Welcome to GamerDad: Gaming with Children. My name is Andrew S. Bub - the GamerDad - and I've been writing about videogames, movies, and children for over 15 years now. After working as a magazine journalist, I switched gears to write about how media violence affects children, educating parents about them, and working closely with magazines, newspapers, major retailers and even politicians. GamerDad is an internationally recognized expert in this field. Games, movies and media are fun, kids and families love them, they aren't going away. So join me in cutting through the hype and lets have a real conversation about the things that matter: Video Games, Violent Media, and their supposed effect on children and families.
Welcome to GamerDad: Gaming with Children. My name is Andrew S. Bub - the GamerDad - and I've been writing about videogames, movies, and children for over 15 years now. After working as a magazine journalist, I switched gears to write about how media violence affects children, educating parents about them, and working closely with magazines, newspapers, major retailers and even politicians. GamerDad is an internationally recognized expert in this field. Games, movies and media are fun, kids and families love them, they aren't going away. So join me in cutting through the hype and lets have a real conversation about the things that matter: Video Games, Violent Media, and their supposed effect on children and families.
Spinch (Switch, PC)
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Posted on September 28th, 2020 by
What if colors were alive and needed to eat to survive? And their favorite food was a little white ball creature called a Spinch. Play as a Spinch as you run, jump, and dash to avoid colors out to get you in this psychedelic super challenging 2-D platformer. It’s available to download on Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
PAX Online 2020
Posted on September 25th, 2020 by
The Penny Arcade Expo, or PAX for short, is one of the largest video game conventions open to the public. Unfortunately, the flagship show, PAX West in Seattle, had to be cancelled this year because of COVID. So instead, they created PAX Online, which was all last week. Virtual showgoers could watch videos of upcoming games, and even try demos of some of them on Steam and Xbox Live. I got a virtual press pass to the event, so here’s an article about the show.
Ninjala (Switch)
Posted on September 23rd, 2020 by
There’s a special kind of bubblegum that gives kids ninja powers when they chew it. Be one of those gum chewing ninja kids in Ninjala, a free-to-play online multiplayer battle game for Nintendo Switch.
Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC, Apple Arcade)
Posted on September 21st, 2020 by
Samurai Jack was one of Cartoon Network’s most unique, artful, and beloved action cartoons. A heroic samurai from feudal Japan battles a shapeshifting demon named Aku. But Aku sends the samurai into a time portal to the future where Aku reigns supreme. The first person who sees the samurai in the future calls him “Jack,” so that’s the name he goes by here. Now Samurai Jack must find a way back to the past so he can defeat Aku for good. The cool thing about the cartoon is that it actually had an ending, although it took it long enough to get there. Nearly two decades after the initial run, they added one last season on Adult Swim that was a bit darker and bloodier, but Jack FINALLY beat Aku! This new video game takes place when Jack and his love interest Ashi are in the portal going to the past. Aku has one final trick up his sleeve and grabs Jack and sends him to a place between time and space where he must fight familiar foes. Flimsy story aside, it’s a great way for fans to relive their favorite scenes, enemies, and friends in this 3-D action game. Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time is available on nearly anything you can play a game on, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Minecraft Creeper Crunch Cereal
Posted on September 18th, 2020 by
You know you’ve hit the big time when you have your own breakfast cereal. And Minecraft has definitely hit the big time ten times over. It’s one of the most popular games ever made. I’ve never played it myself, but that’s only because I’m purposely staying away from it as I’m afraid I would get addicted to it. I’m bad enough as it is with Animal Crossing! I would especially like to try Minecraft now that there is a Pac-Man update to it! Anyway, so when I saw the very last box of a Minecraft cereal at Wal-Mart, I knew I had to get it and review it! I wonder if this stuff is hard to find now, like the Mario cereal used to be?
Manifold Garden (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mobile)
Posted on September 16th, 2020 by
Manifold Garden is a first person perspective puzzle game that takes a lot of inspiration from M.C. Escher’s artwork. You’ll solve basic block and switch puzzles, but the gimmick here is that you can change gravity so you can walk on walls and ceilings! And don’t worry if you fall, the levels loop so you can land where you started, or somewhere else if need be. The game is available to download on pretty much anything you can play a game on, but reviewed on Switch here.
Good Pizza, Great Pizza (Switch, Mobile, PC)
Posted on September 14th, 2020 by
Run your own pizza restaurant in Good Pizza, Great Pizza. Take orders, cook the pizza, and make sure you earn a profit in this restaurant simulation cooking game. It’s available to download on Nintendo Switch, mobile devices, and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Unplugged: Pandemic – The Boardgame
Posted on September 12th, 2020 by
The world-wide Covid-19 pandemic has been ever present over the past year, forcing many families to stay home together for extended periods of time, perhaps putting a strain on relationships for all those cooped up together. While a cutthroat game of Monopoly might just make things worse, perhaps a cooperative game (where everyone wins or loses together) might be in order. Pandemic burst onto the boardgame scene in 2008, with its success spawning an entire line of Pandemic-themed cooperative games where players must work together to protect the world from an encroaching disaster. While the theme of a Pandemic may be too close to home for some, the games respectively deal with the issues at hand and may serve as a surrogate way for gamers to put themselves into an active role in the game’s fictional pandemic.
Street Fighter World Warrior Encyclopedia: Arcade Edition
Posted on September 11th, 2020 by
Udon Entertainment publishes a lot of artbooks and comics featuring Capcom characters, especially ones from the Street Fighter series. I was lucky enough to get a review copy of one of their newest artbooks, the Street Fighter World Warrior Encyclopedia: Arcade Edition! It features information and artwork of every character in the series! So let’s take a look at it! Plus a surprise bonus!
Skimboard Hero (Mobile)
Posted on September 9th, 2020 by
Enjoy one last bit of summer with Skimboard Hero! But what is Skimboarding? Yeah I didn’t know either until I played this game. Who says games don’t teach you anything! Anyway, Skimboarding is kind of like surfing except you use a smaller board and you ride the small wake waves near the shore. And that’s what you do in this game, which is like a vertically scrolling endless…surfer? Collect sand dollars, jump over ramps, perform tricks, and avoid obstacles. The game also has neat retro graphics. It’s available for free on mobile devices, but reviewed on iPad here.
