Oh good, it's not a tie!

All across the world, people are celebrating a special holiday known as Father’s Day. It’s fairly self-explanatory — a day where we all celebrate the hard work and effort of our fathers and grandfathers.

In that tradition, we present to the community a Sarcastic Gamer list of “Games to play with Dad (or Grandpa) on Father’s Day.” See the list after the hop.

• EA Sports – Do I really need to explain this one? Most Dads love sports. Whether it’s basketball, football, baseball, hockey, curling, or boxing, EA’s got your fix. I don’t want to get into the debate about how Madden is the same game it was in 2002 with improved graphics and an updated roster, because Dad probably doesn’t care about all that. I recall during the Holiday season when there were many stories relayed through the community about great times spent with Dad and brothers around the TV playing their own Bowl games.
• Wii Sports – Nothing says “I love, Dad” like reminding him how old and out-of-shape he is. Boxing with your father on the television is a great way to relieve stress in your relationship without actually sending someone to the hospital. Well, hopefully. Use your wrist straps to make sure that the Wiimote doesn’t go through his brand-new HD TV he bought for Christmas, or the fisticuffs may come off the screen and into the living room.
• Motorstorm/Gran Turismo/Forza/Mario Kart – If your Dad is like mine and would rather be wheeling in the dirt than watching the Utah Jazz lose to the LA Lakers, a healthy dose of motorcycle-on-monster truck action may be up his alley. Or if he’s a complete gearhead, introduce him to the wonderful world of “sim racers.” Be sure to bring a book as I’m certain he’ll want to spend an hour tuning up the ‘69 Stingray he always wanted when he was in high school before you pound him on the track with your stock Impreza (mainly because driving any RWD in a racing game is next to impossible if you’re a beginner – oh yeah, and modern cars produce more WHP per cylinder than they did back then). If realism isn’t his thing or you’re a Wii-only gamer, Mario Kart is a great fun-for-the-clan game. My step-father-in-law (holy hyphens!) and brothers-in-law have a mini-tourney every Sunday night after dinner, and while its stiff competition, we manage to keep it fun and civil.
• Call of Duty: World at War – Few things will bring on the chuckles today like playing some “realistic” WWII action on the High-def screen. As you cruise through co-op mode on Easy with Dad, those screaming, suicidal Japanese warriors popping up out of holes like a trapdoor spider, running at you with bayonets in a murderous rage are likely to short-circuit grandpa temporarily and send him into shell shock. Be sure there are no items in the room that could be used as weapons, and you should be fine. Or, tell Grandpa that the plastic ficus in the other room wants to have a chat with him.
• Lego [Anything] – The Lego series of games are a fantastic standby for any family. I don’t believe I’ve met too many people, no matter what age, who didn’t love the Lego Star Wars series. Yes, I’m sure there are people out there. Now we have Indiana Jones and Batman. If your Dad doesn’t like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Batman (one or all of them), you may be adopted. Surprise! Plus, these games are a blast in co-op.
• Vampire Rain, Two Worlds – Let’s face it, not all fathers were stellar. If you’re in your volatile/formative teen years, you may feel your Dad is the meanest S.O.B. to ever walk this planet. I think most teens feel this way at one point or another in their lives. If your father is a legitimate bastard, however, now’s your chance to convince him that “you really want to bond” and then pull a fast one by sticking in one of these pile-of-feces “good concept, horrible execution/broken” games. Be warned, however, this probably won’t help you feel any better about yourself or your situation—in fact, it might just make things much worse between the two of you, but not everyone is looking for a warm fuzzy today.
• Hasbro Family Night pack – Hasbro has introduced a handful of classic games, including Connect Four, Scrabble, Battleship, Yahtzee, and Boggle, that your Dad may have even played when he was a kid, when he wasn’t walking twelve miles to school and back, uphill both ways through ten feet of snow with only socks to keep his feet warm and carrying an entire library on his back. Sure, you might even be able to scrounge through the storage closet/room and find some of those original games, but playing on the 360/PS3/Wii is far less of a hassle, less messy, and prevents Dad or anyone else from cheating.

There are plenty more games out there that your Dad might enjoy, but these are just some examples of how you can have some fun with the Old Man today while the women do the dishes and bake you some pie. Or whatever. The point is, have some fun with your father today. Introduce him to one of your hobbies. While its easy to lament how casual-core games are becoming, there are some benefits.

Have a great Father’s Day everyone, and be sure to thank the Dads in your life for putting up with you all those years!

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