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.
Animal Crossing Valentines!
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Posted on January 29th, 2021 by
Nintendo’s Animal Crossing game franchise got a big boost in popularity this past year thanks to the release of Animal Crossing: New Horizons right in the beginning of the COVID pandemic. It was just what a lot of people needed, including myself. But I’ve always been a big fan of the series. Anyway, the recent popularity of the game is probably why they now have Animal Crossing Valentines! You know, they’re like the ones you used to give out to classmates in elementary school, or maybe you have kids who do that now. Anyway, I found these at a Kroger grocery store, so let’s take a look at them!
Body of Evidence (Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on January 27th, 2021 by
Boy they’ll make a game out of anything these days! Body of Evidence is a 3-D first person game where you are tasked with hiding and getting rid of dead bodies in creative ways. Blech! It uses light puzzle solving and lots of rag doll physics, and is available on a couple of consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Unplugged: Machi Koro (Boardgame)
Posted on January 26th, 2021 by
One of my teenage son’s favorite games is Machi Koro. (Very) briefly, it is kind of like Monopoly with no board, but people can collect income for properties even when it is not their turn. The game is fast and fun, and I highly recommend it for family gaming and it is just now returning to store shelves over at Target (it’s continued to be available in game stores for some time.) Someone looking for a lighter-weight game to play during the pandemic should find Machi Koro an excellent choice.
PickLock (Switch, PC)
Posted on January 25th, 2021 by
Ditch the honest life and become a thief in PickLock. Featuring stylized blocky graphics, rob neighbors and businesses blind and use your ill-gotten loot to furnish your house, purchase new getaway cars, and even buy new houses in other countries! This stealth action game is available on Switch and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Pretty Princess Party (Switch)
Posted on January 22nd, 2021 by
You are a young girl just minding your own business in your backyard when suddenly a talking rabbit bumps into you and runs past. When you catch up to it, you see a portal to another world. When you step in, you are magically transformed into a princess in another realm with enchanted castles and more bunnies who can speak. The talking rabbit tasks you to use your princess magic to redecorate the castle and bring back its former glory. And you can play some mini-games, too. This is the only way to re-open the portal back to your world. And so begins your adventure in Pretty Princess Party for Switch!
Tanuki Justice (Switch)
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.
