The 2024 games I played with my kids — and the ones I played alone

In 2007, I started marking the end of the prior year by publishing a list of all the video games I played in the preceding 12 months.

I’ve changed my approach since then, especially this time, as I look back at the 110 (or so) video games I played in 2024.

Today’s list is divided into shorter lists. First, there are the 2024 games–and some older games–that I played with my son and daughter in the past year. The twins both just turned eight and have been gaming with me since 5 ½, though only on Switch until we added a second platform this year (guess why!).

After the list of games I played with my kids is the rundown of games I played alone. I’m excluding any that aren’t out yet and that I only played for work. I may have forgotten a game or two as well. That tends to happen.

When I started making these lists, as a young reporter for MTV News, I was trying to make a case for finishing games. I was distressed that the finales of too many games went unseen. I would do my part to normalize the act of getting to the end of what we’re playing. That first list, published in early 2007, was 102 games long, and I marked off the 21 games I had “finished.” Half Life 2: Episode 1! Chibi Robo! Suikoden V! And so on.

By 2017 (269 games played in 2016; a second straight year of not getting to Bloodborne) I dropped the bit about completing games. I switched to recommending my favorites. That seemed more useful for readers.

After writing my 2019 run-through, I took a break from these lists. But I have brought it back now, thanks to the urging of Polygon editor-in-chief Chris Plante. (He said he liked them! I think he wasn’t joking?)

I hope you’ll find some interesting games below. I think I found some hidden gems. Please also let me know what I’m missing, what the kids might like, which games I should give more time to and so on. And, yes, it’s silly that I played 70 hours of a game I didn’t love when there was so much else to play.

A caveat: Via my work, I got access to most of these games via free review copies.

And if you are in a rush: Scroll to the bottom for my nine favorite games of 2024!

New 2024 games I played with my kids

Older games I introduced to them

Games from previous years that we kept playing in 2024

Games from prior years that I started in 2024 (without the kids)

Games from prior years that I went back to (without the kids)

The rest of what I played