Why game companies need to focus on girl gamers

I can't be the only female who realizes that most gaming companies focus on male gamers.  Some women enjoy first person shooter games, I know that's true.  I personally have played Halo, and they are starting to have female character options, but that was a HUGE announcement when they included that. Which I feel is weird.  It shouldn't be a huge announcement, it should just not even be news. I mean it should just be included.

One that is aimed at women completely and feels our pain is One More Story Games.

Anyway most companies focus on the young male gamer. Here are some of the reasons we think that's a mistake:

1. There are a lot of us. There are many women and female gamers who like to play, we have the same money as those males you are aiming the games at, but choose to spend it on other things since there aren't a lot of good games out there.  I believe there would be more female gamers, if the options were better.

2. Moms and wives tend to choose what is good for the kids. Not always for sure, but many times us women, mom's and wives are the ones shopping for our men and kids when it comes to gifts, or deciding what is appropriate. 

3. Womanly wiles trump marketing everytime. LOL Seriously though, if we hate your game, or don't want to be around when our guys are playing since it doesn't appeal to us, the males have less time to play. MOST men will choose their woman over a game, and if they don't, we have ways to convince them, we are more interesting ;)   Appeal to us as well as the males, and we promise you will start seeing the benefits!

What reasons would you add?

Gamer Girl 1970s Style #FlashbackFriday

Is my predilection towards playing games genetic? Maybe.....

Check out this old photo I found of my Mom playing Midway's Haunted House game in an arcade at Niagara Falls during her honeymoon, circa 1973.

Minecraft Grass Block Cake Tutorial with @MerryAboutTown

When it comes to cake decorating, this girl needs all the help she can get.  I  can't be the only one out there!

Of course, our kids all want the latest thing on their cakes, and I know many a Mom breathed a sign of relief when Minecraft block pixelation came to save the day!  Oh thank you Minecraft designers for making dirt, and grass a cool thing!  You are the best!

Merry About Town came up with this Minecraft Grass Block Cake Tutorial to help all of us challenged Moms to look like superheroes to our little Minecrafters.

Today is Evan’s official birthday so the Minecraft posts are going to slow down and/or stop. Mostly because I don’t understand Minecraft enough to write about it. There seems to be lots of building, killing animals for food and fending off Creepers. If I actually listened to everything Evan told me about Minecraft, I would be an expert. Instead, I listen for 5 seconds and then my brain turns his voice in to the “Wah wah waaaaah wah” of Charlie Brown’s teacher.

Editor's note: I hear her...oh how I hear her.... 7 segment LEDs.....

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A Video Game Birthday Party with @tlsofmommyhood

Tales of Mommyhood recently did an awesome Video Game Birthday Party for her son's birthday party!  Let's check out what she did:

When planning his party, he wanted a video game party. Then he wanted a water fight party. Then he wanted a video game party and I finally told him we could do BOTH!  We kept our fingers crossed that we would have a hot day for the party (so much better to have a water fight on a hot day) We contacted a mobile video game service and booked them for 90 minutes (8 year old boys seem to LOVE video games).

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Angry Birds Cake Tutorial

The awesome My 3 Little Kittens made this super adorable Angry Birds Cake, and shared the tutorial on her blog!

Check it out:

One of my very favorite hobbies is cake decorating. I find it both challenging and relaxing at the same time. So when I got the chance to create an Angry Birds Cake, I couldn’t resist. While it definitely threw me out of my “comfort zone,” it also allowed me to improve my skills and add another addition to the many cakes I have created! So for Angry Birds fans everywhere, here is a tutorial on making your own adorable Angry Birds Cake!

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Simple Minecraft Cake

We love showcasing posts about gaming related items from other bloggers. Tales of a Mommyhood let us share her Simple Minecraft Cake recipe with all of you! This actually seems like something that I can do! 

Check out her post:

The school cake raffle is tomorrow - it's the school event I look most forward to every year.  Parents donate baked goods (or bought) or spring toy items (bubbles, chalk, skipping ropes etc) and the kids buy raffle tickets.

They walk around looking at the items and place their tickets in the raffle for whichever items catch their eye.


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Teens React to Nintendo {aka How to Feel Old}

Nintendo came out when I was a teen. Yes - I'm that old. Our family had computer games from when I was young, but we never got a console system until the SNES when I was 15. When we plugged it into one of our TVs, the whole screen jumped up and down the entire time we played. We sat there for hours - and honestly I have no idea how we all kept our sanity playing Mario on a jumping screen for that long.

By that point, though, I was a pro. Super Mario Brothers on the Nintendo was all I played when I went to my friends' houses. I loved that game.

So, this week when I was poking around YouTube, I found this video of some teens of today being given a Nintendo and asked to play the original Mario. It cracked me up. And then made me feel very old.

Enjoy.





What was the first system you played on?

Getting My Nerd On with Nerdblock Jr

Over the past year or so, I have been given the opportunity to check out numerous NerdBlocks, and I always love cracking my new one open!

This month I was given the opportunity to check out the Nerdblock Jr from February!

Grab your subscription to Nerd Block Jr now, and don't miss out on any of the exclusively nerdy items!

SHOP NOW

The Modern Parents Guide to Kids and Gaming Review

As my kids get older, their interest in gaming has continues to grow and change. Even though I consider myself a fairly active gamer (not quite hardcore but moreso than the everyday social gamer), I think it is important as a parent to learn more about the world my kids are exploring. 

I happened to stumble onto an ebook called "The Modern Parents Guide to Kids and Gaming." Written by a professional in the gaming industry, this book encourages parents to consider the positives of games for kids and how to embrace the gaming world alongside your kids. Primarily focused on parents who might not be gamers themselves, there is still plenty of great information, suggestions, and resources for the more invested gaming parent. 

Far too often, we hear about how bad video games are for kids - citing research into brain and social development, so it was a nice change to get information about the benefits that game can offer. The author takes some time to tackle the major concerns head on, especially the ideas of increased violence, addiction, health, and online safety. (In fact, there were a few times that I felt he might have repeated himself on these arguments.) In opposition, he presents all the good things that have come because of games. 

His practical ideas surrounding setting ground rules are terrific, as are his suggestions for parents to be involved with their kids' gaming life - asking questions, joining in, and being genuinely interested to know more. There are explanations on how games are rated, basics of gaming lingo if you aren't familiar with it, how to handle conflicts with your kids over gaming, and explaining the differences between kinds of games (and why kids find them enjoyable). I love the ideas of thinking like gamer in order to help prevent arguments. Let's face it - which of us would like to have to hard-crash a game after hours without a save point just because our time was up? It was a great reminder to me when dealing with my boys and their time limits. 

There were several great extras - such as a whole section all about girls in the gaming world and what kinds of games they like, especially how they don't care if a package is pink and girly. I loved that. It's ok for girls to like games that aren't marketed to them explicitly! Yay! The back of the book also has recommended links and gaming sites. As the book isn't exactly new, some of these are sadly obsolete, but still a great tool to have. 

 If you are a parent with kids who are interested in gaming, I'd say snag it and read it. It's insightful, useful, and a handy reference to have.

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Written by: Lisa Marie Fletcher is a Canadian, homeschooling mom of 4 boys, and wife to a man in the golf industry. She keeps herself (extra) busy by blogging at The Canadian Homeschooler, reading, and doing other miscellaneous design work. She loves to game - and spends many an evening playing Final Fantasy XI online with her hubby.

Video Game Review Worksheet

Here at And She Games we are all about gaming, and incorporating your love of gaming into life.  I am a firm believer of getting my boys to do school type work without them realizing it. 

With 3 current blogs, a independent sales business, and 3 boys, sometimes I have way more work then I have time.  So I have been paying my boys to do reviews for me, either of toys, or games that we play.  However, sometimes the information given is subpar.  Also I want to get them thinking and expanding their story telling.  That's why I love this post from our friend Lisa over at The Canadian Homeschooler:


If your kids are anything like mine (aka video game junkies), you might wonder how in the world to use their passion for something good instead of just mindlessness. After much mulling it over, I thought that encouraging their love of gaming to help them learn the art of reviewing and critiquing would be a great idea.

 

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Why I Am Not Allowed to Play Fuzion Frenzy Anymore

Back when Fuzion Frenzy first came out my then boyfriend (now hubby), our 2 friends, and myself all use to play video games and board games together.  The thing about this is, I am a highly competitive person, and usually it was fine.

We got this game, and started to play.  Well I sucked.  I sucked bad, and it was ok when our friend sucked too. We sort of would compete with each other to see who would suck less.

Well she had access to the game, and practiced. She got better, and I just couldn't master it.  My brain doesn't wrap itself around all those buttons on the XBox controllers very well.  I like the old Nintendo ones, the old Atari ones, and now the Wii ones work well for me.  But way too many buttons on the XBox controller.

So, she got good, and I still sucked, and well you have to compete head to head with everyone else.  So yeah, pretty much it was them all having fun, and me getting frustrated with myself, and then in turn with them.

What comes next reminds me of the Monica thing on Friends where they always talk about the "incident" when it comes to a certain game. Well... yeah.... so I got mad, pretty much told everyone off and stormed out.

We didn't play that game again.  But then I got a free brand new copy of Fuzion Frenzy 2, and so hubby was skeptical about playing with me.  I assured him I was more mature, and sophisticated now.

We started playing, and about 5 minutes in, I was getting angry and frustrated!  Hubby turned it off, and made a rule that I am not allowed to play Fuzion Frenzy anymore....it makes me angry!

So confess.... do you have any games you aren't allowed to play?

Math with Monopoly and @tlsofmommyhood

Tales of Mommyhood was playing monopoly with her 7 yr old and improving his math skills while playing!

Mr. J was introduced to Monopoly a few months ago, and he absolutely loves the game.  After playing it a few times, he wanted to be the banker.  I was a little hesitant since he was 6yrs old and just starting on addition/subtraction. I soon realized that the worst thing to happen would be he would need to ask for help, and hoped that it would help with his math skills.

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Gaming Themed Birthday Parties

Used with Permission

Have you ever thought of doing a gaming themed birthday party? Or just enjoy looking at other people's brilliant ideas?

Then check out these awesome gaming themed birthday parties, and cakes!

1. Minecraft Birthday Party
2. Angry Birds Birthday Party and Cupcakes
3. Olympic Games
4. Minecraft Party Ideas
5. Angry Birds Star Wars Cake
6. 3D Angry Birds Cake
7. Angry Birds Birthday Party
8. Carnival Games Party
9. Hunger Games Party
10. Super Mario Birthday Party
11. Skylanders Birthday Party

Why I learned to Play Minecraft with @headant

Let's Go on a Picnic says that her son is an avid Minecraft player, but she couldn't understand the appeal. So she started playing.

To our family, it is a lesson in creativity, survival skills, and ingenuity. Minecraft doesn’t just build with blocks; it also helps build relationships.   

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Nerdblock Jr June Box #NerdBlock

Each month I anxiously check my mailbox just waiting for one certain box to come in.  You see, I have always been a "mystery box/bag" junkie! I love getting a box or bag of unique things I might not have normally thought of to purchase for myself....and it's like getting a present.

So of course I am waiting for my Nerdblock.  I get either a Nerdblock, or Nerdblock Jr.  Both are extremely awesome, but I do love that the original Nerdblock comes with a t-shirt.  This month I received the Nerdblock Jr.

If you love to win awesome nerdly giveaways, you can follow them on Facebook (or you can keep an eye on our page as I always share them there).

This month we were sent another awesome box of goodies.  This was the same as every other Nerdblock I receive, I pull out an item and say "Yup!  (insert name of boy) would love this", and then pull out the next, and repeat until I run out of things!

 

Dragons Defenders of Berk

Who doesn't love Dragons, and want to own their own?  

We received the awesome figure from Dragons, Defenders of Berk

I am sure my boys aren't the only ones that love building blocks and Spider-Man!

This Mega Bloks set brings it together! Awesome!

 You know how they have all those cutesy girly erasers? (The ones I loved as a little girl)

Check out this awesome Angry Birds Star Wars eraser!
It's one even my boys will love!

My boys love Lego, Star Wars, and reading....

so I don't have to tell you how awesome this book from Scholastic is

 Another Mega Bloks creation! 

My boys love mixing their sets so you know they will add this in with one of their other Mega Bloks sets.  Oh and is it wrong that I want to open it and steal it if it is Smurfette?

So...what thing do you wish you had?  Or are you going to subscribe now to Nerdblock Jr?

Wordless Wednesday Tasty Birds

Looking for a gaming snack fix? Got a birthday party for a gamer? Sweet Handmade creates amazingly tasty cookies, that are beautiful and get people talking! She ships across Canada too!

Used with Permission

Cool Freebie Alert - FREE COMIC BOOK DAY is Saturday May 3rd! #FCBD

Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day! 

Saturday, May 3rd, 2014

That's right, tomorrow (or possibly today by the time you read this) you can get FREE COMICS just by walking into any participating comic book store. While technically Free Comic Book Day is not gaming related, I'm going to assume if you're into all this other good stuff that much like me you wouldn't turn down a free comic book or two.

This year marks the 12th Annual Free Comic Book Day. I can say that I personally have made it out to this event every year and it's always a fun time!  Each store sets their own policy on how many free comics you can get. For some it's one per person, while others let you grab five or ten a piece. Along with the free comics many stores also have huge sales or special events, such as artists or writers on site to sign books, or appearances by costumed characters.

Even if you're not into comics yourself, this is a great event to bring your kids to. I truly believe in the power of comic books as a tool to help promote literacy. I think they're a fantastic art form and I think Free Comic Book Day is a great way to introduce yourself or your little ones to the medium.

Check out some of the books that are slated to be available this year:

I would definitely say this is an all ages event. My girls (now ages 4 and 6) have had a blast attending Free Comic Book Day over the past few years. The stores usually have a wide range of comics, with something that is appropriate for everyone (Yes, even pre-readers -- keep an eye out for the Top Shelf Kids book which should contain Owly). You can search here to find a list of stores participating in your area.  Plan to go relatively early, as the free books do sometimes run out as the day goes on.

Click here to see which stores in your area are participating in the event.
Click here to see what comic books are available this year for FREE!
Click here to check out the Free Comic Book Day website.

And if my blathering on about it isn't enough incentive, consider this video from Stan Lee as your personal invite:

So, what are you waiting for? Comic books, FREE comic books. GO, get 'em.

10 Questions Inteview with Stacey from Did You Know Canada

Today's 10 Question Interview is with Stacey from Did You Know Canada?

1. What kind of gamer are you? Single Gamer, Mommy Gamer, Gamer by association, long time gamer, newbie, not sure why you are here and answering these questions?
Long time Gamer from the original nintendo as a kid all the way up to the PS4 now and MMORPGs on the computer in between

2. What types of games do you like to play? Board games, video games, app games, table top, card?

Video Games

3. Tell us about your #1 go to game; it might not even be your favourite, but it's the one you find yourself playing the most often.
I went back to World of Warcraft many times and would love to again if I had the time

4. What is your favourite place to play games? the coffee shop? the computer room? in your PJs on the couch?
It was computer room when we had one.


5. Who do you play games with? strangers? your spouse? family? friends? solo?
Spouse and brother-in-laws

5.B. What is your favourite party game?
We played MMORPGs together

5C. Do you game with your spouse? If yes, do things ever get too competitive? Does gaming bring you together or drive you apart?
Yes we game together in role playing games, some assisted games on PS3 and 4, almost never aganist each other

6. Do you game with your kids? If yes, what are some of your favourite games to play with the kids?Yes the kids game, they love all the LEGO games on the PS3 and 4 the best.

6.B What is your favourite family game?
We like playing the LEGO games together


7. What's currently at the top of your gamer wishlist?
Nothing in particular, waiting for more games to be released for the PS4, but we enjoy trying out the indie games available for it

8. Go retro: Name a classic game you loved from ten or twenty years ago.

Zelda is my #1

9. How many hours a week go you spend gaming?
Now only 3 or 4, but in my WOW days we played 6pm-12am nightly and all weekend

10. Why do you game? Is it all about winning? Escapism? Family time?
Gaming has always been a part of my life like reading, escape, fun, enjoyable, interesting, love the story lines of MMORPGs

If you would like to be interviewed, please email us!

10 Gaming Interview Questions with Jayda from Two Children and a Migraine

Today's 10 Question Interview is with Jayda from Two Children and a Migraine!

1. What kind of gamer are you? Single Gamer, Mommy Gamer, Gamer by association, long time gamer, newbie, not sure why you are here and answering these questions?
Single Gamer/Mommy Gamer

2. What types of games do you like to play? Board games, video games, app games, table top, card?
Board Games, Video Games, App Games, Cards

3. Tell us about your #1 go to game; it might not even be your favourite, but it's the one you find yourself playing the most often.
Depends on the time of year it seems, but right now its an app game called candy mania

4. What is your favourite place to play games? the coffee shop? the computer room? in your PJs on the couch?
at home on the couch or in my bed


5. Who do you play games with? strangers? your spouse? family? friends? solo?
Spouse, family, friends

5.B. What is your favourite party game?
Don't really have one but as a family we have fun playing the dancing wii games

5C. Do you game with your spouse? If yes, do things ever get too competitive? Does gaming bring you together or drive you apart?
I have one game I played with my hubby and yes its competitive...he's happy when i'm not beating him

6. Do you game with your kids? If yes, what are some of your favourite games to play with the kids?
Yes,  Wii  just dance, fashion city

6.B What is your favourite family game?
Wii Just Dance


7. What's currently at the top of your gamer wishlist?
Honestly nothing i can think of.

8. Go retro: Name a classic game you loved from ten or twenty years ago.
Baby Boomer, Super Mario Bros

9. How many hours a week go you spend gaming?
eek..not sure as its a little bit at a time but probably more then i should admit


10. Why do you game? Is it all about winning? Escapism? Family time?
Escape, family time

Interested in being interviewed?  Please email us!

10 Questions, Gamer Interview with Deanna from Maple Leaf Mommy

Deanna Tousignant is one of the co-authors of this site. She also runs a parenting blog called Maple Leaf Mommy. Here's her take on the 10 question gamer interview:

1. What kind of gamer are you? 
I am an old time long time gamer. I started gaming as a kid during the 80s and never stopped. For video games I started with an Atari and later moved to NES Nintendo. For roleplaying, I started with Redbox D&D when I was 12. For board gaming, I've played mainstream board games on and off over the years and have an affinity for word games (reigning Boggle Queen, thank you very much), but didn't get into tactical and euro style board games until later in life, maybe a dozen years ago now.

2. What types of games do you like to play? Board games, video games, app games, table top, card?
Yes, yes and yes. If it's a game, I'll play it. I'm pretty much of the I'll try anything once mentality when it comes to gaming. Though I will admit that as a mom my time is more limited and I find myself playing light apps on the tablet more then chunky roleplayers on the console, I just don't have the time to sink into serious video game playing right now.

3. Tell us about your #1 go to game; it might not even be your favourite, but it's the one you find yourself playing the most often.
How can I pick just one?? Oi! For board games Hacienda or maybe Thurn and Taxis, or Race for the Galaxy or maybe Core Worlds, for RPGs I'm really digging Warhammer 3rd edition and for video games my current obsession is Marvel Puzzle Quest, while with the kids it's Maskenball der Käfer.

4. What is your favourite place to play games? the coffee shop? the computer room? in your PJs on the couch?
My favourite place to play board games is The Green Bean. It's a coffee shop in downtown Windsor, in the Windsor Star Building. My husband organizes monthly public play board game events there. They have big tables, comfy seats, good lighting, decent food and bottomless coffee aka it's board gaming nirvana. We play from 6pm until 11pm, and usually get anywhere from 10-30 people out for the event. I always try and make arrangements with my mom to watch the kids so I can get out for this one.

For roleplaying my favourite place to play is in our gaming dungeon basement. We picked this house based on fact that the basement would make the perfect gaming room. We have a giant 8 by 10 board room tables, plenty of chairs and a coffee maker. Monday night is roleplaying night here, thought it gets pre-empted far too often. I have also played in public play games at the local games store (Hugin & Munin), but by and large I think I prefer home play. Having bystanders kicking around when you're roleplaying makes me nervous.

My video gaming lately has been restricted to the tablet, and if I really stop and think about it the majority of that probably takes place in the bathroom. (Ha. TMI?)

5. Who do you play games with? strangers? your spouse? family? friends? solo?
Most of the time, if I'm gaming it's with my spouse. If not directly with him, at least at the same event he's at.  He can get cranky when he loses. I've been known to throw a two player game now and then just to keep him from being a miserable jerk. Shhh... don't tell.

6. Do you game with your kids?  If yes, what are some of your favourite games to play with the kids?
My kids play video games infrequently, and mostly with their dad (Viva Pinata is a favourite, as is the Cooking Mama series). Both of my daughters, who are ages 4 and 6, love playing board games. Our current favourites include Mice and Mystics, Viva Topo,  Maskenball der Käfer and Looping Louie.

7. What's currently at the top of your gamer wishlist?
Aside from a reliable babysitter? If we're talking total genie never-going-to-happen wishlist, I'd like one of those fancy pants Sultan gaming tables and a really high end MMO ready laptop.

8. Go retro, name a classic game you loved from ten or twenty years ago.
Again, just one?! I'll go with Below the Root. I played this on my grandparents Tandy when I was a kid and loved it fiercely. (Ok, maybe that's more like 30 years ago).

9. How many hours a week do you spend gaming?
I'm afraid to count. Definitely upwards of 24.

10. Why do you game? Is it all about winning? Escapism? Family time?
All of the above. I love board games that make me think. I love a challenging game and a challenging opponent. If I'm going to be perfectly honest, I do love to win. I get a perverse enjoyment from thumping anyone who looks disparagingly upon females taking part in gaming. I also enjoy roleplaying, both for it's social aspects and as escapism. Heck, a decent video game or board game can also be perfect for getting my mind off day to day crud.  Board games in particular are definitely a family time thing in our household, and I love it.

So, yes; to win while escaping, often during family time.