Email Author Chris Ward

2007 Stories by Chris Ward

• Gaming's Greatest Hits

  published December 27, 2007

  Best Sleeper Hit: WordJong (Nintendo DS) — It may not sell like Mario, but this mishmash of Scrabble and mah-jongg hooks you... More >>

• Xmas Present & Past

  published December 20, 2007

  Nothing says "holiday spirit" quite like stabbing a terrorist or hammering a goombah, as the hottest games this season invite us to do. But no... More >>

• Almost Famous

  published December 13, 2007

  At a Guitar Hero tournament a few months back, one kid complained to me that Expert Mode is "too easy." Then he demonstrated the game's... More >>

• Plumb Tuckered Out?

  published November 29, 2007

  There's no surer sign that a franchise is in trouble than when it blasts into outer space. So you were right to be nervous when Nintendo announced... More >>

• Shred Cred

  published November 15, 2007

  Show of hands: Has anyone not heard of Guitar Hero at this point? You sir, in the back row clutching the Ratt cassette... More >>

• Playing Dumb

  published October 18, 2007

  Love him or despise him, head Jackass Johnny Knoxville has made millions from getting kicked in the yambag. Had YouTube arrived before... More >>

• Party Pooper

  published October 4, 2007

  Billiards is one of the few sports that's as taxing on a computer screen as it is in real life. It's played in pubs, after all, and its legendary... More >>

• 'Roid Rage Returns

  published September 20, 2007

  In space, no one can hear you scream, Jumpin' Jesus, this is one of the greatest games ever! But that doesn't mean you won't try during... More >>

• Getting Medieval

  published September 6, 2007

  Funny how gaming's most epic genre -- the role-playing game -- often feels the most limited in scope. After all, how many times can we traverse a... More >>

• Bend It Like Bowser

  published August 23, 2007

  The first worthwhile online-compatible game for the Wii has finally arrived. And in at least one way, Mario Strikers Charged is just like... More >>

• Star Dreck

  published August 9, 2007

  Stupid video-game logic, rule no. 154: When thousands of fugly, bloodthirsty aliens take over a spaceship, it's best to send in a lone woman with... More >>

• Mechanical Bull

  published July 26, 2007

  Examining the roots of Transformers: The Game is deep stuff: It's a video game based on a movie based on a cartoon based on a toy. ... More >>

• All Class

  published July 12, 2007

  One of the best new video games on the market requires you to take math tests. During summer break, no less. But before you cue up "Night on... More >>

• Bored Games

  published June 28, 2007

  Everyone's got a different sense of what makes a killer party. For kids, maybe it's whacking a piñata and overdosing on cake. For adults,... More >>

• Student Bodies

  published May 31, 2007

  Dating games have come a long way since the days when Chuck Woolery invited mullet-sporting contestants to bump uglies on Love Connection.... More >>

• Balls of Fury

  published May 17, 2007

  If you're looking for a laugh, find a kid raised on Grand Theft Auto and introduce him to Pac-Man. As he stares at you blankly,... More >>

• Rolling Paper

  published May 3, 2007

  After starring in 20 years' worth of video games, the Super Mario Brothers have been spread mighty thin. The mustachioed heroes' latest outing,... More >>

• Hot Mama

  published April 19, 2007

  We've all seen Super Mario eat copious amounts of mushrooms, but have you ever considered the care that goes into preparing such delicacies?... More >>

• For the Birds

  published April 5, 2007

  A video game about birds flying biplanes makes as much sense as a game about fish captaining submarines, but there are far bigger gripes to be... More >>

• Hell on Wheels

  published March 22, 2007

  There's one similarity between Ghost Rider and most videogame movie tie-ins: Get too close to either, and your ass will probably get burnt.... More >>

• No Replay for Wii Play

  published March 8, 2007

  Unlike its Wii Sports predecessor, only two players can play Wii Play at a time -- barely living up to the definition of "We." And... More >>

• Channel Surfing

  published February 22, 2007

  So you've beaten Zelda and can hurl a 90 mph fastball in Wii Sports without shattering your 50-inch plasma. Now what? It's time... More >>

• Mustache Ride

  published February 8, 2007

  Explaining the appeal of the WarioWare series is like trying to describe a fever dream: It doesn't make sense unless experienced. ... More >>

• Dr. Feelgood

  published January 25, 2007

  For most of us, the closest we get to practicing medicine is telling a depressed co-worker, "Somebody's got a case of the Mondays."... More >>

• A Legendary Outing

  published January 4, 2007

  Despite Link's green tunic and Peter Pan hat, he remains Nintendo's most respected badass. In the long-awaited Twilight Princess for... More >>