Summary
Open-world gaming has become one of the industry’s most popular subgenres. Not only do the games tend to offer great value for money, but they also offer a level of freedom that is unparalleled when compared to linear titles. This makes open-world games particularly great for parents, as they can keep their kids occupied with just one of the genre’s titles rather than having to continuously purchaselinear gamesthat will be finished in a few hours.
However, one issue with open-world games is that parents may not know exactly what they’re buying for their children. For example, when buying aMariogame, most parents know that their kid will be platforming the entire time, but with open-world games, the huge array of side quests and activities to uncover can make it tricky to keep track of everything in the game. Thankfully, there are numerous excellentopen-world games for kidscurrently available.
Updated on April 30th, 2024, by Jack Pursey:TheOpen-world genre continues to grow in prominence year after year, with more and more of the gaming industry’s most iconic franchises jumping on the bandwagon, from platformers like Sonic to shooters like Halo. As open-world gaming dominates sales charts, more parents than ever before are curious to know which open-world games are suitable for their kids. As such, this list has been updated with a few more entries and further information to help parents and children decide which game is best suited for them.
Like Nintendo’sSuper Marioseries, it’s not often that the company’sThe Legend of Zeldahas direct sequels. However, few were surprised when Nintendo announced a sequel toThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, given the game’s huge open world and innovative gameplay mechanics that clearly had more mileage in them. Unsurprisingly, the sequelTears of the Kingdomhas once again been a huge critical and commercial success.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomdifferentiates itself from its predecessor with its caves and sky islands, which have made the already enormous world even larger. The game also leans into the sandbox elements ofBreath of the Wildby giving players a whole host of tools and devices to create weapons, vehicles, and much, much more.
LEGO Worldsisa sandbox gamethat was developed by Traveller’s Tales and has many similarities to Mojang Studios’Minecraft, throwing players into a 3D procedurally generated world and letting them build almost anything they like from the ground up.
LEGO Worldsstruggled to impress critics, and its highest rating on Metacritic came in at an underwhelming 71 on PC. Still, the concept of the game is very strong for kids who like LEGO, and considering the price ofphysical LEGOthese days,LEGO Worldsis a cost-effective alternative to purchasing numerous sets.
A Rare Open World Platformer
Grow Up
While out exploring the galaxy with MOM, BUD’s parental spaceship, she goes to pieces. Like, literally – MOM’s all over the place. The positioning of that moon was terribly inconsiderate. Now her ship parts are scattered far and wide across an entire alien planet so rich in flora and fauna it would make even the most jaded galactic gardener’s head spin. It’s up to BUD to collect all her parts and get them back to the moon.Join this adorable wobbly robot on his fantastical acroBUDic adventure to the moon.Collect MOM’s ship parts with the help of your new friend POD. She likes planets. A lot. Explore an entire alien planet filled with excitement and wonder. And a Flungus.Walking’s overrated. Tuck BUD into Ball mode to boost, bounce and roll around the planet. Take to the air and soar between floating islands like a big metal bird with the Power Glider. Exercise those green fingers and overcome obstacles by spawning any plant you’ve found with the Floradex 3000.Ride giant Starplants into the sky (yes, we know what they look like…)
Grow Upwas developed by Ubisoft Reflections and is the sequel to 2015’sGrow Home.The game features an unorthodox blend of the open-world and platform genres, the latter of which is often considered to be inherently linear.
However, Ubisoft’s Newcastle-based development team, Ubisoft Reflections, did a fantastic job of meshing the two contrasting genres by creating an open-world game that is great fun to simply explore and traverse while trying to complete the game’s main objective of recovering spaceship parts.
Stardew Valleyhas become a staple of thecasual open-world genresince it was released. The game follows a similar pattern to many games in the farm simulation genre by beginning with the player inheriting a plot of land that they are free to cultivate and build upon in any way that they choose.
However,Stardew Valleystands above its competition in the crowded farm simulator genre with its excellent social features and simple yet addicting gameplay mechanics.
Terrariawas released a few months beforeMinecraft,though sadly for Re-Logic and 505 Games, the sandbox game has always had to live in the shadow of its open-world competitor.
However, it’s easy to forget just how successfulTerrariahas been due to the enormous commercial success ofMinecraft.Terrariahas sold over 35 million copies over the last decade, with many long-time players still thoroughly enjoying the game with friends today. LikeMinecraft,the game offers a sandbox open world that players can build and create in, though it differentiates itself with its 2D perspective.
TheAssassin’s Creedseries may initially seem like an odd choice to recommend to children, given that the series is known for its sword-fighting and assassinations.Assassin’s Creed Originsdoesn’t buck this trend in its main campaign, though it does offer a separate mode that provides a fantastic educational experience.
Origins’Discovery Tour mode lets players explore the game’s Ancient Egypt map but replaces the missions and enemies with historical information and tour guides. Ubisoft is clearly confident about the Discovery Tour’s ability to teach, as they have marketed the mode to schools.Assassin’s Creed OdysseyandAssassin’s Creed Valhallaalso feature Discovery Tour modes.
A Great Grand Theft Auto Alternative for Kids
Lego City Undercover
Join the Chase! In LEGO CITY Undercover, play as Chase McCain, a police officer who’s been tasked with going undercover to hunt down the notorious — and recently escaped — criminal Rex Fury and putting an end to his city-wide crime wave.With two player co-op, friends can explore the sprawling open-world metropolis that is LEGO City, with more than 20 unique districts to investigate, car thieves to bust, hilarious movie references to discover, vehicles to drive, and hundreds of collectibles. LEGO CITY Undercover brings together witty, original storytelling with signature LEGO humor to create a fun-filled experience for players of all ages to enjoy.
As one would expect from a game under the LEGObrand,every aspect ofLEGO City Undercover’s content is made with children in mind. The game is commonly referred to as"Grand Theft Autofor kids" and consequently has a few fights and car chases, though they’re all presented in the wholesome, non-violent style that one would expect fromaLEGOvideo game.
LEGO City Undercoverputs players in the shoes of police officer Chase McCain, who is tasked with cleaning up the city’s crime, which is out of control thanks to the infamous criminal Rex Fury escaping prison.
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicleskicks off in a dramatic fashion when a bolt of lightning destroys the player’s boat. However, the game will soon attain a far more meditative pace when the playable character finds themselves on the magical island of Gemea.
The island has a beautiful landscape that can be freely explored in a similar fashion to Nintendo’sThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.Players are also encouraged to partake in activities such as crafting and farming, though their main goal is to clear a substance known as the Murk.
A Short Hikesticks out like a sore thumb on this list, as unlike most open-world games, which can take 100+ hours to beat,A Short Hikecan be completed in just 1-2 hours. Adam Robinson-Yu’s indie game was well-received by critics, exemplified by its impressive Metascores of 80 and 88, as well as itsSeumas McNally Grand Prize win at the Independent Games Festival Awards in 2020.
A Short Hikerequires players to find golden feathers, which will grant them extra jumps needed to reach the map’s peak. The game also offers numerous side activities, such as fishing, treasure hunting, and competing in the unique “beachstickball.”
AlthoughThe Witnessis suitable for children in the sense that there’s no violence or adult language, it’s worth pointing out that it should only be considered for those who love challenging puzzles; otherwise, the tricky game may be swiftly put down and forgotten about. However, ifsolving tough puzzlesis right up their alley, thenThe Witnessmay be the best open-world game for them.
The Witnesswas directed and designed by Jonathan Blow, who became well-known to the gaming industry with his hit puzzle platformerBraidin 2008. The game puts players on an ingeniously designed island and presents them with a plethora of line puzzles to solve.
