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.
Is There Sex in Video Games?
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Posted on April 4th, 2008 by
QUESTION: Is There Explicit Sex or Nudity in Video Games? Most videogames don’t have sex in them. And when they do, it’s always tamer than what you’d find in a soap opera. Really. It’s true! I don’t care what the evening news told you or how vague those ESRB descriptors are there really isn’t much sex in mainstream video games (we don’t consider porn games to be games in the same way that most people don’t consider porno to be films).
Console Guide: PlayStation 2
Posted on April 3rd, 2008 by
By far the most frequent question I get here at GamerDad is:
“What console should I buy for my kids?”
Should You Buy a PlayStation 2?
Are Violent Games Harmful?
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 by
QUESTION: Do M-rated games – violent games – cause harm in children?
There are studies that indicate video games can temporarily raise the aggression level in children and that soon after playing these games or watching footage, the kids imitate what they’ve seen.
NAMCO Museum (DS) – Review
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 by
Ah, the arcade. What better way to introduce youngsters to the wonders of gaming than the coin-eating simplicity of yore? This one has Pac-Man, Dig Dug 2, Tower of Druaga, Xevious, Galaxian, Galaga, and the rare and incredibly fun multiplayer game from Shiguru Miyamoto (that Mario guy) called Pac-Man Vs. CommonSenseMedia.org has my review. I gave it 4 stars out of 5 and recommend it whole-heartedly to children over 7. (Younger can handle it, provided they have video game experience.) Here’s a funny Penny-Arcade cartoon about reviewing games like this – it’s NSFW, but only due to a single F-word in the last panel.
Mainstream Media Violence Studies
Posted on April 2nd, 2008 by
by: Colleen Hannon (Momgamer) Do Violent Videogames really make kids violent? Colleen Hannon, our own Momgamer (no relation) takes an in-depth look at how the media interprets the data. This article is still relevant, but it’s based on an article Newsweek no longer has online. We’d love to say they retracted it in embarrassement. . . but we can’t.
Game Review: Naruto: Ninja Destiny (DS)
Posted on April 1st, 2008 by
Naruto is a popular Japanese manga comic book and anime cartoon series. Naruto and his pals are young ninjas in training who rely on their special powers and teamwork to defeat their enemies. But mostly they just stare and yell at each other. Now you can join in on their adventures-in the form of a one-on-one 3-D fighting game-with Naruto: Ninja Destiny for the Nintendo DS.
Food Court Musical
Posted on March 31st, 2008 by
We interrupt whatever sane thing you might have been doing to call your attention to a group called ImprovEverywhere. I found this at the Tales of the Rampant Coyote site, and it is a group that stages large scale improv shows in public places for hidden cameras. In this one, they have sixteen actors around a food court who spontaneously begin a musical number. It is really funny and even has some tension at times. Take a look – and when you are done check out their site.
SingStar 90s – Review
Posted on March 31st, 2008 by
“Don’t matter if it’s not good enough, for anyone else to hear . . .”
This WhatTheyPlay review is a beat you can’t touch! SingStar 90’s
I give it 4 out of 5 microphones and say it’s good for 10+ (8+ if the lyrics don’t bother you or if you let your kids listen to the radio.)
Sweatin’ Over the Oldies Redux
Posted on March 31st, 2008 by
I wrote an article that was published at GamerDad just over two years ago about getting to play great old games on modern computers. It is as relevant as ever – perhaps more so as you will see – so I decided to update it and bring it here. Most people don’t like having to tweak their computers – they just want them to work. The same is true with games. Yet there are times when you come across a game – or search out a game – that will not run correctly or at all on your computer.
GAME REVIEW: SEGA SUPERSTARS TENNIS
Posted on March 30th, 2008 by
Sonic the Hedgehog, Ulala, Amigo the monkey, and other favorite Sega characters are serving up arcade style sports fun with Sega Superstars Tennis. Play as and unlock up to 16 popular Sega video game characters and compete in fantasy tennis matches.
