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Online Poker!

If you have some free time and need some entertainment play these cool online poker games. And you can learn a new strategy, play either free rolls or for real money or chat in forums with other players.

Game Commentary

The social side of gaming (J. Morgan, 01/15/2008)
Video games will rot your brain and ruin your social skills, or so our parents told us. Yet, as Jeff Morgan explains, the gaming industry has tried to combat this stereotype by developing games like "Halo" and "World of Warcraft" with complex multiplayer components that have spawned virtual societies.

Featured Sites

IGN.com
When you think of video games, this should be the first site that comes to mind. IGN has forever been a staple on the internet with its reliable supply of in-depth coverage on the game industry. From previews and reviews of all of the latest games, to updated news and cheat codes, IGN is the one-stop source for the serious gamer.

Fearless Gamer
Great games blog that covers all the news, reviews and cheats that a serious gamer wants to know.

Gamervision
Cool social networking site for gamers.

/Gamer
This well-known gamer blog is must-reading for game fanatics!

Kotaku
This slick games blog will entertain you and inform you about the gamer life all at the same time.

Joystiq
Another cool games blog.

Video Game Controller Family Tree
An interesting family tree chart that displays the evolution of various game controllers throughout the years. While the site is still in the early stages, it's amazing that no one thought of making these obvious connections earlier.

Cool Online Games

Classic Pac-Man It's the arcade favorite you remember, with some cool twists!

Animator vs. Animation Game The stick figure returns! Fight with him… or against him.

Games Web Guide

Nintendo l Microsoft Xbox l Sony PlayStation l Joystiq

Game QuickTakes

QuickTakes Archive

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

It’s only been two years since the release of “Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass,” so it’s a little surprising to see another game come out for the Nintendo DS so soon. You won’t find any fans complaining about the quick turnaround, though, because “Spirit Tracks” is even better than the last outing. In Link’s newest handheld adventure, Princess Zelda is double-crossed by one of her closest confidants with the intent of using her body as a vessel to resurrect the evil Demon King. The catch, however, is that Zelda’s spirit is still very much alive, and for the first time in a “Legend of Zelda” game, the princess joins Link on an adventure to restore the Spirit Tracks that imprison the Demon King and return her spirit to her body. With the ability to take control of Phantoms, Zelda can now help defeat enemies and solve puzzles that Link wouldn’t be able to do on his own. It’s just a small part of the gameplay, but it really helps to keep things fresh, especially when everything else feels so familiar. Though Link has since traded in his boat for a train, traveling around Hyrule is virtually the same, while controlling his movement with the stylus continues to be a royal pain in the ass. (I mean, really, there’s a D-pad on the system – why not use it?) Despite some minor quibbles, though, “Spirit Tracks” is actually a pretty solid experience. It might seem a bit short for a “Legend of Zelda” title, but it serves as a nice distraction while fans patiently wait for the next console version to arrive. ~Jason Zingale

Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked

With the number of cooking games flooding the market, it was only a matter of time before Food Network got in on the fun. Unfortunately, “Cook or Be Cooked” isn’t fun at all, but rather a pretty lifeless cooking sim that only serves to remind you how much better the real thing is. Hosted by Food Network bigwigs Mory Thomas and Susie Fogelson, “Cook or Be Cooked” tests your ability to make 12 different dishes, including basics like eggs and bacon, pancakes and quesadillas, as well as more sophisticated offerings like pan seared T-bone steak and grilled ahi tuna. Once you’re in the kitchen, you’ll do everything from the prep work to the cooking itself, and when you’ve finished the dish, you’re judged on a variety of categories like temperature, technique and the ability to multitask. Though it might be mildly entertaining for people that aren’t very competent in the kitchen, the lack of variety in gameplay and the small selection of recipes makes “Cook or Be Cooked” the kind of game you play for an hour and then put away. You’d be better off just using that money to buy a real cookbook instead. ~Jason Zingale

Lips: Number One Hits

Microsoft’s first attempt at a mainstream karaoke game was certainly promising, but instead of trying to build on that with a revamped sophomore effort, “Lips: Number One Hits” comes off as nothing more than a superfluous expansion pack. Though they’ve added a couple of new features – including Avatar integration with unlockable rewards and an in-game leaderboard – it’s simply not a substantial enough improvement to warrant a brand new standalone title. To make matters worse, the set list is a random concoction of music from around the world that includes songs that most people have never even heard. Why not follow the example set by Sony’s “SingStar” series by making certain tracks region specific? That would prevent crappy songs like Bob Sinclair’s “Love Generation,” DJ Ötzi’s “Hey Baby,” or Sugababes’ “Push the Button” from making the final cut, while still leaving room for a few number one hits that actually belong. Diehard fans of the first “Lips” will probably enjoy the sequel regardless of the hit-and-miss set list, but casual players would be better off just putting together their own mixtape from the ever-growing collection of DLC. ~Jason Zingale