GamerDad and family 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.
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Plants vs. Zombies Replanted (Switch 1 & 2, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, X/S, PC)

One of the most popular ‘casual’ tower defense style games has to be Plants vs. Zombies.  The original game was even reviewed on this site (not by me) way back in the day (2009).  There’s been a few spinoffs as well.  I reviewed a pinball game based on the franchise in 2012, and there’s also the 3D Garden Warfare games (I hated I missed out on those, they look like fun).  I also remember seeing the game a lot at PAX and E3 in years past, like costumed zombies from the game and they would give out paper cone hats to showgoers.  And now, more than 15 years later, you can play a HD version of it on modern consoles with new levels and features.  Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch 2 here.

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Kirby Alarmo

Normally Kirby welcomes you to Dream Land, but with Alarmo he now can help you leave it.  Nintendo’s alarm clock, which I’ve talked about last year, lets you download new alarms and characters every so often, and earlier this year I’ve even written about that.  And now there’s a Kirby themed alarm for Alarmo as well.  So let’s take a look at it.

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Gruniozerca Trilogy (Switch, PS5, Xbox One, PC)

Originally homebrew NES games, Gruniozerca Trilogy is a trio of puzzle action games starring a little black guinea pig named Grunio.  It’s available on most current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.

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Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)

Monsters from Japanese myths and folklore (called yokai) come together every year to have a parade on a day called Hyakki Yagyo.  But the Oni monsters were too rowdy so they weren’t invited.  But now they’re mad and causing trouble, so you must stop them in this horizontally scrolling 2D bullet hell shooter.  Twilight Parade: Moonlit Mononoke is available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.

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Pac-Man World 2 and the Act of Kindness

Back in 2022, Pac-Man World: RePac was released.  It was a remake of the original Pac-Man World game on PlayStation.  I even wrote an article about it here.  I encourage you to read that article I wrote because the original Pac-Man World game was a very special game to me as a game reviewer, and the remake was even my Game of the Year in 2022!  I wondered if Pac-Man World 2 would get the RePac treatment someday, and this year it did!  I didn’t like Pac-Man World 2 as much as the original, but it was still a special game to me and I thought I’d explain why in this article, and go over my thoughts on the RePac version of this game as well.

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Windswept (Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, X/S, PC)

A duck is swept away from its nest by a tornado and then meets a turtle and together they go on a 2D platformer adventure that is heavily inspired by 16-bit classics. ESPECIALLY the Donkey Kong Country series.  Windswept is available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.

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Reader Review: Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek (PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, X/S)

I was too old to get into R.L.Stine’s Goosebumps series when they first came out.  I was like in high school or college by that time.  And my little brothers were too young!  So I don’t really have a lot of familiarity with this series.  In fact, the only thing I remember about Goosebumps is that when my brother Jeff was little bitty and first started swimming lessons, one of the things he needed for the class was a beach towel.  So we let him pick out whatever one he wanted at the store.  And he chose a Goosebumps one, for whatever reason. But he thought he was SO COOL with that towel!  Anyway, when a review code for a new Goosebumps game recently dropped in my lap, I thought it would be only fitting to have my brother Jeff review it!  So here is his take on Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek.  It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PC here.  –Cary

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Pac-Man Ramen

To promote a new Pac-Man game, Bandai Namco has teamed up with Maruchan Instant Ramen to make special packaging for their chicken flavor for a limited time.  You know how I like Pac-Man, so even though I don’t like ramen, I had to check this out!

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Redex (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S)

Shoot wave after wave of bad guys in 2D retro style arenas in Redex.  It’s available on all current consoles but reviewed on PS4 here.

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Kotenok (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)

Help a little kitten bypass obstacles in this 2D precision platformer (Kotenok is Russian for kitten, by the way).  It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.

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