The best games for twelve-year-olds match what they're into: PK XD for social open-world play, Fishdom for puzzles, the UNO card game for family time, Lady Popular for fashion and Strategy & Tactics for history fans. Most are rated Everyone and a few Everyone 10+. Switch on approval for in-app purchases before they play.
Twelve is a funny age for games. Children are too old for toddler apps and often too young for the most popular teen games, so the choice in between can feel thin.
I read the Google Play listings for games that suit this age and noted the developer, installs, the ads and in-app purchases labels, the content rating and any offline wording. Every game here is rated Everyone or Everyone 10+. They're in no particular order.
I left one game from the research out. Lingokids is a lovely learning app, but its listing is built for much younger children, so it would be a strange fit for a secondary school pupil.
Nine games for tweens, compared
| Game | Developer | Google Play installs | Ads / in-app purchases | Offline wording on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Talking Angela 2 | Outfit7 Limited | 500M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| PK XD: Fun, friends & games | Wildlife Studios | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Fishdom | Playrix | 100M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| UNO! | Mattel Game Studios HK Limited | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| My Little Pony: Magic Princess | Gameloft SE | 100M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Fashion Queen: Dress Up Game | CASUAL AZUR GAMES | 50M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Heads Up! | Warner Bros. International Enterprises | 10M+ | No ads label, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Lady Popular: Dress Up Game | XS Software AD | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | No offline claim on the listing |
| Strategy & Tactics - Sandbox | HC GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION LIMITED | 10M+ | Contains ads, in-app purchases | 'Global strategy war games offline.' |
The nine games and who they suit
My Talking Angela 2
Outfit7's virtual pet game, with more than 500M installs, follows Angela into the big city with fashion, mini games and creativity. It's rated Everyone, and it suits younger tweens best.
PK XD: Fun, friends & games
An open virtual world from Wildlife Studios where players explore, role play and build with friends. It's rated Everyone 10+, and since it's a social game, it's worth checking who your child plays with.
Fishdom
A match-3 puzzle game from Playrix where you fill an aquarium with fish and pets as you clear levels. It shows no Contains ads label, though it has in-app purchases.
UNO!
Mattel's mobile version of the card game, with new rules, tournaments and several modes. It's an easy one to play with family, because everyone already knows how.
My Little Pony: Magic Princess
Gameloft's official game based on the TV show, where you meet the ponies of Equestria. Fans of the show will love it, though some twelve-year-olds may feel they've moved on.
Fashion Queen: Dress Up Game
A dress-up and design game from CASUAL AZUR GAMES where you style a model for events and show the outfits off on the catwalk. It's rated Everyone 10+.
Heads Up!
Warner Bros' party game, where you hold the phone to your forehead and guess the word from your friends' clues. It shows no Contains ads label and is made for groups.
Lady Popular: Dress Up Game
A fashion stylist game from XS Software AD that mixes dress-up, interior design and fashion battles. It's rated Everyone and suits creative players who like to compete.
Strategy & Tactics - Sandbox
A world war strategy sandbox from HC GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION LIMITED, rated Everyone 10+. It suits older children who like history and planning, and its listing says it plays offline.
Sort by what they love
- Friends and social play: PK XD and My Talking Angela 2.
- Puzzles: Fishdom.
- Family and party games: UNO! and Heads Up!.
- Fashion and design: Fashion Queen and Lady Popular.
- History and strategy: Strategy & Tactics - Sandbox.
- Favourite TV characters: My Little Pony: Magic Princess.
Ask before you install. At twelve, most children have firm opinions, and a game picked for them is far less likely to stick than one they chose from a short list.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Ratings, chat and online worlds
PK XD, Fashion Queen and Strategy & Tactics are rated Everyone 10+. The rest are rated Everyone. A rating tells you about the content, but not about who your child meets, so social games like PK XD need a conversation about strangers and what to share.
Strategy & Tactics deserves a quick look too. It's a world war sandbox where you can rewrite history, which some children find fascinating and others find heavy. Play the first few turns together if you're unsure.
Shops and in-game extras
All nine games have in-app purchases, and seven show a Contains ads label. Fishdom and Heads Up! are the two without that label. Turn on approval for in-app purchases in Google Play so any request comes to you, and talk about what's in the shop before it becomes a question at bedtime.
For a tablet that travels, this guide to free offline games for iPad and tablets has more choices that work without a signal.
Off-screen ideas they'll still say yes to
Heads Up! is a reminder that the best game is sometimes one you play together. For a screen-light evening, the classic guessing game of questions needs nothing but a bit of imagination and works for the whole family.
And for a child who'd rather build games than play them, here's how to make Roblox games as a beginner. It's a creative next step that plenty of tweens take to.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best games for a twelve-year-old?
It depends on their interests: PK XD for social play, Fishdom for puzzles, UNO! for family time and Lady Popular for fashion.
Are these games safe for twelve-year-olds?
They're rated Everyone or Everyone 10+ on Google Play, but a rating isn't a promise. Check chat and online features yourself.
Which games here have no ads?
Fishdom and Heads Up! show no Contains ads label. Both have in-app purchases.
Which game works offline?
Strategy & Tactics - Sandbox says on its listing that it plays offline.
Is PK XD suitable for tweens?
It's rated Everyone 10+. It's a social game, so talk about who they play with.
How do I stop in-app purchases?
Turn on approval for in-app purchases in Google Play's settings so every request comes to you.
