The Best Thanksgiving Video Games To Play Together

There is one of the few times during the year when families and friends come together without rushing to the next way station. Thanksgiving is one of those rare pauses in our otherwise frantic and fractious lives. Once the plates are cleared and conversation simmers down, games offer a low-key way to sustain those ties. Happy Thanksgiving video games do more than just distract you from the chatter: they create a sense of shared space. Think of it as a digital continuation of the holiday: the same teamwork, the same playful rivalries, only with power-ups instead of pumpkin pie. And Argentics compiled a list of great titles for family fun this year.

Thanksgiving is about connection. So what better way to celebrate that than to gather around a table and play a game that anyone can enjoy? When family and friends play cooperative games, the screen becomes a shared battlefield, puzzle board, or simply a playground.

Thanksgiving-themed video games and party-friendly titles add their own traditions to the mix of holidays. Some families gravitate back to casual brawlers like Super Smash Bros. for their annual grudge match, while others rely on cozy favorites like Animal Crossing to relax after the meal. Puzzle adventures like Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes or the Portal 2 co-op provide puzzles that are as likely to induce laughter as they are problem-solving. The best video games to play on Thanksgiving have the right kind of tone and difficulty for any crowd, from those who like their action fast-paced to those who can’t get enough of something slow and whimsical.

The holiday atmosphere often calls for activities that bring people together, and games provide the perfect bridge between generations. This curated list of Thanksgiving video games highlights titles that excel at creating memorable group moments, whether through frantic teamwork, lighthearted rivalry, or cozy collaboration.

Release Date: August 7, 2018
Genre: Cooperative Cooking Simulation
Multiplayer: Local and Online Co-op (up to 4 players)
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Developer(s): Ghost Town Games, Team17
Publisher(s): Team17

There are few party titles that embody the blissful mayhem of teamwork quite like Overcooked 2. You find yourself in these wild, over-the-top kitchens. Everyone’s multitasking at once: one person is chopping vegetables, another is rushing to plate a dish. The frenetic tempo, along with levels that have constantly changing designs such as conveyor belts or kitchens cut across moving rafts, converts mere coordination into comedy gold. It’s the kind of cooperative play that flourishes in family settings, where winning seems secondary to the screaming laughter that will always follow one of the dishes of food burning.

Release Date: April 28, 2017
Genre: Kart Racing
Multiplayer: Local and Online Multiplayer (up to 12 players)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Developer(s): Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s): Nintendo

If anyone at Thanksgiving is in need of a competitive push, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has you covered and then some. The game strikes a balance between accessibility and depth with precision, allowing novices to use auto-steering in their races, while veterans seek out shortcuts to shave seconds from their lap times. Every item box has the potential to turn the course of a race, and few moments are as shocking as a well-timed blue shell. With bright, crisp graphics, an excellent soundtrack, and a huge stable of tracks, it's our go-to party-game racer.

Release Date: October 2024 (latest edition)
Genre: Rhythm/Dance
Multiplayer: Local and Online Multiplayer
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Developer(s): Ubisoft Paris
Publisher(s): Ubisoft

Most games to play for Thanksgiving have players sitting, but in the case of Just Dance, the living room is converted into a dance floor. The choice is wide open, with tracks from chart-toppers to quirkier songs to cater to everyone from teens to grannies. The idea with the motion-tracking gameplay isn’t focused on precision execution; it’s more about over-the-top moves and the adrenaline rush of vying to set the high score while attempting to mimic neon silhouettes on a screen. Since the game updates every year with new tracks, it’s an evergreen pick for holiday shindigs.

Release Date: February 26, 2016
Genre: Farming Simulation, RPG
Multiplayer: Local and Online Co-op (up to 4 players)
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile
Developer(s): ConcernedApe
Publisher(s): ConcernedApe, Chucklefish (initially)

For families who would prefer a slower pace after dinner, Stardew Valley provides the opportunity to work together on something tangible. There's a collaborative farming option that turns the game into a bit of a team project, with different players taking different roles. The day-night cycle provides a nice organic pacing that feels both chill and engaging, meaning it’s easier to accidentally lose hours to fleshing out your virtual village. With its throwback pixel-art style and heartfelt storytelling, it’s one of the coziest Thanksgiving-themed games.

Release Date: October 3, 2014 (first pack, series ongoing annually)
Genre: Party Game Compilation
Multiplayer: Local Multiplayer (varies by game, up to 8 players + audience)
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Mobile
Developer(s): Jackbox Games
Publisher(s): Jackbox Games

Jackbox titles stand out as perfect crowd-pleasers, especially when you need a game that works for players with varying levels of experience. Played with phones as controllers; each pack comes with a collection of mini-games, from trivia and drawing to improvisational comedy. It’s simple to get into (just connect using a code in a browser) and accessible even to non-gamers, while the variety ensures every round feels fresh.

Release Date: November 12, 2020
Genre: 3D Platformer
Multiplayer: Local and Online Co-op (up to 4 players)
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
Developer(s): Sumo Digital
Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment

Capturing the spirit of the LittleBigPlanet series, Sackboy: A Big Adventure features a new, standalone big adventure with co-op multiplayer and creative collaboration at its center. Each level is filled with hidden secrets and playful mechanics that force teammates to collaborate. Players may pull levers, carry each other around, or bounce one another up to higher platforms. And its art style, which is essentially a craft project come to tactile, handcrafted life, gives it an inviting, celebratory tone that makes it ideal for a family environment. In addition to the whimsy, the platforming challenges them with both cooperative and individual tests of skill, making it a great pick to play together.

The best thing about gaming around Thanksgiving is that you have a lot of flexibility: you can tailor your experience to the vibe of your crowd. A small gathering tends to favor cozy or narrative games, where progress is felt by all and conversation flows freely. Stardew Valley or any other laid-back simulation would, for beginners, offer a safe entry point, without denying experienced players layers of depth to delve into. Larger groups, on the other hand, thrive on quick energy and party chaos, and this is where titles like Jackbox Party Pack or Just Dance turn the room into a stage with laughter. These are the funny Thanksgiving video games that inspire stories of insane moments that people recount years after the holidays are over.

Both age and expertise level are as important as group size. Families with younger children might prefer a colorful platformer like Sackboy: A Big Adventure. For teens and adults seeking faster tests of reflexes, kart racers and party brawlers on the Switch are never not going to generate some friendly competition.

The platform also shapes the choice. According to those who do congregate around a PlayStation, PS5 couch co-op games are well represented with titles specifically designed for living room play. Owners of the Switch can embrace a console that can be taken anywhere and also has an emphasis on local multiplayer, while a PC can be an indie co-op shrine or the home of online crossplay. By finding the right title for your group’s dynamic, everyone’s so comfortable around the table that the game feels as integral to the holiday as the meal itself, and every round of play feels as memorable as second helpings of cranberry sauce.

As you can see, the holiday season is littered with good-vibe titles, but none come specifically for Thanksgiving. Families and friends come together with cooking sims, party packs, racers, or cozy farming adventures to channel the spirit, but the holiday itself has never been embraced the way the spring and winter holidays have, in a dedicated game. That opening provides opportunity: you could be the first to develop a Thanksgiving title that combines the comfort of gathering with the pleasure of interactive play.ʼ
At Argentics, we make such ideas come true. From the very first sketches to concept art, all the way through to design, development, and support after launch, our team knows how to take a vision and make it a reality. If the next great holiday tradition is yet to be built, we’re there to make it happen.