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.
Cary’s Best Games of 2020 Awards Show!
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Posted on January 1st, 2021 by
WORST. YEAR. EVER. I think we can all agree that 2020 has been one of the worst years in our lifetime, what with the Coronavirus, quarantines, riots and looting, politics, and much more. And it doesn’t seem to be getting any better, as I just found out my mom has breast cancer (keep us in your prayers). Some days I wonder if we’ll EVER get through this. 2020 can just suck it! But at least we’ve had some good video games come out to help keep our minds off of this dumpster fire of a year. So here’s my Best Games of 2020 Awards Show! But keep in mind that this is my list and my picks only, no outside opinions and whatnot. And if a game isn’t on my list, it either just didn’t appeal to me or I haven’t played it yet. Can’t play ‘em all, you know! But with that out of the way, let’s take a look at my picks.
Family Feud (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Stadia)
Posted on December 30th, 2020 by
There are countless TV game shows out there, but most don’t last very long. Sometimes you might get a remake of one, such as Press Your Luck (one of my guilty pleasures). But there are some game shows that seem to have been on TV forever! Or at least as long as I can remember. Some of these include Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and The Price is Right. Another one is Family Feud, and any time it’s on, me and whoever I’m watching it with like to try and guess the survey answers. And now you can play a video game version of it on most current consoles, but it’s reviewed on PS4 here.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on December 28th, 2020 by
In ancient China, Wei Cheng is a fisherman who uses martial arts with a staff to protect his village from pirates. One day the pirates get the better of him and his grandfather goes missing. Left for dead, Wei Cheng is found by monks who take him back to their temple and heal him. Now he must learn new skills from the monks so he can seek revenge on the pirates. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a classic styled side scrolling beat ‘em up with RPG and story elements, and it’s available on nearly all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Mario Kart Live Home Circuit (Switch)
Posted on December 25th, 2020 by
Did you know there was a new Mario Kart game this year? Yeah it kind of flew under the radar and was also kind of hard to get. So when I was a kid, sometimes for Christmas I’d get an RC car and really liked them. You know another thing that I like? Mario Kart! In fact, the original Super Mario Kart on the SNES is still one of my top five favorite games of all time. So what do you get when you combine the fun of driving real life RC cars with the wackiness of Mario Kart video games? You get Mario Kart Live Home Circuit. It’s an RC car of Mario or Luigi (I got the Luigi one because he’s way cooler than Mario). On the car there is a camera, and you control the car with the Switch and view the action in first person with the camera as you play a Mario Kart game with augmented reality. You can even design your own tracks! It’s a really cool idea, but is it practical and really worth the 100 bucks? Well you’ll just have to read on to find out!
Wunderling (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on December 23rd, 2020 by
Lowly minions in 2-D platformers don’t get much love, as they get stomped on constantly by overalled plumbers and other adventurers. But what if you got to PLAY as one of these downtrodden foes? Well that’s exactly what happens in Wunderling. The ‘heroic’ Carrot Man is on a quest to save Princess Pea in the Vegetable Kingdom. He’s stolen a magic stick that can make portals appear, and one of the first things he does is stomp a walking squash enemy flat. An evil witch comes along and brings the squashed squash underling back to life, but he really can’t do much since he can only walk back and forth. So the witch gives him the power to jump! Now you get to control the minion, who not only constantly walks forward until he hits a wall and changes direction, but can also jump over obstacles! It’s kind of like an endless runner except it has actual gameplay, and for such a challenging title, it’s pretty fun! Wunderling is available on nearly all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Pinball FX3: Williams Pinball Volume 6 (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC, Mobile)
Posted on December 21st, 2020 by
For many years, Zen Studios has been making original video pinball tables for their Pinball FX and Zen Pinball outlets. Now they’re tackling real life classic pinball machines in video form from the Williams and Bally lineups. Volume 6 of this set includes three more tables, all from the late 80s. To play them, first you need to download the Pinball FX3 hub (available for most current consoles, PC, and mobile devices, but reviewed on PS4 here). And then you can buy and download table sets.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Loot Box
Posted on December 18th, 2020 by
Link’s Awakening is my number one favorite Zelda game. In fact, last year I named the Switch remake my Game of the Year in 2019. So a couple of months ago on my birthday, I was happy to get a loot box with stuff from that game! Let’s take a look and see what’s in it!
Unplugged: Oceans (Boardgame)
Posted on December 17th, 2020 by
Players take on the role of ocean gatherers, hunters, and scavengers in this card game of species evolving and jostling for survival in the ocean blue. A spiritual successor to the Evolution line of games, Oceans takes the game in a slightly more strategic direction, as a slightly faster flow, and favors a slightly less aggressive style of play. Whereas Evolution provided food to players at a regular rate, Oceans leaves the management of available food in the players’ hands. A great compliment to Evolution, gamers who like the former should like the new game but will have to decide if they are different enough to keep both on the shelf. As a special bonus for reading this far, I’ll note that Oceans (Oceans Board Game Lite) is available as a free app you can play on your phone! Give it a download and see whether you need to run out and buy a copy of the game for Christmas.
Oceans
Publisher: NorthStar Games
Ages: 12+
Players: 2-4
Time: 60-90 mins
(Review copy provided by North Star Games)
Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on December 17th, 2020 by
I grew up as a kid in the 80s, and one of the things I remember being SUPER POPULAR for a while was the Rubik’s Cube puzzle toy. It was everywhere, and everyone had it. It was so big that at one point, there was a Saturday morning cartoon about it. I’m not kidding, go look it up after reading this review. It’s crazy! And now, 40 years later, you can play a video game and exercise your brain with puzzles based on the 80’s icon. Professor Rubik’s Brain Fitness is available on most current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Cook, Serve, Delicious 3?! (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on December 16th, 2020 by
The tough-as-nails cooking sim is back! In the last game I reviewed, you cooked food in restaurants inside a high rise building, from a lowly stall in a food court all the way up to a swanky establishment. And now you’re taking it on the road with food trucks in the sequel. Cook, Serve, Delicious 3?! is available for nearly all current game consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
