |
| 41 | LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 | 7.13 | 12.5 hours |
| 42 | Team Sonic Racing | 7.1 | 9 hours |
| 43 | LEGO Movie | 7.06 | 7.5 hours |
| 44 | Minecraft Dungeons | 6.9 | 5.5 hours |
| 45 | LEGO The Ninjago Movie | 6.83 | 6 hours |
| 46 | LEGO The Incredibles | 6.73 | 7 hour |
| 47 | Star Wars Battlefront | 6.03 | 24 hours |
| 48 | LEGO Movie 2 | 5.9 | 6 hours |
| 49 | Gran Turismo 7 | 5.8 | 25 hours |
| 50 | Star Wars Battlefront II | 4.63 | 6 hours |
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