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.
Rune Factory 4 (3DS)
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Posted on October 18th, 2013 by
The latest in the unique spinoff of Harvest Moon is here! In Rune Factory 4, you play as a guy or girl who plummets from the sky, but luckily lands safely on a friendly dragon on the ground below. Unfortunately, you lose your memory in the process, but the dragon mistakes you as the new ruler of the town. So now it’s up to you to cultivate the land, revitalize the town, make new friends, and maybe even find true love. All the while trying to solve the mystery of why you fell from the sky in the first place by battling (and befriending) monsters, and exploring secret dungeons!
Reader Review: Soundodger+ (PC)
Posted on October 17th, 2013 by
Soundodger+ from Adult Swim Games is a mix of 2-D shooter and music game genres. It’s available to download on Steam for PC, so I had my Steam expert friend Leroy take a stab at reviewing it. Check out his take on the game here.
Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness (PS3)
Posted on October 16th, 2013 by
Disgaea is kind of the flagship series for game maker NIS. Their newest game, on PS3 for retail and download on PSN, is actually a direct sequel to the first game featuring the returning cast. As opposed to the other sequel which had new characters. So if you enjoyed the madcap adventures of Laharl, Flonne, and all the Prinnies, then you may want to check out this latest entry in the strategy RPG series. Play as the newly appointed demon overlord Laharl as he scours the netherworld looking for any opposing demons trying to usurp his throne! Since Laharl is just a bratty kid, you can bet he has a lot of opposers in the demon world!
Type:Rider (iPad)
Posted on October 15th, 2013 by
I really enjoy playing and reviewing games on my iPad, but rarely do I play an iPad game and after finishing it think “Wow, what a GREAT game!” But Type:Rider was an exception. This game is an amazing experience, and a good example if you want to argue that video games can be art. The game is an odd mix of a puzzle platformer, and a history lesson on typography and the study of fonts and printing. Yes, really. (Type:Rider is available for iOS and Android, but reviewed on iPad here)
Reader Review: Legend of Dungeon (PC)
Posted on October 14th, 2013 by
Ready to get your retro-fix on? Legend of Dungeon is an old-school pixel styled randomized dungeon crawler for one or two players. But is it any good? I had my good friend Leroy take it for a spin, so check out his take on it and find out for yourself!
Top Five Zelda Remakes that Cary Thinks Should Be Made
Posted on October 12th, 2013 by
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD was just recently released for Wii U, and it’s a pretty darn nifty remake, too. It’s just another good example of why I still like the GameCube better than the Wii. And it’s great that so many more people are going to finally be able to enjoy this game, since a lot of folks shunned the original release because of the cartoony graphics. Which is a shame because it’s one of the most visually stunning Zelda games out there. It’s also a pretty special game for GamerDad.com, too, because if I’m not mistaken, the original Wind Waker was the first game that was reviewed on the site! I didn’t review it, as I discovered the site a couple of months after it had started, though. Anyway, Wind Waker HD got me to thinking about other Zelda games that should be remade or re-released into collections of sorts, so here are my top five Zelda games I want remade! But be warned, some of my choices you might disagree with!
A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX (360)
Posted on October 11th, 2013 by
Play as one of two hyper advanced battle robots in this run and gun 2-D shooter/platformer. Originally a big hit on the PC, now it’s available for download on Xbox 360 with added features and enhancements!
Reader Preview: Assault Android Cactus (PC)
Posted on October 10th, 2013 by
If you’re a fan of intense twin stick shooters like Robotron or Smash TV, then you’re in luck! My good friend Leroy has a preview of an upcoming PC title called Assault Android Cactus! I played it over at his house and it’s shaping up to be quite an awesome game. Check out his preview here!
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams (Wii U, PS3, 360, PC)
Posted on October 9th, 2013 by
The Great Giana Sisters has an interesting history behind it. Originally designed for European computers back in the mid to late 80’s, the first game looked and played VERY suspiciously like the original Super Mario Bros. So much so that it’s rumored that Nintendo even requested they cease releasing the game, which is why many people in the US aren’t familiar with the title. But Nintendo didn’t stop them from making a Giana Sisters DS game a few years ago, even though it, too, was very similar to Mario’s games. But now thanks to a successful kickstarter program, the newest game in the Giana Sisters series is here, and it has a gameplay twist all its own. You can download it on the three major current game consoles and PC (Wii U version reviewed here).
Paint Me a Butterfly (iPad)
Posted on October 8th, 2013 by
Butterflies are one of nature’s most colorful, delicate, and beautiful creatures. And kids are fascinated by them! You can even buy kits that let kids keep their own caterpillars and watch them turn into cocoons and butterflies (which they then set free). And now your kids can color and design butterfly wings with Paint Me a Butterfly, a new app for iPad and iPhone (played on iPad for this review).
