What makes a great game for kids? BAFTA nominees reveal top tips for winning over young players

The BAFTA Games Awards 2026 with Google Play are taking place this Friday, and there are four brave companies going up against Nintendo in the Family Game category.

In this week’s issue of Radio Times magazine — a kid’s special with Balamory on the cover! — we learned from the experts that gaming does have some benefits for young people, with "problem-solving and fine motorskills" among the positives mentioned.

And now, we’re bringing you insights from the people behind all four of the games that are facing Nintendo in this year's Family Game category at the BAFTAs.

"I've been a massive Nintendo fan forever," said Kirsty Rigden, the CEO behind PowerWash Simulator 2, over Zoom.

Luke Finaly-Maxwell, the lead designer of Two Point Museum, added on a separate call, "What an honour to be considered amongst games that Nintendo have made, and with that pedigree and what they're known for, their sense of family and accessibility. It's just really amazing."

But if you were looking to make your own kid’s game, what are some of the best things you can do? And why do kids love these games that have been nominated? Keep on reading and you’ll find out!

Describing her company’s UK-made game, PowerWash Simulator 2, Rigden told us, "It's pretty much what it says on the tin.

"You power wash dirt away from items, usually vehicles or buildings. There's something incredibly cathartic about removing the dirt from something and seeing the bright contrast. It's so mindful that you're just focused on it. There's no threat, there's no antagonist, there's no timer. You can just lose yourself, and you can play it however you want.

So, why do kids like it? Rigden explained, "It's really colourful. And each level is completely different and exciting. And they can't mess it up, so it's just a case of pure progress, pure reward. And it's also quite a good space to become comfortable with first-person controls, because there is no threat."

And what makes a good game for kids? "I think anything where children can feel like they've got complete ownership over what's going on, and they're not having to go, 'Can you do this for me? Can you do this bit?'"

Luke Finaly-Maxwell, the lead designer of Two Point Museum, explained his company’s UK-made game like so: "You take on the role of a museum creator. But all our games have this kind of wacky, absurd style, and so you're not getting a normal fossil. You're going to get like a giant footprint, or a caveman trapped in ice, or the skeleton of a Unihornus… which is a unicorn dinosaur."

So, why do kids like it? "The great thing about young people playing is that they give you very candid feedback. The types of jokes they responded to were different to the types of jokes we did. Like, within our wildlife expansion, we have a fart bug. And we all were like, 'Yeah, that's fairly funny. Yeah, that's quite cool'. But when children start playing it, they'd absolutely love it."

And what makes a good game for kids? "It goes back to that sense of being able to experiment and fail in a safe space. Kids are naturally very inquisitive, and I know when I played games as a kid, I was always trying to break the boundaries or explore the different parts that I wasn't supposed to. And I think building that into the structure of a game, and allowing for that, children appreciate that."

Looking beyond the UK, about as far away as you can get, the Sydney-based SMG Studio made a game called LEGO Party.

What’s it all about? Game director Mark Fennell told us, "It’s a wild and wacky party game packed to the brim with creative mini-games, and four exciting challenge zones. It’s basically organised chaos in LEGO form!

"We also really 'embraced the brick,' so 97% of the characters, all of the environment, the UI, and visual effects were built using LEGO bricks! Set in a wild gameshow, with over 13,000 lines of dialogue, it's friend-making, friend-breaking fun!"

So, why do kids like it? Fennell said, "It is bright, readable, energetic, and a bit unpredictable. There is also a lot of cheek and mischief in it. Things go wrong in funny ways, and that sort of chaos is always a good time.

"And the LEGO just compounds that. Kids already understand that world as a place where anything can happen, and that sense of play carries straight into the game."

And what makes a good game for kids? Fennell believes it needs to be "fast to fun, but then also have enough depth to keep them coming back. Gameplay is key, it should make players feel clever, give them agency quickly, and reward curiosity.

"But a great game is a great game regardless of audience, and kids get quality. Kids are also very smart and probably better gamers than many adults."

Ausiàs Dalmau Roig, co-founder of the Barcelona-based studio behind Is This Seat Taken, explained of his creation "It’s a puzzle game where you play matchmaker for groups of particularly picky people.

"So imagine you are in a bus and you like to sit by the window, and then the person that sits next to you smells bad, so you don't want that. So that's basically the game, like sorting everybody, everybody has some preferences or some small things that they like, and your job is to organise everyone. It's like a small Sudoku, but with shapes."

So, why do kids like it? "First of all, it's very polished. And when you place someone, it's very rewarding. So there's this instant feedback. And also it's very easy to learn. Everything is very intuitive, so anyone can play it, from a kid to all the people that are not players, who usually don't play."

And what makes a good game for kids? "If it’s fun, and they learn logical reasoning, and it helps them develop. And it will, maybe later, help them with other problems that they will encounter. We've seen feedback from teachers that show our game in their classes so that the kids can solve the levels together, because it helps with logical reasoning. So that's great."

And how do these developers feel about being up against Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World in this category?

Fennell said, "If anything, it’s an honour and great recognition. Nintendo has a great eye for quality and gameplay, so to be limbering up and punching in this weight class with these heavy hitters... is freaking awesome!"

James Milenkovic, Executive Producer on LEGO Party, noted that "Nintendo are the heavyweights for a reason! They have been the best in the business for an extraordinary amount of time because of the love and craft they put into their games."

"It's absolutely nuts" going up against them, Rigden said, before adding, "I so admire what they do. They are the ultimate in creating family fun games.

"I mean, it's a bit weird, to be honest, being put alongside them. They should definitely win."

The BAFTA Games Awards 2026 with Google Play take place on 17 April at 7:15 BST.

In the meantime, you can check out our interview with host Elz the Witch.

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.