WATTA! aka What Are They Talking About. I may or may not have just made that term up.

Being a gaming dad (and uncle) has it’s perks. I get to see children’s faces light up when I come through with the latest game or console, There’s always someone to hit the ol’ Mario kart race track with, and I’m also able to get a pulse on what games kids are most amped about. I’ve kept my ear to the toy littered ground, and here’s what has them excited lately:

Splatoon 2

The original iteration of Splatoon was great fun, but because it released on the not so popular Nintendo WiiU, it didn’t get much of the spotlight. Fast forward to 2017, and Switches are selling out faster than you can click “add to cart,” and the sequel is finally getting the attention it deserves.

In Splatoon , Nintendo has taken the standard “shooter” genre and flipped it on it’s head. You aren’t the typical mercenary blowing the enemy up into smithereens, you’re an “inkling” on a team of four tasked with painting more territory than the opposing team of four. The characters have a ton of personality, and are extremely customizable…it’s easy to see why kids have gravitated to the inklings and their fresh style. Pair this up with it’s addictive gameplay, Splatoon licensed waterguns, comic books, and even some television representation via the Disney channel, and it’s clear Nintendo knows they have a hit on their hands.

Sonic Mania

It may be hard to believe…but sonic the hedgehog is now 25 years old! As popular as the blue blur is, every new iteration in the franchise seemingly deteriorates his credibility.

…That is until Sonic Mania released.

Made by a team of Sonic super fans, and harkening back to the gameplay and graphics of old.. Sonic Mania rekindles the flames of the speedster’s golden age. Because the franchise has seen new success via the uber popular cartoon “Sonic Boom,” Kids are more excited than ever to hop into a new adventure to defeat Dr. Eggman and his baddies. Available on PS4, Xbox one, PC, and Switch!

Fidget Spinners

Just kidding….kinda.  That does it for this edition of WATTA! Tune in next month to see what cool and new games your kids may be talking about!

Welcome to the first edition of Gaming Glossary, where we take a popular gaming term, and explain it’s meaning! Today we’re going with the very commonly used “GG” (spoiler: it doesn’t stand for Gaming Glossary)

GG is short for good game, and is often used as a sign of respect via a direct message from one player to another after a match, or set of online matches. Although it’s most prevalent in online gaming, it isn’t exclusive to it.

Some have taken to using “GG” as a figure of speech, with several implications…most commonly, for an unfortunate scenario. Think of it as another way of saying “Game Over”

Ex. “That burrito isn’t sitting very well…GGs Taco Bell.”

Finally, we’ve reached our third and most recent major console: the Nintendo Switch. Released only a few months ago, this portable/home console hybrid has been making quite a splash. Let’s see if it lives up to the hype!

Price: The Switch launched on March 3rd of this year at a retail price of $299.99. contents include the switch console,  the necessary cables to get it running on your television, and Nintendo’s two newest innovations: The Switch dock, and a set of Joycon. The what and the what now? Instead of explaining I’ll leave this short ad Nintendo created that paints the picture pretty well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ7OpCAC98g

The switch is definitely working with less graphical power than it’s competitors, but the draw here is that you’re paying for a portable and home console for the price of one. Because of the Joycon’s functionality, consumers essentially are also getting 2 gaming controllers right out of the box as well.

Protip: The switch is currently selling like hotcakes, and is very hard to score. Retailers are restocking regularly to meet demand, however. Keep an eye out!

Security: From the dawn of the internet, Nintendo has famously taken your kid’s safety very seriously…some would say to a fault. Instead of connecting and being able to communicate with players online by default, a cumbersome exchange of friend codes must first be made. The Switch is also taking some new and modern measures to make life easier for mom and dad. They also made a nifty video to make life easier for me:

Games: If Nintendo does one thing best, its make games. As I mentioned before, the switch doesn’t boast graphics as great as the Xbox One, or the PS4…but when it comes to sheer gameplay, they tend to deliver. Here are some of my favorites.

Rated E for Everyone

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild:

Fine I’ll admit it. I’ve clocked in more than 100 hours of this game. Easily. “ONE HUNDRED HOURS?! HOW DO YOU EVEN HAVE TIME FOR THAT WITH A KID?!” That’s the magic of the switch’s portable functions….but that’s for a different article. Simply put, this is a bonafide classic.  There are swords and arrows. Violence, but more on the cartoon side.

Super Mario Kart 8 Deluxe:

Mario Kart is tried and true. Nintendo has delivered several iterations of this gem, each (mostly) topping the last, and this one is no exception. Seen by many as the greatest Kart to date, it’s certainly a must.

Protip: We know the red shell they threw at you blew your chances at first place. Take a deep breath, and remember….they are your children, and you love them.

Snipperclips:

As difficult as it is for some parents to comprehend….there are in my opinion videogames that can help in child development, and Snipperclips is a great example. Split a Joycon with your kid,  communicate, and use practical thinking to solve puzzles together.

Final thoughts:

A portable console with two player functionality right out of the box, the switch encourages cooperative gaming. Pick up a control and get to it!

Next up we have Microsoft’s follow up to their Xbox 360: Xbox One (XBONE). Originally released in November of 2013, this console had an infamously rocky start….how’s it holding up today, and more importantly: are we bringing it home to the kids?

Price:  Microsoft took a big hit from critics when the XBONE launched at $499.99 and came bundled with Kinect: a motion control device most gamers could have done without. Smartly removing Kinect from current packaging has helped Microsoft price competitively. an Xbox One can be found on shelves today at between $249.99 and $349.99 depending on memory storage, and what games may or may not be included.

Security: The XBONE is often marketed as a home entertainment device because of it’s many capabilities. Aside from a gaming console, it can act as your cable box, and music player. As they say, with great power comes great responsibility…and lucky for us, the Xbox has a robust set of parental controls (and trust me, you’re gonna need it.) From restricting games and content per account , to even creating exceptions (maybe that teen rated game isn’t that violent.) Although admittedly tricky to navigate at first, you’ll find  a great level of parental customization goodness once the ball is rolling.

Protip: Expect parental control tutorials from Dadsagamer in the near future!

Games: And then there’s the games. As briefly mentioned in my PS4 console-tation, the Xbox One is very much developed with a western audience in mind. What this means is lot’s of guns, explosions, tuff brodudes taking out bad guys etc. etc. Don’t get me wrong…in my opinion there isn’t anything quite wrong with these kinds of games after a certain age, but if you’ve got a 9 year old clamoring to get an XBONE, you might be hard pressed to find  solid age appropriate titles. With that said, here are My picks:

Rated E for everyone:

Forza Horizon 3

 Beautiful graphics, fast cars, and good fun. Just about the only XBONE exclusive game I can fully recommend in this catagory, however.

Rated T for Teen 

Halo 5 

You are master chief; a hard as nails, gun toting butt kicking machine, and humanity’s last hope against an alien threat. Not the best entry in the series, but it still delivers.

Rated M for Mature 

Gears of War 4

You are J.D Fenix; a hard as nails, gun toting butt kicking machine, and humanity’s last hope against an alien threat. Not the best entry in the series, but it still delivers.

Final Thoughts:

When it all comes down to it, games are what make a console great. Xbox One has a handful of solid third party games like Overwatch and Rocket League, the problem is those games (as well as superior exclusives) are also available on PlayStation 4. If I’m being totally honest this one is at the bottom of my list from both a parental, and gaming perspective.

We’re getting this party started with the PS4! Get those notes ready, it’s time for a crash (Bandicoot) course. Released in 2013,  this Sony branded piece of hardware has enjoyed great success, and to many has “won” this console generation. How so? Let’s give it a look shall we?

Price: Nowadays a PS4 can be be found on store shelves for around 299.99 and comes packed with one controller. It’s not unusual to find them bundled with a game either!

Protip: If you’re really looking to get the best deal possible, hold off on purchasing until around black Friday!

Security: Parental controls do exist for the PS4, and can be adjusted via the setting’s menu. If mom and dad still want to indulge in some multikill headshot alien ass kicking while the little ones are asleep, you can designate separate accounts as well. The internet is filled with idiots and jerks, and PS4 is no exception. Thankfully there are also settings to help reduce and eliminate these kinds of encounters.

Protip: PSplus is the Playstation’s paid online service. This gives gamers access to playing competitive multiplayer vs smack talking little butt heads all over the world! Amazing! Maybe hold off on this until you think they’re mature enough to swim with the sharks.

Games: Microsoft’s Xbox I feel tends to cater more to a western audience (think fast cars/ tough dudez/ explosions! Nintendo takes on a much more whimsical approach. Sony’s Playstation isn’t afraid to dip it’s feet in both pools, and the results are a varying range of gaming options. Here are a couple of my favorite PS4 exclusives:

Rated E for everyone:                                                                                                                         

Tearaway Unfolded

An amazingly innovative game with beautiful art design. This one plays something like a children’s book!

Ratchet and Clank

Grab your controller and some popcorn. This game is as fun to watch as it is to play!

Rated T for Teen:

Horizon Zero Dawn

Quite possibly the consoles most graphically impressive title to date, and with a great story and gameplay to boot.

Uncharted 4: A Thieves End

Okay…grab some popcorn. And some hotdogs and nachos. And a medium slurpee. This game plays like a Summer blockbuster! There are guns, there is violence, but it’s never gruesome. Think Indiana Jones.

Final thoughts

The PS4 is a versatile console with games for just about any demographic. Because it’s game options range from child to teen to adult, this console can remain relevant through the years and through just about any of your kid’s weird phases. ;p

Console-tations is a series where we’ll do our best to break down each modern console in hopes of giving parents (and anyone else interested) an Idea of what gaming system may be the best fit for any particular household. To keep things simple, we’ll separate things into categories, and they are as follows:

Price: So what’s the damage? There are plenty of important factors to consider when purchasing a shiny new toy…the most obvious is probably how much it’ll cost you. We’re experiencing a new era in gaming business models, so things are a little trickier than they used to be. Do you want the standard version at a reduced price, or is it worth buying the beastly new upgraded iteration?

Security: This internet thing really seems to have caught on, and most consoles implement it in some way, shape, or form as a result. does your child have to listen to that foul mouthed brat on their headset? are there parental controls? more often than not there are, and I’ll briefly summarize the process per device.

Games: This is in my opinion by far the most important piece to the puzzle, and it can easily vary from person to person. I’ll go over my personal favorites per age-range, and maybe throw in some gameplay footage as well to help clarify a bit.

Lastly, in my final thoughts I’ll revisit and summarize it all. Would I buy it for my daughter? what games would I go with, and why?

First at bat tomorrow is the Sony Playstation 4!

So 4th of July is around the corner! Then before you know it, it’ll be Halloween, then Thanksgiving! What I’m trying to say is Christmas is basically tomorrow, and that kiddo of yours actually managed to behave most of the year. It’s time to put your money where your mouth is and get that brand new console Santa promised them way back in January. Usually it’s pretty simple: they know exactly what gaming device they want…they’ve been telling you every waking minute. Cool! go out and buy it! Still, there are variables to consider. What games are must buys? Accessories? Exclusives?  You may also have a child who is torn between one or the other…it’s a big commitment, but as always I’m here to help!

I give you the Console-tation series!

Starting next week via separate articles, I’ll be highlighting a different gaming console and what they have to offer. Because my job is merely to inform parents, I will try my very best to remain unbiased. emphasis on try. Let’s rev up those shopping carts, and have your wallet’s ready. It’s about to go down!

The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is in the opinions of many (mine included) the greatest gaming console of all time, and on September 29th Nintendo will release an ode to this gem. stocked with 20 of the consoles absolute greatest treasures (A Link to the Past, Donkey Kong Country, SUPER METROID!!!!) this is a great way to introduce your kids to what gaming in your era was like. In typical Nintendo fashion, the announcement has been made, but preorders are still not being taken. Once preorders are made available, Sites like Amazon and Best Buy are sending notifications out via Email to anyone interested. Happy hunting!

Have your kids ever used your credit card for microtransactions in “clash?”

Have they stayed up passed their bedtimes watching someone pwn n00bs on twitch?

did they lock themselves in their room as we speak because you bought them Pokemon Sun and not Moon?!

I’m here for you.

I’m a Dad, and I’m a gamer. I intend to supply my geeky knowledge to the parentals of the world, because  I know how hard it can be to keep up with what new console, game, or DLC has released.

Oh…what’s DLC? Wow, you really need me. Don’t worry, I plan on breaking down gaming terminology too.

I also want to make this fun for everyone, parents and kids alike. I’ll be sharing reviews that are insightful on both sides of the spectrum, and plan on releasing video content down the line as well. Mom and Dad, I’m here to get us down this rainbow road we call life in 1st place. Stay tuned!

-Dad’s a Gamer