10 Best Kid-Friendly Indie Games

One of the best things about the indie space is there’s something for everyone. Even the fussiest gamer can find something to love, even if it requires some digging.

If you’re looking for a game your kids can play without any nasty surprises, here’s a selection of the best Kid-Friendly Indie Games.

10 World of Goo 2

A Cutesy Puzzle Solver

World of Goo 2 is a unique puzzle game with simple controls and objectives.

The idea is to create structures out of blobs of Goo in such a way that it doesn’t collapse. Each stage has a simple mission, usually to build over a gap or obstacle. There are plenty of clever ideas in World of Goo 2, and the blobs are oddly adorable.

The World of Goo games do require some thought, but they are inoffensive and accessible, and there’s nothing in them that anyone would deem “unsuitable.”

World of Goo 2 came out in August 2024, but the original from 2008 is still decent if you want to start at the beginning.

9 Bloons TD6

Tower Defense At Its Finest

Bloons TD 6 is a fantastic Tower Defense game that’s easy to pick up and play. Each level contains a winding path, and it’s your job to ensure incoming balloons don’t escape the screen.

You can do this by setting up cute traps and defenses around the path, and a fantastic selection of tools is at your disposal. Visuals are bright and colorful, and it’s hard not to appreciate the motley assortment of different monkey defenses.

Bloons TD 6 is kid-friendly but has enough nuance that even older children and adults can enjoy it. The title is accessible as it requires zero mechanical skill and can even be played on mobile devices.

8 Human Fall Flat

Cute Ragdoll Fun

Human Fall Flat is a unique physics-based adventure game. The controls feel terrible until you get used to them, but that’s part of the fun.

Watching your bizarre, doughy figure tripping over itself is hilarious as you navigate obstacles and pitfalls. There is a surprising amount of nuance and strategy in Human Fall Flat, but it’s just as fun to mess around in the sandbox.

There are plenty of games where lousy controls are a selling point, but Human Fall Flat is easily one of the best.

7 Vampire Survivors

The Game That Started A Genre

Vampire Survivors is a wonderfully simple title with rewarding progression, heaps of unlockables, and a satisfying gameplay loop.

You play as a survivor and try to last as long as possible as waves of monsters (not the scary kind) approach. Each time you lose, you earn currency and new items to make yourself stronger.

The gameplay is so accessible you can even play with one hand. All you have to do is move as your character shoots and attacks automatically.

Picking the right powerups is important, but most of the hard stuff is alleviated with Vampire Survivor’s superb co-op mode. You can play on the same screen, and the basic controls mean anyone will enjoy it.

6 Paleo Pines

Collect Them All!

Paleo Pines is an adorable, cutesy farming sim with a prehistoric twist. You can explore the world of Paleo Pines at your own pace, and while there are clear objectives, you’re never pushed or pressured to do them.

There’s a farm to manage, but the draw for most players will be collecting Dinosaurs for your ranch. You do this with simple mini-games, and it’s fun figuring out their favorite snacks so they will come home with you.

Paleo Pines is accessible and kid-friendly, and there’s enough meat on the bone for adults who want to try it.

5 Stardew Valley

An Absolute Masterpiece

Stardew Valley is a critically acclaimed indie darling, part farming simulator, and so much more. The title is deep enough that anyone can enjoy it, but even surface-level activities like caring for animals and crops are addictive and rewarding.

As is typical of the genre, the early game is pretty slow, but your day will be full of activities before you know it.

Stardew Valley also has excellent multiplayer features, and it’s great to manage a farm as a duo or in a small group.

There’s enough content in Stardew Valley to keep anyone busy for dozens of hours, and a flourishing modding scene allows you to add even more high-quality content.

4 Cat Quest 3

A Pawsome Feline Adventure

Cat Quest 3 is the latest game in the series, offering the cutest adventure with straightforward controls and mechanics.

You play on a beautiful world map, completing basic quests in pursuit of better gear. There’s light fantasy combat, and the difficulty is pretty forgiving, so anyone can enjoy it. The gameplay loop is addictive, and players are subjected to an onslaught of trademark pun-filled jokes.

Cat Quest 3 is one of those rare games to offer couch co-op, and it works flawlessly.

The entire trilogy is worth playing, but you will have to stick with Cat Quest 2&3 for multiplayer.

3 Untitled Goose Game

Honk, Honk!

Untitled Goose Game has a unique premise where you play as, you guessed it, a highly-strung goose.

There’s plenty of light puzzle-solving and creative ways to relieve the nearby townsfolk of their property.

Developer House House captured the movement and mannerisms perfectly, and it’s a joy to mess around as a goose, even if you’re not going for the objectives.

Untitled Goose Game could have easily been a low-effort cash grab. Instead, it’s a title anyone of any age and skill will enjoy.

2 Terraria

One For The Big Kids

Terraria is an exceptional 2D sandbox adventure game, and players of all ages will get something out of it.

Many people refer to Terraria as “2D Minecraft,” but that description doesn’t really do either title justice. You can build and create whatever you like in Terraria and spend countless hours constructing the perfect village. There are bosses to beat, and you always have a new target to work toward or a fresh biome to explore.

Very young kids may not get too much out of this one, but Terraria is as inoffensive as it gets with mountains of content. It’s a top-tier pixel art game with a satisfying gameplay loop and remains as popular as ever despite being over a decade old.

1 The Plucky Squire

A Beautiful, Accessible Adventure

The Plucky Squire is a beautiful dimension-bending adventure game where the action literally jumps off the page.

It’s easily the prettiest game on the list and seamlessly blends 2D and 3D gameplay.

Gamers of all ages can enjoy The Plucky Squire as it’s so accessible. Combat is easy, and you can always consult a mini wizard for help solving puzzles. Boss battles can even be skipped, so you’ll never be stuck for long, regardless of skill level.

The title is brimming with creative ideas and humor, and you, or your kids, will be entertained from start to finish.

If you can’t get enough of The Plucky Squire, we can’t either. Fortunately, there are plenty of superb games available to scratch that itch.