Best family games on Xbox

• Release date: October 2, 2020
• Developer: Toys for Bob
• On Game Pass: No

Platform adventure game Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time sees Crash and Coco taking on the dastardly Dr Neo Cortex. When it comes to multiplayer, there’s Bandicoot Battle with a Checkpoint Race mode and Crate Combo mode, while the Pass N. Play option involves passing the controller between players to take turns reaching checkpoints in levels. Crash 4 is an excellent single-player game in its own right. It’s relegated to tenth partly because it’s otherwise a mostly solo experience, and partly because those multiplayer modes which are available involve a fair bit of sharing and turn-taking — something that’s not always easy to stick to when things get competitive in the holidays.

• Release date: October 31, 2023
• Developer: Glee-Cheese Studio
• On Game Pass: Yes

Some of the best games to play with friends and family are the ones which make absolutely no sense. Music game Headbangers: Rhythm Royale is a great example of that, bringing together 30 pigeons for a battle to decide the Master Headbanger. You decide this through musical minigames, making sure to customize your pigeon at the same time so that it’s obvious who’s the winner. The reason we’ve put this one further down the list is because there’s no couch co-op option.

Most of the games on here give you the option to play with family at home, but Headbangers: Rhythm Royale only has online multiplayer. We’ve included it instead as a good outlier for when you want to connect with family who might not be nearby for the holidays (cross-play with other platforms is available too). It's also great if you have a lot of backseat gamers who like to watch and shout advice from the safety of the couch.

• Release date: September 20, 2023
• Developer: Recreate Games
• On Game Pass: Yes

One newer and more chaotic game on this list is physics-based brawler game Party Animals. Its cutesy creatures (puppies, kittens, and so on) make it appealing to all, and it features a number of different modes for either teamwork or total destruction all-round. Who doesn't love the idea of cute fluffy creatures battling against each other, and the laws of physics?

• Release date: June 9, 2018
• Developer: Coldwood Interactive
• On Game Pass: No

Platforming puzzle game Unravel Two lets two Yarnys journey together in local co-op. It focuses on cooperation rather than competing, with the two players working together to solve problems and puzzles. It’s a beautiful game which takes its inspirations from Scandinavian landscapes. While there might be some scary parts for younger players, there is also a great message about working together against intimidating odds. Unravel Two has been out for some years now, but still remains popular as a co-op choice of adventure.

• Release date: August 7, 2018
• Developer: Ghost Town Games, Team17 Software
• On Game Pass: Yes

A warning for Overcooked! 2: like the first game, it’s hugely enjoyable. But like the first game, it’s far more likely to cause arguments than its cutesy exterior would suggest. You play as a harried chef who has to meet order requirements under increasingly ridiculously-located kitchens — on a hot air balloon, in a mine, or on an alien planet, to name but a few. It does have a single-player option, but it's definitely best played with friends. It's got local and online multiplayer, both competitive and co-op, for up to four people.

The arguments tend to come from the fact that cooperation is key — players might be stranded on opposite sides of the world's worst-designed kitchen, with one having access to the oven, and one having access to the ingredients. Couple that with a timer and the added pressure that the game gleefully throws at you, and it can get decidedly tense for such a cute-looking game. Both the Overcooked! games are popular, and our Overcooked! 2 site review gave the madcap cooking sim a 4.5/5.

The Overcooked! 2 achievement list can be tough – there's an achievement in both games for dealing with a burning kitchen though, so you'll probably unlock that before everyone gets too mad at each other to play anymore.

• Release date: May 19, 2020
• Developer: Blacklight Interactive
• On Game Pass: Yes

Golf With Your Friends was an unexpected hit after surprise-launching into Game Pass in 2020. Now, regular golf itself might not be the first thing you think of when you consider family games, but Golf With Your Friends is no ordinary golf game. Bizarre courses that defy the laws of physics combine with powerups that let you cause chaos against your competitors for ridiculous fun.

Be warned: Golf With Your Friends is one of those innocent-seeming games that actually has just as much potential for family feuds as it does for family fun.

• Release date: March 26, 2021
• Developer: Hazelight Studios
• On Game Pass: No

This platform adventure game covers more complex themes, such as fractured relationships and divorce, but it’s built entirely with co-op in mind, and the core idea is to work together for success. Plus, the gameplay itself is nowhere near as serious as those themes suggest. It’s pure, irresistible silliness and a genuine joy to navigate.

You play as Cody and May, a squabbling couple who have been transformed into dolls and need to coordinate to make it back to their usual selves. There are ridiculous characters, wildly inventive levels, and enough important stuff for each person to do so that no one feels left out or envious of someone else’s character.

• Release date: February 17, 2016
• Developer: Psyonix, Panic Button
• On Game Pass: No

Rocket League remains as popular as ever. Each player controls a car zooming around a stadium chasing after giant soccer balls in an attempts to score by ramming them into the other team's goal. It is technically a sports game, a blend of soccer and driving, but it's got something for fans of any genre. It's a simple but irresistible premise.

There’s local multiplayer for up to four, as well as online multiplayer, online co-op, and local co-op for up to eight people. It's got numerous modes to try, and matches in which you can play together or against each other. The cars are also customizable, with extra cosmetics unlocking as you go, so you can drive around as a car wearing a tiny wizard's hat and spurting green flames if you fancy.

It's suitable for everyone from younger kids and teens to parents and grandparents. If you have one family member who won't touch a console unless it's playing FIFA, you might be able to encourage them to expand their horizons with this one.

• Release date: April 5, 2022
• Developer: Traveller’s Tales
• On Game Pass: Yes

The Lego games are always excellent, and with action-adventure game Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, you’re getting all nine movies from the three Star Wars trilogies, which is just a ridiculous amount of content. This is especially good news since the game lets you pick where to start, helping to fend off the sort of rows you might have when it comes to the movies about what order to watch in and which ones are best. The game also has more than 300 playable characters, which means you might be able to skip another potential family row with everybody having a chance to find someone they want to play as.

It’s a given that you’ll have fun with the Lego games — they’re always enjoyable to play and offer a polished experience, plus there’s humour and silliness there to suit everyone.

• Release date: September 20, 2017
• Developer: Mojang Studios
• On Game Pass: Yes

It would be unforgivable not to include Minecraft on this list. Minecraft has proven endlessly popular, and suitable for most age ranges. For those of you who've somehow managed to avoid Minecraft for the last decade, it's a sandbox survival game where players build whatever they want, from huts to palaces, in a pixelated world. Just beware of the monsters that come out at night.

It's had numerous updates since then, and there's a whole lot more to do now: fishing, crafting, fighting, swimming, treasure hunting, trading, cooking, breeding animals, and of course, mining. It can be played as a single player experience, with local co-op for up to four, or with online co-op for up to eight. There's even some competitive multiplayer locally and online thanks to some mini-games added later in the game's life.