The holidays have finally kicked in, and players are ready to kick back and relax while trying some new games, warming up with a nice cup of hot chocolate.
During this holiday season, you might be thinking of introducing one of your non-gamer friends or family members to the world of gaming. There are some great picks out there where you can experience a whole new world along with your non-gamer friend. This Insider Gaming guide will help you pick the best game to play with your non-gamer friend.
At the same time, check out Insider Gaming’s Holiday 2025 hub for the best deals on games and hardware across all platforms.
It Takes Two
Starting with the game of the year for 2021, It Takes Two is a brilliant co-op game that will really get your non-gamer friend interested in this field of entertainment. It Takes Two has players exploring a couple’s clashes and how they make up while being turned into dolls and overcoming a series of obstacles. Each level features unique, interconnected abilities that must be used in coordination to get ahead.
Split Fiction
Split Fiction is the latest title from the same people who introduced us to It Takes Two, but it’s a lot more recent and a great pick for non-gamers. The narrative follows two writers who are stuck in their own stories, trapped by a force trying to steal their creative ideas. One world is sci-fi, and the other is fantasy, and the things you will experience in this game are unlike any other.
A Way Out
Next, we have A Way Out, a premise that should interest a non-gamer friend who’s into prison escape movies. That’s right, in this title, you have to work in tandem with your friend to plan and execute a prison escape. There will be a variety of puzzles and obstacles to overcome through coordination and teamwork across areas that you would only have seen in the movies. Will you be able to break free?
Mario Kart World
The latest instalment to the iconic kart racing franchise is Mario Kart World, and it’s exclusively available on the Switch 2. Mario Kart World is a great introductory game for a non-gamer; some competitive fun across various levels is always fun. Moreover, the new entry introduces free exploration, increased 24-player lobbies, and much more.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2
LEGO games are always good titles to get non-gamers inducted into gaming, and Marvel Super Heroes 2 helps if your friend is a fan of the MCU. Players can play as iconic heroes and superheroes from the Marvel universe from different eras and realities as you go head-to-head with the time-traveling Kang the Conqueror. Explore an expansive open world with areas inspired by Ancient Egypt to The Old West, Sakaar, and New York City in 2099, all built in LEGO.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
If your non-gamer is not a friend of Marvel, then Star Wars could be their thing. The Skywalker Saga lets you experience all nine films reimagined with LEGO humour and enables you to play the three trilogies in any order you want. There are over 300 characters to play as from this highly popular franchise, more than 100 vehicles, and 23 planets that you can spend time exploring.
EA Sports FC 26
Another way to get your non-gamer into gaming is to try out some sports titles. FC 26 is one of the most popular sports titles, with football being one of the biggest sports. FC 26 is wildly popular for its co-op play, and players can choose their favourite teams and try out a variety of game modes that suit their preferences. The series has also made some significant improvements over the last title, including more responsive dribbling, smarter AI positioning, sharper, more explosive movement, and much more.
NBA 2K26
If football isn’t your jam, then basketball might be a sport that your non-gamer friend is more inclined towards. The new instalment uses technology that “directly translates NBA footage into realistic gameplay.” NBA 2K26 also features a wide variety of teams and game modes you can choose from, either fight it out in an arena, or take it to the streets. The new title also makes you feel more connected to every dribble and crossover with revamped size-ups and experience fast-paced, dynamic movement with all-new ProPLAY features.
WWE 2K25
WWE is an iconic franchise that almost everyone, gamer or non-gamer, has heard of. It’s a familiar, entertaining world where players have spent hours on end performing special moves in real life, and it’s never too late to get into it. There are a variety of modes that players can try out, play with, or against their non-gamer friends, and choose from one of the most prominent entertainment personalities from this world.
Mortal Kombat 1
Button-mashing is always fun, and what better game for a non-gamer to be introduced to than Mortal Kombat? Mortal Kombat 1 is the rebirth of this universe, where things feel familiar but are drastically altered. Along with a stellar campaign, the game also features a multiplayer mode where you and your non-gamer friend can choose from a roster of characters, each having a unique set of abilities, and battle it out for hours on end.
Which game out of this list do you think your non-gamer friend will be most interested in playing? Leave your thoughts down in the comments, and join the official Insider Gaming Discord server.
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