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.
Cary’s Favorite Prime Time Cartoons
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Posted on December 4th, 2014 by
Last month I wrote a blog about my favorite Saturday morning cartoons. Then I followed it up with a blog about my favorite weekday afternoon cartoons. So now I’m going to conclude this little ‘series’ by talking about my favorite prime time TV cartoons!
Grand Theft Auto V Strategy Guide (Book)
Posted on December 3rd, 2014 by
Grand Theft Auto V was one of last year’s best-selling titles for adult gamers. And this year it was released for the new PS4 and Xbox One consoles with added content. So if you want a guide with all the extra stuff, BradyGames has you covered with the new Grand Theft Auto Strategy Guide expanded for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Click to check out snippets of what’s inside.
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS)
Posted on December 1st, 2014 by
One day, Sonic the Hedgehog’s friend Amy was exploring some ruins. That’s when she came across Lyric, an evil cybernetic snake who is searching for shards of a powerful crystal so he can take over the world. Amy fought him with all her might, but he ended up hypnotizing her and kidnapped her so she could help him find the crystals. Now it’s up to Sonic and his friends to save Amy and stop Lyric’s sinister plan. Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal for the 3DS is a 2-D platforming adventure. And it’s totally different than the Wii U version. The Sonic Boom games are also based on the new computer animated series airing now on Cartoon Network.
Unplugged: Holiday Guide 2014
Posted on November 28th, 2014 by
Give the gift of face to face time with a boardgame. It’s time once again for me to preach to the masses on the greatness of boardgaming. Nothing beats the social aspect of in-person gaming with friends. Last year’s run-down of recommended boardgames was a great success. 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. Those new to the world of boardgaming may find a bit of a sticker shock as some games are pricier than new release video games, but good boardgames will provide many more hours of entertainment than most video games. Boardgames are also relatively timeless so they can be pulled out years from now and provide the same level of enjoyment. In that vein, feel free to delve into some past year’s guides for 2012, 2010, or 2009. For each game I’ve provided the number of players, retail price, and expected time for one game. Note that often these games can be found for 20-40% less than the MSRP.
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric (Wii U)
Posted on November 28th, 2014 by
One day, Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends were being chased by the villainous Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic. To escape, they hid in some ancient ruins, and unwittingly freed an evil cybernetic snake named Lyric from his 1,000 year slumber. Now Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles must work together to stop Lyric from taking over the world! Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is based on the new computer animated Sonic cartoon airing on Cartoon Network.
Skylanders Balloon to Appear at this Year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Posted on November 26th, 2014 by
The best-selling Skylanders video game and toy line has made over 2 billion in sales and is about to make another milestone as well. There will be a Skylanders balloon featured at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! The Skylander that’ll be in balloon form is Eruptor, a fire-based warrior who came from the depths of a volcano. Skylanders is a pretty big deal here at GamerDad, so I wanted to make sure fans will know so you can tune in Thanksgiving morning. I’m only disappointed that Spyro the Dragon wasn’t picked to be the Skylanders balloon instead. Oh yes, and there will be a new Pikachu balloon as well. Click here to see a bigger picture of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ad. Happy Thanksgiving!
Planes: Fire and Rescue (3DS)
Posted on November 25th, 2014 by
Planes: Fire & Rescue is based on the Disney film of the same name. Help Dusty Crophopper and his airplane and helicopter friends as they use teamwork and bravery to put our fires and rescue others at Piston Park. The game is available for 3DS, Wii U, and Wii, but reviewed on 3DS here.
Digimon: All-Star Rumble (360, PS3)
Posted on November 24th, 2014 by
Over the years, Pokemon has had many imitators. One of the best and most prolific is Digimon. Like Pokemon, Digimon has had several games and even a pretty good cartoon. Now Digimon is back on the Xbox 360 and PS3 with an arena style battle fighting action game (reviewed on 360 here). The Digital World has been at peace for a long time, and the Digimon monsters are getting bored. So to keep them in top fighting shape, they hold a battle tournament to see who is the best Digimon of them all!
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (Wii U, Xbox One, 360, PS4, PS3, PC, *3DS)
Posted on November 22nd, 2014 by
Also known as: “LEGO Skittles in Space”
LEGO videogames are known for their freeform exploration gameplay, their tongue in cheek humor, and their vast assortment of playable characters. Batman 3: Beyond Gotham supplies all those things with a bit more to boot. Join Batman and the Justice League as they battle Brainiac’s evil plans to use the various colors of Lanterns (green, yellow, red, etc…) to obtain ultimate power (is there any other power worth getting?) Beyond Gotham manages to use the best bits of previous LEGO games rather than trying to “improve” upon what has gone before. Thus, fans of the series should be happy with its implementation, and new LEGO gamers are treated to some of the most entertaining videogame series around.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze (360, PS3, 3DS)
Posted on November 21st, 2014 by
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been famous with kids since, well, I was young. And now there is a popular new TMNT computer animated TV series on Nickelodeon. This game is based on that series. When Donatello picks up traces of a new super mutagen, it’s up to the four heroes in a half shell to find it before Shredder and the Kraang aliens do! Danger of the Ooze is a single player 2-D platformer/beat em up that plays quite a bit like an old school Metroid game! It’s available on Xbox 360, PS3, and 3DS, but reviewed on 360 here.
