After 600 reviews, Chuck's passing the controller off

I promised a big announcement in this week's column, and here it is: I quit.

That seems a bit abrupt, and I need another 385 words to fill out this column, so let me explain.

I started writing this video game review column way back in October 1991. At the time I was writing and producing "Kidsmag," a television news program for kids, and we had just started running game reviews on the program. (To put it in perspective, the Super Nintendo system had just been released.) The column came about because The Herald-Dispatch wanted material for younger readers, and I wanted to promote "Kidsmag."

I thought it would be fun to offer both the young person's point of view and advice from the "dad" angle, so I invited "Kidsmag" reporter Kenny Jones to co-write it -- he lived close by and our families were (and are) good friends.

We worked together until August 1994, when Kenny left to attend college (at Yale, no less). I soldiered on alone for almost a year, with an occasional guest writer helping out.

Then in June 1995 I brought a new team on board -- my sons Justin, 9, and Evan, 7. They were old enough to express their own opinions (with some minor editing from dear ol' dad), and we had a great time working on the column.

It came to an abrupt end in February 1996 when the paper decided to stop running the column.

About four years later we were lured back, thanks to the efforts of my pal John Gillispie and the realization by the higher-ups that video games weren't a passing fad.

However, time marches on, and Justin and Evan have both moved on to college, leaving me on my own yet again. I've kept the column going because, well, it's lots of fun. But after more than 600 reviews, I think I've run out of things to say about video games, so it's time to turn the podium over to the next generation.

I'm glad to know I leave you in good hands. Justin McElroy's columns will continue, and I can take pride in the fact that he started writing game reviews for me on "Kidsmag," and he's now a professional writer in the video game industry.

My son Evan is also active in the field, as he writes for The Herald-Dispatch's "Blog: the Video Game" site while studying in college.

Thanks to the many editors who have guided me (and corrected my mistakes) over the years, including Robyn, Andrea, Maureen and others too numerous to name.

It's been a great experience for my sons and for me, and many thanks to everyone who took the time to read the words that have filled this space.

I'm not going away completely. I'll continue to write the "Tri-State Theater" blog for the H-D, but for now it's time for the most dreaded words in the world of videogames: "Game Over."

Chuck Minsker can be contacted at TheMinskers@aol.com.