Episode #96 - The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages

The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages North American Release Date - May 14, 2001

It's 2 for 1 week here at Remember The Game industries! This time around, we're going back to the world of Link, boring talking owls and golden triangles. It's The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons & Oracle of Ages on the Game Boy Color!

If you never played these games, you're not alone (sadly). I feel like these are two of the most overlooked games in the Legend of Zelda's iconic catalog, and that's really too bad. They're both really, really good. The same basic engine as Link's Awakening, but there's colour, different characters, and there's TWO of them! They're linked (no pun intended) together, and it's a really cool concept. 

My pal - resident Zelda superfan and former podcast Hall of Famer - Mark McCue is my guest this week, and we had a lot of fun breaking down how awesome the Oracle games are. If that's all you're here for, skip to 16:00. 

Or don't be a Warp Whistles kid and listen to the whole podcast! Before we get into the ageless seasons, I talk about a bunch of stuff! Microsoft held their first Inside Xbox presentation last week, and everyone is mad at them (but they shouldn't be). Sony is launching Playstation Studios with the Playstation 5, and I think it's a great idea. And Tony Hawk Pro Skater is back!!!! *Insert Kermit freaking out GIF*

Plus I weigh in on what I've been playing, how bad I am at Twitch streaming, and lots more. Enjoy the podcast!

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Episode #74 - Super Mario Land

Super Mario Land North American Release Date - August 1, 1989

**Game talk starts around 18:45**

I love Mario. And while it hasn't aged all that well, I'm pretty fond of the original Game Boy too. We could play video games anywhere!! So Mario on the Game Boy should have been a match made in heaven. And eventually it was; Super Mario Land 2 is incredible. But Mario's first road trip, Super Mario Land, wasn't quite as good. 

That's not to say it was bad. Mario is like pizza; even when it's not great, it's still pretty great. 

This game felt more like a demo for what the Game Boy was capable of. It was also overshadowed by a little known Game Boy launch title called Tetris. They introduced a bunch of new stuff, like different enemies, a new world, they replaced fireballs with rubber....balls? You don't save Princess Toadstool, you save that weirdo, Daisy. The only real thing that makes this a Mario game is Mario himself. But dammit, that's all it takes. 

My buddy Patrick returns to the show this week, you may remember him from such episodes as "Game Collecting" and "Resident Evil 4". Patrick loves the Game Boy, loves Super Mario Land, and I loved talking with him. Come feel the love on this week's episode. 

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Episode #15 - The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening North American Release Date - August 1993

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most iconic franchises in gaming history. When you talk about the greatest games in the NES and SNES library, you can't help but mention the Zelda games. I feel like Link's foray into the handheld universe gets overlooked sometimes, though. So this week, we're going to dive into the world of AA batteries, puke green screens, and playing video games on the toilet. Of course we're talking Game Boy. And more specifically, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

This game reportedly began as a port of the SNES classic Link To The Past, but obviously ended up becoming something else entirely. Remarkably, Link's Awakening can hold it's own against most of the heavy hitters in the Zelda series, at least in the 2D universe. The graphics are sharp, the game plays fantastic, it has a unique story, and a fascinating (and huge, for the time) world to explore. And it does it all on the go. 

Nintendo deserves a lot of credit for making a game this good run that well on a console like the Game Boy. Link's Awakening is a technical marvel, and while gamers today might take one look at the green colour scheme and dismiss it, anyone that grew up playing this game on long road trips knows what a life saver it was. To this day, I like it more than several of the newer Legend of Zelda games. 

My pal Mark is the biggest Zelda junkie I know, and we had a great time looking back on our childhood quests to wake the Wind Fish. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Maybe Link's Awakening can help you get through one more long drive...

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Episode #13 - Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow

Pokemon Red & Blue North American Release Date - September 28, 1998
Pokemon Yellow North American Release Date - October 19, 1999

This was the first episode of the podcast where I got a little nervous about the blowback we might get from the gaming community. When I launched this podcast, I envisioned a very relaxed, unstructured conversation between me and my guest. I just wanted it to resemble a chat between two kids on the playground, passionately going over about what they like and don't like about a video game. We don't do a lot of homework, and we don't claim to know everything about a particular game.

My concerns regarding this episode were justified, haha.

I like Pokemon. Quite a bit, actually. But I know that I can't come close to matching Poke-knowledge with the diehards out there. That was made abundantly clear to me after this week's episode went live.  So if you're a passionate Pokemon Master, show us some love and cut us some slack! 

I had Pokemon Blue growing up, and my little brother had Red. We also had a great player's guide explaining which Pokemon we each couldn't catch without the others help, and we wore that guide out. We played through these games so many times. I know that there have been a ton of these games released since the originals, but there hasn't been another generation that sunk it's teeth into me the way these games did in Junior High. Pokemon was a full fledged phenomenon, and 20 years later, it's still one of the biggest and most successful franchises in gaming. 

My buddy Mark came over, and we had a great time remembering a world before bills, jobs, and responsibilities. When your only cause of stress in life was trying to wear that Zapdos down without killing it (let's call a spade a spade, they aren't "fainting"). We talked Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow. And we tried our best. Show us some love.

And God dammit, show Bulbasaur some love, too. After all, it's the definitive starter.

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