Father’s Day is a time to consider and celebrate the impact of fatherhood on all our lives, whether great or small. It’s a chance to appreciate the wisdom and knowledge that may be passed on through time spent together, or memories of bright times.
Fatherhood is a many-layered thing, and it’s not the same for everyone.
On screen, in film and games, we’ve seen it depicted time and again, with nuance in approach. While there’s room to be challenged, this Father’s Day, we’re celebrating all the great and memorable ‘dad games’ and ‘dad films’ that enable us to see the positive power and influence that fatherhood can have.
If you’re looking to celebrate this Father’s Day, whether in appreciation of fathers or alongside your own dad, there’s plenty of great games and films that will help you cherish those feelings. Here’s just a few of the ScreenHub favourites.
Great games and films for Father’s Day – quick links
God of War (2018)
In discussing the best dad games around, the conversation begins with PlayStation’s God of War (2018), a franchise reboot that depicts the struggles of the titular God of War, Kratos, in raising his son following the death of his mother. Where in previous games, Kratos was depicted as a violent and war-hungry being, this particular game and its sequel slows down the pace, and gives him time to develop with his new responsibility.
This is a game all about how fatherhood changes you, and what raising a child really means. Between its epic battles against mythical monsters, there’s plenty of room for growth, and to see how dads can shape kids, and vice versa.
Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire is an absolutely classic dad film, although not one that should really be a lesson to anyone. For those unfamiliar – and that deserves correcting, if so – Mrs. Doubtfire follows voice actor Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams), who is separated from his children after a divorce.
Visitation rights means he has limited access to see his children, but he wants more, so he cooks up a scheme to ensure he’s able to watch over them and provide the guidance he believes they need: he’ll dress up as a nanny and use his skills to be present for his children however possible.
While Mrs. Doubtfire is a comedy with slapstick antics, at its heart, it’s also about a father who really wants to be there for his children. It depicts the lengths that some will go to deliver their care, and charts the core bond between kids and their dad.
Big Walk
Big Walk isn’t a traditional dad game, but with its mix of co-operative teamwork and puzzle solving, it presents a lovely opportunity to play a game with your dad on PC, PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch 2, and lean into any interest in puzzling and working things out.
In this game, you are a tiny being with limited skills. You can jump and walk, pick things up and throw them, and talk within a limited cone of sound. Using these skills, you must chart an Australia-inspired landscape and unlock various gates and arenas to progress.
Dads should love Big Walk. It combines skills of effective communication with the use of special tools, in a sandbox that’s all about clever thinking. If your dad is a fan of any type of puzzle, or loves to fix things, then Big Walk is a great option for playing this Father’s Day.
King Richard
Academy Award-winning film King Richard is a great dad film, and one that speaks to a real-life true story of a complex, well-loved father. Will Smith stars as Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams, in a tale about his attempts to make a life for his daughters and his family.
As Serena Williams told Forbes of the film, ‘I think it was a great opportunity to see how amazing African-American fathers are. A lot of Black men aren’t seen in that light. And a lot of people think that my dad was a different character. He wanted us to have fun first over anything. That’s the thing that I loved most.’
Not only is it a powerful film in its own right, its representation of a real-life Black family reaching for their goals in America makes it an important film, and one that’s a fantastic watch around Father’s Day.
Flight Simulator 2024
Plenty of dads stereotypically love airplanes. It’s not a phenomenon we’re in a position to explain, but in the mix of freedom offered by flight and the cool technical details of airplanes, it’s a fairly common and true-to-life trope. If your dad loves planes, consider showing him Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on PC or Xbox around Father’s Day.
This simulator game is all about entering semi-realistic cockpits and flying around the world, completing various goals or just enjoying the sensation of being amongst the clouds. There’s no dads in this particular game, but it’s got an aura of ‘dadness’ that makes it worth experiencing alongside a father.
Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick isn’t your typical dad film, in that protagonist Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell isn’t a traditional father (although he does become one after the events of the film, and technically fulfils the role in the plot). Maverick is more of a dad film because it ticks every other box for what dads usually love: cool airplanes, motorcycles, living free, and the talented Jennifer Connelly.
This film really captures the essence of aspirational fatherhood, with Maverick being the ‘ideal’ of positive masculinity. He’s got the cool bike, a novel job, and a flock of wayward kids to look after. While he frequently shirks responsibility, that’s only in service of doing what’s best and noble, which is a goal that plenty of dads aim for.
In the pseudo father-son relationship between Maverick and Rooster, there’s also lots of banter and butting heads that may reflect real-life father-son relationships, too.
Top Gun: Maverick is the ultimate dad movie, and great for viewing together this Father’s Day.
