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.
How much time?
4 Comments
Posted on January 14th, 2010 by
Bob & Carol ask: What is an acceptable amount of time per day for a youth to play Call of Duty modern warfare per day or week. And regardless of Title what are the console/keyboard utilization limits per day/week?
ESRB Stats for 2009
Posted on January 13th, 2010 by
The Electronic Software Ratings Board is the ratings system for games. Just like movies. An E rating = PG, An E-10 is a cross between PG and PG-13, a T is PG-13, and an M is rated R. Have you noticed how most people who dont understand video games – yet willfully pretend to will tell you that the game industry is targeting kids with their M-rated garbage? They claim that the industry is vile. Turns out they couldn’t be more wrong. Bear in mind the following stats reflect games submitted and RATED by the ESRB – not games based on sales. Here’s the stats:
Gears of War for 6!!!!?
Posted on January 13th, 2010 by
WonderingMom Writes: Well I’m wondering your input/take on a 6yr old playing
Gears of War. Its a game that he has seen adults play, and there fore
recognizes advertisements, or on the store shelves. What is it rated?
And would it be an appropriate game for him to play? because it is
being requested by him.
Game Review: The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces (Wii)
Posted on January 12th, 2010 by
The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces is an arcade dogfight simulation game for the Wii. It’s also based on a Japanese anime cartoon movie. The film is set in an alternate reality where there are no wars, so companies stage fake battles to keep the peace. A new breed of pilots is now being used to fly the planes: genetically engineered kids who never age. Yeah it doesn’t make any sense to me either. But hey, neither do most other anime cartoons. All you really need to know is that the team behind Namco Bandai’s Ace Combat series worked on this game, so this is essentially Ace Combat on the Wii. And trust me, that’s a GOOD thing!
Ask GamerDad – Grandpa Halo Concerns
Posted on January 11th, 2010 by
-Trying to stay fair Grandpa writes: “My daughter who has recently seperated from her spouse has major concerns that her ex spouse is allowing their 6 yr. old boy play “Halo” when at Dad’s house. I am not a gamer and not at all
equipped to give an opinion. Please let me know your thoughts on allowing this child to play for extended amounts of time this game.”
Game Review: Divinity 2: Ego Draconis (PC, Xbox 360)
Posted on January 9th, 2010 by
Divinity 2: Ego Draconis is the sequel to the cult classic PC RPG Divine Divinity that came out a few years back. In the sequel, choose to be a male or female Dragon Slayer, and customize your appearance and voice. Straight out of the Academy, you spend the first hour of the game in a special town to get initiated as a Dragon Slayer in a mystic ceremony. Then choose your profession as a sword master, archer, or mage (you can master all the skills later). But prematurely into your initiation, reports of dragons have appeared in another village, so you’re whisked away only to have a run-in with evil forces which transform you into the very thing you’re trying to kill—a dragon. Now as a warrior who can change into a dragon, you’re charged with saving the land from the returning evil lord Damien in this action RPG for PC and Xbox 360 (360 version reviewed here).
Cary is Looking Forward in 2010
Posted on January 7th, 2010 by
Well let’s see. I’ve done a “Best Games of 2009” blog. I’ve done a “Best Games of the Past Decade” blog. So now I guess I’ll do a blog about games in 2010 that I’m looking forward to.
New Year
Posted on January 6th, 2010 by
A new Year! Hey, thanks Cary for your recent “Picks of ’09” and of the decade. I’m working on something similar but with a twist. Soon I’ll post an article outlining how gaming went mainstream. I saw it coming, I saw how it would come, I tracked the highlights and even pushed the ball up the hill a bit. (I mangled metaphors too.) What I mean is, I saw it all from a unique perspective and I helped make it happen (in a tiny but meaningful ways). Expect that soon. Other than that the reason my “Game of the Year ’09” picks isn’t up yet is because NBC/Universal’s iVillage (one of the biggest “mommy” websites on the web) bought the article! Also, catch my picture and some advice in the March issue of Family Circle Magazine. Yes, I’ll be known to millions of people seeing the doctor all across this great land… Resolutions? No resolutions here. I’ve tried to make it a habit to change and perfect myself in small ways all the time (and fail, just like annual resolutions).
Cary’s Best Video Games of the Past Decade Awards Show Special!
Posted on January 4th, 2010 by
When I was writing my “Cary’s Best Video Games of 2009 Awards Show” blog, it donned on me that not only is this a new year, it’s also a new decade, too! And I also realized that for the past decade, every year I’ve written some kind of ‘Best Game of the Year” article in some form or fashion. And I still have them on record! So I thought it would be fun to make a special blog and look back and see which games won my Game of the Year Award for each year of the past decade!
Game Review: Polar Panic (PSN, Xbox LIVE)
Posted on January 2nd, 2010 by
Evil trappers have bear-napped a polar bear family, and now it’s up to Polar the polar bear (yes, that’s his name) to save the day! Help Polar push and slide around ice cube blocks and squish the trappers in this downloadable action-puzzle game on PSN and Xbox LIVE (360 version reviewed here).
