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.
The Legend of Steel Empire (Switch, PS4)
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Posted on February 23rd, 2024 by
Steel Empire was a 2-D shooter on the SEGA Genesis. The unique thing about it was the premise, as all the flying vehicles were blimps and steam powered machines. Kind of a Jules Verne steampunk vibe. It got remade on the Game Boy Advance and then again on the 3DS. And now it gets another remake on the Switch (reviewed here) and coming soon to the PS4.
8 Colors Star Guardians + (Switch, PC)
Posted on February 21st, 2024 by
Giant alien bosses are invading Earth and it’s up to five young heroines to transform into Power Ranger-like characters (complete with their own color) to fight the baddies. 8 Color Star Guardians + lets you choose from 8 bosses in any order, like Mega Man, and then you fight them in turn based RPG fashion. The game is also presented in only 8 colors, so it reminds me of those old computer monitors. It’s available on Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Unplugged: Legacy of Yu (Boardgame)
Posted on February 20th, 2024 by
While fans of wargaming have been playing both sides of a battle for decades, the idea of playing a boardgame solo has recently seen a large uptick in broader gaming circles. Many boardgames advertise a “solo mode”, allowing gamers to play even if, for whatever reason, they are unable to arrange for a meet-up to play a game. A few games, like Legacy of Yu, take things a step further and are designed solely for one player. Designed from the ground up as a solo game it has an advantage over other single-player options since it isn’t just an add-on option (perhaps an afterthought) to a multiplayer game. Legacy of Yu does a stellar job of providing an interesting solo experience that manages not to outstay its welcome through the use of an ongoing story arc that slightly adjusts the difficulty between games.
Saga of the Moon Priestess (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on February 19th, 2024 by
My number one favorite Zelda game is Link’s Awakening, so when I got the opportunity to review a game that mimics that Game Boy classic, I was pretty excited. In Saga of the Moon Priestess, a prince has been kidnapped and you play as a girl who can talk to the moon goddess and must rescue him. You’ll travel through an overworld and tromp through five different dungeon mazes in top down 2D fashion to get him back. It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Unplugged: D&D Toys and Tabs
Posted on February 17th, 2024 by
Kid Robot has once again paired up with Dungeons and Dragons licensed Wizkids to create some stuffed toy creatures with a D&D theme. This time around they’re even smaller. You can find a 3” tall plush charm featuring a Mind Flayer, Tarrasque, Intellect Devourer, or a Flumph suitable for latching onto your backpack (or briefcase if you’re daring?) This is apparently the third wave of 3” creatures but the first set I’ve encountered (provided by the nice folks over at Wizkids.)
In terms of Tabs, Wizkids is producing a set of non-permanent sticker tabs for use with one’s main D&D books. The first set has been released with sticker tabs for the Player Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual. Upcoming sticker tab sets will be available for
Rulebooks Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything and Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants, as well as the beginner-adventure Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 amiibo
Posted on February 16th, 2024 by
Got some new amiibo figures recently, this time a two pack of Noah and Mio from Xenoblade Chronicles 3. So let’s check them out!
The Smurfs: Colorful Stories (Switch)
Posted on February 14th, 2024 by
In the distant past, long before streaming services and 24-hour cartoon channels, there was a thing called Saturday Morning Cartoons. Kids back then, me included, looked forward to this time because it was one of the only times TV was made just for kids. And as a child of the 80s, one of the most popular of these cartoons I remember was The Smurfs. Originally a European comic strip, The Smurfs gained popularity in the US from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon. I was never a super big fan of it, but I watched it anyway because, one, kids will watch pretty much anything. And two, it came on right before the Pac-Man cartoon. In recent years, The Smurfs have had a bit of a resurgence with a handful of computer animated movies and specials, and a new series on Nickelodeon. And there’s been a few Smurfs video games I’ve reviewed in the past couple of years, like a kart racer and two 3D platformers. And now the youngest players get their turn on the Switch with The Smurfs: Colorful Stories, a virtual coloring book on the Switch.
Nephenthesys (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on February 12th, 2024 by
This is a pretty standard vertically scrolling 2D shooter. There’s a story here, but it’s not very important. Just pilot your spaceship as you zap everything that moves and avoid getting hit. It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
The Many Games of Mini Mario
Posted on February 9th, 2024 by
This month, Nintendo is releasing Mario vs. Donkey Kong. It’s a re-release/remake of a game on the Game Boy Advance that came out about 20 years ago! It’s also the first appearance of the Mini Mario characters, an army of little wind up Mario toys. These little guys would go on to star in their own series of spin-offs. But those games kind of all run together because many of them look and play similarly. So I thought in honor of the new game’s release, I’d go over each one and see what makes them special, if only for a little bit. This Mario vs. Donkey Kong series also has quite a few games in its belt, more than what you might think. And the history of these games stretched back farther than what you might expect, too! So let’s check ‘em out!
Suika Game (Switch, Mobile, PC)
Posted on February 7th, 2024 by
Late last year, there was a game that came out on Nintendo Switch that caused a buzz on the Internet, or so they say. Especially in Japan (Suika means watermelon in Japanese), and people were saying it was “Japan’s hardest game” and such. I tried to get a review code for it when it initially came out, but never got a response. But a little while later, Nintendo was offering this game as a free limited time download for subscribers, so I decided to check it out then and write a quick review. I think you can also play this game on some mobile devices and Internet browsers, but it’s reviewed on Switch here.
