The best games for non-gamers

Whether it's a friend, partner, or family member, every video game fan on the planet has tried and either failed or managed to get a loved one into the game. It's hard not to share a passion with someone else, and this applies to all hobbies from stamp collecting to hiking to racing cars.

It used to be difficult to find a game that almost everyone could play, but in the mid-2000s, more casual games started to appear along with indie experiences. Now, more than ever, there are games for everyone. So if you want to convince someone to get into gaming, these are some good starters that you can play specifically together to help them out.

Jackbox Party Starter

Everyone has a phone

The easiest game to get any non-player into is Jackbox games because they're basically just board games that appear on TV. Jackbox Party Starter it has three mini-games that are easy to learn and perfect for playing during a party.

Trivia Murder Party 2 is a trivia game with a Saw feel, T-shirt KO allows players to design their own t-shirts to be funny, and Quiplash 3 is just a way for players to write jokes and compete to be the funniest. Players can use their phones as controllers, so it's very nice.

Just Dance 2026

Lost Up

Just Dance 2026 is the latest entry in the party-friendly series. Funnily enough, there is a great mix of oldies and classics and music suitable for all ages if players want to dance with their kids or younger cousins.

With a controller or phone, players just have to conform their bodies to the on-screen dance instructions, which can be easy or complicated depending on the song. It can become quite an exercise, and there's no denying the music's ability to make players' hair fall out, metaphorically speaking.

Donkey Kong Banana

Right on my shoulders

Donkey Kong Banana is a good two-player co-op game for the Switch 2 because the non-player doesn't have to do a lot of input on their controller. As a first-timer, players will control Donkey Kong to emerge and defeat enemies and environments in search of treasure.

As Pauline, the other player rides on his shoulder, and with the power of her voice, Pauline's lyrics can shatter enemies and the world. It's another good example of a game made for all ages that doesn't have a lot of offensive stuff for any age group.

Anthology The Dark Pictures: House Of Ashes

For horror fans

Anthology The Dark Pictures: House of Ashesor any of the games in the series are perfect for fans of horror movies. The game follows five characters who are soldiers who find themselves in an ancient ruin where bizarre events ensue. In co-op mode, players can pass around a single controller and control their character or set of characters depending on how many people are around.

Inputs rely on movement, clicking and collecting things, and quick reactions in hectic moments on the screen. It can be quite an adrenaline rush for someone new to the controller, but it's a learning experience and interesting because characters can die and affect the story.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus

Everyone has played Pac-Man, right?

Pac-Man Championship Edition was a major revival of one of the most iconic gaming characters ever, bringing new ways to play in a competitive online market. Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus is an edition that added co-op for two players to solve mazes and ghosts together.

Anyone who is anyone has played or at least watched someone play the original Pac Man before. It's unavoidable and easy to learn, even in a newer game like this, so it's still perfect for newbies.

Split Fiction

A new game every minute

Split Fiction is a bit more intense but still relatively easy to learn with a good partner teaching them the ropes. It's a co-op game featuring two writers who get stuck in a virtual reality game that keeps stealing their story ideas.

In one level, players could race on digital bikes as if they were in Thronewhile in others they might be ambushed by dragons in a fantasy world. The clash between sci-fi and fantasy ideas makes for some inventive levels, and no motif stays for long, almost creating a whiplash feeling.

Portal 2

Train your mind

Portal 2 it has a single-player campaign that most Valve fans have played, but then there's a co-op-only campaign that takes place after the events of the main story, which isn't talked about enough. While it involves more brain activity than most co-op games, it's an easier game to master as players basically just have to solve a series of physics puzzles in rooms together to progress.

Shoot portals to create doors, move blocks to activate switches, jump around pads to get across long gaps and so on. This can be a fun activity that challenges both players to come up with a solution, so it's best to play this game only with fresh eyes between both players.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion

Introduce MCU Fans To Brawlers

The MCU has been part of pop culture ever since Iron Man dropped in 2008, making just about everyone on the planet a comic book fan. So anyone interested in MCU movies but not video games can appreciate the sweet nature of beating up enemies in brawlers like Marvel Cosmic Invasion.

Up to four players can choose between familiar MCU characters such as Iron Man, Captain America, Rocket Raccoon and many more. By swiping from left to right, anyone can press buttons and move the directional pad to defeat enemy soldiers or alien bugs.

Overcooked 2

Order now!

Overcooked 2 can be played alone, but is more fun with a full party of four players. Each mission brings a new challenge to the table as players must actively decide who will do what in the kitchen. You have to cook, cut and prepare vegetables, clean the dishes and so on.

All of this is also timed because guests want their food to be served quickly and perfectly. It can be stressful when players are shouting commands at each other, but as long as everyone sticks together and reminds themselves that it's just a game, then it should be fine.

Windbreakers 2

Retro versus wrestling

Windbreakers 2 is a great counter game that will test your reflexes and have fun in the sun with a weird extreme sport that could only exist in a video game. It can be compared to frisbee and air hockey, where players pass the puck to each other and try to score a goal each round.

The playing field can get hectic as more experienced players become adept at blocking, countering, and using special moves like creating a fire wave. Without a lot of controls to learn, this is one of the better sports games to get someone into playing competitively.