If you planned ahead, you’ll have taken this Monday off to play some games. There’s a public holiday on Tuesday coming up and if you think enjoying a weekend, working Monday, and then taking Tuesday off is a workable situation, we can’t help you.
That having been said, if you have taken Monday off, you have a stretch of four days of holiday in the bank. But you may have kids. In which case, unless they have a play date, you may be in the position of having to entertain them.
Anyone who has kids will tell you – quite accurately – that they’re the toughest audience you’ll ever have.
So, with that in mind, you may be able to placate your young’uns with the selection of games presented below. Believe us when we tell you these have been well researched.
Goat Simulator
Yes, this is a bit of a soft start, but Goat Simulator is pretty fun for at least the first couple of hours – or more depending on your child’s proclivity for chaos.
In Goat Simulator you take on the role of a goat – an absolute sod of a goat – and you do what a goat does; bump people into a river, knock over a child in a gas station, strap rockets to your back… okay so it’s not really simulating the life of a goat, but it’s fantastic knock around fun. For at least an hour.
Fortnite
Epic’s Battle Royale might not seem like the most likely candidate for parent/child bonding, but believe when we tell you that kids game this system faster than others.
While oldies may be locked into the game’s main conceit – be the last person standing – kids look at this game like a large chat channel. Rather than ploughing through opponents, Fortnite gives kids the opportunity to connect with relatives and friends they haven’t seen in ages – thanks to subsequent COVID-19 lockdowns. It’s quite the experience to watch kids chat to each other as the playing ring closes.
Minecraft
Really? Do we really need to mention this one? If you’ve never played Minecraft it’s a pretty safe bet that your kids have and they can walk you through it.
Minecraft is all about creating. You can do it in tandem or you can just stand back and watch as your children navigate a world in which they may have to watch out for a couple of things, but mostly they’ll be building structures that’ll blow your mind.
Splatoon 2
Call this ‘baby’s first shooting experience’. Splatoon 2 is essentially a paint-ball-shooter and it offers some of the most rambunctious fun players are likely to have on the Nintendo Switch. The object is essentially to cover as much of every arena with your team’s colour. Not only does this put players on the path to winning a match, they’re also able to recharge their paint gun faster and move quicker in areas they’ve already splattered.
Slick, engaging and oodles of fun to play, Splatoon 2 is a must for any parents who want to test their mettle with their kids.
Any LEGO game you care to mention
The knock on LEGO games is that they’re all very similar – and they are. Players bash bricks, collect studs, knock over enemies, jump between platforms and build useful items out of their environment. Sounds pretty simple, right?
Well, the variation comes in depending on which LEGO game you’re playing. Fancy hurling enemies about with the Force or hitting them with a Lightsaber? Your go-to game is any of the Star Wars entries. Want to fly about like Iron Man or smash foes with the Hulk? Then you’ll plump for Marvel Superheroes 2. The array of films that have had the LEGO treatment is staggering – Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings, Pirates of The Caribbean, Indiana Jones; the list is near endless. On top of which, the pick-up-and-play ease of this series should ensure that players of all ages and skill levels should have a fantastic time.