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.
Word Science (iPad)
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Posted on February 26th, 2014 by
Word Science is a word puzzle action game for iOS and other devices (reviewed on iPad here). Four rows of letter tiles scroll left and right and right to left on the bottom of the screen. You must quickly tap the letters to make words and then hit the arrow button at the bottom to submit them to earn points. You’ll get bonus points if you can spell bigger words and create them quickly. If you tap the wrong letter, simply drag it back down into the rows of scrolling tiles. After a short time limit, the game is over and your final score is tallied.
LocoCycle (Xbox One, 360)
Posted on February 24th, 2014 by
Somewhere in Nicaragua, a corrupt weapons dealer company named Big Arms is showing off their latest creation to potential buyers: a pair of advanced artificial intelligence-infused motorcycles named I.R.I.S. and S.P.I.K.E. When a thunderstorm forces the presentation inside, a bolt of lightning zaps I.R.I.S. and before you can say “Johnny Five is Alive,” she becomes self-aware. So Big Arms agents wheel her into the garage and order Pablo, a Spanish-speaking mechanic, to fix her. Just as Pablo begins the repairs, a commercial about a Freedom Rally motorcycle convention blares on the TV, and I.R.I.S. decides she wants to go to it. Unfortunately for poor Pablo, his pants leg gets stuck in one of her back tires, and he gets dragged along, literally, for the ride. You’d think he’d be a mangled piece of meat after the first mile, but hey, this is just a silly video game so whatever. Join Pablo and I.R.I.S. as they escape the clutches of Big Arms and rival cycle S.P.I.K.E. in this action driving shooter game from Austin, TX based Twisted Pixel. Originally an Xbox One LIVE launch title, now you can download it on 360, too (which is the version this review is based on).
Cary’s Top Five Favorite Donkey Kong Games
Posted on February 21st, 2014 by
In honor of the release of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for Wii U at the end of this week, I thought I’d write a blog about my top five favorite Donkey Kong games. How high can you get? It’s on like Don…er, a stubborn monkey!
Line Knight (iPad)
Posted on February 19th, 2014 by
Do you remember Taito’s arcade game Qix? Well if you do, then you’re really old! Ha ha! Just joking! I remember it, too. Made by the same folks who brought us Space Invaders, Qix was a very abstract game where you made squares on a playfield while avoiding enemies. Your job was to fill up a certain percentage of the playfield with the squares you made. When you did, you’d move on to the next, more challenging level. Taito made some sequels and updates to Qix that not many people know about. But if you enjoyed that game and miss it, luckily another company has crafted a loving tribute to games like Qix. This one is called Line Knight, has a medieval theme, and is available for iOS devices (iPad version reviewed here).
Reader Review: Sorcery Saga (Vita)
Posted on February 17th, 2014 by
My friend Leroy is back to review a wacky dungeon crawl game for PS Vita called Sorcery Saga. In it, you must delve into dungeons to find ingredients for the ultimate curry recipe. With that as a wacky premise, how could you NOT read this review?
The LEGO Movie Videogame (360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4, Vita, Wii U, 3DS, PC)
Posted on February 14th, 2014 by
Based on the current hit (and very awesome) LEGO film comes The LEGO Movie Videogame. Following the same plot as the film, play as Emmett, Wyldstyle, and other heroes as they explore locations in the movie like Brickburg city, Wild West Flatbrush Gulch, crazy Cloud Cuckooland, and more as they try to thwart Lord Business’ evil plans. The game is available for all current game consoles, but reviewed on Xbox 360 here.
G.P. the GamerPuppet Unboxes Bravely Default: Collector’s Edition on 3DS!
Posted on February 12th, 2014 by
Hey there! G.P. the GamerPuppet here! A new 3DS role-playing game just came out in the US: Bravely Default from Square-Enix, and Cary just got the Collector’s Edition of it. So I’m going to unbox it for you and see what’s all in it. Let’s check it out!
Monster Jam (iPad)
Posted on February 10th, 2014 by
I remember when my dad took me to a monster truck show for my sixth birthday. It was just me and him, and there are three main things that stuck out in my mind. One, we had to wear earplugs the whole time because it was so loud! Next, the finale of the show was a demolition derby between three mac trucks WITH trailers, which was awesome for a six year old. And finally, I fell asleep on the way home, and when I woke up the next morning in my own bed, something seemed different. When I looked down I saw my other birthday present, new Pac-Man bedsheets! (this was the early 80’s, after all) Now you can go to a monster truck show without ever needing to leave your house, or wear earplugs, with Monster Jam, a downloadable game for iOS devices (iPad version reviewed here).
The Guided Fate Paradox (PS3)
Posted on February 7th, 2014 by
In this PS3 dungeon crawl RPG, you play as a high school boy who has never won a lottery, prize, or contest in his life. But one day he plays a mysterious street lottery game and wins the ultimate prize: the chance to be a god. Assisted by angels dressed as maids and butlers, now this boy must use a mysterious machine to venture into maze dungeons and defeat monsters in order to answer people’s prayers. Some of the people you’ll be answering prayers from include storybook characters like Cinderella, or a meek zombie. Along the way you may even uncover an evil plot brimming secretly among certain angels and other beings. Yeah it’s as strange as it sounds.
NBA Rush (iPad)
Posted on February 6th, 2014 by
Now that football season is over, it’s time to think about basketball, the upcoming March Madness, and all that good stuff. And to help get your mind dribbling, here comes a new iOS game featuring popular NBA stars (reviewed on iPad here). But they’re not playing basketball, oh no. They’re saving the world from invading aliens in this 3-D endless runner game! Yup, it’s as weird as it sounds!
