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.
Luigi Highlights
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Posted on March 17th, 2013 by
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, and the upcoming release of a certain game next week, I’m going to write a little tribute blog to one of video gaming’s most famous green-clad heroes: Luigi! I’m not going to take a look at EVERY game Luigi’s been in, just the ones I feel are most important. At one time, Luigi was originally my favorite Mario character. That is, until Super Mario Kart came along and I realized how awesome Toad was. But Luigi is still tops in my book, way cooler than Mario anyway. Anyway, let’s take a look at some of Luigi’s highlights in gaming.
Dojo Danger (iPad)
Posted on March 15th, 2013 by
It’s the classic tale of ninjas vs. zombies with Dojo Danger! Zombies have invaded a ninja dojo and kidnapped the sensei, and now it’s up to a team of ninjas to stop them! Dojo Danger is a unique mix of bumper pool and marbles gameplay (it actually reminds me of an old Capcom Game Boy Color title called Metal Walker), and is available for download for only 99 cents for iOS devices (iPad version reviewed here).
Angry Birds Easter Egg Decorating Kit
Posted on March 13th, 2013 by
Happy Easter, everyone! (It’s at the end of March) Just wanted to share something I found at the store (Target), that’s both Easter and video game related. It’s an Angry Birds Easter Egg Decorating Kit! Not sure what Angry Birds and Easter have in common, but I guess birds do lay eggs. But oh well, it’s all in fun, so let’s take a closer look.
Penumbear (iPad)
Posted on March 11th, 2013 by
In Penumbear, you play as a little teddy bear and his firefly-like companion as they explore a dark and creepy castle for reasons unknown. The game, downloadable for iPhone and iPad, is a 2-D platform jumping puzzler where you manipulate shadows and light to bypass obstacles and reach the goal (iPad version reviewed here).
Dollar Dash (360)
Posted on March 8th, 2013 by
It’s a race for cash in Dollar Dash, a new downloadable multiplayer game for Xbox 360. Play as a bank robber as you try and nab as much loot as you can while leaving traps for the other burglars.
Bit.Trip Presents…Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (PC, PSN, 360, Wii U)
Posted on March 6th, 2013 by
The Bit.Trip games on WiiWare were some of the best downloadable titles for the Wii. Each one was different, yet they all had a few things in common. Like the retro 80’s look and gameplay sensibilities, and they all implemented music into the game somehow. Now one of the games in the series, Bit.Trip Runner, is getting a sequel! Commander Video is back and ready to run, jump, slide, and collect as much gold as he can and reach the end of the level in this 2-D platform action challenge. Bit.Trip Runner 2 (which is what I’m going to call it from now on since the title is a bit long), is available to download on PC, PSN, Xbox 360, and Wii U (Wii U version reviewed here).
Take a Trippy Trip with Bit.Trip Complete
Posted on March 4th, 2013 by
Last year, a couple of months before the Wii U was released, I wrote a series of blogs about my favorite games on the Wii. One of the categories I wrote about was game collections. One game missing from my favorite game compilations on Wii was Bit.Trip Complete. I hadn’t gotten around to buying it yet, and I wasn’t sure if I should get the Wii or 3DS version. After several people commented and recommended I get the Wii collection, I finally broke down and bought it a few months ago when I saw it on sale. So in honor of the recently released Bit.Trip Runner 2 (which I will have a GamerDad.com review posted on that in a couple of days, so watch for it), here is a short run-through of the games found on Bit.Trip Complete for the Wii.
Happy iBirthday, Dr. Seuss!
Posted on March 2nd, 2013 by
Yes, it’s the birthday of that grand old champion of fun, quirky, easy to read children’s literature: Dr. Seuss. As Dr. Seuss books are getting quite a workout in my household of late (I’ve got one early reader and one just starting to learn his letters), I thought I’d take a moment on this fine day to give a short rundown on some of our household’s favorites.
Brain Age: Concentration Training (3DS)
Posted on March 1st, 2013 by
One of the game series that helped the Nintendo DS have a unique voice was the Brain Age games. These educational titles had several activities to help ‘train your brain.’ And it was all backed up and hosted by a real doctor at a Japanese university. Now the newest in the series is available on the 3DS. This one features exercises to help your brain stay focused on the task at hand, instead of being distracted. Dr. Kawashima, the host of these games, says email, Internet, and cell phones are helping people lose focus, so that’s why this game was made. I hate it when I see people texting while driving or walking, so I guess that’s a good thing to feature in this game. Of course, I like the Brain Age games because of all the neat puzzles and mini-games included as well, so we’ll take a look at them in this big ol’ review!
Star Wars Pinball (360)
Posted on February 27th, 2013 by
A long, long time ago in arcades (sometimes no so) far, far away, there was pinball. Now the Force (of gravity) can be with you as you train to be a Jedi (pinball) master with Star Wars Pinball from Zen Studios. Star Wars Pinball is available on a variety of platforms; you can download it from the App Store and Google Play, or for Pinball FX2 on Xbox LIVE or Zen Pinball 2 on PSN (Xbox 360 version reviewed here). The pack comes with three different tables: The Empire Strikes Back, The Clone Wars, and even one featuring everyone’s favorite bounty hunter: Boba Fett.
