Welcome to our 2014 Wii U parents guide! If you’re on the market for a video game console for your family, there’s a very strong case for Wii U. It’s got far and away the best selection of kid-friendly games, and the best part is that they aren’t too age-specific: Older and younger kids alike can enjoy most of them, and if you’re a gamer yourself, you don’t need me to tell you that Nintendo games are ageless and timeless.

Wii U Parents Guide

First off, the console itself: Wii U is a safe space. It not only has strong parental controls, it’s pretty well-protected in the first place. Miiverse, the social network on Wii U, is rigidly patrolled to be family-friendly, and you’ll never find anything untoward on it. Netflix has a kids mode, too, and you can make sure your kids don’t buy anything by accident (or on purpose…) either, if you want. Of the three console makers, Nintendo is certainly the most committed to the family space. They’re on your team. And if you want to get a Wii U, there are some pretty good deals out there right now, especially the $200 Skylanders bundle at Toys R Us on Black Friday.

But it’s not just about the console, it’s about the games. And Nintendo has a ton for children and adults, whatever their age.

Wii U Games For Kids

There are tons of Wii U games for kids, and the great thing is—a lot of the games on this list are the same games I recommend for adults who buy a Wii U. The family-friendly games are the best the system has to offer. Here are some of the highlights:

Super Mario 3D World

Super Mario 3D World is a 3D Mario platforming game, which up to four players can enjoy at once through cooperative play (with some elements of competition to keep it interesting). It’s rated E for Everyone, and has “Mild Cartoon Violence,” according to the ESRB (the video game ratings board)—nothing more serious than Mario defeating cartoon turtles. And it’s really, really fun—this is one of the best games on the system, and you can play it together.

Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8 is a racing game, but you probably knew that: Mario and his friends and foes race around a variety of fanciful go-kart courses (in castles, underwater, in a haunted house, on an airship, among the stars) and sling shells, banana peels and other knick-knacks at each other to try to get advantage. Again, you probably knew all that. Two other important points: This is one of the best Mario Kart games ever, certainly the best on a console in a very long time.

And it’s very family-friendly: Even the online play is great for kids, since players don’t have chat or anything like that, just a few pre-selected phrases. Those of us who are older find that a little frustrating, but for younger kids, it makes perfect sense: They can play online without (your) fear. You can even play online and local multiplayer at the same time! I’d say that this game is pretty much a must-get—whatever kind of Wii U owner you are.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze came out this February, and immediately became a Wii U staple. It’s a 2D platformer, just like the 1990s Donkey Kong Country games I played as a kid, although of course it has (much) shinier graphics and fancier mechanics. Compared to New Super Mario Bros U below, another 2D platformer, DKC is much faster, a little more complex, and a lot harder. Don’t worry too much on that point: Kids tend to be better at these things; they’ve got the time for it. You’re the one who will have trouble (I certainly do, and I’m a professional). But beyond the difficulty, this game is lily-white, with nothing more than a little cartoon violence, and lots of cute penguins.

New Super Mario Bros. U and Super Luigi U

New Super Mario Bros. U and its DLC / expansion pack, Super Luigi U, are classic Mario platformers; if you played Mario back in the day, you’ll feel very familiar here. Like those, these games are suitable for all ages. Super Luigi U even adds an invincible fourth player, an “easy mode” of sorts, that’s perfect for younger kids to play along with their siblings. Most people I’ve talked to don’t like it as much as Super Mario 3D World, and I think that’s a good call, but again, that’s one of the best Mario games in years. NSMBU is a solid choice too, but get 3D World first.

Super Smash Bros Wii U

A word of warning: Unlike most of the other games on this list, Super Smash Bros Wii U is rated Everyone 10 and Up, not just Everyone. So it plays a little older; the cartoon violence is a little less mild (but still pretty mild) and it’s a bit more competitive. It’s about different Nintendo heroes and villains beating each other up, after all. But if your kids are 10 or so, this is a great game, possibly the best on the system, certainly the best multiplayer game. Be warned, though: You may have to buy a bunch of Amiibos, cool but expensive action figures that work basically like Skylanders. Speaking of which…

Third-Party Games

Wii U doesn’t have the best selection of third-party games—you won’t see any violent first-person shooters here, although that’s probably for the best if you have young kids—but it does have some, and most of them are family-friendly. Check out last year’s Parent’s Guide for full details—we haven’t had too many new ones this year—but you’ve got some great choices like Skylanders Trap Team, Disney Infinity, Scribblenauts, Just Dance, the LEGO games, and others.

Basically, there’s no shortage of options for family-friendly Wii U games. I think it has far and away the best lineup of family-friendly games of any of the current systems, and that’s going to remain the case essentially forever. It also is, as a console itself, the most protective of kids: They’re not going to wander off into weird territory like they might on an Xbox One. And the games are legitimately great: I play most of the games on this list myself, and that’s not true of family-friendly games on PS4 or Xbox One, which tend to be a little hand-holding or dumbed down. Appealing to all ages has been Nintendo’s core business for 30 years, and they’re just as good as it now as ever. I highly recommend you go for a Wii U this holiday season—especially since they’re cheap.