Here at Home Leisure Direct we are passionate about games, whether it be pool, pinball, arcade games, shuffleboard, snooker, table tennis and even video gaming. As a large team of passionate games lovers we read many blogs per day and always note down our favourites and recommend them to each other.
This year we decided that these blogs deserve to be commended for their contribution to the gaming community through their great articles, podcasts, videos and general passion for the industry. We have a huge list of great blogs but thought it best to condense it down, so we created the Home Leisure Direct Annual Top 40 Games Blogs Awards 2015. These blogs range from all kinds of topics such as pinball, billiards, arcade gaming, video gaming and many more. The blogs are not ranked in order but are numbered for convinience. We hope you enjoy the list and make sure to check the blogs out too!
ArcadeHeroes.com
We often find ourselves reading arcade heroes blog posts. We love their work and they cover many different topics within the arcade community. They are always up to date with news and you can rely on them for your source of arcade gaming.
GameRoomJunkies.com
This blog has a fantastic podcast. As a company involved in games room products such as arcades and pinballs many of the staff at HLD are found browsing this site. Interesting articles on the revival of pinball and great chat about the industry in the podcasts. Definitely deserves to be on this list.
RetroGamer.net
Retrogamer is an awesome site for retro gaming. Articles go back and cover games as far back as the 1970s! The website has a really cool design that links to the theme of the website and has plenty of articles for you to read. Warning: nostalgia ahead for many of you, retro gaming is cool!
geekdad.com
Being a geek is the new cool thing. Many of the older generation who lives through the rise of arcades will appreciate this site! Geek Dad covers all kinds of topics such as technology, gaming, entertainment and more. The site also has an awesome podcast. For any of you guys out there who want to keep up with the latest tech and great articles on games, this is the site for you.
gameroomblog.com
This blog covers so many cool games room products, many of which are available at HLD! We are always keeping an eye to see what kind of cool articles and products this blog writes about. We particularly love their articles on pinball such as “Top 12 Things You Should Know About Wizard of Oz Pinball”.
JohnsArcade.com
This site has some great videos and content. John is a very experienced podcaster and has been doing it for over a decade. The site also has a really good forum. Top community for gaming fans.
rotheblog.com
This blog has some great tutorials on artwork and gaming machines. The blog posts are very interesting and look into artwork of popular old classic machines. If you own a retro arcade machine or pinball machine it’s worth checking out this site for some golden information.
classicgamesblog.com
This blog covers old games consoles, arcades and general games. Perfect for tutorials or how-to-guides that may have been lost forever in the sales of the old games. Very interesting reads and great repair tutorials that could save you £100s.
digitalbuzzblog.com
This blog covers all kind of topics. Gaming, new tech, new cars, cool new gadgets and so much. You can spend hours looking through the frequently updated blog. Great content and definitely has a place in our list.
WolfsGamingBlog.com
This blog covers all kinds of games with really in-depth and informative articles on gaming. If you fancy a read or want to take a look at some great resources on a wide variety of games. This is the blog for you.
GameCenter.nyu.edu
Not the usual gaming blogs. This blog run by a University covers more in-depth topics on gaming and design. They have some great pieces on events and the website design is fantastic. If you’re looking to take your passion that one step further it’s worth taking a look here.
retrogaminglife.com
This blog has some pictures of old gems. Orange coloured gameboy anyone? Follow this blog as they keep finding classic games and consoles in mint condition. Also great articles on all retro games.
sammdiep.com
This blog by world class pool player Samm Diep is a great resource for anyone looking to improve at pool. In-depth articles on techniques and clear guides on how to improve your game in nice, easy steps. If you’re serious about beating all your mates at pool down the pub, make sure to give this blog a read!
thehealthygamer.com
Here at Home Leisure Direct we make sure we get a break from the office every now and then and play a few games of table tennis. The benefits are incredible for mind and body and are keen for our team to stay healthy. This blog covers how you can still enjoy your gaming but also get fit and healthy. Very useful facts and tips on how to do so. Gaming while being healthy is a lot better than gaming and getting progressively unhealthy!
oldschoolgameblog.com
Does what it says on the tin. This is simply a great old school game blog. Covers a variety of topics and is also on Periscope covering some great gaming events. Worth a look!
penny-arcade.com
One of the best website designs out there. Super interactive with tonnes of great content. Podcasts, video, articles and so much more. They also have some really cool clothing items for sale related to arcade gaming. Definitely a website worth visiting.
rit.edu/news/tigerbeat/
Great blog by RIT University. Covering all kinds of conferences and doing some great articles too. If you’re interested in the latest developments in gaming or the games market this blog is one to follow. Nicely laid out too. Easy to use and navigate.
retroyak.com
Retro gaming blog. Plenty of awesome reviews to dig into. Also some great reviews on arcade game conversions. The layout is also very clean and easy to use. The combination of modern and retro gaming has a perfect balance on this blog. Be sure to bookmark it.
powerpakblog.com
This blog covers classic gaming with an easy to use navigation to cover games or arcade machines. We sell plenty of arcade machines here at HLD so this blog interested us a lot. We loved going through the articles to see what was out there and their opinion on some of the games. Great blog for classic arcade gamers!
TheAverageGamer.com
This UK based gaming site is about light hearted talk on all things gaming. This isn’t a serious review site but it provides useful insight into gaming and their opinion on it. The stuff you need to know is covered and it’s a great community to be involved with.
toucharcade.com
Touch Arcade covers all games for the Apple iPhone. Even though the blog doesn’t cover arcade games or games room products they still cover a load of classic games that are being released on the iPhone. The iPhone has given developers a new avenue to review classic games and you can be sure that Touch Arcade will review and cover it. Also has a section that covers the highest rated games. We all love games on our iPhones, take a look at this blog!
retrogameon.com
This cool retro gaming blog covers some great old classics. The videos are also really good and it’s a growing blog. A really cool feature of the blog is the “retro scans” so you can see all the retro artwork in high quality images. Great addition to the blog.
gonintendo.com
GoNintendo is one of the most popular Nintendo based blogs on the web. The really easy to use and clean looking website is always kept up-to-date with new content related to Nintendo. If you’re interested in everything Nintendo this is a must-be-bookmarked site.
billiardgods.com
This is a great blog on billiards. Plenty of awesome tips and tutorials with plenty of other related content. If you want to improve your pool playing, this site is definitely worth visiting.
TheOlderGamers.com
This blog has a refreshing twist on your standard gaming blog. Targeted towards the older gamer who works hard in the week and just wants to relax playing some games over the nights or weekends. They cover plenty of article topics and it’s a great community to get involved with if you’re an older person who still loves gaming.
blog.allyoucanarcade.com
This is a nice and simple blog which covers some great topics on arcades from how-to advice, to articles on the rise in retro arcade gaming. Great blog!
CainesArcade.com
Not your typical blog but a really inspiring film based on a young kid making arcades from his fathers old parts. The film is now a movement to boost creativity in kids and is all for a great cause. Definitely deserves a spot on our list.
tenpencearcade.co.uk
TenPenceArcade is a place to go to find your old arcade games and how the youth of the retro-gaming age are dealing with the loss of their beloved games. Emulators are now popular and there are many articles to cover how to play your favourite arcade games again. Definitely a blog worth checking out!
vlambeer.com
A variety of great articles on gaming. Also some good videos and audio about gaming in general.
CrotchetyOldGamer.com
Great blog where the owner rants and raves about games. Really funny and hits the nail on its head many times! A no messing blog about gaming, we love it.
ThatVideoGameBlog.com
This blog covers everything related to video gaming. Many video game sites are biased but you don't get that with this blog. If you're into consoles and want the latest news,tips and reviews head over there.
BilliardsDigest.com
This site is awesome if you’re into pool or snooker. Full of tips and instructional columns. Covers professional and amateur events, industry news, personality profiles, history and billiards culture. The complete resource for any billiards fan. Check these guys out.
racketboy.com
Racketboy.com is an independent video game site that caters to the old-school console gamer and their unique gaming lifestyles. This site also has a podcast (like many of the top 40 here) which is great. We value podcasts as they take a lot of time and effort to do. They are easy to listen to and you can stay up-to-date with everything games related on the go.
GamesRadar.com
GamesRadar is one of the most well-known gaming blogs in the UK. The website covers everything related to games and movies. It’s a nicely laid out website and full of great original content. No thin articles, all have a lot of work put into them and they make for great reading.
notey.com
This stunningly designed website covers all types of articles. The website has plenty of articles on arcade games and really interesting articles in general.
untoldstoriesbilliardshistory.blogspot.co.uk
This is one of the coolest blogs about pool on the internet. Amazing articles on the history of the sport with images and pictures from old newspapers and magazines. This website gives you a true glimpse into what billiards was like during its creation over 100 years ago. If you want to brush up on your billiards knowledge, this is the place to go.
allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.co.uk
This blog covers games from golden arcade era only (1971-1984). If you were a young kid during these years then this blog will provide some serious nostalgia. Really cool photos on the blog and information about most of the games during this period.
kotaku.com/tag/game-room
Kotaku is a massive website. A global heavyweight in terms of blogging about games, film, TV and so much more. Their game-room section is a great find. Covers many games room products in-depth and some great videos. Keep up to date with all their top authors.
angleofreflection.wordpress.com
Michael Reddick the owner of this blog is a professional pool player and by day a medical device professional. His blog will allow you to follow his journey to the top and the real life struggles of getting there. Perfect motivation and insight into a professional's life.
gametrailers.com
GameTrailers is great if you love video. Video reviews, trailers and so much more. Great site if you’re looking for something different from the standard blog post.
That concludes the Home Leisure Direct Annual Top 40 Games Blogs 2015. We hope you enjoyed it and please let us know if we missed any great gaming blogs out. Who knows, they might make it to the Top 40 next year!