The advent of the web has caused some parts of the print media to suffer more than others, but ten gaming magazines will be at the top of the list. Monthly headline news stories are hijacked by hundreds of blogs and websites capable of delivering minimal news and screenshots as soon as they appear.
But the best gaming blogs also offer glowing analysis and witty commentary, while some just offer epic laughs. Our sister site GameSpot UK has all this and more on their London Calling blog, but we can’t include them, can we? Here are the top 10 we found (not on our side).
10. Go to Nintendo
For the weight of the post alone, this is a must-have RSS feed or bookmarklet for anyone interested in Nintendo games (whether Wii or DS). It pulls stories from around the internet and adds them quickly, providing a focus for the day’s Nintendo news.
9. Shack News
Shacknews is one of those sites that blur the line between a blog and a news site, and its mix of news and features is pretty comprehensive. With so many bloggers chasing the same news, this book is well worth the read as it always manages to score scoops and new angles.
8. That Video Game Blog
Another multi-format blog that delves into headlines, often featuring articles of interest to those in the gaming industry as much as gamers. A difficult route to follow, but he tackled it with aplomb. The concise layout and clear text make reading refreshing.
7. British Resistance
Don’t come here looking for 20 pieces of news every day, but if you’re interested in Sega, Suzanne Shaw, and Sony, come here – take every opportunity you get. Not that UKR is a furry fan blog: it’s so much fun that you’ll never dare drink your tea in front of a screen again.
6. Touch Arcade
iPhone gaming, if you’ve seen Apple’s recent attacks on Nintendo and Sony, you know, it’s huge. Touch Arcade is one of the blogs that has sprung up to cover this burgeoning market, offering news, useful information, and a lively forum full of developers discussing their latest games.
5. Guardian Games Blog
As a large blog, The Guardian’s Gaming Blog eschews press releases and screenshots in favor of a more measured approach, offering analysis, interviews, and opinions. Always readable and often stimulating.
4. Destructoid
There are hundreds of blogs out there that simply repeat gaming news, but none are on this list. Destructoid stands out as one of the gaming blogs in its own right: crisp, lively, and never intentionally boring.
3. VG247
It has certainly the most momentum of any UK blog on this list, having recently won three awards at the Games Media Awards. And they deserve it too: well-written and covering all the important news humorously.
2. Joystiq
One of two heavyweights in the game blogging world (the other is below), Joystiq publishes dozens of articles a day, catching news at a glance and digging up the inside scoop whenever possible. A great resource for anyone interested in gaming.
1. Kotaku
It’s hard to choose between Kotaku and Joystiq: most of the stories they publish deal with the same topics, so the competition between the two is fierce. However, Kotaku’s humor goes above and beyond, and its writers don’t get complacent when it comes to expressing their characters.
