Retrovaniacs

This episode we take a look at Sunsoft's classic NES title, Blaster Master! The original Blaster Master came out in 1988 and became a notable NES title for it's soundtrack and the mix of two different gameplay sections in the game -- and of course, the incredibly cool upgradeable jumping tank you get to use.  This game is currently available on the Switch NES library, but is this another NES classic game that you had to be there to really appreciate? We also take a shot at some listener mail, discussing games you literally are unable to play anymore, memories of working at a game store, and spicy buttholes (?!) Want to jump into your tank and get right to the game?  Start at the 11:00 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accide

It's been a relatively Star Wars heavy few months, and we're going to pile right in on that with our look at 2002's tie-in game to Attack of the Clones, Star Wars : Bounty Hunter! This game attempts to explain why Jango Fett was chosen to be the source of the DNA for the clone army, and allows you to be one of the galaxy's most feared bounty hunters!  But, much like many Star Wars tie-in products over the years, is this game worth the republic credits? We also take on several listener questions about our website, finding time for gaming, and dealing with a backlog of games! Want to skip right to Bounty Hunting? Grab your whipcord and blaster and start at the 12:00 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything R

It's the end of another year, and to end 2019, we found a game that starts on Christmas Eve and takes you the rest of the way through the year!  Sure, other than that, there's no real connection to Christmas (or really any holiday), but this gave us an excuse to play through the first game in the Parasite Eve series and decide if it holds up! We also read some listener Christmas memories, and then go over our favorite games and biggest disappointments of 2019!  Want to skip right to Parasite Eve?  You might(ocondria) want to start at the 12:45 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly becau

Another Patron-requested episode, courtesy of Donovan B, we're taking a look at a Pokemon game finally!  No, not Sword/Shield, or Emerald/Ruby, or Red/Blue, or any of the mainline Pokemon games -- we're diving headfirst into Pokemon Trading Card Game, a Game Boy adaptation of the card game!  We also discuss what we've been playing, and answer some listener questions regarding the Tiger Game.Com and get some feedback on past episodes! Want to get right to battling Active Pokemon?  Start at 10:30! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

It's almost Thanksgiving, so we present a feast of bananas for the Super Nintendo, as we take a look at Donkey Kong Country!   Donkey Kong's first solo outing on the SNES still has undeniable charm, and the series as a whole continues on to this day, but does this first game still hold up today? We also take on some more listener questions, this time covering retro remake disappointments and possible gaming fatigue. (We apologize for some of the sound issues, Billy's setup this week didn't have the finest internet connection, but I think we salvaged it) Want to jump right into a series of barrels?  Then shift to the 10:30 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net

Shiver me timbers!  Its time to take a look at maybe the only pirate simulator of the 16-bit era, Pirates! Gold, for the Sega Genesis!   This game was selected by one of our Super Retrovaniac DX patrons, Mason, who comes on for a few minutes to tell us why he picked this game, and his experience playing it himself. Want to skip right to the swashbuckling fun?  Start listening at 13:55! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.  

For the final show of #Retroween2019, we're taking a look at the OTHER big horror series that started on the Playstation -- Silent Hill! This series has as of late fallen truly silent, but for a while it was a staple series that took us into a hellish nightmare where we could never tell what was real and what wasn't.   Does the first trip to Silent Hill still hold up today?   We give you our thoughts on that. Also discussed, Halloween candies, Halloween gaming traditions, and of course some of the spookiest sound effects ever. Want to skip right to crashing your car in a foggy town?  Start listening at 14:20! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bit

Retroween2019 is in full effect, as our first regular Halloween episode is here!  This time we're taking a look at Sony's Medievil, a game where you play as a skeletal knight, fighting off the armies of the undead!  Many 3d platformers from the 32-bit generation haven't held up well, but is this one the exception to that rule? Also discussed - mean geese, apple arcade selections, and of course a batch of listener mail! Want to skip right to the Halloween goodness?  Start at 12:30! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.  

Do you like to play retro RPGs?  The RPGs of the 8, 16, and 32-bit era of games are sometimes a little tough to get into, but we're going to take them on, one at a time, week by week.  Weekend Warriors is our chance to do just that!  This first episode is covering the first few hours of Phantasy Star for the Sega Master System.   Every week we will play another 5 hours or so of the game, find a checkpoint, and then talk about that week of the game, up until we beat it.  This way, you could casually play along with us if you like! If you like this show, additional episodes of Retrovaniacs Weekend Warriors are ONLY available to our Patreon backers, so please consider joining here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333  

It's our 2nd Patron requested episode!  Patron "Burgerchamp" has selected Conquest of the Crystal Palace for the Nintendo, a game none of us had played before, and a game with a surprising developer!  This action platformer has a lot going for it -- most notably a dog you can summon -- but is it something you should hunt down to try? Also discussed: the new Contra Rogue Corps demo, Apple Arcade, and some listener questions about console failures, bad rentals, and games that made us a little sad. Want to skip right to Conquest of the Crystal Palace?  Start at 13:45! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permissi

As we mentioned last episode, starting with episode 101 we are adding another generation to the podcast : Dreamcast, PS2, Gamecube, and Gameboy Advance are now systems we consider to be retro, now that the Dreamcast is 20 years old!   And we chose Space Channel 5 to kick off the next 100 shows with a CHU! Ulala is a reporter for Space Channel 5, and she's been sent to uncover the truth about a new alien menace-- by dance-off!  Will Ulala's first game save the day, or is this another music-based game that may be more fun to watch than play?  Listen to hear what we thought! We also kick the show off with a short discussion about the most recent Nintendo Direct, and as always answer a stack of listener mail! Want to start right (up left down chu chu chu) at Space Channel 5?  Pick it up at the 9:50 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy

We made it to 100 episodes, and we aren't slowing down at all!  For our 100th episode spectacular, we've got a collection of Tiger handheld (and maybe a non-Tiger one) from the early days of handheld gaming to tell you about.  We're going to talk about 7 games total, from Double Dragon and concluding with our highly anticipated look at the MC Hammer game that Billy mentioned probably 95 episodes ago.  It's been a long road to get here, but at the end of that road -- we start to look down the next road... We also answer a batch of listener mail covering their thoughts on Tiger handhelds, special gaming rulesets, and thankfully -- not pee. Want to skip right to the handhelds (for some awful reason...)?   Then shift to that 12:30 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It

Our first Patron requested game, Kyle VonKubik (aka ObeyKube of OneRadTee.com) selected Fortified Zone for the Nintendo Game Boy!  A game none of us had played or even heard about before, this 3/4 top view action shooter has a real Metal Gear feel to it.  Was this just another clone of a more popular franchise, or did this do something new and different, especially for a handheld console that had a lot of forgettable games over it's long lifespan? We also answered some listener questions about possibly covering movies, modern gaming concerns, and... pee? Want to skip right to the game, start at 8:10!   Want to skip to the pee question?  Maybe this isn't the podcast you want? __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs or to request a game we must cover, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everyth

Grab your favorite ball cap and loincloth, because we're taking a look at the TG-16 installment of the Adventure Island series when we jump to New Adventure Island!   Master Higgins is on a quest to save his fiancee from Baron Bronsky, and we join him for all 25 levels of his trip.  Will this adventure be a vacation, or will this be another trip we all wish to forget? We answer a few listener mails as well, all about console launches, our personal lists of games we wish we hadn't covered, and more! Want to grab a skateboard and get right to the game?  Start at the 11:30 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jerem

We're taking a look at the Treasure-made Genesis title, Gunstar Heroes!  A game highly regarded by action fans, we go back and play it again to see how well it holds up now.  We also answer some listener questions on mini console wishes and our best game hauls (but not game halls). Want to skip to Gunstar Heroes? Pick your starting level and weapon, and jump to the 10:30 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.  

This time we take a look at Tecmo's Rygar for the NES!  Based loosely on the 1986 arcade game of the same name, on the NES they completely redesigned the tale of The Legendary Warrior from a side-scrolling action arcade game into an early "Metroidvania", that existed before the 'vania part of that portmanteau was even a thing.  Did they succeed, or was this another case of a solid idea that just wasn't developed enough? We also discuss our thoughts on Mario Maker 2, the sequel to the Wii U Mario Maker, which we covered in full WAY back in Episode 10. Want to skip to Rygar?  Grab your Diskarmor and head to the 9:15 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and

We try to cover a full-length 16-bit RPG as we take a look at Earthbound!  A sequel to Mother, a game not released in the US, when Mother 2 arrived in the states with a new name change and a questionable advertising strategy, it did not get received well... however, it has developed a dedicated cult following over the years, and so we took our time and played this fully to determine if this cult hit is deserving of its reputation as an underappreciated hit. We also answer some listener questions on Burgertime, the upcoming TG-16 mini console, and... Enya? Want to skip to Ness and his friends?  Start at the 8:15 mark! __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is

What?  An unexpected show?  Our next full-length regular show will be out next week as usual, but this is the first Retrovaniacs Mini-Episode.  What are those?  Well, listen and find out.  This one is free, but all future mini-shows are going to be only for our Patreon backers.  Listen to the show for details. We hope you are interested in backing us, and if so our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333 If not, no pressure-- the regular twice-a-month shows will continue regardless.  Thank you for listening, and we hope you'll at least consider joining the Patreon!

Now that we have access to this 1990 Famicom game outside Japan via the newly released Konami Castlevania Anniversary Collection, we finally get a chance to play Kid Dracula-- a game in the Castlevania timeline where you play Dracula's son (or maybe just a kid Dracula) as he attempts to regain his father's kingdom after a 10,000 year nap.   Does this belong in the same collection with some of the best games of the NES / SNES / and Genesis eras, or was this game better left as an odd footnote to a highly regarded series of games?  We let you know what we think. We also answer a fairly large pile of listener mail, and discuss odd peripherals, answer questions about this podcast itself, and of course more Taco Bell related questions. Want to skip right to Lil' Drac? Start at the 7:00 mark! __________________________ If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro

Our first PC title (although it's been re-released on pretty much everything), we take a look at Grim Fandango, a later graphic adventure game from the folks who brought us Monkey Island and Full Throttle.  Is this as notoriously obtuse as some of the earlier games in the genre, or is this more of a case of technology and experience allowing some improvements to an old PC staple? Also discussed, possible guest hosts, some listener recommendations, and pre-NES / Master System era games, and if we would cover any. Want to skip right to Manny?   Start at the 8:00 mark! __________________________ If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.