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.
Tanuki Justice (Switch)
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Posted on January 20th, 2021 by
Tanuki are actual real life animals that look like raccoons but they are more closely related to the dog family. Sometimes they’re even called ‘raccoon dogs.’ They live in forests in Japan and other Asian countries, and these animals play a big part in Japanese myths and folklore. They’ve even seeped their way into video games, too! In some Mario games, there is a power-up called the ”Tanooki Suit.” And you know Tom Nook from Animal Crossing? Yep, also a tanuki. And now you can play as a tanuki ninja in Tanuki Justice, a Switch side scrolling platform action game that imitates classic arcade and console games from the mid-80s. It really reminds me of Kid Niki: Radical Ninja if any of you are old enough to remember that one.
Splashy Cube (Switch, Mobile)
Posted on January 18th, 2021 by
Splashy Cube is a minimalistic action game where you maneuver a cube through an ever collapsing obstacle course filled maze as you try to make it to the goal. I’m not sure what’s so splashy about it, but the game is available on Switch and mobile devices, but reviewed on Switch here.
Reader Review: My Universe: School Teacher (Switch, PS4, PC)
Posted on January 15th, 2021 by
There are many real life super heroes out there making this world a better place. Some include firefighters, police officers, and teachers. Teachers educate our kids and get them ready for the future, and do so much more that we don’t even realize. I’m proud to say my brother Jeff is a teacher, so I thought it would be neat to have him review My Universe: School Teacher, a game about that occupation. It’s available on Switch, PS4, and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Apparition (Switch)
Posted on January 13th, 2021 by
We all have guilty pleasures. You wanna know what one of mine is? You know those ghost shows on the History Channel or Travel Channel where paranormal investigators try to find evidence of hauntings? Yeah I know those shows are dopey and probably most of the stuff they find isn’t real or overly exaggerated for TV. But you know what? I like watching them anyway, I don’t care. Well now there’s a game on the Switch where you get to be a paranormal investigator in a first person adventure perspective. Is it any good? Well you’ll just have to read on to find out…if you dare!
Destropolis (Switch, PC)
Posted on January 11th, 2021 by
Destropolis is a minimalist twin stick shooter where you’re a square shooting other squares. Zap the cubes to collect power-ups and weapons to level up and select skills to reach as high of a score as you can. It’s available on Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Cary is (trying) to Look Forward in 2021!
Posted on January 8th, 2021 by
While I’m glad 2020 is over, it’s hard to look forward to 2021 since just because it’s a new year, it doesn’t mean all of our problems just instantly go away. COVID is still around, as well as other crap from 2020. But every year I like to write a blog about the games I’m looking forward to in the coming year, so we’ll do that now. At least it gives us something to look forward to. And I imagine some of these games will get delayed, and there will be new games announced that we don’t know about just yet. Will we get Metroid Prime 4 or Breath of the Wild 2 this year? Maybe not, but you never know what the new year will bring. This time last year, we had no idea we’d be spending most of the year in quarantine either! OK let’s begin!
Barbie Fashion Closet (Mobile)
Posted on January 7th, 2021 by
Toy icon Barbie is known to be a fashionista, but where does she put all her clothes? Must be a pretty big closet! Her closet is so big, in fact, that it gets its own mobile game! (reviewed on iPad here). Pick out Barbie and friends’ clothes, accessories, hair, make up, and more!
Lunch A Palooza (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on January 6th, 2021 by
Pick a food character like a burger, meatball, donut, gelatin mold, and more as you try to knock each other off the table in this silly multiplayer battle game. Lunch A Palooza is available for nearly all current game consoles, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Fatal Fury: First Contact (Switch)
Posted on January 5th, 2021 by
When Street Fighter 2 was super popular in arcades, one of the first fighting games to kind of steal its thunder was SNK’s Fatal Fury. Aside from new characters, it didn’t really do much different than Street Fighter. But fans were so starved for more brawling action that they were willing to take more of the same. Even though they’re more famous in the King of Fighters series, characters like Terry Bogard, Joe Higashi, and Mai Shiranui got their start in Fatal Fury. Terry Bogard is sometimes even considered the mascot of SNK and was recently added in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! So when SNK brought out their handheld game system, the NEO GEO Pocket Color in the late 90’s, it only makes sense that one of the first games for it would be a Fatal Fury title. And now you can play Fatal Fury: First Contact on the Switch!
Swimsanity! (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on January 4th, 2021 by
Swimsanity! is an underwater themed multiplayer twin stick shooter. Pick a diver and shoot robotic fish (and each other) in the deepest depths of the ocean. Swimsanity! is available on nearly all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
