The full name for EBgames--Electronics Boutique--sounds kind of precious, like a musty shop that sells electric teapot warmers or discarded Tamagotchi electronic pets (remember those?). But EBgames is more cool than sweet, with a site that works well with in conjunction with its retail stores. Gamers can pop onto the site to find a store near them, get rebate information, or even enter a few contests.

But why drag yourself off the couch during a well-deserved Enter the Matrix break and actually go outside? With such a product-rich site, EBgames brings the store to you. Games are grouped according to platform, with the consoles in front, and PC games and Game Boy selections in back. There are also DVD movies and action figures for those who feel they need to expand their entertainment options. Of course, you don't need to stray that far--you can buy the movies of "Tomb Raider" or "Resident Evil," after all.

The layout of the site is easy enough on the eyes to pull some marathon shopping sessions, even if those aren't so gentle on the credit card. Unlike some other game sites, there are no busy backgrounds or overabundant screenshots here, which makes the whole shebang load fast and clean.

The checkout process is just as simple, with a streamlined shopping cart that allows for wish list selections to be stored and, more importantly, viewed by anyone who wants to know what birthday presents you expect.

Where the site really excels (and now I'm talking to all the cheapskates like me out there), is in their selection of pre-owned games. That's right, no more slogging through eBay to find good games at dirt-cheap prices. Although there's a kind of joy in getting a new game and being the first to rip off that factory-placed cellophane, let's be honest--whenever you can find "Blade II" for under $20, it's a good day to be a gamer.