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.
Alpaca Ball All Stars (Switch, PC)
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Posted on December 7th, 2020 by
Play soccer with alpacas in this crazy sports multiplayer party game for Switch and PC (reviewed on Switch here). It’s wacky and alpac-ey simple silly fun for all ages.
Video Game Themed Hallmark Keepsake Christmas Ornaments 2020
Posted on December 4th, 2020 by
Hallmark always has a wide annual selection of new Christmas ornaments and series, and in the past few years they’ve even done video game related ones! This year they had more than ever, and I got most of them, so I thought I’d share them with you here. Most are from Nintendo games.
Shoot 1UP DX (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on December 2nd, 2020 by
Usually when you play a video game, like a 2-D shooter, when you get an extra life, it goes into reserve and you use it when you lose the ship you’re playing as. But what if when you got 1ups, you’d use them all at the same time? That’s what happens in Shoot 1UP DX, a classic styled (mostly) vertically scrolling 2-D shooter with a unique twist. It’s available to download on current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
Flipon (Switch, PC)
Posted on November 30th, 2020 by
One of Nintendo’s best puzzle games is Puzzle League. Originally called Panel de Pon and only released in Japan on the Super Famicom, it was later released in the US on the SNES under the name Tetris Attack (even though it has nothing to do with Tetris), and they replaced the fairy characters with Yoshi ones. Later on the N64, it was rebranded Pokémon Puzzle League due to the popularity of the franchise. And then on the DS it was just plain old Puzzle League. Most recently, there was a version of it you could unlock in the Welcome Amiibo update on Animal Crossing: New Leaf (they should put it on New Horizons as well). I’m surprised they haven’t made a Switch version of Puzzle League, although now you can play Panel de Pon on the SNES Virtual Console if you have an online account. Anyway, at my old job, there was a plaque on the wall that read “If we don’t take care of the customer, someone else will” and that’s exactly what has happened here because Flipon is on the Switch (and PC, but reviewed on Switch here), and it plays EXACTLY like Puzzle League.
Cary Ranks the Paper Mario Games
Posted on November 27th, 2020 by
Of all of Nintendo’s game series, the Paper Mario titles have probably had the most ups and downs. On one hand, you have what many consider to be one of the best RPGs ever made! And on the other end, you have what others, including myself, believe to be one of Nintendo’s worst games! Ouch! The newest game in the series, Paper Mario: The Origami King, came out earlier this year, so I thought it might be fun to rank them.
Funko Pop Blitz (Mobile)
Posted on November 25th, 2020 by
Those big-headed, soulless black eyed Funko Pop figurines are EVERYWHERE! And pretty much any movie, TV, comic book, even food commercial characters have their own figure. I’ve tried to stay away from them, myself, since I’m already so bad with amiibo figures, but even I have a few of them. I had to have all the Pac-Man ones, because you know I would. Plus I’ve got a couple of other video game related ones I’ve found on sale. And now there is a match three puzzle game on mobile devices featuring Funko Pop characters!
Hot Wheels Unlimited (Mobile)
Posted on November 23rd, 2020 by
For generations, kids have played with Hot Wheels toy cars. Heck, I certainly did back in the day. Even now I’m really tempted to get those Mario Kart Hot Wheels, but I have to practice restraint and not do that. Sucks being an adult sometimes! Anyway, now there’s a Hot Wheels game for the younger fans called Hot Wheels Unlimited. Build tracks and race on them in this free-to-play mobile game (reviewed on iPad here).
The Jackbox Party Pack 7 (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, Mobile, PC)
Posted on November 20th, 2020 by
If you have a bunch of people over to play games during the holidays, but not enough controllers to play with everyone, then Jackbox has you covered! Their latest batch of party games is out, and all you need are cell phones to play them! Just connect to Jackbox.tv on any phone and enter in the room code and you’re in! It’s pretty simple and works well, and in some games, even people who don’t have cell phones can be part of the audience and participate. The Jackbox Party Pack 7 is available on most anything that can play games, but reviewed on PS4 here. I like how the menu screen in this one looks like parade balloons, a perfect fit for the season. Anyway, let’s take a look at all the games!
Tin & Kuna (PS4, Switch, Xbox One, PC)
Posted on November 18th, 2020 by
Kuna is a purple monkey…armadillo…thing, who can roll into a ball to get around. He/She/It lives in a world full of floating islands and when the balance of the world is thrown off and evil emerges, it’s up to Kuna to save the day by…rolling little white balls into holes. Tin & Kuna is a 3-D action puzzle platformer that combines elements of Marble Madness, Super Monkey Ball, and…golf? It’s available on current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Powertris (Switch, Mobile)
Posted on November 16th, 2020 by
To this very day, one of my top favorite puzzle games is still plain old Tetris. But another puzzler I really liked back in the day was Pipe Dream, also sometimes called Pipe Mania. In that one, you arranged pipes so water can flow through, and you tried to keep that up as long as you could. But what happens when you combine Pipe Dream and Tetris? You get Powertris, a downloadable puzzler for Switch and mobile devices, but reviewed on Switch here.
