Tech: Gaming Websites (by PCMAG.com)

These sites offer light-hearted diversions or hard-core gaming coverage, whichever you prefer.

Armor Games
Is the boss looking? No? Good, then you can have a good time at Armor Games, the home of countless free Flash-based games, all playable on the Web. This site has everything from classic card and puzzle games to more complicated adventure or strategy games. Just remember to minimize when the boss passes behind your cube, okay?

K2xl
Watch dots. Place cursor on dot. Click mouse. Watch chain reaction as dots explode. Repeat. Basically, this is all there is to Boomshine, one of K2xl's highly addictive Flash games. It may not sound like much, but we dare you to watch these beautifully colored dots dance across your screen and not become hooked on this simple and relaxing game.

Kongregate
Kongregate is a flash video game site driven by user-generated content. Aspiring game developers submit their work to have it played and debated among the site's online community. Not every game is a hit, but games like Desktop Defender and Castle Wars will hook you and leave you wondering what happened to all that time you had. The site recently closed another round of funding and received an additional $5M, so look for bigger and better things from it in the future.

LikeBetter
This site brings you two pictures, and then it's snap-judgment time. Click the one you like better. Then repeat on a new pair of images. Why? Maybe just to kill time, or maybe after you've made your preference known on enough pairs of photos, LikeBetter's "brain" will know a thing or two about just what kind of person you are... and what kind of people it can direct you to make friends with.

Line Rider
There's something addictive about sending a fragile scarf-clad man hurtling down a steep, crudely drawn slope on a sled. This simple online game lets you draw any kind of sledding course for your character, who will bravely sled it with no regard for personal safety. If you really want to be wowed, YouTube has some crazy clips of Line Rider players' creations.

Shacknews
It's tough to wrap your head around how monumentally massive Shacknews is. It really is the new go-to spot for all your gaming news. On top of an oft-updated blog, there are Shack Reviews, a ShackCast, and a FileShack filled with downloadable demos, movies, and game mods. And we love how the site embraces its audience, highlighting the best and brightest comments right on the home page.

These are the fun sites from people who are able to put the controllers down just long enough to write about games and gaming.

1up.com
You want the inside scoop on your games? More than just a blurb about a rumor? 1up.com-from the same company that brings you PC Magazine-serves up in-depth journalism about forthcoming titles, plus a huge selection of reviews, cheats, and spoiler-filled graphics. And the online community of players helps keep the coverage grounded in the reality of day-to-day playtime.

IGN.com
Do you sleep and breathe gaming? Then here's another obsession for you: IGN.com is the site for gaming news, reviews, and more. Visit the Cheats section to find tips and tricks for beating a game. (For instance, for Spider-Man 3 on the Wii, one reader says to beat the main story and collect 50 spider emblems in order to unlock the Black Suit.) IGN extends to entertainment as well, with movie trailers and television show recaps.

Kotaku
Gawker's entry in the world of console gaming blogs is everything a gaming blog should be: tenacious, passionate, and full of rumors. It's not afraid to take on the big guys, as demonstrated by a well-publicized falling out with Sony earlier this year over a published rumor. But that's where the site excels; keeping gamers instantly up to date on the latest news about their favorites titles and platforms for couch-sitting. Kotaku's apt motto: "Don't get a life just yet."