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.
Free Game! Pac-Match Party!
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Posted on July 10th, 2010 by
It’s Pac-Man’s 30th birthday, but the presents are for you! To celebrate this chomp-tacular occasion, Namco Games has a free Flash game on the official Pac-Man Web site! Oh, sure, there are a lot of free Flash games on the Internet, but this one is really fun and addicting. And it has Pac-Man in it, so you know I would talk about it anyway.
Halo and Halo Reach
Posted on July 10th, 2010 by
LIAM 12 asks: Hello Gamer Dad I am 12 years old and i want to get Halo Reach when it comes out but my parents won’t let me have anything above my age group. I have Halo 3 so do you think it would be ok to get Halo Reach?
Game Review: Picross 3D (DS)
Posted on July 9th, 2010 by
I was excited to come home after a long trip because I knew that, courtesy of Nintendo, Picross 3D was there waiting for me. I’m a big fan of the previous Nintendo Picross games. One could compare them to Sudoku puzzles. While both puzzles involve numbers, the focus is on logic and deduction rather than any math skills. In basic Picross, a grid is outlined above and to the side with a series of numbers that describe how many squares should be filled in each row or column. A series such as 5 3 2 means that row contains 5 consecutive filled squares, then a break, then three squares, then a break, then two squares. Squares on the grid are slowly filled in using logic and deduction until all appropriate filled squares are found an a picture is revealed. I find Picross much more satisfying than Sudoku because I enjoy the process of creating a tangible picture. The newest entry in the Picross series takes the game into the third dimension. Rather than a simple rectangle, puzzles consist of a three dimensional grid of boxes, some of which have to be removed to reveal the shape hidden inside. At first, I was wary of the changes to the game, but soon found Picross 3D to have much of the original game’s appeal.
Game Review: Secret Files: Tunguska (Wii, DS)
Posted on July 7th, 2010 by
Back in 1908, a mysterious explosion rocked the Tunguska wilderness of central Siberia. Its effects could be felt worldwide. The cause of the explosion remains a bit of a mystery. Was it a meteor, nuclear explosion, or maybe a UFO? Fast forward 100 years later. A renowned scientist goes missing, and it’s up to his daughter Nina to find him. In the process, she will solve many more mysteries and maybe even uncover the secrets of Tunguska!
Game Review: TNA Impact! Cross the Line (DS, PSP)
Posted on July 6th, 2010 by
On-the-go professional wrestling fans can now get in on the action with TNA Impact! Cross the Line for DS and PSP (DS version reviewed here). Play as your favorite wrestler, including Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Mick Foley, and more than a dozen others. Pit them in a Quick Match, follow their storyline, or compete in a series of tournaments to see who is the best around.
Game Review: Tournament of Legends (Wii)
Posted on July 5th, 2010 by
It’s a true clash of titans as characters from Roman, Egyptian, and even Norse Mythologies come together in battle to see who is the strongest warrior. Find out in Tournament of Legends, a Wii exclusive weapons-based 3-D one-on-one fighter.
Cary’s Best Video Games of the Year SO FAR Awards Show!
Posted on July 3rd, 2010 by
Welcome, one and all, to the Cary’s Best Video Games of the Year SO FAR Awards Show! Around this time of the year, when it’s halfway over, I like to take a look at the games that were released at the first half of the year and pick out the best ones. Why? Well, when people do their Game of the Year awards at the end of the year, some of the games released at the beginning are sometimes forgotten. And all the exciting news of upcoming games at the recent E3 doesn’t help matters either. I know that most of the best games come out at the end of the year for the holiday season, but I wanted to give recognition to the early gems of 2010 as well.
Game Review: Mahjongg Artifacts (PSP Minis)
Posted on July 3rd, 2010 by
The classic tile matching challenge is now available to download as a PSP Minis game. The rules are simple: you can match similar tiles but only if they aren’t in between or under other tiles. Artifacts adds a few twists to challenge causal gaming fans.
Game Review: Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent (PC)
Posted on July 2nd, 2010 by
Meet Nelson Tethers. He works in the FBI’s Department of Puzzle Research. Needless to say, he hasn’t had a true assignment in years! But when the eraser factory in Scoggins, Minnesota mysteriously shuts down, Puzzle Agent Tethers is assigned to investigate. It’s a national emergency since this particular eraser factory supplies the White House with all of its erasers! It’s up to you to help unravel the mystery and solve mind-bending puzzles in the secluded, snowy town of Scoggins.
Game Review: Wipeout: The Game (Wii, DS)
Posted on June 30th, 2010 by
Wipeout: The Game is based on the popular game show on the ABC TV network. Similar to other shows like MXC or Ninja Warrior, Wipeout challenges contestants to run obstacle courses over water or mud, and not get knocked off or tripped up in the process. Now you can relive the wacky obstacles of Wipeout on the DS or Wii (DS version reviewed here).
