‘Tis the Season for Family Gaming

Each year around this time families gather together for meals and gifts and general festivities.  For many gamers, this is actually sometimes also very frustrating, as it can often mean being pulled from our various games for days at a time to spend time with relatives.

The obvious solution is to get that gaming fix by playing games with the family.  To help with that, here’s a few games that have come out recently that you can enjoy with relatives of all ages.

LEGO Lord of the Rings 

The LEGO games have all been funny, cute, and perhaps most surprisingly of all as much fun as the multicolored blocks that give the game its title.  The latest in the LEGO gaming series just came out within the past month, and with the Lord of the Rings having become as familiar as it is, it is a rare family that can’t all find something to love in the game.

Trine 2: Director’s Cut

Both Trine games are absolutely gorgeous, and the multi-player cooperation-based gameplay is both solid and entertaining.  Even better, having to work together to get through the various puzzles in the game suits the season perfectly.  The Director’s Cut is out on console now.

Skylanders Giants

This is a game that took me by surprise.  When I first encountered Skylanders I thought it looked like a gimicky excuse to buy an extra peripheral.  I was right about the gimick, but the game was actually a lot of fun, and is something that my own family has spent an almost embarrassing amount of time on.  Giants is the latest expansion to the game, and I am anticipating a great amount of it being played this Christmas.

Just Dance: Disney Party

There are plenty of dancing games out there, but this one seems to be even more suited than most to bringing the family together.  What family doesn’t have at least a few of Disney’s classics on its movie shelf?  Being able to sing and dance along with these classic tunes is a great way to bond over the winter festivities.

Scribblenauts Unlimited

Creativity makes for great fun, and adding in other people tends to make it even more enjoyable.  Taking levels in turn, seeing who can come up with the craziest solutions, is a great way to bring the family together for laughs.

So with those titles to get you started, get out there and share some gaming cheer with the whole family!