Games of the Year 2021 Rated PEGI 12 and Younger

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.

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 explore the park, help other animals, and find seashells and even buried treasure.

Unpacking is a meditative puzzle game where you unpack belongings into a series of spaces, each representing a stage in life.

Unpacking is a meditative puzzle game where you unpack belongings into a series of spaces, each representing a stage in life. You get to know the owner of the objects by their possessions and circumstances.

Webbed is a running and jumping game with a twist - you play a spider who can make webs, swing, climb and all the while creating music as she goes.

Webbed is a running and jumping game with a twist - you play a spider who can make webs, swing, climb and all the while creating music as she goes. It follows the story of our happy little spider on an adventure to save her boyfriend from a big dumb bowerbird.

Before Your Eyes is a narrative game about an 11-year-old boy revisiting his life before "crossing over" to the other side.

Before Your Eyes is a narrative game about an 11-year-old boy revisiting his life before "crossing over" to the other side. You play by exploring scenes that represent snapshots of his life.

Townscaper is a creative town-building game where you pick colours from the range available and click to put down a house in the sea.

Townscaper is a creative town-building game where you pick colours from the range available and click to put down a house in the sea. As you continue to add houses of different colours the game automatically orientates the architecture for you.

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is a role-play adventure where you save the world from colourless darkness.

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

It Takes Two is a running, jumping and exploring game that tells the story of a young girl, Rose, whose parents are divorcing.

It Takes Two is a running, jumping and exploring game that tells the story of a young girl, Rose, whose parents are divorcing. The girl creates two dolls to represent her parents, which unexpectedly traps the clashing couple in them.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an adventure about a young girl who travels to an abandoned village in the hope of finding a sacred mountain shrine.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an adventure about a young girl who travels to an abandoned village in the hope of finding a sacred mountain shrine. To get there she must find and grow a team of charming spirit companions called the Rot, enhancing their abilities and creating new ways to manipulate the environment.

Osu! is a rhythm action game where you tap the screen in time to the music similar to the Elite Beat Agents games.

Osu! is a rhythm action game where you tap the screen in time to the music similar to the Elite Beat Agents games. This starts as a simple challenge but develops in speed and complexity.

Dorfromantik is a peaceful village-building strategy puzzle game for one player, inspired by tile-based board games like Carcassonne.

Dorfromantik is a peaceful village-building strategy puzzle game for one player, inspired by tile-based board games like Carcassonne. You have a stack of hexagonal tiles and work to match their edges while creating areas of towns, forests and fields to score points.

Hoa is an adventure game where you walk and jump through a hand-painted world as the mysterious main character.

Hoa is an adventure game where you walk and jump through a hand-painted world as the mysterious main character. You solve environmental puzzles and meet magical creatures while trying to find your way back home.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale is an adventure where you play an everyday dog thrust into the role of wielding a magic brush.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale is an adventure where you play an everyday dog thrust into the role of wielding a magic brush. The world starts black and white but you colour it in with your paintbrush to solve puzzles and help your animal friends.

Nuts is an adventure game where you play a rookie field researcher.

Nuts is an adventure game where you play a rookie field researcher. You use your camera, caravan, GPS and map to investigate the depths of the enigmatic Melmoth Forest.

Omno is a running, jumping and surfing game where you explore an ancient fantastical world.

Omno is a running, jumping and surfing game where you explore an ancient fantastical world. As you explore you meet all manner of strange and wonderful lifeforms, from cute critters to enigmatic giants.

Balan Wonderworld is a running, jumping and exploration game.

Balan Wonderworld is a running, jumping and exploration game. It draws on classic 3D platform games but with simpler controls and a more laid-back challenge.

Sable is an adventure game where you play a young girl, Sable, alone in the world, but bravely exploring ancient monuments, ruined architecture, and fallen ships to uncover her place in it.

Sable is an adventure game where you play a young girl, Sable, alone in the world, but bravely exploring ancient monuments, ruined architecture, and fallen ships to uncover her place in it. It's an adventure without combat that calls you to find your story in the Dune-like desert.

Loop Hero is a dungeon-exploring adventure game where you use cards to create a world for your character to survive.

Loop Hero is a dungeon-exploring adventure game where you use cards to create a world for your character to survive. Rather than control the hero yourself, you are tasked with playing cards to create a level that is hard enough to be rewarding without killing your hero character.

Wavetale is a surfing and jumping adventure in a world of sunken cities, dangerous water and oppressive fog.

Wavetale is a surfing and jumping adventure in a world of sunken cities, dangerous water and oppressive fog. You play as Sigrid, a young girl who works to restore the decaying archipelago and befriends a mysterious shadow that lets her walk on water.

Griftlands is an adventure game where you use cards to fight and negotiate your way through a broken-down sci-fi world.

Griftlands is an adventure game where you use cards to fight and negotiate your way through a broken-down sci-fi world. You will die or fail often, but then use your knowledge and growing deck of cards to have a better chance of survival on your next round of the game.

Pico Park is a collaborative puzzle game for up to 10 players where you traverse levels using one another to solve puzzles.

Pico Park is a collaborative puzzle game for up to 10 players where you traverse levels using one another to solve puzzles. It's a game about communication and physics as players work to position themselves to bridge a gap, use ropes to hang off ledges or unlock keys.

Wordle is a daily puzzle game where you (and anyone else playing that day) try and guess the secret word.

Wordle is a daily puzzle game where you (and anyone else playing that day) try and guess the secret word. You get six guesses that must be real words.

Boomerang X is a shooting platform game where you explore worlds and fight enemies with a boomerang-like shuriken weapon.

Boomerang X is a shooting platform game where you explore worlds and fight enemies with a boomerang-like shuriken weapon. Unusually, you can warp to your boomerang once thrown meaning you can slice, fly, and blast through arenas swarming with evil creatures.

Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is a traversal maze game where you guide Pierre from the bestselling children's books Pierre The Maze Detective to find a route through the city and recover the stolen Maze Stone.

Labyrinth City: Pierre the Maze Detective is a traversal maze game where you guide Pierre from the bestselling children's books Pierre The Maze Detective to find a route through the city and recover the stolen Maze Stone. Play involves exploring the cities by moving around and interacting with the people and things you find.

Spyder is a puzzle adventure where you play as Agent 8, a small 6-legged spider-robot that was designed by a British spy agency for attempting to stop an evil organization.

Spyder is a puzzle adventure where you play as Agent 8, a small 6-legged spider-robot that was designed by a British spy agency for attempting to stop an evil organization. You explore the world and can use your sticky legs to walk over any surface or use your grapple to swing around and solve puzzles.

Lego Builder's Journey is a narrative puzzle game but isn't what you expect it to be.

Lego Builder's Journey is a narrative puzzle game but isn't what you expect it to be. Rather than a brick-based puzzle for kids, it's more like a thoughtful and nostalgic work of art for adults.

Wildermyth is a medieval role-playing game about diverse heroes and themes.

Wildermyth is a medieval role-playing game about diverse heroes and themes. You take on evil in a number of stories, each with different heroes and settings.

Cruis’n Blast is a brash over-the-top racing game based on a series of big arcade machines.

Cruis’n Blast is a brash over-the-top racing game based on a series of big arcade machines. Competing with games like Ridge Racer, OutRun and Daytona USA, it offers whacky racing with big and bombastic visuals and characters.

Book of Travels is a role-playing game.

Book of Travels is a role-playing game. It's an unusual online game that focuses on the small rather than the massive.

The Artful Escape is a narrative adventure with running and jumping sections that combine platform action with music-playing.

The Artful Escape is a narrative adventure with running and jumping sections that combine platform action with music-playing. You are Francis Vendetti as he traverses the universe, jamming on his guitar and harmonising with the various bizarre creatures he encounters on his journey.

OCO is a sliding and jumping game set with simple colourful levels each set in a rotating planetoid.

OCO is a sliding and jumping game set with simple colourful levels each set in a rotating planetoid. Unlike other platform games, you control everything with a single button.

Sheepo is a running and jumping game where you explore a vibrant world in a quest to collect an egg from every species in the universe to save them from extinction.

Sheepo is a running and jumping game where you explore a vibrant world in a quest to collect an egg from every species in the universe to save them from extinction. You take on bosses like other platforming games, but here you use the surroundings rather than weapons to defeat them.

Cris Tales is a role-playing game where you see how your actions in the present affect the past and future.

Cris Tales is a role-playing game where you see how your actions in the present affect the past and future. You play as Crisbell in a cartoon-looking adventure through four Kingdoms in a bid to stop the powerful Time Empress and rewrite the future of the world.

Phantom Abyss is a running and jumping game where you charge through temples to get to the exit.

Phantom Abyss is a running and jumping game where you charge through temples to get to the exit. Your only tool is a whip that interacts with objects and can propel you forward.

ElecHead is a running and jumping puzzle game where you control a character who is a source of electricity.

ElecHead is a running and jumping puzzle game where you control a character who is a source of electricity. With this power, you activate the platforms you need to progress in unusual and puzzling ways.

Chessplosion is an action, puzzle game where you drop chess pieces on a board to trigger bombs in the shape of their related chess moves.

Chessplosion is an action, puzzle game where you drop chess pieces on a board to trigger bombs in the shape of their related chess moves. Your aim is to use the different pieces (and bomb attacks) to trap opponents like Bomberman.

Circuit Superstars is a simple racing game viewed from above.

Circuit Superstars is a simple racing game viewed from above. Up to four players control a car and race around a complex track.

Jett: The Far Shore is a sci-fi adventure where you play inquisitive pilot Mei, exploring a mysterious planet on a nimble jet-powered craft.

Jett: The Far Shore is a sci-fi adventure where you play inquisitive pilot Mei, exploring a mysterious planet on a nimble jet-powered craft. It draws on films like 2001: Space Odyssey and takes its time building atmosphere.

Slice and Dice is a small retro adventure game you play by rolling dice to progress with your five heroes.

Slice and Dice is a small retro adventure game you play by rolling dice to progress with your five heroes. More than this, the faces on the dice represent your party and determine not only who can attack or defend but how likely you are to roll them.

Eagle Island is a running and jumping adventure where you play Quill and his owl companion Koji as they uncover the secrets of Eagle Island.

Eagle Island is a running and jumping adventure where you play Quill and his owl companion Koji as they uncover the secrets of Eagle Island. You work your way through levels using falconry-inspired attacks to take down enemies.