• Use your computer to play games with your whole family.keyboard style image by Eray Haciosmanoglu from Fotolia.com
  
  Video game consoles such as the Wii and the Playstation have family party games such as Mario Party and Board Game: Top Shop, but PC users have to look long and hard for games that the entire family can play together on their home computer. These games have been chosen because of their family-friendly subject matter and their ability to entertain an entire group of players.
  
  

Moonbase Commander

• The moon isn't big enough for everyone in this simple strategy game that is also great family fun. Players race to build their own space station on the moon by catapulting station components into place, choosing a direction and power. Components that fall on slopes or that are too far away from others will break when landing. As the stations grow, they come into range of one another and players begin trying to destroy the other's station.
  
  

Stepmania

• Stepmania is a free clone of Dance Dance Revolution for Windows, Macs, and Linux computers. Just as in the hit arcade title, arrows fly across the screen in time to cheerful music, and the players must hit the controls in time with the arrows. This can be done with up to four players, each using different keys on one or more keyboards, or with separate USB Dance Dance Revolution pads. Either way, it's a lot of fun for the whole family and, if you spring for a dance pad controller, a great way to get exercise as well.
  
  

Guitar Hero

• These arcade rhythm games took America by storm. Players strum along to popular songs with plastic guitar controllers. Each game has its own story, bosses and scores, but the real fun is just in sitting down with family and friends and pretending to be a rock band. The only downside is that the equipment can be a bit expensive.
  
  

The Curse of Monkey Island

• This cartoon adventure game continues the series started by LucasArts with "Secret of Monkey Island." Though only one person can play at a time, there are plenty of hilarious jokes and brain-bending puzzles to keep the whole family entertained as the wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood faces off against the ghostly and ghastly Captain LeChuck to rescue his beloved Elaine Marley.