My kid will be 9 soon and he already got Animal Crossing for himself, which we were planning to give him as a present. He really likes playing Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, and he always tries to show me how to play them. He also has a lot of fun with Humans Fall Flat. I thought about getting him Stardew Valley because I saw it recommended in other posts, but when he watched some videos of it online he didn’t seem interested. Does anyone have other ideas for games he might like? He seems to enjoy adventure games and ones where you can explore and solve puzzles. I want to find something that will keep him engaged but is still appropriate for his age. Thanks for any suggestions you can share!
Spiritfarer could be perfect - it’s got exploration and puzzles but keeps things really chill.
He’d probably love A Hat in Time - it’s got that Mario 64 feel with lots of exploration and collecting. The puzzles hit that sweet spot where they’re challenging but not annoying. Captain Toad’s great too if he’s into puzzle solving. Don’t overlook Kirby and the Forgotten Land either - tons of exploration that should appeal to someone who likes Zelda.
Slime Rancher could be perfect - it’s got that exploration feel like Zelda but you’re collecting and caring for adorable slimes. Puzzles are pretty manageable and there’s always something new to find.
Pokemon Legends Arceus is definitely worth a shot. It’s got that open world exploration feel like Zelda, and catching Pokemon adds a cool puzzle twist. Lego games are great too - pick one from a franchise he likes. They’ve got adventure, easy puzzles, and that goofy humor kids love.
Super Mario Odyssey’s great if he hasn’t tried it - lots of exploration and creative puzzles.
Ori and the Blind Forest could be perfect. It’s got gorgeous exploration and platforming puzzles, and kids really love the art style.