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.
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late (PS3)
Add Comment
Posted on March 18th, 2015 by
Boy, what a long name. I bet it’s hard to say all that during a gaming discussion! Anyway, Under Night Etc. is a 2-D one-on-one fighting game made by the same folks who did the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue titles. It’s available for the PlayStation 3. But how does this one stack up against those other series? Read on to find out.
Lucky Charms St. Paddy’s Day Edition (Cereal)
Posted on March 16th, 2015 by
Holiday themed cereals are nothing new. I think it all started with Cap’n Crunch’s Christmas Crunch. I remember that as a kid. It was just Crunch Berries with red and green pieces. Later on, other cereals followed suit with Christmas and Halloween editions of cereals like Rice Krispies and, well, I know there are others, I just can’t think of them. Well the next holiday has gotten the cereal treatment and it’s St. Patrick’s Day. And naturally, the cereal that goes along with it is Lucky Charms! So here’s a look at the Lucky Charms St. Paddy’s Day Edition box! (shouldn’t it be St. Patty’s Day?)
Hola! Amiibos! (Wave 3)
Posted on March 13th, 2015 by
Well, I finally managed to get all of the Wave 3 Amiibo figures (well, almost all of them), so here’s a blog about them! Amiibos are Nintendo’s answer to Skylanders and Disney Infinity, but since the Amiibos are based on characters that I actually like, I’ve made more of an effort to collect them. So check them out!
Unplugged: Dice Masters (Boardgame)
Posted on March 12th, 2015 by
Dice Masters Battle for Faerûn
Designers: Mike Elliott, Eric M. Lang
Publisher: WizKids Games
Ages: 14+
Players: 2
Time: 60 mins (I found it to be closer to 30 min)
(Review copy provided by WizKids)
Dice Masters is a line of collectible games based on rolling dice to get monsters and then using those monsters to attack one’s opponent. Dice provide both “energy” (a form of currency) and monsters which (when paid for with energy) are sent out to battle one’s opponent. Perhaps more importantly, energy can be used to purchase additional dice (from a pool in the center of the board) to be used later in the game. The newest release (just arrived) is based around Dungeons and Dragons. Previous editions, based on Marvel superheros, sold out repeatedly so the game is quite popular. Dice rolling (and the randomness that implies) is often fun, but the game also provides options for strategic decisions preventing it from becoming too random. While random rolls of the dice can sway the game in favor of one player, there is some strategy in choosing which dice to bring to the table. The result is a nice mix of chance and challenge. It is only a two player game but is a great fit for parents with kids or even a game between “grownups.”
Iron & Steel Pack (360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, PC, iOS)
Posted on March 11th, 2015 by
The latest tables to hit Zen Studios’ Zen Pinball 2 and Pinball FX2’s collection are a western-themed table called Wild West Rampage and a medieval-themed table based on one of Zen’s other games: CastleStorm. You can download and play them on consoles that support Zen Studios pinball platforms, but they are reviewed on Xbox 360 here. When you download Pinball FX 2 or Zen Pinball 2 (depending on which game console you own), you’re just downloading the hub. It’s free, and then you purchase separate tables for play in the game.
Reader Review: Brandish: The Dark Reverent (PSP)
Posted on March 9th, 2015 by
Falcom is awesome! They’re the ones responsible for games like Ys Seven, Gurumin, and Legacy of the Wizard on the NES (those are my favorites anyway). It’s too bad that Falcom isn’t as well-known in the US, though. But luckily, one of their classics is being remade for download on PSP thanks to XSEED. Since my friend Leroy is a big fan of Falcom, too, I had him review Brandish: The Dark Revenant, so check it out!
Pokémon Shuffle (3DS)
Posted on March 6th, 2015 by
Pokemon Shuffle is a puzzle game downloadable for the Nintendo 3DS. It plays similar to other puzzlers like Candy Crush, Bejeweled, Puzzle Quest, or Puzzle & Dragon. The game is also free-to-play, with in-game purchases, which is unusual for a 3DS eShop title to have. So is it worth downloading anyway? Read on to find out!
AG Drive (iPad)
Posted on March 4th, 2015 by
If you enjoy futuristic high speed racers like F-Zero or WipeOut, then you’ll want to check out AG Drive. Hundreds of years in the future, mankind has mastered anti-gravity technology, and high speed races over twisty roller coaster tracks is the sport of the future. AG Drive is a silky-smooth, super-fast racing game that you can download on iOS devices (reviewed on iPad here).
LuckyPop (iPad)
Posted on March 2nd, 2015 by
LuckyPop isn’t really a game, but more of a useless time-waster app for iOS (reviewed on iPad here). It’s a virtual gift-giving app you play with friends on Facebook. Read on to find out how it works.
Cary’s Top PlayStation Games
Posted on February 27th, 2015 by
It’s the 20th Anniversary of the original PlayStation! Well, technically 2014 was, since it was released in Japan in 1994. BUT, I’m counting the US release, which was 20 year ago. So in honor of that, here is a list of my favorite original PlayStation games! Keep in mind that list this isn’t in any particular order, though. All right, let’s begin!
