Despite the somewhat violent sounding genre label, hack and slash games make great entry level games for early gamers.
Easy to pick up, and often not requiring much more than mashing of some buttons, the hack and slash genre can be great for younger gamers looking to develop their gaming skills.
But what hack and slash games are suitable for children?
Read on for our choices for the best hack and slash games for kids.
1/ Mini Ninjas
Platform – PC, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360
Mini Ninjas is an absolutely adorable game that young gamers will love.
Set out on a quest to rescue your fellow ninjas, defeat the evil warlord, and even rescue some animals along the way!
You can beat the game either by using basic hack and slash attacks. Or older gamers might want to master magic, and special combo moves.
Still a great looking game today considering it was first released in 2009.
Younger gamers will find this easy to pick up, however might require some help reading the signs scattered across the maps.
Also the bosses can be somewhat challenging, and require a little help from an older person. The game however does a great job at guiding you through the boss encounters.
Mini Ninjas is a great entry level game for young gamers. Action packed, hilarious, wholesome gaming fun.
2/ Minecraft Dungeons
Platform – PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Minecraft Dungeons is a hack and slash spin-off from the hugely popular Minecraft.
Moving away from the mining and building origins of Minecraft, the focus here is battling monsters whilst exploring dungeons.
Features the unmistakable visual style of the original Minecraft, and also a nice soundtrack too.
Younger kids will enjoy hacking and slashing their way through the level. Where older players may enjoy mastering weapons such as bows, and even adding enchantments to improve their weapons.
This isn’t a particularly scary, or violent game. However particularly young players may find some of the dark dungeon areas somewhat intimidating. Be aware also that there are skeleton and zombie like enemies in here.
Enjoy as either a single player game, 4 player local multiplayer, or online multiplayer.
A great choice for adults and children who wish to game together.
3/ Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Platform – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/X/S, PC
Play through all nine Star Wars saga films in a LEGO video game unlike any other.
Experience action, fun-filled adventures, and goofy humor.
Simply mash the attack buttons to pull of combos with ease. More experienced gamers may wish to master throwing the lightsaber, or even using the force to pickup and throw items from the environment. You can even utilise blasters for those who prefer aiming and shooting enemies.
There are also levels where you can race, or fly. So a great deal of variety in the gameplay here.
Follow a linear story, or engage in a number of side missions as you please.
You can either play alone, or as couch co-op.
The graphics are amazing, and the environments look like they were pulled straight out of a movie. And the attention to detail with the Lego models is incredible also.
Simply great hack and slash action for fans of the Star Wars franchise.
4/ Riverbond
Platform – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Riverbond could be described as the younger brother to Minecraft Dungeons.
This game feels like a very basic version of the above, which particularly young gamers will find accessible.
You can get away with playing game just by using movement and the attack button.
I love the warm colours of the environments in this game, and the nice calming soundtrack.
I also love how over the top the skins and weapons are that you can collect. Ever felt like playing a game as a piece of crispy bacon? Want to dual-wield some Upvote arrows as weapons? Well Riverbond has you covered. Although I did think the choice of including a Jason Voorhees skin was an odd one for a game aimed at children.
Up to 4 players can play Riverbond as couch co-op.
A great entry level game for young gamers looking to play a fun and exciting adventure game.
5/ Spyro + Crash Remastered
Platform – Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One/X/S, PC
Two legendary gaming characters are back in remastered form with Spyro + Crash Remastered.
This package includes two fully remastered trilogies. The Spyro™ Reignited Trilogy and Crash Bandicoot™ N. Sane Trilogy.
The Crash Bandicoot games are primarily a mix of platform, and hack and slash gaming, with some racing also thrown in.
Spyro enables you to take control of a young dragon, with a large focus of the game being around item collection in order to progress. However you also rely on combat when needed,
Spyro looks on the surface to be quite similar to Crash Bandicoot, and they are similar in many ways.
However Crash Bandicoot focusses on quite intense, short busts of action, in more linear level.
Where Spyro has a more slower pace, and encourages you to explore the environment more.
These remasters have been really well done, and aren’t just about updating the graphics.
Two game franchises loved by previous gaming generations, and sure to be loved by future ones thanks to these remasters.
6/ Ratchet & Clank Series
Platform – Playstation
One of the most popular gaming franchises for the Playstation, Ratchet and Clank have appeared in 17 games to date.
Although technically a third person shooter, hack and slash fans are sure to feel at home with this series.
The most recent iteration is Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, and is available on the PlayStation 5.
Despite its cartoony graphics, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart does require a degree of gaming skill and experience.
So I would say this is one for slightly more experienced gamer, and young entry level gamers may find themselves frustrated if they aren’t adept at aiming accurately using a controller.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a really charming and action packed game overall, with probably the best gameplay and graphics in any game in the series.
7/ The Jak and Daxter Collection
Platform – PS3, PS4, PS Vita
The Jak and Daxter Collection (known in some areas as The Jak and Daxter Trilogy) is a collection of the remastered ports of the first three games in the Jak and Daxter series.
Become the team of a dashing hero (Jak) and their wise-cracking sidekick (Daxter), for a mix of platforming, action, racing, and puzzle solving.
This game is reminiscent of the classic Mario 64 with it’s focus on exploring a colorful 3d environment, and collecting items.
The environments are easy to navigate, and enemies can be dispatched with a quick strike of the attack button.
The cut scenes where you get to see interactions between Jack/Daxter and other characters can be pretty hilarious.
However be aware you may hear certain words you might not wish your children to hear, like cr*p, p*ssed, and a*s for example.
This doesn’t take away from the fact that these games were some of the best in their genre for the time.
And it is nice that you can pick up this on the Playstation store and enjoy the games in up-rendered 1080p.
Conclusion
So there we have it, our list of the best hack and slash games for kids.
There is something for everyone in this list, whether it be for a young gamer first starting out, or the slightly older child with a bit more gaming experience.
We hope you found this list useful, please check out our other gaming articles here.