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.
Penny-Arcade Expo ’08 – GamerDad Speaks
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Posted on July 31st, 2008 by
Over 40,000 people converge on PAX in Seattle each year and I’m proud to have been a part of that for two years running. Lets make it three, shall we? Yep, it’s time for the next evolution of my Gaming with Children speech and I’ll have a 1500 seat theater to fill on Sunday August 31st at 2:30 PM. Can you make it? If so, today is the last day to pre-register, as seen in this Press Release from the folks at PA. Sorry for the short notice, see you there? Hey, tell a friend, whydoncha?
Civilization Revolution … with Children
Posted on July 30th, 2008 by
Civ? Me and Civ? Yeah, we go a long way back. I still recall the day, just prior to my career in gaming actually, when I stood in the store torn. Should I buy Quake? Or Sid Meier’s Civilization II. The one with the monsters and visceral thrills? Or the one with the pedigree, the elephant on the cover, and the one that looked fiercely, defiantly, and wonderfully beautiful and complex. I came home with both, I’m proud to say.
Retrospective: Unreal (1998 PC FPS)
Posted on July 30th, 2008 by
Given that my first love of gaming is first-person shooters (FPS) based on my love of the original Castle Wolfenstein back on my Apple ][+, it is somewhat surprising that I was ‘late to the party’ on Unreal by nearly a year. But hey, gimme a break – I had a three-month old colicky baby when it was released in late May of 1998. Yes, that is right: Unreal just celebrated its’ tenth birthday! You know what that means? Retrospective time! I am going to take a look at the original game and also touch on the other entries in the series as it has moved to being one of the premier online shooters. more…
Divine Divinity Retrospective at RPGWatch
Posted on July 29th, 2008 by
From an article of mine just posted at Ask GamerDad 7/25/08
Posted on July 28th, 2008 by
Some great questions this week! Like, what games are good for kids with Asperger Syndrome? We also get caught walking in a spiderweb and we talk about how a mix of slapstick violence and cartoon flatulence can give a game a “Teen” rating. All this and more; Ask GamerDad!
Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice
Posted on July 28th, 2008 by
Nancy’s back, and so are the mysterious forces of intrigue that make her America’s number one teen sleuth. Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice is her 18th computer adventure and this time she’s in Venice seeking to unmask a catburgler fond of ancient, and priceless, artifacts. Read the content review over at WhatTheyPlay.
Import Implosion!
Posted on July 27th, 2008 by
I just got three new import games from Japan, so today I thought I’d give a brief review on each one. But first a warning: I may start rambling and talking about ‘hardcore’ fanboy gaming stuff here, so, well, now you’re warned. Anyway, the three games I got were Bokura no TV Games Kentei (DS), Slide Adventure: Mag Kid (DS), and Bit Generations: Coloris (GBA).
Second Opinion – Boom Blox (Wii)
Posted on July 24th, 2008 by
When Bloom Blox was reviewed last month by GamerDad, it piqued my interest. I decided it might be just the kind of Wii game I appreciate. I went and got a copy to see for myself. The solo game play is interesting but not compelling but the game shines as a party game. It is the best pick-up-and-play party game for larger crowds of tweens and teens since the original Wii Sports pack-in that comes with the system.
Convention Survival Kit for Parents
Posted on July 24th, 2008 by
It’s convention season again. Things are in high swing for the months of August and September. Here’s a few handy tips for parents who are just getting into this sort of thing from someone who’s been to way too many of these and lived to tell the tale.
Whether it’s a small-town game convention with just a couple thousand to the over 125,000 people who mobbed the San Diego Comic Con in 2007, there are a few things that always seem to come up in common. What do I do? How do I find out what’s going on? Don’t these people ever take a shower?
Game Review: We Ski (Wii)
Posted on July 22nd, 2008 by
