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Empowering The Young

It's easy to assume video games are a disempowering experience for young players, drawing them away from more edifying activities. However there are a lot of games where young players find empowerment.

By becoming the hero of the story, or taking charge of their own bodies and destinies, these video game adventures offer a unique way for children to step forward into life.

This list includes 39 games from the last 22 years, with 1,346 likes. They come from a range of different genres and play-styles and are all good games if you want to children to be the heroes.

List Details

PEGI Ratings: PEGI 3 to PEGI 18
ESRB Ratings: ESRB EVERYONE to ESRB MATURE 17+
Australian Ratings: G to MA 15+
Genres: Action, Adventure, Battle, Brain Game, Collecting, Communication, Creative, Fighting, Narrative, Physically Active, Platform, Point-and-Click, Puzzle, Race, Rhythm, Role-Play, Sequencing, Shooting, Simulation, Sports, Stealth, Strategy, Traversal and World Building
Total Likes: 1,346

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A Short Hike

Release Date: 05/04/2019, updated in 2021

Out Now: Mac, PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Coming Soon: PS5

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Open World, Pixels and Weather

A Short Hike is an adventure traversal game where you play the penguin-like character Claire, who needs to climb a mountain in a beautiful national park to receive an important phone call. Presented in cute pixel graphics, the game invites you to...

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure

Release Date: 11/12/2020

Out Now: Apple TV, Mac, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One and iOS

Skill Rating: 5+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Alba: A Wildlife Adventure is an adventure game where you play as a young girl who starts a wildlife conservation club. When Alba visits her grandparents on a Mediterranean island, she is excited for a summer of exploring with her friend Ines. But when...

Rainbow Billy

Release Date: 05/10/2021

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon and Hand-Made

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is a role-play adventure where you save the world from a colourless darkness. Unusually, battles are won through listening and conversation rather than traditional attacks. It combines the excitement and...

Apico

Release Date: 20/05/2022, updated in 2022

Out Now: Mac, PC and Switch

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead, Day and Night, Grid and Pixels

Apico is a simulation game where you play a beekeeper and conservationist. You explore environments, breed rare bees and release them into the wild while growing your business. There are no enemies, time constraints or set objectives so you can focus on...

A Plague Tale: Innocence

Release Date: 14/05/2019, updated in 2021

Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5 and Xbox One

Coming Soon: Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 14+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

A Plague Tale: Innocence follows Amicia and her little brother Hugo as they use stealth to escape soldiers and swarms of rats. Against the stark threat and darkness of the world, the sibling relationship develops as the two learn to trust one another....

Knights And Bikes!

Release Date: 26/08/2019, updated in 2020

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Hand-Made

Knights And Bikes! is a hand-painted adventure in a fictional late-eighties British island. You work together as Nessa and Demelza to explore its coast on bikes to find treasure, mystery and trouble. There’s fighting with frisbees, water balloons,...

Ni no Kuni

Ni no Kuni (Series)

Release Date: 09/12/2010, updated in 2018

Out Now: DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 11+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Ni no Kuni is a series of adventure video games where you play a young character with an important mission. The first games follow Oliver, and his journey to another world to save his mother. The sequel, Revenant Kingdom, follows Evan Pettiwhisker...

Ico

PEGI 7 Video Game Age Rating for Ico in UK and Europe

Ico

Release Date: 24/09/2001, updated in 2011

Out Now: PS2 and PS3

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Ico is a running, jumping and exploring game where you rescue a princess from her evil mother. You take her hand to help her escape, guiding her along the pathways and protecting her from the hordes of enemies. Together, you jump chasms and scale walls...

Young Souls

Release Date: 16/08/2021, updated in 2022

Out Now: PC, PS4, Stadia, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead

Young Souls is a side-on fighting game about two drop-out teenagers whose mentor disappears. Gameplay is divided into two distinct worlds: the modern human world and a dark, twisted world of goblins and monsters. You brawl and crunch your way through...

Röki

PEGI 12 Video Game Age Rating for Rki in UK and Europe

Röki

Release Date: 23/07/2020

Out Now: Switch

Coming Soon: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 2D Side-On and Cartoon

Röki is a Scandinavian folklore point-and-click style adventure game where you play Tove on a journey to save her family. As you help her to come to terms with loss, you explore deep into a snowy fairytale landscape with strange locations and creatures.

Never Alone

Release Date: 18/12/2014

Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One and iOS

Components: 2D Side-On and Hand-Made

Never Alone is a running, jumping and exploring game based on the traditional Iñupiaq tale, "Kunuuksaayuka". You swap between controlling an Iñupiaq girl named Nuna and her Arctic fox companion as you complete puzzles and move the story forwards.

Psychonauts 2

Psychonauts 2 (Series)

Release Date: 25/08/2021

Out Now: Mac, PC, PS2, PS4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D First-Person, 3D Third-Person, Cartoon, Dice and Hand-Made

Psychonauts 2 is a running, jumping and puzzle solving game where you play Raz who has psychic abilities that let him delve into the minds of others. In the game, you control Raz as he enters their mental worlds and uses other Psi-Powers (telekinesis,...

Eastward

Release Date: 16/09/2021

Out Now: PC, Switch and Xbox One

Coming Soon: Xbox Series X|S

Components: 2D Overhead, Blocks and Pixels

Eastward is a adventure game about a miner who meets a young girl in a secret facility. Together you explore the decaying cities and discover the truth about her origins and what’s behind the creatures who are destroying everything. The narrative is...

Toem

Release Date: 17/09/2021

Out Now: PC

Components: 2D Overhead and Hand-Made

Toem is a small adventure about helping people. You play a small figure travelling through black and white, hand-drawn, Scandinavian-style landscapes. As you encounter characters and architectural environments you hear about the problems people have and...

Rime

Release Date: 26/05/2017

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon and Open World

Rime is an adventure on an island where you play a boy led by a fox-like spirit as a guide. To progress through the beautiful environments you solve puzzles across five large levels. You can run, climb, carry objects, and push or pull larger objects...

El Hijo - A Wild West Tale

Release Date: 03/12/2020

Out Now: PS4, Stadia, Switch and Xbox One

Coming Soon: PC

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead

El Hijo - A Wild West Tale is a stealth puzzle game, where you play a 6-year-old boy on his quest to find his mother. It's a non-violent adventure game where you must sneak past the dangers of the Wild West to build self-confidence, cunning, and new...

Lost in Random

Release Date: 10/09/2021

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Cards, Dice and Hand-Made

Lost in Random is an adventure where you play an anthropomorphic dice and a young girl called Even. In her world, when she turns 12 she must roll a magical die to be assigned a region to live in and a life to live. But seeing her sister go through this...

Concrete Genie

Release Date: 20/08/2019

Out Now: PS4

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

Concrete Genie is a running and jumping game about a young boy, who is isolated and bullied, in this exploration platform game with a twist. Using motion controls and buttons you can draw beautiful graffiti on the buildings, which come to life. These...

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead (Series)

Release Date: 24/04/2012, updated in 2018

Out Now: Amazon Fire, Android, Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One and iOS

Components: 3D Third-Person

Walking Dead is a survival adventure game series. You explore locations and gather a ragtag group of survivors. How you interact with each of them and make decisions about various dangers results in a branching story where no one is guaranteed to survive.

Papo and Yo

Release Date: 14/08/2012

Out Now: Mac, PC and PS3

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person

In the game Papo & Yo you play as a young boy, Quico, exploring a Brazilian city slum. As you solve puzzles and perform well-timed jumps to progress through the city, you must also deal with a monster – both real and metaphorically representing your...

Costume Quest

Costume Quest (Series)

Release Date: 19/10/2010, updated in 2011

Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One and iOS

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Cartoon and Hand-Made

Costume Quest is an adventure game where you play a trick-or-treating child when they encounter a monster that kidnaps your sibling. You travel the neighbourhood collecting items for your costume, candy and fellow children as companions in order to face...

Lost Words: Beyond the Page

Release Date: 01/12/2019, updated in 2021

Out Now: PC, PS4, Stadia and Switch

Coming Soon: Mac and Xbox One

Components: 3D Third-Person and Hand-Made

Lost Words is an adventure game where you run, jump and explore inside a young girl’s diary. You control Izzy as she writes her diary by walking on words, moving them around and solving different puzzles. This develops two parallel stories, one about...

Echo Generation

Release Date: 21/10/2021

Out Now: Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Coming Soon: PC

Components: 2D Overhead and Blocks

Echo Generation is an adventure set during the summer of 1993. You and your friends set out to investigate the source of a mysterious crash. Complete quests, battle monsters and level up your party to save your hometown from danger in a heroic tale of...

Frogun

Release Date: 02/08/2022, updated in 2023

Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead, Blocks and Cartoon

Frogun is a traversal game where you use a frog-shaped gun to interact with the world and navigate the levels. You play Renata, who comes from a family of explorers, archaeologists and inventors but finds herself alone in the jungle. It's a classic...

Little Bug

Release Date: 25/09/2018

Out Now: Mac and PC

Components: 2D Side-On and Cartoon

Little Bug is a running and jumping game where you move through a surreal, abstract world by swinging on ropes. Unlike similar games, you control both character movement and the position of a helper spirit that can shoot and levitate you. This unusual...

Ikenfell

Release Date: 08/10/2020

Out Now: Mac, PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Components: 2D Overhead, Grid, Open World and Pixels

Ikenfell is a turn based role play game where you use timing to power spells and block attacks. You explore the twisted halls of a vast magic school, a bit like Harry Potter, fight monsters and uncover hidden treasure and dark secrets.

Lost Winds

Lost Winds (Series)

Release Date: 12/05/2008, updated in 2016

Out Now: PC, Wii and iOS

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 2D Side-On

LostWinds is a running and jumping video game with a difference. As well as controlling a young boy named Toku you also control the wind. On the Wii, you do this by gesturing with the Wii Remote controller, on iOS you draw the direction on the screen. A...

Tomodachi Life

Release Date: 06/06/2014

Out Now: 3DS and 2DS

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead and Cartoon

Tomodachi Life is a social simulation game where you develop an island to accommodate inhabitants and offer them a fuller life. You do this by interacting with islanders and solving their problems to earn buildings that expand the options for your...

Pekoe

Release Date: Coming soon

Coming Soon: PC

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 2D Side-On and Cartoon

Pekoe is a simulation game about making tea for fussy cats. You play by blending tea and making friends with the felines. Unlike other brewing games, here you literally pour and stir with your mouse. Getting the perfect brew is important, but more...

Beacon Pines

Release Date: 22/09/2022

Out Now: PC, Switch and Xbox One

Coming Soon: Xbox Series X|S

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 2D Side-On and Hand-Made

Beacon Pines is a storybook adventure game where you play as a small fawn named Luka trying to solve a mystery in a creepy town full of intrigue. You play by collecting words that change the story, so you can go back through the book to play out...

Miitopia

Release Date: 08/12/2016, updated in 2021

Out Now: 3DS and 2DS and Switch

Skill Rating: 7+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead and Cartoon

Miitopia is a role-playing adventure game where you embark on a quest to save your friends and thwart a Dark Lord's evil plans. You do this by recruiting various cartoon-looking characters to join your party in turn-based battles with the Dark Lord's...

The Cub

Release Date: Coming soon

Coming Soon: PC

Components: 2D Side-On and Cartoon

The Cub is a retro running and jumping game where you play a small child in the same post-environmental disaster as Highwater and Golf Wasteland. It's like playing a classic console platform game but with modern parkour movement and puzzles to bring it...

Toroa

Release Date: Coming soon

Coming Soon: PC

Skill Rating: 9+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person, Open World and Weather

Toroa is a traversal game where you soar, swoop and glide across the vast Pacific Ocean as a Northern Royal Albatross. You take on an epic journey to help of Māori God of the winds, Tāwhirimātea and discover the wonders of the sea and sky.

Melodyssey

Release Date: Coming soon

Coming Soon: PC

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 2D Overhead, Blocks and Grid

Melodyssey is a music puzzle game in a calm stress free exploration adventure. You play a young child journeying through a musical landscape looking for musical inspiration. It stands out for the pastel presentation, simple block moving thinky puzzles...

The Little Acre

Release Date: 13/12/2016

Out Now: PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 8+ year-olds

Components: 2D Side-On and Hand-Made

The Little Acre is an animated adventure game set in 1950's Ireland. You play Aidan and his heroic daughter Lily, on a quest to find her grandfather. Like Monkey Island, this is a point-and-click adventure, but fully voice acted and animated like a...

Wii Play

Wii Play (Series)

Release Date: 02/12/2006, updated in 2011

Out Now: Wii

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Wii Play is a collection of multi-player party games originally designed for the Nintendo Wii and its motion controller.

Paper Ghost Stories: Third Eye Open

Release Date: Coming soon

Coming Soon: PC

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Hand-Made

Third Eye Open is a creepy narrative adventure set in early 2000s Malaysia. In its paper-theatre world you join Ting, a 5-year-old girl trying to come to terms with her supernatural powers. You play in point-and-click fashion, exploring the hand-drawn...

Perfect Tides

Release Date: 22/02/2022

Out Now: Mac and PC

Components: 2D Overhead, Day and Night, Pixels and Weather

Perfect Tides is a point-and-click coming of age adventure set in 2000. You play Mara as they explore the world, collecting items and talking to the people they meet to unfold a story about the agony and anticipation of being a teen.

Zeepkist

Release Date: 28/01/2022

Out Now: PC

Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds

Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon

Zeepkist is a game where you race engine-less kart down hills and obstacle courses. In your simple go-kart you use gravity to get down tracks as fast as you can. It works because it's simple, and doesn't muddy that fun with too much else.

Curated lists:
Game genre:
Style of Play:
Components:

How long to play:
User-generated content:	No
Accessibility features:	Yes

Controls
Gamepad:
Mouse And Keyboard:
Touchscreen:
Motion:	Motion Aiming Motion Pointing Motion Tilting Motion Gesture Motion Camera
Remap Controls:
Button Combinations:	Holding Down Buttons Optional Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional No Simultaneous Buttons
Controller Vibration:
Sensitivity:

Getting Started
Onboarding Before Play:
Assistance Getting Starting:	Tutorials Practice Area View Control Mapping Assistance With Controls Reaction-Time Not Critical Low Pressure Adjust Speed No Jump Scares
Assistance For Progressing:	Guaranteed Progress With God Mode Bank Progress With Frequent Checkpoints Assisted Progress With Boosts Assisted Progress With Hints Assisted Recall for Characters Assisted Recall for Narrative and Dialogue Save Progress Anytime

Reading
Reading Level:
Text Visibility:	Large Clear Text High Contrast Text
Subtitles:
Captions:
Voice Acted:

Navigation
Clarity:
Head-Up Display:
Menu Navigation:

Visual
Contrast:
Interactive Elements:
Visual Distractions:
Audio Cues for Visual Events:
Narration for Visual Elements:
	Motion Sickness Friendly
Colour Options:
Play Without Sight:
Violence:

Audio
	Balance Audio Levels
Audio Events:
	Play Without Hearing

Communication
Player-to-Player Online Communication:
Online Communication Assistance:

Difficulty
Difficulty Options:	Simple and Full Version No Memorisation Advantage No Hidden Information No Deceit Advantage No Colour Advantage No Mathematics Advantage No Weighing Decisions

Getting Started
Assistance Getting Started:	Clear Manual Electronic Version of Manual Electronic Version of Manual for Screen Readers Getting Started Video Digital Version Reference Aid
Assistance Progressing:	Play Order Tokens (Or play order doesn’t change) Reaction-Time Not Critical Low Pressure Low Impact Catch Up Rule

Reading
Reading Level:
Necessary Text Visibility:	Large Clear Text on Board (Or no text required) Large Clear Text on Cards (Or no text required) High Contrast Text (Or no text required) QR Code For Text (Or no text required) Primary and Secondary Text Distinguishable (Or no text required) Information Orientation Clear Icons

Physical
Pieces:	Components are Distinguishable by Touch Components are Replaceable No Non-Standard Dice (Or No Dice) No Tiny Pieces No Paper Money No Sprawl
Cards:	Large Card Size Standard Card Shape Limited Hand Management No Excessive Card Shuffling No Right-Handed Advantage
Placement:	No Unbound Placement Player Components Not Shared No Fiddly Placement Easily Verbalised Actions

Visual
Printed Visibility:	Colour Blind Friendly Design Double-Coding Colour High Contrast Colours
Component Identifiability:	Outline Key Elements No Busy Backgrounds Easily Verbalised Game State No Close Inspection Disadvantage Playable Without Sight

Audio
Communication:	Audio Cues Mirrored Visually (Or no critical audio signals) No Pressured Reveals No Pressured Communication Playable Without Hearing

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Gender and Sexuality Choices:
Gender Representation:
Sexual Orientation Representation:

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Empowering The Young

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