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.
Game Review: Cars 2 (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, NDS)
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Posted on July 8th, 2011 by
Movie franchises that make their way into the video game world are all often the electronic equivalent of a Happy Meal Toy. Sure, it incorporates the new and exciting world of the movie to just out in theaters, but when it comes to play time they quickly tossed aside for other tried and true favorites. Thankfully, the new Cars 2 is the exception rather than the norm. While the last Cars game, Mater’s Tall Tales, was somewhat of a disappointment, Cars 2 redeems the franchise by delivering a good Kart racing game with solid tie-ins to the movie’s plot.
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Game Review: Ninjamurai (PS Mini)
Posted on July 7th, 2011 by
Ninjamurai is a 2-D sidescrolling platformer PS Mini game that you can play on the PSP or PS3. It’s very similar to classic titles such as Shinobi or Ninja Gaiden. Play as a warrior who can’t decide if he’s a ninja or samurai (I’d say mostly ninja) as he single-handedly thwarts the evil Black Armor group.
Batman Arkham Revisited
Posted on July 6th, 2011 by
Batman Arkham Asylum is one of the best games ever made, period. I knew that while playing it and while voting for it in various Game of the Year articles. I’m very excited about Arkham City. I knew I wanted more. But absence, time, and mediocre games can dull the memory a bit and I decided to do something I almost never, and never really could, do. I’m playing a game a second time.
Reader Review: Puzzle Agent 2 (PC)
Posted on July 6th, 2011 by
Put on your thinking caps and get out your ABC gum, because Puzzle Agent is returning to your PC from TellTale! Similar to the Professor Layton games on DS, Puzzle Agent 2 requires you to solve mini-puzzles while gathering clues to a bigger mystery. Since my brother Jeff enjoyed the first game so much, I decided to let him take a stab at the sequel. So here’s Jeff Orth’s review of Puzzle Agent 2!
Why the anti-videogame law was terrible and Doomed from the start
Posted on July 5th, 2011 by
The Supreme Court decision that the California video game law (barring vendors from selling the game to minors) is in. Video games are a form of speech and therefore protected by the first amendment. This has been the limb GamerDad has been on for 8 years now. What this means is, California cannot legally stop a child from buying a game like Mortal Kombat. Such laws, though they might seem obvious and obviously good, are impossible in this country because free speech basically says that the government cannot legislate against it.
Game Review: Backbreaker: Vengeance (Xbox LIVE)
Posted on July 3rd, 2011 by
Backbreaker: Vengeance is a downloadable Xbox LIVE title based on a popular cell phone game, which in turn is based on the sport of football. Not necessarily a football game, it’s more of an arcade style challenge to run the football down the length of the field, avoiding tacklers and obstacles along the way in each stage.
Game Review: Back to the Future: The Game, Episode 5: Outtatime (PC)
Posted on July 2nd, 2011 by
In the final episode of the Back to the Future point and click adventure from TellTale, Marty has to get the missing DeLorean time machine back by setting the timeline right. He’ll have to make sure young Emmett Brown goes through with his demonstration at the 1931 Science Expo. But not only that, he’ll have to thwart the plans of an alternate timeline Doc who has teamed up with antagonist Edna Strickland. Will Marty be able to set things right and save Hill Valley’s past, present, and future?
LEGO: Pirates of the Caribbean
Posted on July 1st, 2011 by
I grudgingly appreciate the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. I don’t think they’re art and they could use some serious editing, but I grew up near Disneyland and the ride is etched in my head. So are pirate movies from the past like The Black Pirate, Captain Kidd and that Disney Treasure Island with that guy people over 60 remember. Depp is awesome as Sparrow, the rest is cannon fire and cutlesses and, yar, they sure ain’t been enough of that lately.
Cary’s Best Video Games of the Year 2011 SO FAR Awards Show!
Posted on July 1st, 2011 by
Welcome everyone to the “Cary’s Best Video Games of the Year 2011 SO FAR Awards Show!” Around this time of year, when it’s halfway through (can you believe it?), I like to take a look back at the games released in the first half of the year and pick out the best ones! Why? Well when people do their Game of the Year awards at the end of the year, some of the games released at the beginning are sometimes forgotten. And all the exciting news of the upcoming games announced at the recent E3 doesn’t help matters. I know that most of the best games come out at the end of the year for the holiday season, but I wanted to give recognition to the early games of 2011 as well.
Game Review: Wicked Monster Blast! (Wii)
Posted on June 29th, 2011 by
Wicked Monster Blast! is an arcade style shooting gallery game for the Nintendo Wii. It comes packaged with two colorful gun peripherals to attach the Wii remote to, but the game works just fine without them. Which is good considering the game supports four players. With its quirky characters and silly mini-games, this title is very similar to Namco’s classic arcade light gun game series: Point Blank. But is it as good? Read on to find out.
