Your Guide to April’s Family Friendly Video Games
From Goat Simulator to Tomadachi Life to Unpacking, it's about as wide a spread for video game as you'll see this month.
Phew! Video games are back.
Well, I mean, by many accounts the video game industry is in the midst of a slow motion crash whose depths have yet to be fully understood, but if by “back” one means “there are more games to play for families this month,” then we’re fully back.
Let me know what you’re looking forward to—and have been playing—below!
If you represent these games and have a potentially interesting story to share about how these games consider kids as part of their audience, do get in touch with me!
Goat Simulator 3 (Switch 2) – April 1
Description: Pilgor’s baaack! Gather your herd and venture forth into Goat Simulator 3; a totally realistic, sandbox farmyard experience. Invite up to three friends in local or online co-op, create carnage together, or compete in mini-games and then not be friends.
Rating: E10+
Price: $29.99
This is a series that I’ve continually figured I should put in front of my kids eventually. Maybe this is the time? Feels like it lines up with their largely non-serious approach to video games. IGN was positive on Goat Simulator 3 back in 2022 (!!), saying: “Goat Simulator 3 is the evolution in idiocy I’d hoped for from this iconically weird series. It almost certainly won’t wow you with its level of polish or a deep, meaningful narrative, but sometimes it’s a good idea to turn your brain off and buck your hooves into an old lady’s face while she fires a rocket launcher at you.”
Darwin’s Paradox (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC) – April 2
Description: Use Darwin’s unique abilities to sneak past enemies, ink your way out of danger, and solve environmental puzzles in creative ways. From squeezing through tight spaces to manipulating the world around you, learn everything you need to know about the clever octopus, Darwin.
Rating: E10+
Price: $24.99
The company largely known for Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill are also dipping into cute-looking platformers. Reviews were mixed on it, with Game Informer saying: “I appreciate this attempt at taking the mechanics and presentational focus of the genre and applying them to a fun cartoon. That part of the game, alongside the platforming and puzzles, works well and is attractive. Unfortunately, the frequent sneaking slows the game down and is a barrier instead of a fun series of challenges to overcome.”
DREDGE+ (Apple Arcade) — April 2
Description: Captain your trawler across a remote archipelago, sell your catch, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Outfit your boat with better equipment to trawl deep-sea trenches and navigate to far-off lands, but keep an eye on the time. You might not like what finds you in the dark...
Rating: 13+
Price: $6.99 per month
I’ve wanted to play this for a minute. It’s very much up my alley. Perhaps a chance to play this on a tablet while another episode of Bluey loops will be where it happens. The “+” means it’s the original game without micro transactions or ads. Pocket Gamer reviewed the original release, saying it’s a “solid port” of “an otherwise perfect game.”
Unpacking+ (Apple Arcade) — April 2
Description: The multi-award winning Unpacking comes to Apple Arcade as Unpacking+, the zen game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home. Part block-fitting puzzle, part home decoration, you are invited to create a satisfying living space while learning clues about the life you’re unpacking. Over the course of eight house moves, you you’re never told. are given a chance to experience a sense of intimacy with a character you never see and a story you’re never told.
Rating: 4+
Price: $6.99 per month
Another banger. Unpacking is a tremendous games, one that I wish I’d lavished more praise on at the time of its release, but I have fond memories of playing through it myself, then watching my then-much-younger oldest play through chunks of it, too. Noisy Pixel called the original “an experience, unlike anything I’ve played this year.”
My Very Hungry Caterpillar+ (Apple Arcade) — April 2
Description: It all starts with a tiny egg... Tap it and watch in wonder as it hatches into The Very Hungry Caterpillar! Can you help him find something tasty to eat? Eric Carle’s beloved character has captured the hearts of millions. The Very Hungry Caterpillar loves food and fun! Feed him, play together, and tuck him into his cozy leaf bed when he gets sleepy. The bigger he grows, the more exciting activities you unlock! When he’s ready, he’ll spin a cocoon. Tap to help him transform into a beautiful butterfly! A world of beauty, wonder, and fun-one you’ll want to visit again and again!
Rating: 4+
Price: $6.99 per month
It’s sad to realize there are things my children have entirely grown out of. Reviews on the Google Play and App Store storefronts are glowing, with lots of people happy to have paid for the upgraded version. Obviously, that comes baked with Apple Arcade. One mother said it was the “best toddler game” and a babysitter who also downloaded it described it as “so cute and detailed that all three of us spent hours playing it!”
MotionRec (PlayStation 5, Switch) — April 2
Description: Experience the unique mechanic where you “record” and “playback” your movements in this tape recorder themed puzzle action game, MotionRec!
Rating: E
Price: $9.99
Great game. I started it and did not finish it but I do not have an excuse, except that I didn’t and now I feel guilty. Siliconera agreed, reviewing the original game and saying “those who love platformers that make you think would probably be able to spend a few fun afternoons with this one.” Probably a game you want to play with your kids.
People of Note (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC) – April 7
Description: In this turn-based RPG musical, join Cadence as she recruits an ensemble of musicians on her quest for stardom. Experience turn-based combat like never before, where each battle is a musical performance with evolving combat conditions and genre-bending mashup attacks!
Rating: T
Price: $24.99
Rooting for this one. Could it be my Clair Obscur of 2026? I have access to this already but hadn’t had time for it just yet. Polygon’s preview seemed cautiously optimistic: “People of Note looks to be both a love letter to music and a commentary on it.”
Nippets (PC) — April 7
Description: Step into the charming world of Nippets, a handcrafted hidden-object game inspired by the joy of people watching!
Rating: N/A
Price: TBA
One of my early game memories with my kids was playing a hidden object game on the TV, with the two of them simultaneously scanning, trying to find whatever it was we were looking for. At times, we’d pretend we could’t see the object, letting our youngest catch up and feel victorious. This looks like a very good one of those games.
Pokémon Champions (Switch) — April 8
Description: Pokémon battles for everyone! Recruit Pokémon in-game or transfer them from Pokémon HOME, then gear up for thrilling battles with Trainers near and far! Compete in three different modes of Pokémon battles: Ranked Battles, Casual Battles, and Private Battles. You can challenge these modes in both Single Battle and Double Battle formats. Plus, use in-game Victory Points (VP) you’ve earned to improve a Pokémon’s stats, acquire new looks for your Trainer, and more!
Rating: E
Price: Free, but packs, memberships, and battle passes cost money
A game for people in it for the love of the fight, which means if you (or your kids) enjoy the whole “adventuring” part of Pokémon, look elsewhere. Serbii predicted it could be “could truly be the most accessible version of competitive Pokémon so far.”
Tiny Bookshop (PlayStation 5) — April 10
Description: Leave everything behind and open a tiny bookshop by the sea in this cozy narrative management game. Stock your tiny bookshop with different books and items, set up shop in scenic locations, and run your cozy second-hand bookshop while getting to know the locals.
Rating: T
Price: TBA ($19.99 on other platforms)
A port of a game that’s been available elsewhere for a bit, but if this flavor of cozy is a setup that you find interesting, Qualbert was into it: “Tiny Bookshop would be a perfectly steeped cup of chamomile tea: calming, warm, and slightly floral. It won’t jolt you awake or set your heart racing, but it will leave you feeling quietly content, and maybe, just maybe, make you want to re-organise your bookshelf in real life.”
Cleaning Up! (PS5, PS4, Switch 2, Switch, PC) — April 15
Description: Turn huge messes into sparkling spaces! Feel the satisfaction of restoring them to order with your super-powered cleaning tools. The quick, cozy joy of tidying up!
Rating: E
Price: $14.99
We’ve yet to dive too deep into multiplayer games because the gap between my five-year-old and nine-year-old feels like it’s a setup for a fight. Cleaning Up! ;ooks fun, though, and LadiesGamers was into a demo from last year: “this is a fun, simple game.”
Mouse: P.I. For Hire (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC) — April 16
Description: Join private investigator Jack Pepper on a guns blazing, jazz-fueled adventure in MOUSE: P.I. For Hire. MOUSE combines the charm of hand-drawn rubber hose animation inspired by the classic cartoons of the 1930’s with the adrenaline and action of an explosive first person shooter.
Rating: T
Price: $29.99
You know, this one probably skirts the line with younger players, but I can also imagine kids, much like horror, being interested in a game with such cartoonish visuals. The early impressions on the game been good, too, with GambingBible saying the game “oozes style, charisma, and a unique seediness that only the noir era can provide.” Mostly makes me want a Cuphead sequel. Where’s that studio’s next game?
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Switch) — April 16
Description: What if you, your family, friends, or others lived on your very own island? In Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, you can create Mii characters and do just that! Take care of your Miis, have them meet each other, get all sorts of items for island decorating, and plenty more. Plus, with local wireless, you and a friend can send each other your custom-made Miis and items!
Rating: E
Price: $59.99
One of the best descriptions I’ve heard for this game—which I have access to but haven’t yet played—is that you’re overseeing an ant farm. It’s not The Sims. Nintendo Everything described it as a “charming little community simulator” with a “focus on easy and fun interactions felt a lot like a low-stakes sitcom that I could drive.”
Kiln (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) — April 23
Description: Create your pot, grab your friends, and join a team of colorful spirits who face off against one another in online arenas, where the ceramic creations you sculpt on a pottery wheel become the bodies you bring into battle.
Rating: E10+
Price: $19.99
The line for Kiln was packed at PAX East. Being onto something does not mean that it’ll become a successful—lord knows what Microsoft even deems a success these days—but it’s no shock that Double Fine has probably landed on something really fun.
Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth (Switch 2, Switch, PC) — April 27
Description: From the creators of Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley comes a heartwarming new adventure inspired by the beloved Moomin stories by Tove Jansson. This time, join Moomintroll himself on a charming but cold winter journey.
Rating: TBA (Likely E)
Price: TBA (The previous game is currently $19.99)
Had my eye on this, so stay tuned—I might chat with these developers soon. Gaming Trend characterized their response to the game in a really interesting way, saying “Moomin, despite being a cartoon, still tackles a lot of relevant themes as its first game talked about authority and greed paired with an ongoing urbanization crisis.”
He-Man & the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC) — April 28
Description: He-Man, Teela, Man-at-Arms, and more are coming to a brand new hack ‘n slash ’n magic adventure! Battle across Eternia in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction!
Rating: TBA
Price: TBA
There are as many nostalgic beat ‘em up games as there are cozy games, in that you can find one for whatever nostalgic property is your favorite. He-Man is not one of mine, but maybe it is one of yours? (I did not think the movie trailer looked good.)
FIFA Heroes (iOS, Android) — April 28
Description: Step onto the pitch like never before in FIFA Heroes, the ultimate arcade football game where every match is packed with supercharged action, unique powers, and fast-paced fun. Forget the slow build-up of traditional football – here it’s 5v5 battles, 90 second matches, and nonstop thrills.
Rating: TBA
Price: TBA
The first game produced by FIFA since the organization split with Electronic Arts, who continues to make soccer games without the branding. They’re not doing the sim route with FIFA Heroes, instead making a free-to-play (uh oh) “arcade football” game. It’s coming to mobile platforms first, but apparently it’s headed to consoles soon after.
Winx Club: The Magic Is Back (PlayStation 5, Switch, PC) — April 30
Description: Something strange is happening at Alfea and it looks like the Trix are behind it!
Join the Winx on a brand-new magical adventure, uncover the mystery, and help save the school of fairies once again. Are you ready to transform and play?
Rating: E
Price: $29.99
Look, I think you, your children, and God know what you’re in for if you buy this.
Have a story idea? Want to share a tip? Got a funny parenting story? Drop Patrick an email.
My kids loved the first Moomin game and are so excited for the next one. I'd love to read your conversation with the developers!
Goat Simulator is pretty great with kids co-op, because you aren’t gated in any way. They can just go off and do their own thing while you knock out some of the harder missions.