Looking for something everyone can actually enjoy after the turkey has gone in? Whether you have sports fans, party-game addicts, or relatives who never touch a pad, these are the best Thanksgiving video games for the whole family in 2025. Every pick works brilliantly on the sofa, supports multiple players, and keeps the tone light enough for mixed ages.
At-a-glance: the games on this list
– That’s You!
– Madden NFL 26
– Overcooked! All You Can Eat
– Just Dance 2026 Edition
– Nippon Marathon
– Super Mario Party Jamboree
That’s You!
Platforms: PS4 (PlayLink, playable on PS5 via backwards compatibility)
Players: 2–6 local or online
PEGI: 12 (innuendo and mild bad language)
Typical price: Around £10–£15 / $10–$20
Perfect for: Families who love quizzes and silly selfies.
That’s You! is a party quiz game where your phone is the controller. Everyone snaps a selfie, connects to the PS4 over Wi-Fi, and then answers questions, doodles over each other’s faces, and votes on who in the group is “most likely to…” in a whole range of daft scenarios.
It works brilliantly for mixed groups because the app handles all the input. If your uncle has never held a DualSense in his life, he can still tap, swipe, and scribble on his phone. Rounds move between drawing, posing, and voting, so quieter players still get to contribute without being put on the spot.
Why it works on Thanksgiving
– Questions and prompts are all about each other, not obscure trivia.
– Easy to drop new players in between rounds.
– Perfect for gently roasting relatives without going too far.
Things to watch
– The humour skews teen and up, which is why it carries a PEGI 12.
– Rounds can feel long if you play several full games back-to-back.
Madden NFL 26
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Players: 1–4 local, online multiplayer
PEGI: Typically 3 / E for Everyone (check your region)
Typical price: Around £59.99 / $69.99 (often discounted by late November)
Perfect for: NFL obsessives and families who want a “proper” sports match on the TV.
Madden NFL 26 is the obvious pick if Thanksgiving already means American football in your house. This year’s instalment leans into faster gameplay, smarter AI, and more personality in Franchise and Superstar modes, so it feels more alive than recent entries.
For local play, it shines in quick-play matches and party-style tournaments. You can let the hardcore fan take on play-calling duties while everyone else just worries about passing, running, and not immediately hurling an interception. Difficulty sliders and assist options make it possible for casual players to compete without being demolished on every drive.
Why it works on Thanksgiving
– Perfect between-course entertainment while real NFL is on mute in the background.
– Great for friendly rivalries between fans of different teams.
– Short matches fit neatly between kitchen duties.
Things to watch
– The controls and playbooks are still dense for total newcomers.
– If nobody cares about the sport, this one is a hard sell.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
Players: Up to 4 local and online co-op
PEGI: 3
Typical price: Around £25–£30 / $30–$40
Perfect for: Families who thrive on chaos and shouting… in a good way.
Overcooked! All You Can Eat bundles Overcooked, Overcooked 2, and all DLC into one definitive package, remastered and with full online support. In each level you are a team of chefs trying to chop, cook, and serve orders in increasingly ridiculous kitchens – on moving trucks, sinking ice floes, haunted castles, and more.
Local co-op for up to four players is the real star. You have to communicate constantly (“Who is on washing up? Who has the rice? Why is the kitchen on fire again?”), which makes it perfect for siblings and cousins who like a bit of frantic teamwork. The controls are simple enough that non-gamers can contribute once they have done a couple of practice runs.
Why it works on Thanksgiving
– The theme – trying to plate meals under pressure – fits the day a bit too well.
– Short levels mean people can rotate in and out easily.
– Fantastic if you need a high-energy, laughter-heavy hour before dessert.
Things to watch
– It can get genuinely stressful; not everyone enjoys the pressure.
– Best with four players who are ready to communicate rather than sulk.
Just Dance 2026 Edition
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Players: Up to 6 local (modes vary)
PEGI: 3
Typical Price: Around £34.99–£39.99 / $39.99–$49.99
Perfect for: Big, mixed-age gatherings where you need to get everyone moving.
Just Dance 2026 Edition is the latest annual party from Ubisoft, with around 40 new tracks covering current chart hits, older classics, and family-friendly favourites. You mimic on-screen choreographies using your phone, Joy-Con, or camera-supported controls, which makes it very easy to set up in the living room.
The new Party Mode mixes up each routine with playful twists, while the camera-based scoring finally lets you dance hands-free, tracking your full body rather than just a waving controller. It works brilliantly for kids, teens, and adults who are willing to look a bit daft for a few minutes in exchange for a lot of laughter.
Why it works on Thanksgiving
– Gets people off the sofa and helps walk off the extra stuffing.
– Spectator-friendly: even non-dancers enjoy watching and cheering.
– Great for multi-generational line-ups, from kids to grandparents.
Things to watch
– Some tracks are more demanding, so be mindful of mobility and space.
– You will want a reasonably stable internet connection for streaming content.
Nippon Marathon
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Players: Up to 4 local multiplayer
PEGI/ESRB: Check per platform (usually 7+ / T-equivalent)
Typical price: Around £9.99–£14.99 / $10–$20
Perfect for: Families with a taste for the bizarre.
Nippon Marathon is a physics-driven party racer where up to four players sprint, stumble, and throw fruit at each other across exaggerated Japanese locations. One moment you are sprinting over market stalls, the next you are being interviewed mid-race by a flying TV presenter. The controls are intentionally wobbly, so half the fun comes from seeing everyone wipe out in the most ridiculous way possible.
Compared with more polished racers, it is cheerfully scruffy and absolutely not to be taken seriously. That makes it ideal when you want something low-stakes and absurd rather than ultra-competitive. It also tends to level the playing field, since even experienced gamers will be tumbling into rivers and being flattened by barrels.
Why it works on Thanksgiving
– Quick races make it easy to swap players between heats.
– Perfect “one-more-go” energy for late evening when everyone is a bit giddy.
– The slapstick humour cuts across language and age barriers.
Things to watch
– The visuals and physics are deliberately chaotic, which not everyone will enjoy.
– There is a learning curve to the odd handling, so give people a practice race.
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 (enhanced edition)
Players: 1–4 on a single console for board play; larger groups in certain online modes
PEGI: 3
Typical price: Around £49.99 / $59.99 (base), with a paid Switch 2 upgrade option
Perfect for: Classic couch party sessions with a Nintendo flavour.
Super Mario Party Jamboree is one of the biggest Mario Party entries yet, with seven boards, over 100 minigames, and modes ranging from traditional four-player party boards to chaotic large-scale online showdowns like Koopathlon. It is still all about rolling dice, moving around themed boards, and jumping into short, silly challenges that anyone can pick up within seconds.
On Switch 2, an upgraded edition adds the Jamboree TV side mode with extra camera-driven minigames and some visual improvements, although the main board mode is largely the same experience. That said, even the standard version on original Switch is more than enough to keep a family busy for an entire afternoon.
Why it works on Thanksgiving
– Ideal for four-player sessions where everyone takes a Joy-Con.
– Minigames are short, funny, and mostly very accessible.
– Great mix of luck and light skill; kids can absolutely beat the adults.
Things to watch
– Full board games can run over an hour if you pick lots of turns.
– The Switch 2 upgrade is a paid add-on, so check which version you actually need.
How to choose the right Thanksgiving game for your family
If your crowd loves talking nonsense and inside jokes, start with That’s You! or Super Mario Party Jamboree. For sport-mad households, Madden NFL 26 feels like an extension of the day’s TV schedule. Overcooked! All You Can Eat and Nippon Marathon suit families who enjoy chaos and shouting at the screen, while Just Dance 2026 Edition is the best pick if you want everyone up and moving before they fall asleep on the sofa. Mix two or three of these across the day and you will have a stronger line-up than most festive TV schedules.
