Back in 1995 ( when the Internet was just an emerging technology coming into peoples homes ) there was a new sport emerging on the scene. People were strapping themselves onto boards and gliding down the hills at local ski resorts. This was just silliness. Surely, this was a fad.
Almost 15 years later snowboarders have outnumbered skiers at most resorts and this sport is clearly not going away. Playing video games is a similar “fad”. Again a flashback: PONG. That came on the scene and for some of us it disappeared again just like the Pet Rock. But for others it was just the beginning of a whole new world of video gaming that would smolder until a resurgence in popularity in the mid-90′s. But this time, the video games are not going the way of Pong. They are getting bigger and better and more graphic.
So how do we keep up?
We go to the Internet. The Internet is a great thing. Kids seem to get it intuitively but for some of us, who didn’t grow up hardwired to this technology, the internet is a massive web of information – sometimes too much information. So, to help us out we asked our Internet geek what sites would be recommended if we wanted to stay current on gaming news.
We must keep up. Games are not just for kids anymore. That’s fine. I have no problem with grown ups playing war games or RPG’s ( role playing games ) with grown up concepts. But I still want my kids to be able to be kids and enjoy their childhood as much as possible. So, I just want to make sure that the game I am buying for them – or allowing them to buy for themselves – is appropriate.
Any parent who has an Xbox in their house should subscribe to our top pick site. And if you don’t have an Xbox it is still a good site because of its general guidelines and tips that are on the site.
TOP PICK: GetGameSmart.com
Great site! Lots of information and easy to use tools to keep the family safe while enjoying video games. We signed up for the newsletter and have found this to be particularly helpful. The newsletters are sent out routinely but not so much that they are annoying and the information in each newsletter is always helpful. I highly recommend signing up and staying current.
The next 5 picks were selected from the experts ( the gamers )
1. Kotaku
This is the gaming blog that began it all, the grandpappy of video game news. It has some polish, and is generally safe for kids, save for when they cover M-rated games. But whether or not simply discussing mature games isn’t kid safe is at your discretion. Uncluttered but still relevant, I’d suggest this for any bloggers, casual gamers, or anyone who doesn’t want too much of a good thing.
2. Metacritic
While this site is not strictly a gaming website, (it’s also about movies, dvds, tv, and music) it does give you the most accurate least inaccurate reviews of games anywhere. I say this because this site doesn’t actually write reviews, it aggregates them from a number of trusted reviewers and scores it based on them. While it’s a common feature, I like getting the list sorted by recent games or highest rated. After buying some real lemons, I always go onto metacritic before I make any video game purchase and see what the reviews were. I’m considering sending this link to my grandmother in hopes my little brother never has a “ultra bad but well-intentioned” birthday gift.
3. GamePolitics
This is the site where the filthiest games meet the most fame-ravenous politicians. As video games are this generation’s rock n’ roll, they never have a shortage of articles about people yelling about the latest ‘danger to our children’. But the most appreciated feature of this site is they are amazingly even-handed with the mountains of content they provide. While anything with the word “politics” in it must be approached cautiously, GamePolitics is useful for anyone, regardless of political leanings, that wants to know the threats of, and what’s threatening the games industry.
4. N4G
Self-described as “…a social game news site that covers the game industry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” This site is great for more hardcore gamers and people hip with the social networking scene. It may be too in-depth for some, as it provides articles not just about the games themselves, but also about the business of gaming, the debates, and just about any other bit of gossip even vaguely game-related. Actually, I can’t recommend it’s social networking aspect too much, the most social I’ve seen gamers online is when they’re ruthlessly arguing.
5. Penny Arcade
The guys who make the webcomic Penny Arcade are, hands down, the voice of the videogame market. With Mike Krahulik illustrating and Jerry Holkins writing, they’ve made one of the most popular webcomics on the Internet. While this is an achievement many could settle for, they’ve also created Child’s Play, a charity that has raised nearly 5 million dollars for toys in children’s hospitals worldwide. They also started PAX (short for Penny Arcade Expo), a gamer convention that has nearly doubled in attendance each year since 2004. When these guys have something to say, the whole industry listens.
A big Thanks go out to Matt for these great reviews. You can follow his blog at Mattheston.com ( just remember he is our geek reporter and on occassion talks like a geek reporter and so I would rate this website PG to PG-13 )