If your girls want to get into gaming, or you want to give your youngsters some suggestions around gaming, here’s a list of games based on different age ranges to offer to your budding gamer!

Young gamers:

Some games that I found best for young gamers just getting started in the gaming world!

15. Cooking Mama (3DS, DS)

Gameplay:

This is a GREAT game to introduce your little gamer too! It’s easy, fun, and even got me more into baking and cooking as a child and an adult! The concept itself is pretty simple - follow the instructions to make a bunch of different dishes! Maybe you guys could take notes of different dishes to try and make together!

14. Kirby (switch, DS, 3DS, Wii U, Wii)

Gameplay:

Kirby has been around for quite a long time! If your youngster has a switch, there’s the new game Kirby and the Forgotten Land. If you happen to still have a Gameboy of some sort, try offering one of those games or an old DS/3DS game. I still remember Kirby’s Epic Yarn as a fan favorite with girls at the time! I think it’s hard to go wrong when you’ve got this cute little gumball-looking guy!

13. Super Princess Peach (DS, 3DS)

Gameplay:

My (2nd) favorite Mario Princess! Despite the fact she’s been commonly used as the “damsel in distress” character and not getting much other attention outside of Mariokart or the Mario sports games, Peach did get her own game! I remember this game also being very popular with my classmates at the time. Although, some have called it sexist because Peach’s powers are all based on emotions. While it’s true that there is a stereotype behind women being emotional, I don’t think that it’s bad to show Peach with these powers. After all, we all have them and the game shows Peach figuring out how to use her emotions when necessary. Though I have my qualms with the storyline, it’s a super cute game and one that you should get your own little royal! (still salty that we don’t have a Princess Daisy game, though)

12. Splatoon 2 (Switch)

Gameplay:

This is a great game to introduce your youngster to third-person shooters! I, personally, still struggle with them, but it’s a good starting point! (Certainly better than Fortnite) It’s filled with colors and interesting characters, which is always a big aspect of a good game to me. Along with great style, the shooting style is also fun as it gives you the chance to learn different styles of shooting and what you need to do for different situations in the game!

11. Super Smash Bros. (wii, wiiU, switch, 3ds, Gamecube, N64)

Gameplay:

This is a great game to introduce your youngster to melee-style fighting games! (I certainly was able to pick it up faster than things like Street Fighter…) It has a slew of characters including a HUGE array of Nintendo characters! Each game gains a greater cast of characters and the Wii and Switch versions also include a story mode! Not a bad way to start the genre, considering one of the other games is Mortal Kombat which is…well…less than child-friendly, to say the least.

Young/teen gamers:

If your gamer-girl(™) is a bit on the older side, these may be some better options to introduce to them! These games are a little more difficult than the ones before (sort of) with more storylines and a little more appropriate age material.

10. Metroid (Wii, DS, 3DS, Switch, Wii U, NES, Gameboys)

Gameplay:

Continuing our list with our list of Nintendo games, we start this section off with the badass space assassin herself - Samus Aran in the Metroid games! This game is a bit older than some of our others as the first game in the franchise came out in 1986! But I assume most of my readers would start as late as the DS era. From about 2006 to today, you get many different options of Metroid games to play including one that came out just last year for the switch. I do want to note to my readers that if you are a parent, I would look a little more into Metroid: Other M. This is one of the games I have seen with more discussions about how it’s (generally) more violent and in general just a really bad game for the franchise. So if you do want to give your youngster a chance to experience a badass woman shooting space monsters, maybe consider one of the other games in the series instead of that one.

9. Pokemon Sword/Shield (switch)

Gameplay:

This is certainly one that I was debating on what section to put it in, but thinking about the age I began to show interest in the pokemon games, I figured it would be a great start for a little trainer to begin their pokemon game experience! It’s certainly an easier game and the story isn’t as complex, but considering the beautiful style and that it’s a better start for your younger gamers, I’d suggest it as a great start!

8. Stardew (switch, android, PS4, iOS, macOS, PS Vita, Xbox One, Linux)

Gameplay:

This is a farming simulator that may not keep your younger gamer’s attention as much as something like Minecraft, but it’s a great start for a fun and easy game that’s similar to Animal Crossing! One of the reasons I also put it on this list is there is the option to have same-sex romances in the game and I know some parents might be uncomfortable with that. (I don’t understand that, but I’m not a parent so)

7. Unpacking (macOS, switch, windows, Linux, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series)

Gameplay:

Like Stardew, I mainly put this here because there is the acknowledgment of same-sex relationships. Other than that, it’s a beautiful and rather simple puzzle game that explores the life story of your character through unpacking her belongings and putting them in new places. It’s a gorgeous game with a very calming soundtrack!

6. Okami (wii, switch, PS2, PS3, PS4, windows, Xbox One)

Gameplay:

Now here is a game that I also adore! It was probably my first experience with a story-based adventure game. With a beautiful open world set in ancient Japan, references to multiple myths, and a beautiful style reminiscent of Japanese brush art, this is a super cool game! I also put this here because there are brief mentions of drinking and one of the characters has a bit of a skimpy outfit. Other than that, it’s a great game for a young player! I think I began playing this game around middle school.

Teen gamers

5. Legend of Zelda (NES, SNES, Gameboy, N64, Game Cube, DS, 3DS, Wii, WiiU, Switch)

Gameplay:

So I know that this could go with younger players, depending on the game, but I put this here with Twilight Princess specifically in mind. It’s personally my favorite and not exactly an easy game for a first-time gamer. Not easy on my first go at it as a teenager, but it made me a much better gamer and it’s just a gorgeous game!

4. Portal (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360, macOS, Linux, Android, Switch)

Gameplay:

This is a classic game that most people know pretty well. The challenges are fun, but I mainly put this one here for the storyline. I feel like it’s more appropriate for a teenager. A 12-year-old could certainly still enjoy it, but I don’t think I’d suggest it for anyone much younger. I didn’t start getting into story-heavy games until I was older.

3. Journey (PS3, PS4, Windows, iOS)

Gameplay:

Now here’s a game where it’s not so much action based. This is a more quiet game that tells the story of what was once great and bustling civilization. There are no spoken parts - just music and a story told through the landscape. It’s a gorgeous game, but I feel like it’s one that a teenager would be able to resonate with more than a youngster.

2. What Remains of Edith Finch (switch, windows, iOS, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5, Xbox One)

Gameplay:

Currently one of my favorite games I got to play. Here, you play as Edith Finch returning to her childhood home - now long abandoned in the mountains. You go through the strange house - room-to-room - to get the story of each family member and the subsequent death. Each one seems to become more tragic than the next. It’s a short but beautiful and heart-hitting game. Because of its heavy mentions of death and mental health issues, this game is likely more appropriate for an older teenager.

1. Skyrim (Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, PS5, windows)

Gameplay:

Here we go - this is by far my favorite game that solidified my life as a gamer. It’s an adventure/story/action game where you play as the legendary “Dragonborn”. You get to travel all over the world of Skyrim completing quests and exploring the beautiful open world and interesting characters. I started playing it around 15 and have put easily 300+ hours into this game on my Switch alone. I couldn’t even tell you how much more there was on my old Xbox 360! If your young gamer liked games like Okami, this is a PERFECT game for them to try!

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