Episode #99 - NHL Stanley Cup

NHL Stanley Cup North American Release Date - November 1993

I'm a proud Canadian, a hockey fan, and it's episode number 99. So we had to talk something with Wayne Gretzky in it. Like NHL Stanley Cup...kinda...does. That's him on the cover! I think?

NHL Stanley Cup was NHL 94's vasty inferior competition. It doesn't have players names, full rosters, trades, the ability to edit lines, and really anything fun. All it had was a God-awful camera and goalies that couldn't look up. They tried to make a hockey game with the 'Mode 7' graphics thingy that made Super Mario Kart and F-Zero, and my buddy Brad and I had a great time explaining why it didn't work. At all. I owned this game as a kid and I used to really like it, but I'm not sure why...

If that's all you're here for, skip to 19:20. Or listen to the whole thing and hear me talk about:

- Sony was going to tell us about the Playstation 5 on June 4th, but they've (wisely) decided to delay it.

- Apparently we're getting some big SEGA news on June 4th instead. What could it be?? A Dreamcast mini? A SEGA network? SEGA is taking over Xbox????

- Minecraft has sold 200 million copies! Where does that stand up on the all-time sales charts, and does Minecraft belong on the list of the greatest games ever made?

And finally, this is your last week to get in on our Switch Lite draw! Deadline is June 8th. To enter, sign up for our Patreon (patreon.com/RememberTheGame) or send your answer to our trivia question to 

memberthegame@gmail.com

Good luck and enjoy the podcast!

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Episode #91 - MegaMan X3

MegaMan X3 North American Release Date - December 1, 1995

Even if you haven't played Megaman X3, you should still absolutely listen to this episode. Everyone has a played a MM game, so it's easy to follow along, and the music alone makes this worth your time.

That said, I love Megaman. But I don't love Megaman X3. It feels like a frustrating (VERY frustrating) incomplete MM game. My guest this week is the Movie Epidemic podcast's Bradley McCue, and we go over the good, the bad, and the ugly of X's third adventure. Angry Adam pops up a couple times too, if you like him. Skip to 23:05 if you're just here for that. 

Or listen to the whole thing and hear me talk about:

- Final Fantasy VII Remake comes out this week!!!!

- Last of Us 2 isn't. In fact, we won't see it for a while...

- The Messenger is getting a prequel, and it looks like Chrono Trigger!

- People are scalping Nintendo Switches again!?

And more!

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Episode #89 - The Lost Vikings

The Lost Vikings North American Release Date - April 29, 1993

Some people skip episodes about games they don't know. I get that, but don't skip this one! You can play it online for free, so this is like a commercial for it. Plus, what else do you have to do these days??

The Lost Vikings is a platformer/puzzle game, originally released on the SNES and developed by Blizzard (the little known game developer behind World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch). Before anyone knew who they were, they made a game about three vikings and their adventures through spaceships, jungles and pyramids, and it was awesome. 

This game isn't perfect, but it's fun, and it's charming as all hell. I used to play with my friend Daniel when we were kids, and we had a great time breaking down the good, the bad, and the ugly about Erik, Baleog, and Olaf (the vikings) adventure. If that's all you're here for, skip to 24:15. 

Before we get into Lost Vikings, I get some stuff off my chest. I weigh in on the Corona situation quickly. I'm glad this show is helping some of you get through it, because you're all helping me more than you know. 

Video games are helping us pass time too, and there's an INSANE run of new releases right now! I break down some of the top scoring games that have come out over the past few weeks. I also talk about all the games I've been playing while I'm locked down (including the return of my let's play series 'Adam Sucks at Video Games'!) 

And finally, I rant about EB Games/Gamestop again, because their management team is hot garbage. 

Enjoy the podcast, wash your hands (and your controllers), and stay safe. 

OH YEAH! We're gonna try running another Mario Kart tourney Saturday night. Follow us on Twitter or Instagram for the tournament ID (we follow back!)

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Episode #88 - Mario Is Missing!

Mario Is Missing North American Release Date - Who Cares

I'm considering revoking Mark McCue's Hall of Fame status for suggesting we talk about this piece of crap.

Also, this episode contains more adult language than most episodes. You've been warned.

This week's episode is all about the "educational"- "Mario" - "video game" (imagine that was said with air quotes) that is Mario is Missing. What should have been a sequel to Super Mario World starring the often overlooked Luigi is really nothing more than a crappy history lesson. It was designed to fool parents (like mine) into buying their kids a game that looked like the one they've been playing since they got their SNES. I hate it.

If you only want to hear me yell about this dumb game, skip to 14:50.

Before I get into Mario Is Missing, I obviously address the Coronavirus that's taking over the world right now. There's a new perk for Patreons of the show, and I tell you all about it! And Xbox revealed some Series X specs that I don't understand.

Thanks for listening, enjoy the podcast, and wash your controllers. 

Also, follow us on Instagram & Twitter @memberthegame  - We follow back!

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Episode #83 - Super Punch Out!!

Super Punch Out!! North American Release Date - September 14, 1994

I think the term "hero" is thrown around too loosely these days, but this week on the show I'm shouting out our Patreons, because they're God damned heroes.

I also explain why I don't cover games older than the NES on here (Atari, ColecoVision, etc). I talk about how nostalgia can drastically impact your opinion of an old video game. And finally, I rant about how a game should worry about being fun before it worries about it's frame rate, resolution, blah blah blah. Just make your game fun, nothing else matters!!!!

And after all that, my buddy Chris and I talk about Super Punch Out for the Super Nintendo, the (slightly) superior sequel to the legendary Mike Tyson's Punch Out on the NES. If you just want to hear about that, skip to 17:40.

And please, toss us a good review and a follow, would ya? We'll follow you back!

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Super Punch Out!! is one of the games I owned as a kid. And dare I say, it's the first game I mastered. I was 255-0 on my save file (the game maxes out there). I had the top times and scores for every boxer/circuit (including beating everyone in under 1:00). I knew this game like the back of my hand. And I never got sick of it.

I don't know if it's the graphics, the fact that I owned it, maybe the lower difficulty, whatever the reason, I like Super Punch Out!! better than Mike Tyson's Punch Out! on the NES. It's the better game, and I'll die on that hill. And even if you think the original game is better, you still have to admit the 16-bit adaption is pretty awesome. My buddy Chris agrees, and he's here this week to tell you all about it.

Also, fuck you, Super Macho Man.

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Episode #82 - StarFox

StarFox North American Release Date - March 26, 1993

This week, I touch on the Nintendo Switch surpassing the iconic Super Nintendo in console sales totals. The Wii is Nintendo's top-selling home console of all-time, can the Switch catch it? (Yes, it can). I also send my best wishes to MariKar, the Tokyo based go-kart tour company that was recently sued by Nintendo. They aren't allowed to let their clients dress up as Nintendo characters anymore, and it's sad. My girlfriend and I got to give it a shot back in 2018, and it was one of the best experiences of my life.

And on the heels of the Final Fantasy VII remake delay, I take a quick look at some of the upcoming games in 2020, too. Two new consoles, some incredibly heavy hitting games, the Switch is rolling along; this is shaping up to be one of the biggest years in gaming history!

All that (and more!) before my pal Tyler and I take you back to 1993 and talk about a Fox helping a frog fight a gorilla in space. If you just want to hear about that, skip to 21:30.

And please, toss us a good review and a follow, would ya? We'll follow you back!

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StarFox is tricky. I played it as a kid, just like you probably did. Skippy the stupid frog would fly around and beg me for help, and I'd save him every time. We thought the graphics were revolutionary. Nintendo was taking gaming into exciting new places! And they had a trillion dollar franchise on their hands! Right??

Wrong. Well, kinda right...I don't know. 

StarFox is still around. Primarily in Smash Bros, but I think we'll see another mainline game eventually. And when we do, I hope it ages better than the first one did. Replaying this game to prepare for the podcast hurt my heart a little, because this game just isn't as good as I thought it was. 

Have a listen to this week's show and I'll tell ya all about it!

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Episode #68 - Sim City

Sim City (SNES) North American Release Date - August 23, 1991

**Game talk starts at 12:40**

I can't believe how many people played this game back in the day. It's awesome, but it's also kinda nerdy, even by video game standards. It's slow, quiet, there's no bad guys (except the ridiculous crime rate that will inevitably plague your city). It doesn't seem like a game kids would be interested in. But man oh man, we were. 

Almost everyone I knew that had an SNES had Sim City. The fact that it was a launch title for the Super Nintendo probably helps, because after Super Mario World, there weren't too many options. Sim City was my first trip into the simulation/city planning genre of video games, and I loved it. I played the hell out of this game. My brother and I would spend hours just staring at the TV, not even doing anything because we were out of money and waiting on our taxes to come through, and it was still a blast. 

Sim City is responsible for sparking my love of this genre of video game, and it's funny because I still adore them today, but I rarely play them. As an adult in a fast moving adult world, I rarely have the time to just sit down and spend an hour designing a virtual city anymore. These types of games are endless, and when I get a gaming session in these days, I feel like I have to get closer to the end of a game to enjoy myself. Which is stupid. This game is fun, and that's all gaming should be. I wish Nintendo would re-release this game somewhere so we could dink around with it again...

It would be perfect on the Switch, in case you're reading this, Nintendo. PERFECT.

Anyway, Sim City is rad. My guest David Rae agrees. We didn't expect this episode to be as long as it was, but once we get rambling about sky-high crime rates, people whining about their taxes, and Bowser attacks, we couldn't stop. Enjoy this week's show!

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Episode #63 - Virtual Bart

Virtual Bart North American Release Date - September 26, 1994

**Game talk starts around 13:45**

When I launched this podcast, my idea was for my guests and I to reminisce about the games we played as kids. Both good games, and bad. It's taken 63 episodes, but we're dipping into the really bad end of the pool. Worse than Power Rangers. Worse than Bart's Nightmare or Boy and his Blob. Hell, this is worse than the last fifteen years of The Simpsons. Today, we're talking Virtual Bart.

This was one off the few Simpsons video games I never owned as a kid. We rented it a couple of times, and I wanted to like it. I mean, it was The Simpsons! But I never got into it. I can look past the faults of most Simpsons games because I loved the show so much, but this game sucks. Half of the mini games are borderline unplayable. The controls are hot garbage. A few cameos by various characters from the show aren't nearly enough to salvage this piece of crap. 

You play as Bart (obviously), and he gets strapped into a VR machine at a scene fair. The opening cutscene is actually the best part of the game. The machine then turns into a gameshow style wheel. The player stops it, and whatever image Bart's head stops on decides what mini-game you play. I have no idea what happens if you finish all the levels, because I can't beat most of them. 

We'll explain what they all are this week. Listen to this podcast and move on. If you want The Simpsons to ruin your day, just watch one of the modern episodes of the show. They're all way better than Virtual Bart. 

I hate this game. My buddy Chris is my guest this week, and we have a couple beers while we tell you why it sucks on this episode of 'Remember The Game?'. Enjoy the podcast, and then try to forget this game. 

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Episode #59 - Street Fighter II

Street Fighter II North American Release Date - March 1991

We're finally making our way into the arcades. Admittedly, I didn't really live near one growing up, so my experience with stand up cabinets is pretty minimal. And while I don't have a ton of playtime under my belt, I know damned well what a big deal Street Fighter II is.

*For the record, I used the SNES box art because it fit well in the thumbnail and it was the cleanest art I could find. But we talk a little bit about the arcade, a little home port, a little variation and re-releases; we're all over the map this week*

Street Fighter II considered one of the greatest fighting games, and video games, of all-time. It's Turbo port is a lock to be in the top 10 of any "best SNES game of all-time" list. It's one of the most popular arcade machines ever made, up there along Donkey Kong and Pac-Man. I'd love to know how much money this game and it's variants have made Capcom over the years. It frustrates me that is legit may be the biggest video game in history that I just cannot play...

I've always been terrible at the fighting genre of my favourite hobby. Aside from Mortal Kombat 2 (which I owned growing up) and a little bit of Smash Bros, I haven't really put any time into trying to get good at them, either. Fighting games are a unique animal, because you can play and practice against the computer all you want, and it just won't prepare you for battle against a skilled human opponent. A big gap in the skill levels of two players is as crippling in fighting games as it is in any genre of video game. I didn't have much money as a kid, and when the odd chance came along to play arcade games, I sure as hell wasn't going to pump my quarters into getting my ass kicked. Especially if the Ninja Turtles cabinet was nearby. 

But my pal David Rae did. And he's my guest this week, helping me breakdown the iconic Street Fighter II franchise. I know how much this game means to some of you, so I really did my best to do your game justice. I hope you geeks like it! 

"HADOOKIN!" or whatever it is...

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Episode #56 - Final Fantasy II (IV)

Final Fantasy II North American Release Date - November 23, 1991

**The sound may be a little off on this week's podcast. I suggest using headphones if you can. Sorry about that!**

I know, I know. It's Final Fantasy IV. The box says II, and the people that know, know. But the people that don't will be like "what the hell is this?". So we're goin' with Final Fantasy II.

If you're not sure why people call it the fourth FF instead of the second, listen to the episode!

I love this game. As I type this, I noticed an Instagram comment from @burgerfinger that pointed out how often I say games are one of my "absolute favourites", but in this case it's true! This was the first RPG I ever played, and I became absolutely obsessed with it. I've probably finished it 10 times, and I plug it into my top three Final Fantasy titles, along with VI and IX. (The order changes all the time, depending on my mood). 

If you haven't played the game, I'll give you a quick lowdown right now, but this episode is chalk full of meaty spoilers, so you've been warned. The game stars Cecil, a Dark Knight who commands the Kingdom of Baron's Red Wings (airships). He is being ordered to do terrible things, and when he questions his King's motives, he gets in trouble and all hell breaks loose and you end up helping him and his friends save the world. It's fantastic. 

This game gets overlooked because it's always in it's SNES brother's shadow, but Final Fantasy II deserves a ton of credit. It introduced a more complex story than we'd ever seen, ushered in the Active Time Battle system we all know and love, and on a personal note, it showed me how great RPGs are. Anyone that has played this game knows how special it is. Aside from Super Mario World, there isn't a video game from my childhood I have more nostalgia and appreciation for. It legitimately shaped me as a gamer. 

And it has Edge the ninja in it, and Edge is the fucking coolest. 

My guests this week are two of my oldest childhood friends, Dan and Rob. Rob actually introduced me to Final Fantasy II 25+ years ago, so this was a really special episode for me. Getting to talk about one of my most beloved retro games with the guys I grew up playing it with was a real treat for me. I hope you guys enjoy this episode!

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Episode #54 - NHL '94

NHL '94 North American Release Date - October 1993

As much as it pains the loyal, completely biased Nintendo fanboy in me to admit, Sega had better sports games than Nintendo. Case in point? NHL '94. 

That isn't to say the SNES version is unplayable, but anyone that has tried both would be lying if they said the Nintendo version was superior to the Genesis one. I didn't really play either, at least not when they came out. I was an NHL Stanley Cup kid (sad trombone). I got into the series around NHL '96, but I've had many opportunities to go back and play NHL '94, on the Genesis and my beloved SNES. And while my nostalgia heart lays with the '96 and '97 iterations of EA's NHL video game, it's pretty damned obvious why NHL '94 still shows up on lists of the greatest sports games ever made over twenty-five years after it was released. It's that damned good.

The NHL video games have evolved (?) into a very deep, simulation style franchise over the years. Much like EA's other flagship sports titles (Madden and FIFA), their yearly hockey game contains everything a die-hard hockey fan/armchair GM could ever want. You can manage a franchise for decades, stock your farm systems with can't miss prospects, and manage your salary cap season after season. NHL '94 doesn't have any of that stuff. It doesn't even have a season mode. But what it lacks in bells and whistles, it makes up for in unmatched, incredible, addictive, FUN gameplay.

If you own a current NHL game and try to play against someone that's never played before, it won't be fun. It'll take them a few games just to figure out how to shoot the puck properly. NHL '94 is like a jacked up version of Ice Hockey on the NES; anybody can pick up a controller and have the controls locked down in minutes. The physics engine is great, it really feels like your skating on ice. And this game introduces the one timer. It might seem laughable now, but this was a HUGE deal back then!!!

Two and a half decades after it's release, NHL '94 is still one of the most beloved sports video games of all-time. Tournaments still get held regularly, and it has a loyal fanbase. So much so, that on it's 20th anniversary, EA added an "NHL '94" mode to NHL '14. It constantly shows up on "greatest games  in history" lists, and Jeremy Roenick has said on numerous occasions that he's more well known for his NHL '94 counterpart than he is for anything else he accomplished in his career. This game is the Wayne Gretzky of hockey video games. (Which is ironic, considering there are a bunch of Wayne Gretzky branded hockey games throughout history, and they all suck).

My buddy Brad makes his podcast debut this week. We're both gamers and huge sports nerds, and we had a hell of a time talking NHL '94. Enjoy!



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Episode #53 - Maximum Carnage

Maximum Carnage North American Release Date - September 16, 1994

Spider-Man is awesome. Venom is even more awesome. Carnage isn't quite as awesome as either of them, but he's still pretty awesome. So what happens when you take all that awesome and squeeze it into a video game? You get a freaking awesome video game.

Worst. Intro. Ever.

It's true, though. Maximum Carnage is awesome. It certainly isn't perfect, but it scratches all the basic video game itches. It handles pretty well, it looks sweet, and it's fun to play. The music is really good,  and thanks to the source material it's based on, it has a solid (albeit somewhat confusing if you don't know anything about the original comic books) story. 

The quick version is as follows: Spider-Man (Peter Parker) came into contact with an alien symbiote in space. He was able to wear it as a new costume, but eventually found it was taking over his brain and actions, so he got rid of it. The discarded alien found a new host in Eddie Brock (who already hated Peter Parker), and combined with him to form Venom. Eddie Brock eventually found himself separated from the suit and in jail, sharing a cell with serial killer Cletus Kasady. The symbiote came to the jail to help Eddie escape, but left it's offspring behind. That new symbiote bonded with Kasady to form the super villain Carnage. Spider-Man and Venom put their differences aside and defeat him, but eventually Carnage breaks out of jail again, and forms a stable of villains to wreak havoc with. 

*Deep breath*

That's where the game picks up. You control Spider-Man and Venom (separately), and the object of the game is to take down Carnage and friends. Having to control the two heroes individually is my biggest gripe with the game. Multi-player seemed like a no brainer. This game is a fun, VERY DIFFICULT beat 'em up, and that genre screams "couch co-op". Particularly when the entire game is centred around an alliance between two characters. 

As disappointing as the lack of a second player is, it doesn't break the game. Maximum Carnage is still fun to play, and you'll enjoy yourself until you inevitably lose too many times and get frustrated. This game is hard as fuck. But like most games of that era, a lot of repetition and practice makes it tolerable. The great graphics and music help with that, too. 

This isn't the best beat 'em up of all-time, or even just of it's era (you can pry that title from Turtles In Time's cold, dead hands), but it's still sweet. That distinctive red cartridge helps it stick out, and it seems like even casual Marvel fans know these characters and the story involved. My buddy Tyler does, and so do I. We'll tell you all about it this week. Have a listen!

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Episode #48 - Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers North American Release Date - November 23rd, 1994

They might seem silly now (they're not silly at all, by the way) but in the mid 90's, the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers were in control of every kid on the planet. Who didn't love the "teenagers with attitude"??

TV show(s), movies, actions figures, comic books, the Rangers were everywhere. Video games were inevitable. I remember wanting to get my hands on every Mighty Morphin' thing I could during my phase a Ranger junkie. Especially the video games. But the only one I ever owned - and played for that matter - was the self titled game on the Super Nintendo. And when I was young I thought it was incredible, albeit a little easy. As a jaded, grumpy old man now, I can see it for what it is. Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers on the SNES was a half-assed, cookie cutter beat 'em up. 

On a console that boasted incredible beat 'em ups like Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, Maximum Carnage, Final Fight 3 and (insert your favourite game that I missed here), not to mention the undisputed king of beat 'em up - TMNT IV: Turtles In Time, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers came up short in every possible way. It snuck by on the back of the franchise itself, and while many of us played and loved it as kids, it's aged terribly. 

I could beat this game as a kid without breaking a sweat. I'm not great at games now, but man did I suck back then. You just ran left to right, punching generic putties over and over again. Being able to pick from Jason, Trini, Zack, Kimberly and Billy before each level was cool, but they all pretty well controlled identically. And once they morphed from their teenage selves into their Power Ranger counterparts, they were simple palette swaps of one another. Some of the boss fights were kind of cool, but the two minutes it took to beat them didn't make up for the ten minute slog you went through to get there. The game ends with a couple Street Fighter style battles between Megazord and some villain, and they're only slightly more fun than the countless putty fights before them.

Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers isn't a great game. But it's based on a great franchise, and it kicks my nostalgia sensors into overdrive. My buddy Andre is back this week, and we're talking about the video game and the Rangers themselves, and we had a hell of a time doing it. 

Plus, I snuck the theme song into the beginning of the episode :)

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Episode #47 - The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare

The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare North American Release Date - September 1992

Everyone knows that most video games based on The Simpsons, sucked.

But, everyone played video games based on The Simpsons.

I know I did. I think I've played every Simpsons video game ever made, except for The Simpsons Skateboarding and The Simpsons Wrestling. It didn't matter how big of fan you were, one look at the back of those CD cases was enough to realize these games were real life versions of Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge. But I played the rest of them. I owned a lot of them, too. Including The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare. 

For the record, I loves me some Simpsons. Admittedly, I'm one of the old school fans that doesn't care for the last fifteen years of the show. But in it's glory days, I was flat-out obsessed with the show. I watched a couple hours of it every day. My parents knew it, too. And they knew that Santa would look like a hero if he could combine my love of The Simpsons with my love of video games. Christmas morning, a Simpsons game found it's way into our house more often than not. 

I'm sure we'll do episodes of this show about some of those other games down the road. Today, we're talking Bart's Nightmare. I had it for the SNES, and I actually really liked it. I think the plot of the game isn't terrible. Bart falls asleep doing his homework, and you have to go through his dreams/nightmares to get the 8 pages of his homework back before he wakes up, which happens when you get a game over. The more pages you collect, the better grade Bart gets on his paper.

OK. Maybe it is terrible. But I liked it. I still do. It has issues, and they're the same issues that plague almost every Simpsons video game. The controls (at times), are awful. It's hard as balls. Frankly, it's a stupid game. But they nail some of the cameos and references to the show, and that's why I liked playing these games as a kid. 

I never beat it, but I didn't care. I have great memories of fighting Homer Kong, flying through the sky as Bartman, and popping bubblegum on Principal Skinner's head. I like this game. My buddy Darren does too. He joins me on the podcast this week, and we finally dive into the urine-soaked hellhole that is the world of Simpsons video games on Remember The Game?

And I know, I could have said peepee-soaked heck hole. 

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Episode #44 - Super Metroid

Super Metroid North American Release Date - April 18, 1994

Super Metroid turned 25 a couple weeks ago! A better podcast host would have caught that and ran with it, but what can you do? I don't think it cared that we missed it. 

One of the greatest games - not only on the Super Nintendo, but of all-time - Super Metroid is an absolute gem. A perfect combination of action, exploration, challenge, and atmosphere (which in the 16-bit era is no small feat), it takes you on a ride. Super Metroid is so good, it served as a primary inspiration in the formation of an entire new genre of video game; the Metroid-Vania. When you look at any list of the "greatest SNES games of all-time", Samus's Super Nintendo adventure is a lock for a spot in the top 5. Considering the insane library of games those lists contain, that's a pretty incredible feather in it's cap. 

I missed this one as a kid, but luckily, I caught up to it as an adult. I've probably played through it half a dozen times in the last 10 years, and it's one of those titles I keep going back to. When I think of video games, it's one of the titles that comes to mind. I love the graphical style of it so much, and when you add in the action, power-ups, and exploration that comes with it, it's everything a video game should be. I've tried playing Metroid on the NES in recent years, and while I respect the role it played in paving the way for Super Metroid, it just hasn't stood the test of time like it's 16-bit counterpart has. And while there are a lot of franchises that made massive improvements during their transition from the 8-bit generation to the 16-bit one, I don't think there's an IP that levelled up as hard as Samus and friends did. 

Super Metroid is a hall of fame worthy video game. Two of my childhood friends, Daniel and Rob, joined me this week to explain why. This was a fun episode, I hope you like it. 

And for the love of video games, if you haven't played Super Metroid, get your shit together. 

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Episode #42 - Donkey Kong Country

Donkey Kong Country North American Release Date - November 21, 1994

I say it almost every episode, but I'm really excited to talk about this week's game. Donkey Kong Country is easily on  "10 favourite games of all-time" list. It's a masterpiece.

Donkey Kong Country is just one of those games that everybody has played. It's one of the best selling video games in history, and at one point it was even been packaged with the Super Nintendo itself. At a time when people were looking at the Sega Genesis and it's graphical capabilities, this game was the SNES's way of pushing back. It's absolutely gorgeous, and as far as I'm concerned it looks as good today as it did twenty-five years ago. 

I've said it a million times, but Super Mario World is my favourite game ever. I think it's literally the perfect video game. Donkey Kong Country is just as good. Frankly, it looks better and it has better music than Mario does. The 16-bit era of video games is still the golden age in this old timer's mind, and this game is one of the crown jewels of that generation. I don't even know what to say about, I just love it that much. 

I've beaten this game a million times, and I find myself going back to it again and again. The gameplay is tight, it's fun to play, it's perfect. It introduced us to Diddy Kong, and it showed the world why Cranky Kong (who's the original Donkey Kong, FYI) is the best character in gaming history. 

And we got Funky Kong. And Donkey Kong is a boss. King K Rool is a dope villain. The mine cart levels! Shooting from barrel to barrel! In a blizzard!! You can ride a swordfish! So damned good.

Games like Donkey Kong Country are why I started this podcast in the first place. I have so many great memories of playing it as a kid. And this week, my buddy Henry came by to listen to me talk about some of them. He had a few of his own too. Great game, great guest, great episode. Check it out.

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Episode #33 - Earthworm Jim

Earthworm Jim North American Release Date - August 2nd, 1994

In an era filled with weird animal heroes like the Battletoads, Samurai Pizza Cats, Bucky O'Hare and Biker Mice from Mars, Earthworm Jim still managed to stand out. His video games are hilarious, and the original game launched a franchise that went on to produce an animated series, comic books, and action figures, along with several video game sequels, as well. 

Whenever I hear the word "groovy", I can't help but think of Earthworm Jim. It's funny, because I don't remember when I discovered the franchise, just like I can't remember when it all disappeared. But there was definitely a time in the 90's where Earthworm Jim could do no wrong. his entire universe was fantastic, propelled by an insane cast of characters that included Queen-Slug-For-A-Butt, a Killer Goldfish named Bob, and of course, Peter Puppy. The characters transitioned perfectly between television and video game. Possibly more than any game before it, Earthworm Jim felt like you were playing a Saturday morning cartoon.

A very difficult Saturday morning cartoon. These games are vicious. I replayed this one quite a bit in preparation for this podcast, and hardly got anywhere. I think some criticism of the controls is warranted, but I still myself wanting to play some more. This game is from the era of "practice makes perfect". If you wanted to beat it, all you had to do was play it enough to get good. It didn't hold hands, and it rewarded skill. 

Did I mention it was funny? I did? Well, I'll say it again. This game is hilarious. There's a level where you go to Hell and the bad guys consist of lawyers. Evil crows try to pull Jim out of his suit, reminding you that at the end of the day, he's just an earthworm. You're trying to save Princess What's Her Name? Really, that's what she's called. 

Jim steals the show. He uses his own body as weapon, a hand while he hangs from clotheslines, and a jump rope when he's bored. This game is one of the first I can remember playing that legitimately made me laugh while I stared at the screen. This game is a beauty. It's too bad the franchise doesn't get more love today. 

My buddy Patrick is back on the show this week, and we had a great time remembering the Grooviest hero in gaming; Earthworm Jim.

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Episode #29 - Battletoads in Battlemaniacs

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs North American Release Date - June 1993

Battletoads is one of those franchises that has always had a strong cult following, but nobody really  knows why. They're blatant Ninja Turtle ripoffs. The games are ridiculously difficult. The characters have some of the grossest names in gaming history (Zitz, Pimple, and Rash). Nothing about the franchise makes sense whatsoever. 

But people really like them. Myself included. 

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is, for my money, the best game in the series. At times it almost plays like a 16-bit remake of the NES original. The levels, enemies, and attack animations are similar, but they all look much, much better. While criticisms of it's controls, collision detection and difficulty are valid, nobody can say this game doesn't look gorgeous. It's like playing a really bad-ass cartoon. After recording this episode of the podcast and reflecting on the series, I think it's art style and "edginess" (for lack of a better word) are the primary reasons the series developed a following in the first place. It just feels like a cool video game. 

Battlemaniacs is also home to undoubtably one of the best soundtracks of the 16-bit era. When I edit these podcasts, one of the highlights for me is going back and listening to the music from games I played growing up. The music from this game is so good that I actually downloaded some of it's songs to my phone, and plan to keep them there. Maybe that's part of the reason players keep coming back, despite knowing they can't win; that music makes you feel like a badass. 

My buddy Patrick makes his podcast debut this week, and we had a great time looking at Battletoads in Battlemaniacs through a very critical lens. This game has it's faults, no question. But at the end of the day, it's just fun to play. Except maybe those fucking speed bikes....

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Episode #28 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island North American Release Date - October 1995

I vividly remember getting this game for my birthday the year it came out. And despite the fact that I had a house full of my friends over for a party, and this was a single player game, it was all I did for the rest of the day. No regrets.

The first thing that stands out about this game are the graphics. It's simply gorgeous. It was released less than a year before the Nintendo 64 launch, and the advancement Nintendo made between the original Super Mario World that debuted alongside the SNES and this game are undeniable. Clearly, the powers that be had a firm handle on what the Super Nintendo was capable of at this point. I consider this game to be the SNES's swan song. It's a hell of a way to go out.

Everyone had fallen in love with Yoshi after his appearance in Super Mario World a few years earlier, and we were excited for the opportunity to play as him some more. It took one game (if you don't count spinoff appearances and the awful Super Scope game) for the dinosaur/sacrificial lamb to leap into a starring role. It took poor Luigi like 20 years to do that! (Again, no spinoffs. Looking at YOU, Mario Is Missing.....)

This game featured some new gameplay mechanics, like launching eggs and the debut of Yoshi's "flutter" jump. The levels are deep and lengthy, and I *think* this was the first "Mario" game to feature collectibles in each level that you had to seek out if you wanted to 100% the game. And 100%ing this game was hard. I haven't done it to this day, although it's something I intend to do at some point. It gave you a ton of bang for your buck, and while it isn't really a sequel to the original Super Mario World per say, it lives up to the name sake from a quality perspective.

I'd be curious to know how it would've sold it they had simply called it "Yoshi's Island", without slapping Super Mario World 2 on the cover. I have to assume it would have hurt sales somewhat, especially after Yoshi's Safari was such a disappointment a couple years prior. And without the success of this game, Yoshi might not be as big of character in the Nintendo universe as he is today. People forget that Yoshi didn't appear as a "power up" in a Mario game again until Super Mario Galaxy 2 15 years later.

It doesn't really matter in the end, I suppose. Yoshi is awesome, and so is this game. My buddy Kyle and I had a great time explaining why on this week's podcast. Enjoy.

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Episode #26 - Super Mario Bros. "The Lost Levels"

Super Mario Bros 2 "The Lost Levels" N.America Release Date - August 1, 1993 

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great holiday season and the 'January Blues' aren't hitting you too hard. If they are, I'm positive a new podcast will help snap you out of it!

We're going with a bit of a black sheep this week (there are only so many Chrono Triggers and Tony Hawks out there). My buddy and fellow comedian David Rae returns to the show, and we decided to have a chat about the 'Cousin Oliver' of the NES Mario family; the REAL Super Mario Bros 2. You may know it as Super Mario Bros - The Lost Levels.

After being released in Japan as the original Super Mario Bros 2, it was deemed too difficult by Nintendo of America. It was never made available for the NES, and we ended up getting a different Super Mario Bros 2 altogether. Years later, the game was finally smuggled into North America in the (superb) Super Mario Bros All-Stars compilation on the SNES. The original 8-bit version of the game eventually found it's way onto the Wii, 3DS, and Wii U virtual consoles, as well.

This game is unquestionably the most difficult game of the NES Mario Bros series, and it stands up against any game in the Mario Bros library as far as challenge goes. I love it. If you've played it, you know how brutal and unforgiving it is. If you haven't played it, we probably won't sell you on it in this podcast, but you should give it a shot. It's still a Mario game!

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