The 10 best RPGs for kids if you're looking for family-friendly gaming sessions

The best RPGs for kids go to show that, in many ways, the genre can be a great gateway to gaming in general. Whether you're looking for something to get kids questing for the first time or to push them a little further, we're exploring the best that'll appeal to young children.

With massive worlds to explore, and battle systems that often allow you to take your time, RPGs can provide a huge amount of entertainment for kids while also allowing plenty of low-pressure time to just explore. Epic narratives can also offer plenty of life lessons, from patience in overcoming a boss, to Disney-like warnings of evil and greed. I've tried to cover a range below, from classics that have aged well, to newer releases that are particularly aimed at younger players. I've made sure they're all easy to access on modern consoles (though giving your child a beaten-up old Nintendo DS is always an option too).

Scroll down, and you'll discover my picks for the best RPGs for kids that'll get them invested and hopefully learn a few things along the way. I've also included what vibe each entry (read more on those in our FAQ section) has so that you can easily pick whatever appeals to you the most. And, finally, let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions of your own.

Best RPGs for kids to play today, starting with...

10. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection

Monster Hunter Stories 3 is the latest traditional RPG-styled entry in this Monster Hunter Stories standalone spin-off series. Pretty much any of the Monster Hunter Stories games make for solid entry-level RPGs for children, thanks to their simplistic battle system that has you using rock-paper-scissors attacks with your 'Monsties' – befriended versions of the series' trademark hulking beasts.

In our Monster Hunter Stories 3 review, we said that "this Pokemon-like creature-collecting JRPG evolves to almost match the highs of the main series' hunts". Many quality-of-life improvements make this the easiest to get into, and more straightforward access to Monstie powers while exploring makes progress slick. Of the trilogy, this has a slightly more political story, so there's a chance some younger children may gravitate towards its precursors' much simpler narratives, but this is still an RPG that is easy to keep up with and has a lot to enjoy.

9. Costume Quest 2

Costume Quest 2 is as charming an RPG as you'd expect from developer Double Fine, who also made Psychonauts and Keeper. Inspired by Halloween trick-or-treating, this bite-sized RPG is all told from a child's perspective and feels fueled by a suitable sense of imagination. After the main character's sibling was kidnapped in the first game, they team up to assemble a crew of fellow trick-or-treaters and quest through multiple neighborhoods to defeat the villainous Dr. White, who aims to ban Halloween forever.

Each costume is used in turn-based battles to transform the children into whatever they're dressed up as, such as a giant mech (a little bit like in Yakuza: Like a Dragon). Turn-based, each fight doesn't have a lot of pressure, and an interactive timing element can boost attacks, which can feel rewarding too. Costumes can also be used to explore, and it's good fun to just poke around. The original is worth a look as well if they enjoy this, and in our recent Costume Quest playthrough, we called it "kitschy, interconnected Halloween fun that never seems to get old".

8. Ni no Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom

There's a reason Ni no Kuni 2 feels a bit like a Studio Ghibli movie. The first game was actually a collaboration between the iconic Japanese animation studio and developer Level-5. While this sequel isn't, it nevertheless retained former Studio Ghibli staff to continue the aesthetic. The world of Ni no Kuni 2 has a real fairytale energy that sits right at home alongside animated classics that children may already be fans of, making onboarding to this RPG an easier sell.

We even said it's like "shooting sunshine right into your veins" in our Ni no Kuni 2 review. Despite the warm vibes, though, this JRPG does deal with some heavy topics, but it handles it all with grace. You may need to explain why the game opens with party-member-to-be US president Roland, from our world, disintegrating in a nuclear blast before being transported to this fantasy realm. But, if terrifying '80s fantasy movies taught me anything, it's that children can roll with some strange plot beats more easily than you might expect. Ni no Kuni 2's world is a wonderful one that'll suck you right in, no matter your age.

7. Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time

Fantasy Life i is a cozy fantasy adventure that mixes slow-life citybuilding with questing, making for a colorful world that's well worth exploring, and very open for you to do so at your own pace. Shaping terrain, collecting furniture, and moving buildings really allows you to get creative without many limitations, which is great for a child's imagination. You can even play it in co-op if you need to jump in to help out your little pal.

Following in the fossilized footsteps of a dragon, you're on a time-traveling quest to find out what happened to the world of fantasy that eventually led it to ruin. With a Final Fantasy-like job system, you can equip different Lives in order to use their skills. Whether that's something like a Hunter for monsters, an Angler to fish up a feast, or a Farmer. Supporting so many modes of play, kids can really get what they want from this one. In our Fantasy Life i hands-on, we called it "everything I wanted and then some, and then more still".

6. Dragon Quest Treasures

Dragon Quest Treasures is one of those long-running RPG spin-offs that feels perfectly tailored for onboarding younger children to a whole world of possible adventures. Anchored around Erik and Mia from Dragon Quest 11, this standalone prequel centers on the lovable thieves as children themselves, which is a great set-up for a relatively simple little adventure in this typically colorful world. This is one of the best Dragon Quest games for introducing new, younger players to this adventure.

Set in the loot-filled land of Draconia, Dragon Quest Treasures is all about setting out to explore and track down bountiful goodies spread out across the world, meeting and recruiting monsters along the way to help you push further afield. This loose structure embraces freedom, but rather than feeling like you don't know what to do next, it feels very friendly to letting you poke around on your own terms – which is perfect for young'uns who might want to just run around a map to have fun, progressing when they feel like it. We'll make Dragon Quest fans out of them yet.

5. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix

Sure, Kingdom Hearts has a bizarre and overly complex storyline that ties together Disney's universe with elements of Final Fantasy alongside its own deeply elemental narrative. But hear me out: it's also the exact type of weird that a child's mind will be able to absorb – perhaps better than any adult can. Disney-obsessed children will find onboarding to this iconic JRPG series easy enough, and will either end up adding Kingdom Hearts as a new obsession or bouncing off entirely. But it's worth a shot.

After an attack on his home of the Destiny Islands, young boy Sora obtains the mythical keyblade, and ends up on a quest to find his scattered friends, which results in him helping out the equally imperilled residents of a whole multiverse. In practice, that means jumping into worlds inspired by various Disney movies and helping out the characters from each flick as you battle a Heartless threat that's invaded each, usually as the events of the movies happen around you. This large series is readily available on most modern systems through remasters, so start there!

4. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

Maybe I'm a little biased with this pick, as The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a gorgeous remake of a Game Boy game that was frequently in my garish travel case. To tell the truth, modern Zelda games remain some of the best ARPGs for introducing children to the genre. But there's just something about the top-down dollhouse style visuals in this revitalization that makes it feel so approachable.

Don't get me wrong, areas of this adventure will still be tough for children to overcome, but it's important to get used to failure eventually. Chunks of this large yet approachable open world are opened up a bit at a time, and it's easy to just get lost exploring in the wilderness between failing to progress at each dungeon. Trust me, I've been there myself. Extra clarity in this remake means it's slightly less obtuse than it was back in my day, too. In our The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening review, we called it "peak old-school Zelda" that's "never looked better". But it should create some tiny new-school fans.

3. Final Fantasy 9

While the Final Fantasy series was integral to my own childhood, Square Enix has been struggling with long gaps between releases to capture young audiences today. Still, for my money, Final Fantasy 9 is an adventure that should captivate young players, its incredibly pretty world having a real fairytale quality. This might be one for slightly older kids, as some dark themes are eventually explored – but it handles all of them marvelously.

You'll be waiting quite a while if you hold out for the Final Fantasy 9 remake, though, as it's allegedly on ice. But, remaining one of the best JRPGs ever made, it remains approachable to this day. Readily available on almost every modern format, newer editions even come with bonus shortcuts that could ease the frustration for younger players, from speeding up slow battles, to reducing enemy encounters, and even powering up to become invincible. As one of the best Final Fantasy games, this is an easy recommendation for me when it comes to introducing the series to children.

2. Mario & Luigi: Brothership

Mario & Luigi: Brothership reinforces that there's nothing these plumber siblings can't do, as this is yet another in the pair's surprisingly long list of RPG escapades. I've been bouncing between this game, Paper Mario, and the Super Mario RPG remake as they're all amazing adventures for young kids, but something about the sheer expressivity of the animation in Brothership continues to charm me. Plus, the sibling dynamic translates well from the Super Mario Bros movie, a synergy that can be helpful for kids to have.

In our Mario & Luigi: Brothership review, we highlight that it has "humor and positivity by the boatload". That's literal, too, as the brothers' quest sees them traveling the sea-heavy world of Concordia on a boat, setting out to explore new lands in each chapter. This gives it a very bite-sized approach, and there's a lot of fun to be had simply exploring each area and loosely puzzling out how to progress. In combat, the pair have lots of exciting abilities to use, and the timing element for enhancing attacks rewards interactivity without feeling too punishing if you mess it up .

1. Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu/Eevee

Even today, the best Pokemon games firmly remain as perfect early RPGs for young children to play, but Pokemon Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! are especially tailored for getting kids into the series. It's difficult to think back to my own childhood without remembering whatever Pokemon game I was obsessed with at the time, so it's great to see the series remaining as child-friendly as possible.

Pokemon Let's Go are remakes of Pokemon's first generation games from 1998 (specifically Pokemon Yellow), but given a huge modern overhaul. Chunky, colorful visuals make running around the Kanto region exciting to see from this perspective. Battles are easy to get to grips with plenty of clarity. Catching Pokemon is similar to Pokemon Go, as well, with wandering creatures making the world feel alive, and the option to chuck Pokemon balls making it feel really interactive. In our Pokemon Let's Go review we call them "a wonderful blend of old and new". I loved the originals back in the day, but these almost make me wish I had Let's Go as an option growing up instead of losing against Lt. Surge so many times!

Best Kids RPGS FAQS

Look ahead with our list of all the upcoming RPGs next!