Website Evaluation

I was recently assigned to write an article based on my personal evaluation of a website's design and navigation. This is similar to a blog I was required to do earlier in the semester that was meant for me to examine a website's credibility or lack of credibility based on its appearance, credentials, design, etc., etc. I decided that since the assignment was mandatory, I'd pick a website that I had a particular interest in. Since I had just beaten Super Mario World on Super Nintendo - and, yes, it was quite super - I thought it would be interesting to evaluate a website about videogames. One website in particular that my roommates and I frequent fairly regularly when we've found we've hit a dead end is called GameFAQS. This website has been a veritable treasure trove of ideas, hints, and interesting facts since my freshman year in college. Now I'd hate to have to bite the hand that feeds me, but in order to remain impartial I will not hesitate to slam the website if it turns out its design isn't up to snuff.
The main page of the website is very appealing and lively overall. It has prominent, functional links to all of the site's major components. The site's graphics are sound. The one criticism I have of the main page is that it has many non-functional icons, which can be confusing. I tried testing the site's ability to run searches and the site took me directly to the information I needed. One interesting tool the authors of the site have created is the "platform jumper" which allows the viewer to research a specific video game console like Super Nintendo or Playstation. The website does have copyright information and the designing company's information at the bottom of the page. Also, there is a featured daily article involving videogames on the main page that gives the date and time of the update. All in all, the website succeeds in offering gamers a valuable search engine, a reliable source of topic-specific information, and a forum for fans to express their own videogame theories and opinions.


http://www.gamefaqs.com/