By Nathan Bliss,Shabana Arif

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By this point, we can all recognise gaming as a valid pastime that help boost development of crucial cognitive skills and more in children; but they’re also fun as hell, and offer a way to get in some quality bonding time with the little ones to boot. This year has been a big one in the gaming world, with a stacked calendar that’s bristling with new releases that we’re all excited about. Between big AAA titles like Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 (and its recently released Legacy of the Forge DLC ) and Death Stranding 2 : On the Beach, to live service games serving up heaping helpings of fresh content (including Helldivers 2 and its recent Into the Unjust content update , and Fallout 76 Season 22 delivering on highly-requested player features) there’s been a lot to parse through. But don’t let that distract you from the big hitters that the kids in your life are getting excited about – and no, they don’t all just play Fortnite . Popular IPs like Bratz and Paw Patrol are joining the fray, along with the icon we all know and love, Barbie . These games might not be on your personal release radar, but they definitely should be if you’ve got a niece or nephew, son or daughter, or have made firm friends with the neighbourhood kids (with the full knowledge and consent of their parents). Here are our top picks of the x games the kids in your life are looking forward to across Nintendo Switch , PC , and PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Releasing October 10, 2025, Barbie Horse Trails looks like it could be a stunning open-world adventure game for the child in your life. Players can choose between Barbie ‘Brooklyn’ Roberts or Barbie ‘Malibu’ Roberts and take them on a horse-riding adventure through wildflower meadows, lush forests, mountains, and peaceful lakes. There are also mini-games, horse care mechanics, wildlife and plants to discover, pictures to take with your camera, mysteries to solve, and, of course, loads of customisability with outfits, gear, and accessories. The game also features familiar characters like Ken, Teresa, Nikki, and Daisy, and you can even team up with the park rangers and Ken’s aunt, Lady Carson, to become a junior ranger-in-training. It looks like a chill, relaxing and immersive experience for children over the age of three. Barbie Horse Trails releases October 10 on Nintendo Switch, PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X |S, and PC. I’m going to bet that if you’re reading this article, you’ll have very much heard of Paw Patrol, and can probably recite the theme song from memory. Heck, you may well be doing that as we speak, and if it’s my fault, sorry. There’ve been many, many Paw Patrol games released previously, but the latest, PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship, is a far more focused title. Think Mario Kart World or Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds with the Paw Patrol gang, and that’s essentially what you’re getting here. The iconic main characters all feature in the game, with players able to race as Chase, Skye, Marshall, Rubble, Zuma, Rocky, Roxi and even Mayor Humdinger in races across Adventure City and beyond. Players will have to master game mechanics like drifting, turbo boosts, and signature stunts, with Pup Racers also having unique skills, like launching tennis balls or spinning out rivals. It could lead to hours and hours of fun, with players able to race solo or challenge friends in multiplayer too. PAW Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship releases October 31, 2025 on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Chicken Run: Eggstraction hatches on October 24, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and PC. (via Steam and the Microsoft Store) and is a direct sequel to the series’ 2023 film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.. The mission to save chickenkind continues with Frizzle and her feathery friends setting out to egg-stract poultry prisoners from evil farms. Offering up to two-player co-op, you and your partner are tasked with using stealth to traverse levels, with the emphasis on a “silly twist”; from bins to bushes to traffic cones, use what you can to avoid detection, but in spite of its stealth adventure angle, you can always let the feathers fly and make a mad dash for it instead. The gameplay is interspersed with cut scenes, and returning characters are voiced by the film’s original cast including Bella Ramsey, Josie Sedgwick-Davies, Amelia Dimoldenberg, and Romesh Ranganathan. Chicken Run: Eggstraction is sure to be a hit with fans of the franchise, while the fun gameplay makes it family-friendly and perfect to play with kids. Cloe, Yasmin, Sasha, and Jade are taking on the world in Bratz: Rhythm & Style; described as a global fashion adventure, players can explore six locations, sashay down the runway to showcase new looks, and compete in multiplayer modes to crown the most stylish diva in the group – all while jamming out to a soundtrack filled with iconic Bratz tracks. There are hundreds of cosmetics to unlock, with hairstyles outfits and accessories spanning past and present Bratz lines, 20 tracks, mini-games galore, and Easter Eggs for the most hardcore of fans to spot. Bratz: Rhythm & Style offers up to four player local multiplayer in Party Mode, as well as single-player story mode. Bratz: Rhythm & Style is out now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Gabby’s Dollhouse is a genuine Netflix powerhouse, having been a top 10 TV series in 63 countries with over 100 episodes, it’s one of the most-watched kids’ series on the platform. And now, ahead of the release of Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie on Friday, September 26, Outright Games has released DreamWorks Gabby’s Dollhouse: Ready to Party. This new 3D narrative adventure allows players to jump into the world of their favourite TV show, as they join Gabby and Pandy Paws in exploring the iconic dollhouse, which is full of colourful rooms, mini-games and big surprises, using the Catavator to get around. But arguably the best thing about Gabby’s Dollhouse: Ready to Party is the fact that you can play solo or local co-op, with one player able to play as Gabby and the other as Pandy Paws, making it easy for parents, siblings, or friends to jump in and experience it together. I don’t know about you, but it sounds, to quote Gabby, meow-mazing! Dreamworks Gabby’s Dollhouse: Ready to Party is out now on Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This is a spooky pick that’s all the more relevant now that we’re barreling towards October and all things Halloween. Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek is rated PEGI 12 so it’s not for the tiny gamers out there, but you can use your discretion when it comes to how scary or not you think this may be for those under the age of 12. A single-player only experience, gamers step into the shoes of Sloane Spencer to solve puzzles, use stealth to evade monsters, and discover the truth behind what’s really going on in Little Creek. What’s more, there are multiple endings so you can keep going until you unlock them all. Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek is available now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.