Website watch: Newgrounds
Lauren Staten
Issue date: 9/16/09 Section: The Edge
At the Edge, we like to call attention to things people may not notice in the media. As journalists, it is our sworn duty to inform and entertain our audience. So I picked a Web site that's been around for over 10 years, bringing twisted entertainment to the masses.
Newgrounds.com is a user-compiled Web site consisting mainly of flash games and short movies on every topic from Paris Hilton to DDR, politics to porn. The unique thing about the site is not only the user-submitted content, but the rating system that allows submissions to be rated and ridiculed mercilessly.
There really is something for everyone on this site. Infuriatingly impossible mind puzzles, insulting parodies and hilarious cartoons. The one thing I like is that the site features submissions from other enterprises, collections and series, such as Ill Will Press, known mainly for their animated cartoon flash, Foamy. Another well-known cartoon would be the irresistibly politically incorrect Retarded Animal Babies.
But that's not all folks, there's also art, music, blogs and an involved community of users. Their audio portal features original music submitted by aspiring musicians and artists of all different genres ranging from techno to experimental hip-hop.
It is this eclectic mix and creative flexibility that makes this site so unique. There are no filters and no limits (except for a few administrators to keep it clean), and it definitely shows when one explores the dark caverns of this Web site. It is an endless pit of nonsense, and there is always new content to amuse anyone willing to toy around on the site until finding something enjoyable.
Around the net, there are hundreds of sites featuring flash games or movies but none that have all that Newgrounds does, organized in such a user-friendly way, with a tight knit community of supporters. In a way, the site was way ahead of its time allowing focus to be drawn to individuals and their original work long before people starting mindlessly posting their super important thoughts and every move on YouTube and Twitter.
It is in that spirit that the success of the site has been able to last this long. The rating system and user feedback are more helpful than idiotic comments because it actually compiles the reviews to give the user a good idea how the community rates a particular submission.
If you still don't believe how awesome this site is, behold the original Numa Numa Dance. It was published for the first time on Newgrounds back in 2004 and spread like a viral STD on sites like YouTube shortly thereafter. It is now one of the most widely known viral videos, showing that all it takes is a fat guy dancing and a few million views to launch Internet stardom. Newgrounds really is the American dream.
Newgrounds.com is a user-compiled Web site consisting mainly of flash games and short movies on every topic from Paris Hilton to DDR, politics to porn. The unique thing about the site is not only the user-submitted content, but the rating system that allows submissions to be rated and ridiculed mercilessly.
There really is something for everyone on this site. Infuriatingly impossible mind puzzles, insulting parodies and hilarious cartoons. The one thing I like is that the site features submissions from other enterprises, collections and series, such as Ill Will Press, known mainly for their animated cartoon flash, Foamy. Another well-known cartoon would be the irresistibly politically incorrect Retarded Animal Babies.
But that's not all folks, there's also art, music, blogs and an involved community of users. Their audio portal features original music submitted by aspiring musicians and artists of all different genres ranging from techno to experimental hip-hop.
It is this eclectic mix and creative flexibility that makes this site so unique. There are no filters and no limits (except for a few administrators to keep it clean), and it definitely shows when one explores the dark caverns of this Web site. It is an endless pit of nonsense, and there is always new content to amuse anyone willing to toy around on the site until finding something enjoyable.
Around the net, there are hundreds of sites featuring flash games or movies but none that have all that Newgrounds does, organized in such a user-friendly way, with a tight knit community of supporters. In a way, the site was way ahead of its time allowing focus to be drawn to individuals and their original work long before people starting mindlessly posting their super important thoughts and every move on YouTube and Twitter.
It is in that spirit that the success of the site has been able to last this long. The rating system and user feedback are more helpful than idiotic comments because it actually compiles the reviews to give the user a good idea how the community rates a particular submission.
If you still don't believe how awesome this site is, behold the original Numa Numa Dance. It was published for the first time on Newgrounds back in 2004 and spread like a viral STD on sites like YouTube shortly thereafter. It is now one of the most widely known viral videos, showing that all it takes is a fat guy dancing and a few million views to launch Internet stardom. Newgrounds really is the American dream.
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