Your Guide to September’s Family Friendly Video Games
A month that begins with Astro Bot and ends with a game starring Zelda? We live in special times, friends.
Are we really near the end of summer already?
It depends on your definition of “end,” because I remember it being extremely hot well into September last year, which is when you quickly realize how fast the local pools close because all the lifeguards have to head back to college. Which reminds me that we have, at best, two weeks to spend at the local “big” pool before that’s shuttered. At least we’ve got our home pool to help us after that, but as my children have reminded me a few times now, that pool does not come with a big slide.
Not coincidentally, the start of school means September is a big month for games targeted at kids, too. Harry Potter, Astro Bot, Funko Fusion, Disney Epic Mickey—and that’s before you remember there’s a game starring Zelda at the end of the month!
It’ll be a busy month in the Klepek household, that’s for sure. How about yours?
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!
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions (PlayStation 4/5, Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PC) - September 3
Description: Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a video game featuring the world's most iconic magical sport. Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Quidditch by playing solo or sharing the magic with friends and family.
Rating: T
Price: $29.99
This game was only announced in early June, and we don’t know much about it. I’ve so far managed to avoid Harry Potter becoming A Thing in my household, and I’m hoping it stays that way. I doubt this will be the game that changes that, either. This feels like a mini-game turned into a full game, and I’m not sure how that’ll pan out.
NFL Retro Bowl ‘25
Description: Return to the gridiron for the NFL- and NFLPA-licensed relaunch of the highly rated App Store hit Retro Bowl, available only on Apple Arcade. The upcoming release of NFL Retro Bowl ’25 allows NFL fans to create their own dynasty by choosing their favorite official NFL teams and players to take all the way to the house as they manage their rosters and game strategies with a fun and simple roster management system. With authentic rosters and NFL players stylized in the game’s glorious retro style, all NFL players in-game feature unique, fully realized retro art, tuned attributes, career stats, and realistic contracts.
Rating: 4+
Price: $6.99/month
Yo. Yo. This game has been dangerous for my free time on the couch when the TV is on, because it rides a fine line between dead simple and shockingly complex. There’s just enough “simulation” to give the player something to do beyond just playing an updated take on Tecmo Bowl, without falling all the way into sim sim territory, the point at which my brain turns to mush. It’s great. A version of this with Da Bears??
What the Car? (PC) - September 5
Description: An absurdly silly adventure full of racing, laughs, and unexpected surprises. Roll, sprint, jump, fly and sneeze your way to victory on the racetrack and beyond!
Rating: TBA (Was 9+ on Apple Arcade)
Price: TBA
I wrote about how What the Car on Apple Arcade helped me understand my youngest was no longer sick back when Crossplay launched! It’s a great video game with a terrific sense of humor. Highly recommended because it’ll work on just about any age.
Astro Bot (PlayStation 5) - September 6
Description: The PS5 mothership has been wrecked, leaving ASTRO and the bot crew scattered all over the galaxies. Time to ride your trusty Dual Speeder across more than 50 planets full of fun, danger and surprises. On your journey, make the most of ASTRO’s new powers and reunite with many iconic heroes from the PlayStation universe!
Rating: E10+
Price: $59.99
[breathes into a bag] This has a chance to be my personal game of the year, and it’s a good reminder that I should sit down with Astro’s Playroom, which I adored when the PlayStation 5 launched, and see if my oldest might grasp onto it. I enjoyed the time I spent with an early version of the game, and have high hopes for the finished thing.
Funko Fusion (PC, Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S) - September 13
Description: Express your fandom with 60+ unique playable characters from more than 20 fan-favorite franchises, all lovingly recreated in Funko Pop! form. Play with up to four players online and explore incredible worlds inspired by Jurassic World, Back to the Future, JAWS, The Thing, Chucky, Battlestar Galactica, Hot Fuzz, The Umbrella Academy, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Masters of the Universe, Invincible, and many more!
Rating: T
Price: $59.99
Look, I don’t know. Funko Pops don’t do anything for me, but I’ll admit there’s something to watching the surprising violence on display here. It’s a weird mix. A hands-off preview from Digital Trends echoed my own thoughts, saying they’re “not sure such a weird project could work.” What does Hot Fuzz mean to a young person?
The Plucky Squire (PC, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox Series X/S) – September 17, 2024
Description: The Plucky Squire follows the magical adventures of Jot and his friends: storybook characters who discover a three-dimensional world outside the pages of their book!
Rating: E10+
Price: TBA
Ah, man. I can’t believe this is coming out so close to Astro Bot, but hey, it’s nice to have more nice things, you know? This feels like a game made for just about everyone.
The Karate Kid: Street Rumble (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/X/S, Switch, PC)
Description: Dominate the dojo in The Karate Kid: Street Rumble, a pixel art beat ‘em up adventure. Grab your friends for local co-op multiplayer and dive into the classic The Karate Kid journey with retro-style gameplay, dynamic combat, and epic boss battles.
Rating: E10+
Price: TBA
Yet another installment in the ongoing series of 2D beat ‘em ups that have proven so successful in recent years. Then again, many of them have been excellent, so why not Karate Kid, too? The developer doesn’t have a history with the genre, but the art’s nice?
Matchbox Driving Adventures (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/X/S, Switch, PC)
Description: Are you ready for the thrill of a lifetime? Gear up and join the Chief of the Matchbox Adventure Squad in Matchbox Driving Adventures. Jump into an authentic Matchbox vehicle and drive through six dynamic locations. Race against the clock, chase runaway cars, and tackle exciting rescue missions.
Rating: E10+
Price: TBA
Where there are children’s games, there’s a decent chance Outright Games, the publisher of this one, is involved. What I’ll say about Outright, though, is that even though the quality track record is shaky, I appreciate how much thought they put into how children will actually play the game. I interviewed a producer at Outright recently, and I need to get off my butt and actually write up that conversation for you!
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (Switch) – September 26
Description: The people of Hyrule are being stolen away by strange rifts that have appeared—and with a certain swordsman among the missing, it’s up to Princess Zelda to save her kingdom in a brand-new The Legend of Zelda story!
Rating: E10+
Price: $59.99
This game is such a big deal. I cannot wait to chat with parents about what this game means to their children, because I suspect boys and girls are going to respond a little differently. Curious! I’m hoping Nintendo will let me chat with the developers behind this one, but I haven’t had much success with that so far. Maybe we’ll get lucky and the game will be at PAX later in the month? Who can say! Either way, it looks great.
Rusty Rabbit (PC, PlayStation 5) - September 24
Description: Humankind abandoned Earth as it entered another ice age. Over time, those who came to hold dominion over the world were... rabbits!? Stamp, a cute rabbit with an old soul, pilots his trusty mech "Junkster" through the giant ruins of a frozen world in this Side-Scrolling Action Adventure.
Rating: E
Price: $29.99
Look, I’m always game for a new Metroid-style adventure. My eye is on this one. IGN was moooostly positive after checking the game out earlier this year, saying “while rough around the edges in some places, Rusty Rabbit has a charming setting and will likely stick with players that are into 2D action games with an emphasis on freedom.”
Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed (PlayStation 4/5, Switch, PC, Xbox Series X/S/One) – September 24
Description: This beautiful remake sends Mickey Mouse on an epic journey through Wasteland, a realm of forgotten Disney characters. As Mickey, you will dive into a fantastical world and, armed with paint and thinner, shape your adventure and the fate of this alternate world.
Rating: E10+
Price: $59.99
I’d clocked this as a remaster, but Disney is calling this a remake. I’m 99% sure I played through this when it came out, taken by the concept art the same way everyone else was, but don’t reminder how I felt about it? Which probably tells me how I felt about it? Nonetheless, I remain curious, and Digital Trend’s hands-on preview noted “everything stays true to the 2010 original’s design, but it’s a whole new game.”
Balatro+ (Apple Arcade, App Store, Google Play) — September 26
Description: Hypnotic and endlessly satisfying, Balatro is a magical mix of card games like Solitaire and Poker, that lets you twist the rules in ways never seen before! Your goal is to beat the Boss Blinds by making strong poker hands.
Rating: 12+
Price: $6.99/month (Apple Arcade), TBA (App Store/Google Play)
Gotta imagine Apple paid a hefty bag to secure this one, but unlike other Apple Arcade “exclusives,” this one is not died down to Apple Arcade for a period of time. It’s appearing on Apple Arcade alongside its appearance on the regular App Store and Google Play. You’re just getting it bundled with Apple Arcade, if you’re on that service. My wife does not play games, but she plays poker. Dare I ask her to try it?
EA Sports FC 25 (PlayStation 4/5, PC, Xbox Series X/S/One, Switch) - September 27
Description: Experience more ways to win for the club in EA SPORTS FC 25. Team up with friends in your favourite modes with the new 5v5 Rush and manage your club to victory as FC IQ delivers more tactical control than ever before.
Rating: E
Price: $69.99
You shouldn’t come to me for soccer video game analysis—I’m at a loss here. The Gamer was a little lukewarm when they saw an early version of the game, though, noting it’s “EA FC with some decent additions, which is really all you're looking for.”
Have a story idea? Want to share a tip? Got a funny parenting story? Drop Patrick an email.
What The Car! demo was so much fun. Zelda, Mickey, and Plucky Squire... this month is stacked with cute and fun games for kids. Nice post!
What The Golf! became the go-to game for 'funny/chill' time for my 5 yo son. What The Car! looks right up our street, thanks for highlighting it. With all the weird exclusivity and distribution deals nowadays this one slipped under the radar