OK, when you’re faced with a gazillion new game releases in a year, how can you possibly whittle that stack down to a mere five of the best, top-shelf, really great ones to tell people about? We asked ourselves that very question as we formulated our Plugged In Year-End Picks for the best games of 2024. And our editor’s answer is usually … I don’t know! Be brave. Suck it up!
So, after some brave consideration, here is my list of family friendly fare for your perusal. Each of these games is fun and generally content-free. And I’ve chosen a variety of genres, ratings, and age levels, along with game console considerations. Here are our best games of 2024 …
(Sports. PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X. Rated: E) Gotta have a sports title in the mix, right? This one is the first new EA NCAA football game since way back in 2013. And in my humble opinion, it’s much more accessible for all age groups than the latest Madden title. EA Sports College Football 25 offers a flexible array of fine-tuning tweaks for gamers. More seasoned players can dial up the collegiate-contest difficulty. And if younger players take the reins, the football game can be optimized to almost play itself if so desired. It’s a spike-the-ball joy.
(Action/Adventure. Nintendo Switch. Rating: E10+) There were several different Mario and Mario-adjacent games released this year. But the most fun of the lot is the one where Princess Peach takes center stage and gives battle to a theater-grabbing baddie. Her game is filled with appealing variety and allows its protagonist to fill her heroic role in unexpected ways. On top of that, Showtime feels geared for younger players, which many moms and dads will appreciate. Peach is definitely ready for her close-up.
(Platformer, puzzle. Nintendo Switch, PC. Rated: E10+) Here’s another kid-accessible game. But this one definitely keeps dialing up the difficulty to adult-challenge levels. It’s all about a stranded young Pepper who finds a “grinder” and has to dig and tunnel her way past mounting platforms and environmental puzzles. The game has been cooked up with quick and increasingly challenging play at its core, demanding just the right combination of boosted speed, grapple-hook grabs and strategically timed jumps. Pepper and her grinder offer gamers some tasty side-scrolling play that’s fun and fluid, but never too spicy.
(Action/Adventure. PlayStation 5. Rated: E 10+) A little robot named Astro was originally part of a short adventure game included with the new PlayStation 5 when it first released back in 2020. That brief dash of robotic fun helped gamers get a sense of the gaming options and controller functions that this then-new console offered. Well, now the little Astro Bot is back with a self-titled, full-length PS5 exclusive. And it’s loads of fun. Astro Bot has a little bit of everything … except problematic content. He’s a good little bot, he is.
(Tactical Strategy. Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X. Rated: T) So you’re looking for something with a little more punch, huh? Well, there were some good games on that put-‘em-up list. But this one was on the top of the heap. It focuses on the tasks of fighter gathering, in-game friendship building, large-map questing, and strategic battles. The only caveat with this T-rated entry is that a bit of rough language pops up on occasion. (See the full review for details.) Unicorn Overlord is well-crafted and offers gamers balanced strategic challenges without ever feeling either overwhelming or slow.
So there’s my five. But … psst, come closer. I realized that I didn’t include anything here for the really young gamers or the guys and gals who love cats more than gaming. So, I’m gonna slip one more under the wire just for you guys.
(Adventure/Puzzle. Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X. Rated: E) If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to see the world from a cat’s-eye view, then Little Kitty, Big City might be a game that’s meowing your name. (Or maybe the name of some younger kitten lover in your soft and pettable clowder.) After falling from a high sill, our kitty protagonist must find its way home. Kitty hijinks and quests are the cozy call of duty—with no cat-box mess to worry over. I can hear some of you purring already.
That’s it! Those are Plugged In’s best games of 2024.
