Image via Complex Original
As much as anti-video game activists would like to point at shooters and Grand Theft Auto as being the moral disgraces of society, there are a wealth of titles out there that don't include the shedding of blood. We're not talking about corny kiddie games or titles that force a "message" down our throats either. We're talking about Guitar Hero, Sonic, and NBA Jam. Hell, it's a Mario Party with these 50 Non-Violent Video Games That Don't Suck.
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50. MLB: The Show
Publisher: Sony
Genre: Sports
Popular With: People like swinging sticks
What we love about the MLB: The Show series is the ability to control all aspects of your team, season, league, or franchise. It’s like buying a baseball team without having to be a millionaire.
49. NBA Street
Publisher: EA Sports Big
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Streetball enthusiasts
Play as a basketball legend and dominate the court with some sweet moves. Playing ball on these streets is way safer than that park where the guy in the overcoat hangs out.
48. 3 on 3 NHL Arcade
Publisher: EA Sports
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Big Headed Dudes
3 on 3 NHL Arcade is filled with big hits, big power-ups, and big heads.
47. Skate
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Ramp rats and posers
Skate awesome tutorial guide makes sure you are ready to hit the streets all the while, avoiding getting so many of those cuts and scrapes.
46. Mario Strikers Charged
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Soccer Stompers
Become a giant Mario and stump your way to victory or have a somewhat traditional match with other characters from the Super Mario universe. Whatever it is that you do, you are sure to have good, clean, fun. Just keep that wiimote away from your friend’s face.
45. SSX
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Snow dudes
SSX has great maps, amazing soundtracks, and the coolest combo tricks around. Just don’t be crashing into trees, okay?
44. Angry Birds
Publisher: Rovio
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Bird Haters
Who doesn’t love Angry Birds? Though the premise can seem a bit violent, children and grownups alike have really taken to flinging these little birds into neatly stacked blocks.
43. NBA2K
Publisher: 2K Sports
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Basketball heads
NBA 2K is one of our favorite basketball games due to it’s great mechanics that really bring the court to your fingertips. You won't be able to push, shove, or scream at other players which is something we are sure some of you would enjoy..
42. Madden Series
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Fans of realism
Men everywhere rejoice when that time of that year comes and a new Madden is dropped. These games are getting so realistic, we can almost see the blood, sweat, and tears.
41. Lego Star Wars
Publisher: Lucas Arts
Genre: Adventure
Popular With: Fanboys
Considering that laser weapons do not exist, we are going to give this one a pass. Besides, it is so fun to play it would be criminal not to list.
40. Animal Crossing
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Simulation
Popular With: Farm boys/girls
Long before Farmville there was Animal Crossing. This simulation game will draw you in a farm person’s life but unlike real life, pigs won’t be able to eat you.
39. Paper Mario
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Role Player
Popular With: Paper Dolls
Our princess is in trouble, again. This time we must collect the Seven Star Spirits in order to rescue her. What really sets this game apart is the cell shading style which gives it a “paper” look.
38. Professor Layton & The Curious Village
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Professorial types
Solve the mystery of the Golden Apple artifact in the village of St. Mystere via a variety of puzzles. The villagers are generally nice people that enjoy brain teasers from the Professor and his assistant.
37. Kirby Adventures
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platform
Popular With: Pink People
Our adorable Kirby inhales his enemies to death and doesn’t need the aid of any weaponry. Someone getting this guy an antacid!
36. Duck Tales
Publisher: Capcom
Genre: Platform
Popular With: Ducks and Duck Lovers
Play as a one percenter in search of more treasure! It feels nice at the top, doesn’t it?
35. Jetset Radio
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Platform
Popular With: Taggers
Although Jetset Radio is about gangs and claiming territory, you won’t see any drive-bys here. Instead, you will skate and graffiti your way to victory.
34. Peggle
Publisher: Popcap
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Peg Shooters
In Peggle, you must use your powers of calculations to eliminate the colored pegs on each map. The limited supply of ammo will make you think carefully before shooting. The National Peg association finds this game highly offense, we just think its fun.
33. Plants vs Zombies
Publisher: Popcap
Genre: Tower Defense
Popular With: Plants
Zombies can be quite violent, but when to comes to Plants vs Zombies, the most violence you will see is a Zombie munching on a plant. This might be a horrible sight for a plant, but not for us. it actually makes us hungry for salad.
32. Braid
Publisher: Number None
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Lost Princesses
Braid is a side-scroller puzzler that will keep you entertained for hours. Much like Super Mario, your objective is to search for a princess. Can these princess stop getting lost?
31. Tetris
Publisher: Various
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Block Lovers
Tetris is our favorite USSR import and has been in our lives since 1984. Teris is available virtually everywhere and it has become an unofficial American pastime.
30. Super Mario
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platform
Popular With: Princess Rescuers
This classic take us on a quest to help Mario search for Princess Peach. Their relationship is unclear, but we are sure Mario wants some of that. In an effort to make his way into her heart, Mario must save her from the antagonist, Bowser. Work your way through different stages to get to the final castle and become the hero.
29. Mario Galaxy
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platform
Popular With: Galaxy Explorers
When the world is not enough, we have Super Mario Galaxy to take us on out of this world adventures. Princess Peach has been taken and you must now aid Mario find her. Search planets and galaxies to find this lady that keeps getting abducted! She really needs some security detail.
28. Civilization V
Publisher: 2k games
Genre: Strategy
Popular With: Builders
Create your own civilization starting at pre-historic times and onward. What to make strippers public servants? It’s all up to you to make the best civilization ever.
27. Pokemon
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Role Player
Popular With: Collectors
No matter which game in the Pokemon franchise you play, the mission is simple -- you gotta catch ‘em all. Some Pokemon will get hurt in battle, but nothing greater than a whoppin’ and a trip to the Pokecentre.
26. Pac-Man
Publisher: Namco
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Foodies
Pac-Man’s only violent act is swallowing his enemies whole. Wrong or tasty, murder?
25. Earthbound
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Role Player
Popular With: Alien Hunters
Earthbound is a hilarious, tongue-in-cheek Super Nintendo classic that taught us a lot about aliens and how snarky they can be.
24. Geometry Wars
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Evaders
Survive and evade an increasing swarm of enemies. It is easier than it sounds and it might bring out some violent behavior.
23. Tony Hawk 3
Publisher: Activision
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Combo freaks
Tony Hawk 3 is a skater classic, brah. This game introduced us to the revert which allowed us to do longer combos. More time to do epic trick combos? Yes please.
22. Katamari Damacy
Publisher: Namco
Genre: Puzzle
Popular With: Stars
Roll around violence free, uniting everyone and everything into a ball.
21. Need For Speed: Underground
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Racing
Popular With: Bad Asses
Need for Speed: Underground was launched as a reboot of this successful series. This game launched one of our favorite storylines in racing games, alongside awesome customization features.
20. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Adventure
Popular With: Those with oral fixation
When you get tired of playing as Mario, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island offers you a better alternative. Playing as Yoshi escorting baby Mario, you will grab enemies with your tongue to show them who is boss. All is fair in love and war.
19. Donkey Kong Country
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Adventure
Popular With: Banana hoards gone missing
In Donkey Kong Country, you will have to navigate your way through forests, oceans, rivers, and caves in a quest to recover your banana hoard. You battle your enemies by rolling, jumping or ground stomping. Who needs guns?
18. F-Zero
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Racing
Popular With: Lovers of Speed
F-Zero is an oldie but goodie. This is one of the best racing games of all time according to really awesome people, like us. The only violence you will witness are the violent speeds you will travel on the tracks, passed your opponents.
17. The Secret of Monkey Island
Publisher: Lucas Arts
Genre: Adventure
Popular With: Awesome People
If you love hilarious writing and pirates you will enjoy this game. The Secret of Monkey Island is a point and click adventure games, which means no sword swinging will occur. What you can expect to see is challenging puzzles and witty dialogue.
16. Rez
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Music
Popular With: Music Warriors
Destroying enemies with music is what we think wars of the future will be like. If you want to go ahead and skip a couple of thousands of years, play Rez.
15. Mario Kart
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Racing
Popular With: Banana lovers
No matter which game in the franchise you play, you are sure to have a blast with your family and friends. Don’t let appearances fool you though, you may get a bit aggressive with those banana peels.
14. Mario Party 8
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Party
Popular With: Party Animals
Get the party started with one of the many games in Mario Party 8. Row your way through rivers, punch statues (in a loving way, of course), and test your balance on poles.
13. Sonic Franchise
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Platform
Popular With: Bling Collectors
Who doesnt love this spiky blue headed fellow? Running at top speeds and collecting rings is just as addictive as it is fun.
12. Forza Motorsport 3
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Racing
Popular With: Zoooomers!
One of the best racing games series, Forza Motorsport 3 will smack you upside the head with a large car selection, fun tracks, and a small learning curve. No way you can get violent unless you decide to crash into everything insight.
11. NBA Jam
Publisher: Midway
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Dunkers
NBA Jam is an exaggerated reality game, which is fun and entertaining to play. Deep knowledge of basketball is not required, just the ability to button smash and bringing your A game.
10. Super Mario 64
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Adventure
Popular With: Plumbers and Monsters
his timey old classic will never be out of style. It’s not all love and peace in Mario land, but he settles his disputes in the most elegant way -- squatchin’ them.
9. Just Dance Franchise
Publisher: Ubisoft
Genre: Music
Popular With: Booty shakers
Bring all you got to the dance floor! The Just Dance series will make you break a sweat and learn new moves. These are perfect violence-free games, unless you get too rowdy in a dance off!
8. Wii Sports
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Anyone with a pacifist in the family.
Wii Sports includes bowling, tennis, baseball, and more. All great games to play with the violence intolerant. If they piss you off, there's also boxing.
7. Kinect Sports
Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Sports
Popular With: Home jocks
Get your butt off the sofa and get into the game! Kinect Sports offers a variety of games to get you active. By yourself or with your family, it’s a great game to get everyone involved.
6. Portal
Publisher: Valve Corporation
Genre: FPS
Popular With: People obsessed with holes and orange jumpsuits.
Portal is known for its witty writing, and challenging puzzles to be solved with only your mind, and a gun that creates portals.
5. Rock Band 3
Publisher: MTV Games
Genre: Music
Popular With: Socialites
The absolute pinnacle of music games. Rock Band Introduced us to keyboards, vocals, and a robust music store. There is no other way to enjoy time with family and friends.
4. Guitar Hero
Publisher: RedOctane
Genre: Music
Popular With: Plastic instrument lovers
Guitar Hero is the pioneer of the living room performance movement. Across the country, plastic guitar musicians began to rise and the world would never be the same again.
3. Kingdom Hearts
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Adventure
Popular With: Everyone including aliens
Kingdom Hearts is a tale fit for everyone. This super kick-ass crossover will melt the cheese on your omelette and bake the brownie in your oven with the heat from its cuteness.
2. The Sims 3
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Simulation
Popular With: Those with God Complex
Play God. The Sims 3 allows you to not only govern over your avatar’s life, but it includes town activity that adds a whole new dimension to the game.
1. Minecraft
Publisher: Mojang
Genre: Sandbox
Popular With: Cube lovers
Minecraft is a game about creativity and user created content. Make the violence free world you have always wanted to live in -- without your mother or your wife.