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.
Irem Collection Volume 2 (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S)
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Posted on December 19th, 2024 by
Irem was a video game publisher who made a lot of arcade classics like Moon Patrol, Kid Niki: Radical Ninja, Kung Fu Master, and R-Type. They also made a lot of console games, including a couple of my favorites: Kickle Cubicle on NES and Steambot Chronicles on PS2. Sadly they went out of business in 2011, but now you can play a handful of their arcade games in this collection. This one includes a vertically scrolling shooter and a couple of run and guns, so let’s take a look at them. Irem Collection Volume 2 is available on all current consoles, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Spellagis (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on December 18th, 2024 by
When a game becomes popular, you’ll usually find many imitators following it. Such is the case with Vampire Survivor. I’ve never played the game myself, but I’ve reviewed a few games that copy its formula. And now there’s Spellagis, another game trying to ride the coattails of Vampire Survivor’s popularity. Play as a mage and zap waves of enemies with magic in this simple top down viewed action game. It’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Fantasy Friends: Dream Worlds (PS4, PS5, Switch, PC)
Posted on December 16th, 2024 by
Turns out that Fantasy Friends is a series of virtual pet games that I’ve never heard of, but this new entry in the series is a bit different. Play as a girl who travels to dream worlds and has her Fantasy Friend pets help her out in this 2D isometric puzzle platformer. It’s available on PlayStation consoles, Switch, and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Mario Kart 8 Toys in McDonald’s Happy Meals
Posted on December 13th, 2024 by
In November McDonald’s had Mario Kart 8 toys in their Happy Meals. So I thought I’d show you what they had and which ones I got. So Let’s-A-Go!
Care Bears: To the Rescue (Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on December 11th, 2024 by
There are many toy lines that came out in the 80s when I was a kid that are still popular today. Some examples would be Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony, etc. Another example that I didn’t know about until now was Care Bears. That was huge when I was a kid, and they had lots of toys, plush, several cartoons, and even some movies! I think even I saw the first Care Bears movie when I was a kid (I remember it being surprisingly dark), and that movie even made more money than the Disney cartoon film it was competing against (granted that Disney movie was The Black Cauldron, but still). And now you can play a video game starring those colorful bears! Some bad guys have planted a Bad Seed in the forest where the Care Bears live, and it’s up to them to get rid of the evil purple plants that have taken over. Care Bears: To the Rescue is a four player simultaneous 2D platformer, and it’s available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
O.W.L Projekt (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC)
Posted on December 9th, 2024 by
You’d think with a title like that, this game would have some kind of rich, involving story, but it really doesn’t. At least not in the game anyway. The character you play as holds a walking stick and looks like a cross between that thing you play as in Bit.Trip Runner and BMO from Adventure Time. You view the playfield in an isometric perspective and each level is like a little diorama. Kind of reminds me of Captain Toad or those isometric adventure games you would see a lot on British computers in the 80s (or like Solstice on the NES). Your goal is to get your little dude to the exit block in each area, and the game is available on all current consoles and PC, but reviewed on PS4 here.
Unplugged: GamerDad Holiday Guide 2024
Posted on December 7th, 2024 by
Happy Holidays! Boardgaming continues to make inroads to wider audiences, and there’s no better time to get (or get your friends and family) into the hobby than an extended holiday break. There are boardgames out there to meet up with almost any taste.Boardgames are timeless, just as good today as they will be years in the future, so a purchase today will still be serving you well after the lockdowns go away. As we at GamerDad have done for the past 20-odd years, it’s time for an annual rundown of recent boardgames well worth your time. Feel free to delve into some past year’s guides for 2023, 2022, or older as they’re still great candidates for your consideration. You might not find all these titles at your local mega-mart but many can be found online or in a friendly local game store. Some may argue $60+ boardgames (or more) are expensive, but compare that to video gaming (and where multiple copies are required for multiplayer play) and the economics of boardgaming shows their true value. For each game, I’ve provided the publisher (to help you find it), an approximate MSRP (you can probably find it lower), the number of players, the expected time for one game, and the manufacturer’s recommended ages. These age listings are often set for legal reasons and I would say most could easily be skewed lower for experienced younger gamers. (Buy through this link and GamerDad gets a small kickback…)
On with the show!
Alarmo: Nintendo’s…Alarm Clock?!?
Posted on December 6th, 2024 by
Nintendo recently released something weird! It’s a fancy alarm clock called the Alarmo! But you can’t get it just anywhere. It’s only available either at the Nintendo store in New York City, or if you have a My Nintendo account and order it on that website. But one thing they won’t tell you in the ads for it is how much it costs. And the price is 100 bucks! That’s insane! But you know what? I caved in and bought one anyway. Why? Well one, I was in the market for a new alarm clock. Yeah I’m old fashioned and still use one of those instead of my phone. And two, lots of other people spend big money on those fancy Apple watches, so I figured I’d splurge and give this one a try. So is the Alarmo worth 100 bucks? You’ll just have to read on to find out!
Blazing Strike (Switch, PS4, PS5, PC)
Posted on December 4th, 2024 by
Blazing Strike is a 2D fighting game featuring pixel graphics like what you might’ve seen in fighters from the mid to late 90s such as Street Fighter Alpha or King of Fighters. It’s available on Switch, PlayStation platforms, and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.
The Jackbox Survey Scramble (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, X/S, PC, Mobile)
Posted on December 2nd, 2024 by
If you have a bunch of people over to play games, but not enough controllers to play with everyone, then Jackbox has you covered! Their newest game is pretty much their take on Family Feud in that you must guess the highest (and sometimes lowest) answers on random surveys. All you need are cell phones to play! 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. Two to ten players can play, with even more in the audience. I’m not sure where they get these surveys from, but I think you can submit answers to some of these surveys while you wait your turn to play. Anyway, The Jackbox Survey Scramble is available on pretty much anything you can play a game on, but reviewed on PS4 here.
