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.
Truck Simulation 19 (iOS, Android)
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Posted on December 19th, 2018 by
Truck drivers play an important part in American business. They sacrifice a lot of creature comforts to get items we need from place to place. And now you can experience some of what they deal with in Truck Simulation 19, available to download for mobile devices (reviewed on iPad here).
15th Annual GamerDad Unplugged Gift Guide – 2018 Edition
Posted on December 18th, 2018 by
Happy Holidays! Boardgaming has had a serious upsurge in the past few years, and there’s no better time to get into the hobby than an extended holiday break. As we at GamerDad have done for the past 15+ years, it’s time for an annual rundown of recent boardgames well worth your time. Nothing beats the social aspect of in-person gaming with friends. Last year’s run-down is a great list of recommended games. Here again are some great examples of boardgames to get you and your family gaming. You might not find all these titles at your local mega-mart but many can be found online or in a friendly local game store. Some may argue $50+ boardgames are expensive, but compare that to videogaming (and where multiple copies are required for multiplayer play) or heading out to the movies ($30+ for four people) and the economics of boardgaming shows their true value. Good boardgames are timeless, just as good today as they will be years in the future. They will provide many more hours of entertainment than most video games. In that vein, feel free to delve into some past year’s guides for 2016 , 2015 , 2014 , 2013 , or 2012 . For each game I’ve provided the number of players, an approximate MSRP (you might find it lower), and expected time for one game.
Cookie Jam Blast (iOS, Google Play)
Posted on December 17th, 2018 by
Get ready for another sweet free-to-play match three puzzle game for mobile devices (reviewed on iPad here). If you’ve ever played Candy Crush, you know what to expect here. Except this one has more of a baked goods confectionery theme. Slide shaped colored cookies to match three or more to complete objectives before you run out of moves. If you do run out of moves, you’ll lose a heart and have to start the level over.
Sega Heroes (iOS, Google Play)
Posted on December 14th, 2018 by
An evil being is cloning an army of heroes and baddies from different Sega game universes, and now it’s up to the original heroes to stop them in this match three battle puzzler featuring characters from all sorts of Sega games. It’s available to download free-to-play on mobile devices, but reviewed on iPad here.
Somos (iOS, Android, PC)
Posted on December 12th, 2018 by
The idea behind Somos couldn’t be any simpler. You are a dot. Tap the left side of the screen to move your dot to the right, and tap the right side of the screen to move your dot to the left. You must do this to avoid obstacles and try to keep your dot from being hit. Sometimes you must tap on objects to clear them away from your dot’s side as well. And that’s all there really is to it. It’s available to download on mobile devices and PC free to start, but reviewed on iPad here.
Save Me, Mr. Tako (Switch, PC)
Posted on December 10th, 2018 by
With titles like Shovel Knight and The Messenger, 8-bit NES styled games are all the rage. But you don’t see too many retro revivals in the style of the old black and white Game Boy. Which is a little strange since that handheld produced a lot of classics like Super Mario Land, Tetris, Kirby, and even Pokémon! Heck, my number one favorite Zelda game: Link’s Awakening, was on the Game Boy. But now comes Save Me, Mr. Tako, which is styled just like a Game Boy game and could’ve been a real classic had it been released back then. You play as (mostly) an octopus named Tako (Tako is octopus in Japanese). The humans and octopuses are at war, but when Tako rescues a human girl, he must decide which side to stand for, and save the world in the process. The game plays like a 2-D platformer, similar to titles like Kirby or Starfy (but much harder). It’s available to download on Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Starlink: Battle for Atlas (Switch, PS4, Xbox One)
Posted on December 7th, 2018 by
Skylanders, amiibo, and LEGO Dimensions pioneered the whole ‘toys to life’ game genre, but Ubisoft is taking it out of this world with Starlink: Battle for Atlas. Customize different spaceships with pilots, wings, and weapons, and then play as them in this sci-fi space battle action adventure game. It’s available for Switch, PS4, and Xbox One, but reviewed on Switch here. And I think the game is best optimized on the Switch, as you’ll see why if you keep reading!
Pac-Man Red Bull
Posted on December 5th, 2018 by
I don’t really like canned energy drinks, so I don’t even look at them when I’m at the grocery store. Luckily a relative saw these (good eye, Mom), and got me a couple of these cans of Red Bull with Pac-Man on them, so I’m going to show them to you all here and explain why they have Pac-Man on them in the first place!
Nintendo Hallmark Christmas Ornaments
Posted on December 3rd, 2018 by
Christmas is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than with some Nintendo themed Christmas ornaments you can get at Hallmark! I managed to get them all, and there’s a nice variety of them, so let’s check them out!
The Legend of Zelda Astro Gaming Headset
Posted on November 30th, 2018 by
Astro Gaming is one of the leading makers of gaming headphones, and now they’ve made one featuring The Legend of Zelda. Let’s take a look at it, as well as another headset celebrating the 10th anniversary of Astro Gaming’s A40 model, too!
