It’s not often easy to find family friendly games that even the youngest children can enjoy, but publishers Outright Games have done their best to provide a wide array of such titles in recent years. They’ve also got a catalogue of famous IPs attached to them, including Ben 10, Bratz, DC’s Justice League, and Peppa Pig. But what does the future have in store, and what titles should you be keeping an eye on?
Well, I was fortunate enough to get the lowdown on some of their upcoming 2023 releases by attending the Outright Games Digital Game Showcase. So, let’s take a peek at five offerings, coming out this year, that could be perfect for entertaining the whole family.
Baby Shark: Swim & Sing Party (15th September)
Baby Shark, doo-doo, doo-doo.
Now that’s stuck in your head once more, let me tell you about the first official standalone game on PC and consoles, Baby Shark: Swim & Sing Party. Developed by RecoTechnology, it’s a rhythmic adventure set in the immensely popular Baby Shark universe for friends and family to have a jolly old time together.
The story revolves around the Shark family taking a trip across the ocean, in order to reach the Fin-Tastic Festival. You can expect to see many of the iconic locations previously featured in the music videos and meet a host of characters along the way. Get ready to hear 30 different songs, spanning multiple genres, including the catchiest tunes such as ‘Baby Shark’, ‘Disco Sharks’, and ‘Shark Dance Party’ as you travel through the 60 levels within.
Sing along with Baby Shark, doo-doo, doo-doo
Whether alone, or alongside up to three other people, Baby Shark: Swim & Sing Party features two kinds of levels – Rhythm and Runner. For rhythm, the general aim is to keep in sync with the beat, while the runner mode has you swimming through the ocean collecting stars. Succeeding here will not only enable progress towards the festival, but also garner rewards like collectible cards and cool stickers.
Given that it’s suitable for kids aged three and upwards, rest assured that measures have been taken to make sure it’s accessible and educational for young fans. There’s just a very slow difficulty curve to proceedings, while tutorials are well animated to demonstrate what needs to be done. And if you combine that with pretty short levels, chances are that this is a good way to introduce children to gaming; especially when it could be handy in the development of their psychomotor skills.
Sink your teeth into Baby Shark: Swim & Sing Party on 15th September, 2023 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
(P.S. there’s also an Encore mode for the older gamers to test their ability on a greater difficulty setting, so that gives all you parents an excuse to play it!)
PAW Patrol World (29th September)
The infamous pups are back in PAW Patrol World as they attempt to foil Mayor Humdinger’s disruptive plans. He’s trying to ruin the ‘PAW Patrol Day’ festival by removing all the posters advertising it and instead promoting a Kitten Festival in Foggy Bottom using a humongous blimp. It’s up to the Paw Patrol gang to retrieve the posters and ensure the festival goes ahead as planned.
Unlike previous Paw Patrol outings though, this is an open-world adventure spanning four different environments: Adventure Bay, the Mountain Region, the Jungle and the town of Barkinburg. Up to two players can get involved in local split screen co-op action, which is ideal for siblings to get together or to allow a parent to play alongside a child. Whoever your favourite pup is, don’t worry because eight of them are available to use from the start and both players can choose the same character – so, no more fighting over Chase!
A pup treat
While roaming around, you’ll naturally gather pup treats, which frequently unlock rewards like stickers and costume items. Each area is filled with missions and quests to complete, as well as a variety of collectibles to find. Not only does it feature postcards hidden away, but every playable character also has a pup tag to hunt down.
There are multiple factors in place that could make the experience even more suitable for its target audience. Ryder is always on hand to guide you towards the next objective and gives regular reminders. Missions appear fairly short in length and the tasks needing to be performed are simple to understand. Furthermore, the storytelling is fully voiced to provide more engaging scenes and the dialogue is very easy to digest. There’s even an option in the settings for auto-switching during character specific activities, so it’s going to be almost impossible to get stuck.
Explore PAW Patrol World when it arrives for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC on 29th September, 2023.
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures (13th October)
We haven’t seen the Grinch in a game for over fifteen years, but Dr Seus’ big green meany returns in The Grinch: Christmas Adventures. It’s an all-new adventure inspired by the classic children’s book, How The Grinch Stole Christmas.
The Grinch is back, up to his old tricks as he plots to ruin Christmas for the Whos once again. You’ll play as The Grinch in a vibrant side-scrolling platformer, aided by the ever-faithful dog Max, as you fiendishly look to steal all the presents. Making your way through the iconic Who-ville, expect to be faced with the spirit of Christmas; everything from joyful singing to the twinkling fairy lights adorning the town.
Special abilities for The Grinch
In order to unlock special abilities and gadgets that include snowballs to freeze creatures in your path, a Santa disguise for going stealthy, a lasso candy cane for swinging around, and a jumping jetpack, you must complete the puzzles within. As a change of pace, there are sections where your devious antics lead you to traverse parts of Who-ville on a sleigh or a snowboard. As the story progresses, players will discover the spirit of Christmas and help the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes.
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is geared up for two-person couch co-op, meaning one of you can play as Max. It also offers various accessibility features to ensure gamers from ages five and upwards can delve into the imaginative rhyming world of Dr. Seuss.
If you want to get festive early this year, keep an eye on The Grinch: Christmas Adventures which launches 13th October for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
Jumanji: Wild Adventures (3rd November)
Jumanji: The Video Game, based on the two latest films in the series, was a bit of a surprise hit for Outright Games and exceeded expectations in terms of sales. So it’s natural for there to be a sequel in the form of Jumanji: Wild Adventures.
Join Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Ruby Roundhouse, Franklin “Mouse” Finbar and Professor Shelly Oberon for another escapade in the chaotic world of Jumanji. In this unique story unrelated to the films, you’re tasked with locating a mysterious artefact that is the key to finding their way back home, the Jaguar’s Eye. Figuring out who has the jewel is just as crucial as surviving the many threats lurking in Jumanji. Rather cleverly, the perpetrator is decided upon each playthrough, with one of three main bosses chosen, and so there’s added replayability.
The Wild Adventures of Jumanji await
While still an action-adventure, Jumanji: Wild Adventures is four times bigger than the original as you explore uncharted jungles, scale icy mountains and dice with death near volcanoes. Environmental dangers, deadly traps and formidable bosses aren’t the only looming threat in these areas. Prepare to face foes including baboons, mercenaries, spiders, tribesmen, wolves, and more. Every character has their own unique abilities to help handle the problems ahead, which can be upgraded, so one of them is sure to suit your playstyle.
Getting together with others to enjoy the four-player couch co-op appears the best way to enjoy the experience. Just imagine slaying enemies, bouncing off of hippopotamus heads, solving puzzles, and dodging all sorts of traps alongside your friends. There’s nothing wrong with embarking upon the quest alone either though.
For those seeking treasure, Jumanji: Wild Adventures hits Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC on 3rd November, 2023.
TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition (Late 2023)
If you’re a fan of the TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK animated series, then you’re in for a treat as an action-packed game inspired by it is releasing later this year. That’s right, TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition is preparing for launch.
You’ll be put firmly in control of the hero, Bumblebee, as he drifts, drives, and fights his way across a new, and yet familiar, world. It aims to faithfully recreate the environment and feel of the ground-breaking animated series, which debuted last year, as Bumblebee sets off on his own adventure. He’s about to face off against a mysterious threat from his past and stop the series villain Dr. Meridian, aka ‘Mandroid’, from recovering missing pieces of an ancient technology.
Transformers roll out…
Expect to freely explore three massive biomes on your journey and complete quests from Terran allies, the first Earthborn robots, as well as new original characters from the TV series. While completing his mission Bumblebee will also fight against and alongside familiar names like Optimus Prime, Grimlock, Skullcruncher, Nova Storm, and Skywarp. A diverse range of upgrades and abilities are unlockable that allow access to previous locations, and help to discover secrets in previously inaccessible areas.
TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition has been designed with fans of all ages in mind, hence plenty of thought has been given in regards to the freedom of exploration, text legibility, control setups and difficulty curves. A variety of difficulty options are included so that the experience can be tailored according to individual ability, alongside mechanics that hope to limit frustration in combat; for example, directional warnings to help players identify incoming threats more easily. An assisted driving system is also in place, which offers an easier control scheme when in vehicle mode.
Get ready for battle when TRANSFORMERS: EARTHSPARK – Expedition arrives in 2023 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC.
What Outright Games titles will you play?
So there we have it, 5 of the best Outright Games family friendly titles to look forward to in 2023. Even as a grown-up, I’m excited to see how they turn out. But how about you? What do you make of these upcoming games?
Feel free to get in touch and share your thoughts via the comments section below or on one of our social media channels.
