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The Insert Credit Show

English, Leisure/Hobby/Lifestyle, 1 season, 337 episodes, 4 days, 1 hour, 57 minutes
About
A relentlessly on topic smorgasbord of hard hitting video game questions as addressed by a panel of experts. Featuring Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and a rotating group of special guests. Hosted by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original music by Kurt Feldman.
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Ep. 323 - Ntscworld

Your benevolent Insert Credit panel covers Palworld, video game mysteries, and the birth of a new speedrunning category, the 50% run. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Frank asks: What is the proper nomenclature for the Snatcherlike video game? (13:09) Is Palworld satire? (20:28) Invent a new speedrunning category (28:40) Stephanie asks: What’s a video game unsolved mystery or urban legend want solved or confirmed? (39:35) Which individual video game enemy has killed the greatest number of players globally? (46:47) If you could swap any two video game sound effects between games, which ones would they be? (52:03) Who is the Batman of video games? (56:09) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As: Sim City 2000 (01:04:37) Recommendations and Outro (01:17:18) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Weetabix Uncle O’Grimacey FITCRUNCH Mint Chocolate Chip Keebler Company Trix Jason Todd Honeycomb David Cronenberg The Noid Santa Claus Tony & Friends: in Kellogg’s Land Snatcher Legend of Zelda series Devil May Cry Resident Evil Shenmue Super Mario Bros. 3 The Secret of Monkey Island Policenauts Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom Quake Call of Duty series Palworld South Park Alanis Morissette Pokémon series Videoball Pokémon GO Fortnite Awesome Games Done Quick’s adorable dog speedrun was just the start Gyromite Super Mario 64 Summoning Salt Sonic the Hedgehog series Tokimeki Memorial Castlevania series Animal Crossing: New Horizons Splatterhouse Metroid The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Magic: The Gathering Red Dead Redemption II Study finds bigfoot sightings correlate with black bear populations David Cage The Wizard (1989) Sylvan Tale Phantom Dust Boundary Break P.T. oddheader GameHut Goomba Pac-Man Elden Ring Space Invaders Donkey Kong Tetris Minecraft Grand Theft Auto series Villager Super Smash Brothers series Tom Nook Impossible Mission The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Tim Allen Streets of Rage Earthworm Jim Batman Michael Keaton Robert Pattinson George Clooney Batman Begins (2005) Popeye Spider-Man licensees Mortal Kombat series Joker Jack Nicholson Batman (1989) The Dark Knight Returns Shigeru Miyamoto Assassin’s Creed series Watch_Dogs Gunpei Yokoi Blasterhead Gex Bubsy Bruce Waynne Def Jam: Fight for NY MLB Juiced Batman: Arkham series Ted Nugent Wayne Knight Ted Knight Super Friends SimCity 2000 Recommendations: Brandon: Kantors Office Furniture if you want to try out office furniture in the Bay Area, use your treat dust to make new dog treats, Sailor Suit and Machine Gun (1981) Jaffe: 52 Pickup Brandon’s “Daddy’s Dusters” Dog Treat Recipe: 1 cup flour 1 egg 1/2 cup wet ingredient (pumpkin, yogurt, etc) 1/6th cup peanut butter Treat dust Mix ingredients “all up,” distribute on cookie sheet, bake at “lower medium” heat for 30 minutes “depending on how your oven works” This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/29/20241 hour, 25 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 322 - Vehicular Treason Murder

The classic Insert Credit panel covers a game preservation dilemma, the 2007 Honda Shepherd, and a new mascot for Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Kim Justice asks: In games where water is lethal, at what part of the body should that water kill you? (08:19) Is there a better way to implement communication in video games than dialogue trees? (14:06) What are the top five most fun crimes to commit in video games? (20:36) What would Bayonetta 9 be like? (26:49) Brandon asks: When does bootlegging count as video game preservation? (32:41) Gaagaagiins asks: What are some of the best (or most interesting) games you can get a physical copy of on eBay (or equivalent) for about 10 bucks USD (excluding shipping) without much trouble? (38:56) What is usually the worst kind of vehicle to control in a video game? (42:54) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (49:05) Recommendations and Outro (01:09:46) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Ninja Gaiden series Cruis’n USA Sisyphus Super Mario series Sonic the Hedgehog Bubsy series Death Stranding Castlevania series Mega Man series Elevator Action Square Enix AI Tech Preview: The Portopia Serial Murder Case Snatcher Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom Mass Effect series Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Cyberpunk 2077 The Walking Dead Oxenfree Firewatch Batman: The Telltale Series The Last of Us series Batman: Arkham series Hitman series Dragon Quest series Mission: Impossible Rockstar Games, Inc. Uwe Boll Indigo Prophecy David Cage Hideki Kamiya Bayonetta series Kingdom Hearts series Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon Shouzou Kaga Fire Emblem series TearRing Saga series Vestaria Saga series Hideki Naganuma Super Real Mahjong PII ・III Custom Special ☆ VER Action Comics 1 Flipnic: Ultimate Pinball City Crisis Crisis City Gears of War series Halo series Lost Odyssey Lost Planet 2 Final Fantasy IV L.A. Noire BioShock series Fallout 3 The Beatles: Rock Band Rage (Anarchy Edition) NASCAR 08 Grand Theft Auto V Earth Defense Force series The Hunt for Red October (1990) John McTiernan Wave Race series Jet Moto series F-Zero series PilotWings series Cobra Triangle The Hunt for Red October In the Hunt Hydro Thunder Crimson Skies series Blast Corps Shenmue series Final Fantasy VII Sub Rebellion Steel Diver series Star Fox series Super Mario Odyssey Normy’s Beach Babe-O-Rama Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! Mr. Gimmick Yoko Taro Hunter Spy Hunter Black Lotus William Recommendations: Brandon: Srigala (1981), Columbo Tim: Find things to interrogate about objects you take for granted Frank: Final Fantasy VII: Remake This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/22/20241 hour, 18 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 321 - Mid-Atlantic Island, with Kim Justice

European video game documentarian Kim Justice joins the panel to discuss a broad variety of accents, whether or not Sonic R is a British game, and a revisitation of our Best British Games list. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Kim Justice. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Has a video game ever captured the qualities of sumo? (10:46) What are the most essential things we wouldn’t have in games today without the early European games scene? (17:46) Apart from brand recognition, what are the advantages and disadvantages of working on a licensed game? (25:55) What is the worst video game the most people have played? (32:52) Carl/Charles: What would an English version of The Tairyou Jigoku’s multiple dialect options be like? (40:23) LIGHTNING ROUND: Best British Games revisitation (50:27) Recommendations and Outro (01:01:25) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: CeX Michigan: Report from Hell Sonic the Hedgehog 3 The Secret of Monkey Island The Legend of Zelda Metroid Cocoon Parasite Eve The 3rd Birthday Grange Hill The Hulk Sumo Super Mario 64 Ys series Virtua Fighter Buriki One: World Grapple Tournament ’99 in Tokyo Death Stranding Yie Ar Kung-Fu Shadow of the Beast Roger Dean Psygnosis Wizardry games The Black Onyx Henk Rogers Tim Rogers Gary Sheffield Brandon Sheffield Michael Jackson Fred Rogers Outkast - Ms. Jackson The Police - Roxanne Eddie Murphy - Roxanne Duane Reade Walgreens Star Wars: Return of the Jedi - Death Star Battle TRON Tron (1982) Alien: Resurrection GoldenEye 007 Sharknado: The Video Game Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014) Cobra Rocky (1976) Candy Crush Saga FarmVille Bubble Witch Saga 2048 Threes! Carlsbad Caverns National Park The Tairyou Jigoku The Great British Bake Off Gex series Leslie Phillips Dana Gould KSAN 107.7 The Bone Space Ghost George Lowe Lamont & Tonelli Diablo series George Bernard Shaw My Fair Lady Glasgow dialect Geordie Manchester dialect Warwick Davis Willow (1988) Cary Grant Audrey Hepburn Elton John Archie Leach Daniel Craig Knives Out (2019) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) Logan Lucky (2017) Adam Driver Sean Connery Recommendations: Brandon: Turn off YouTube’s Ambient Mode if you watch a lot of 4:3 content on your phone, CapsuleCity.com Kim: If you have a thumb drive with old documents sitting around, go back and read some, Kim Justice on YouTube, Kim Justice’s Wrestling Road, kim_justice on Twitch, Waterworld (SNES) - Soundtrack Tim: If you live in the city of New York, never ride the subway ever again, check out Waterworld (1995) if you’re Frank Cifaldi, The Zone of Interest (2023) Frank: Kim Justice as a concept This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/15/20241 hour, 9 minutes, 27 seconds
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Ep. 320 - Crafting a Criminal

Your Insert Credit panel returns to cover another death of physical media, Steamboat Willie, and The Minecraft Reality TV Show Criminal Court Case Chronicles. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Are we approaching an era without physical game releases? (04:51) Does gameplay have to be the starting principle of a good video game? (20:00) Public Domain Adaptation Game: Design a game based on Steamboat Willie (26:12) Catherine: What games are best structured for playing a little bit each day? (35:21) Following the acclaim of Pokemon Concierge, what should be the next video game show set in the world of a game but not about the game itself? (42:55) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Time Is Right (49:20) Recommendations and Outro (01:00:36) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: D.I.C.E. Awards Ed Boon 1999 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards Martin Short Coolio The Last of Us series Silent Hill 3 Best Buy will no longer carry physical movies in 2024 Writers Guild of America Valkyria Chronicles series Hard Target (1993) The Departed (2006) Dragon Quest series Hyper Gunsport Redbox Grateful Dead Assassin’s Creed II Digital Eclipse Boku no Natsuyasumi Devolver Digital Unsighted The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Steamboat Willie Lady Chatterley’s Lover D. H. Lawrence Mickey Mouse Sherlock Holmes Warren Spector Phil Spector Will Wright Disney Epic Mickey Minnie Mouse ship’s wheel The Skeleton Dance (public domain next year) Ub Iwerks Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse Hollow Knight Super Mario series Rick and Morty Pete Super Mario 64 Super Hydlide H.E.R.O. Shenmue series Elden Ring Persona series Pokémon Concierge The White Lotus Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series Battles Without Honor and Humanity Ikebukuro West Gate Park Pokémon Concierge Theme Song “Have a Good Time Here” Mariya Takeuchi The Last of Us The Walking Dead Forza Motorsport series Initial D Need for Speed series Minecraft Old Enough! Recommendations: Brandon: Apologies to people who know about religions, The Tairyou Jigoku Frank: Search a search engine for The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/8/20241 hour, 9 minutes, 21 seconds
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Ep. 319 - Insert Credit Annual #5

As has become tradition, Insert Credit ranks the best games of all time. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Chapters: The Premise This Year: Metacritic Scores Below 80 (12:29) Round 1 - Brandon (18:05) Round 1 - Frank (21:25) Round 1 - Tim (23:51) Round 2 - Brandon (26:39) Round 2 - Frank (31:31) Round 2 - Tim (35:04) Round 3 - Brandon (41:32) Round 3 - Frank (47:24) Round 3 - Tim (53:48) Round 4 - Brandon (01:02:46) Round 4 - Frank (01:06:52) Round 4 - Tim (01:12:58) Insert Credit Quick Break: Butter Dorks (01:18:43) A Little More About God Hand (01:20:03) Round 5 - Brandon (01:22:41) Round 5 - Frank (01:29:05) Round 5 - Tim (01:37:54) Round 6 - Brandon (01:50:59) Round 6 - Frank (01:55:54) Round 6 - Tim (02:04:32) Final Round and Honorable Mentions - Brandon (02:13:15) Final Round and Honorable Mentions - Frank (02:25:42) Final Round and Honorable Mentions - Tim (02:33:54) Outro (02:52:03) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Batman (1989) Batman Returns (1992) Batman ’89 Sam Hamm Dennis O’Neil The Flash (2023) Michael Keaton Anton Furst Max Fleischer Dick Sprang The Dark Knight (2008) Chicago The Bund China Strike Force (2000) Mark Dacascos Coolio Oriental Pearl Tower Strange Days (1995) Westin Bonaventure Hotel Face/Off (1997) The Net (1995) American McGee Doom Metacritic Sideways (2004) Gunhouse Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series NieR PlatinumGames Dark Savior Undertale Alundra The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors Anodyne The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Steambot Chronicles Katamari Damacy Earth Defense Force series Digital Foundry Flipnic: Ultimate Pinball Hearthstone: Heroes of WarCraft My Little Pony Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter Dead Rising Ico Shadow of the Colossus Panzer Dragoon Silo Persona series Ridge Racer 6 Ridge Racer 7 Ridge Racer V Gran Turismo series Chulip Captain★Rainbow Giftpia Animal Crossing Boku no Natsuyasumi EarthBound Moon Minami-Senju Adventures of Tom Sawyer OutRun: Online Arcade OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast OutRun 2 Ferrari (2023) OutRun 2 Abandonware Groundhog Day (1993) Wheelman Bujingai: The Forsaken City Wuxia Shachou Eiyuuden Sifu Shinobi Gackt Raw Danger! Super Mario series Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers God Hand Spartan: Total Warrior Metal Gear Solid Total War series God of War Shinji Mikami Dark Souls Ribbit King Deadly Premonition Warren Spector Hidetaka Suehiro Twin Peaks Marvel Spider-Man 2 Lost Odyssey Blue Dragon Final Fantasy XIII Hironobu Sakaguchi Nobuo Uematsu Takehiko Inoue Vagabond Slam Dunk Kiyoshi Shigematsu Final Fantasy X Dragon Quest series Hideo Kojima The King of Fighters XIII Street Fighter IV Street Fighter 6 Intellivision Lives! Keith Robinson Normy’s Beach Babe-O-Rama SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Munch Mobile Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle Kunio / Nekketsu High games Mega Man: Legacy Collection Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection Hyper Gunsport Bullet Witch Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Cavia Halo series Devil May Cry F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch R-Type Final Metal Slug 3 Lost Planet series The Saboteur Summon Night: Swordcraft Story Doom 64 Turok licensees Balan Wonderworld Killer7 Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Wolfenstein: The New Order BioShock The Last of Us BioShock Infinite Call of Duty: Modern Warfare The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Fallout 3 Fallout 4 Fallout: New Vegas Starfield No Man’s Sky Dino Crisis 2 Mirror’s Edge Metroid Prime Pinball Star Fox Command Electroplankton The Cave Master of Illusion City Crisis Jaws: Unleashed Ecco the Dolphin Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap Lizardcube Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom Stranglehold Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground Brave Story: New Traveler Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner Bionic Commando Wild Arms XF Pandora’s Tower Culdcept Saga Noby Noby Boy Wild Arms 5 Ape Escape 3 Uncharted series This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Butter Dorks and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/1/20242 hours, 53 minutes, 58 seconds
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Insert Credit Gaiden #7 - Saizeriya Feast: Opening Presents with John Linneman

Brandon Sheffield celebrates the end of his Japan trip by comparing video game purchases with Digital Foundry’s John Linneman. By Brandon Sheffield and John Linneman, with an intro by Alex Jaffe. Featuring the track “It’s Different Now” by Ice Choir. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Segments**:** Preface (00:26) Sitting in Saizeriya (02:55) John: Akira Psycho Ball (04:10) Brandon: Destruction Derby (06:39) John: Pu•Li•Ru•La (08:30) Brandon: Panzer Bandit (11:58) John: Gun Survivor 3: Dino Crisis (14:08) Brandon: Namco Anthology 1 & 2 (17:43) John: Lethal Enforcers (19:51) Brandon: Vib-Ribbon and Alnam no Tsubasa (21:45) John: Hresvelgr (23:42) Brandon: After Burner III (24:49) John: Heavy Metal Thunder (25:38) Brandon: Zeiram Zone (27:17) John: Tempo (28:36) Brandon: Community Pom (32:54) John: Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim (34:50) Brandon: Demolition Man (37:55) John: Crack Down (39:39) Brandon: Sōkyūgurentai (41:51) John: Soldier Blade (43:20) Brandon: Double Dragon II (46:15) John: Thunder Force V: Perfect System (48:23) Brandon: Kurohyō 2: Ryū ga Gotoku (49:54) John: Ø Story and Kunoichi (51:16) Brandon: Biomotor Unitron 2 (53:48) John: Silent Line: Armored Core III (54:48) Brandon: Royal Stone (55:24) Rattling Off A Few More (56:32) Ice Choir - It’s Different Now (01:04:00) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime John Linneman Saizeriya Ep. 109 - Part One – Insert Credit Abroad Tokyo Insect Zoo Panzer Bandit Gunners Heaven Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force Space Channel 5 MIL-CD Digital Foundry Akira Psycho Ball KAZe Co., Ltd. KAZe Digital Pinball series Digital Pinball: Necronomicon Saban’s Power Rangers Zeo: Full Tilt Battle Pinball Resident Evil series Kyūtenkai: Fantastic Pinball Flipnic: Ultimate Pinball Devil’s Crush Alien Crush Metroid Prime Pinball Pokémon Pinball Kirby’s Pinball Land Pinball Quest Destruction Derby MiSTer Psygnosis Limited Reflections Interactive Limited WipEout 3 Lemmings Revolution Pu•Li•Ru•La Taito Corporation Fill in Café Co., Ltd. Gun Survivor 3: Dino Crisis CD-i Dino Crisis Gun Survivor 4: BioHazard - Heroes Never Die GunCon Shinkiro Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy Namco: Anthology 1 Namco: Anthology 2 Namco Museum series Star Luster Babel Wrestleball Valkyrie no Densetsu Lethal Enforcers Time Crisis 3 Virtua Cop Mad Dog McCree Gradius Henry Explorers Vib-Ribbon Masaya Matsuura Alnam no Tsubasa: Shōjin no Sora no Kanata e Alnam no Kiba: Jūzoku Jūnishinto Densetsu Right Stuff Corp. Hresvelgr After Burner III G-Loc: Air Battle Heavy Metal Thunder Zeiram Zone Zeiram Tempo Tempo Jr. Super Tempo 32X Atari Jaguar Patrick Bateman Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball Sega CD Cosmic Fantasy Stories Community Pom Fill in Café Co., Ltd. Asuka 120% Burning Fest. Ys VI: The Ark of Napishtim Ys series Ys: The Oath in Felghana Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys Demolition Man Battle Mania Daiginjō Crack Down Alien Syndrome Gain Ground Sōkyūgurentai Radiant Silvergun Soldier Blade Double Dragon II: The Revenge Thunder Force V: Perfect System Hyper Duel Blast Wind Kurohyō 2: Ryū ga Gotoku Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series Ø Story Kunoichi Shinobi Bujingai: The Forsaken City Biomotor Unitron Neo Geo Pocket Silent Line: Armored Core Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Royal Stone: Hirakareshi Toki no Tobira Game Gear Super Monkey Ball Deluxe Saber Marionette J: Battle Sabers Jumping Flash! 2 Chase the Express Azumanga Donjara Daioh 7th Dragon 2020 Ninpu Sentai Hurricaneger Blue Dragon MotoGP 2 London Seirei Tantei-dan Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Sega Ages 2500: Vol.11 - Hokuto no Ken Abalaburn Battle Arena Toshinden series Cyber Egg: Battle Champion Cyber Troopers Virtual On Epica Stella Shining Force III Kurt Feldman Insert Credit Gaiden is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/27/20231 hour, 9 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep. 318 - Insert Credit Santacular, with Lucy James

Happy holidays! Gamespot’s Lucy James drops down the Insert Credit chimney to cover Welsh elves, the first official weed strain for a video game, and Dreiblade. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Lucy James. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: As the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, which three video game characters would be best at teaching Ebenezer Scrooge to change his miserly ways? (09:23) Do sliding ice physics ever positively contribute to a video game? (15:19) What do you think is the best selling non-video game item at GameStop as a gift this season? (21:35) Design the greatest Santa Claus video game of all time (30:48) How could dreidel be improved? (35:49) Which video game company probably holds the best Christmas party? (42:43) Based on video games, what do we know about elves? (49:05) What is the Rankin Bass of video games? (54:53) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Christmas Songs (01:01:19) Recommendations and Outro (01:12:28) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas Is You Eggnog The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree Monstera deliciosa The Twelve Days of Christmas The Da Vinci Code A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge Tetsuya Nomura Organization XIII The World Ends with You Marluxia Mickey Mouse Kazuma Kiryu Goro Majima Davy Crockett Bob Cratchit The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983) Mickey and the Beanstalk Pinocchio (1940) Jiminy Cricket James Stewart Lies of P Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) Pinocchio: A True Story (2021) Pinocchio (2002) Navi Super Mario series Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End The Last of Us series X-Men licensees Kickle Cubicle Chip’s Challenge Loki #248 Funko Pop! - Thor Ragnarok Pikachu Squishmallows Plush Breaking Bad Minecraft Jay and Silent Bob Fortnite Sonic the Hedgehog series Halo series The Lost and The Wicked Tom Holland Darth Vader Christmas Sweater Pokémon Trading Card Game Alan Wake: Remastered Tom Clancy’s The Division Tom Hiddleston Santa Claus Mortal Kombat series John Wick (2014) BioShock Death Stranding Norman Reedus Stardew Valley Daze Before Christmas Hanukkah Dreidel Hanukkah gelt Paper fortune teller Beyblade Mario Party series Sega Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams… Konami Tokimeki Memorial games Wargaming Devolver Digital Keita Takahashi Noby Noby Boy Tim Schafer Jack Black Heather Hawkins Dreamcast Limp Bizkit Ted Lasso The Matrix (1999) The Eras Tour Elf Bowling Legend of Zelda series Keebler Company Fudge Stripes Elves The Lost Vikings Three Dirty Dwarves Two Crude Dudes Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) Frosty the Snowman (1969) Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976) The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974) ThunderCats Norman Rockwell FromSoftware Doom Rockstar Games American McGee’s Alice Kingdom Hearts series Super Smash Bros. Boba Fett Pornhub’s Most Popular Video Game Character In 2023 Was Chun-Li From… Fortnite? Insomniac Games Recommendations: Frank: Check out gamehistory.org where there will be a video about a very strange game called Super Sushi Pinball Brandon: Raiders of Atlantis (1983) Tim: Ferrari (2023) Lucy: Godzilla Minus One (2023) This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/25/20231 hour, 37 minutes, 26 seconds
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Insert Credit Gaiden #6 - Electric Sesame: An Interview with Jeremy Blaustein

Brandon Sheffield hits the Tokyo Game Show 2023 floor and interviews Jeremy Blaustein, CEO of Dragonbaby and translator of legendary games like Metal Gear Solid, Suikoden, and Silent Hill 2. Segments**:** How did this all start for you? (01:01) What did you do at Jaleco? (02:02) What games did you work on? (03:59) Talk a little bit about character constraints in early video game localization (05:23) How did you manage outside references in Suikoden? (09:29) Talk a little bit about Symphony of the Night (11:49) How does the back-and-forth in recording go? (15:24) Were you working in isolation in the early days? (18:27) Were you working with Kojima’s team on Snatcher? (19:54) What’s your experience with Turbografx CD games? (21:07) Anything interesting about the Shadow Hearts series? (22:42) Talk a little bit more about Metal Gear Solid (25:25) What were the unique challenges of the early era of game translation? (27:50) How do you feel about accidentally creating iconic lines? (31:52) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Jeremy Blaustein Dragonbaby Konami Jaleco Snatcher Rocket Knight series Animaniacs Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster’s Hidden Treasure Biker Mice from Mars Castlevania Contra Hard Corps Vandal Hearts Suikoden Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Silent Hill 2 Troy Baker Animaniacs The Adventures of Batman & Robin Jethro Tull Frank Zappa Castlevania: Bloodlines Last Alert Final Zone II Ys: Book I & II Shadow Hearts series Pokémon series Maddie Blaustein Richard Epcar Metal Gear Solid Dark Cloud 2 8-4 Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead Insert Credit Gaiden is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/20/202336 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 317 - Gamer Taxes, with merritt k

Author and game developer merritt k joins the panel to cover The Game Commercials, Charles Martinet’s dark side, and the return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and merritt k. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. [audio=https://archive.org/download/insertcredit/ic317.mp3] Questions this week: Brandon Sheffield: What are some recent or memorable emergent situations you’ve experienced in games? (08:21) Do we want to say anything about The Game Awards? (15:44) What does it mean that Epic won its court case against Google? (23:32) How would you design Mutant League Golf? (31:05) Dicegame Uchiha: What are the most uh oh and most YEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH moments in licensed video game soundtrack history? (35:16) What is your personal experience with LAN parties? (48:17) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (54:48) Recommendations and Outro (01:14:57) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Destiny Borderlands 3 Fortnite: Battle Royale Bill Trinen Charles Martinet Super Mario series Kinda Funny Weird West Cyberpunk 2077 Grand Theft Auto series Baldur’s Gate III The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series Red Dead Redemption II Elmore Leonard The Game Awards 2023 Sega announced five games in 90 seconds at The Game Awards Jet Grind Radio series Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Hideki Naganuma Geoff Keighley Ironmouse VTuber OD trailer reveals horror game from Kojima, Jordan Peele Epic win: Jury decides Google has illegal monopoly in app store fight Bandcamp Reese’s Pieces Pokémon Monster Hunter series Mega Man series Resident Evil series Street Fighter series Mutant League series Mario Golf: Super Rush Trombone Champ Fallout series Ribbit King Dragula Crazy Taxi series The Offspring The Exploited NOFX Bowling for Soup Dexter Holland Smash Mouth CoLD SToRAGE WipEout series Peep Show Saints Row series Everclear Third Eye Blind Death Stranding Chvrches Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Spandau Ballet Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Frank Sinatra Rock Band Dragonforce Guitar Hero series Brütal Legend Tim Schafer LAN party Doom Quake Takeshi no Chōsenjō Takeshi Kitano Tribes series StarCraft Counter-Strike Spaceteam StreetPass Mii Plaza Anker Prime 100W USB C Charger UGREEN Joel Miller Booker DeWitt Siegfried Roy Doomguy Master Chief Recommendations: Brandon: Check out the Expect No Mercy longplay on the Expect No Mercy (1997) blu-ray, TNT’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas ft. Phil Hartman (1994), Scavengers Reign Merritt: 1900HOTDOG, LAN PARTY, Made in Canada Tim: Watch the 2023 Game Awards just to see when Geoff says “Honkai Star Rail” This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/18/20231 hour, 28 minutes, 7 seconds
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Ep. 317 - Gamer Taxes, with merritt k

Author and game developer merritt k joins the panel to cover The Game Commercials, Charles Martinet’s dark side, and the return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and merritt k. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. [audio=https://archive.org/download/insertcredit/ic317.mp3] Questions this week: Brandon Sheffield: What are some recent or memorable emergent situations you’ve experienced in games? (08:21) Do we want to say anything about The Game Awards? (15:44) What does it mean that Epic won its court case against Google? (23:32) How would you design Mutant League Golf? (31:05) Dicegame Uchiha: What are the most uh oh and most YEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH moments in licensed video game soundtrack history? (35:16) What is your personal experience with LAN parties? (48:17) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (54:48) Recommendations and Outro (01:14:57) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Destiny Borderlands 3 Fortnite: Battle Royale Bill Trinen Charles Martinet Super Mario series Kinda Funny Weird West Cyberpunk 2077 Grand Theft Auto series Baldur’s Gate III The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series Red Dead Redemption II Elmore Leonard The Game Awards 2023 Sega announced five games in 90 seconds at The Game Awards Jet Grind Radio series Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Hideki Naganuma Geoff Keighley Ironmouse VTuber OD trailer reveals horror game from Kojima, Jordan Peele Epic win: Jury decides Google has illegal monopoly in app store fight Bandcamp Reese’s Pieces Pokémon Monster Hunter series Mega Man series Resident Evil series Street Fighter series Mutant League series Mario Golf: Super Rush Trombone Champ Fallout series Ribbit King Dragula Crazy Taxi series The Offspring The Exploited NOFX Bowling for Soup Dexter Holland Smash Mouth CoLD SToRAGE WipEout series Peep Show Saints Row series Everclear Third Eye Blind Death Stranding Chvrches Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Spandau Ballet Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Frank Sinatra Rock Band Dragonforce Guitar Hero series Brütal Legend Tim Schafer LAN party Doom Quake Takeshi no Chōsenjō Takeshi Kitano Tribes series StarCraft Counter-Strike Spaceteam StreetPass Mii Plaza Anker Prime 100W USB C Charger UGREEN Joel Miller Booker DeWitt Siegfried Roy Doomguy Master Chief Recommendations: Brandon: Check out the Expect No Mercy longplay on the Expect No Mercy (1997) blu-ray, TNT’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas ft. Phil Hartman (1994), Scavengers Reign Merritt: 1900HOTDOG, LAN PARTY, Made in Canada Tim: Watch the 2023 Game Awards just to see when Geoff says “Honkai Star Rail” This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/18/20231 hour, 28 minutes, 7 seconds
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Insert Credit Gaiden #5 - Highway Game: A Review of American Truck Simulator by Topher Florence

Topher Florence meditates on American Truck Simulator, confronting the friction between realistic advertisments and product placement, a Greatest Hits version of America, and the emotional palette of driving around in someone’s life’s work. By Topher Florence, with intro by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: American Truck Simulator Euro Truck Simulator Six Flags Mad Grand Theft Auto series OutRun The Crew series Fuel Grand Canyon Space Needle Microsoft Flight Simulator Harvest Moon series Agatha Christie’s Poirot Waffle House Dwarf Fortress Insert Credit Gaiden is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/13/202320 minutes, 12 seconds
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Ep. 316 - Insert Credit Game Awards Special

Recorded before The Game Awards, and released the week after! The Insert Credit Panel decides the video game winners of categories unwittingly submitted by listeners. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. And The Categories Are: Gaagaagiins: Best Standardized Box Art Platform Frames (02:15) Propelleher: Best Scoff (05:35) rice9 : Best eSport of the 1980s (07:16) Breadytodie: Best Overtly Political Japanese Game (08:48) Cole: Best Campfire Scene (10:59) IntergalacticWalrus: Best Playable Non-Anthropomorphic Animal (13:14) Spencer: Best Game By an American Branch of a Japanese Company (16:02) Larky: Most Incidentally Educational Game (18:59) rearnakedwindow: Best Game Exclusive to a Legitimately Bad Console (22:13) Alex Jaffe: Best Video Game to Name Your Band After (24:53) ANONYMOUS GOD HAND LOVER: Game Most Like GOD HAND (27:15) Billy: Best Underwater Tunnel in a Racing Game (28:34) Sfwublin: Best Mine Carts (31:01) Justin Hamrick: Most Dangerous Video Game (33:47) Pro Skater 4: Most Evil Video Game (36:41) Erica: Most Video Game-Ass Video Game (39:05) Recommendations and Outro (42:08) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The Game Awards Intellivision PC Engine Master System PlayStation PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation Portable PlayStation 5 PlayStation 4 Xbox Nintendo Entertainment System Quake II Terry Bogard X-Men Street Fighter series Punch-Out series Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Dog Patch Balloon Fight Metal Gear series Death Stranding Metal Wolf Chaos Fire Emblem series Independence Day (1996) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) Chrono Trigger Grandia Final Fantasy XV Mother 3 Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin Tenchu series Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition Primal Rage Dog’s Life Tawky Tawny Sylvester the Cat Tweety Stray Secret of Evermore Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic & Knuckles Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles Secret of Mana Final Fantasy Adventure Carmen Sandiego series Riichi mahjong Rock Band Gunsmith Cats Demonschool The Typing of the Dead The House of the Dead 2 Call of Duty series Atari Jaguar 3DO Interactive Multiplayer CD-i Way of the Warrior Zelda: The Wand of Gamelon PC-FX Alien Vs Predator Tempest 2000 Rayman Bonk’s Revenge Der Langrisser Crossed Swords II Neo Geo CD Obscure Samurai Shodown RPG finally playable in English Panzer Dragoon Saga DragonForce Scott Pilgrim Clash at Demonhead Rejection: Den-No Senshi FM Towns Lunatic Dawn Thexder God Hand Vanquish Hakaioh: King of Crusher Band of Brothers Stunt Race FX Cruis’n Blast Rush’n Attack Earthworm Jim Tommy Tallarico Lucky & Wild BioShock Donkey Kong Country Little Ralph’s Big Adventure Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Alundra Landstalker Irritating Stick Pokémon GO The Rub Rabbits! Feel the Magic XY/XX LovePlus Balan Wonderworld Zynga Fortnite: Battle Royale FarmVille Mafia Wars Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball Lost Judgment Takuya Kimura Fighting Vipers Streets of Rage Recommendations: Tim: If you are part of the committee that plans The Game Awards with Geoff Keighley, please come up with better award categories Frank: The Video Game History Foundation Patreon Brandon: Mr. Ray’s Wig World - Faster Kitty Cat Play Play This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/11/202351 minutes
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Insert Credit Gaiden #4 - Human Face On An Obi: An Interview with Masaya Matsuura

Brandon Sheffield interviews musician and game designer Masaya Matsuura of the band Psy・S, discussing the early days of computer graphics and sound, making music for anime, and why Vib Ribbon was so hard to get screenshots of. Intro by Alex Jaffe, edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Segments: Preface (00:29) How did you get into music? (03:20) How did you start making music yourself? (05:34) How did you move from writing jingles to full music (and which synths do you use)? (09:52) What was the experience of “getting big” like? (11:58) What is it like playing in front of large crowds? (14:16) How did you end up doing music for anime? (18:07) How did you move from there to video games? (21:42) What made you want to start a game company? (23:48) How did the Psy-S Remix CD-ROM game come to be? (30:49) What was the inspiration for Vib Ribbon’s mechanic allowing you to play your own music? (34:16) When did you decide to focus more on games than music? (38:57) What is your sound? (41:58) What do you learn from doing your private DJ sessions? (46:22) Preface for live performance (53:36) Masaya Matsuura - Funny Luv (Live at GameCity 2009) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: PaRappa the Rapper Vib-Ribbon Rhyme Rider Kerorican Mojib Ribbon Psy・S NHK Hall City Hunter Metamor Jupiter Playtechs Tower of the Sun Osaka Castle J-card Moog IIIc Fairlight CMI Sussudio 3DO Interactive Multiplayer PlayStation CD-i PC Engine Bonus: PSY・S★4 SIZE レーザーディスク Bonus: “Chasing the Rainbow” at SIGGRAPH (1986) (thanks fivedollardare!) Insert Credit Gaiden is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/6/20231 hour, 1 minute, 40 seconds
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Ep. 315 - Hut Shack Warehouse Emporium

Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield answer Alex Jaffe’s questions about Nintendo’s last video game ever, committing fraud, and Turds of the Castle. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What’s still easier for you to do in real life than in a video game? (11:10) How do you scam the speculative market with a storage container of five hundred copies of an underwhelming NES game? (16:49) What will be the title of Nintendo’s last game? (24:25) SpencerGifs asks: Has the video game controller been finalized? (34:58) What is the video game equivalent of film’s “award bait” traits? (43:27) Jean-Michel Basquiat said that art is how we decorate space, and music is how we decorate time. What do we decorate with video games? (52:09) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Doom (53:47) Recommendations and Outro (58:55) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Cracker Barrel Bacchanal Buffet Metal slime Dragon Quest series Socrates Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Steven Spielberg Unicorn Thomas the Tank Engine IKEA Densha de Go! series R.E.M. - Stand R.E.M. - It’s The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Top Gear Gran Turismo series Red Dead Redemption Red Dead Revolver Red Dead Redemption II The Last of Us Chun-Li Retro City Games Impossible Mission CheetahMen II The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Game Dev Story Lady and the Tramp (1955) Wii Vitality Sensor Synecdoche, New York (2008) Wim Hof Method Frasier Cheers SCUF Controllers DualShock Duncan Ironmonger Vin Diesel Duncan Ironmonger Fortnite: Battle Royale Call of Duty series Leonardo DiCaprio Annapurna Interactive A24 Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) The Witch (2015) The Lighthouse (2019) Under the Skin (2013) Florence The Last of Us: Part II Crash Bandicoot The Game Awards Super Mario series A Plague Tale series Ryū ga Gotoku / Like a Dragon / Yakuza series HowLongToBeat.com Marvel Spider-Man Ghost of Tsushima Horizon series God of War Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Elden Ring Gravitas Ventures Alan Wake series Jean-Michel Basquiat Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer Recommendations: Frank: Subscribe to the Video Game History Foundation newsletter, Small Saga Brandon: Demonschool Battle Mechanics trailer Tim: Goblin Bunker Public Access 3 on 12/9 at 6PM PST This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/4/20231 hour, 9 minutes, 25 seconds
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Insert Credit Gaiden #3 - Computer Music: an Interview with chibi-tech

Brandon Sheffield intereviews musical artist chibi-tech on her career in chiptune, working in Japan, and breaking through the noise in front of an Akihabara busker. Featuring Brandon Sheffield and chibi-tech. Intro by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Segments: Preface (00:24) What are your musical origins? (02:37) When did your music break out? (07:36) How did you start making music professionally? (11:08) What advice would you give someone wanting to work in Japan or with Japanese companies? (15:37) chibi-tech - Pheromone Overdosage (20:27) chibi-tech - Amerio no Jikan (26:09) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Omotesandō chibi-tech M2 Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Kokuga Game Gear Micro Fantasy Zone OutRun Pheromone OVERDOSAGE Amiga 1000 Ampex Nolan Bushnell Atari Deluxe Music Construction Set Ninja Gaiden Zero no Tsukaima The World Famous Vincent Diamante Sky: Children of the Light Journey Insert Credit Gaiden is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/29/202333 minutes, 59 seconds
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Ep. 314 - Tofurtacular Thank Tank

Every member of the Insert Credit panel gathers for a feast of questions regarding cartridge consumption, Tom Cruise title changes, and Bangai-O. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: How would video games be different if the concept of a sequel didn’t exist? (10:39) How do you keep enemy encounters from feeling repetitive? (17:53) What’s the best law to break in a video game? (24:28) What is the best jump noise in video games? (32:03) What’s the worst first impression you’ve had of a game due to outside circumstances? (37:58) What video game cartridge or disc would you like to eat the most? (43:02) What can the U.S. healthcare system learn from healthcare in video games? (49:04) What are the greatest non-corporate rivalries in video games? (55:09) Is it possible to make a competitive multiplayer game completely diagetic to its story? (01:00:55) Has a piano ever been dropped on or near someone in a video game to great effect? (01:06:14) Should fall damage be phased out? (01:11:09) How would you explain Bangai-O to your mom? (01:18:03) LIGHTNING ROUND: Potpourri (01:25:36) Recommendations and Outro (01:30:02) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Alex Jaffe Insert Credit Patreon (The Dirtbag) Insert Credit Flavored Questions that are too stupid for the Dirtbag Topher Florence Tofurky Impossible Foods Be’f Repo Man (1984) Taylor Swift Mission: Impossible Tom Cruise Nintendo Entertainment System Balloon Fight Clu Clu Land Urban Champion Popeye Donkey Kong Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. Yume Kōjō: Dokidoki Panic Super Mario Bros. 2 Metroid The Legend of Zelda Kid Icarus Psycho Fox DEcapAttack Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibōken Wonder Boy series Brave Fencer Musashi Threads of Fate Yu Suzuki After Burner Space Harrier OutRun Fire Emblem series Gunstar Heroes Chrono Trigger Dragon Quest series Final Fantasy series Pokémon series Final Fantasy VII Cliff Bleszinski LawBreakers Uncharted series Animal Crossing series Cyberpunk 2077 Base Wars - Cyber Stadium Series Atari Jaguar Virtual Boy Wii U Deca Sports MLB The Show series Spider-Man 2 Power Pros Super Mario series Mega Man series The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sonic the Hedgehog series The Witness Jonathan Blow Elon Musk Elden Ring Joseph Conrad Vladimir Nabokov Minecraft Markus “Notch” Persson GameCube PlayStation 5 HuCard PlayStation Vita Nintendo Switch Yes, Nintendo Switch cartridges taste terrible PC Engine John Woo Live, Die, Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow (2014) All You Need Is Kill Pokémon Center Call of Duty series Control Gears of War series Alan Wake II Pregnant Elsa Dies at Dentist Daigo Umehara Justin Wong Evo Moment 37 Kazuma Kiryu Goro Majima SonicFox Battlefield series Cloud Strife Sephiroth Capcom SNK Marvel Monday Night Combat Apex Legends Football Manager Videoball Tokimeki Memorial Boku no Natsuyasumi Destiny Hyper Gunsport Looney Tunes licensees WarioWare series Bugs Bunny Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner Coyote vs. Acme The Day the Clown Cried Dave the Diver CTR: Crash Team Racing Mario Kart series Super Mario 64 Bangai-O Recommendations: Tim: Check out some cheese, drink whole milk if you’re gonna drink milk, Brandon: RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop Jaffe: 52 Pickup This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/27/20231 hour, 48 minutes, 50 seconds
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Insert Credit Gaiden #2 - Sniffing Other's Beers

Brandon Sheffield continues answering your questions about Japan, and finishes ranking non-alcoholic beers encountered in convenience stores. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, introduced by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Segments: Alex Jaffe asks: What’s the best convenience store in Japan? (01:19) Karasu asks: What do you think of the Japanese craft beer scene? (02:10) sosadillatron asks: Do you notice a lot fewer game centers? (03:56) Tomofthefog asks: What’s the first thing you wanted to do in Japan that you can’t do anywhere else in the world, and did you do it? (05:05) Alex Jaffe asks: Has anyone given you trouble for being a foreigner? And, saddleblasters asks: when has your identity as a foreigner perhaps surprisingly meant nothing? (06:22) powderooze asks: Are there more foreigners around these days? (08:59) Review: Suntory Lemon Sour (11:46) Review: Value Plus Zero Feel (13:27) Mnemogenic asks: What’s your favorite bird to hang out with in Japan? (14:23) MDS-02 asks: Do you prefer Book Off or Hard Off? (15:30) Lotte asks: Please go to the Wood & Plywood Museum (16:23) BinaryFlux asks: What’re some cool places in Japan for someone going for the third time? (16:54) mtvcribs asks: Why is Japan so much cooler than America? (18:04) sabertoothalex asks: What are your tips for day to day living in Japan? (19:27) marxseny asks: Are Japanese cops all ブタ野郎? (22:54) Review: Takara Karakuchi Zeroball (24:17) Review: Suntory White Wine (25:50) What Did We Learn? Plus, Bonus Garlic Cheese (27:08) A Noisy Airport Addendum Regarding Going With the Flow (29:47) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Asahi Dry Zero Dango Daily Yamazaki Lawson Seven & i Holdings Suntory Non Alcohol Lemon Sour Value Plus Zero Feel Book Off Hard Off Wood and Plywood Museum Comiket Tokyo Big Sight Daikaiju Salon forums.insertcredit.com Takara Karakuchi Zeroball Suntory White Wine Insert Credit Gaiden is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/22/202333 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 313 - Nintendo Apocalypse Monster

Our most popular Insert Credit panel undergoes action experiences, chases down Chester Cheevos, and delivers judgments of gaucheness. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: At what point does a strategy game become too complicated? (08:58) Is swimming in games ever good? (15:03) How long before release is the right time to announce your video game? (20:41) Where would you take Sonic and his friends if they were in town? (26:06) Insert Credit Quick Break: Transgender Day of Remembrance (32:32) Let’s talk about that Suicide Squad game and live service games (33:52) How would you name a new console to compete with the Xbox and Playstation? (42:02) If The Purge were real, how would that affect video games? (53:43) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - British TV Shows (submitted by LeFish) (58:41) Recommendations and Outro (01:05:27) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Akira Nishikiyama Hannibal Lecter Kazuma Kiryu Evil Zone Famicom Wars series TearRing Saga: Berwick Saga - Lazberia Chronicle Chapter 174 Fire Emblem series Will Wright Yggdra Union: We’ll Never Fight Alone R-Type Tactics series The Game of Life Candy Land Disgaea series Kikou Souhei Armodyne Wild Arms XF Quake Ecco the Dolphin Super Mario series Sonic the Hedgehog series Flappy Bird Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Descent Tomb Raider series Metroid Prime: Remastered Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Legend of Zelda series Triangle Strategy Sega has been hit with an Unfair Labor Practice charge Big the Cat Berkeley Bowl Lake Merritt Fish Batman Donkey Kong Country series Koi-Koi Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Batman: Arkham series Destiny series Left 4 Dead Fortnite: Battle Royale Overwatch Battleborn Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Brothers in Arms series Lethal Company Roblox Halo series Among Us Kevin Conroy Marvel Spider-Man PlayStation Xbox Dreamcast Wii MSX Malice Hunter × Hunter GameCube Sega Saturn Wii U Nintendo DS Nintendo 3DS Uber Ur Mii The Purge GameStop Funko Pop PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Death Stranding The Return of the Archons The Trouble with Tribbles Recommendations: Brandon: Consider the blu-ray commentary for the first Resident Evil movie Frank: Marvel Spider-Man 2 Tim: Band of Brothers, The Heroic Trio (1993) This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Transgender Day of Remembrance, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/20/20231 hour, 19 minutes, 20 seconds
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Insert Credit Gaiden #1 - Smadori

Brandon Sheffield reports from various locales around Tokyo, answering forum questions and reviewing non-alcoholic beers. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, introduced by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Segments: rejj asks: What’s it like being vegetarian in Japan? (00:31) Review: Kirin Zero Ichi (05:45) Review: Asahi Dry Zero (08:06) rejj asks: Where do you get your recommendations? (10:31) rearnakedwindow asks: Is anybody out playing PSPs/3DSes and such? (13:18) DaveedNoo asks: When was your first trip to Japan and what did you do? (14:31) Review: Kirin Greens Free (17:45) Review: Suntory All-Free (19:50) ninjapresident asks: How is the used game market right now? (21:27) Review: Yoinai Lemon Sour (30:37) Review: Suntory Karada Wo Amou All-Free (32:08) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: HappyCow Kirin Zero Ichi Asahi Dry Zero FM Towns Marty Kirin Greens Free Suntory ALL-FREE Shinrei Jusatsushi Tarōmaru Super Potato Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection 2064: Read Only Memories Vincent Diamante Yoinai Lemon Sour San Pellegrino Limonata Suntory Karada Wo Amou All-Free Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/15/202333 minutes, 21 seconds
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Ep. 312 - Tetsuya Mizuguchi's Expensive Tetris

Your beloved Insert Credit Show panel convenes on topics such as Sony Zelda, the Buddha’s Pickle Rick era, and the return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Phil Salvador asks: What is a game you love that you would not recommend? (07:02) What’s the best way to pepper sidequests through an RPG? (12:47) What’s the difference between a good artist and a good concept artist? (18:08) What will Link’s first line of dialogue be in the live action Legend of Zelda movie? (23:47) Insert Credit Quick Break: video game union newsletter Jerome asks: which real people have had the most legally distinct video game characters based on them? (32:05) Why is the Streets of Rage pickup sound better than the Pac-Man pickup noise? (38:14) What are, according to Wikipedia, some video games the Buddha might or might not enjoy? (42:29) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (49:11) Recommendations and Outro (01:11:08) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Goodfeathers Animaniacs Looney Tunes Wile E. Coyote Bugs Bunny Chuck Jones Elmer Fudd Big Chungus Pickle Rick Porky Pig Telefunken U 47 Frank Sinatra Tweety Sylvester the Cat SpongeBob SquarePants Tom Kenny Granny Yosemite Sam Deadwood 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die Tetris Tetris Effect Tetsuya Mizuguchi Titenic Valis series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Demonschool The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Persona series Cyberpunk 2077 Yoshitaka Amano Tetsuya Nomura Kazuko Shibuya Final Fantasy series Yoshitaka Amano, Kazuko Shibuya - from paper to pixel Nintendo is making a live-action Zelda movie Legend of Zelda series Maze Runner (film series) The Maze Runner (book series) Tom Hardy Tom Holland Chris Pratt Ruby Rose John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) The Lost City of Z (2016) Bruce Lee Fei Long Street Fighter series Liu Kang Mortal Kombat games Sylvester Stallone Rambo The Revenge of Shinobi Jackie Chan Bruce Willis Elvis Presley Arnold Schwarzenegger Bloody Wolf Commando (1985) The Terminator (1984) Rocky (1976) Dolph Lundgren Mario Segale Harrison Ford Han Solo Indiana Jones Patriot Games (1992) The Fugitive (1993) U.S. Marshals (1998) Streets of Rage Pac-Man Yuzo Koshiro Castlevania series List of games that Buddha would not play The Buddha Fire Emblem series Super Mario 64 Mario Kart series WarioWare series You Don’t Know Jack series Dota 2 League of Legends Blood Will Tell: Tezuka Osamu’s Dororo Tony Hawk skateboarding series Viewtiful Joe Agent 47 Ristar Rayman Billy Kane Billy Zane Sylvando Rouge the Bat Recommendations: Frank: The Legend of Beavis Brandon: If you’re watching Yakuza Apocalypse (2015) the only watchable version is on Tubi, Saturnalia on Steam Tim: The new Daytona USA 2 port on Steam Jaffe: Aftermath, 52 Pickup This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by video game union newsletter, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/13/20231 hour, 20 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 311 - Cathcula, with Phil Salvador

Phil Salvador, library director for the Video Game History Foundation, steps over to the panel for Maxis facts, Five Nights at Freddy’s lore, and pigeon kings. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Phil Salvador. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Do Maxis Sim games have an evolving line of game design you can trace from title to title? (07:29) What else could Maxis have done after The Sims 2? (15:16) What are some interesting regional differences in video games? (22:01) How and why do mass game company layoffs keep happening? (27:37) Without looking anything up, what do you think Five Nights at Freddy’s is about? (34:57) Slightly More Five Nights at Freddy’s talk (44:48) Isla asks: What is a game mechanic or system you really like that is in a game you don’t like? (45:57) What would it be like if video games had playable forewords? (56:46) LIGHTNING ROUND: Who Said It? (01:01:39) Recommendations and Outro (01:13:17) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Ninja Gaiden Bloodborne Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island Shining Force III Tori no Hoshi: Aerial Planet Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg Chocobo The Matrix Online Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Maxis Firaxis Sixaxis Sid Meier’s SimGolf SimGolf Will Wright SimAnt SimEarth: The Living Planet The Sims Marvel Midnight Suns Spore SimTower: The Vertical Empire Alexey Pajitnov El-Fish The Sims 2 The Sims 3 Capitalism Diner Dash The Sims Online Kirby games Crash Bandicoot series Ratchet & Clank series Splatterhouse Exile Police Quest 2: The Vengeance Might and Magic J.J. & Jeff DJ Jazzy Jeff Populous Peter Molyneux Destiny 2 dev Bungie facing layoffs Embracer Group The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Baldur’s Gate III Street Fighter 6 Diablo IV Five Nights at Freddy’s Chuck E. Cheese ShowBiz Pizza The Rock-afire Explosion USA Store Fanon FNaF World Roblox Scott Cawthon Arachnophobia (1990) The Birds (1963) The Golem (2018) The Young Pope Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) Undertale Robot City P.N.03 God Hand God of War The Last of Us series NieR David Cage Roman Polanski Martin Scorsese Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) Trouble Is My Business F. Scott Fitzgerald Toby Fox Um Jammer Lammy NOW! Guillermo del Toro Death Stranding Æon Flux Peter Chung Recommendations: Phil: The Video Game History Foundation Brandon: Fushigi and Crimson by Nakamori Akina This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/6/20231 hour, 22 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 310 - Specdracular 2023

Frightening Frank Cifaldi, Terrifying Tim Rogers, and Bone-chilling Brandon Sheffield rank every Resident Evil game after facing a gauntlet of qreepy questions by Affable Alex Jaffe. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: How many different subgenres exist under the umbrella of “horror game?” (04:31) What are the scariest things in non-horror games? (14:58) What is the best kind of zombie? (20:19) Insert Credit Quick Break: See You, Space Cowboy… Cybernetics Catalogue Kickstarter (32:03) Adapt Bobby Boris Pickett’s “Monster Mash” into a video game. (26:11) ThatsSoRevan asks: What are the best ways to do combat in a horror game? (33:33) What is the “My costume is I came as myself” of video games? (40:01) LIGHTNING ROUND: Ranking the Resident Evil series (45:52) Recommendations and Outro (57:52) See THE INSERT CREDIT RESIDENT EVIL SERIES RANKING in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: ThorHighHeels K. Thor Jensen Candy corn Hanafuda Sour Patch Kids Resident Evil series Lost in Blue Don’t Starve Dorf Goes Fishing Dredge Doom Corpse Party Desolate Roads The Path Sweet Home Choo-Choo Charles Yume Nikki Corpse Killer The House of the Dead Death Crimson OX Castlevania series TurboGrafx-16 Splatterhouse Red Screen of Death Winners Don’t Use Drugs Phantasy Star Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin Cartridge Wallmaster Legend of Zelda series Zombie The Smoker Left 4 Dead 28 Days Later (2002) White Zombie (1932) Night of the Living Dead (1968) The Night Eats the World (2018) Wyrmwood (2014) Oppenheimer (2023) 28 Day Slater Mario Lopez Tony Hawk series Simple 2000 series Monster Mash Rampage Frankenstein Shaun of the Dead (2004) Call of Duty series Dance Dance Revolution Moonwalker Alan Wake series Silent Hill 3 The Last of Us series Sonic: Generations Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) David Cage Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Lemmy Recommendations: Brandon: Siege (1983), The Night Eats the World (2018), Wyrmwood (2014), Cargo (2017), The Horde (2009), Republic Z (2018), Blood Quantum (2019), 6/45 (2022), Dorohedoro, Octopus Girl Tim: The short stories of Edogawa Ranpo Jaffe: Rain Jerks This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by the See You, Space Cowboy… Cybernetics Catalogue Kickstarter, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
10/30/20231 hour, 4 minutes, 34 seconds
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Ep. 309 - Jovial Duress

Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield answer host Alex Jaffe’s questions and uncover the most Insert Credit thing to ever happen, the latest industry megamerger, and a giant cheese wheel. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: How’d the Atari Jaguar Museum at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo go, Frank? (09:18) Tina Carter asks: Is taking advantage of a a game’s technical system in a single-player environment “cheating”? (19:33) What happens now that Microsoft bought Activision? (25:03) You’re at a family dinner, and your six year old nephew asks if you’ve got any games on your phone. What do you show him? (31:30) Tom Arrow asks: What are some other game franchises that could make interesting use of Sonic & Knuckles ‘Lock On Technology’? (35:28) Design a minigame for Insert Credit: The Video Game. (46:03) LIGHTNING ROUND: Video Game Baby Shoes (52:14) Recommendations and Outro (56:01) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Batman: Arkham series Dragon’s Lair Super Metroid Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition Atari Jaguar Portland Retro Gaming Expo Video Game History Foundation Hasbro Releases Jaguar Publishing Rights Songbird Productions BigPEmu Rayman Ultra Vortek Monkey D. Luffy Boba Fett Imagin HotRod Intra-Oral Camera Bubsy series Blinx: The Time Sweeper Ty the Tasmanian Tiger Baldur’s Gate series Animal Crossing series The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Animal Crossing: New Horizons Review - IGN Boku no Natsuyasumi Microsoft completes Activision Blizzard acquisition Call of Duty series Spider-Man 2 Pitfall! Barnstorming SEGA Rally Championship King’s Quest 3-D Ultra Pinball Donkey Kong Land 2 Quest 64 Infinite Jest Leisure Suit Larry series Halo series Candy Crush Saga Overwatch series Diablo series James Corden Carpool Karaoke Jimmy Fallon Random.org Zaga-33 Vampire Survivors Super Hexagon Holedown One pound Sonic & Knuckles Lost Judgment Grand Theft Auto IV & Episodes from Liberty City Super Mario Bros. 2 Fallout games Mega Man: Legacy Collection Ghost of Tsushima God of War Horizon: Zero Dawn The Last of Us Marvel Spider-Man Super Mario Bros. Wonder Sonic Superstars Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series The Insert Credit Video Game Ore no Ryōri Diner Dash series The big cheese wheel Recommendations: Brandon: DVLSBLSH zine vol. 1 and 2, check out the writing of Izumi Suzuki This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
10/23/20231 hour, 1 minute, 18 seconds
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Ep. 308 - Along for the Ride in Tokyo, with Brandon Sheffield

Brandon reports on foot in Japan, bringing us along to retro game stores, surprise idol concerts, heist stories with chibi-tech and Playstation 2 discoveries with Colin Williamson. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with chibi-tech and Colin Williamson. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Chapters: the perseverance of nakano sunplaza and shiso leaves (00:08) a bonus travel tip regarding fresh passports (03:02) chatting with chibi-tech in akihabara about maids, idols, and stealing stuff (06:29) a guessing game and building sasage (18:01) games, other names for granola, tofu for men, and sleep chocolate (20:14) the state of japanese retro game stores (27:12) not speaking english with pavel, and spending as much as possible on indian food (33:01) can you hear these birds?! they’re going nuts (39:31) something extremely curious (40:52) nobody does japan like japan does (49:17) wilderness reclamation (55:51) waiting for a train in kyoto, and delaying saying no (01:00:51) The Discovery of Zeus IV, with colin williamson (01:05:42) towing a hearse (01:16:21) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Nakano Sunplaza Shiso Korinbo Gopinatha Meiji University chibi-tech Spam musubi Donpen (Don Quijote) Maid café Dear Stage Dempagumi.inc Rasputin Music chocoZAP Linda³ Panekit Taito Legends / Memories series Baby Universe Retro Game Camp Black/Matrix Super Potato BEEP Spikeout: Battle Street Book Off Part of Your World Doraemon Fukiage Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams… Shenmue Coco Ichibanya Demonschool Earth Defense Force series Dengeki Magazine Basic Studio This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
10/16/20231 hour, 19 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 307US - Tomorrowind, with Christa Lee

Console modification expert Christa Lee joins our stateside panel to answer the same gauntlet of questions 8-4 Play faced in episode 307J. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Christa Lee. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: How has Japanese corporate culture manifested itself in the history of game development? (03:29) What are Japanese arcades like right now? (08:54) Design an online multiplayer game where the mechanics are intended to incorporate international time zone differences. (14:43) Jaffe’s NieR Automata Dilemma: How is it that sometimes a video game sequel or follow-up can be technically better than the previous one in every way, but you don’t like it as much? (20:32) What’s your approach to game localization purity? (28:19) Which game studio has produced the most good games without releasing ANY bad ones? (37:31) What is the “But doctor, I am Pagliacci!” of video games? (48:02) LIGHTNING ROUND: First Person Pronouns (55:31) Recommendations and Outro (01:07:48) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Merzbow Swans Ep. 307J - Podcast Swap Situation, with 8-4 Play 8-4 Play No More Heroes series Rising Sun (1993) OutRun 2 Gunslinger Stratos Jeans Mate Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Phantasy Star Online Final Fantasy XI Online Swatch Internet Time Satellaview 1 vs. 100 HQ Trivia Scott Rogowsky Death Stranding Braid Lemnis Gate NieR NieR: Automata Crash Bandicoot series Final Fantasy XIV Online Donkey Kong Country series Assassin’s Creed series Elder Scrolls series Mega Man / Rockman series Super Mario series Grand Theft Auto V Red Dead Redemption series Ys series Maneater Calamity Jane Final Fantasy VII games War and Peace Constance Garnett Persona 5 Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Dragon Ball Capcom Exoprimal The DioField Chronicle Dragon Quest series Hudson Soft Rockstar North FromSoftware Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis Manhunt Remedy Entertainment Quantum Break Max Payne series Alan Wake Dead Rising Far Cry series Far Cry (2008) EarthBound Star Wars Outlaws Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie Watch_Dogs series Child of Light For Honor Michael Jackson: The Experience Tonic Trouble Batman: Vengeance DC Universe Infinite Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu id Software Valve Corporation Doogie Howser, M.D. Kingdom Hearts series Karnov StarCraft Diablo II Tooth Protectors Mortal Kombat games Fight Club The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Recommendations: Tim: Invite a friend to a movie but don’t tell them what it is, then have them do the same to you. But make sure the movie is interesting, not Expendables 4 or whatever. Christa: Void Stranger This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
10/9/20231 hour, 11 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 306.1 - Unity Tournament, with Shannon Liao

Our editor goofed up! Journalist Shannon Liao joined the panel for episode 306, which covered Unity’s then-unaddressed increase in fees for developers. The question yielded great discussion, but was missed in editing, so it is being presented here now. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Shannon Liao. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Question this clip: Is Unity over? Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Unity has changed its pricing model, and game developers are pissed off Unity announces its revamped pricing model Unreal Engine Myspace LiveJournal Roblox Minecraft ReCore Unreal Tournament series Fortnite: Battle Royale Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
10/2/20239 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 307J - Podcast Swap Situation, with 8-4 Play

8-4 Play (Tina Carter, Mark MacDonald and John Riccardi) serve as your panel with Brandon Sheffield as host, covering a barrage of questions about localization, the global nature of games, and Sans. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Tina Carter, Mark MacDonald and John Riccardi. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: How has Japanese corporate culture manifested itself in the history of game development? (03:08) What are Japanese arcades like right now? (08:28) Design an online multiplayer game where the mechanics are intended to incorporate international time zone differences. (14:04) Jaffe’s NieR Automata Dilemma: How is it that sometimes a video game sequel or follow-up can be technically better than the previous one in every way, but you don’t like it as much? (19:08) What’s your approach to game localization purity? (25:57) Which game studio has produced the most good games without releasing ANY bad ones? (32:03) What is the “But doctor, I am Pagliacci!” of video games? (37:12) LIGHTNING ROUND: First Person Pronouns (39:44) Bonus Question: Defend your choice of the “I” pronoun you used for Sans in Undertale. (44:03) Recommendations and Outro (45:46) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: 8-4 Play Capcom Five UFO Catcher Dave & Buster’s Round One Gunslinger Stratos Groove Coaster Kirby Mercari Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Ms. Pac-Man Pong NARC Space Invaders Phantasy Star Online Swatch Internet Time The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild EVE Online Resident Evil 4 Unpacking NieR NieR: Automata David Jaffe Alex Jaffe Alex Jaffe Dragon’s Dogma series Perfect Dark GoldenEye 007 Saturday Night Live Limp Bizkit Trouble Bobble, with Mathew Kumar and MoxBagel Final Fantasy VIII Densha de Go! series Final Fantasy IV Kotatsu Undertale Enhance Experience Inc. Disco Elysium Supergiant Games, Inc. Angry Birds Valve Corporation Vanillaware Ltd. Treasure Co., Ltd. Stretch Panic Mischief Makers cavia inc. Bullet Witch Earth Defense Force series Sandlot “But doctor, I am Pagliacci” Bayonetta series The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa Undertale ’s Japanese Localization Is Causing A Fan Frenzy Legends of Localization Recommendations: Mark: Enhance Experience Inc.’s games John: Follow @johntv, listen to 8-4 Play, check out Masahiro Sakurai’s Youtube channel This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
10/2/202348 minutes, 25 seconds
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Ep. 306 - David Crowncried, with Shannon Liao

Journalist Shannon Liao joins the panel to cover game journalism, the Twitch meta, and hot sauce recommendations. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Shannon Liao. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What is, and what is not, video game news? (06:40) When was the last time a screenshot of a video game was enough to drive interest? (14:18) The concept of video game unions is still pretty new. How do you see it paying off? (19:57) What is the Twitch Meta in 2023, and where is it headed? (25:40) In the song “Player of Games,” Grimes claims to be “in love with the greatest gamer.” Assuming that you did not know anything else about Grimes, who would you think this song was about? (30:57) Insert Credit Quick Break - Hypnospace Outlaw (36:49) LeFish asks: What can the average person do to preserve videogames outside of financial contributions? (38:36) Who is the Christopher Nolan of video games? (44:34) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - City Pop Hits (54:58) Recommendations and Outro (01:04:23) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Cholula Hot Sauce Fly By Jing El Yucateco Hot Sauces Tapatío Hot Sauce Valentina Hot Sauce Unity announces its revamped pricing model Splatoon 3’s single-player expansion launches in 2024 Hideo Kojima Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licensees XFF Chili Oil & Crisps Metal Gear Solid Metroid Dread Neopets Super Mario Bros. Wonder Elden Ring Starfield Mortal Kombat 1 On Switch Seems To Look Worse Than MK11 The Lord of the Rings: Gollum Microsoft wins FTC fight to buy Activision Blizzard Sega workers form largest multi-department video game union in the US The Ninja Warriors Wild Guns: Reloaded Pocky & Rocky Reshrined Assassin’s Creed series TwitchCon Museum of Pop Culture Metropolitan Museum of Art Stephen’s Sausage Roll xQc Minecraft Juice Wrld Elgato Grimes - Player Of Games Grimes Lana Del Rey Lana Del Rey - Video Games Call of Duty series Undertale My Chemical Romance StarCraft series League of Legends Pete Davidson Machine Gun Kelly Megan Fox Grand Theft Auto series What We Do in the Shadows Girls The Video Game History Hour Atari Lynx Donkey Kong Chrono Trigger Internet Archive The Legend of Zelda The Day the Clown Cried (1972) David Lynch Christopher Nolan Todd Howard Todd Howard Is the Video Game World’s Christopher Nolan Christopher Nolan filmography Batman: Arkham series Ken Levine David Cage Death Stranding Getting A Lot Of Boss Baby Vibes From This Barbie (2023) Dave Gilbert God of War series Cory Barlog Skyrim series Fallout games Recommendations: Shannon: Updater, Shannon Liao’s gaming newsletter, Baldur’s Gate III Frank: Don’t complete with Frank for the things he needs on eBay, if you have any family who might have a Polaroid Freeze Frame Video Recorder please get in touch, say hello and visit the snuggle tent at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo Tim: Taeko Onuki - Aventure This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Hypnospace Outlaw, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
9/25/20231 hour, 11 minutes, 51 seconds
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Ep. 305 - Trouble Bobble, with Mathew Kumar and MoxBagel

Insert Credit Scottish Correspondent Mathew Kumar joins the panel to answer MoxBagel’s questions on Dragon Quest’s art style, mutants without souls, and Zom Brady. Hosted by MoxBagel, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Mathew Kumar. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: When has depriving you of your equipment or weapons felt best in a video game? (05:19) What video game house would you want to live in? (08:40) What other Bobble genres should Taito explore? (12:16) How big of an influence on Dragon Quest is Toriyama’s art? (16:02) What would be the best type of game to release in weekly small installments over 5-6 months like a TV show? (21:33) What futuristic sports game would make the best transition to real life, assuming an unlimited budget? (28:29) Has any game captured the elegant action of Yuen Woo Ping’s fight choreography? (34:34) What game is most improved by promoting and powering up the lowliest enemy to be the final boss? (40:18) LIGHTNING ROUND: Scottish Games Shootout (43:22) Recommendations and Outro (53:10) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Final Fantasy VII Densha de Go! Final Karateka The Making of Karateka Wolfenstein: The New Order Nintendo Brain Game series Final Fantasy VI Fortnite: Battle Royale The Last Express Train Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire Unreal Tournament Animal Crossing series The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Castlevania: Symphony of the Night The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Super Metroid Metroid Prime Days Gone Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars Tomb Raider series Perfect Dark Final Fantasy VIII Alan Wake Grand Theft Auto series Cyberpunk 2077 System Shock Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Bubble Bobble Bust-A-Move Bubblen Roulette Elevator Action Returns The Ninja Warriors Space Invaders Pocky & Rocky series Toki: Going Ape Spit Hatsune Miku licensees Power Blade Chase H.Q. Kick Master Lucky & Wild Dragon Quest series Akira Toriyama Rumiko Takahashi Jean Giraud Dr. Slump Wizardry games Panzer Dragoon Sam & Max licensees Kentucky Route Zero Succession The Great Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball Speedball series Cyberball Blood of Heroes AKA The Salute of the Jugger (1989) Jugger Quidditch Rocket League Soccer Brawl Sensible World of Soccer Mutant League Football XFL Anthony Fauci Yuen Woo-ping Shachō Eiyūden: The Eagle-Shooting Heroes Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Jet Li: Rise to Honor Punch-Out!! Dark Souls III Super Mario Bros. Recommendations: Mathew: the Games for the Weans Scottish Game Sale Frank: The Video Game History Hour MoxBagel: Raining in the Mountain (1975) This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
9/18/202357 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 304 - Genre-Paul Sartre, with Ash Parrish

Journalist and Insert Credit favorite Ash Parrish returns to the panel as it covers Starfield’s launch, Soulslike sports games, and the perfect handheld console. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Ash Parrish. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Max Krieger asks: Pair a video game and a meal. Explain why. (07:18) What could Bethesda have done to generate a more positive reaction to Starfield while shipping the exact same game? (15:21) How do you make a nonviolent Soulslike? (22:23) If you use the word genre in the same way media other than video games do, which genre of video game is best? (27:11) What would you put in the next pack of stuff players can buy with in-game currency in Grand Theft Auto Online? (32:07) Insert Credit Quick Break: This Way Madness Lies (36:57) Catherine asks: What makes the perfect handheld? (38:18) What’s the drama happening in the Let’s Play community? (44:37) If you could go back and witness the entire development cycle of one game, what would it be? (50:24) LIGHTNING ROUND: Arcade Of Our Own (55:48) Recommendations and Outro (01:05:24) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Rosamunde Sausage Grill Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater The Great British Bake Off Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Baldur’s Gate III Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn Dragon Age series Divinity series Fallout 3 Mario’s Picross Charles Martinet explains Mario Ambassadorship Starfield Mass Effect series *Starfield* Is Too Big to Fail Garfield and Friends U.S. Acres Orson Welles George Orwell Orson Scott Card The Catillac Cats Soulslike The Talos Principle Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden - Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa Jean-Paul Sartre Brett Favre Beyond: Two Souls Firewatch Gone Home John Cooper Hawksmoor Judgment / Judge Eyes series Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Online Edition Deadly Premonition Just Cause series Supreme MrBeast Flying Lotus Budweiser Frogs Judge Judy WonderSwan Game Gear Game Boy Color Nintendo DS Game Boy Advance Animal Crossing series Game.com Playdate Atari Lynx Klax Nintendo Entertainment System Master System Super Nintendo Entertainment System PlayStation Portable PlayStation 2 PlayStation Vita PlayStation 3 Nintendo 64 Guitar Hero: On Tour Dreamcast Japanese YouTuber convicted of copyright violation after uploading Let’s Play videos Steins;Gate series Spy × Family Kurt Feldman Sonic Frontiers The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Uncharted series Super Mario 64 Castlevania 64 Castlevania: Bloodlines Interview with the Vampire Hyper Neo Geo 64 Recommendations: Brandon: Please consider adopting the adorable chiweenie Juice if you have a suitable home and want a lovely stupid dog, if you’re in the Bay Area check out FlyerMire.com, and PantsOnFlyers.org if you’re in the PNW, buy Hyper Gunsport, give Brandon a million dollars Frank: Whatever the buffalo seasoning from Costoco is, the Costco club card, figure out one kernel at a time, Portland Retro Gaming Expo 2023 in October Ash: Don’t talk to the fuckin’ cops, check out all of Ash’s work at The Verge and get in touch if you work in or used to work in esports This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by This Way Madness Lies, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
9/11/20231 hour, 14 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 303 - Updates on Development for the 3DO, with Max Krieger

Game developer and streamer Max Krieger joins the panel to discuss booing Elon Musk, the worst year for video games in the 21st century, and Eurobeat. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Max Krieger. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Which living person would be booed the loudest if they appeared at a video game tournament? (05:43) How do you know if a puzzle game is too hard? (11:13) What kind of immersive arcade experience has no one ever really tried before, or not tried hard enough? (16:43) What was the worst year for video games from 2000 to 2020? (23:42) You have a GDC panel but need to make sure that zero people attend. What do you title it?(30:22) Spencer Gifts asks: Which Japanese game is the most American, and which American game is the most Japanese? (36:12) When in visual design is ugliness a feature? (43:50) What is the Planet of the Bass of video games? (49:29) LIGHTNING ROUND: Box Office Bomb Reviews (54:22) Recommendations and Outro (01:04:08) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Mary Schneider - Yodelling The Classics In Utero Bad Nevermind Steve Albini No Strings Attached Aqua Barbie (2023) Elon Musk trolled by Valorant fans Valorant Henry Kissinger Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War EA Voted Worst Company in America, Again David Cage Todd Howard Stephen’s Sausage Roll The Witness Jonathan Blow Threes! Baba Is You Crossniq+ GameWorks BattleTech Centers Melty Blood games Kessen SSX Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn Final Fantasy IX Wii Sports The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim BioShock Infinite The Last of Us DmC: Devil May Cry Grand Theft Auto V God of War series Candy Crush Saga Grand Theft Auto V: Online Edition Beyond: Two Souls Willem Dafoe Elliot Page Detroit: Become Human Game Developers Conference Will Wright Spore Advance Wars Hideo Kojima P.T. Gex Metal Wolf Chaos Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Shadow Madness Final Fantasy VII Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator MTV’s Beavis and Butt-Head in Virtual Stupidity Shadowgate Shovel Knight The Black Onyx Binary Domain Vanquish Yuke’s Co. Space Funeral Mortal Kombat games Paul Verhoeven Gears of War Quantum Theory Planet of the Bass Space Channel 5 Bust A Groove EarthBound Yume Nikki Hypnospace Outlaw Bomb Rush Cyberfunk Recommendations: Frank: The Video Game History Hour Ep. 117: Nintendo Knitting Machine Max: Aqualounge.tv, Indiepocalypse This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
9/4/20231 hour, 9 minutes, 44 seconds
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Ep. 302 - Gaba'd by the Goolies

The panel you just can’t get enough of covers immediate pick-up-and-play-right-now games, Charles Marinet’s departure as Mario, and the stunning return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Tim Rogers asks: what’s the deal with people thinking you need to have played earlier games in a triple-A franchise’s newest release? (04:56) Brandon Sheffield asks: What are five games you could play any time? (14:04) What does a Mario Ambassador do? (23:00) Seth asks: If you could replace one of your arms with the arm of a video game character, whose arm would you pick? (34:36) If you could only judge real world animals by the way they were presented in video games, how would your opinions on animals be different? (39:07) What was the most significant “sliding doors” moment in video game history? (42:27) What happens when a player reports a bug in a video game? (47:28) What are the Mario and Sonic of food? (49:15) Tim Rogers asks: What if Charles Martinet just starts his own video game company, and like he makes a new character named Charlieo? (53:36) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island Season 3 (55:13) Recommendations and Outro (01:15:26) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Diablo IV Baldur’s Gate III Final Fantasy XVI Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Street Fighter 6 87% Missing: the Disappearance of Classic Video Games Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection Resident Evil series Legend of Zelda series Dragon Quest series Kingdom Hearts series Metal Gear series Final Fantasy VII: Remake Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Gunstar Heroes Ys series Sonic the Hedgehog series Battle Garegga Donkey Kong Country H.E.R.O. Shark! Shark! Minesweeper Picross series Doom 64 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Quake series Another World Castlevania: Rondo of Blood Cadash Super Mario Bros. 3 Blazing Lazers Galactic Attack Charles Martinet Retires From Longtime Voice Role Of Nintendo’s Mario Conan O’Brien meets Charles Martinet Disney DuckTales: Remastered Banjo-Kazooie Super Mario Bros. Wonder Super Mario Galaxy The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) Coach Coach Ernie Pantusso Craig T. Nelson Dead Rising Enchanted Arms Wild Arms series Ruin Arm Loadout: Arm Floaties Arms Mega Man series Dizzy series Thousand Arms Rayman series Plok Just Arms Bayonetta Cooking Mama Ecco the Dolphin E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Tetris Super Mario 64 Pilotwings Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series Inti Creates Ceaseless Discharge Gargantua Blargg Mario Sonic the Hedgehog Browny Robbit The Noid Mr. Domino Recommendations: Brandon: Adopt this dog I’ve been fostering if you’re a single person or a couple without children, Steve Stanchfield’s Video Collection (Thunderbean) Frank: Mini golf is pretty fun still This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
8/28/20231 hour, 22 minutes, 12 seconds
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Ep. 301 - SimCommune, with Liz Ryerson

Insert Credit regular Liz Ryerson joins the panel to cover refreshed questions about the state of game journalism, romhacks, and running studios as co-ops. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Liz Ryerson. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What the hell is wrong with game journalism? (03:56) Back in April of 2020, the panel was asked about the long term effects of the COVID outbreak on video games. What were they? (11:25) Liz Ryerson asked: What’s the hot new genre of video game in the year 2050? (20:17) Liz Ryerson asked: What’s your favorite romhack? (24:06) Which games have the most accurate names? (30:52) Who should get a PlayStation 5, and who should get an Xbox Series X? (35:22) Can a video game studio feasibly be run as a co-op? (41:27) How much fun should you put in a game before it starts making money? (46:42) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Ten Commandments of Video Games (52:45) Recommendations and Outro (55:30) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: EarthBound G/O Media reportedly fires Kotaku editor-in-chief Patricia Hernandez Yelling Is Not Journalism ContraPoints Animal Crossing: New Horizons Doom A Short Hike Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Fortnite: Battle Royale More metaverse concerts are coming to Fortnite 100 gecs Hosting Square Garden Music Festival in Minecraft Mariah Carey Rasputin Music Unpacking Ooblets Legend of Zelda series World of WarCraft Cruelty Squad B3313 Yume Nikki Super Mario 64 Mother 3 Fan Translation Mother 3 Private Eye Dol Fan Translation Fushigi no Yume no Alice Fan Translation Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble Star Fox Phantasy Star Retranslation Project Mortal Kombat Arcade Edition Super Mario Bros. Peach’s Adventure Doom MyHouse.wad A.L.T. The Doom Mod That Best Describes Our Uncanny Reality Watch_Dogs Mr. Run and Jump Dino Crisis Virtua Quest You Have to Win the Game Stephen’s Sausage Roll Soccer Mahjong Golf Videoball Virtual Soccer Virtual Pinball David’s Midnight Magic Digital Pinball: Necronomicon Montezuma’s Revenge Tetris Sonic the Hedgehog Mario Bros. Super Mario Bros. Grand Theft Auto series PlayStation 5 Xbox Series X and Series S EA FIFA / EA Sports FC series Quake II Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath - Vengance of the Slayer Baldur’s Gate III Wizardry games Astarion Saints Row series Play Your Favorite Arcade Games Today with Antstream Arcade on Xbox KO_OP F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch Wolfenstein 3D Recommendations: Brandon: Avengement (2019) Frank: 12 Angry Men (1957), ****Fargo (1996), The Making of Karateka Liz: Peking Opera Blues (1985), To the White Sea, follow Liz’s music on Bandcamp This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
8/21/20231 hour, 4 minutes
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Ep. 300 - The Insert Credit Video Game

The founding members of Insert Credit Show, then known as The Insert Credit Podcast, answer our most frequently asked listener question. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Design the Insert Credit video game. (03:05) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Oakland, California Watch_Dogs 2 San Leandro, California Cinemark Century Bayfair Mall 16 Central Park Fruitvale, Oakland, California Temescal, Oakland, California Lanesplitter Pizza & Pub Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Joseph Emery Skatepark Wild Arms MacArthur station (BART) Oriental BBQ Chicken Town Frog Park Pixar Emeryville Shellmound Young Merlin Jim Power in “Mutant Planet” Hesher’s Pizza (try the Insert Credit) Other Ocean Interactive Classic Gaming Expo Game Developers Conference River City Ransom series Better Call Saul Video Game History Foundation Lost Judgment Mortal Kombat 11 series Jack London Square Recommendations: Frank: Listen to episode 299 This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
8/13/20231 hour, 11 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 299 - Are You Out of Your Mind?

Fifty listener questions taking the form of “What is the ___ of video games?” are defeated by the full panel of the Insert Credit Show. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Vanilla Bean asks: What is the Aphex Twin to Radiohead to Coldplay of video games? (07:32) John H: What is the Studio Trigger of video games? (08:46) Danimal: Who (or what) is the Wednesday Campanella of video games? (10:14) Henry: What is the Action Comics #1 competition of video games? (11:42) Tomarrow: What is the meat and potatoes of video games? (12:49) Kiko b: What is the peanut butter and jelly on white bread of video games? (13:42) Ian: what’s the everything bagel of video games? (14:52) Gaagaagiins: What is the 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner of video games? (15:37) Chris B: What is the “walking by a store on a hot day that has the front doors wide open with the AC blasting and you catch a sudden blast of freezing air” of video games? (16:52) Justin: What’s the “Live Free or Die Hard” of video games? (18:24) BrillPickle asks: What’s the Normcore of video games? (20:10) BrillPickle asks: What’s the healthgoth of video games? (21:09) Spencer: what is the “going to the movies but spending the whole time on your phone” of video games? (22:08) Cwumble Fletkh: Who is the Oedipus of video games? (23:08) Fighting fudon: What is the “I’ve had too much coffee and now I feel like death” of video games? (23:58) JackOakLeaf: What is the Marlon Brando as Don Corleone in The Godfather of video games? (25:24) Jimi: Who are the Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer of video game characters? (26:21) Jomch: What is the Frasier of videogames? (26:39) Dillson: What is the Hatsune Miku Guitar Synthesizer Stompbox of video games? (28:00) kory: What is the Jaws 19 from Back to the Future Part II of video games? (28:34) Anonymous: What is the finding an onion ring in your fries of video games? (29:12) Classic Anonymous: What is the Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud of video games? (31:22) U G: What is the Mark Z Danielewski’s House of Leaves of video games? (32:29) Shlooter McGavin: What is the “reading a magazine back to front” of video games? (33:26) gordon “matty” freeman: What is the “vinyl just sounds better, dude” of video games? (34:31) Insert Credit Quick Break: Patreon listeners, please check your info because Patreon screwed up (34:57) Maybesheforgot: What is the O Brother Where Art Thou of video games? (35:37) Jeff Mangum: Who or what is the Neutral Milk Hotel of video games? (36:43) Skeletoncounter: What is the Wes Craven’s New Nightmare of video games? (38:16) Gaagaagiins asks: What is the comparison between the theatrical and extended cuts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? (40:52) LeFish: What is the finding out Santa isn’t real of video games? (42:42) Anonymous: What is the going back in time to kill baby Hitler of video games? (44:09) Charlie: Who, or what game, is the first Mark Twain of video games? (45:28) Arvid: What’s the “built like a brick outhouse” of video games? (46:05) Buy Gebord: What is the Society of the Spectacle of video games? (47:20) Marxseny: What is the “It’s not a phase, mom” of video games? (48:19) Barclay: What is The Illuminatus! Trilogy of video games? (49:20) Crumbling Kwelfis: who is the jean-luc godard of video games? (50:29) Dustin: What is the high school reunion of video games? (51:31) Cole: What is the Nissan Sileighty of video games? (52:43) La_cuna: What or who is the Ricky Jay of video games? (53:35) Kyle: What is the Mission Impossible of video games? (55:32) Torbjorn: Who is the Søren Kierkegaard of video games? (56:42) Antho: What’s the Canadian tuxedo of video games? (57:40) ana: What is the cinéma-vérité of video games? (59:06) Snowtire: what is the Star Citizen of video games? (01:00:08) Smander Jettz: Who is the Ezra Miller of video games? (01:01:03) Brayden Bunker: What is the aeropress of video games? (01:02:53) Samf Sankey: who is the Jim Varney of video games? (01:05:47) Swift Justice: What is the BABYMETAL of video games? (01:07:03) nate: what is the 4’33 of video games? (01:09:06) Recommendations and Outro (01:09:27) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Super Mario series Super Mario Bros - Star The Stars and Stripes Forever Turkey in the Straw What’s The Buzz Koji Kondo Django Reinhardt Limehouse Blues The Entertainer (rag) 1812 Overture La Marseillaise Happy Birthday to You Aphex Twin Radiohead Coldplay Bayonetta Devil May Cry series Ninja Gaiden series Final Fantasy XVI Dragon’s Dogma Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories SNL “Dear Sister” Parody Studio Trigger WayForward Gainax Wednesday Campanella Castlevania series Final Fantasy XIV Online Bonk’s Revenge Action Comics 1 StarTropics EarthBound Call of Duty series Angry Birds Destiny Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Sonic Mania Days Gone Assassin’s Creed series Resident Evil series Raw Danger! Die Hard (film series) Normcore Roblox Health Goth Bullet Witch P.N.03 Rez Indiana Jones Oedipus David Cage Men in Black (1997) MadWorld JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future Shenmue Skies of Arcadia Marlon Brando The Godfather (1972) God of War Seinfeld Frasier Cheers Virtua Fighter Banjo-Kazooie Diddy Kong Racing Donkey Kong Country Liquid Television MIKU STOMP Undertale Groove Coaster series Back to the Future Part II (1989) PlayStation 9 Halo: Combat Evolved Understanding Comics A Grammar of Gameplay House of Leaves What Remains of Edith Finch Doki Doki Literature Club! Yesterday’s Enterprise Christopher McDonald Tasha Yar Grand Theft Auto series O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) Raising Arizona (1987) Brütal Legend Guitar Hero Neutral Milk Hotel Final Fantasy IX Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) Bubsy series Broken Age Monkey Island series Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Fable series Blaster Master series A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Lord of the rings extended edition Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 - Portable Santa Claus Tool-assisted speedrun Castle Wolfenstein series FarmVille Cyberpunk 2077 Mark Twain Octopath Traveler The Society of the Spectacle The Righteous Gemstones Succession The Illuminatus! Trilogy Xenogears / Xenosaga universe Jean-Luc Godard Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983) Game Freak François Truffaut Super Smash Brothers series F-Zero Nissan 180SX Initial D Ridge Racer 6 Ricky Jay Mission: Impossible Mission: Impossible Søren Kierkegaard Michael Brough Cinéma vérité The Stanley Parable Among Us Star Citizen Star Ocean Baldur’s Gate III Ezra Miller Reginald VelJohnson Family Matters AeroPress Aero the Acro-Bat Mulholland Drive (2001) Jim Varney Ernest P. Worrell Paul Reubens Nintendogs Babymetal BioShock 4′33″ What’s Inside the Box? Super Mario Clouds Recommendations: Frank: Listen to episode 300 Tim: Ricky Jay and His 52 Assistants Brandon: Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films (2014), Trader Joes Rice Cracker Medley Jaffe: Sandman Mystery Theatre This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
8/7/20231 hour, 17 minutes, 24 seconds
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Ep. 298 - X-Commies, with Lucy James

Giant Bomb, Gamespot and Friends Per Second’s Lucy James joins the panel to cover video game convention panels, Oppenheimer, and getting Americans to care about 4X games. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Lucy James. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Is there a meaningful distinction between a minigame and a game within a game? (07:25) How do you make a really big game without overwhelming players? (12:48) What are the practical reasons to set a video game in the post-apocalypse? (18:38) What are the pitfalls to avoid when organizing or participating in a video game panel? (22:02) The Adaptation Game: Adapt Oppenheimer (2023) into a video game. (28:23) Insert Credit Quick Break: Moonstone Island on Steam (35:52) Tom Arrow asks: What are video games that best exemplify tragedy, comedy and romance? (37:15) What kind of video games do Americans not care about, and is there a way to change that? (43:32) What is the “You couldn’t make Blazing Saddles today” of video games? (48:10) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Mortal Kombat (53:43) Recommendations and Outro (57:25) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Super Mario Land Ace Attorney series Puyo Puyo~n Captain Marvel (2019) The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) Kojima’s Twitter Resident Evil 4 Metal Gear Solid NieR series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Virtua Fighter series BioShock Pipe Dream Save Room Harmful Park Stardew Valley Ōkami Sonic Frontiers Final Fantasy XV Evony: The King’s Return The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Dreams Roblox Fallout games Warriors of the Wasteland (1983) Exterminators of the Year 3000 (1983) Pitfall series Nvidia Broadcast can now deepfake your eyes to make you look at the camera Leisure Suit Larry series Monkey Island series Budweiser Frogs Pepsiman Oppenheimer (2023) Curran Walters Batman Begins (2005) Fallout Shelter X-COM series Game of Thrones The Godfather: The Game Cyberpunk 2077 The Sims 4 Peter Molyneux David Cage Omikron: The Nomad Soul Detroit: Become Human Elder Scrolls series Ribbit King There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension The Stanley Parable Disco Elysium Football Manager series FIFA Manager series Pro Evolution Soccer / Winning Eleven / eFootball series Diner Dash Tapper FarmVille Train Simulator series PowerWash Simulator Lawn Mowing Simulator Animal Crossing series Wall Street Kid Blazing Saddles (1974) Everything (game) Everything (windows software) You Need a Budget Bubsy series Gex series Blasto Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! Normy’s Beach Babe-O-Rama Pirates of the Caribbean Batman Begins Batman Begins Cool Spot Grimace’s Birthday Recommendations: Frank: Everything, send your full video game interviews to the Video Game History Foundation Brandon: Kimimi The Game-Eating She-Monster, try using your own website for once if you’re one of the people who make Ko-fi Lucy: The New York Times Mini Crossword, The Design Behind Immortality’s Occult Secrets, JeffJeff’s Bizarre Adventure S03E01: Oh, those aren’t bullets, Baldur’s Gate 3 boss on Xbox Series S and “Redefining The RPG” I Friends Per Second Episode #26 This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Moonstone Island on Steam, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
7/31/20231 hour, 5 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 297 - The Thinking Man’s Gex

The same panel this show started with is whole once more, covering hype cycles, the real game console generations, and the Season 2 finale of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: merritt k asks: What are some games on 80s and 90s Japanese home computers you want translations of or official releases in the west? (05:32) What causes hype? Or, how do games become “overrated?” (11:23) Let’s talk about “game killers” (17:25) Who makes the best monsters? (23:53) What are the actual video game console generations? (30:32) Insert Credit Quick Break - The Free Cheese (41:22) From Winckle: What’s the best two button sequence in video games? (42:44) What do you think was the most difficult game to QA test? (49:06) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island - Season 2 Finale (54:51) Recommendations and Outro (01:12:58) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: 87% Missing: the Disappearance of Classic Video Games 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Video Game History Foundation Limited Run Games Rusty Castlevania series El Viento My eyes! Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom Mamono Hunter Yōko: Makai kara no Tenkōsei Glove on Fight The Queen of Heart ’99 Ys series Valis Legend of Zelda series Xanadu games Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken Policenauts Snatcher SD Snatcher Geoff Keighley Bubsy series Battle Arena Toshinden Virtua Fighter series Halo series Super Mario series Sonic the Hedgehog universe Doom Killzone Fortnite: Battle Royale Grand Theft Auto series Jak & Daxter series Ghostface Killah Landstalker Silent Hill Dragon Quest series Akira Toriyama Orc Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime Final Fantasy series Dragon Ball GT Gran Turismo series Sand Land Hammer Bro Bowsette Metal slime Goldman Home video game console generations Devil World Kung Fu Sports Talk Baseball Mega Man games Another World Mortal Kombat games The Ninja Warriors Assassin’s Creed series Elder Scrolls series Cyberpunk 2077 Why Tears of the Kingdom’s bridge physics have game developers wowed Just Cause 2 Heavy Rain Gex Captain Marvel Augustus Cole Gene Kazuma Kiryu Lucky & Wild Satan Quiet Bayonetta Recommendations: Frank: clock out early Brandon: hey thanks for listening and enjoying the show, we really appreciate it! And also, consider using your house like a Blockbuster if you keep collecting things. This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by The Free Cheese, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
7/24/20231 hour, 17 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 296 - Junk Factory, with merritt k

Author and game developer merritt k joins the panel to cover recent industry developments, Gex, and coffin food. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and merritt k. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Is the game development business getting better or worse? (05:43) You heard about Gex? (10:47) Design a new platforming mascot based around a working standup comedian. (16:32) How do you make a game demo? (22:59) Jim Bunt 0008 asks: If a game controls with just one hand, what do with the other? (31:14) How has a game frustrated you most when not letting you do something you really should be able to do? (42:36) Which video game most perfectly fits into the genre which describes it? (48:17) LIGHTNING ROUND: Playground Rumors - Diablo IV (57:41) Recommendations and Outro (01:01:51) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Microsoft wins FTC fight to buy Activision Blizzard Sega workers form largest multi-department video game union in the US Sega are still investing in NFTs, but will keep their biggest series away from the blockchain M2 Hollywood actors hit picket lines in historic double strike Bungie wins landmark lawsuit against player who harassed Destiny staff Gex series Gex Trilogy announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Switch, and PC Bubsy series GEICO Dana Gould Red Dwarf Mad Men The Dana Gould Hour Spider-Ham John Mulaney Atari Jaguar Ricky Gervais Dave Chappelle Vole Rocky Rodent Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino’s Butt Hyper Gunsport VIDEOBALL Demonschool Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy XVI P.T. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Zone of the Enders Tobal No.1 Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King Final Fantasy XII Super Mario Run Dead or Alive: Xtreme series Animal Crossing Super Mario 64 Old Man Murray Half-Life Portal 2 Peggy Hill Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Destiny 2 Destiny’s Child Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Cyberpunk 2077 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Cofagrigus Doom Call of Duty: Warzone Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Celeste Super Mario Bros. 3 Croc: Legend of the Gobbos Uncharted series Jak & Daxter series Grand Theft Auto III Crash Bandicoot series Dragon Quest series Streets of Rage / Bare Knuckle series Final Fight series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles licensees The Simpsons licensees X-Men Recommendations: merritt: OtherStrangeness.com Brandon: Wishlist Demonschool on Steam if you want to, watch How It’s Made on Tubi, try telling yourself an incredibly boring story if you have trouble sleeping Jaffe: the Dave’s Not Here sketch This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
7/17/20231 hour, 12 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 295 - Born Sold Out, with Patrick Miller

Insert Credit Fighting Game Correspondent Patrick Miller rejoins the panel to share tips on commentating esports, developing fighting game characters, and powerwashing an island covered in diarrhea. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Patrick Miller. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Have you ever made an arbitrary non-video game decision just because it reminded you of something from a video game? (03:00) Which fighting game characters have most significantly changed how fighting games are played? (07:44) What future expansions should PowerWash Simulator add? (15:08) What are the qualities of a good esports commentator? (20:33) Improv Zone - RPG AI Dialogue (23:30) Insert Credit Quick Break - Demonschool Demo on Xbox July 11 (27:44) Yuji asks: what’s the coolest thing you can find at the edge of a world map? (28:53) How do you make a character design “look cooler?” (35:02) What’s the greatest comeback story in video game development history? (40:01) LIGHTNING ROUND: State Fighters - New Challengers (46:33) Recommendations and Outro (55:27) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Rent A Hero No. 1 VIDEOBALL NBA Jam series Mike Haggar Sega Sonic the Hedgehog games Capcom vs. SNK CVS Pharmacy Walgreens Duane Reade the riddle of steel Shenmue Street Fighter series Ryu Ken Masters Virtua Fighter series Akira Yuki Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Guilty Gear series Sheng Long Akuma Banjo-Kazooie series Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Minecraft Steve Bayonetta Yun PowerWash Simulator series Tomb Raider series Final Fantasy VII games SpongeBob SquarePants Dead Rising series Twisted Metal series Burning Rangers Gears of War series My House.wad Smash T.V. Super Mario Sunshine Super Mario Galaxy series Earthworm Jim series Oh, Deer! Yipes Justin Wong Charles Martinet #IDARB BuzzFeed News Cyberpunk 2077 Borderlands series World of WarCraft Shadow of the Colossus Kingdom Hearts series Tetsuya Nomura Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Chrono Trigger NieR: Automata Resident Evil series Persona series Final Fantasy XIV Online Recommendations: Patrick: If you’re in the Bay Area get in touch and come to Caliburst Frank: TwoMorrows Publishing This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by the ID@Xbox Demonschool demo available July 11, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
7/10/20231 hour, 57 seconds
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Ep. 294 - Final Fantastacular XVI, with Giovanni Colantonio, Gita Jackson, and Ash Parrish

Game journalists Giovanni Colantonio, Gita Jackson and Ash Parrish unite to make Insert Credit history: reviewing a video game. The party explores Final Fantasy XVI as a game, a story, and as a cultural artifact. Plus, the ten hottest Final Fantasy boys! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Giovanni Colantonio, Gita Jackson, and Ash Parrish. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Chapters: Talking about the game (02:57) Talking about the story (FEATURES SPOILERS) (27:20) Talking about talking about the game (FEATURES SPOILERS) (58:43) Recommendations and Outro (01:25:27) LIGHTNING RETURNS ROUND: Rank the hottest Final Fantasy boys (01:26:35) Visit insertcredit.com for THE INSERT CREDIT RANKED LIST OF HOTTEST FINAL FANTASY BOYS (Protagonists) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Final Fantasy XVI Clive Rosfield (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Final Fantasy X Final Fantasy VIII Final Fantasy Tactics Devil May Cry series Moogle Chocobo Pokémon universe Forspoken The DioField Chronicle Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Naruto vs Sasuke Devil May Cry 5 Final Fantasy XIV Online Naoki Yoshida Final Fantasy XV Cidolfus Telamon Cid Highwind Cid Pollendina Dion Lesage (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Gil Diablo series The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Final Fantasy XIII Torgal (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Game of Thrones Ultima (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Anabella Rosfield (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Jill Warrick (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Theon Greyjoy Benedikta Harman (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Active Lore System The Holy Empire of Sanbreque (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Destiny Dragon Age: Inquisition Thedas Byron Rosfield (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) I Want to Be Your Canary Loveless Ralph Ineson Ben Starr Joshua Rosfield (Final Fantasy XVI spoilers) Masayoshi Soken God of War (2018) Mortal Engines (2018) Michael Bay Final Fantasy XII Final Fantasy VII: Remake Final Fantasy VI Blitzball Fang Vanille House of the Dragon Chain-Gang All-Stars The Grishaverse Shadow and Bone Final Fantasy XVI has a medieval approach to diversity Unsullied Jacob Anderson Interview with the Vampire Dune Pauline Kael Dordogne Recommendations: Gita: follow xoxogossipgita on social media, subscribe to the gita zone on substack Ash: follow adashtra on social media, find more of Ash’s writing at The Verge Giovanni: follow marioprime on social media, find more of Giovanni’s writing at DigitalTrends This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
7/3/20231 hour, 34 minutes, 14 seconds
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Ep. 293 - Catch a Wheat! with Felipe Pepe

Author of The CRPG Book Felipe Pepe joins the panel to determine what CRPGs are, how to play them, and what happened with the Gollum game. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Felipe Pepe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What are the top ten video game submarines? (08:07) What the hell is going on with Lord of the Rings games? (14:36) What are we going to do about the name CRPG? (20:02) How do you delineate PC game history? (25:39) What’s a book about video games you wish existed but you don’t have eight years to write? (32:21) Mel Stone asks: Using only video game characters that have never appeared in an RPG, create the quintessential four-person RPG party (43:47) How do you design a video game magic system that doesn’t just rip off Dungeons & Dragons? (51:26) What’s the best way to get ancient computer games to run on modern PCs? (58:21) Recommendations and Outro (01:03:28) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Tales of Game’s Studios Presents Chef Boyardee’s Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden, Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa Space Funeral Undertale Ramble Planet Void Pyramid The CRPG Book Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup RPG Maker Pokémon fangames Pokemon Xenoverse Dragon Ball: Xenoverse Dragon Quest series Nintendo Direct 6.21.2023 In the Hunt Metal Slug series Steel Diver The Hunt for Red October Sub Rebellion Prisoner of Ice Banjo-Tooie Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts Final Fantasy VII Super Mario Land The missing Titanic tour sub is steered with a simple Logitech gamepad California Extreme Theme: Submarine Titanic: A Mysterious Undersea Adventure Periscope Silent Hunter series Das Boot: German U-Boat Simulation Hunt for Red October adaptations Cthulhu Subnautica Shinsekai: Into the Depths Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Silent Service Radar Mission The Lord of the Rings: Gollum The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria The Walking Dead Embracer Group Paid $395 Million for ‘Lord of the Rings’ Rights Gollum developers apologize for the game’s ‘underwhelming experience’ J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings: Volume One Melbourne House Australia Dave’s Killer Bread Alvarado Street Bakery Call of Duty series Planescape: Torment Final Fantasy series Fallout games Dungeons & Dragons Baldur’s Gate series Dragon Slayer Wizardry games Etrian Odyssey Dragon Master Silk Shining the Holy Ark Disco Elysium Pillars of Eternity Divinity: Original Sin Street Fighter series DirectX Microsoft Windows Windows 95 FM Towns PC-8800 series PC-98 Touhou series Apple II Commodore 64 Amiga ZX Spectrum Color Graphics Adapter DOS Xbox 360 CD-ROM Cyberpunk 2077 Hardcore Gaming 101: A History of Korean Gaming Ragnarök Online Legend of the Red Dragon Dungeon Fighter Online Ultima Online EverQuest World of WarCraft The Conclusion of the Amico Project X Zone series Advance Wars Tom Johnson Shenmue Wild Woody Clive Rosfield Clive Barker David Cage Blanka Brazil Tectoy Playtronic Zeebo Monkey D. Luffy Iñaki Godoy Katy Perry - Dark Horse ft. Juicy J Shin Megami Tensei series Octopath Traveler Bravely Default Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light Final Fantasy XVI Devil May Cry series Immortals of Aveum Ghostwire: Tokyo Phantom Dust Earthsea The Maimed God’s Saga DOSBox MiSTer Project EGG Ys series C64Dreams Total Replay AmigaVision eXoDOS Exodos On Fire Cutz Recommendations: Frank: The Video Game History Hour with Frank Cifaldi and Kelsey Lewin Brandon: Il Balletto di Bronzo, purchase a physical copy of Hyper Gunsport Felipe: The CRPG Book This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by  patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
6/26/20231 hour, 10 minutes, 5 seconds
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Ep. 292 - Multiball, Multiball, Multiball! with Dan McQuade

Defector editor and co-founder Dan McQuade joins the panel to cover Summer Game Fest, the Apple Face Computer, and Avenders Engersgame. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Dan McQuade. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Anything at Summer Game Fest or the Xbox panel look cool? (04:42) Dan McQuade asks: How have people reacted to the new Final Fantasy? (16:43) Brandon, what game is Necrosoft going to make for the Apple Face Computer? (22:37) If you had the power to change any rule in any sport, how would you use it? (34:35) PersonalMatthew asks: Should developers always support button remapping? (42:38) Are there any true video game stories that could be made into movies? (53:53) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As: Madden (01:07:27) Recommendations and Outro (01:14:57) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Summer Game Fest Xbox Games Showcase 2023 FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Mortal Kombat 1 Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 3 WILDS Sonic Superstars Sonic the Hedgehog 4 series Knuckles’ Chaotix Sonic Mania Sonic Frontiers Final Fantasy XV Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Toshihiro Nagoshi Judgment / Judge Eyes series E3 Oʻahu Twisted Metal Twisted Metal series Samoa Joe The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Final Fantasy series Final Fantasy XVI Square Millennium Event:: Final Fantasy IX, X, and XI Revealed Triangle Strategy Harvestella Hitman III Square Enix sells off Tomb Raider, Deus Ex IPs and the studios behind them Forspoken Necrosoft Games Apple Vision Pro Demonschool Elden Ring I Am Rich Project Milo The Jackbox Party Pack Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes EVE: Valkyrie Oh, Deer! Google Glass Google Stadia Formula One Deadspin Kotaku Who’s on First? Savannah Bananas Multiball Atari Jaguar GameCube The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker TurboGrafx-16 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Legend of Zelda series Super Metroid Gran Turismo series GRAN TURISMO - Official Trailer Gamer (2009) The Wizard (1989) Super Mario Bros. 3 Nintendo World Championships Early Edition Madden series Street Fighter series NASCAR officially bans driver’s GameCube-inspired ‘wall ride’ stunt Tetris Tetris (2023) Tetris - From Russia with Love Black Bird Ender’s Game Avengers: Endgame (2019) 8-Bit Christmas (2021) Free Guy (2021) Boku no Natsuyasumi The Wrestler (2008) Dark Souls Recommendations: Brandon: Save your game when playing old games, Derry Girls season 3, Yuyoyuppe’s SICK EP, Utsu-P’s song Ga Dan: Defector, @dhm on twitter, @danmcquade on instagram Tim: Defector Jaffe: Detroiters (esper also recommends this) The Show Collectively: Tetris: From Russia with Love Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
6/19/20231 hour, 22 minutes, 59 seconds
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Ep. 291 - Bye Forever Los Angeles, with Brandon Sheffield and Vincent Diamante

While attempting to promote Demonschool in the City of Angels, Brandon Sheffield joins fellow Insert Credit founder Vincent Diamante to drive a 2022 Mazda MX-5 Miata, pontificate on the elusive nature of California, and shop for video games. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Vincent Diamante. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Chapters: Kicked Out of the Mix (01:02) How Vincent Diamante Plays Treasure Games (09:32) The Secret Place in Little Tokyo (23:48) Car Talk: 6,666 (35:37) Book Off Explorations, pt. 1 - Games (52:44) Book Off Explorations, pt. 2 - Soundtracks (01:02:22) Book Off Explorations, pt. 3 - Books (01:03:57) Book Off Explorations, pt. 4 - A Living Museum (01:06:35) Things Do and Do Not Change (01:12:39) Reflection (01:37:48) Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
6/12/20231 hour, 40 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 290 - Treasure Ranking, with Christa Lee

Your frothing demand for this podcast increases! Console modification expert Christa Lee joins Tim and Brandon to cover the original Konami defecting rock stars, Treasure Co., Ltd. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Christa Lee. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Not Necessarily a Eulogy For Treasure (03:44) 2D Genesis Platformers: Gunstar Heroes, Dynamite Headdy, Alien Soldier, and McDonalds Treasure Land Adventure (29:26) YuYu Hakusho Beat Em Ups: Yū Yū Hakusho: Makyō Tōitsusen, Guardian Heroes, Bleach: the Blade of Fate, and Bleach: Dark Souls (41:41) Neo 2D Middle Era: Mischief Makers, Silhouette Mirage, Tiny Toons Adventures: Buster’s Bad Dream, Astro Boy: Omega Factor, Advance Guardian Heroes, and Gunstar Super Heroes (49:41) Shootin’ Time: Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga, Silpheed: The Lost Planet, and Gradius V (01:08:42) Insert Credit Quick Break: Archaeology Tube (01:33:59) Bangai-O Trilogy: Bangai-O, Bangai-O Spirits, Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury (01:36:07) Punishment Zone: Sin and Punishment, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, and Dragon Drive: D-Masters Shot (01:51:21) The Rest: Light Crusader, Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting!, Wario World, Rakugaki Showtime, Stretch Panic!, Bleach: Versus Crusade, and Gaist Crusher God (02:04:53) Finalizing Rankings (02:25:32) Honorary Treasure Games and Final Treasure Thoughts (02:35:43) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums THE INSERT CREDIT RANKED LIST OF TREASURE GAMES Silhouette Mirage Gunstar Heroes Bangai-O Spirits Sin and Punishment Dynamite Headdy Radiant Silvergun McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure Light Crusader Guardian Heroes Gradius V Bangai-O Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury Sin & Punishment: Star Successor Alien Soldier Stretch Panic Silpheed: The Lost Planet Astro Boy: Omega Factor Yu Yu Hakusho Bleach: Versus Crusade Bleach: The Blade of Fate Bleach: Dark Souls Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster’s Bad Dream Wario World Gunstar Super Heroes Mischief Makers Dragon Drive: D-Masters Shot Advance Guardian Heroes Geist Crusher God Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting Ikaruga Rakugaki Showtime A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Treasure Gaist Crusher God Astro Boy: Omega Factor Kokuga Sega Genesis/Mega Drive Gunstar Heroes GameFan Street Fighter series Fatal Fury Yū Yū Hakusho: Makyō Tōitsusen Radiant Silvergun Bangai-O Rakugaki Showtime Advance Guardian Heroes Sin and Punishment Tiny Toon Adventures: Scary Dreams Konami Contra series Gradius V Tokimeki Memorial games Metal Gear series Gradius Gaiden Taz-Mania McDonald’s Treasure Land Adventure Dynamite Headdy Alien Soldier Light Crusader Castlevania series The Simpsons Bucky O’Hare Axelay Super Nintendo Entertainment System Digital Foundry The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Demon’s Souls Wario World MiSTerAddons.com Silhouette Mirage Panzer Dragoon series Ikaruga Amiga Bubsy series Battletoads series Doom Eternal Ninja Gaiden Ninja Gaiden II Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening - Special Edition YuYu Hakusho Hunter × Hunter Yu Yu Hakusho - Opening 1 | Hohoemi no Bakudan Guardian Heroes Mario Party series Bleach: The Blade of Fate Bleach: Dark Souls Dark Souls Mischief Makers Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom Gunstar Super Heroes Rapid Angel Pandemonium! Klonoa Mega Man 8 Chippoke Ralph no Daibōken: The Adventure of Little Ralph Hermie Hopperhead: Scrap Panic Shinrei Jusatsushi Tarōmaru Shinobi Legions Tomba! series Animal Crossing series Hollow Knight Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series The Ninja Warriors series Final Fight 3 Streets of Rage 3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Steam-Heart’s Sōkyūgurentai Kazuo Ishiguro Ursula K. Le Guin John Romero Pac-Man Silpheed: The Lost Planet Lost Planet series Silpheed series Gungriffon Lunar: Eternal Blue Grandia Starblade Stretch Panic Thunder Force series R-Type Final Elevator Action II Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master Ninja Five-O Ore no Ryōri Suzuki Bakuhatsu Dragon Quest VII Ranger X Missile Command series Cybernator Metal Warriors Rampage Sub-Terrania Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship Bangai-O Spirits Grasshopper Manufacture Gears of War series Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury Final Fantasy XIII Vandal-Hearts II Culdcept series Infinite Undiscovery Space Harrier series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Cabal Shiren the Wanderer series Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner Wild Guns Sin & Punishment: Star Successor Bayonetta Kid Icarus: Uprising Hajime no Ippo: The Fighting! Bleach: Versus Crusade Dragon Drive: D-Masters Shot Crusader of Centy Camelot Landstalker Knuckles’ Chaotix Gun Beat Windjammers Hajime no Ippo Wario Land: Shake It! Sakura Wars Monster Hunter series Yo-kai Watch series Speed Power Gunbike Bleach Bleach - Ichigo’s Theme - Number One League of Legends Dota Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Guilty Gear 2: Overture Gunslinger Stratos Senko no Ronde series Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series VIDEOBALL Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana Frame Gride Tales of Arise Scarlet Nexus Star Ocean: The Last Hope Super Smash Bros. Dino Crisis 2 Destiny Jeff Minter Drakengard Bullet Witch Resident Evil: Dead Aim Gladius Rise of the Argonauts Rygar This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Archaeology Tube, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
6/5/20232 hours, 45 minutes, 8 seconds
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Ep. 289 - Foamstar Runner

Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield cover that big Sony event, art styles for games, and the thrilling return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: How ’bout that Playstation showcase? (05:13) Other than “realistic,” “cel shaded,” and “pixel art,” name some video game art styles. (18:20) Write some of those in-game Elder Scrolls books. (24:44) What would make those in-game Elder Scrolls books worth reading? (27:50) Insert Credit Quick Break - Sully: A Very Serious RPG (29:42) LeFish asks: What is the finding out that Santa isn’t real of video games? (31:26) Tim Rogers asks: HotB, or sofubi? (35:06) What car should be in every video game with cars? (43:02) When do you block, when do you dodge, and when do you parry? (49:26) Is there a system you’ve played every game for? (53:56) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (58:37) Recommendations and Outro (01:09:47) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Elio’s Family Restaurant Elder Scrolls series Playstation 2023 Showcase Bungie announces Marathon, a new sci-fi PvP extraction shooter Marathon Escape from Tarkov Capcom announces Dragon’s Dogma 2 Final Fantasy XVI - Awakening Trailer The Metal Gear Solid 3 remake is officially happening Metal Gear series Silent Hill 2 Panzer Dragoon Saga All our burning Qs about PlayStation’s Project Q Destiny Logitech G Cloud review - no one’s handheld PlayStation VR2 Splatoon series Foamstars is a wild foam party Splatoon-like from Square Enix Jade Raymond’s Haven Studios announces new PVP heist game Here’s a look at promising puzzle sequel The Talos Principle 2 Phantom Blade Zero: release date, trailer, and everything to know Revenant Hill is the latest game from Night in the Woods developer Mario Kart 8 Katamari series New Super Mario Bros. series Homestar Runner Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines Ore no Ryōri Suzuki Bakuhatsu Final Fantasy VII Shadow Madness Lost Odyssey Fast X (2023) Santa Claus Dark Souls Hot-B Co., Ltd. Detonator Orgun Pokémon games Legend of Zelda series Shigeru Miyamoto Cyberpunk 2077 Elden Ring Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Castlevania Composer Michiru Yamane Goes On Rant Backing Trump King of Fighters series Saudi Arabia now owns 96% of SNK Hideki Naganuma Bad Santa (2003) *Fatman* (2020) Violent Night (2022) Detective Crashmore (2021) Detroiters Honda Prelude Subaru WRX Sega Rally series Kamata Fiera Ridge Racer series Burnout series Scribblenauts series Toyota Corolla Toyota Camry Toyota GR Corolla Toyota Prius Chevrolet Spark Chevrolet Volt God Hand Street Fighter series Bloodborne Guilty Gear series Time Crisis series Cool Boarders Gamate GameKing Mega Duck PC Engine SuperGrafx 32X Neo Geo Pocket Color Atari 7800 Atari Jaguar Super A’Can 3DO CD-i MobyGames Herman Melville King James Bible For Use On Game Boy King James VI and I Ving Rhames King James Bible For Use On Game Boy screenshots Buck Bumble Mister Mosquito Bayonetta Bullet Witch E-102 Gamma Robo Baby Mature Recommendations: Brandon: Fight Back to School (1991), PinkPantheress Tim: Hang out in the discord.gg/actionbutton Goblin Bunker, abandon all social media Frank: Hear Tim out This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Sully: A Very Serious RPG, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
5/29/20231 hour, 18 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 288 - El Podcast Regular

The panel you know and love reconvenes to weigh in on Overwatch 2, the GameCube handle, and Minter’s thing. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What does it mean to beat a video game? (05:04) In the “games as service” era, when do you update a game, and when do you make a sequel? (11:20) What’s the best non-game feature a gaming console has ever had? (18:32) What kinds of things aren’t video games licensing that they should? (28:21) Insert Credit Quick Break: Egglien (33:12) From ShlooterMcGavin: What would an eSports Utility Vehicle be like? (34:40) When have game developers best anticipated player behavior? (44:21) What games have successfully ripped off older games without anyone really noticing? (49:17) What is the Who Shot Mr. Burns? of video games? (54:03) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As: Tears of the Kingdom (01:01:00) Recommendations and Outro (01:06:09) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Hexyz Force Tubi 2B Ryo Hazuki Cooking Mama Pluto TV AMC+ Arthur Morgan Interview with the Vampire Kanopy Leon Kennedy Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Final Fantasy XV Overwatch series Overwatch 2’s director explains why its big PvE mode was canceled RuneScape Final Fantasy XIV Online Final Fantasy XI Online Forza Motorsport series Gran Turismo series Crazyracing Kartrider Mario Kart Tour PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 Lair Nintendo 3DS StreetPass Mii Plaza games PictoChat Wii Dreamcast Xbox One GameCube Casio Loopy Nintendo DS Neo Geo Pocket PlayStation Portable Talkman Matthew Lesko Toro Inoue Animal Crossing series Horizon II: Forbidden West Project Siren Marvel Spider-Man Atari Jaguar Virtual Light Machine Xbox 360 Jeff Minter Cliff Bleszinski Creative Business Unit III The Witcher series Pepsiman ROG Gaming Routers Alienware Mac Pro Kris Graft Gunnar Optiks Gamers Nexus StarCraft F.E.A.R. series The Simpsons: Hit & Run Deus Ex BioShock Crazy Taxi series Nissan GT-R Hyper Gunsport Ico Dog Patch Jurassic Park (1993) Friends Nope (2022) Another World Ecco the Dolphin Critter Crunch Magical Drop Money Puzzle Exchanger AstroPop Deluxe Zuma Who Shot Mr. Burns? Angry Birds Scorched Earth Who shot J.R.? I Love Bees Mortal Kombat II NBA Jam The Tower of Druaga The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Spelunky Fez Recommendations: Frank: Unofficial Rent-A-Hero No.1 Translation, use actual games saves and not save states if you’re using the Redream emulator, the Xbox Elite Controller Tim: the Xbox Elite Controller, the Analogue Duo Brandon: talk to your relatives about trans rights issues This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Egglien, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
5/22/20231 hour, 18 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 287 - Rated L, with Kat Bailey

IGN news director and Axe of the Blood God creator Kat Bailey joins the panel to discuss Metacritic scores, ranked polls, and what the ESRB actually does all day. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Kat Bailey. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Frank Cifaldi asks: What are the best British games? (05:11) Why doesn’t a Sight & Sound-style poll work for video games? (12:22) How does IGN review games? (25:33) If ESRB ratings were literal, which games would actually be for everyone, for teens, and mature? (29:43) Insert Credit Ad Break - Sully: A Very Serious RPG (36:45) Azurelore Korrigan asks: What medium is best for adapting to video games? (38:29) What’s something you wished video games would do, they eventually did, and now you’ve had enough? (45:14) What counts as video game news? (50:12) Did everyone here always know what IGN stands for? (58:09) LIGHTNING ROUND: From Yeso - Oblique Game Designs (59:24) Recommendations and Outro (01:06:54) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Final Fantasy VII: Remake Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Final Fantasy XV Final Fantasy V Sonic R Plok July 4th Best British Games Spectacular, with Bennett Foddy and Mathew Kumar Cannon Fodder Batman Ste and John Pickford Solar Jetman: Hunt for the Golden Warpship Equinox Tim Follin The Bitmap Brothers The Chaos Engine series Judge Dredd Alien³ OutRun series Snake Rattle N Roll Battletoads Bubsy series Slippy Toad Star Fox Croc: Legend of the Gobbos Donkey Kong Country Star Fox Adventures Slalom Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods Cobra Triangle R.C. Pro-Am Sensible Soccer series Football Manager series Dog’s Life Red Dog: Superior Firepower Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) The Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time 2022 100 best video games, ranked by experts Ernest Borgnine Laser Mission (1989) From Here to Eternity (1953) Seven of Nine Wild Arms series The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time StarCraft The Last of Us Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings Super Mario Bros. Pac-Man Final Fantasy VI Tetris Sonic the Hedgehog games Academy Awards Goichi Suda NetHack Dwarf Fortress Factorio IGN Eurogamer Edge Metacritic Hyper Gunsport Deadly Premonition ESRB Ratings Call of Duty series Wii Sports Diablo II Mad Planets California Extreme Skies of Arcadia Koudelka Flappy Bird Candy Crush Saga Grand Theft Auto series Mortal Kombat games MSCHF’s Tax Heaven 3000 Star Wars: Jedi - Survivor Disco Elysium David Cage VIDEOBALL Baroque Neon White 2K Sports Jake From State Farm Is A Character In NBA 2K22’s City God of War Marko’s Magic Football Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City Fire Pro Wrestling series Dear Boys Captain Tsubasa licensees Football Drama Dragon Quest series Carcassone Baldur’s Gate Forgotten Realms Pathfinder licensees Cyberpunk 2077 Disney’s DuckTales Battlefield series Legend of the Red Dragon series Final Fantasy XIV Online Ultima Online EverQuest World of WarCraft Kingdoms of Amalur series The Lord of the Rings Online series Star Wars: The Old Republic The Matrix Online Destiny Phantasy Star Online Monster Hunter series GameDeveloper.com Thegia Recommendations: Brandon: Continue to listen to this if we keep doing it, I Am a Hero (2015) Kat: Episode 400 of Axe of the Blood God with Felipe Pepe Frank: Episode 34 of Video Game History Hour with Felipe Pepe This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Sully: A Very Serious RPG, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
5/15/20231 hour, 10 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 286 - Musouls, with Blessing Adeoye Jr.

Kinda Funny Games host and producer Blessing Adeoye Jr. joins the panel to cover review scores for video games, Frank’s answer for good adventure game design, and the Capcom Five. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Blessing Adeoye Jr. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What do people expect from a review of a new game? (06:29) Who have been the best level designers since Doom? (17:23) How can a difficult video game puzzle keep players from losing patience and resolve to solve it? (25:06) Let’s all record some all purpose video game sample dialogue. (33:13) Insert Credit Ad Break: 100 Gold (37:36) Lloyd Irving asks: Rank the Capcom Five (38:50) Koei Tecmo wants you to scout the right IP for their next Musou game. Who do you approach? (46:46) LIGHTNING ROUND: Reccing Crew - Star Wars characters (54:42) Recommendations and Outro (01:07:06) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Chun-Li The Pest (1997) K’ Terry Bogard Garou: Mark of the Wolves Asuka 120% series Blue Mary Ramlethal Valentine Eddy Gordo Scorpion Takeda Takahashi Fight Night Round 3 PS5 controller could track your sweat and heart rate The Last of Us: Part I Redfall Star Wars: Jedi - Survivor Dead Rising Cyberpunk 2077 Pokémon Scarlet Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Fallout: New Vegas GamePro Magazine Super Mario series Doom Gears of War series The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Dishonored Prey Deathloop Hitman series Hirokazu Yasuhara Sonic the Hedgehog series Uncharted series Sonic R Jak X: Combat Racing Ghostwire: Tokyo Silent Hill series Resident Evil series Nintendo patents in-game hint system Digital Pictures Until Dawn The Quarry Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order Horizon II: Forbidden West - Burning Shores Call of Duty series Audio Atrocities Vincent Price Bloody Wolf Capcom Five P.N.03 Viewtiful Joe Dead Phoenix Resident Evil 4 Killer7 The Silver Case Flower Sun and Rain Shenmue series Huge Earthbound Fan Excited to Play It for First Time Gundam God Hand Ace Attorney / Gyakuten Saiban series Koei’s Warriors / Musō series Hyrule Warriors Funko Pop Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below Berserk and the Band of the Hawk Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc: Seimasenki no Sho Super Smash Brothers series Fortnite: Battle Royale Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Bloodborne Nioh Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Ninja Gaiden series Kingdom Hearts series Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT Mortal Kombat series Warriors All-Stars Earth Defense Force series Recommendations: Blessing: Check out The Blessing Show on Kinda Funny Games and the Phil Spencer interview from Kinda Funny Brandon: Demonschool public demo, Koudelka Tim: Play the Shadow Hearts series and Sōkaigi if you want to play a couple other weirder lesser talked about or looked at video games that are all somewhat related to Koudelka, have a unionized workplace if you have the option This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by 100 Gold and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
5/8/20231 hour, 14 minutes, 3 seconds
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Ep. 285 - Daria of Sorrow

The panel returns to classic formation to cover UX design, Microsoft acquisition developments, gross Yoshis, and sellouts within sellouts. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: From Simone de Rochefort: What else should Microsoft acquire and make exclusive? (03:33) What is The Day The Clown Cried of video games? (10:19) What makes a New Game+ feature the most enticing? (11:41) What are common terms game designers use that game players don’t? (17:10) How can User Interface inform the themes and story of a video game? (24:52) Let’s criticize some things we want to bring attention to. (31:13) Insert Credit Ad Break: Midautumn and Games and Feelings (37:04) JackOakleaf asks: How long should a cutscene be? (39:55) Which video game protagonist’s job would you want to do the least? (48:02) What is The Day The Clown Cried of video games? (54:19) LIGHTNING ROUND: Famicom Feud - Video Game Playboy Appearances (01:02:47) Recommendations and Outro (01:19:47) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Legend of Zelda series Vanillaware Ltd. Dragon’s Crown Horizon series Halo series Destiny series Britain blocks Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard NieR George Washington Daria Harmy’s Despecialized Edition Call of Duty series Final Fantasy series Street Fighter series The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) The Day the Clown Cried Blue Dragon Sega is officially buying Angry Birds developer Rovio for $775 million OutRun series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series God of War series Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Kirby games Dizzy series Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island Super Mario World Uncharted series Video Game History Foundation Kelsey Lewin User experience design Static mesh Patrick Miller Demonschool Persona 5 Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction Batman Begins (2005) Shigeru Miyamoto The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) Miyamoto Says Negative Reviews Of Mario Movie Helped It Grow Nintendogs series Gears of War series Half-Life 2 Dolphin Emulator Asus ROG Ally hands-on: Windows but tiny Midautumn Games and Feelings Hideo Kojima Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu Ninja Gaiden Xenogears / Xenosaga universe Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons series Cooking Mama series L.A. Noire Mappy Super Mario Bros (1993) Bonk series Ridge Racer series Gran Turismo series Twisted Metal series ‘Twisted Metal’ Series Gets Peacock Premiere Date, Teaser The Last Starfighter (1984) David Harbour Stranger Things Project Milo Tommy Tallarico ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 (the hbomberguy video about Tommy Tallarico) Earthworm Jim series Recommendations: Brandon: Plug things on different CRT inputs into different power strips to reduce interference, Bullet Train (2022), Shudder TV if you’re Frank, Joe Bob Briggs Frank: please do not actually mark Video Game History Foundation donations as “for Playboys” This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Midautumn, Games and Feelings, and patrons like you. Thank you. Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
5/1/20231 hour, 26 minutes, 48 seconds
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Ep. 284 - Let Me Be Frank, with Simone de Rochefort

What starts as a lively episode with Polygon editor and podcaster Simone de Rochefort becomes something far more interesting when one panelist’s audio goes missing. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Simone de Rochefort. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: From Frank Cifaldi: What is the Criterion Channel of video games? (10:48) Sega just bought Rovio. Why? (25:29) Simone, please convince the panel board games are good. (32:26) What’s the deal with those TikTok videos that all have Minecraft or Subway Surfer footage playing at the bottom? (38:48) Improv Zone - Video Game Pawn Shop (42:20) Zara asks: Have you ever recognized something deeply personal from your real life inside of a video game? (48:29) From Ash Parrish: Who is the American Mario? (55:24) LIGHTNING ROUND: VIOLENCE ISLAND (01:02:24) Recommendations and Outro (01:25:26) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Elden Ring The Sun Also Rises Charles Leclerc Max Verstappen decimate The Criterion Channel The Criterion Collection Mega Man: Legacy Collection Tubi Letterboxd Rocket Legend of Zelda series DF Retro Shadow of the Colossus GameTap GameFly Yoshio Sakamoto Esper Boukentai Super Metroid Hollow Knight Koji Igarashi Sega is officially buying Angry Birds developer Rovio for $775 million Angry Birds Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Persona series Sonic the Hedgehog games Bonk series Square Enix launches its first NFT project “It’s not Hitman without IO”: Why Square Enix set the franchise free Small Town Murders Sugar Blast Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball Proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft Puzzle & Dragons Forbidden City Sleep No More Among Us Ticket to Ride Minecraft Subway Surfers Fontanelle Contra series Gordon Freeman Dragon Quest series Shining Force series Battle Chess Coquí Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite (1999) The Bear Diego E. Garcia Casual Birder Sons of the Forest Oh, Deer! Bubsy series Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel Wild Woody Sifu Kao the Kangaroo games Ty the Tasmanian Tiger Vanquish Ezio Auditore da Firenze Grand Theft Auto series Ray Liotta Kratos Diana, Princess of Wales Depeche Mode - New Dress Quiet Shigeru Miyamoto Toad No One Can Stop Mr. Domino Wild Woody Dynamite Headdy Miles “Tails” Prower Penitent One Satan Recommendations: Brandon: Echo Image, Spirit Posession, make more things like game stores and video stores so people can be paid to get baseline experience in a field they care about Simone: Murder, She Wrote Tim: Decision to Leave (2022), The Little Drummer Girl, Interview with the Vampire Brought to you by Midautumn on Steam and patrons like you Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
4/26/20231 hour, 36 minutes, 26 seconds
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Ep. 283 - Oops! All Necrosoft, with Lotte May, Son M., and Jenna Stoeber

Necrosoft founder Brandon Sheffield sits with Necrosoft programmer Lotte May, Necrosoft producer Son M., and Necrosoft marketing director Jenna Stoeber to mostly talk about romancing Merlin. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Lotte May, Son M., and Jenna Stoeber. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What kinds of games should we be making with text? (03:05) What are the best untapped genre mashups in video games? (05:12) What are some under represented vehicles we should be using in games? (09:50) Design a new fantasy sports game. (12:20) What makes relationship systems in games compelling, and how can we make them even more compelling? (16:44) Alex Jaffe asks: If Necrosoft stuck to its original vision of being a game studio that only hires dead people, who would be on the payroll? (23:05) As of April 2023, how can content creators best present their work? (27:32) How will today’s youth silo themselves in the future? (33:31) What’s a question you’ve accidentally built your whole life around answering? (35:52) What part of your job would you be totally fine with AI taking away from you? (41:15) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Game Companies (43:20) Recommendations and Outro (48:01) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Necrosoft Games Xena Ace Attorney series Dwarf Fortress The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Merlin Game Dev Story Hi-Fi Rush Metal: Hellsinger Dead Space series Wii Vitality Sensor Hovercraft Sea of Thieves Super Monkey Ball series Hyper Gunsport Blitzball Final Fantasy X-2 Opening / Real Emotion Carly Rae Jepsen - E·MO·TION The Sandman Scribblenauts series Love Shore Dragon Age series Kiss Him, Not Me Albert Einstein Jane Austen Louis XIV James Dean I promise, this video is only 9 minutes long Fortnite: Battle Royale Minecraft World of WarCraft Final Fantasy XIV Online Rutger Hauer Isekai Death Report William Gibson Blade Runner (1982) The Green Knight (2021) David Bowie The Hunger (1983) Recommendations: Brandon: Don’t forget to check if something is available new if you buy it Lotte: Necrosoft Games, Watch an episode of the original Gundam series with your friend every week Son: Necrosoft Games, Perfect Garbage Studios, wishlist Love Shore Jenna: twitch.tv/the_jenna, video essay youtube channel, patreon, fuck the algorithm Support on Patreon Contact us at show@insertcredit.com about advertising on Insert Credit Show Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
4/17/202354 minutes, 32 seconds
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Ep. 282 - Bye Forever GDC 2023, with Brandon Sheffield, Liz Ryerson, and Ty Underwood

Insert Credit reports directly from GDC 2023. Brandon Sheffield relives past GDC memories with new and familiar faces, while Liz Ryerson and Ty Underwood dive into the dark underbelly of Web3 Cryptopits and explore the show floor. Segments: Brandon picks up his badge (00:00) Liz and Ty wait in line (02:33) Brandon interviews Greg Miller about GDC memories (08:10) Ty and Liz interview Evan Balster and Tammy Duplantis about why GDC is bad this year, lines, and lunch (14:46) Brandon hangs out with Ash Parrish in a bar watching baseball (19:13) Liz and Ty cover Web3 and the Trauma Trough with Emily Rose (23:43) Brandon and Vincent Diamante cover planes in hurricanes, cranky old men, and meeting IRC friends (28:28) Liz updates after emceeing the main stage (35:00) Liz and Ty walk the expo hall and talk to Issac Io Schankler (37:30) Brandon talks GDC memories in a bar with Kat Bailey, Wesley Fenlon, Jeremy Parish, and JJSignal (45:07) Liz recovers after a difficult day (54:25) Brandon shares his reason for coming to GDC (and DICE) and shares shoe repair tricks (56:26) Liz tests positive for covid (01:03:50) Ty reports for the Experimental Game Workshop and asks the hard questions (01:05:52) Brandon settles on an Italian restaurant with Frank Cifaldi, Chris Charla, and Kelsey Lewin and share stories (01:10:09) Brandon and Jenn Sandercock have a serendipitous meeting (01:29:02) Ty scours Yerba Buena to get final thoughts on the conference (01:30:09) Brandon gets Jim Stormdancer’s GDC memories (01:32:28) Brandon and Ash Parrish discuss preconceptions, Kirby, Iran, and the giving nature of people at GDC (01:35:25) Ty unwinds with Eva Khoury to get the vibe of the show (01:51:22) Brandon runs into Mimsy and talks parties and Oakland (01:52:04) Ty shares their final thoughts on GDC 2023 (01:55:11) Brandon wraps up the show (01:55:50) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
4/10/20231 hour, 58 minutes, 3 seconds
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Ep. 281 - Flawful Loss, with Casey Explosion

Twitch streamer Casey Explosion joins the panel to talk Resident Evil 4 Remake, Ash Ketchum, and region locked soda machines. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Casey Explosion. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Vincent Diamante asks: What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done to obtain a video game? (03:08) Has the Steam Deck lived up to everything we thought it might be? (11:17) How do you pick what to play next? (17:49) How would you end Ash Ketchum’s story? (25:17) Scoregem asks: What games have a button that lets you roleplay? (30:57) Are there any games that do what BioShock can’t? (38:37) What is the least evil big video game company? (45:22) How’s that Resident Evil 4 remake? (51:30) LIGHTNING ROUND: Fursona Royal (55:49) Recommendations and Outro (01:07:18) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Resident Evil series Acclaim Games Midway Games Mortal Kombat series 100 Bullets “Baby Cries” Sketch PlayStation 3 SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Ridge Racer 7 Steam Deck Persona series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series GPD Win 2 Pandora Slay the Spire Horizon: Zero Dawn Uncharted series Days Gone Assassin’s Creed series MiSTer Valis series Amiga MSX The Walking Dead The Last of Us Asterix and Obelix licensees E3 Has Been Canceled Summer Game Fest Pokémon fans say goodbye to show’s Ash Ketchum Detective Pikachu (2019) The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa A Boy and His Blob Dog’s Life The Video Game Soda Machine Project Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Luigi’s Mansion David Cage Dusk SnowRunner Dredge BioShock Cyberpunk 2077 Papers, Please Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Adios Doc Saudi Arabia Is Now Nintendo’s Largest Outside Investor Nintendo will close the Wii U and 3DS eShops on March 27th, 2023 An interesting link for 3DS owners Microsoft earns contract worth up to $21.9 billion to make AR devices for the US Army Unity signs “multi-million dollar” contract to help U.S. government with defense Crunch once again in the spotlight after damning report on The Last of Us 2 developer Naughty Dog Splatoon series Katamari Damacy Keiji Inafune God Hand Recommendations: Frank: Tune in to a future episode of Insert Credit Show if you’d like to hear discussion about the Criterion Channel of Video Games. Casey: twitch.tv/CaseyExplosion, Casey Explosion Steam Curator page Brandon: See if your ceiling fan can go backward for better air distribution, Frankie Rose, Mammoth Volume, Ritsuko Kurosawa Tim: Fuga: Melodies of Steel Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
4/3/20231 hour, 16 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 280 - Zimulation, with Vincent Diamante and ThorHighHeels

Composers Vincent Diamante and ThorHighHeels join Tim in covering modern video game news sources, mysterious games, and excellent yacht names. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Vincent Diamante, and ThorHighHeels. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Here and now in 2023, how do you get video game news? (08:59) What qualifies a game as mysterious? (14:39) Tell me about a project that you really believed in at one point, but couldn’t find a way to make it come together. (18:46) What subject could you give an unprepared GDC talk on? (28:29) From Kyle: What’s the newest game genre, excluding overt combinations of established genres? (36:36) Are YouTube audiences more interested in hearing about bad video games than good ones? (48:26) Why do you think people like what you do? (54:17) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pull Quotes (59:32) Recommendations and Outro (01:09:39) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The Witcher series S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Assassin’s Creed series Phonopath Elden Ring Christa Lee Shadow the Hedgehog Cyberpunk 2077 Starfield Germs: Nerawareta Machi Bullet Witch NieR Sonic Adventure 2 Blender Unity ProBuilder Flower Sun and Rain Final Fantasy XV Undertale Celeste Yoshi Bongos Banjo-Kazooie Grant Kirkhope Vampire Survivors Animal Crossing series Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons series Boku no Natsuyasumi series MySims Love-de-Lic Captain★Rainbow Chulip L.O.L.: Lack of Love Moon: Remix RPG Adventure Giftpia Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order Disaster Report series Kyoei Toshi Resident Evil series Flower Demon’s Souls Evony Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Jack Reacher Left 4 Dead Gears of War series Bubblegum Crisis Umurangi Generation Recommendations: Vincent: Baseball, Chair Simulator Thor: Boot up a Zed X Tim: The city of Detroit Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
3/27/20231 hour, 24 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 279 - Cauliflower If It Makes Sense, with Jeff Gerstmann

Video game journalist Jeff Gerstmann sits down at the Insert Credit table to cover video game history, AI, and the return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Jeff Gerstmann. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Have any of you seen the news lately? (09:58) Let’s examine the evolution of the endless runner. (21:53) Wrestling games. Glorified character creators, or is there something there gameplay-wise? (28:22) Definitively rank tank, healer, and DPS from best to worst. (35:52) Kyle asks: Form a musical super group composed of video game characters. (43:38) Are AI programs like ChatGPT good for video games? (50:44) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (01:03:50) Recommendations and Outro (01:23:49) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series GDC James Austin Johnson The Jeff Gerstmann Show Service Discontinuation: Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS EU’s Microsoft-Activision Deadline Delay Puts UK in Driving Seat Detroit: Become Human Final Fantasy Creator On Why He Thinks ‘Quality’ Japanese Games Saw A Brief Drop Square Enix’s NFT game has a new trailer Commodore 1571 https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/03/why-game-archivists-are-dreading-this-months-3ds-wii-u-eshop-shutdown/ Canabalt TikTok is helping games about high heels and long nails go viral Jetpack Joyride Jetpack Joyride 2 Idle Slayer Holedown Tunic Pepsiman WWE All Stars Style Savvy / Style Boutique / Girls Mode series Tomodachi Life Kingdom Something or Other 3 Hyper Gunsport Super Smash Brothers series Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Series NBA 2K series SaltyBet Fire Pro Wrestling series A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn EverQuest World of WarCraft A Healer Only Lives Twice Final Fantasy series Squall Leonhart Duke Nukem PaRappa the Rapper Linkin Park Noctis Lucis Caelum Shatterhand I-No Lord Raptor Chaos Jack Garland Locke Cole Sabin Rene Figaro Cloud Strife Tifa Lockhart Aerith Gainsborough Zell Dincht Wakka Gladiolus Amicitia Barret Wallace ChatGPT Fallout 76 Goat Simulator Noam Chomsky: The False Promise of ChatGPT Dizzy Billy Hatcher Machamp Goro Quiet The Quiet Man Mario Link Recommendations: Brandon: the plot of Kung Fu Traveler (2017) Jeff: Go listen to the Snoop Dogg Call of Duty: Vanguard voicelines Frank: Chicory: A Colorful Tale Tim: Croupier (1998) Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
3/20/20231 hour, 32 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 278 - Nintendo 3DSpectacular, with Mathew Kumar

Insert Credit Scottish Correspondent Mathew Kumar sits with the panel just before the March 27, 2023 closing of the Nintendo 3DS eShop to cover the console’s legacy, hardware innovations, and games worth playing. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Mathew Kumar. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Segments: How was the 3DS hardware used? (08:37) What 3DS games need to be brought to another console? (25:04) 3DS Recommendations (38:25) LIGHTNING ROUND: Ranking the 3DS Recommendations (01:17:55) THE INSERT CREDIT RANKED RECOMMENDATION LIST FOR NINTENDO 3DS: Attack of the Friday Monsters! Shin Megami Tensei IV The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars Gotta Protectors Kokuga Sega 3D Classics Collection Super Mario 3D Land Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Etrian Odyssey IV Etrian Odyssey Nexus Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball Persona Q (Series) Culdcept Revolt Picross Pocket Card Jockey Ridge Racer 3D Recommendations and Outro (01:29:42) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Nintendo 3DS The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D Satoru Iwata Reggie Fils-Aimé Sega 3D Classics Collection Picross 3D Avatar: The Way of Water (2023) Nintendo 2DS Animal Crossing: New Leaf Steel Diver Super Mario 3D World R4 cartridge Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age Kyary Pamyu Pamyu Dillon’s Dead-Heat Breakers Kokuga Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies Etrian Odyssey series Shin Megami Tensei IV Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir Nintendo Badge Arcade Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball Miitomo Pikmin Bloom Metroid series Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux Annihilation Wizardry games Grateful Dead Black Sabbath Attack of the Friday Monsters! Liberation Maiden The Starship Damrey Bugs vs Tanks! Crimson Shroud Weapon Shop de Omasse Liberation Maiden Guild01 Aero Porter Boku no Natsuyasumi Soul of Darkness Super Mario 3D Land Super Mario Bros. 3 The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Landstalker Gotta Protectors Gotta Protectors: Cart of Darkness Monster Hunter series Left 4 Dead Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor - Overclocked Demonschool now wishlistable on Steam Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 - Record Breaker Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars X-COM series Splinter Cell series Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Fire Emblem: Awakening Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Ridge Racer 3D Pocket Card Jockey Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance Karous: The Beast of Re:Eden Fragrant Story Mega Man: Legacy Collection Automaton Lung Harold’s Walk Waku Waku Sweets: Happy Sweets Making G.G Series Assault Buster Dementium: Remastered The Legend of Dark Witch series Parascientific Escape series Punch Club Culdcept Revolt Dragon Quest Wars Tokyo Crash Mobs Pushmo series Fairune series Culdcept series Kid Icarus: Uprising The Denpa Men series Fantasy Life Pilotwings Resort Crash City Mayhem Recommendations: Tim: Buy a ticket at GirlGodLive.com Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
3/13/20231 hour, 31 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 277 - The Hitness, with MoxBagel

Guest host and frequent dirtbag Colin AKA MoxBagel keeps the panel in order as they discuss the definition of “visual novel,” fighting games, and, finally, Fortnite. Questions this week: What is your “The Last Starfighter” game? (05:20) How would you redesign pinball to be more of a 30 minute experience than a five minute experience?(11:25) What fighting game has the most creative single player campaign?(18:57) If Capcom made a Mega Man Legends every year since 1997, what would it be like now? (24:43) What game would have flourished with the amount of post-release support that No Man’s Sky has? (32:26) What is your favorite novel gameplay mechanic or moment in an otherwise unremarkable game? (40:23) What is the best video game to play in fifteen minute sessions? (47:17) LIGHTNING ROUND: World of Lords (54:22) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: INSERT CREDIT EPISODE 276 ULTIMATE PAIN DICEGAME UCHIHA BONE ROLLER MIX, a free noise album by dicegame uchiha based on Episode 276 of Insert Credit Show Colin AKA MoxBagel √Letter The Cat in the Hat Understanding Comics Hotel Dusk: Room 215 Ace Attorney series Tokimeki Memorial Memories Off The Last Starfighter (1984) Space Jam (1996) Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan Asuka 120% Final: BURNING Fest. Puyo Puyo~n Mother Alien Pinball Kyuutenkai: Fantastic Pinball Devil’s Crush Alien Crush Yoku’s Island Express Pinball Quest Super Mario series Pachio-kun series Flipnic: Ultimate Pinball Pac-Man Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball Kirby’s Pinball Land Metroid Prime Pinball Mario Pinball Land Ys: Book I & II Tobal series Batman Forever Guilty Gear Isuka Guilty Gear series Revengers of Vengeance Final Lap Twin Super Tennis Tekken 3 Soul Blade King of Fighters series American Dream Mega Man Legends EA FIFA series Monster Hunter Fortnite: Battle Royale Kingdom Hearts series Lost Planet series Bryan Cranston Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Zordon Invader Zim No Man’s Sky Cyberpunk 2077 There Is No Saving Cyberpunk 2077 Kyōryū Sentai Zyuranger VR Troopers Big Bad Beetleborgs Masked Rider Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Ultima Online Phantasy Star Online Skies of Arcadia Phantasy Star IV Ice Trek The Witness Mambo No. 5 Harvestella BioShock Final Fantasy XV The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Final Fantasy VII Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Space Harrier Shenmue Half-Minute Hero Destiny series Uncharted series Loop Hero Densha de Go!! Hashirō Yamanote-sen Recommendations: Frank: Metroid Prime: Remastered, the DigitalFoundry video on Metroid Prime Remastered Brandon: When buying coconut milk and other coconut products, watch out for companies that use monkey slaves. Go to Digikey.com for purchases of electrostatic bags. Stick the stems of limp vegetables in water to refresh them. Colin: The Taste of Tea (2004) Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
3/6/20231 hour, 11 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep. 276 - Bye Forever DICE 2023

Brandon Sheffield and Frank Cifaldi report from Las Vegas, where they supposedly attended the 2023 DICE Summit, but mostly ran into used game stores and friends of Insert Credit. Featuring Alex Jaffe, Brandon Sheffield, Frank Cifaldi, Chris Kohler, Ally McLean, Mathew Kumar, and Kris Graft. SEGMENTS Retro City Games shopping with Chris Kohler (00:51) Retro City Games shopping with Ally McLean (10:48) Driving with Chris Kohler, Ally McLean and Frank Cifaldi from Retro City Games to another used game store (16:09) Brandon discusses the plot of The $cheme (2003) with Ally McLean (25:18) Getting lost in the car after Retro City Games #2 (27:08) A miserable situation involving accoustic covers of popular music (38:15) In the Circus Circus hotel room (39:17) Walking through Circus Circus (42:15) 6 AM stories with Kris Graft (44:00) Post-show thoughts from Brandon and Frank (58:56) Discuss this episode in the forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: D.I.C.E. Summit Retro City Games Chris Kohler King’s Quest series How To Draw Gex & The Gang Space Quest: Chapter I - The Sarien Encounter Leisure Suit Larry series Phantasmagoria series The 7th Guest Jet Force Gemini Demon Destroyer Gunn DOOM Decent Heretic Arkanoid: Revenge of DOH Taito Retronauts Episode 498: Taito Part III Hard Nova Mummy: Tomb of the Pharaoh Techno Cop The Hunt for Red October Phaser Patrol Starpath Supercharger Bubble Bobble World 1-1 Games Jetpac Blackthorne The Amazing Spider-Man World Series Baseball starring Deion Sanders Knuckles’ Chaotix The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire Magic Knight Rayearth Radiant Silvergun Hyper Duel Dungeons & Dragons Collection Rise of the Dragon Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective Ultraverse Prime / Microcosm The Firm (1993) A Fish Called Wanda (1988) The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Addams Family Values (1993) Coneheads (1993) Dances with Wolves (1988) Brutal Sports Football Shenmue Ally McLean The Cheetah Girls The Cheetah Girls (2003) Style Savvy series Mary-Kate and Ashley licensees Mary-Kate and Ashley: Magical Mystery Mall Space Channel 5 Street Fighter: The Movie Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) Welcome II the Terrordome (1995) Quantum Link Habitat CheetahMen II The $cheme (2003) Lords of Thunder Promotional VHS Tape for the Turbo Duo Tony Hawk Fry’s Electronics Dragon Half Major Craft Brewer Lagunitas Sold to Heineken Queen - Don’t Stop Me Now Circus Circus Hotel & Casino Mathew Kumar Kris Graft Tanjiro from Demon Slayer played Hyper Gunsport Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hyper Gunsport A Christmas Story (1983) Glitter (2001) Fighters Megamix Crazy Taxi Wolfman Jack Sonic Adventure Crush 40 Ash Parrish Sports Talk Baseball Petroglyph Games Wicked Monsters: BLAST! Barnyard Blast: Swine of the Night Mega Man: Legacy Collection SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Shantae series Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jerry Rice & Nitus’ Dog Football Game Developers Conference Video Game History Foundation The Strong National Museum of Play Road Rash series The B-52’s - Love Shack Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
2/27/20231 hour, 26 minutes, 27 seconds
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Ep. 275 - Even More Games of the Year 2022

A single episode could never hope to contain all the video games of 2022 played by Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Get comfortable and sit down for a hang out with some of the rest of last year’s best. Hosted by Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Games Discussed: Square-Enix HD-2D Games (Live A Live, Triangle Strategy, Bravely Default II, Diofield Chronicles) (07:42) Valkyrie Elysium (26:40) Star Ocean: Divine Force (30:52) Voice of Cards (42:45) Babylon’s Fall (46:22) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (54:35) Gran Turismo 7 (58:07) Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation - The Endless Seven-Day Journey (59:20) Sifu (01:05:12) Rollerdrome (01:10:05) Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator (01:11:16) NORCO (01:12:24) Chained Echoes (01:13:38) Cult of the Lamb (01:18:25) The Quarry (01:18:42) PowerWash Simulator (01:19:07) Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion (01:21:19) NeverAwake (01:25:45) Final Vendetta (01:26:39) Weird West (01:27:30) Evil West (01:29:59) Horizon II: Forbidden West (01:33:18) A Plague Tale: Requiem (01:41:16) The Callisto Protocol (01:45:21) Gungrave: G.O.R.E (01:50:45) Splatoon 3 (01:54:38) Pokemon Scarlet & Violet (01:58:18) Pokemon Legends: Arceus (02:00:51) Judgment (02:02:42) A Few More From Brandon (02:03:51) 2023 Predictions (02:11:05) Recommendations and Outro (02:14:34) Visit the forums to discuss this episode A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Final Fantasy series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series New York Knicks He Got Game (1998) Live A Live Dragon Quest series Chrono Trigger Sony Alpha a7S III Mirrorless Digital Camera Triangle Strategy Bravely Default II Grandia series Octopath Traveler series Shovel Knight Suikoden series Suikoden 1 and 2 remasters coming next year Falcom Classics Tokimeki Memorial games Snatcher games Tail of the Sun Aquanaut’s Holiday Kaze no NOTAM The DioField Chronicle Valkyrie series Star Ocean: The Divine Force Valkyrie Elysium Mana series Secret of Evermore Romancing SaGa Project Sylpheed: Arc of Deception Ys series Legend of Heroes series Dark City (1998) Star Trek Blue Dragon Lost Odyssey Resonance of Fate Scarlet Nexus Xenoblade series Voice of Cards series Dungeon Encounters Babylon’s Fall Phantasy Star Online Monster Hunter series Destiny series Madden series League of Legends World of WarCraft series Warhammer 40,000: Darktide Warhammer: Vermintide II Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge The Ninja Warriors Gran Turismo 7 Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation - The Endless Seven-Day Journey Boku no Natsuyasumi series Attack of the Friday Monsters! The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) Sifu Bloodsport (1988) The Magnificent Butcher (1979) Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) Rollerdrome Sable Jean Giraud Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator NORCO Tunic Legend of Zelda series Chained Echoes Cult of the Lamb The Quarry Until Dawn PowerWash Simulator House Flipper Goat Simulator Euro Truck Simulator series Spintires Unpacking Super Mario Sunshine Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - Reunion Kingdom Hearts series Diablo series Soma Bringer NeverAwake Final Vendetta Weird West Evil West DOOM Eternal Devil May Cry series Horizon II: Forbidden West Red Dead Redemption II Marvel Spider-Man Days Gone The Last of Us series Ghost of Tsushima Elden Ring Assassin’s Creed series God of War: Ragnarök A Plague Tale: Requiem A Plague Tale series Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice Heavenly Sword Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Devs The Callisto Protocol Dead Space Lost Planet series Gungrave: G.O.R.E Tomb Raider series Sakura Taisen games Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Bullet Witch Splatoon 3 Quake DOOM 64 Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Boris Pokémon Scarlet Pokémon Violet Pokémon Legends: Arceus Metroid Prime: Remastered Judgment Kirby and the Forgotten Land Mofumofusensen River City Girls 2 Scorn Air Twister Life on Mars Amshay Fragrant Story Vagrant Story SOULVARS Saturnalia Illbleed Blue Stinger The Ring: Terror’s Realm Shenmue III Drainus Metal Max series Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth Freedom Planet 2 Recommendations: Check out shows and movies on Netflix and Tubi Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
2/20/20232 hours, 37 minutes, 12 seconds
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Ep. 274 - Game of the Year 2022

Our panel debates the rankings greatest video games of 2022, and devises cryptic inscriptions for each one so that others may follow their path. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. NOMINATIONS: Frank Round 1 (08:37) Tim Round 1 (12:35) Brandon Round 1 (17:46) Frank Round 2 (28:29) Tim Round 2 (33:55) Brandon Round 2 (36:49) Frank Round 3 (44:22) Tim Round 3 (57:18) Brandon Round 3 (01:04:08) Frank Round 4 (01:11:09) Tim Round 4 (01:17:20) Brandon Round 4 (01:24:33) Frank Round 5 (01:33:50) Tim Round 5 (01:47:03) Brandon Round 5 (01:54:16) Frank Round 6 (02:02:43) Tim Round 6 (02:05:34) Brandon Round 6 (02:10:14) Frank Round 7 (02:15:14) Tim Round 7 (02:19:30) Brandon Round 7 (02:25:14) Wrap-up (02:36:25) Visit our forum thread to see the finalized list A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Top Gun: Maverick (2022) The Deal Guy Nope (2022) Fry’s Electronics Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) Game Dude Five Fingers for Marseilles (2017) They Live (1988) Them! (1954) Capriotti’s Elden Ring Elden Ring Message System (ERMS) PowerSlave: Exhumed System Shock series Metroid Prime DOOM Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Xenoblade series Xenosaga series Tetsuya Takahashi Balan Wonderworld Baten Kaitos series F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch Loop Hero Citizen Sleeper Inscryption Into the Breach Return to Monkey Island Monkey Island series Immortality Her Story Telling L!es Paradise Killer Neon White Bubsy 3D: Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective Donut County Celeste Virtual Hydlide Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Bloodborne Demon’s Souls Dark Souls VaatiVidya Fextralife build guides Iron Pineapple Call of Duty series Signalis Silent Hill series Biohazard / Resident Evil series Vampire Survivors Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Ridiculous Fishing Sonic Frontiers Resident Evil 4 HD Project Grand Theft Auto series Stray Nintendo Direct 2.8.2023 Shin Megami Tensei IV Shin Megami Tensei series Fire Emblem series Etrian Odyssey series Soul Hackers 2 Ghostwire: Tokyo Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Persona 5 Yo-kai Watch series Pokémon games Astral Chain Devil May Cry series The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild WarioWare series Ranger X Sega Announces Plan To Make A “Super Game” Crazy Taxi series Jet Grind Radio series Panzer Dragoon series Fortnite: Battle Royale Judgment / Judge Eyes series Jack Reacher Freedom Planet 2 Flappy Bird Horizon: Zero Dawn Sonic creator Yuji Naka arrested in insider trading scandal Solar Ash Shadow of the Colossus Tunic Landstalker The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Crusader of Centy Magic Knight Rayearth Lil Gator Game A Short Hike Yooka-Laylee Banjo-Kazooie Boku no Natsuyasumi series Brandon Boyer Frog Detective 3 Pocky & Rocky Reshrined Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales God of War Uncharted series Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) Ghost of Tsushima Horizon II: Forbidden West God of War: Ragnarök Kirby and the Forgotten Land Pentiment Harvestella Various Daylife Octopath Traveler Triangle Strategy Bravely Default series Playdate Keita Takahashi Casual Birder Dragon Quest Treasures Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Nioh Final Fantasy Phantasy Star Online Kingdom Hearts series Limp Bizkit Chained Echoes Japanese raccoon dog Sonic Mania The Ninja Warriors series Wild Guns Darius series Pocky & Rocky series Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth The Quarry Splatoon 3 Mofumofusensen The Callisto Protocol Evil West Weird West Star Ocean: The Divine Force Voice of Cards series Saturnalia NeverAwake Sifu Scorn Air Twister Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation - The Endless Seven-Day Journey Babylon’s Fall Wolf’s Rain Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
2/13/20232 hours, 42 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 273 - Insert Credit Annual #4

Insert Credit returns to once again rank the best games of all time. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. NOMINATIONS: Brandon, Round 1 (05:35) Frank, Round 1 (10:24) Tim, Round 1 (13:58) Brandon, Round 2 (19:15) Frank, Round 2 (24:45) Tim, Round 2 (31:41) Brandon, Round 3 (39:59) Frank, Round 3 (46:58) Tim, Round 3 (51:59) Brandon, Round 4 (58:44) Frank, Round 4 (01:04:21) Tim, Round 4 (01:09:11) Brandon, Round 5 (01:16:35) Frank, Round 5 (01:19:46) Tim, Round 5 (01:22:44) Brandon, Round 6 (01:29:16) Frank, Round 6 (01:34:01) Tim, Round 6 (01:36:07) Brandon, Round 7 (01:39:27) Tim choosing on Frank’s behalf, Round 7 (01:41:28) Tim, Round 7 (01:44:16) View the finalized list at forums.insertcredit.com A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Ep. 27 - Insert Credit Annual #1, with Kris Graft Super Mario Bros. 3 Ep. 74 - Insert Credit Annual #2 Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Ep. 166 - Insert Credit Annual #3 DOOM Bonk’s Revenge Dragon Quest III Ninja Spirit Pong Crash ’N Score Jet Fighter Pursuit Spacewar! The Legend of Zelda Metroid Tokimeki Memorial Magic Knight Rayearth Another World Super Mario World Sonic the Hedgehog Super Ghouls ’N Ghosts Pilotwings F-Zero Final Fantasy IV God of War The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Super Mario Odyssey Fallout: New Vegas Cyberpunk 2077 NieR The Walking Dead Fallout 3 Linda³ Again Linda³ Persona 5 Persona 5: Royal Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke Turok: Dinosaur Hunter DOOM 64 Final Fantasy VII Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Asuka 120% Limited: Burning Fest. Limited Yakuza 0 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Grand Theft Auto V Shenmue L.A. Noire Hollow Knight actionbutton.net Elden Ring Final Fantasy VII: Remake Metal Gear Solid Snatcher The Last of Us: Part I TwinBee ACTION BUTTON REVIEWS Tokimeki Memorial Tetris Gunstar Heroes Castlevania: Rondo of Blood Sonic CD Ranger X Shining Force II Silhouette Mirage Stretch Panic Rakugaki Showtime Mischief Makers The Secret of Monkey Island Return to Monkey Island Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Donkey Kong Country 1994: The Kotaku Review Fortnite: Battle Royale EarthBound Final Fantasy IV Crusader of Centy Beyond Oasis Streets of Rage 3 Elevator Action Returns Castlevania: Bloodlines Mother 3 Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium Shin Megami Tensei IV Summereye Chumple Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers Soul Hackers 2 Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past Tetris Effect Red Dead Redemption II Ep. 269 - Pure Podcast Content, with Christa Lee Animal Crossing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic Mania Sonic & Knuckles The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask Sonic Frontiers Balan Wonderworld NiGHTS into Dreams… Sonic R Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic Adventure Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Mars Matrix Dino Crisis 2 Metal Slug 3 Tokyo Xtreme Racer Persona 2: Tsumi - Innocent Sin Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime Resident Evil 4 Lester the Unlikely Super Mario Bros. H.E.R.O. Final Fantasy XV Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom Shin Megami Tensei Pokémon King of Kings: The Early Years Portal Braid BioShock Phantom Dust Katamari Damacy Panzer Dragoon Saga Batman: Arkham Knight Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales Raw Danger! Steambot Chronicles Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories Disaster Report OutRun 2 OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast R-Type Final Ribbit King Silent Hill 3 Ninja Five-O Bujingai: The Forsaken City OutRun Judgment Phantasy Star R4: Ridge Racer Type 4 Silent Hill Ga-rou-den Breakblow Left 4 Dead Valkyria Chronicles Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Yakuza 5 Ghost of Tsushima Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
2/6/20231 hour, 52 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep. 272 - New Donk, Michigan

Ep. 272 - New Donk, Michigan Our beloved panel covers big game worlds, big game choices, and big twin Tallaricos. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by goop lord, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Jason Schreier asks: Which Mario stage/level/kingdom/board would you want to live in and why? (04:02) How do you trick a player into feeling like your video game world is big? (10:23) What do people mean when they say that choices you make in a video game should matter? (17:40) Dirtbag Dusting - Sam: What game emotionally resonated with you most as a teen? Vermont Boy: What games are most improved by listening to something else? Anonymous: What game has the longest time between setup and payoff? (24:58) Alex Jaffe asks: Is there any reason for a game with a controllable character to not have a jump button? (38:40) Which video games have caused industry-wide shifts in graphical aesthetics? (45:52) What video game characters do you think would most overuse emojis? (50:09) Review the Rubik’s Cube. (53:57) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design (58:50) Recommendations and Outro (01:05:13) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Kirby 10-Yard Fight Batman: Arkham series Super Mario series E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Assassin’s Creed series Prince of Persia series Spyro the Dragon series Zero Divide Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Cheers Leisure Suit Larry series Bashi-bazouk Dragon Quest series Cyberpunk 2077 Bioshock series The Wolf Among Us Final Fantasy series Wild Arms Michiko Naruke Resident Evil series Soul Blade Vandal Hearts Suikoden Chrono Cross Phantasy Star IV Clockwork Knight Gran Turismo 7 Forza Horizon series Hi-Fi Rush Hi-Fi Rush trailer Earthworm Jim The Barbarians (1987) Barbarian (2022) Barbarella (1968) Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) I Am A Barbarian Barber of Seville Words with Friends Bonk series Sonic the Hedgehog series Nightmare Sabre Wulf Sid Meier’s Civilization II Myst Elden Ring Demons Souls Dark Souls Ico Gears of War Dark Sector DOOM Quake Jet Grind Radio Sunset Overdrive Travis Touchdown Princess Peach Princess Daisy Bayonetta Rubik’s Cube Recommendations: Brandon: Stonewall’s Jerquee, A Man Called Hawk on Tubi, reevaluate your taste prejudices every once in a while Tim: Spell a word in an interesting way if you’re a vegan snack company, don’t ask Tim about anything diet related Frank: Deweys Cookies Jaffe: See a dentist Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by goop lord. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/30/20231 hour, 17 minutes, 18 seconds
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Ep. 271 - FunJail, with Jason Schreier

Bloomberg Game Journalist and Author Jason Schreier joins the panel to cover Wizards of the Coast, the greatest story in video games, and whether or not buying games is ethical. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Jason Schreier. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Cliff Bleszinski asks: What food do you associate with your best gaming memory? (07:16) Why is everybody so mad about Dungeons & Dragons? (15:22) What is the greatest story in video games? (20:59) How do you break news no one else has yet as a game journalist? (28:26) You have an investor meeting in 6 minutes to pitch them a new social media network for Gamers. What’s your presentation? (34:51) Spencer Gifts asks: which game console libraries boxes have the best graphic design? (40:49) Under what circumstances is it unethical to buy a video game? (49:26) LIGHTNING ROUND: MobyCritic (55:30) Recommendations and Outro (58:50) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Stadia exclusive saved by sneaking it into the Steam version of its sequel Frosted Flakes Final Fantasy III Final Fight series Dairy Queen Dragon Quest series White Castle Wing Commander series Death Line (1972) Dragon Force Panzer Dragoon series Guitar Hero series Chrono Trigger Blue Dragon series The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Michael Ironside Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) D&D maker backs off new licensing rules that led to fan revolt Chris Pine Warhammer Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast Cancels Video Game Projects Friends at the Table The Adventure Zone How The Last of Us became ‘the greatest story that has ever been told in video games’ The Last of Us series Heavy Rain Detroit: Become Human No Country for Old Men (2007) Chernobyl (miniseries) BioShock Infinite Elden Ring Weird West Dwarf Fortress Watch_Dogs Deadly Premonition Microsoft set to lay off thousands of employees GameDeveloper.com Activision (ATVI) Call of Duty Game Delayed for 2023 Hyper Gunsport Animal Crossing series G4 Ep. 3 - Shagargamel GamePro Quibi Mega Drive Master System GameCube Super Smash Bros.: Melee 32X Japanese 32X logo and packages Game Boy Advance Neo Geo CD Neo Geo Pocket Color Namcot Famicom boxes PC Engine Super CD Sega Saturn SNK is now almost entirely owned by the Saudi crown prince’s foundation Harry Potter and the Author Who Failed Us Archive.org MiSTerAddons.com Recommendations: Jason: Triple Click Brandon: Try eating dandelion leaves, find the fan translation of Project Eye Dol, Mad Stalker Frank: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/24/20231 hour, 8 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 270 - Leisure Suit Locusts, with Cliff Bleszinski

Game Designer and Broadway Producer Cliff “CliffyB” Bleszinski joins a very sensual episode to cover what makes good third person shooters, Avatar 2, and disrespecting Hitman. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Cliff Bleszinski. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: From Brandon Sheffield: What makes a good third person shooter? (06:18) Who has more power, a game director, or a game producer? (14:44) Design a video game around the Aroma Shooter. (23:27) Design a sequel to Frank Cifaldi’s Super Sherlock Holmes. (31:25) Improv Zone: Guess the COG Squadron (37:04) Seth asks: What is the best sound related to video games that is not from a video game? (43:26) If you could design a level for an existing video game series, which would it be and what would you do? (49:58) What was Fortnite supposed to be? (55:03) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design – Gears of War Achievements (01:00:53) Recommendations and Outro (01:07:14) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Time.is The Menu (2022) Jazz Jackrabbit series NFL 2K Assault Street Fighter series Unreal Tournament series Gears of War series Hadestown Robotron: 2084 Tokyo Wars Phoenix Mindjack Resident Evil 4 Lunar: The Silver Star Control Alan Wake High on Life Ori and the Blind Forest Donkey Kong Country Shigeru Miyamoto Hideo Kojima Rod Fergusson BioShock Infinite 3D Realms Jaws (1975) Duke Nukem 3D DOOM John Carmack John Romero Masters of Doom Quake Contra Aroma Shooter® Elden Ring The Last of Us series Journey Flower Super Mario Odyssey Hidetaka Suehiro Ep. 218 - Donkey Milk, with Kris Graft VA-11 HALL-A: Cyberpunk Bartender Action Guitar Hero series Rock Band series Sixaxis Kinect Peter Molyneux Ratatouille (2007) Dactyl Nightmare Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) Being John Malkovich (1999) Public Domain Day 2023 Sherlock Holmes Final Fantasy series Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century Fictional character: Sherlock Holmes Batman: The Video Game PlatinumGames Knives Out (2019) Batman: Arkham Asylum Lost Viking series Heavy Rain Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Knuckles the Echidna Leisure Suit Larry Kratos (God of War) Alex Kidd series Leisure Suit Larry series Dragon’s Lair Dreamcast Startup (60fps) Degaussing NES Zapper Time Crisis series The House of the Dead series Casio Loopy Nintendo DS Yes, Nintendo Switch cartridges taste terrible Celeste Hitman series Assassin’s Creed: Unity Thief series Mission: Impossible Superman Returns Ridge Racer series Forza Horizon series Mario Kart series Sōkoban series Fortnite series Plants vs. Zombies series PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds LawBreakers Overwatch series League of Legends Recommendations: Cliff: Neon White, Vampire Survivors, NORCO Tim: Interview with the Vampire, follow MiSTerAddons on twitter, get a 4K 48-inch OLED computer monitor Brandon: Hit “publish” on your patches submitted to Nintendo, The Equalizer, please leave a review for Hyper Gunsport on Steam if you’ve purchased it Frank: Squeeze an airhorn at Frank Cifaldi every time he mentions the MiSTer if you know him in real life Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/16/20231 hour, 25 minutes, 35 seconds
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Ep. 269 - Pure Podcast Content, with Christa Lee

Console modification expert Christa Lee joins Brandon and Tim on the panel to cover raytracing in 4K at 120 fps, the things players care about that developers don’t, and the return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Christa Lee. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: From Ash Parrish: What video game would you swear into Congress on? (01:59) What can you tell about a video game cartridge from its circuit board? (09:41) Is raytracing just a graphical enhancement, or can it be gameplay? (15:02) What do players think about a lot more than game developers? (20:33) What is the best dead video game company? (26:32) Spencergifs asks: When did video games become mainstream? (29:51) Violence Island (36:57) How should games signal that a “point of no return” is coming? (46:57) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pokedexperts (01:02:41) Recommendations and Outro (01:09:37) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Bonk series Canceled Duke Nukem 3D remake is the latest Duke project to leak They Live (1988) Robert Garcia (D-CA) sworn into Congress on Superman #1 Bible The Witness Sneak King Disaster Report / Zettai Zetsumei Toshi series Xevious Darius Gradius Anarchy Reigns Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit Armored Core series Super Mario series Shenmue series Voyeur INSANE PAIN GameShark Game Genie Sonic the Hedgehog series Super Noah’s Ark 3-D Pokémon series Game Freak Digital Foundry Hitman series Ray Tracers The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Cyberpunk 2077 Ridge Racer series Cleopatra Fortune Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) Space Harrier series Sakura Taisen series NiGHTS series Hudson Soft Nihon Bussan Game Arts Midway Games Hasbro Interactive Ltd. Frogger MediEvil SNK Neverland Halo series GoldenEye 007 Pong Pac-Man The Sonic Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade crash: An oral history Candy Crush Saga Words With Friends TwoDots Wordle Maximo series The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Half-Life Panzer Dragoon Saga Banjo-Kazooie Tomb Raider Angry Birds Donkey Kong Jr. Jr. Pac-Man Master Hand Crazy Hand Balrog Mike Tyson Sam & Max Lucky & Wild Persona series Harvestella Chrono Trigger Live A Live God of War: Ragnarök Red Dead Redemption II Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Final Fantasy VII: Remake Legend of Heroes series The Last of Us series Ratchet & Clank series Recommendations: Brandon: Bee and PuppyCat Christa: Mushihimesama Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/9/20231 hour, 17 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 268 - Cake Realizer Button

The original panel reunites for Frank Cifaldi’s two point-and-click adventure game recommendations, the best kind of game for Tim Rogers right now, and Brandon Sheffield’s selection as the Whitney Houston of video games. Plus, Bennett Foddy designs a new game for the Steel Battalion controller. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What’s your favorite tribute to a video game in another video game? (WARNING: This question features minor Death Stranding spoilers) (04:58) Categorize every type of mission in a video game. (10:01) Narratively, what is happening to a video game character when they lose a life? (13:10) What video game should get a new remake every year? (19:58) Design a new game for the Steel Battalion controller. (25:50) Design a new game for the Steel Battalion controller, Bennett Foddy. (31:27) Soup’um asks: What is the absolute minimum length a game has to be to no longer be considered ‘short’? (36:48) What is the Whitney Houston’s cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” for the soundtrack of the film The Bodyguard of video games? (50:18) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As – Fortnite (55:47) Recommendations and Outro (59:36) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Vampire Hunter D Robert Wilson IV NieR series From Tokyo with Brandon Sheffield, Part I and Part II Lupin the 3rd licensees Galaga Namco Museum series Dragon Quest series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Populous Bomberman games Death Stranding Super Mario series ICO Prince of Persia Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure Monkey Island series Loom The Last of Us series Madden series Ridge Racer 6 Fortnite: Battle Royale Boku no Natsuyasumi David Cage Gran Turismo series Forza Horizon series Steel Battalion Gundam licensees The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment Portal series How It’s Made I Love Lucy Justin Roiland Rick and Morty High on Life Bennett Foddy Need for Speed series Lazer Command Silent Hill 2 Metal Gear Solid A Short Hike TearRing Saga: Berwick Saga - Lazberia Chronicle Chapter 174 Civilization series God of War: Ragnarök Elden Ring Biohazard / Resident Evil series Hyper Gunsport Dolly Parton - I Will Always Love You Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You The Bodyguard (1992) Dog Patch Google Stadia LG CX OLED TV Assassin’s Creed series Cyberpunk 2077 Kickstarter Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Jason Schreier Staind Demonschool now wishlistable on Steam Recommendations: Brandon: Icey Jaye ‎- Icey (She’s Bad), Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead (2014) Anti-Recommendations: Brandon: What We Left Behind - Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (2018) if you enjoy the Star Trek Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
1/2/20231 hour, 8 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 267 - Asynchronicity 2: Holiday Spectacular

A grand cast of holiday favorites are subjected to a gauntlet of questions. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, Ash Parrish, Patrick Miller, Topher Florence, Esper Quinn, Andrés Velasco y Coll, Azurelore Korrigan, Liz Ryerson, K Thor Jensen and Fūnk-é Joseph. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What are the worst trends, currently or historically, in video game character design? (w/Ash Parrish) (06:38) Design a unique custom rule set for a fighting game tournament. (w/Patrick Miller) (11:33) Which three video game characters would you ask to help you move? (w/Topher Florence) (14:59) What do you do when you’re working on a game and your funding gets cut? (18:17) What’s the best time you ever had with a bad game? (w/Esper Quinn) (21:25) Which video game voice actors deserve wider recognition? (w/Andrés Velasco y Coll) (27:30) What’s the best answer that someone in the game industry has given you to a question you asked them? (w/Azurelore Korrigan) (31:17) How would you remake Indie Game: The Movie today? (w/Liz Ryerson) (37:13) Which modern video game would be the best introduction to video games for a child? (w/K Thor Jensen) (43:21) What’s the difference between a good video game and a cool video game? (w/Fūnk-é Joseph) (45:55) LIGHTNING ROUND: Recommendations and Outro (47:59) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Last Of Us Showrunner Says Original Game Is ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told In Video Games’ Hyper Gunsport now available on Steam, Switch and Xbox Demonschool now wishlistable on Steam Baldur’s Gate III Characters entering public domain in 2023 Sonic the Hedgehog universe Bubsy series Sparkster Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino’s Butt Tetsuya Nomura Jet Grind Radio series Clash of Clans Jun Kazama Grace Walker Keita Takahashi MoPOP Guilty Gear series Asuka 120% series Chess boxing Slappers only! StarCraft series VIDEOBALL Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Jad The Taff Big the Cat Twisted Metal series Puyo Puyo Tetris Scotty James T. Kirk The Sims franchise Silver the Hedgehog #IDARB Beethoven’s 2nd Kid Chameleon Kelsey Lewin Kris Graft London Cab Challenge BioShock series Dana Delany Jennifer Hale Shining Force III Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Matthew Mercer Liam O’Brien Kevin Conroy Cuphead series Oh, Deer! Kenji Eno Real Sound: Kaze no Regret Indie Game: The Movie (2012) noclip American Movie (1999) TIGSource Edmund McMillen The King of Kong (2007) A Short Hike Resident Evil: Village Super Mario series Hyrule Warriors Hohokum Soul Axiom on The Blood Zone Recommendations: Frank: Magic Kid Googoo Brandon: Quo Vadis 2 Ash: Pepsiman Patrick: Goddess of Victory: Nikke Topher: Chair Chaser Esper: Gravity Rush series Andrés: Windjammers 2 Azurelore: Ghost House Liz: Soul Axiom, Uurnog: Uurnlimited K Thor: Guardians / Denjin Makai II Fūnk-é: Bloons TD 6 Closing song: [XMAS]「諸人こぞりて」Mix Yona [音量可変版 Ex - Pcm][X68000][1994制作] ****by Keishi Yonao Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/27/20221 hour, 3 minutes, 8 seconds
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Ep. 266 - Perspexpertise

Our standard party of panelists covers the newly announced God of War and Death Stranding adaptations, what they’d teach in game design school, hangout flavors, and Christopher Lambert. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Who were the kings of the lost art of video game packaging? (05:40) Which games make the weird controllers they were designed for worth using? (12:57) Other than fatherhood, what types of interpersonal relationships should games explore? (19:59) What’s the worst flavor text in video games? (26:04) In the Death Stranding movie, who should play Sam Porter Bridges? (31:17) What questions would you put on a written exam in a game design class? (39:15) What would you change about the last video game you played? (44:25) How would you describe your unique perspective and how would you put that in a video game? (51:42) How would you break down the first screen of Super Mario Bros.? (56:34) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Price is Sprite (from Yeso) (01:04:56) Recommendations and Outro (01:12:38) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Batman: The Animated Series Guillermo del Toro The incredible boxes of Hock Wah Yeo Prince of Persia series Spectre Gabriel Knight series Worms series Westworld Rome Deadwood A Man Called Hawk Internet Archive Resident Evil series Crazy Controllers – The Resident Evil Pad Wicked Monsters: BLAST! Onimusha 3: Demon Siege Onimusha 3 unsheathes katana controller WarioWare: Twisted! NeGcon PlayStation Move Johann Sebastian Joust Wii Sports Resort Konami Justifier Lethal Enforcers Steel Battalion BattleTech Centers God of War: Ragnarök The Last of Us series Uncharted series Giana Sisters DS Ace Attorney series Super Mario series Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Seinfeld Final Fantasy XV Gears of War War and Peace Hesher’S Pizza Magic: The Gathering ResetEra Fantasy Life Elden Ring Elder Scrolls series Oblivion (2013) Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) Death Stranding Death Stranding movie announced, with Hideo Kojima producing Norman Reedus The Boondock Saints (1999) The Walking Dead Amazon Is Making a ‘God of War’ TV Series Christopher Lambert Henry Cavill says he will not return as Superman The Witcher Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) Subway (1985) The Young Pope Sonic the Hedgehog universe Dragon Quest Treasures Judgment series Demonschool VIDEOBALL Ninja Gaiden Black Pac-Man Tengai Makyō: Fūun Kabuki Den the Lord of the Rings banner Tim put in the chat Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Recommendations: Brandon: Take a look at the Jewel of the Five Suns kickstarter, Cameron Paul 106 KMEL Powermixes, wishlist Hyper Gunsport and Demonschool on steam please thank you Frank: Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Tim: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Jaffe: The Blacklist Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/19/20221 hour, 29 minutes, 5 seconds
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Ep. 265 - Starfield and Friends

The panel is ill-prepared for these questions, but unites once more to cover The Game Awards 2022, cool ladies, and the greatest game of all time no one is talking about yet. Brandon Sheffield reviews the first four episodes of Bleach and One Piece. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Do we want to talk about the FTC suing to block Microsoft from buying Activision Blizzard? (06:37) From Ash Parrish: if you could lock Geoff Keighley in a room and make him reveal the video game industry’s biggest secret, what would you ask him? (09:13) Let’s try to have a sincere discussion about The Game Awards (11:43) Let’s predict The Game Awards (20:48) How have video games influenced our vocabulary? (37:24) Does a video game protagonist have to be likable? (42:47) Insert Credit Anime Review: Bleach vs. One Piece (48:32) Mek asks: has there ever been a good boss fight in a first person shooter? (54:54) Which fighting game has the coolest lady? (01:00:37) What is the Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles of video games? (01:05:24) LIGHTNING ROUND: Improv Zone - Introducing the Nominees (01:16:20) Recommendations and Outro (01:22:02) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Michigan J. Frog - “Hello My Baby” Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan / Elite Beat Agents series Dragon Quest series The Sopranos Dororo Parasite Eve Gungrave series FTC Seeks to Block Microsoft Corp.’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Monopoly The Game of Life Itadaki Street series Disney’s Bonkers Bonk series Geoff Keighley The Game Awards 2022 what me suit should look like? FINAL FANTASY XVI REVENGE trailer Tetsuya Nomura Independent Games Festival IndieCade D.I.C.E. Awards Dredd (2012) Call of Duty: Warzone Sayonara Wild Hearts Disco Elysium Stray Xenoblade Chronicles 3 A Plague Tale: Requiem Elden Ring Horizon II: Forbidden West God of War: Ragnarök Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Fortnite: Battle Royale Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Genshin Impact Apex Legends Destiny 2 Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier Marvel Snap The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Starfield Resident Evil 4 Mass Effect series Skyrim series League of Legends Dota 2 Counter-Strike series Valorant Rocket League Splatoon 3 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Overwatch series MultiVersus Baskin-Robbins Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) Uncharted (2022) The Cuphead Show! Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Arcane Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Nintendo Switch Sports Kirby and the Forgotten Land LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Immortality Grammy Awards Academy Awards Triangle Strategy Live A Live Pokémon Legends: Arceus Ashly Burch Gran Turismo 7 Sifu Neon White Tunic Cult of the Lamb Vampire Survivors Evo Los Angeles Thieves GamePro Casino (1995) Pacific Pinball Museum Tim’s Elden Ring guy Chuck Rock series Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja Joe & Mac Returns Toki Clockwork Knight Bug! series Bleach One Piece Hunter × Hunter Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Descent series Halo series Titanfall series Metroid Prime series Left 4 Dead series DOOM series Street Fighter series Sonya Blade Makoto Elena King of Fighters series Angel Yuri Sakazaki Asuka 120% series May Jam Kuradoberi King Tekken series King Marvel vs. Capcom series Iron Fist Akira Skullomania Superman Terry Bogard Super Smash Brothers series Mai Shiranui Kyo Kusanagi Ryu Ken Masters Bayonetta Bayonetta series Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) ‘Jeanne Dielman’ Tops Sight & Sound’s 2022 Poll of the Best Films of All Time Citizen Kane (1941) Vertigo (1958) Tokyo Story (1953) Bicycle Thieves (1948) Bomberman: Act:Zero Fallout: New Vegas BioShock Journey Linda³ Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines Gears of War series Frank’s photo of Ed Semrad Recommendations: Frank: The Prototypes in Ed Semrad’s Basement Brandon: Watch a few episodes of Hunter X Hunter, wishlist Hyper Gunsport on Steam Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/12/20221 hour, 26 minutes, 18 seconds
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Ep. 264 - Doki Doki Paisano, with Ash Parrish

Video Game Reporter Ash Parrish joins the panel to cover unfinished games, Mario’s origins, and the friendship-building return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Ash Parrish. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Is Mario Italian? (04:22) From Esper Quinn: If a game offers you a starting class of Warrior, Wizard, Rogue or Cleric, which do you choose and why? (09:30) With Sonic Frontiers and the new Pokemon games we must ask, what does it mean for a game to be finished? (13:15) Do you have any questions for Alex Jaffe? (24:33) Spencer’s Gifts asks: What is the best game with the worst graphics, and what is the worst game with the best graphics? (30:55) Violence Island (36:37) Who or what is the Gritty of video games? (53:06) LIGHTNING ROUND: Dirtbag Diving (55:08) Recommendations and Outro (58:57) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Gunhouse Mr. Hooper Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper The Super Mario Bros. Movie Official Trailer Bob Hoskins The Sopranos Pod Yourself A Gun Yume Kōjō: Dokidoki Panic Diablo series The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Cadash Pokémon Sonic Frontiers Gunsport Hyper Gunsport now wishlistable on steam Sonic Mania Sonic Adventure The Adventures of Batman & Robin Batman: The Video Game Batman: Arkham Knight Gotham Knights The Adventures of Batman & Robin Batman Super Mario Sunshine Super Smash Brothers series Krystal Defender BioShock Infinite David Cage Detroit: Become Human French baguette given UNESCO protection Ex-BioShock Infinite developer explains the viral baguette boy Pong Asteroids Minesweeper A Mind Forever Voyaging Marvel Midnight Suns Dragon Age series PaRappa Rappa Paper Mario PaRappa the Rapper anime opening PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Sol Badguy Die-Hardman Gene Kazuma Kiryu Francis York Morgan Phoenix Wright Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Gritty Blinx: The Time Sweeper Command & Conquer: Red Alert Doom Patrol Doom Runners (1997) Recommendations: Brandon: TOUGH BOY by TOM★CAT, Doom Runners (1997) Frank: Don’t give Frank any money, RichWhitehouse.com Ash: Donate to the Video Game History Foundation Winter Fundraiser where donations are matched dollar for dollar until the goal is met, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Marvel Midnight Suns, Marvel Snap Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
12/5/20221 hour, 6 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 263 - Extractula the Dracula, with Esper Quinn

Editor Esper Quinn joins the table to give thanks for a feast of listener submitted questions. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Esper Quinn. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Max asks: What is the most fun or interesting scoring mechanic in a shooting game? (10:59) Malcove asks: How would you reintroduce vampires to modern video games? (14:44) A Most Handsome Boy asks: Thoughts on a good steam? (16:56) ColdPie asks: what type of tourism opportunities would you take advantage of if you were visiting the Republic of Gamers? (20:37) BreadyToDie asks: Have you ever played the sequel of a game before playing the original? (22:53) Pannekoeken asks: What happened to rhythm games? (26:32) Dilson asks: Which cooking games aren’t boring? (33:56) Ripley Rose proposes an Improv Zone – Sonic’s Dad Got Arrested (38:19) Gaagaagiins asks: When has a video game adaptation been objectively better than the source material? (43:33) Anonymous asks: What singleplayer game should have gotten a competitive multiplayer mode? (48:49) Ross Hamrick asks: Which arcade racing game has the best manual transmission? (52:01) Cole asks: are Japanese video game scores better for a reason? (56:32) Kiko B asks: Which two video game franchises would be improved by swapping protagonists? (01:04:28) Terrace asks: What was the Secret of Evermore?(01:06:52) LIGHTNING ROUND: Crumbling Zero asks to Rank the Metacritic Top 10 (01:07:50) Recommendations and Outro (01:32:22) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Klonoa series The Club Battlefield 1942 Ikaruga Star Soldier Unreal Tournament series Bulletstorm Vampyr Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Vampire Survivors Itch.io Internet Archive JDownloader Call of Duty: Warzone Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space Mother / EarthBound series Surge NOS Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Final Fantasy series Ninja Gaiden Madden series Tony Hawk skateboarding series NieR series PaRappa the Rapper Gitaroo Man Groove Coaster series Theatrhythm series Beat Saber Vib Ribbon series Samba De Amigo Guitar Freaks series Guitar Hero series Rock Band series Ore no Ryōri Legend of Zelda series Cooking Mama series Yoshinoya Yakiniku Bugyō Overcooked! Sonic creator Yuji Naka arrested in insider trading scandal Astral Chain Inferno Dante’s Inferno Street Fighter (1994) Street Fighter: The Movie King Kong (2005) Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay Casablanca (1942) Citizen Kane (1941) Donkey Kong 64 Transistor What We Do In The Shadows F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa OutRun 2 Initial D licensees Lorenzen’s Soil ROBLOX_OOF.mp3 by Hbomberguy Jazz Jackrabbit series Celeste Tak series TY the Tasmanian Tiger series Vexx Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer Banjo-Kazooie Gears of War series Conker games L.A. Noire Secret of Evermore Secret of Mana Recommendations: Frank: Nutritional yeast Brandon: Duma Tim: Nothing so mundane as a grocery store Esper: Princess Tutu Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/28/20221 hour, 40 minutes, 44 seconds
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Ep. 262 - Phantastic, with Gita Jackson

Journalist Gita Jackson joins the full panel to decide how much video games should cost, share research tips, and reveal Barbies in the garbies. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Gita Jackson. Featuring Harper Jay, Azurelore Korrigan, and Vincent Diamante, with writing by Mark Cerny. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: From Andrés Velasco y Coll: Has there been a speedrun that particularly impressed you? Or, how would you ruin Sony Computer Entertainment? (06:16) Now that every issue of Nintendo Power is uploaded to the Internet Archive, what should we do with it? (13:09) What should it cost to buy a video game? (19:46) What can we say about the legacy of Rieko Kodama? (34:39) Insert Credit contributors share memories of Rieko Kodama (48:31) Kiko asks: is it ever worthwhile to play all the way through a game you hate? (01:02:15) LIGHTNING ROUND: Localization Station (01:11:55) Recommendations and Outro (01:18:25) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: F-Zero GX Twisted Metal series Mario Kart series PlayStation VR2 launches on February 22nd for $549.99 PlayStation Vita Recording Kendrick with a Vita Battlefield series PlayStation TV Jak & Daxter series The Walking Dead (franchise) The Last of Us series 28 Days Later (2002) Station Eleven You Can Now Read All 285 Issues Of Nintendo Power Online Retromags Demonschool wishlistable now on Steam Humble Bundle The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Dragon Quest series Final Fantasy series $5 off Sega Genesis! Home Alone Home Improvement: Power Tool Pursuit Duck Hunt Elden Ring Amnesia: The Dark Descent GameFly Stranded Deep Rieko Kodama Sonic the Hedgehog Altered Beast Phantasy Star games Skies of Arcadia Deep Fear Magic Knight Rayearth Style Savvy 7th Dragon series SpellCaster Landstalker Brave Prove Harper Jay Vincent Diamante Azurelore Korrigan Mark Cerny Pokémon main RPG series Alan Moore Storytelling Online Course God Hand Cult of the Lamb Mathew Kumar Dexter Girls Recommendations: Frank: Follow Gita on twitter, Mad Men Gita: Interview with the Vampire Tim: Mad Men Brandon: Star Trek: Lower Decks, Morbid Saint Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/21/20221 hour, 34 minutes, 9 seconds
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Ep. 261 - Clown Insanity, with Andrés Velasco y Coll and Fūnk-é Joseph

EVO tournament organizer Andrés Velasco y Coll and PC Gamer editor Fūnk-é Joseph join Frank and Jaffe for the new Sonic game, predatory publisher tactics, and Nickelodeon’s Fortnite. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Andrés Velasco y Coll, and Fūnk-é Joseph. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Are 3D Sonic games a failed experiment? (04:17) How do games best emulate being able to fly? (10:03) What precautions should developers take to avoid being taken advantage of by publishers? (14:11) How do you curate a video game zine? (18:37) The Adaptation Game: Turn a video game into a daytime game show (24:00) Bearcabin asks: What kinds of developers would video game magazines end up being? (29:44) Are there any good video game ads? (35:45) What is more difficult to do in video games than in real life? (42:32) What is the Avatar: The Way of Water of video games? (46:56) LIGHTNING ROUND: Major Arcana (54:52) Recommendations and Outro (59:48) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Donkey Kong Country The King of Fighters ’98: The Slugfest Portal series Sonic the Hedgehog universe SEGA Bass Fishing Super Mario World Batman: Arkham series Pilotwings Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Minecraft Defender Dank Zine the photo Andres drops in question 4 Fortnite series Candy Crush Fruit Ninja Carmen Sandiego series Among Us Electronic Gaming Monthly Hsu and Chan Bubsy series Disney’s Aladdin Sneak King Nintendo Power Clay Fighter 63 1/3 Famitsu The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time SoulCalibur Vagrant Story JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle Final Fantasy XII Super Smash Bros. Brawl L.A. Noire Clash Royale Evony: The King’s Return Mafia City: War of Underworld Mega Man 3 Twisted Metal series John Romero’s Daikatana Sweet Tooth (the comic) the Video Jukebox VJ ad Frank links in question 7 Surgeon Simulator Valorant Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) Avatar (2009) The King of Fighters XV EarthBound series Duke Nukem Forever Cyberpunk 2077 Recommendations: Frank: Check out the SimCopter 64 article on GameHistory.org Andrés: Tampa Never Sleeps for some the best North American KOF fighters Fūnk-é: Making Comics, Fūnk-é Joseph Jaffe: Alan Moore’s Writing for Comics Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/14/20221 hour, 5 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep. 260 - Banjo-Kazoomer

The full panel reunites to determine what a video game is, how to do RPG dungeon music right, and Bob Oldfather. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Why did Embracer Group acquire Square Enix Montreal, change its name to Onoma, and then immediately shut it down? (05:25) What kind of video game items do you never want to use again? (08:09) When you’re playing an RPG and you complete an enemy encounter, should the overworld or dungeon theme start over from the beginning, pick up where it left off, or just play through the encounter itself? (15:15) NASCAR racer Ross Chastain pulled off a risky wall-riding maneuver this week setting a lap record, claiming that he learned the move from playing NASCAR 2005 on the GameCube. How is it that video games are changing the way sports are played in real life? (21:04) Is this particular dartboard a video game console? (30:02) Violence Island (39:17) LIGHTNING ROUND: From Yeso: Guess the game based on its Metacritic review (01:06:38) Recommendations and Outro (01:13:31) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The Laughing Cow Light Cheese Spread Kosher Natural & Kosher Shredded White Mozzarella Cheese Cheez-It® Extra Toasty Snack Crackers Goldfish Crackers Video Game Studio Goes Through Expensive Rebrand, Is Then Immediately Shut Down Final Fantasy series Hollow Knight Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Pokémon main RPG series Dragon Quest series Adventures of Superman NieR series Phantasy Star IV NASCAR driver pulls off crowd-stunning ‘wall ride’ he learned on GameCube NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales Formula 1: Drive to Survive A dartboard by a company called Arachnid Dartslive Gyromite Mario Golf series Pong Magnavox Odyssey Densha de Go! series Raiden (Metal Gear series) Bahamut (Final Fantasy X) Raiden (Mortal Kombat) Augustus Cole Mutant Football League series Ty the Tasmanian Tiger Crash Bandicoot Tommy Vercetti Mr. Resetti Recommendations: Brandon: Five Fingers for Marseilles (2017) Frank: Bookmans Entertainment Exchange if you’re in Tuscon or Phoenix Jaffe: Vote! And tell your friends to subscribe to the new Apple Podcasts feed Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
11/7/20221 hour, 20 minutes, 21 seconds
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Ep. 259 - Specdracular 2022, with Christa Lee

Game music composer and console restoration expert Christa Lee joins this year’s monster hunting party, taking on evils like foreshadowing, deceptively powerful industry figures, and ranking the Silent Hill series. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Christa Lee. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this year: What do we think of all the Silent Hill stuff that got announced? (03:35) What games best use technological constraints to their advantage? (09:59) When does a game seem perfect for you, but still doesn’t work? (15:58) What’s the right way to do foreshadowing in a video game? (23:09) The Fightening Return of Questions Deemed Too Stupid for the Dirtbag (29:36) What’s the biggest risk you’ve taken in a video game? (39:50) Should video games even have unwinnable scenarios? (46:05) Who are the most surprisingly powerful people in the video game industry? (53:06) LIGHTNING ROUND: Ranking the Silent Hill series (01:00:39) Recommendations and Outro (01:12:32) Visit the forums to see the final ranking of the Silent Hill series! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Silent Hill series Clock Tower series Septentrion: Out of the Blue Mizzurna Falls Ihatovo Monogatari Ep. 207 - Specdracular 2021, with Ian Ferguson Konami announces Silent Hill F and a Silent Hill 2 remake Resident Evil series Super Mario series Silent Hill 2: Enhanced Edition Higurashi: When They Cry series Siren series Vectorman series Eternal Champions Metal Gear series Panzer Dragoon series Paradise Killer Star Ocean series Ninja Gaiden series Dark Souls series Devil May Cry series Bayonetta series Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Astral Chain Sol Cresta DoDonPachi Final Fantasy Tactics TearRing Saga: Berwick Saga - Lazberia Chronicle Chapter 174 Fire Emblem series Shining Force Ogre Battle series Dorohedoro Dragon Quest VII Jill Sandwich Super Smash Brothers series Xenoblade series Iron Man 3 (2013) The Dark Knight (2008) Angel’s Egg (1985) Mad Max 2 (1981) The Madness of King George (1994) Dawn of the Dead (1978) Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) Zombi 2 (1979) Splinter Cell series Titanic (1997) Blade Runner (1982) Catwoman (2004) Catwoman P.T. Alien: Isolation The Silver Case Platinum Demo: Final Fantasy XV Final Fantasy XV Yggdra Union: We’ll Never Fight Alone Baroque universe Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Elden Ring Quake series Duke Nukem series Turok: Dinosaur Hunter The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Shenmue series Tim: Have already put a “Skip Intro” on Star Trek: The Next Generation if you’re someone who has the ability to make that happen inside Paramount+ by the time this episode airs Brandon: Virtuosic Hair Metal Band T-Ride, buy from CastleMania if you’re gonna buy any of these rereleases coming up Christa: Insmouse no Yakata, get your VirtualBoy ribbons fixed at SoundRetro.co, Furuhata Ninzaburō, Mikey and Nicky (1976) Jaffe: Wishlist Demonschool and Hyper Gunsport on Steam, Welcome to the Fantasy Zone Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
10/31/20221 hour, 24 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep. 258 - Tapey Toppies

The panel reunites in total to cover the death of the Stadia, if it’s ever okay to make a 30 FPS game, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Questions this week: Find any long lost NES games lately, Frank? (06:18) What do we have to say about the passing of the Stadia? (13:15) Which video game franchise took the greatest number of releases to start getting interesting? (19:01) When can a current game justify a 30 FPS frame rate? (25:03) Jaffe Guesses the Golden Age of Konami – Round 5 (36:21) Spencer’s Gifts asks: What is the best non-interactive work of video game media? (41:54) Is there a video game you think would have been more successful if it was released later? (47:43) What is the Aqua Teen Hunger Force of video games? (52:16) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (59:18) Check out the forums to Colossus scream about this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Math Blaster! Defender Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Ultra Vortek Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy Cybermorph Highlander Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Hover Strike The Simpsons X-Men Elevator Action variants Super Glove Ball Battletoads series SimCity Google is shutting down Stadia Gunsport Wishlist Hyper Gunsport on Steam E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Super Mario series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series NBA 2K12 Red Dead Redemption series Street Fighter series Ys series Kirby games Donkey Kong games Bionic Commando series Pilotwings Gotham Knights Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales Wishlist Demonschool on Steam The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Dark Souls series Assassin’s Creed series Demon’s Souls Elden Ring Mass Destruction Madden series Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Metal Gear Solid Suikoden II Tokimeki Memorial 2 Dance Dance Revolution / Dancing Stage series beatmania games pop’n music Silent Hill series Silent Hill 2: Enhanced Edition Super Mario Bros. (1993) Ultima GameCenter CX Taito X-55 NieR series Dragon Quest series Philosoma Halo series The Witcher series Dante’s Inferno DOOM series Black Tiger EarthBound American Psycho (2000) Undertale Linda³ Star Fox 2 FX Fighter series Comanche: Over the Edge Silhouette Mirage Aqua Teen Hunger Force Xavier: Renegade Angel 2007 Boston Mooninite panic ‘Turok’ maker plays the name game Controversial Shadow Man: 2econd Coming advertising campaign Night in the Woods Goat Simulator Alien Hominid Invader ZIM SpongeBob SquarePants Beavis and Butt-Head Recommendations: Brandon: Reservation Dogs, play Control in German Tim: Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, put a “Skip Intro” on Star Trek: The Next Generation if you’re someone who has the ability to make that happen inside Paramount+ Frank: Check out the weird rough draft of the HD restoration that introduces each episode of The Next Generation on Pluto TV’s Star Trek channel Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/24/20221 hour, 24 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ep. 257 - Building the Sandwich While You're Eating It, with Chris Plante

EIC of Polygon and co-host of The Besties Chris Plante fills in for Frank on topics like the Cyberpunk anime, Anthem, and a Republican poet’s paradise. Questions this week: How can game companies draw attention back to their titles after a botched release? (07:07) How do you make collecting treasure in a game feel significant? (14:14) What would you put in The Orange Box 2? (20:12) How would you quantify an experience point? (26:07) Design a game based on a White House press conference. (32:59) From PAX 2022: An interview with Starbucks Workers United organizer (37:59) MoxBagel re-asks: What’s the ideal video game to play over dinner? (41:11) Has a plot hole in a game’s story ever ruined the game for you? (48:37) What is the Avengers: Endgame of video games? (58:14) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design – Panic! At The Disco songs (01:05:38) Recommendations and Outro (01:18:57) If you look behind this episode’s waterfall you’ll find people discussing it in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Disney’s Darkwing Duck The Besties General Chaos Mortal Kombat GoldenEye 007 Super Smash Brothers series Cyberpunk 2077 Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Starfield Anthem Assassin’s Creed series Silent Hill 2 Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Tomb Raider series Deus Ex series Marvel Avengers Gex series Portal series Half-Life: Alyx Quantum Conundrum Counter-Strike series Team Fortress series Back 4 Blood Crusader Kings series Perfect Tides Hollow Knight Baldur’s Gate series Legend of Zelda series Super Hydlide Demonschool (now wishlistable on Steam) Paper Mario series Samba De Amigo Elite Beat Agents Xanadu (1980) Space Channel 5 Papers, Please Gears 5 Dark Souls series The Last of Us series Genshin Impact Deadly Premonition NieR: Automata Kentucky Route Zero Persona series Call of Duty series Spec Ops: The Line BioShock series Dead & Buried (1981) One Piece Halo series Avengers: Endgame (2019) Fortnite series Katamari Damacy Hook John Wick (2014) John Wick Hex EarthBound Recommendations: Jaffe: Watch One Piece Brandon: hold the up and down buttons to control those barrels in the Carnival Zone in Sonic 3, don’t watch Austin Powers, don’t watch any of the Bill & Ted movies, Mom and Dad Save the World (1992) Tim: Check out Star Trek: Discovery if you want to see David Cronenberg be weird and Michelle Yeoh be weird Chris: Subscribe to Shudder or The Criterion Channel Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Chris Plante. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/17/20221 hour, 40 minutes, 51 seconds
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Ep. 256 - Top 20 Arcade Edition

The full panel reassembles to create an Insert Credit approved ranked list of twenty arcade games. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Nominees in Order of Discussion: Asteroids Deluxe (21:30) The Irritating Stick (26:10) Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart’s Super Off Road (30:16) Alien Vs. Predator (34:28) X-Men (40:15) Capcom Vs. SNK 2 Millionaire Fighting 2001 (44:43) The Outfoxies (50:33) NBA Jam: Tournament Edition (01:02:25) Groove Coaster (01:08:24) F-Zero AX (01:15:51) Frogger (01:26:25) Typing of the Dead (01:30:10) Tapper (01:39:32) Azumanga Puzzle Daioh (01:42:23) Prop Cycle (01:47:39) Dog Patch (01:57:29) Darius (02:02:04) Ibara Kuro: Black Label (02:07:28) G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (02:10:33) Outrun (02:14:31) View the finalized ranked list in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Curiosity 22Cans Elvis (2022) X-Men Final Fight series Rampart Metal Slug series Giovanni’s Pizza Galaga Xevious Ibara Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Derby Stallion series Dog Patch OutRun series Asteroids Deluxe Spacewar! Tempest The Irritating Maze Irritating Stick Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart’s Super Off Road Ivan Stewart Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom Double Dragon Alien vs. Predator Street Fighter series The Punisher Undercover Cops Panzer Bandit Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Judgment / Judge Eyes series Metamorphic Force Capcom Vs. SNK 2 Millionaire Fighting 2001 Marvel vs. Capcom series SoulCalibur Guilty Gear Super Smash Brothers series The Rumble Fish 2 pop’n music series Dance Dance Revolution / Dancing Stage series Pump It Up series The Outfoxies Rolling Thunder Code Name: Viper Cobra Triangle Vice: Project Doom Among Us Pac-Man Samurai Gunn TowerFall series Nidhogg VIDEOBALL Elevator Action Returns NBA Jam series Mortal Kombat games Tecmo Bowl series NFL Blitz Groove Coaster series Flappy Bird Fruit Ninja series Darius series The Ninja Warriors series Alundra F-Zero AX Super Monkey Ball series Sega Rally series After Burner series Time Crisis II Point Blank 2 Deus Ex Frogger Crossy Road The Typing of the Dead The House of the Dead series Virtua Cop 2 Police Trainer series Tapper Diner Dash series Red Dead Redemption II Landmaker Azumanga Daioh Puzzle Bobble Puzzle Fighter series Wing War Wing Arms Virtua Fighter Virtua Racing Virtual On series Cyber Sled Katamari series Ridge Racer series Prop Cycle Hyper Gunsport Ibara Kuro: Black Label RayForce / Layer Section series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Sin and Punishment series Cabal Yu Suzuki After Burner: Climax Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/10/20222 hours, 25 minutes, 18 seconds
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Ep. 255 - It's Boss Time Now, with John Learned

Game annotater and journalist John Learned joins the panel to cover dead babies, doing a Batman, and Mr. Bones and me. Questions this week: What’d you think of Return to Monkey Island, Frank? (04:57) What have been the most significant improvements to the Metroidvania format since Symphony of the Night? (11:30) How many fighters should be in a fighting game? (16:53) What’s the best use of a musical instrument in a non-music based video game? (21:53) What job in the video game industry are you not qualified for, but could do an okay job at anyway? (27:14) Spencer’s Gifts asks: Are lost memories a compelling story device? (35:27) Violence Island Season 2 (41:37) Other than an achievement or trophy, what’s the best way to reward a player for 100% completion in a video game? (58:00) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pull Quotes (01:03:30) Recommendations and Outro (01:08:19) Return to the forums to discuss this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Alexey Pajitnov Street Fighter series Legend of Zelda series Perry Mason Asuka 120% series Radiant Silvergun Perry Farrell Demon’s Souls Dark Souls series Return to Monkey Island Monkey Island series Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Chasm Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Hollow Knight Super Metroid Yoku’s Island Express King of Fighters series Tekken series Skullgirls series Big Band Mr. Bones Ninja Baseball Bat Man Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Darkstalkers series Super Mario series Mortal Kombat Fatal Fury Special Windjammers Sunset Riders Power Dolls Vagrant Story Final Fantasy series Dragon Quest III Deckard Cain Abel Marina Liteyears U-1 Yuna Raidou Kuzunoha XIV Captain Marvel Captain Commando Batman: Arkham Knight Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series NieR series Stardew Valley Recommendations: Brandon: Buy stuff from Japan right now since the exchange rate is so good, Cypher (2002), Frank: Beavis and Butt-Head John: Breaking Bad Jaffe: Send proof of new or upgrading Patreon membership to personally choose an obscure video game reference to open a future episode with! Wishlist Demonschool on Steam by Necrosoft. Check out our sister show, The Video Game History Hour. Enjoy the new action button reviews boku no natsuyasumi. Subscribe to Annotated Games by John Learned. Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and John Learned. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/3/20221 hour, 15 minutes, 43 seconds
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Ep. 254 - From Tokyo with Brandon Sheffield, Part II

Brandon continues his time in Japan for the Tokyo Game Show by covering hidden shrines at Sega HQ with Lotte May and Yumiko Miyabe, Rez development with Mark Macdonald, Kaiju bars with Jun Shimizu, Tokyo Game Show games with Andrew Kiya, the Japanese language with Cheryl Ng, and video game purchases with Paul O’Leary McCann. Discuss part II of this episode in the forums! Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Lotte May, Yumiko Miyabe, Mark MacDonald, Jun Shimizu, Andrew Kiya, Cheryl Ng, and Paul O’Leary McCann. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.
9/26/20222 hours, 28 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 253 - From Tokyo with Brandon Sheffield, Part I

Full moon, hot cars, cool games, good records. Brandon Sheffield is in Japan for Tokyo Game Show 2022, and has lots to share from the trip, including a Nintendo HQ visit, Maidreamin’, highway driving and street racing spots with Chibi-Tech, and record store finds with Kenan Alpay. Discuss this episode in the forums! Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Chibi-Tech and Kenan Alpay. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/19/20221 hour, 48 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 252 - Quora Spectaskular 2, with Ash Parrish and Chris Kohler

The reunited Ash Parrish and Chris Kohler, both formerly of Kotaku Splitscreen, join Frank Cifaldi and Alex Jaffe in answering the top video game questions on Quora. Questions this week: Is there any reason to choose a female character in video games? (03:18) Why does everyone speak English in the Fallout video game series? (06:04) Playing Skyrim as a vampire, is it worth it? (06:56) Why is Magnus Carlsen hinting at not playing world championships anymore while at the peak of his power? (09:20) What’s the hardest video game ever made? (11:31) How can I permanently end my son’s gaming? (14:45) What are some good free game engines? (21:16) In a 4X game, do you play tall or wide? (22:45) What game has the environment that blew your mind? (24:27) Where do you scale the Game Sonic? (27:58) If you’re making a game and a company wants to buy it from you, how much should you sell it for? (32:41) Will the era of console exclusive games ever end? (38:28) Why is it when I play Minecraft with 1660Ti I barely reach 60fps? (39:28) My son is playing Elden Ring and it’s full of demonic imagery. What should I do? (40:28) What are the least known game genres? (42:34) Are there any games that can actually earn Paypal money?(45:42) LIGHTNING ROUND: Overwatch League Team Slogans (46:37) Recommendations and Outro (50:35) Any questions? Ask them in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Quora’s video game questions Mass Effect series Fallout games NetHack Street Fighter II: The World Warrior New Super Mario Bros. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Mister Mosquito Boktai: The Sun is in Your Hand Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Dragon Age: Origins Mortal Kombat games The Sims 4 Magnus Carlsen Nintendo World Championships 1990 Space Hulk: Vengeance of the Blood Angels Blood Will Be Spilled Edge of Tomorrow (2014) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Takeshi no Chōsenjō Carmen Sandiego series Yars’ Revenge Super Mario 64 Star Fox 64 Chameleon Twist Roblox Minecraft Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble Sonic the Hedgehog universe Lemmings Twine RPG Maker (not free) Undertale Homestuck Reigen Arataka and Sans squared off in Tumblr Sexyman poll Video Game History Hour Ep. 22: Remembering Atari with Howard Scott Warshaw Stellaris Civilization series World of WarCraft series Dragon Warrior II Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Pokémon Silver Version Penny Arcade MC Frontalot MC Chris Call of Duty series Elden Ring Q*bert Miner 2049er Splatoon series The Oregon Trail eBay Recommendations: Frank: The Video Game History Hour Ash: BPM: Bullets Per Minute Chris: Immortality Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish and Chris Kohler. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/12/202257 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 251 - Bye Forever PAX 2022, with Brandon Sheffield

Brandon Sheffield reports from the Demonschool booth at PAX 2022, where he shares stories direct from Ian Adams, Frank Howley and our own Frank Cifaldi. Demonschool Booth Worries (00:14) A PAX-ish Anecdote, with Ian Adams (02:12) Day 1 Wrap-Up (03:19) Hotel Experience (05:06) Orange County in Newcastle upon Tyne (06:42) Day 2 and Adventure Game Panel, with Frank Cifaldi (08:53) Seattle Is Just San Francisco 2 (23:38) The Last of Us 2 Whiskey Event, with Frank Howley (26:16) Wrap Up (30:05) Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, with Ian Adams, Frank Howley and Frank Cifaldi. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/5/202234 minutes, 9 seconds
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Ep. 250 - Getcha Self a Hot Dog, with Liz Ryerson

Insert Credit Fringe Games Correspondent Liz Ryerson returns to the panel to cover being a tool user, the year of peak stupidity in video games, and crystals of fun syrup. Questions this week: If you had a free day at the world’s most complete arcade, how would you spend a thousand quarters? (02:27) Is Gamescom the new E3? (07:59) What is the Snyder Cut of game conferences? (13:19) Recommend a video game soundtrack for Alex Jaffe’s dad’s commute (18:57) Improv Zone: Game Director YouTube Channels (23:49) Mr. Heck asks: what makes successful video games similar, and what makes video game failures unique? (39:24) What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever seen in a video game? (47:59) How would you put the sound of a black hole into a video game? (52:47) What kind of games and areas of game culture do we not talk about enough on Insert Credit? (56:30) LIGHTNING ROUND: Episode Title Throwbacks (01:01:41) Recommendations and Outro (01:11:06) Two hundred and fifty? That’s a lot of episodes you could discuss in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Yo, Bro California Extreme 2 Spicy Emergency Call Ambulance Prop Cycle Elevator Action Deluxe series Daytona USA Marble Madness Revolution X Metal Slug series Cadash EightyTwo Golden Axe: The Revenge of Death Adder Long Island Retro Gaming Expo Phantasmagoria series Gamescom Kölsch Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) Todd Rogers John Romero that Seinfeld photo shoot Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas EverGrace NieR series BioShock series Fallout games Deathloop Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Tony Hawk skateboarding series Katamari Damacy Space Channel 5 Ape Out EarthBound FunHouse Mortal Kombat games Disney’s Goof Troop Biohazard / Resident Evil series Maniac Mansion Twister (1996) Inception (2010) Dan Snaith Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan / Elite Beat Agents series London Cab Challenge Smashing Drive Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg Billy the Wizard: Rocket Broomstick Racing Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events Neopets: The Darkest Faerie Death of Adventure Games Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned Armed & Delirious Alex Kidd series Exile: Wicked Phenomenon Knuckles’ Chaotix Nasa releases audio of what a black hole ‘sounds’ like Legend of Zelda series Oh, Deer! Super Mario series Fortnite series Clash Royale Recommendations: Brandon: Wash your car from top to bottom, watch the Comanche dub of Prey (2022), Winter Beast (1992) Frank: If you like to channel surf old games, don’t forget to play the popular good stuff too Liz: Death’s Dynamic Shroud, Season of the Witch (1972), Kitschfork Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Liz Ryerson. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/29/20221 hour, 19 minutes, 1 second
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Not 250 - Violence Island Exhibition and Waiting for Timbot

Here’s something different! Episode Not 250 brings you a few of the Who Would Win In A Fight matches from forums.insertcredit.com and delivers swift judgment from Alex Jaffe. Stick around for conversation from Alex, Frank, and Brandon on subjects like Judaism in the Bay Area, Batman: The Animated Series, cultural aesthetic adoption over the decades, and more. Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/22/202233 minutes, 10 seconds
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Ep. 249 - Space Jerks on Monkey Island

Our beloved panel of experts discusses podcasts on Stadia, Chimp Chent, and Breath of the Gliald. Questions this week: From Ash Parrish: If a game development studio was run like a busy kitchen, what would employees shout while running around? (01:18) How do developers make money from subscription services like GamePass? (06:12) Which former game development collaborators would you most like to see team up again? (10:52) What are the false impressions we get about war from war video games? (17:57) What’s the plot of Super Monkey Ball? (22:36) Gaagaagiins asks: Rank the following – dash, roll, slide, glide, hover, fly and jump. (27:22) How do you get past video game burnout? (37:11) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name a new Guilty Gear character (41:25) Recommendations and Outro (44:03) Legally, the government can’t stop you from discussing this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Giant Bomb The Bear Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop Hot Comics for Cool People by Brandon Sheffield and Dami Lee Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Stadia Sonic Team Balan Wonderworld SNK Corporation Silent Hill 2 Unity Signs New Deal To Help U.S. Army, Government Metal Gear Ac!d NeverDead Thimbleweed Park Monkey Island series Bonk series Final Fantasy series Dragon Warrior / Dragon Quest series Landstalker Shining Force Yo-kai Watch series The Adventures of Batman & Robin Darius series Call of Duty series Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots America’s Army series Super Monkey Ball series Super Mario series Legend of Zelda series Kirby games Rocket Knight Adventures Dark Souls series Virtua Fighter series Battle Arena Toshinden series Another World Genital Jousting Demon’s Crest Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Celeste Burnout series Astro’s Playroom Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Recommendations: Tim: Don’t go outside if you live in New York Brandon: The Cannibal Man (1972), you can eat squash leaves and stems, research the correct order to watch The Prisoner Frank: New Beavis and Butt-Head series is pretty good Jaffe: The Sandman Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/15/202254 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 248 - Insert Credit Flavored Questions that are too stupid for the Dirtbag, with Ash Parrish

Insert Credit Hornt Correspondent Ash Parrish rejoins the panel to answer questions members of the Insert Credit forums deemed too stupid even to submit to the dirtbag. Questions this week: BluntForceMama asks: What is your mom’s favorite TV show, and how would you adapt it into a video game your dad would want to play? (02:06) Gaagaagiins asks: Is Capcom just Sega without the Sega-ness? (07:09) beets asks: If you were going to make a table from video game hardware, which would you choose? (10:03) yeso asks: can Yoko Taro see out of that thing? (12:41) King Tub asks: when I’m rewarded with gold for fighting a monster, what’s it doing with that gold? (15:13) Is Superman just seeing everybody’s dicks all the time? (18:03) Gaagaagiins asks: Design a Fromsoft Onimusha game with a Jean Reno-level celebrity appearance and setting (20:44) antillese asks: If muddy brown is the color of Xbox 360 games, what is the video game color of other consoles? (22:12) The Fragrance of Dark Coffee asks: What isn’t the Jingle All The Way of video games? (26:19) dylanfills asks: Is the Phoenix Wright series copaganda? (30:15) Anna asks: If every video game character escaped the virtual world and attacked their creators, which developers could beat their creations? (35:22) TokuCowboy asks: What does the CD mean in Sonic CD? (40:56) HelloMrKearns asks: What is the Mitsuoka Le-Seyde of video games? (41:28) dylanfills asks: is Doomguy a bottom? (47:48) LIGHTNING ROUND: Arcade of Our Own (51:16) Recommendations and Outro (01:03:22) Discuss this episode in the forums or ask questions of your own! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Insert Credit Flavored Questions that are too stupid for the Dirtbag Zoot Suit Riot Devil’s Crush Poirot Murder, She Wrote Endeavour Selling Sunset Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Sub Hunt Biohazard / Resident Evil series Virtua Fighter series Star Gladiator series Power Stone games Mega Man Legends Dino Crisis Lost Planet series Yoko Taro Dragon Warrior / Dragon Quest series Monster Hunter series Final Fantasy series Cyber Doll Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex The Boys Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Onimusha 3: Demon Siege Jean Reno Christopher Lambert White Knight Chronicles Resonance of Fate Bonk series Bazaru de Gozaru no Game de Gozaru Alundra Mortal Kombat Jingle All the Way (1996) Braid BioShock series Seinfeld Pac-Man Minesweeper The banner ad Frank discusses during the break Ace Attorney / Gyakuten Saiban series Le Samouraï (1967) Revolutionary Girl Utena Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Monkey Island series Fist Puncher Space Harrier Dark Souls series Civilization series Lester the Unlikely Teddy Ruxpin Sonic CD Mitsuoka Le-Seyde Steel Battalion Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat Guitar Hero series Aaron Woodrow’s ringtone DOOM series a page from the Doom comic Recommendations: Brandon: Wishlist Hyper Gunsport and Demonschool on Steam Ash: Endling: Extinction Is Forever, Escape Academy Frank: Try unsalted nuts, send Frank the Doom comic Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Ash Parrish. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/8/20221 hour, 6 minutes, 54 seconds
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Ep. 247 - The Criterion Collection of Video Games

The panel convenes to assess the Oofya, share controversial Klonoa opinions, and choose the first five video games to be given the Criterion Collection treatment. Questions this week: What difficulty mode do you start games on? (00:42) How do you remedy the tone of Grand Theft Auto while maintaining crass irreverence? (05:53) How do you create urgency in a video game without an explicit timer? (16:35) What should Roblox replace its iconic “oof” noise with? (20:31) Jaffe Guesses the Golden Age of Konami – Round 4 (28:37) Tom asks: If the Criterion Collection were to release video games, what might the first five titles be, and what would the ideal special features be for each of them? (30:04) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Inaugural Criterion Collection of Video Games (01:01:33) Share your picks for games 6 and onward in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Kingdom Hearts series Final Fantasy VII: Remake God of War series DOOM series Rockstar Games Cleaned Up Its Frat-Boy Culture — and Grand Theft Auto, Too Grand Theft Auto series Red Dead Redemption II The Sopranos The Simpsons Saints Row series Tim Roger’s Friend Jason Schreier Bully Sonic the Hedgehog universe Penguin Game tweet Super Valis IV Bio-Senshi Dan: Increaser to no Tatakai Celeste Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Roblox Roblox’s new ‘oof’ sound is a big oof Jeff Gerstmann’s tweet Super Mario series Intellivision Amico Klonoa series (be nice, klonoa is just a little guy doing his best) Tomba! Croc: Legend of the Gobbos The Criterion Collection Seanbaby ICO The Complete Mr. Arkadin (1955) Panzer Dragoon series The Last of Us series Virtua Fighter 2 SEGA AGES 2500 series Gunstar Heroes Powerslave Quake Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection Seven Samurai (1954) Linda³ Again Blizzard Arcade Collection Playdate Yu Suzuki Tokimeki Memorial games Myst Another World Katamari series Shadow of the Colossus Star Control II Elite Armageddon (1998) Mortal Kombat II Turok: Dinosaur Hunter Live a Live Once Upon a Time in China: The Complete Films High Seas Havoc Socket Zero the Kamikaze Squirrel Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino’s Butt Recommendations: Tim: The Criterion Channel Frank: Get some good sleep and poop on the regular Brandon: If you drink wine buy a wine aerator, and if you live in the Bay Area buy Alvarrado Street bread Jaffe: The Bear on FX Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/2/20221 hour, 12 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 246 - Those Who Trod Upon Rodents, with Paul Tamayo

Producer, critic and podcaster Paul Tamayo joins the panel to cover when you should pee your pants, Mario’s political affiliations, the coveted 7/11 video games, and Guantanamo Nights Zone. Questions this week: Which real world racing event has the most interesting game mechanics? (06:54) What are the best implementations of alien technology in video games? (14:05) Could you design a game about New York City that doesn’t involve driving? (19:55) What would be the best city to drive around in a video game? (27:48) Spencer asks: Why did so many companies throw their hat in the console ring during the fifth generation? (35:28) Was PaRappa the Rapper good, or do we just remember it because it has a rapping dog? (42:56) What are your video game spending habits like? (48:04) Within the game’s fiction, why do video game villains design their bases as platforming puzzles? (56:01) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Grand Theft Auto Online (01:01:01) Recommendations and Outro (01:09:05) Kick! Punch! Discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The Real World NASCAR Nascar and the Art of Revenge Daytona 500 Baja 1000 Alienware Hylics 2 Needler Outer Wilds Earth Defense Force / Chikyū Bōeigun series Another World Ramble Planet Halo (TV Series) Onechanbara: The Movie (2008) Onechanbara: Bikini Zombie Slayers (2009) Stray Marvel Spider-Man Assassin’s Creed series Grand Theft Auto series True Crime: New York City The Godfather: The Game Courier Crisis Premium Rush (2012) San Francisco Rush: Extreme Racing Driver: San Francisco Hitman III Landstalker Dark Savior 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Atari Jaguar Sega Saturn FM Towns Marty Amiga CD32 Apple Plippin Playdia Casio Loopy Spencer Gifts Spenser: For Hire Philips CD-i PC-FX Mortal Kombat Super Nintendo Entertainment System Sega Genesis Way of the Warrior Ken Kutaragi PaRappa the Rapper Um Jammer Lammy PaRappa the Rapper 2 PaRappa the Rapper: Remastered Paper Mario Panzer Dragoon Saga F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Bowser Doctor Eggman Doctor Albert W. Wily Dracula Love Island Super Mario Odyssey Super Paper Mario Sonic Forces Recommendations: Paul: RRR (2022) Tim: Learn Chinese, it’s important Brandon: Do not leave your dog in East Oakland unless you want Brandon to take care of it, GRRL, the current season of The Bachelorette if you liked Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Paul Tamayo. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/25/20221 hour, 18 minutes
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Ep. 245 - Romancing the Three Kingdoms

Even Hollywood Florida can’t keep Alex Jaffe from asking the panel about Nobunaga’s Position, The Zorro Theorem, and Jonk Bonk. Questions this week: What’s up with that Vice article about Embracer Group making a game archive? (04:47) What are your favorite kinds of puzzles in video games? (12:34) How would you design a new spinoff of Koei’s Romance of the Three Kingdom’s series? (19:28) When does a game need a remake? (23:16) Which four video games would you buy for each of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? (28:57) Le Fish asks: What would the title, plot, and promotional tagline of a Bonk movie be? (34:43) Is it always more exciting to play offense than defense? (41:02) Do you have any recurring intrusive video game memories? (43:35) What is The Orville of video games? (47:44) LIGHTNING ROUND: Famicom Feud – Spike Video Game Awards Celebrity Hosts (53:05) Recommendations and Outro (01:09:26) Share your recurring intrusive video game memories in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Growing strong and healthy…Minmo! Cool World (1992) Why Is a Game Publisher Trying to Buy Every Video Game Ever Made? ‘Super Mario 64’ sells for over $1.5 million Neutopia II Video Game History Foundation National Videogame Museum Spacewar Computer History Museum 30 Rock Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Biohazard / Resident Evil series Rise of the Tomb Raider Uncharted series Shadow of the Tomb Raider The Last of Us series Hitman series Romance of the Three Kingdoms series Dynasty Warriors series Angelique Games Tokimeki Memorial games Nobunaga’s Ambition Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Fortnite: Battle Royale Left 4 Dead series Back 4 Blood American Truck Simulator series Kerbal Space Program Picross series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Friday the 13th: The Game Elden Ring Bloodborne Bonk series Encino Man (1992) Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) Demolition Man (1993) Evo Moment 37 A Healer Only Lives Twice Asuka 120% series Final Fantasy XV The Orville Stardew Valley Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons series Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Contra series Mega Man / Rockman series Mighty No. 9 Ted (2012) A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) Recommendations: Tim: Smoke weed every day Frank: Be by yourself for a little bit Brandon: The City of the Dead (1960) specifically for Venetia Stevenson’s performance Jaffe: John Adams Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/18/20221 hour, 14 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep. 244 - Double-Sized Dirtbag Delve, with Andrés Velasco y Coll

EVO Head Tournament Organizer Andrés Velasco y Coll fills in as host for a number of listener submitted questions, covering Italian David Cage, Stardon’t Valley, and how to get a job in the video game industry. Questions this week: Anders asks: How do you get into the video game industry? (07:35) AOL Netscape asks: What series or franchise has a spinoff game arguably better than its predecessor? (23:32) Ross Hamrick asks: How would you remake Jackie Chan Stuntmaster? (29:52) Horizontal Hold asks: Which Nintendo IP would Sega make a good entry of? (37:08) Mox Bagel asks: Which game director would make the best physical version of their game? (44:24) Dilson asks: What are the best crouching animations? (54:40) The Fragrance of Dark Coffee asks: What is the oldest game you’d still recommend today? (59:48) Spencer asks: Which games have the best third act? (01:09:18) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design – Popular Podcasts (01:15:51) Recommendations and Outro (01:22:32) Delve into the forums to discuss this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Crime City Divekick: Addition Edition Super Hexagon VIDEOBALL Metal Gear series Hyper Gunsport now wishlistable on steam Indivisible BioShock series Animal Crossing: New Horizons Necrosoft Games is hiring a producer Evo Combo Breaker CEO Fighting Game Championships Video Game History Foundation Ninja Ninja Gaiden King of Fighters series Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Monster World IV Super Mario series Biohazard / Resident Evil series Tōhō (Touhou) series Sonic R Sonic the Hedgehog: Spinball Heroes of Might and Magic series Dark Arms: Beast Buster 1999 Dark Souls series King’s Field Legend of Zelda series Bust-A-Move Jackie Chan Stuntmaster Scarface: The World Is Yours Simpsons: Hit & Run Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Prototype Jackie Chan’s Action Kung Fu Dynamite Deka series Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order Stranglehold Watch_Dogs Destroy All Humans! inFAMOUS series Kirby games Landstalker Sylvan Tale Crusader of Centy Linkle Liver Story Magic Knight Rayearth Dark Savior Star Fox series Kid Icarus series Punch-Out series Super Smash Brothers series Panzer Dragoon Pokémon Snap River City Ransom series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Vagrant Story Bennett Foddy Illbleed Silent Hill series Sleep No More Chris Pratt says his Mario voice is ‘unlike anything you’ve heard’ City Hunter Rolling Thunder series The Ninja Warriors Sonic Mania The Adventures of Batman & Robin Bayonetta series Gears of War series Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble Asteroids Deluxe Tempest Galaga Zoo Keeper Dog Patch California Extreme Pong Combat DOOM Crispy Doom Warlords Spacewar Computer History Museum Lunar Lander StarCraft series Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales Cyberpunk 2077 Mother / EarthBound series Undertale King Kong (1933) Ape Escape Recommendations: Frank: Listen to some other show if you want recommendations, GDQ 2022 Mario Kaizo relay race Brandon: Space Is the Place (1974), Void Pyramid, Xoo: Xeno Xafari Andres: Dimension 20’s Starstruck Odyssey Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Andres Velasco y Coll, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/11/20221 hour, 28 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 243 - Alunderstanding Laryngoscopy, with Doc Burford

Adios Director Doc Burford joins the panel to cover pulse oximeters, what Michael Bay understood about West Side Story, and the RP Walk Button. Questions this week: At what point in playing a game do you feel justified picking up a guide? (06:05) If all video games are fantasy fulfillment, which games serve the most niche interest? (11:18) Design a game for the Nintendo Wii Vitality Sensor accessory. (17:14) Jaffe Guesses the Golden Age of Konami – Round 3 (24:20) Daisopop asks: What’s better? default running with a walk button or default walking with a run button? (25:31) Is Niantic a one-hit wonder? (31:58) Who is the Baz Luhrmann of video games? (37:59) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (43:11) Recommendations and Outro (49:36) Toggle your run/walk button and get over to the forums to discuss this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: “Mystery Box” Vintage Video Game Magazines Arc System Works Super Mario series Mega Man / Rockman series Persona series Castlevania: Symphony of the Night TV Sports series Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter Citizen Sleeper Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle Alundra Euro Truck Simulator series Ice Road Truckers The Simple Life The Good Life PC Building Simulator Hardspace: Shipbreaker Adios Animal Crossing series Stardew Valley Nintendo president: Wii Vitality Sensor shelved, ‘did not work as expected’ Wii Fit Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! Ring Fit Adventure The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Bad reviews of Yankee Candle might predict waves of Covid-19 Final Fantasy VII Pokémon GO Ingress Shin Megami Tensei series Baz Luhrmann David Cage Ken Levine Tom Hooper Darren Aronofsky Mother! (2017) The Great Gatsby (2013) Elvis (2022) Doja Cat Romeo + Juliet (1996) The Beach (2000) Romeo Must Die (2000) BioShock series Busby Berkeley Michael Bay West Side Story (1961) Recommendations: Frank: The Video Game History Foundation Brandon: Mad God (2021) East Bay Wilds, wishlist Demonschool on Steam please Doc: pick up Adios on Switch, Xbox, PC, whatever Jaffe: Adios on Switch, Xbox, PC, whatever Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Doc Burford. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/4/202257 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 242 - Famous Characters in Funny Situations, with Mathew Kumar

Game design lead for Future Club Mathew Kumar joins the panel to cover piles of graphics cards, Dall E, and customer service at the dream factory. Questions this week: What makes a video game “obscure?” (06:27) Brandon Sheffield re-asks: What is a game you didn’t like until you played it? (14:52) Imagine you’re streaming through a glitch where half your viewers get audio but no visuals, and half get visuals but no audio. What game could you play that both audiences would enjoy the most? (21:00) Design a new mode for Minesweeper (27:59) Dirtbag Seth asks: What responsibilities does a King of Fighters have to their subjects? (34:27) What will AI-generated video games be like? (37:31) Does fast travel mean traversing a game’s world isn’t interesting? (44:39) Which video game feels the most Scottish? (51:48) LIGHTNING ROUND: Famicom Feud - Top 8 Video Game movies on Rotten Tomatoes (56:36) Recommendations and Outro (01:13:47) Check out that AI forum game and lots more in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: NBA 2K series Façade Planetokio Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth EarthBound Space Invaders variants Live a Live ObsCure Linda³ Insert Credit Obscure: The Aftermath Crusader of Centy Fortnite Unreal Tournament series Beethoven’s 2nd Contra: Rogue Corps Real Sound: Kaze no Regret Sam & Max licensees Monkey Island series LSD: Dream Emulator Hitman series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Sudoku Minecraft The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Hexic King of Fighters series The Santa Clause (1994) DALL·E 2 Half-Life Dwarf Fortress What’s that game? (neural network generated image mode) Marvel Spider-Man Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales Marvel’s Wolverine Braveheart Dragon Force Grand Theft Auto series Excite series Forza Horizon 4 Lemmings Kasumi Ninja screenshot Shrek SuperSlam Recommendations: Frank: If you know any retired or semi-retired game developers in the midwest, let Frank know Brandon: Tool Assisted Speedrun of Pac-Man World for PSX, mikeyeldey: the album for Sega Genesis, set up a nice time for yourself Tim: Say thank you for things in your life Mathew: Ignore Big Luhrman, Mickey Reece’s Alien (2017) Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and Mathew Kumar. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/27/20221 hour, 22 minutes, 23 seconds
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Ep. 241 - Octoplath Traveler, with Allegra Frank

Deputy editor of The Daily Beast Allegra Frank joins the panel to cover Kirby adults, Pokemon Gonlyfans, and whether or not demons are cool. Questions this week: Does adapting a story focused on choice into another medium cheapen player agency? (04:58) Where does the Kirby franchise go from here? (13:19) What’s happened with Pokemon Go in the last six years since anyone played it? (20:13) Which video game character would you pick to guest host Saturday Night Live? (26:58) Are demons cool? (32:02) Kyle asks: Which famous writer would be best at writing a video game walkthrough? (41:36) Tim asks: who cares? (48:42) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As: Dragon Age Inquisition (49:35) Recommendation & Outro (01:00:44) Pokemon Go to the forums to discuss this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Demonschool by Necrosoft Games, now wishlistable on Steam Dornie Super Mario 64 Jurassic Park: Rampage Edition Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Yoshi Black Mirror: Bandersnatch F For Fake (1973) The Walking Dead BioShock Dragon Age series Mass Effect series Life Is Strange series Halo Kirby games Kirby Air Ride Kirby and the Forgotten Land Curb Your Enthusiasm Pokémon universe Pokémon GO Mongo only pawn in game of life Cork The Human Toll Of Fallout 76’s Disastrous Launch Marcus Michael Fenix George Steinbrenner Big Boss Solid Snake Dr. Hal “Otacon” Emmerich Demonschool Shin Megami Tensei series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Persona series Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Final Fight: “Streetwise” Ernest Hemingway Homer Beowulf Salman Rushdie Jonathan Franzen Conker’s Bad Fur Day Sylvia Plath Warlock Jean-Paul Sartre Jorge Luis Borges Miguel de Cervantes Recommendations: Brandon: F For Fake (1973), Desiccation’s Cold Dead Earth, Tim: This lunchtime photograph, Don’t call yourself a flexitarian Allegra: Freeze then thaw your tofu Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and Allegra Frank. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/20/20221 hour, 7 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 240 - Get On The Centaur, with The Night Sky Prince

Final Fantasy and JRPG streamer The Night Sky Prince pals around with the panel for an RPG-focused episode covering wily game mavens, Bush doing 9/11, and the Lynchian madness of Kingdom Hearts. Questions this week: Brandon Sheffield asks: What is the “Play it again, Sam” of video games? (05:46) What would make Final Fantasy XVI not just the best game in the series, but a game that even Frank and Brandon would want to play immediately? (12:44) What are some RPG mechanics from a bygone age you’d like to see make a comeback? (20:54) Rename Creative Business Units 1 through 4 (26:24) MoxBagel asks: If Chunsoft continued to make all eleven main Dragon Quests, how would they be different? (37:21) Is the practice of grinding a fundamental flaw in RPGs, or can it be additive to the experience? (43:38) What are the qualities of a party member you’ll always keep in your party? (50:44) Establish a canon of worthy 2D successors to Final Fantasies IV-VI (56:32) LIGHTNING ROUND: RPGeography (01:03:07) Recommendations & Outro (01:09:29) Use Discussion on the forums! It’s super effective! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu Phantasy Star IV Phantasy Star games Dragon Warrior Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin Cartridge Pokémon Blue Version Quest 64 Play it again, Sam Casablanca (1942) Pac-Man Death Stranding Pong Super Mario series Final Fantasy XV Everything we learned from Final Fantasy XVI’s new trailer The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Call of Duty series Devil May Cry 5 Ultima Shin Megami Tensei series Elden Ring Creative Business Unit I Final Fantasy series Saga Frontier series Kingdom Hearts series The World Ends with You series Creative Business Unit II Dragon Warrior / Dragon Quest series Gunslinger Stratos NieR series Bravely Default series Octopath Traveler series Creative Business Unit III Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Final Fantasy XVI Dragon Quest Builders series Creative Business Unit IV Seiken Densetsu / Mana series Nintendo R&D 1 Sega AM2 Meet Shinra, Square Enix’ powerful cloud processing tech Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge Spike Chunsoft Yuji Horii Akira Toriyama Koichi Sugiyama Destiny 2 Loop Hero Half-Minute Hero series Cecil Harvey Shining Force series Centaur (pinball) Deus Ex: Human Revolution is FINE, And Here’s Why Legend of Heroes series Lost Odyssey Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Chrono Trigger Wild Arms Suikoden series The Legend of Xanadu II Seiya Monogatari: Anearth Fantasy Stories Tokimeki Memorial games Albert Odyssey Tales series Final Fantasy Tactics Wild Arms 2 Xenogears Grandia Dark Savior Alundra Recommendations: Brandon: Wishlist Necrosoft’s new game Demonschool on Steam, check out the website Frank: Our Flag Means Death Tim: Buy a nice pair of shoes The Night Sky Prince: The Night Sky Prince on Youtube, Twitch and Twitter Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and The Night Sky Prince. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/13/20221 hour, 18 minutes, 34 seconds
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Ep. 239 - Panzer Dragoose

The panel reveals which console has quietly become the second Dreamcast, their honest feelings on how Sonic Frontiers is looking so far, which game Tim started 24 times before finishing, and much more. HEADS UP! During Question 6, beginning at 45:51, Tim starts telling a story that contains some pretty horrifying dental trauma. If you don’t want to hear bad things happening to teeth, please skip to 49:37. Questions this week: Is a tech demo a video game? (02:36) Are we getting a new Space Harrier? (13:41) What are the best fonts and typefaces in video games? (20:22) Design eight characters for a Street Fighter spinoff where each character is based on a U.S. state (26:31) Mono asks: What’s the saddest sound you’ve ever heard in a video game? (35:06) Do you or does someone you know have video game superstitions? (41:27) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As – The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (52:39) Recommendations and Outro (58:15) Fly away to the forums to discuss this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Mega Man / Rockman series Karl Malone GameFan Die-Hardman Sonic Frontiers gameplay The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Important note: At one point in this episode Tim insists that we recognize that Jerry was dethroned by Carl for just a moment. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Sonic Adventure Super Mario Odyssey Alex Kidd series Halo: Infinite Destiny Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series The Night Sky Prince Elden Ring Yooka-Laylee Space Harrier series Air Twister Air Twister trailer Apple Arcade Top Gun (1986) Apple TV 4K Fantasian ChuChu Rocket! Universe Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls Sōkyūgurentai Mars Matrix Wild Arms 2 Crime Crackers 2 Ys series Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Final Fantasy VI EarthBound Final Fantasy Tactics Ore no Shikabane wo Koete Yuke Street Fighter series Billy Kane Duke Kahanamoku Ernest Borgnine From Here to Eternity (1953) EB Games Ayrton Senna Kid ’n Play Duke Nukem Forever Family Feud Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Animal Crossing: New Horizons Madden Curse Landstalker VIDEOBALL Biohazard / Resident Evil series Sonic 3D Blast The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Wing Commander series Shrek Recommendations: Brandon: George & Jonathan - The Best Music, Citizen Sleeper, please wishlist Hyper Gunsport on Steam, watch the PC Gaming Show on Sunday June 12 at 12:30p/3:30e to see Necrosoft’s new video game announcement Tim: Figure out what Tim is recommending yourself, I guess. Sounds like he likes HBO shows. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/6/20221 hour, 13 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep. 238 - Jackson Backcracker, Cowboy Chiropractor

Questions this week: Tim Rogers asks: What’s it like going to a chiropractor? (05:08) What’s the Metal Gear Solid 2-style subversion Death Stranding 2 will have? (13:23) What would it take to get you to buy alternate costume DLC? (19:56) What would we do if we bought EA? (25:56) Jaffe Guesses The Golden Age of Konami – Attempt 2 (32:02) Anonymous asks: Design a mascot for the ESRB (32:26) What is the Porco Rosso of video games? (37:37) Violence Island – Shadowban Championship (42:41) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As – Minecraft (01:19:16) Recommendations & Outro (01:27:02) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: SimCopter Call of Duty series Earthworm Jim Killer Instinct Cyberpunk 2077 Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman A new Death Stranding is happening, Norman Reedus says Death Stranding Metal Gear series Zone of the Enders Death Stranding: The Kotaku Video Review (by Tim Rogers) K2 Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse Super Mario Odyssey Honda Prelude Ghost of Tsushima Report: EA Looking to Sell or Merge Madden series Burnout series Road Rash series Titanfall series Skate or Die series skate series EA Sports and FIFA are breaking up after 30 years It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Shadows of the Damned Dead Space series Mirror’s Edge series Syndicate Entertainment Software Rating Board Gunsport God of War McGruff the Crime Dog Porco Rosso (1992) Onimusha 3: Demon Siege SkyGunner Tail Concerto Drakengard 2 Snoopy vs. the Red Baron Shadow the Hedgehog Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin Kratos Rabbids Takahashi Meijin The King of All Cosmos Bomberman Sephiroth Recommendations: Brandon: City of Blood by Akvan Frank: George Carlin’s American Dream Tim: Severance Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/30/20221 hour, 36 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 237 - Everything Everywah, with Maddy Thorson

Developer of TowerFall and Celeste Maddy Thorson joins the panel to cover the Treasure of Sierra Madrock, Nephew Tokens, and if double jumps are really necessary. Questions this week: Topher Florence asks: Cast a Super Mario Bros. Movie using the actors from the 1999 film The Matrix. There are no other restrictions. (06:51) How can a game’s soundtrack encourage gameplay? (13:45) Why did MicroKingBlizzardActivision show off that diversity chart like they were proud of it? (19:33) How much of Nintendo can the Saudi Prince of Arabia own before it’s no longer ethical to buy Switch games? (27:05) Should video games abolish the double jump? (30:42) Reg asks: What is the best video game manual you have read? (37:50) How do you implement accessibility options in a game where its difficulty is the point? (43:34) Do video game release dates mean anything anymore? (48:25) Will 3D platforming ever be better than 2D platforming? (54:16) LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As – Super Mario Maker 2 (01:00:03) Recommendations & Outro (01:03:39) Dash to the forums to discuss this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Mission in Snowdriftland Titanic (1997) The Flintstones: The Treasure of Sierra Madrock Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions Bonk’s Revenge Manmaru The Ninja Penguin TowerFall series Celeste Super Mario Maker series Crystal Caves M.C. Kids Super Mario series The Matrix (1999) Keanu Reeves Joe Pantoliano Carrie-Anne Moss Hugo Weaving Laurence Fishburne Tatanga Anthony Ray Parker Matt Doran Marcus Chong Gloria Foster Super Mario Bros. (1993) Max Headroom Sonic the Hedgehog universe Kingdom Hearts series Katamari series Mini Metro Silent Hill 3 Fez Activision Blizzard’s New Diversity Game Tool Comes Across Terribly Saudi Arabia Now Owns 5% Of Nintendo Super Ghouls ’N Ghosts Legend of Zelda series Landstalker Gunstar Heroes Bokura no Kazoku Gunhouse X-Men Final Fantasy VI Phish God of War Ragnarök accessibility features revealed Elden Ring Contra series Recommendations: Frank: Find and play the Titanic platformer made by Dragon Co. Tim: Don’t play Wolverine: Adamantium Rage (or do) Maddy: V Rising Brandon: Don’t add Amazon Prime Movies to your list at the end of the month, Lacroix Despheres Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and Maddy Thorson. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/23/20221 hour, 7 minutes, 50 seconds
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Ep. 236 - Yggdraskill Tree, with Topher Florence

Media Crossover Expert Topher “Docfuture” Florence sits with the panel to cover fetchy texture and Bare Nuckle. Ash Parrish shares thoughts on the Halo TV series in “Master Chief Does the Covenant.” Questions this week: Can video games do anything interesting with the multiverse trend? (07:21) What are your predictions for Kingdom Hearts 4? (14:01) Why do games give you equipment and features later that would have made it more fun from the start? (19:30) Design a game based on the winter biathalon of cross country skiing and rifle shooting that doesn’t take place in an athletic competition. (25:34) How would you design a convention experience for Mario Party games? (31:05) Dirtbag Kiko B asks: What’s an example of a fetch quest you sincerely enjoyed? (42:09) What are the greatest challenges in video game animation today? (48:14) What distinctions would you make between the numbers 1 through 4 on a 10-point game rating scale? (53:47) What is the CW’S Riverdale of video games? (01:05:45) LIGHTNING ROUND: Skin It To Win It (01:11:52) Recommendations and Outro (01:18:10) In some timeline, in some universe, you’re already discussing this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Tab McCol Clamato Liquid Death Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series OutRun series Fighters Megamix Project X Zone series Hunter × Hunter Spy × Family John Goodman LEGO Dimensions series Super Smash Brothers series Chrono Cross Kingdom Hearts series Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) Ke Huy Quan Red Dead Redemption II Avatar (2009) God of War Panzer Dragoon series Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Dodgeball Academia Final Fantasy XII Castlevania: Rondo of Blood The Last of Us Simon Stålenhag Jak II Final Fantasy XV Cyberpunk 2077 SSX Tricky SkiFree Mario Party series video game stuff that’s too big In the latest Halo episode, Master Chief does the Covenant Legend of Zelda series Tomba! series NieR Sea of Thieves Tomb Raider series Xianjian Qixia Zhuan / Legend of Sword and Fairy series Hades The Exorcist (1973) Octodad: Dadliest Catch God Hand Hatred America’s Army series Tokimeki Memorial Trucks (TV Movie 1997) Tetris Asuka 120% series Panzer Bandit Harmful Park Kururin Pa! Mad Stalker: Full Metal Force Ranger X Crusader of Centy BioShock Infinite Lady Phantom Jumper: Griffin’s Story Speed Power Gunbike Riverdale Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Bel-Air Clown (2014) Persona series Louie Kaboom Recommendations: Brandon: Truth Seekers Topher: Three Busy Debras Tim: Euphoria Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and Topher Florence. “Master Chief Does the Convenant” by Ash Parrish. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/16/20221 hour, 24 minutes, 47 seconds
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Ep. 235 - Unchardita, with Vincent Diamante

Insert Credit Co-founder and legendary game composer Vincent Diamante joins the panel to cover Fighters Megamix romance, Russian Adventure, and the top 5 Sonic games that aren’t the immediately great ones. Questions this week: Kris Graft asks: Which two fighters from Fighters Megamix would make the best or worst romantic couple? (05:17) Now that we have a little distance, what features of the PS4/Xbox One era will feel retro someday? (09:45) On what occasions have you restarted a game from the beginning before finishing it? (15:02) What is “immersion” in video games? (19:54) Design an “In This House We Do Disney” piece of wall art for gamers (25:16) Dirtbag Salvatore Romano asks: Excluding 1, 2, 3, & Knuckles and Mania, what are the top 5 Sonic the Hedgehog games? (30:36) Which video game series took the greatest number of entries to start getting good? (36:16) What is the best logo design in video games? (41:38) Is Nintendo evil? (46:31) LIGHTNING ROUND: Acronymizer (50:33) Recommendations and Outro (56:30) Immerse yourself in this episode by discussing it in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Bram Stoker’s Dracula Dan Slott’s Spider-Man run Children of Virtue and Vengeance World Trigger SimCity 2000 Fighters Megamix Bean the Dynamite Bark the Polar Bear Daytona USA Virtua Cop Rent A Hero Banjo-Kazooie Kumachan Candy Herbie Jeffry McWild Dural Tomb Raider series Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin Balan Wonderworld Yuji Naka says Square Enix doesn’t ‘value games’ after Balan Wonderworld mess Castlevania: Symphony of the Night The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Time Traveler The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Super Hydlide Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Chrono Cross Loop Hero the stupid disney thing Jaffe talks about Fortnite series Elden Ring Battlefield 1942 Zombie Revenge Disaster Report Sonic R Sonic & All-Stars Racing: Transformed Sonic Adventure Sonic Rush Sonic the Hedgehog Chaos Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble Knuckles’ Chaotix Rush’n Attack series Tetris Final Fantasy series Madden series Bubsy 3D: Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective Bubsy: Paws on Fire! Mortal Kombat games Street Fighter series Asuka 120% series Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Need for Speed series The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Mass Effect 2 Capcom cubes logo Ibrahim Hamdi’s game logos in arabic Brain Grey logo HOT B Logo TWEWY logo original Puyo Puyo logo Reggie Fils-Aimé on contractor woes: ‘This isn’t the Nintendo I left’ Recommendations: Vincent: Scritti Politti Brandon: Halloween (1978) Frank: Dan Slott’s Spider-Man run Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield and Vincent Diamante. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/9/20221 hour, 34 seconds
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Ep. 234 - Come Play, My Laggardly Sort, with Kris Graft

The Tarnished Kris Graft takes his spot on the panel to cover bloodwritten OSHA violations, snipers, and syphilitic electrocution revival. Questions this week: Andrés Velasco y Coll asks: When did Konami go bad? (07:39) Kris Graft, what did you do to get fired from Game Developer? (14:28) Which NPCs deserve a promotion to playable characters? (21:13) Do negative status effects make a game more interesting, or just annoying? (27:34) Improv Zone: Elden Ring Political Debate (33:20) Dirtbag Gaagaagiins asks: What are some games that would be improved by the removal of their headline feature? (38:55) Violence Island (47:50) LIGHTNING ROUND: This or That (01:05:22) Recommendations and Outro (01:20:31) Come discuss the episode, my laggardly reader, in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Target La Nueva Charreada Seinfeld Rasputin Music CRIMESIGHT 428: Shibuya Scramble P.T. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Guillermo del Toro Crimson Peak Chrysler PT Cruiser Castlevania: Advance Collection Contra: Rogue Corps Minority Report (2002) Brandon Sheffield’s reported net worth Cortana Weapon Shop de Omasse Dragon Warrior / Dragon Quest series Papers, Please Elder Scrolls series Red Dead Redemption II Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Judgment / Judge Eyes series Final Fantasy IV Fallout games Loop Hero Cyberpunk 2077 Vampire Survivors Elden Ring Elden Ring messages Fortnite series Orcs Must Die! Sentry Death Stranding Dishonored series Assassin’s Creed series PaRappa Rappa 50 Cent Mario Goro Majima Yakuza PS2 dub with Mark Hamill as Majima Lester the Unlikely Larry Laffer Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin Ash’s Pikachu 50 Cent forgot he had a stash of Bitcoin now worth $8m Recommendations: Brandon: Smithereens (1982), tonyhax, Jun Chikuma’s The Midas Touch Tim: Don’t shave with an electric razor Kris: Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), older The Simpsons episodes, Dark Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and Kris Graft. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/2/20221 hour, 29 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep. 233 - Pod of Casters, an ICS SNK KOF Roundtable

Cool, cute, and Iori Yagami! Insert Credit Fighting Game Correspondent Patrick Miller hosts Brandon Sheffield, EVO Head Tournament Organizer Andrés “nothingxs” Velasco y Coll and classic Insert Credit writer Azurelore Korrigan to cover the King of Fighters, the fall of SNK, and Insert Credit’s history with both. Questions this week: What brought this panel together? (02:11) What are your fighting game credentials? (10:55) How has SNK’s purchase by a murderous dictator impacted your relationship with the company and King of Fighters series? (18:24) What would an in-person Insert Credit event be like? (28:43) If you disappeared for twenty years, what alias would you return as? (34:49) Why do you play KOF? (41:26) How will Kyo and Iori’s long term relationship unfold? (51:32) Do you think this iteration of SNK is the most successful since the 90’s? (58:39) In a better world, what classic SNK series would you like to come back? (01:07:14) Which game in the series sound design has stuck with you the most? (01:13:03) What is the best outfit in KOF history? (01:20:56) What are your favorite King of Fighters spinoffs and minigames? (01:26:44) Who is the King of Fighters? (01:31:53) LIGHTNING ROUND: Bio Logical (01:37:37) Recommendations and Outro (01:46:56) Ready? Go! to the forums to discuss this episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: King of Fighters series Athena Asamiya Kyo Kusanagi Nakoruru Joe Higashi Yashiro Nanakase Angel May Lee Jinju Iori Yagami Clark Still Mai Shiranui King Leona Vanessa Mad Man’s Cafe Street Fighter series Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium Skullgirls Asuka 120% Excellent: BURNING Fest. Ga-rou-den Breakblow The Rumble Fish 2 Samurai Shodown series Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman buys 96% of SNK day after KOF XV release Captain Tsubasa West Oakland Punks With Lunch King of Dinosaurs K9999 Akira (1988) Terry Bogard Krohnen McDougall Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Mr. Sakurai Presents “Terry Bogard” Chizuru Kagura Kusanagi Yuki Allegory of the Wind Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Guilty Gear series Metal Slug Tactics Twinkle Star Sprites series Shock Troopers Beast Busters series Athena Crystalis Cool Cool Jam Magician Lord Crossed Swords Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy Ikari Warriors games The King of Fighters (2010) Yashiro Nanakase Shermie Benimaru Nikaido K’ Puzzle Fighter series This is what the King of Fighters MOBA looks like Kunio / Nekketsu High games Team American Sports Duck King Recommendations: Brandon: Casa Sanchez Picoso Chips Azurelore: Far Away Times Andrés: DNOpls, Patrick Miller’s patreon Pat: Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/25/20221 hour, 57 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 232 - The Insert Credit 232nd Episode Spectacular

After defeat at the hands of scheduling conflicts, Esper steps in to deliver a few of the best Insert Credit Show moments since October 2020. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/18/20221 hour, 2 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep. 231 - The Insert Credit Substitute Teacher Study Hall, with Ash Parrish

While Alex Jaffe is under the weather, Tim Rogers is stepping in to perform something vaguely resembling hosting duties. Ash Parrish joins the panel to relay Activision news, Sonic 2 The Movie thoughts, and spreadsheet olympics. Questions this week: Did y’all see the news? (19:17) Let’s talk about video game movies. (27:09) What are some list episodes you guys wanna do? (35:17) What do we have to say about Street Fighter II sound effects? (46:21) Recommendations and Outro (49:27) If you want, you can discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Atari Lynx Atari Jaguar Telegames Super Mario 64 Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Gran Turismo 7 Scuf Playstation 5 controller Mario 64 beta at Spaceworld Tim’s news site screenshot the stinger ending of Matlock Activision Blizzard’s new full-time jobs come with a bit of union busting Max Payne series Alan Wake Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007) Metal Wolf Chaos Metal Gear series Tekken series Recommendations: Brandon: The Earthsea books by Ursula K. Le Guin, specifically The Tombs of Atuan, watch a Jimmy Wang Yu movie Ash: Do not read Halo: Ghosts of Onyx Frank: John Swartzwelder’s The Time Machine Did It Hosted by Tim Rogers, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield and Ash Parrish. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/11/202259 minutes
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Ep. 230 - This Podcast Is My Penance

The panel reassembles once more to Game Now!, share the best soundtrack for walking your dog, and groan over a couple real Jaffeisms. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit 138: What is the best way to announce a video game release delay? (02:11) Will the new PS Plus program be worthy of investment? (07:16) What are the best player health management systems in video games? (13:28) How important is background art to a video game? (19:43) Custom Soundtrack: Half-Life 2 (26:53) Anonymous asks: when was the last time Konami did anything interesting? (33:51) What are the biggest missed opportunities for lawsuits in video game history? (39:59) What’s something modern video game designers have forgotten how to do? (45:41) Brandon Sheffield asks: What are some good action games that aren’t too hard? (51:31) LIGHTNING ROUND: A Synthesthetic Experiment (01:01:58) Go ahead and bark about this one in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Sea Horse Hide’n Seek Coney Island The Great Gonzo in Word Rider Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s sequel is delayed to spring 2023 Skullgirls Phantom Gear Sony revamps PlayStation Plus with new Extra and Premium tiers, merges with PlayStation Now Metal Gear series Halo: The Master Chief Collection Forza Motorsport 7 Gran Turismo 7 Biohazard / Resident Evil series Elden Ring Hollow Knight Gears of War series Deus Ex System Shock Sonic the Hedgehog series Kaze Kiri Tower Toppler Battletoads series Skyblazer Ys series Mickey Mania The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Uncharted series Tomb Raider (2013 Reboot) series The Offspring Crazy Taxi Half-Life 2 Dragula Trent Reznor Quake Ministry Superman: The Movie soundtrack Skinny Puppy The Monster Mash Contra: Rogue Corps P.T. Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls Fantasian Watchmen BioShock Zeebo Myst Pyst “Weird Al” Yankovic Threes! Wordle Dragon Age: Origins Beethoven’s 2nd Eternal Sonata F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Gunstar Heroes Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Kirby games Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime Assassin’s Creed series God of War Guardian Heroes Panzer Dragoon God Hand Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth The Legendary Axe Ghost of Tsushima Recommendations: Frank: Wurm: Journey to the Center of the Earth if you’re Brandon Sheffield, go pirate old games instead of buying them you fools Brandon: 2002 (2001) if you like stuff that’s stupid Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/4/20221 hour, 16 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 229 - Bye Forever GDC 2022, with Liz Ryerson and Brandon Sheffield

Insert Credit covers GDC 2022 with Liz Ryerson reporting direct from the expo hall on a quest to achieve corporate heaven, while Brandon Sheffield gets quick hits from some prominent attendees and reflects on GDC itself. Chapters: Heaven or Corporate Hell: The GDC 2022 Expo Hall, by Liz Ryerson (00:47) GDC 2022 Reports by Brandon Sheffield: standing in front of a mural (14:32) hotel report and lumbar pillow (16:34) fomo (18:47) Why Is the Whole Idea of Todd Howard Funny? An Investigation, by Kris Graft (21:23) hodd toward (23:15) bbc interview about the ukraine bundle (23:49) piloting through shit, with Rami Ismail (24:35) an anecdote about gdcs past, with Vincent Diamante (25:51) unfortunately configured pizza, with Tyriq Plummer (27:47) wearing a fuck nfts shirt in business meetings, with Xalavier Nelson Jr. (29:02) a story about discovering punk bands, with Chris Charla (31:56) flaccid exchanges and ambient jazz (33:07) san francisco and oakland are different places in america (34:57) america is a whole country that has san francisco and oakland in it (36:08) masking (36:48) an event conspiring (37:49) something to say, with Anita Sarkeesian (38:31) something interesting about anthropology, with Trent Kusters (38:53) the best pancakes in los angeles, with Teddy Dief (40:57) what lyft drivers know about stem cells, with Scott Jon Siegel (42:33) Mental Health, by Nick Suttner (43:53) international news (45:51) crashing a crypto party, with Frank Cifaldi and Kelsey Lewin (46:39) a little more to say, with Frank Cifaldi and Kelsey Lewin (52:29) bye forever (55:13) Share GDC memories in the forums! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, Liz Ryerson and Brandon Sheffield reporting. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/28/202258 minutes
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Ep. 228 - Should I Drink This?

The heroes known as Insert Credit return to do battle with Two Point Eight-A video games, Vectourmaun, and giving yousa unna bongo. Questions this week: If you could play a video game with any three people, living or dead, who would they be, and what would the game be? (01:47) What is the best way for video games to represent aging? (05:28) What’s the stupidest argument you’ve ever been part of over a video game? (11:37) How much does it cost to make a video game? (14:39) The Adaptation Game: Adapt the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) handbook into a video game. (21:26) Dirtbag Anonymous asks: I recently had a job interview where I was asked ‘If your personality was a video game, what game would it be and why?’ How the hell was I supposed to answer this? (28:27) How effective can an adaptation of a video game be if considering only the lore of a series and not the gameplay? (35:17) How can you tell a game was made in Europe? (41:03) What is the seizing in your leg after you wake up that indicates you’re about to experience a horribly painful leg cramp over the next 30 seconds of video games? (46:20) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Time is Right (53:08) Recommendations and Outro (01:01:41) Should you discuss this episode in the forums? I mean I think it would be pretty cool personally, yeah A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Left 4 Dead Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Joe Montana II: Sports Talk Football Joe Montana Pat Summerall Joe Montana twitter clip Rock Band Joan Chen Rutger Hauer Christopher Lambert VIDEOBALL Lewis Hamilton Sifu Wizardry games Neil deGrasse Tyson tweeting about the Hulk Fable Animal Crossing series Crusader Kings series Crusader of Centy Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Mother 3 NieR series The Simpsons: Bart vs. the Space Mutants Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout Skullgirls series Sharknado: The Video Game Tim’s Formula: (((average age of developer * number of developers) * 100) * 18) + (CEO yearly salary * 1.5) Grasshopper Manufacture Inc. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Wrecking Crew Frank’s screenshot of the OSHA game The Hazfinder site Hazfinder text version Silent Hill series Gran Turismo series Disco Elysium PaRappa the Rapper series Star Wars Trilogy Arcade Destiny series The Mandalorian Joker (2019) Smallville Warcraft (2016) Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) John Carter (2012) Conan the Barbarian (2011) VectorMan Cyberpunk 2077 Rayman series Assassin’s Creed series Euro Truck Simulator series Sea of Thieves Rumble in the Bronx (1995) Rabbids series Returnal Celeste Buckcherry Recommendations: Brandon: My Kung Fu Sweetheart (2006) Tim: You Love To See It featuring Tim Rogers, the F1 TV app Frank: Sam & Max: Save the World Jaffe: Watch Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) if you’re Frank Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/21/20221 hour, 13 minutes, 25 seconds
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Ep. 227 - Door Bustin' Gun Totin' Flea Men

In an eternal battle against time constraints, the panel speedruns tricky topics like shader bananas, unusually serious discussion of bullying, and Badstlevanias. Questions this week: Is there anything we want to talk about from the recent Sony State of Play event? (02:13) How do you use video games to raise $3.5 million for Ukraine in three days? (08:37) When do you feel like a game was made specifically for you? (13:53) How can we stop Quantic Dream’s Star Wars game from being finished? (18:52) Violence Island (26:12) Outro (38:34) Quick! If you don’t discuss this episode in the forums it might get away! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Gran Turismo Sony State of Play Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Dino Crisis Exoprimal The Diofield Chronicle Growlanser Ogre Battle series Fire Emblem series Octopath Traveler TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection Valkyrie Elysium Bundle for Ukraine Blind Play Game Recommendations from the Ukraine Bundle - insert credit forums A Short Hike Celeste Baba Is You Kingdom: Two Crowns Backbone Cloud Gardens CrossCode Wandersong Paradise Killer Valis Lupin III: Pandora no Isan Attack of the Friday Monsters! Cheese Cat-Astrophe starring Speedy Gonzales Star Wars Eclipse from Quantic Dream revealed at The Game Awards Workplace harassment charges jolt Quantic Dream Detroit: Become Human Gabriel Belmont Franziska von Karma Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Raving Rabbids Rub Rabbits Linkle Bowsette Linkle Liver Story Geese Howard Goose Recommendations: Bundle for Ukraine Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/14/202240 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 226 - That's-a So Nice!

The panel returns complete to confront dudekillers, money laundering, and quick-a time events. Questions this week: On what occasion do you lie in video games? (03:40) What is your most treasured video game possession? (08:23) Which video game talent would you most like to have? (13:11) What is your favorite video game occupation? (18:27) Which video game words or phrases do you most overuse? (22:20) Where in a video game would you most like to live? (28:54) Who are your favorite video game writers? (32:54) What is it that you most dislike in video games? (36:52) What is your greatest regret in video games? (41:10) What do you consider the greatest achievement in video games? (45:41) LIGHTNING ROUND: Dirtbag Lightning Round (49:42) Recommendations and Outro (56:07) Discuss-a this episode in-a the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Cathedral of St. John the Divine Among Us SpyParty Call of Duty 2 VIDEOBALL Ogre Battle Dragon Quest III Elden Ring Jetpack Joyride Two-Face Sonic CD James Ellroy L.A. Noire Where in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego? Why in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego? Landstalker Shining in the Darkness Scanners (1981) Cindy Aurum Final Fantasy XV Destiny Smash T.V. Suikoden Bubsy Sly Cooper series Ratchet & Clank series Segagaga Elden Ring Steam Deck review: A strong start to an exciting new hardware category for game devs Skies of Arcadia Shining Force III Kingdom Hearts series The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Watch_Dogs 2 Shenmue Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age Dead Prem Katamari Damacy: Reroll Shigesato Itoi Resident Evil 3 Resident Evil 4 Fez Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 Limbo The Proust Questionnaire Recommendations: Brandon: Please check out the Bundle for Ukraine on itch.io Frank: Please check out the Bundle for Ukraine on itch.io Tim: Please check out the Bundle for Ukraine on itch.io, think about the words you use Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/7/20221 hour, 1 second
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Ep. 225 - Even More Games of the Year 2021

It’s not over yet! Listen to Tim and Brandon mention honorables from last year that didn’t make it on the Insert Credit Top 21 of 2021 list. Plus the essay “isle o tims” by Brandon Sheffield, exploring Balan Wonderworld as a capitalism allegory. Games Discussed: Halo Infinite (01:47) R-Type Final 2 (02:57) Voice of the Cards (03:45) The Good Life (04:05) Inscryption (04:59) Metroid Dread (05:30) Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (06:31) Far Cry 6 (07:26) Guilty Gear: Strive (09:29) Back 4 Blood (10:14) Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (11:19) El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (12:24) Forza Horizon 5 (12:55) Solar Ash (17:02) Age of Empires IV (18:50) No More Heroes 3 (19:19) Umurangi Generation: Special Edition (20:01) Pokemon Brilliant Diamond (20:51) Final Fantasy VII: Remake – Intergrade (22:29) Castlevania: Advance Collection (22:58) Overboard (23:26) The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles (24:23) Deathloop (26:33) Unpacking (26:59) Evil Tonight (28:35) Eastward (29:57) Paradise Killer (31:28) “isle o tims” by Brandon Sheffield (36:04) Hello it’s me, brandon sheffield. Two weeks ago, during our best games of 2021 podcast, I made an offhand remark about Balan Wonderworld, a game in which you have an economy based on small creatures called tims, which you literally throw onto the gears of capitalism. I figured I’d expand on what I meant by that. Tims are little creatures that hatch from eggs, and live on the isle o’ tims, which is your hub world. They have distinguishing markings like stripes or different cute ears and stuff like that, but functionally they all want to do the same two things: eat, and procreate. The other thing they can be compelled to do is work, which is what they spend most of their time doing. At the start of the game, the only real structure in the island is a Conan the Barbarian-like turnstyle that has the appearance of a gear. next to that is a long black signboard that flips and makes a big clacking sound as numbers go up. To make that number go up faster, you can pick up your tims and toss them into this turnstyle, which eventually makes them push it. So that’s what I meant by throwing them onto the gears of capitalism. As your number goes up – and by the way it’s not clear what this number represents, but let’s say it’s money – more structures unlock. The sole function of most of these structures is to enable more tims to do more work. There are little elevators that take them up into simple rube goldberg machines, which drop them through a series of gates and slides, before depositing them back on the ground to start the process over again. Some tims are never released into the world, they simply exist underground, turning a giant wheel. The floor is transparent so that you can watch them work. All of this is work simply for the sake of work, because the only thing that is created out of this constant grind is a number that goes up, and then an occasional structural addition that theoretically enables more work to be done. But the apparatus itself is inefficiently designed. Tims get regularly jammed up at elevators. Two of them will try to enter a slide at the same time and be stuck for a while, causing a massive traffic jam behind them. There are regularly a dozen tims, piled on top of each other, stacked two or three high, bouncing up and down on an elevator to try to get to work, but unable to do so. Of course, after a while there is more than one elevator. There are two, and then three. But the tims never take the second or third route – the first is easiest to slide into, so almost every tim takes that path. The number doesn’t seem to go up much faster when tims take the other two paths either, so why should they bother? I also mentioned that tims want to eat, but I didn’t tell you that what you feed them is gems. You feed them one kind of money in order to make a different kind of money. Gems are something I can collect for free in game stages, and which Balan themselves will double if I complete their minigame. Once you feed the tims enough to grow large, there are unique kinds of apparatus these rich tims can use to generate money, but they never want to do it. They’re full now and they don’t want to work. They just want to procreate, which happens when you throw a medium-sized tim at a large one. They instantly create an egg, which hatches a tim that’s too small to work. Feed them a few gems and they will become a worker and join the grind. The structure you’re building is the somewhat ominously-named Clock of Happiness. The name of this structure, whose purpose is never revealed by the way, keeps coming to mind as I see these little guys toiling away to make my numbers go up. There’s a special platform that I can use to view the operation from all angles. It allows me to keep tabs on all my workers and is accessibly only by me. Even with all that I still don’t exactly understand what it is I’m forcing them to work so hard to construct. But I have found myself, as the defacto boss of this operation, staring at the jammed up elevators, looking at my non-spinning turnstyle, surrounded by tims peeping at me for gems that I don’t have, and thinking “get back to work!” I toss them into the gears and they start it up again. This game may not be an intentional allegory to capitalism but it’s an effective one anyway. This system definitely came from somewhere deep inside of somebody. The game is cynical about work, bosses, and the worker, all by turns. It’s no wonder Yuji Naka quit after making it. Discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Metroid Dread Halo: Infinite - Campaign R-Type Final 2 R-Type Final Fuga: Melodies of Steel Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars The Good Life Inscryption Dodgeball Academia Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Insomniac’s Wolverine game Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut Guilty Gear: Strive Back 4 Blood Left 4 Dead Warhammer: Vermintide II Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron Forza Horizon 5 Gran Turismo 7 State of Play presentation Feel the Magic XY/XX F1 2021 Solar Ash Age of Empires IV No More Heroes III Umurangi Generation: Special Edition Balan Wonderworld Pokémon Brilliant Diamond Final Fantasy VII: Remake - Intergrade Castlevania: Advance Collection Overboard! The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles The Last of Us Twitch.tv/actionbutton Deathloop Unpacking Evil Tonight Eastward Paradise Killer Unsighted Flynn: Son of Crimson Get in the Car, Loser! Boomerang X Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/27/202240 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 224 - Video Game History Pope

In which our heroes (and you!) are absolved of the sin of piracy by the highest authority in game history, and Ice the Goose reveals arcane knowledge of anthropology. Questions this week: What the hell is wrong with Nintendo? (02:32) What games with a setting contemporary to release have best aged into being period pieces? (13:32) What’s your favorite kind of environment in video games? (18:36) Other than canceled, what do you predict Netflix’s Bioshock movie will be like? (24:19) Jerry BreadyToDie asks: When is autosaving better than manually saving, and vice versa? (33:12) How do you balance player progression with game difficulty? (38:37) Review Super Mario Bros. 2 in six minutes. (44:07) Write the first sentence and the last sentence of a text book about video games. (53:31) Recommendations and Outro (55:45) If you discuss this episode in the forums, who knows what could happen! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) Nintendo shutting down Wii U, Nintendo 3DS eShops and frustrating fans Video Game History Foundation’s tweet on the subject Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series EarthBound Red Dead Redemption II Batman: The Video Game Yo, Bro MTV’s Beavis and Butt-Head Lester the Unlikely Greendog: The Beached Surfer Dude! California Games NBA Jam Third World War (aka Cold War) Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode Third World War Japanese box art Ninja Five-O Elevator Action II Rolling Thunder Resident Evil 4 Marvel Spider-Man Bullet Witch BioShock Netflix is making a live-action BioShock movie The Shape of Water (2017) Cyberpunk 2077 Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Shining Force Jak II The Last of Us Adventure Island Super Mario Bros. 2 Keith Courage in Alpha Zones Yume Kōjō: Dokidoki Panic Tokimeki Memorial Bonk’s Revenge Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Murder Club Famicom Detective Club series Pong Pac-Man Recommendations: Frank: Resident Evil 4 HD Brandon: Green Frontier Tim: Don’t buy crypto Jaffe: Dog Days of Summer Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/21/20221 hour, 4 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 223 - Game of the Year 2021

In which our heroes recount a few of the best video games released in 2021, the most interesting video games released in 2021, and the video games they actually played in 2021. Nominees in Order of Discussion (Unranked) Moon: Remix RPG Adventure Dungeon Encounters Balan Wonderworld Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Hitman III Ghosts ’n Goblins: Resurrection F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Lost Judgment Cruis’n Blast Psychonauts 2 Chicory: A Colorful Tale Shin Megami Tensei V Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters Scarlet Nexus Loop Hero Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Final Fantasy XIV Online: Endwalker Call of Duty: Vanguard NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Fuga: Melodies of Steel Dodgeball Academia Discuss this episode in the forums before you spoil yourself with the final list below! THE INSERT CREDIT TOP 21 OF 2021: F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch Shin Megami Tensei V Dungeon Encounters Balan Wonderworld Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Hitman 3 Psychonauts 2 Lost Judgment Chicory: A Colorful Tale Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Fuga: Melodies of Steel Loop Hero Ghosts ’n Goblins Resurrection Final Fantasy I-V Pixel Remaster Dodgeball Academia Scarlet Nexus Cruis’n Blast Call of Duty: Vanguard Moon: Remix RPG Adventure Mass Effect Legendary Edition A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Pig (2021) WandaVision The Last Duel (2021) No Time to Die (2021) Melissa Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (2021) Moon: Remix RPG Adventure Chulip Moon’s manual Papa John’s founder John Schnatter ate 40 pizzas in 30 days and says it’s gotten worse Dungeon Encounters Bravely Default II Balan Wonderworld Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Deus Ex series Marvel Avengers The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) Hitman III Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Hitman series Ghosts ’n Goblins: Resurrection Susumu Matsushita MiSTerAddons.com Ghost ’N Goblins series Maximo series Getsu Fūma Den series F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Metroid series Castlevania / Akumajō Dracula series Genshin Impact Lost Judgment GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Space Channel 5 Daytona USA Sega Rally series F-Zero GX Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth Cruis’n Blast Cruis’n Blast Switch cover Eugene Jarvis Psychonauts 2 Chicory: A Colorful Tale Wandersong VIDEOBALL Polygon’s GOTY list for 2021 Shin Megami Tensei V Shin Megami Tensei series Final Fantasy Octopath Traveler Deltarune: Chapter 1&2 Kentucky Route Zero Resident Evil: Village Tales of Arise Scarlet Nexus Biohazard / Resident Evil series Astral Chain Loop Hero Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Final Fantasy XIV Online: Endwalker Astro’s Playroom Eschatos Mars Matrix Eastward Call of Duty: Vanguard NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Tokimeki Memorial: Forever with You Fuga: Melodies of Steel Solatorobo: Red the Hunter Tail Concerto Dodgeball Academia Golf Story Inazuma Eleven series Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Frank Cifaldi and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/14/20223 hours, 7 seconds
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Ep. 222 - Quakearoni, with Kelsey Lewin

Video Game History Foundation Co-Director Kelsey Lewin joins Brandon, Tim and Alex in exploring duality, Caroque, and Spider-Man Root Canaling Pregnant Elsa. Questions this week: Which video game series really got it right on the second try? (02:38) What was the state of video games during the second console generation? (08:05) What are the keys to a great co-op video game experience? (13:27) What would be the easiest game to adapt into a movie on a limited budget? (20:30) Design a fourth Frogger 2. (23:36) Dirtbag Evoline Theory: What is the impact of the Five Nights At Freddy’s franchise on the games industry? (30:48) Violence Island (36:26) LIGHTNING ROUND: Intellivision or ColecoVision? (46:47) Recommendations and Outro (53:45) Everyone else is discussing this episode in the forums, why aren’t you? A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Go Go Ackman 2 Halo 2 Street Fighter II: The World Warrior Half-Life 2 Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Persona R-Type Final 2 Super Mario Bros. 2 Turok 2: Seeds of Evil Final Fantasy II Dragon Warrior II Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn Final Fantasy VII: Remake Ganbare Goemon 2 Street Fighter Alpha 2 Super Mario Galaxy 2 Fairchild Channel F Atari 2600 Magnavox Odyssey 2 ColecoVision Intellivision Quake III: Arena Resident Evil 5 Gears of War series EVE Online Lucky & Wild Super Mario Odyssey Pokémon: Let’s Go! series Sewer Shark Mad Dog McCree Ground Zero Texas Night Trap Her Story Sonic Forces Frogger II: ThreeeDeep! Frogger 2: Swampy’s Revenge Frogger 2 Baroque Baroque: Become a Meta-Being Ribbit King The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction Jumping Flash! Simple 2000 series Kero Blaster Cave Story Cave Story’s Secret Santa Five Nights at Freddy’s Willy’s Wonderland (2021) Pig (2021) Taken (2008) Doctor Eggman Dizzy William Sekiro Wander The King of All Cosmos Mister Mosquito Chibi-Robo Recommendations: Brandon: Cancel Spotify Pro Tim: Download 4K Video Downloader, download Insert Credit Show every week from YouTube to feel more like a pirate Kelsey: Liquid I.V. Esper: my personal advice is to download all Insert Credit Show episodes from the archive.org page, the canonical “source” files, to feel cool. Support on Patreon Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more! Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and Kelsey Lewin. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/6/202256 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 221 - Popey Fox

Our heroes reunite to tackle the return of Reagen Sheffield, the Turkish Star Wars of Yuzo Koshiro, and Paul Blart Mall Battletoad. They also discuss the Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard-King merger, Tifa in the Italian senate, and the metaverse. Questions this week: In the wake of the MicroBlizzion buyout, how screwed are video games? (03:20) What would be a less useless metric for determining game story quality than number of words in script? (14:46) What video game music would you play for the Pope? (20:31) What would be the worst video game clip to interrupt a national senate meeting with? (26:10) Dirtbag Spencer asks: What is the shallowest, nitpickiest reason you dislike a video game? (30:29) Does “the metaverse” actually have anything to do with video games? (37:45) In a video game, how high should you be able to jump? (44:03) What are the best uses of the PocketStation and VMU? (51:08) What is the mumblecore of video games? (58:16) LIGHTNING ROUND: Bad Bad Game Reviews (01:02:22) Recommendations and Outro: (01:24:13) No pressure, but if you wanted you could discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Katamari Damacy Killer7 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic Jam Mega Man / Rockman series Silent Hill series Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion Call of Duty series Candy Crush Saga Stretch Armstrong Extremely good Tifa and Barrett crossplay Call of Duty: Vanguard Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War World of WarCraft Overwatch God of War Final Fantasy VII: Remake After Burner: Climax OutRun: Online Arcade Adorama The Goblin Bunker (shouts out to yall) Dying Light 2 Threatens 350K Words, 40K Lines Of Dialogue Anna Karenina Dead Island The Intellivision Amico Disaster, Explained Liz Ryerson (shouts out to liz) Hideki Naganuma (proceed with caution) Cyberpunk 2077 The Pope Seems To Enjoy Listening To Undertale’s Megalovania Castlevania: Bloodlines Castlevania: Dracula X The Legend of Zelda EverGrace Super Mario Bros. 3 large prime numbers performing “ZiGGURAT” live in oakland on 01222012 (part one of two) with camerawork by frank cifaldi Final Fantasy Rule 34 vid smut shocks Italy, surprising artist Metal Gear series The iDOLM@STER series Mortal Kombat games Beyond Good & Evil Flynn: Son of Crimson The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Cliff Bleszinski The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Paradise Killer “A Race to Dominate the Metaverse” Pac-Man Pong Destiny Yakuza / Ryū ga Gotoku series Fortnite: Battle Royale Doomcube Second Life Final Fantasy XV Jumping Flash! Hyper Gunsport on Steam (now wishlistable which really helps more than you’d think) Power Stone Godzilla Generations Darius Doko Demo Issyo Tokimeki Memorial 2 NFL 2K The Jackbox Party Pack Fallout Shelter Fallout 4 XCOM: Enemy Within Pokémon GO Pokémon: Let’s Go! series Interstellar (2014) Mumblecore Life Is Strange series The Last of Us Night in the Woods Recommendations: Brandon: The digital single OARANA by our very own The World Famous Vincent Diamante Frank: Put things in the world for reasons other than making money Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/30/20221 hour, 29 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 220 - Advergame Designathon, with Liz Ryerson

Insert Credit Sells Out! Liz Ryerson returns with a vengeance to help design sixteen games for brands that owe us money now. Advergame Designathon: Design a side-scrolling shooter for the WWE. (04:04) Design a top-down puzzle game for Six Flags. (06:28) Design a tower defense game for the Portugal Board of Tourism. (08:29) Design a platforming game for Ariana Grande. (11:00) Design an 8-bit roleplaying game for Monday Night Football. (14:21) Design a dating sim for Now That’s What I Call Music! (17:18) Design an FMV game for the U.K. National Lottery. (20:14) Design a VR racing game for the Rocky franchise. (22:41) Design a bullet hell for the Tasmanian Devil. (24:41) Design a party game for Wal-Mart. (26:33) Design a gacha game for Good Morning America (28:34) Design a fighting game for BBC Arts & Culture. (33:51) Design an isometric adventure game for Rolex. (38:37) Design an open world game for Doctors Without Borders (42:46) Design a first person shooter for Deer Park Spring Water (45:55) Design a Myst clone for the Catholic Church (48:03) Recommendations and Outro (49:50) Tell everyone your substantially better idea in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Tetris Logopedia MobyGames WWE Chō Aniki Roman Reigns The Undertaker Hulk Hogan Becky Lynch Asuka Sasha Banks Asuka 120% Final: BURNING Fest Six Flags Soko-Ban Wetrix 3-D Tetris RollerCoaster Tycoon Lemmings Portugal Board of Tourism Ariana Grande Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius Ariana Grande | Final Fantasy Wiki Ariana Grande | Fortnite Wiki Jennifer Lopez browser game Monday Night Football Football: The Tim Rogers Review Madden series Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden - Chapter 1 of the Hoopz Barkley SaGa Golf Story Dear Boys Slam City with Scottie Pippen Post Malone Boris Number Girl Olivia Rodrigo Miley Cyrus Dua Lipa The Weeknd Billie Eilish Balan Wonderworld National Lottery (United Kingdom) Wales Interactive Ltd. Soul Axiom Gamer Girl FMV game The Rocky franchise Punch-Out!! Doc Louis Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Tasmanian Devil Bonk’s Adventure Supermarket Sweep Walmart is getting serious about the metaverse Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon Good Morning America Robin Roberts George Stephanopoulos Michael Strahan RogerEbert.com Roger Ebert BBC Arts and Culture John Cleese David Bowie Kate Bush Morrissey Dan Hibiki Landscapers David Thewlis Olivia Colman Guilty Gear series EastEnders The Favourite (2018) The Great Yorgos Lanthimos Rolex Clockwork Knight Landstalker Super Mario 64 Kokuga Ikaruga Sin and Punishment Dynamite Headdy Just Cause series Far Cry series Death Stranding Deer Park Spring Water Burning Rangers Deus Ex Myst Angels & Demons The Da Vinci Code Recommendations: Jaffe: Identify the closest public bathroom to you in case of emergency. Brandon: The House (2022), The Silent Sea Tim: Hard to Be a God (2013)* Liz: The Favourite (2018), Beetlejuice (1988) *Not an official recommendation Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and Liz Ryerson. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/24/20221 hour, 4 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ep. 219 - The Insert Credit Consolebration

You’ve waited long enough, now Insert Credit ranks the greatest video game consoles of all time, and a few others for good measure. Choices: -Round 1, Frank (05:25) -Round 1, Tim (09:25) -Round 1, Brandon (15:35) -Round 2, Frank (19:36) -Round 2, Tim (24:49) -Round 2, Brandon (30:15) -Round 3, Frank (35:46) -Round 3, Tim (41:40) -Round 3, Brandon (50:30) -Round 4, Frank (56:51) -Round 4, Tim (01:04:52) -Round 4, Brandon (01:10:57) -Round 5, Frank (01:19:10) -Round 5, Tim (01:24:25) -Round 5, Brandon (01:31:25) -Round 6, Frank (01:38:07) -Round 6, Brandon (01:44:23) -Round 6, Tim (01:52:14) -Round 7, Frank (02:00:05) -Round 7, Tim (02:07:00) -Round 7, Brandon (02:14:28) Recommendations and Outro (02:25:09) Discuss the results in the forums! THE INSERT CREDIT RANKED TOP 20 CONSOLES: 1. PlayStation 2. PS2 3. SNES 4. Genesis 5. Xbox 360 6. Nintendo DS 7. PC Engine 8. NES 9. Dreamcast 10. Saturn 11. Windows PC 12. PSP 13. Game Boy Advance 14. Game Boy 15. Wii 16. WonderSwan 17. Switch 18. ZX Spectrum 19. Neo Geo Pocket Color 20. Jaguar 21. Atari 2600 A LARGE SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Playstation Super Nintendo Entertainment System FM Towns Marty WonderSwan TurboGrafx-16 Microsoft Windows Quake Unreal Tournament Super Mario 64 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ZX Spectrum G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero Code Name: Viper Batman: The Video Game Vice: Project Doom Journey to Silius Total Recall Friday the 13th Kick Master Demon Sword Strider Sega Genesis Power Blade Power Blade 2 Super Mario Bros. Mega Man Dragon Warrior Final Fantasy Metroid ACTION BUTTON REVIEWS DOOM ACTION BUTTON REVIEWS PAC-MAN Pac-Man (Atari 2600) Little Samson Shatterhand Low G Man The Mafat Conspiracy Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode Clash at Demonhead Ufouria: The Saga Neo Geo Pocket Color Metal Slug 1st Mission SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium SNK vs Capcom: Cardfighters’ Clash 2 - Expanded Edition Sonic The Hedgehog Pocket Adventure Biomotor Unitron King of Fighters: Battle de Paradise King of Fighters R-1 King of Fighters R-2 SNK Gals’ Fighters Atari 800 Commodore 64 Aliens: Neoplasma Nintendo DS The Saga Of The Ultra-Rare McDonald’s DS Game Comes To An End After 11 Long Years Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! Imagine: Party Planner Cooking Mama series Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation Sands of Destruction Master of the Monster Lair Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Etrian Odyssey The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass PlayStation Portable Brave Story: New Traveler Jeanne d’Arc Kingdom of Paradise Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground Dungeon Maker II: The Hidden War Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory Rengoku II: Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N. Monster Hunter: Freedom PlayStation Vita Ridge Racer The Legend of Kage 2 The Legend of Kage PlayStation 2 Grand Theft Auto series Metal Gear series Sega Saturn Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits Raw Danger! Steambot Chronicles Gradius V Thunder Force VI Contra: Shattered Soldier Neo Contra Silent Hill 2 Silent Hill 3 R-Type Final Drakengard Drakengard 2 Tokimeki Memorial 3: Yakusoku no Ano Basho de Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Ga-rou-den Breakblow The King of Fighters 2006 Berserk Millennium Falcon Arc: Seimasenki no Sho Grand Theft Auto III Insert Credit PS2cular Bujingai: The Forsaken City The Matrix: Path of Neo Jak II Dreamcast Super Adventure Island Madden NFL ’94 Tokimeki Memorial: Densetsu no Ki no Shita de Dragon Quest I & II Dragon Warrior III Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome Dragon Quest VI: Maboroshi no Daichi Chrono Trigger Final Fantasy IV Final Fantasy V Final Fantasy VI The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Psycho Dream Brain Lord Super Metroid Metroid Fusion Metroid Dread Super Castlevania IV Mega Man 4 Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse Super Bonk Wolverine: Adamantium Rage Waterworld Insert Credit BSNESGOAT Robotrek ActRaiser 2 Angelique Hagane: The Final Conflict Ganbare Goemon series Game Boy Advance Game Gear - Wikipedia Neo Geo Street Fighter series Panzer Dragoon Panzer Dragoon Saga Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei Sonic R Pup Breeder Dark Savior Steal Princess Daytona USA Shining Force III Shining Force III: Premium Disc NiGHTS into Dreams… Neugier: Umi to Kaze no Kōdō Apple II Number Munchers Ranger X Dune: The Battle for Arrakis Rings of Power Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday The Adventures of Batman & Robin Jon Burton’s video on The Adventures of Batman & Robin Contra Hard Corps Castlevania: Bloodlines Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Sonic & Knuckles Ristar VectorMan Vectorman 2 Comix Zone Phantasy Star II Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom Phantasy Star IV Sword of Vermilion Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master Xeno Crisis 32X Sega CD Sonic CD Lunar: The Silver Star Android Assault: The Revenge of Bari-Arm Shining Force series Sewer Shark Landstalker Sonic Adventure SoulCalibur Sword of the Berserk: Guts’ Rage Sengoku Turb Shenmue Illbleed Time Stalkers Blue Stinger NFL 2K Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 Bangai-O Napple Tale: Arsia in Daydream Ikaruga Skies of Arcadia Rez Sonic Adventure 2 Sonic Shuffle VMU PocketStation Power Stone Phantasy Star Online Castlevania: Rondo of Blood Blazing Lazers Super Star Soldier Ys: Book I & II Snatcher Tengai Makyō: Deden no Den Tengai Makyō II: Manjimaru Military Madness Neutopia Famicom Wars series Gauntlet series Valis series Linda³ Seiya Monogatari: Anearth Fantasy Stories Gate of Thunder Magical Chase Victory Run Apple Pippin Analogue Pocket MiSTer Atari 2600 H.E.R.O. Frostbite Yars’ Revenge Intellivision Thundercade Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Defender DOOM Xbox 360 Insert Credit Top 20 XBox 36Tacular, with Kris Graft and Mathew Kumar Tengai Makyō III: Namida Gears of War Gears of War 2 Gears of War 3 Xbox Series X and Series S Xbox One Forza Horizon Pac-Man: Championship Edition Alan Wake Shadowrun Halo: Reach Ridge Racer 6 Ninja Gaiden II Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Dead Rising The iDOLM@STER Tengai Makyō: Ziria Students of Round Enchanted Arms Ninja Blade Culdcept Saga Zegapain XOR/NOT Bullet Witch Blue Dragon Lost Odyssey Fable II NieR Old Gross Man Edition Lost Planet 2 Red Dead Redemption L.A. Noire Left 4 Dead WonderSwan Kaze no Klonoa: Moonlight Museum (waHUU) Atari Lynx TurboExpress Clock Tower Arc the Lad: Kijin Fukkatsu Grand Battle! Swan Colosseum Digimon: Battle Spirit Macross: True Love Song Riviera: The Promised Land Blue Wing Blitz Rhyme Rider Kerorican The Video Game History Hour Fairchild Channel F Game Boy Super Mario Land Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 Metroid II: Return of Samus The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Kaeru no tame ni Kane wa Naru Pokémon Battletoads Car Battler Joe Ninja Five-O Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Fall of the Foot Clan Metal Gear: Ghost Babel Nintendo Switch Nintendo 3DS GameCube Wii U Nintendo 64 Casio Loopy PC-FX Summon Night: Swordcraft Story Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Onimusha Tactics Smashing Drive Astro Boy: Omega Factor Advance Guardian Heroes Gunstar Super Heroes Drill Dozer WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! WarioWare: Twisted! Rhythm Tengoku Racing Gears Advance Scurge: Hive Catwoman Azumanga Daioh Advance Wild Arms XF Wii Mario Kart: Super Circuit PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Super Mario Galaxy Zangeki no Reginleiv 3DO Interactive Multiplayer TI-89 series Super Mario Odyssey Stardew Valley Story of Seasons Hollow Knight Octopath Traveler Bravely Default II Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Shin Megami Tensei V Super Mario Sunshine Final Fantasy IV: The After Years Castlevania: The Adventure - ReBirth Super Mario Galaxy 2 No More Heroes MadWorld Little King’s Story Opoona Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon Pandora’s Tower Escape from Bug Island Xenoblade Chronicles The Last Story Lost in Shadow Elebits Kororinpa: Marble Mania Let’s Tap Wii Sports The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors Wii Sports Resort Wild Arms Wild Arms 2 Lagnacure Lagnacure Legend Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy VIII Final Fantasy IX Final Fantasy Tactics The Granstream Saga Brightis Blaster Master: Blasting Again Team Buddies Jackie Chan Stuntmaster Alnam no Tsubasa: Shōjin no Sora no Kanata e Velldeselba Senki: Tsubasa no Kunshō Ghost in the Shell Xena: Warrior Princess Jumping Flash! Jumping Flash! 2 Chippoke Ralph no Daibōken: The Adventure of Little Ralph Kaisoku Tenshi Linda³ Again LSD: Dream Emulator Tail of the Sun Aquanaut’s Holiday Aquanaut no Kyūjitsu 2 Kaze no NOTAM Boku no Natsuyasumi Moon: Remix RPG Adventure Dragon Warrior VII Persona Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Zanac X Zanac Guilty Gear Elemental Gearbolt Alundra Alundra 2: A New Legend Begins Septentrion: Out of the Blue PoPoLoCrois PoPoLoCrois Monogatari II London Seirei Tantei-dan Ape Escape Gran Turismo Gran Turismo 2 Vagrant Story Vandal Hearts Alice in Cyberland Legend of Legaia MSX Amiga Mega Man Legends Mega Man Legends 2 The Misadventures of Tron Bonne Atari Jaguar Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy Primal Rage Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods Alien Vs Predator Super Burnout Power Drive Rally Club Drive Black ICE\White Noise Motor Toon Grand Prix Cybermorph Tecmo’s Deception Steam Deck The Witcher Hybrid Heaven Sin and Punishment Recommendations: Tim: Get in touch with Christa Lee at Sound Retro Co. for all your console repair and upgrade needs, MiSTerAddons.com (i checked, they’re sold out of MiSTers at time of publishing) Frank: Get in touch with Christa Lee at Sound Retro Co. for all your console repair and upgrade needs, use Dolphin for Wii and GameCube emulation Brandon: Try playing old games on Composite cables Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/17/20222 hours, 35 minutes, 22 seconds
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Ep. 218 - Donkey Milk, with Kris Graft

GameDeveloper.com publisher Kris Graft joins the panel to cover E3, Square Enix NFTs, what rock and roll really is, and smoking weed at the Sega E3 booth. Questions this week: How does Jaffe beat his friend in a Metacritic rating betting pool? (04:17) What video game character would you invite to a potluck, and what would they bring? (12:04) What the hell is Square Enix’s problem? (19:10) Design an emote for an online game. (25:58) What would a Rockstar Games version of an Orlando theme park be like? (33:28) Tim Rogers asks: You guys wanna talk about E3? (40:46) Dirtbag Mike Larkey asks: Design a recently public domain Winnie-the-Pooh game (47:57) Violence Island (53:52) What is rock and roll? (01:05:06) Recommendations and Outro (01:12:44) Maybe everyone who discusses this episode in the forums will talk about donkey milk less! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Metacritic Sifu Horizon: Zero Dawn Days Gone Cooking Mama Crash Bandicoot Bubsy Little Mac Master Chief Marcus Michael Fenix Bayonetta Shin Megami Tensei V The Ninja Warriors Square Enix’s New Years letter talking about NFTs and other trash Cryptoland Fortnite Destiny The Macarena Gangnam Style Voldo Bayonetta’s Avocado Dance i’m not gonna link that whale milking picture, thank me later Grand Theft Auto series Hot Coffee BioShock Infinite Jungle Cruise (2021) A Christmas Carol (2009) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) Attack of the Friday Monsters! Banjo-Kazooie Hook Story of Seasons series Bomber Man Bomb Man Mighty Bomb Jack Bomberman Hero Minecraft Steve Cubivore Manic Miner Mr. Driller Chao Chocobo VMU PocketStation The Hurt Locker (2008) The Beatles Elvis Presley Cream Led Zeppelin Sister Rosetta Tharpe Chuck Berry Lil Nas X The Beatles: Get Back Thanks: Brandon: Syzygy of the Insert Credit Forums Recommendations: Jaffe: thanking Syzygy Kris: Alan Partridge audiobooks Tim: Don’t bother looking into what Wordle is Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield and Kris Graft. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/10/20221 hour, 21 minutes, 24 seconds
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Ep. 217 - Asynchronicity

In which our heroes, scattered across time and space, convene by way of editing to cover The Freak Sword, looking to the One Mode Future, and sexy slutty bunny boys. Questions this week: What is the ugliest video game ever made? (02:05) Have you formed any habits in video games that have translated into your normal life? (07:50) Should every game have an easy mode? Should every game have a hard mode? (12:20) Imagine that you had the power to create video game mods just by speaking them into existence. What would you make? (18:20) IMPROV ZONE: Game Counselor help line (22:23) What does it take to convince someone to try a video game? (31:42) Design a track in the same a video spirit as any video game character for Mario Kart. (38:26) How have focus groups affected game development? (43:18) What is the worst game that you would still consider the game of the year for its year, considering its competition? (47:55) Knowing that they will probably never listen to this episode, what are your feelings about the other two panelists? (53:09) Recommendations and Outro (57:28) Now that you have all the pieces, you can discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Garfield and his Nine Lives (Game Boy Advance) Ice Cream Cone Pokemon Swedish Erotica: Custer’s Revenge Hatred Goemon’s Great Adventure Valis series Valis X series Coke Zero formula change Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Final Fantasy VII Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon Annapurina Interactive Florence Hyper Gunsport now wishlistable on Steam Red Dead Redemption II Final Fantasy VII: Remake Madden series (R.I.P. John Madden) 2K Sports games Portal Grand Theft Auto V Days Gone Yakuza series Super Mario Bros. Legend of Zelda series Final Fantasy VI Bonk series Project X Zone Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom Silent Hill Gensō Tairiku Auleria Duck Hunt Final Fantasy XV Critically Acclaimed MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV With An Expanded Free Trial Which You Can Play Through The Entirety Of A Realm Reborn And The Award Winning Heavensward Expansion Up To Level 60 For Free With No Restrictions On Playtime Soft Non-Threatening Friends Cyberpunk 2077 Stardew Valley Mario Kart series Awesome Possum Kicks Dr. Machino’s Butt Super Smash Brothers series Chocobo Racing Chocobo GP Dragon Quest series Deadly Premonition Mad Men Project: Snowblind Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal 1984 in video games Track & Field 10-Yard Fight Jet Set Willy Manic Miner Sabre Wulf Jetpack Gears of War The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion BioShock Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare God Hand Spacewar! Space Invaders Highlander (TV Series 1992-1998) Recommendations: Frank: Drive-in Theaters Tim: Drink more water, if you’re Tim’s dad Brandon: The song Walk from the Sega CD game Nostalgia 1907, sincerely it would be really appreciated if you wishlisted Hyper Gunsport on Steam, thanks for being a part of Insert Credit, take care of yourselves Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/3/20221 hour, 4 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 216 - The Dirtbag of Podcasts Part II: Double Dip

Alex Jaffe, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield continue the celebration of Patron-submitted questions, upending the dirtbag for even more “What is the ____ of video games?” Questions this week: Dirtbag Sailor Silica asks: What is the squeezing through a gap while the next area loads for previous eras of video games? (03:02) Dirtbag Dilson asks: What is the video game equivalent of a sommelier? (04:27) Dirtbag Walt asks: What is the The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension of video games? (05:08) Dirtbag MoxBagel asks: What is the This restaurant packaged the salt and pepper packets in a bag with the napkins and now the napkin is all peppery and unpleasant to use of video games? (08:35) Dirtbag Kory asks: What is the OK Computer of video games, and what is the Kid A of video games? (12:13) A Dirtbag We Don’t Have the Name Of asks: What are the farm-to-table restaurant and microwave dinner of video games? (14:39) Dirtbag UG asks: What is the Joe Pera Talks with You of video games? (19:15) Dirtbag Roman asks: What is the 1989 Velvet Revolution of video games? (22:02) Dirtbag Chopemon asks: What is the Chinese food buffet of video games? (24:07) Dirtbag Dusty asks: What is the DMC DeLorean of video games? (26:29) Dirtbag TapeVulture asks: What is the British accent of video games? (29:39) Dirtbag Chopemon asks: What is the hanging up of holiday decorations of video games? (34:43) Dirtbag Marshall asks: What is Ross Dress for Less of video games, and what is the TJ Maxx of video games? (34:43) Dirtbag A Dry Cleaner for Dogs asks: What is the hoop trundling of video games? (40:42) A Dirtbag We Don’t Have the Name Of asks: What is the James Joyce’s Ulysses of video games, and what is the Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses of video games? (42:55) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Gaagaagiins Six (46:00) Recommendations and Outro (54:05) Discuss this episode in the forums, please! You’ll be glad you did! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Bedouin Sheep dog Yorkshire Terrier Chihuahua Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008) Galaxian Ridge Racer Mass Effect Sommelier DS Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) Ed Harris (not in Buckaroo Bonazi) Jeff Goldblum (is in Buckaroo Bonzai) Knightriders (1981) Breakin’ (1984) Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984) Destroy All Humans! Leisure Suit Larry 5: Passionate Patti Does a Little Undercover Work Final Fantasy VII Leonard Part 6 (1987) Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) Kinect Seinfeld Curb Your Enthusiasm Joycon drift OK Computer Kid A Braid Rez Katamari Damacy Atari Jaguar Kid Acarus FarmVille Diner Dash FarmVille 2 VIDEOBALL Butt Sniffin Pugs Where in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego? Line Wobbler Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons series Dragon Quest Builders series Joe Pera Talks with You Michigan: Report from Hell Animal Crossing series Velvet Revolution Yakuza: Kiwami 2 Cyber Troopers Virtual On Fighters Megamix Fighting Vipers DMC DeLorean The Guy Who Wrote The Ready Player One Back to the Future (1985) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Double Dragon Neon The Simpsons Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles WipEout Octopath Traveler Fatal Frame Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer Final Fantasy VI Ross Dress for Less TJ Maxx Marshalls Far Cry 6 Target Meijer ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! Hoop trundling A Hard Day’s Night (1964) Irritating Stick James Joyce’s Ulysses Alfred Lord Tennyson’s Ulysses Super Mario Odyssey Recommendations: Tim: Listen to some more podcasts, subscribe to patreon.com/insertcredit Brandon: Cellular shades Jaffe: Stop playing gacha games, read more comics Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/27/202157 minutes, 59 seconds
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Ep. 215 - The Dirtbag of Podcasts

In which our heroes dive deep into the Dirtbag, receptacle of all Patron-submitted questions, on the hunt for “What is the ____ of video games?” format in particular. Questions this week: Dirtbag Benjamin asks: What is your fine barrel-aged Kentucky bourbon of video games, your Mad Dog 20/20 of video games, and your oversized lollipop of video games? (03:23) Dirtbag Eric Eaton asks: What is the Bob Dylan of video games? (05:54) Dirtbag Timothy asks: What is the F For Fake of video games? (07:54) Dirtbag Anonymous asks: What is the Anna Karenina of video games? (09:47) Dirtbag Kiko B asks: What is the Sonic the Hedgehog the Movie of video games? (11:58) Dirtbag John H asks: What is the Shake Shack of video games? (12:26) Dirtbag Per Hasselstrom asks: What is the Satantango of video games? (16:38) Dirtbag Crumbling Zero asks: (19:01) Dirtbag Devils Blush asks: Who is the Carlo Rambaldi of video games? (21:35) Dirtbag Andy Douseman asks: What is the using a shaving brush and shaving soap instead of a electric razor or disposable razor with canned shaving cream of video games? (22:45) Dirtbag UG asks: What is the Neapolitan ice cream of video games? (26:41) Dirtbag Rainbow Battlekid asks: Who or what is the Michael Jordan of Baseball of video games? (27:20) Dirtbag Paul asks: What is the “Weird Al” Yankovic of video games? (29:41) Patrons get to submit questions, but everybody gets to discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Halo 2 Feel the Magic XY/XX Final Fantasy VII Super Mario 64 Chrono Trigger Panzer Dragoon Saga Mad Dog 20/20 Under Defeat R-Type Final PUBG Mobile Super Mario Run Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Castlevania II: Belmont’s Revenge Kid Dracula Castlevania Judgment Bob Dylan Anthem King’s Quest Roberta Williams Star Fox by Dylan Cuthbert F for Fake (1973) Segagaga Citizen Kane (1941) Orson Welles Anna Karenina The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Metro series Alan Wake IL-2 Sturmovik Rig’n’Roll Tetris Hatris Street Fighter: The Movie Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie King Kong (2005) Kong: Skull Island (2017) Kung Fu Panda (2008) Nacho Libre (2006) Brütal Legend Shake Shack In-N-Out Burger Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning BioShock Bubsy series Battletoads Satantango (1994) Goat Simulator Cow Clicker Euro Truck Simulator series Breathless (1960) Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980) The “Nathan for You” Finale, My New Favorite Love Story By Errol Morris Metal Gear Solid Carlo Rambaldi Stan Winston John Carmack Hollow Knight Final Fantasy VII: Remake - Intergrade Tingle Tuner Asuka 120% LimitOver VIDEOBALL Tim’s Instagram picture he talks about, I think Neapolitan ice cream Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt / World Class Track Meet Michael Jordan The Last Dance (2020) “30 for 30” Jordan Rides the Bus (2010) Boom Blox “Weird Al” Yankovic Saints Row Family Guy Undertale Arcane Kids Palladium Interactive, Inc. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/20/202132 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep. 214 - The Ocarina of Time of Anything

Questions this week: Brandon Sheffield asks: What was the first time a parent of your praised a video game unprompted? (02:01) Has Dark Souls replaced Ocarina of Time as The Greatest Game of All Time? (07:59) If you could clone one person 100 times to make an entire game development team, who would it be? (15:03) In light of his passing, what can you tell us about NES and SNES lead architect Masayuki Uemura? (20:45) Is Halo cool? (26:06) Dirtbag Nick asks: What are the best times a game has broken its own rules? (31:55) You wanna talk about the Game Awards? (37:53) Are there really any video games that you couldn’t make today? (45:18) Previously on Insert Credit: What is the real life equivalent of playing a Far Cry game? (50:21) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design – JAV Titles (56:22) Recommendations and Outro (01:02:54) Your post could be the Dark Souls of discussing this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Yars’ Revenge Vic Viper Blaster Master Journey to Silius Fester’s Quest Batman: The Video Game The Addams Family Bullet Witch Myst (Jaguar) Power Drive Rally Castle Wolfenstein DOOM ACTION BUTTON REVIEWS DOOM Assassin’s Creed III Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla Assassins Creed III commercial Super Mario Bros. 3 Shenmue Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins (Game Boy) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Dark Souls GameFaqs “Best. Game. Ever.” Poll Red Dead Redemption II Yngwie Malmsteen Death Stranding Ocarina of Time decompilation Toby Fox Shigesako Itoi Jeff Minter Undertale Groove Coaster Jay Tholen Hypnospace Outlaw Joakim Sandberg NES and SNES creator Masayuki Uemura dies at 78 Ralph H. Baer Gunpei Yokoi Time Crisis The House of the Dead Halo: Combat Evolved Halo: Infinite Dwayne The Rock Johnson was in Fortnite The moon in Duck Tales, dude The Secret of Monkey Island Dragon Warrior Mother / EarthBound series I Wanna Be The Guy: The Movie - The Game Fight Club Mega Man 11 The Game Awards Cyberpunk 2077 Resident Evil: Village Metroid Dread Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Swedish Erotica: Custer’s Revenge Shenmue III Star Citizen Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse Far Cry series Blue Man Group Recommendations: Brandon: School of Chocolate if you’re interested in seeing a reality show that doesn’t work so great, Hyper Gunsport now wishlistable on Steam Frank: Get a Costco card Tim: Don’t even try getting a PS5 for the holiday season, get your child a MiSTer Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/13/20211 hour, 12 minutes, 18 seconds
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Ep. 213 - The Gumption of My Own Horse

In which our heroes consider for whom the Hey Guys tolls, deliberate Superman questions, and witness the birth of Peggle exercise. Questions this week: Frank Cifaldi asks: Do you remember seeing Super Mario 64 for the first time? (06:35) Which are better, ranged or melee weapons? (13:05) What are some video game resources more people should know about? (18:13) What’s the stupidest way you’ve ever died in a video game? (26:09) What’s the difference between a Bizarro and a Wario? (31:12) Dirtbag Gachaman asks: What is the best single button press in video games? (38:28) Review Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in six minutes. (45:50) Violence Island (51:47) What’s the Coronavirus booster shot of video games? (01:04:49) LIGHTNING ROUND: Trophy Life (1:10:32) Recommendations and Outro (01:19:16) Did you see what those guys said about Sonic 2? Talk about it with people in the forum! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Tim’s Minnesota mansion Super Mario 64 NiGHTS into Dreams… Super Mario Odyssey Power Blade Chrontendo ep. 59 Cross Wiber: Cyber-Combat-Police Castlevania: The Adventure - ReBirth Metal Slug Super Mario 3D World Dynasty Warriors God Hand Fortnite GameFly Replay Burners 1984 [60fps] Wai Wai Jockey Gate-In! Loop1 on Replay Burners GDC’s youtube channel GDC Vault MobyGames 1990 [60fps] Cyber-Lip Hardest ALL on Replay Burners World of Longplays The Internet Archive (search for “redump” and “no-intro”) Cyberpunk 2077 Red Dead Redemption II Shin Megami Tensei IV Bizarro Wario Cyborg Superman Steel Superboy Eradicator A Soul Calibur Final Boss John Carter General Zod Injustice: Gods Among Us Shigeru Miyamoto Ninja Gaiden Filco Majestouch 2 (Esper prefers Cherry Blue switches) Terminator 2 pinball machine X-Men Golden Axe Peggle Donpachi series R-Type Final Super Mario Bros. 3 Half A-Presses Deadly Premonition Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Chemical Plant Zone music Cacodemon Pac-Man DOOM Eternal Takahashi Meijin Billy Mitchell Shinya Arino Diddy Kong AiAi Turok 2: Seeds of Evil Hybrid Heaven Recommendations: Brandon: Regency Solitaire, Cruis’n Blast Frank: The Fraction/Aja run of Hawkeye that the show is based on Tim: Action Button Patreon Jaffe: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure - Stone Ocean Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/6/20211 hour, 28 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 212 - This Game Is Legal Grounds for Divorce

The panel covers the only Funko Pop Tim Rogers owns, the worst gravy text in the history of video games, and Brandon Sheffield saying “poggers.” Questions this week: Tim Rogers asks: Did you all see there’s Funko Pop NFTs? (03:38) What’s the best online multiplayer experience you’ve had in a video game? (11:35) Design some demons for the next Shin Megami Tensei, and detail the negotiation options (16:27) Let’s talk about flavor text in games (21:25) Improv Zone: Fortnite Streaming (28:02) An anonymous dirtbag asks: Can a relationship in a video game constitute emotional infidelity? (32:47) What is the right amount of enemies to put in a level? (40:02) Make a workout mixtape entirely from video game music (44:51) What is the live action Cowboy Bebop of video games? (50:11) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Gamer’s Journey (55:35) Recommendations and Outro (01:04:26) It’s never too late to discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Funko NFTs Dynasty Warriors That Dragon Quest one Tom Morello’s NFTs based on his D&D character apparently Bomberman Wars Tengai Makyō II: Manjimaru Tengai Makyō Ziria: Haruka Naru Jipang (Xbox 360) SDCC 2014 Exclusive Sharknado Funko Pop Metal Gear Solid Man Solid Snake Gaiares Demons of Asteborg Castlemania Left 4 Dead Mario Kart DS Halo 3 Gears of War Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space (PS Vita) Second Life Shin Megami Tensei V Animal Crossing: New Horizons Isabelle Jack Frost Tom Nook Bloodborne Protagonist Espio the Chameleon Rouge the Bat Moon (Nintendo DS) Pokémon Moon Moon: Remix RPG Adventure Moon (2009) Mute (2018) Ridiculous Fishing Donut County Katamari Damacy SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Samurai Shodown NeoGeo Collection Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection Mega Man: Legacy Collection The Disney Afternoon Collection Fortnite: Battle Royale Edmond Honda Dead Rising Bionic Commando PocketStation Tokimeki Memorial 2 Final Fantasy Tactics Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Tactics Ogre Super Mario Galaxy Ice Flower Music For One Hour Queen of the Passion (Extended) Sewer Surfin Batman: Return of the Joker boss theme Final Fantasy IV town music Three Houses name entry music Stage 1 Xeno Crisis theme some Wangan Midnight Yuzo Koshiro music Bubsy The Godfather: The Game Reservoir Dogs Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Shadow of the Beast Recommendations: Brandon: Don’t interact with things you think are just going to upset you, Sabaithong Powpuri Frank: Use The Final Countdown in commercials and media, The Video Game History Hour Tim: Don’t ask Hollywood directors if they want to make superhero movies, That New Paul Thomas Anderson Movie Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/29/20211 hour, 15 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 211 - George R. R. Binks the Time Sweeper

The panel covers Youngen Ring, the popular opinion of Souls games, and whether we can get Phil Spencer on the show. Questions this week: Jenna Stoeber asks: What’s the worst (or most out of place) sound effect in video games? (03:44) On its 20th birthday, what are our memories of the original Xbox? (08:46) Aren’t the Grand Theft Auto Trilogy Remasters Rockstar’s greatest heist of all? (14:04) Are there some things in video games it took you a while to understand, but you finally get now? (18:29) What will be the Game of Thrones reference in Elden Ring? (21:54) Dirtbag Kiko asks: What are the best and worst moments of horse death in video games? (27:50) How do video games use spite as a motivator? (33:38) Is Bobby Kotick a singular evil dunce, or are all C-level executives this slimy? (38:25) What are the Neuromancer and Snow Crash of video games? (43:26) Recommendations and Outro (47:31) Now’s your chance to discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Warner Bros. SmashWarners Uwe Boll’s In The Name of the King A Dungeon Siege Tale 2: Two Worlds starring Dolph Lundgren Pinhead Mr. Boombastic Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Animal Crossing: New Horizons Quake II Uncharted series Shining Force III Super Mario Galaxy NieR Crazy Taxi 3: High Roller Gunvalkyrie Stubbs the Zombie in Rebel Without a Pulse Malice Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition Tuff Nut smoothing The Rain Thing NieR: Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Fortnite Genshin Impact Octopath Traveler Red Dead Redemption Shadow of the Colossus Ico The Last Guardian The Last of Us Halo 2 DooM Counter-Strike BloodRayne Dark Souls Demons Souls for PS5 Jason Schreier’s Bloomberg article on Phil Spencer re-evaluating Bobby Kotick Phil Spencer is skeptical of NFTs Phil Spencer calls on industry to support emulation #IDARB Lost Odyssey Neuromancer Snow Crash K.W. Jeter The Sprawl Trilogy Burning Chrome Bridge Trilogy Shadowrun for the Sega CD Shadowrun for the Super Nintendo Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday Recommendations: Frank: Stop tying physics to framerate, stop using The Final Countdown in media Brandon: Check out Europe’s first two albums, use any Visa gift cards you get at physical locations to get the full value Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/22/202155 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 210 - Mario's Big Spaghetti Time, with Jenna Stoeber

Writer and Video Producer for Polygon Jenna Stoeber joins the panel to litigate whether P.T. is a complete game, milking for sport, and Zapdouglas. Questions this week: K Thor Jensen asks: does your inventory management system reflect your real-world inventory management style? (04:56) What is the most incorrect prediction about video games you’ve ever heard or made? (10:25) What video game series should be adapted to young adult novels? (15:35) Which dormant video game series with three or more entries ended on the highest note? (19:41) What twitter account would you start to influence a trend in video game development, a la Can You Pet The Dog? (24:32) Dirtbag MVB asks: What are some good games made from reused assets? (30:09) What’s some of the juiciest drama you’ve seen in a video game community or message board? (35:16) What songs not written for video games do you associate with video games? (39:55) How do you make failure in video games fun? (45:28) What is the Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho of video games? (50:34) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pokedexperts (54:03) Recommendations and Outro (59:05) I don’t see why you wouldn’t discuss this episode in the forums, you know? A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Metal Gear Solid 2 Dead and Buried (1981) Evil Dead II (1987) Cat People (1982) Animorphs TV series Unpacking Resident Evil 4 Solatorobo Fallout 3 How accurate were 2009’s video game predictions? Curiosity: What’s Inside The Cube? Project Milo Insert Credit’s Own Mathew Kumar (sorry folks, Mobygames went down right at this point in the edit!! the following links will use wikipedia or something else. -Esper) Stardew Valley Halo novels League of Legends Injustice: Gods Among Us Uncharted Sonic Mania Silent Hill series Can You Pet The Dog? Is Something Behind The Waterfall? Sega Genesis Development Kit Rayman Fiesta Run Batman: Arkham Origins King of Fighters Dream Match 99 The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask I Wanna Be The Guy Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure Mad World All I Want by Offspring Greensleeves Music of the Fallout series Beyond the Sea The Ink Spots The Beatles Rock Band Through The Fire and Flames Star Trek Enterprise intro GROW series Nightshade Celeste Dangerous Curves soundtrack QWOP Crime Scene Kitchen Recommendations: Frank: The Ink Spots baby, take Frank’s file boxes Jenna: Inscryption Brandon: Get a buyout from your landlord if you’re moving out of a rent-controlled apartment Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/15/20211 hour, 3 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 209 - Blopper Goes Knobby, with K Thor Jensen

Artist, writer, cartoonist and game designer K Thor Jensen joins the panel to cover being Mr. Google-Ass, having to go fast and slightly worse, and episode titles. Questions this week: Frank Cifaldi asks: Is the Intellivision Amico “physical game” scam the future of physical games? (06:12) How can video games adapt the comic book format better than Comix Zone? (13:08) What has been the worst video game music of the last generation? (18:21) How would you design a Dune game like never before? (23:43) Design a video game t-shirt that, even given prominent advertising, exactly zero people would buy. (29:27) Dirtbag Spencer asks: Does Nintendo actually have something that makes them the best game developer, or is that just fans projecting? (36:07) What are the best video game lists you’ve seen? (42:12) Violence Island (47:03) What is the The Simpsons of video games? (56:19) LIGHTNING ROUND: Game Name Combo Breaking (01:01:41) Recommendations and Outro (01:14:41) You’re the best there is at what you do, but what you do is discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Hexic Sine Mora Intelivision Amico Worms: Armageddon Comix Zone Understanding Comics Framed Gorogoa Future Aero Racing S Ultra Mad Max Dune Maneater That Box That Hurts Your Hand When You Put It In There Cooking Mama El Shaddai Death Stranding Microsoft Solitaire “Keep It Casual” T-shirt Microsoft Minesweeper Game Board Throw Pillow K Thor’s Gamer T-Shirt Dudes With Attitude manual Metroid Dread Link’s Awakening (2019) Giger-likes thread at forums.insertcredit.com Satoshi Matrix’s Top 100 NES/Famicom Games Gimmick! PC-FX FM Towns Marty Gain Ground Mount Celeste Hollow Knight Segata Sanshiro Johnny Turbo Trouble Bruin Storm Eagle Mallow Lakitu Sephiroth The Simpsons Grand Theft Auto Sonic the Hedgehog Street Fighter King of Fighters Family Guy That screenshot from Way of the Warrior that Frank keeps linking during the Lightning Round Recommendations: Frank: Guardians of the Galaxy Brandon: A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), Firestorm: 72 Hours in Oakland (1993) K Thor: Tears of the Black Tiger (2000) on Tubi, find something you can chew on Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/8/20211 hour, 23 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep. 208 - How To Correctly Pronounce Ocarina, with Jackie Cole

Community Manager for Singularity 6 Jackie Cole joins the panel to cover the dark truth behind convention booths, not letting the gacha getcha, and Call of Looney. Questions this week: Can games be used as tools for mental health? (03:00) Why does every MMO feel so bad to play, and can that be fixed? (07:04) Are emulation hobbyists saving or destroying video games? (11:26) Who are the nicest, most well-adjusted people in video games? (15:53) What do most people not know about running a convention booth? (20:06) Dirtbag Spencer asks: How can we make gamers care less about brands and more about the people who make video games? (23:57) Has a video game ever satisfactorily addressed a complaint you had with it while you were playing it? (29:08) Where would be the point in a documentary series about game companies where a still flips to a photo negative and the voiceover goes “And that’s where it all went wrong?” (33:15) Is there any way for Call of Duty to redeem itself ethically? (37:29) LIGHTNING ROUND: Celebrity Gamer Tags (41:57) Recommendations and Outro (49:18) Quickly, discuss this episode in the forums, before they get you! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Zero Wing Puss N Boots: Pero’s Great Adventure Swery’s The Good Life Monster Hunter: World Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice Stardew Valley Depression Quest Sky: Children of the Light Journey Brain Age: Train Your Brain In Minutes A Day! The Insert Credit Dot Com Forums Metroid Dread Is Already Running On Switch Emulators Players Have A Ton Of Complaints About Nintendo Switch Online’s N64 Games C418 2 years of failure by C418 The World Famous Vincent Anita Sarkeesian Insert Credit’s Own Ash Parrish Victoria Tran Indie Megabooth Noclip Documentaries Higurashi series NieR Destiny 2 Tomak: Save the Earth, Again Tomak: Save the Earth, Again’s reviews page on Mobygames, which calculates mostly based on Brandon’s 2002 insert credit review Gunhouse Deadly Premonition Star Wars: Battlefront II The uncomfortable truth of Call of Duty’s latest marketing campaign by Kazuma Hashimoto Battlefield 2042 Castle Wolfenstein series Insert Credit Recommends: ACTION BUTTON Reviews Cyberpunk 2077, the 1-6 Route Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/1/202150 minutes, 54 seconds
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Ep. 207 - Specdracular 2021, with Ian Ferguson

Video game documentarian and podcaster Ian Ferguson joins the panel to assist in the slaying of that vile creature that haunts this very night, Gamer Dracula. Original music by Kurt Feldman. Mashtlevania by Max Hully. Castle Gamer Dracula: What’s the best way to orient a video game player in a space and provide direction? (02:46) What’s the worst NPC in a video game? (07:49) How do you create good interior design for locations in video games? (13:10) What are the worst attempted comebacks in video games? (18:29) Improv Zone: Monster Mash (23:50) Dirtbag Triple Dive - Dusty: DeLorean of Video Games? Spencer: Do you watch the credits? MoxBagel: Shareware boom today? (28:38) Which two unrelated video games would you Frankenstein together? (34:25) How do video games evoke horror in a way other media cannot? (39:24) What competitive game could you beat Death at? (44:32) What are the greatest boss battles in video games? (48:00) FRIGHTENING ROUND: 13 Spooky Game Names (53:26) Recommendations and Outro (57:35) If you don’t discuss this episode in the forums, it’ll haunt you for all your days! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Hirokazu Yasuhara Ninja Gaiden Black Kim Swift Quantum Conundrum Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction Killer7 D Beedle Exile Disaster Report 4: Summer Memories NieR Yakuza 3 Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods Grandia Demolition Man Whiplash Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn Duke Nukem Forever NBA Playgrounds Bubsy Ulililia Strider (The Metroidvania one) Strider 2 Final Fight: “Streetwise” Final Fight Revenge Rygar: The Legendary Adventure Shinobi (the PS2 one) Golden Axe: Beast Rider Shadowrun (the 2007 one) Valis games Power Glove Arkham City Get in the Car, Loser! A Short Hike Sam & Max: Hit the Road DooM (the 2016 one) DooM Eternal Final Lap Twin World Court Tennis Yakuza 7: Like A Dragon Racing Lagoon Sigma Star Saga Undertale Cooking Mama Miltank Stardew Valley Oddworld series Crossed Swords Sonic Adventure Resident Evil 2 Silent Hill 2 Silent Hill 3 Crypt of Medea Alien Vs Predator Metal Gear Solid WarioWare Fire Pro Wrestling The World Famous Vincent Puyo Puyo Asuka 120% Gunsport Builder’s Block, AKA Landmaker Elite Beat Agents Leigh Alexander The End Psycho Mantis Splatoon Zelda II NieR: Automata Rayxanber III R-Type Recommendations: Brandon: The Void (2016), Demon Wind (1990), Death Spa (1988), Arhoolie Records 40th Anniversary Collection Frank: Watch kids get excited when picking out pumpkins from a pumpkin patch, buy some Halloween stuff for your house Ian: Empire of Ants by Susan Foitzik and Olaf Fritsche, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, by Shirley Jackson, Extra Napkins, Completely Unnecessary Podcast, Mon Amour Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. Mashtlevania by Max Hully.
10/25/20211 hour, 9 minutes, 26 seconds
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Ep. 206 - Bmups, with Christine Love

Developer of Get in the Car, Loser! Christine Love joins the panel to cover Alf, tactical romance action, and the crushing economic realities of indie games. Questions this week: How has video game art and design been impacted by Christian iconography? (03:40) What are the worst ports of the best games? (09:00) Has the Metroidvania outgrown Metroid? (13:01) What is the weirdest advice you’ve gotten for playing a video game? (17:22) What is and is not a visual novel? (21:11) Dirtbag Spencer asks: What Mortal Kombat character should get the next Mythologies game? (27:13) Are video games capable of evoking Britcom-style secondhand embarrassment? (32:37) Should games with a customizable protagonist and multiple love interests assume bisexuality? (36:59) From Brandon Sheffield: Christine, how can you justify giving away your game for free? (41:57) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design: Meme Girls (50:17) Get over here! So you can discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Oh, Deer! Analogue: A Hate Story Ladykiller in a Bind Get in the Car, Loser! Splatterhouse Castlevania Shin Megami Tensei ALF Bubsy Halo Last Bible series Bible Master Wisdom Tree games Crack Down cover Street Fighter on the ZX Spectrum Sonic Jam Resident Evil on the Game.com Axiom Verge 2 Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Chasm Deadly Premonition GameFAQs Jeanne d’Arc Snatcher Ace Attorney Tokimeki Memorial Fire Emblem: Three Houses Cosmic Fantasy Stories Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero Scorpion Raiden Reptile Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy Larry David Final Fnatasy XIV Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Seinfeld Game pitch Dragon Age Digital: A Love Story Get in the Car, Loser! - Battle on the Big Boardwalk DLC Available Now Deltarune Mean Girls (2004) Recommendations: Brandon: Dead & Buried (1981), Miho Fujiwara’s tracks on the California Crisis OST Frank: Can-Am Modular Metal Cabinetry, reach out to frank@gamehistory.org if you’re interested in donation matching for the upcoming winter fundraiser Christine: Get in the Car, Loser! and the Battle on the Big Boardwalk DLC Jaffe: Kurt Feldman’s Insert Credit Show Soundtrack Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/18/20211 hour, 5 minutes, 46 seconds
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Ep. 205 - A Richness of Embarrassments, with Kelsey Lewin

Co-Director of the Video Game History Foundation and Co-Owner of Pink Gorilla Games Kelsey Lewin rejoins the panel to cover twitch leaks, EVE Oncrime, and the most difficult boss fight in the Braid franchise. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit: Does the intended commercial reach of a game have any meaningful impact on it as a creative product? (03:37) How would the game industry change if everyone’s salaries were completely transparent? (08:15) From Ash Parrish: What would be the most interesting reveal if your gaming information leaked? (12:46) What is the most excited you have been by a video game as an adult? (19:21) Who would be the worst video character to sit next to on an international flight? (24:46) Dirtbag Larry Bang asks: Which video games surprised you with the feeling of inhabiting a specific character? (30:58) What are the most exciting crimes in video game history? (37:39) Is there any way the Gamergate TV show could be even remotely a good idea? (45:02) Violence Island (50:05) LIGHTNING ROUND: Who Is This For? (01:06:09) If you’re looking for a sign, here it is: discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The DK Rap Fortnite Rips Off Among Us Shenmue Far Cry 6 Famous Actor Giancarlo Esposito The World Famous Vincent Twitch source code and creator payouts leak Cyberpunk 2077 Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection Samurai Showdown NeoGeo Collection Mega Man: Legacy Collection Mount & Blade: Warband Crypt of the NecroDancer John Linneman Apple put U2’s Songs of Innocence on everyone’s iTunes once Yakuza 0 Deadly Premonition Fallout 3 Scribblenauts Feel the Magic XY Playdate Katamari Damacy Leisure Suit Larry Kraid The Colossi Karnov Target: Terror Clay Fighter Gex Bubsy Blasto Conker the Squirrel Mario 64 eye Vin Diesel Chris Farley Bobby Moynihan The Iron Giant (1999) Valis True Detective F.E.A.R. Deus Ex Dietrich Disney’s DuckTales Whatever Happened To Pizza At McDonalds? Mary-Kate and Ashley: Magical Mystery Mall Turok: Rage Wars EVE Online Gamergate Zoë Quinn CBS backtracks on The Activist Guitar Hero Rock Band Gomez Tim Kratos Normy’s Beach Babe-O-Rama The Prince Axel Recommendations: Brandon: Kanopy, Les Archives by Jun Chikuma Frank: hoopla, F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch Kelsey: The Life & Times of Video Games Ep. 33 - MobyGames Jaffe: Libby, Squid Game, Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/11/20211 hour, 17 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 204 - Hoodie Bones, with Mathew Kumar and Ash Parrish

Leading game industry professionals and Insert Credit Show regulars Mathew Kumar and Ash Parrish rejoin the panel for Mario voice cast announcements, Bayon3tta, and esports. Questions this week: From Brandon Sheffield: What games have been helped or hindered by having a tertiary gameplay system? (3:00) Was the Mario movie voice cast announcement really that bad? (09:17) In a side scrolling game, how large should the player character be? (15:13) Where does Bayonetta go from here? (20:22) What is the greatest unsolvable problem in game design? (24:45) Dirtbag Tiger Tiger asks three questions and for some reason Jaffe allows it (29:45) How do you report on mods and fan projects, knowing that more attention might get them shut down? (35:02) What’s going on in the Overwatch League lately? (39:10) How concerned should we be about video game censorship in China? (48:34) For real though, what is the Mamma Mia! of video games? (54:49) LIGHTNING ROUND: Mash-up Merch (59:25) Wait a minute, were you really not gonna discuss this episode in the forums?! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Hey, Bayonetta, what is the main ingredient of guacamole?? Dungeon Explorer Save Ribbons Amnesia series Fable Mario casting news Chris Pratt Charles Martinet reading paragraphs as Mario Nolan North Dana Carvey Martin Short Only Murderers in the Building Giancarlo Esposito Bob Hoskins John Leguizamo The Lego Movie (2014) Paulie Walnuts Final Fight series God Hand Super Mario 3D World Hollow Knight Bayonetta Fly Me To The Moon cover Moon River cover That’s Amore Blue Moon Hideki Kamiya Bizarro New World Ultima Online Emotion Engine Dynasty Warriors series Hyrule Warriors Berserk and the Band of the Hawk Persona 5 Strikers Final Fantasy XV ramen ad Ronald Reagan SAGE i’m not gonna link you to Zone animations, sorry The Shanghai Dragons Geguri Ted Lasso China limits online gaming for children to 3 hours per week Chinese Overwatch teams boycott South Korean player Genshin Impact censorship John Cena apologizes for calling Taiwan a country Devotion Mamma Mia! (2008) ABBA ABBA Virtual London concert Sonic CD Make My Video: Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch Sonic Mania Street Fighter The Movie The Video Game Kylie Minogue Recommendations: Mathew: National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, Commission Reports, Native-Land.ca Brandon: Shuumi Land Tax, Mntu by Ushangvagush Ash: Celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day Oct. 11th, Sable Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/4/20211 hour, 13 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 203 - Tomb of the Unknown Gamer, with Mathew Kumar and Liz Ryerson

Leading game industry professionals and Insert Credit Show regulars Mathew Kumar and Liz Ryerson rejoin the panel for cryptid talk, Nintendo Direct, and pissing on gentrifiers. Questions this week: Vincent Diamante asks: What’s the best money you’ve spent on a free-to-play game? (04:33) How do you make blocking in a game feel as good as attacking? (10:40) What ideas does Quantic Dream have for Star Wars? (14:37) Which games were most interesting to you prior to their release? (21:04) Improv Zone: Nintendo Direct (25:15) Dirtbag PrivatelyAttack asks: What cryptids show up in an Altus JRPG set in the American midwest? (31:44) Who are the heroes and role models in the video game industry today? (40:01) Make a video game about Passion Orange Guava juice without making it entirely about POGs. (45:58) What is the I Love Lucy of video games? (50:54) Would the world be better off if there weren’t video games? (54:13) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design: Old Cursewords (from Dirtbag Yeso) (01:00:14) Don’t even act like you don’t wanna discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Ireland Scotland Sensible World of Soccer Sensible Soccer ’98 Sensible Soccer 2006 Sensible Soccer European Champions Prey Steel Battalion PlayOn Kinect Game Boat World Flipper Bejeweled 3 PS2 Swap Magic Asuka 120% Roblox Tommy Tallarico settles dispute over ‘oof’ sound in Roblox Quantic Dream is making a Star Wars game Detroit Become Human patches out its ending Indigo Prophecy Kinect Star Wars Star Wars: Masters of Teras Kasi Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order Star Wars: Squadrons Cruelty Squad Yakuza: Like a Dragon McGruff’s SMART KIDS Album Ogopogo Mothman Loveland Frog Jersey Devil Ghost Adventures Jake from State Farm in NBA 2K22 Hirokazu Yasuhara Michael Brough Cinco Paus Jake Elliott Pog Zuckerberg forcing Hawaiian land sales I Love Lucy Bayonetta King’s Quest Video Dames #0 Girl’s Garden Phantasy Star America’s Army Satanic Panic Hylics Recommendations: Brandon: Jack Frost (1997), Pig (2021) Liz: Cruelty Squad, Salad Fields Jaffe: Batman the Audio Adventures Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/27/20211 hour, 16 minutes, 42 seconds
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Bonus Credit - The Winds of Ganoria

A rare confluence of Jewish high holidays and immovable project deadlines results in a Patreon content unlock for the week! We celebrate the return of Frank with a few excellent stories about what he’s up to lately, Mathew Kumar has an incredible impromptu interview with Chris Remo about the design considerations of crosswords, and Ash Parrish talks about the shift from Kotaku to The Verge. Find over a year’s worth of excellent bonus content just like this at the Insert Credit Patreon! A SMALL DESCRIPTION OF EPISODES PULLED FROM: (Ep. 196, the weed episode) Pre-show. The panel describes what they’re doing to alter their perceptions of reality. Frank is so successful he’s gotta start turning people away. (Ep. 196, the weed episode) Extended break. Brandon shares the details of his dad’s weed, and an excellent spoonerism. Frank thinks Special Guest Patrick sounds gorgeous, and high. Jaffe is rotating a letter in his mind right now and explains the details of Doctor Who. (Ep. 197) Pre-show. Jaffe has been waiting for someone to take the easy joke, and Brandon does. Special guest Mathew Kumar writes down a new title in his Fantasy Book Idea Journal. Finally, you’ll understand Jaffe’s intro line for this episode! (Ep. 197) Post-show. Extended in-depth crossword puzzle discussion with Special Guests Mathew Kumar and Chris Remo. Genuinely fascinating stuff. big thank you to mathew for hosting this impromptu interview! (Ep. 198) Post-show. Special Guest Ash Parrish goes into some detail regarding her move from Kotaku to the Verge, and the current state of game journalism is discussed. Also, accents. (Note: from 36:35 to 38:53, there’s some compelling but also terrifying climate climate discussion. feel free to skip to 38:53 if you need a break from that) (Ep. 199) Extended intro. Frank, Brandon and Jaffe talk comic books. (Ep. 199) Special Guest Chris Kohler is playing Star Ocean. Frank likes that Final Fantasy I remake. (Ep. 199) Post-show. Brandon recommends F1: Drive to Survive. Frank and Special Guest Chris Kohler discuss moving from one office to another. Frank has an incredible story of busting bootlegs. All names censored. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/21/202158 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep. 202 - Sincerely Sony Imagesoft, with Vincent Diamante

Insert Credit Co-Founder and legendary video game music composer Vincent Diamante joins the panel to cover the Playstation conference, Frank Cifaldi’s necromancy of Clippy, and Daft Williams. Questions this week: Since we’re recording on Dreamcast Day, what are your favorite Dreamcast memories? (03:23) What are the coolest ways to use specific instruments in a video game soundtrack? (09:12) What are the most interesting risk/reward mechanics in video games? (13:06) Which video game character would give the best deep tissue massage? (18:22) Improv Zone: Sony Keynote (22:33) Dirtbag Dilson asks: What is the most out of touch with reality game design idea you’ve ever heard? (28:09) Design a video game about the Nintendo 64 kid. (33:46) What is the most hellish assignment you can imagine for a video game composer? (36:54) Which video game set pieces would make the best Lego sets? (41:17) Who is the John Williams of video games? (46:26) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name That Game Tune (51:01) This is the line of the episode description where I recommend discussing this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Sega Dreamcast Illbleed The Last Blade 2 EWI Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure Eternal Sonata Wii Music Big Band Samurai Showdown Bushido Blade Celeste Hexic God Hand Cho Aniki Drill Dozer Zangief Hakan Dhalsim Trauma Center Dr. Faust Dr. Fauci MachAMp Goro Lady Goro Spiral Mojoverse Spiral’s MvC2 animation Mojo Jojo Sony AIBO Nintendo 64 Kid Alfred E. Neuman Streets of Rage 3 Oh Deer! Lego Green Hill Zone Katamari Damacy Shenmue Die Hard Arcade House of the Dead Typing of the Dead John Williams Nobou Uematsu Henry Mancini - Baby Elephant Walk Jun Chikuma Wendy Carlos Specifically Not A Recommendation: Brandon: Documental Recommendations: Frank: Kate Willaert, acriticalhit.com, Video Dames #0, Wild Gunman ‘74: Nintendo’s Forgotten First FMV Game Vince: Kate Willaert, acriticalhit.com, Video Dames #0, The True First Easter Egg: Ready Player One Was Wrong Jaffe: Congratulations Kelsey Lewin, The Sculptor Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/13/20211 hour, 9 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 201 - Lovely Ball Kicking, with Kris Graft

Questions this week: Let’s talk about the rebranding of Gamasutra to Game Developer. (03:43) What are the best video game postmortems? (10:41) What are the most common mistakes when someone first gets into video games? (15:24) Which video game characters have the most complicated morning routines? (20:46) What video game or game adjacent companies should be renamed? (25:54) Dirtbag MoxBagel asks: Is it possible to have fans take games less seriously as an identity and more seriously as creative endeavors? (31:42) Why don’t you design a new item for Mario Kart? (38:26) Violence Island: forums.insertcredit.com Submissions (43:25) From Frank Cifaldi: Here’s whats up with that video about game price collusion (52:45) Who is the Mike Richards of video games? (59:08) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design: JAV Titles (01:01:34) Don’t you think this would be a good episode to discuss in the forums? A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Clay Fighter series Gamastura is becoming Game Developer El Shaddai Postmortem: Resident Evil 4 Postmortem: Deadly Premonition Postmortem: Final Fantasy XIII Postmortem: Golden Axe Postmortems from Game Developer GDC Vault Monsters from the Id: The Making of Doom Crusader Kings Jim Lee Beneath a Steel Sky Jerry Lewis Francis York Morgan Ryo Hazuki Morgan Yu The World Ends With You Ivy Voldo The Green Ribbon GamersGate Young Guns Starring Emilio Estevez Young Guns II Guns 3 Gun Toys for Bob Ponzi Scheme Fonzie Scheme Bonk Plok Shadow the Hedgehog Wario Blake Stone Jazz Jackrabbit Takayuki Yagami Phoenix Wright YouTuber Accuses Million Dollar Retro Game Sales Of Being Scams Mike Richards Metal Wolf Chaos JAVdottxt (NSFW) Shi’ar (I read Marvel) Recommendations: Brandon: Check out the new GameDeveloper.com, Melissa’s self titled album, Ask Hershers Pizza for the Insert Credit, Enjoy with a D’Aquino Chianti Flask Kris: Go to gamedeveloper.com, learn something new, Dishonored Frank: Psychonauts 2 Jaffe: Superman Smashes the Klan Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/6/20211 hour, 19 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 200 - Insert Credit Vs. The Dirtbag

After Frank’s brief absences, the full Insert Credit panel reunites upon their two hundredth battle. The task? Their greatest foe yet: one hundred rapid fire questions from the more than 420 dirtbags at patreon.com/insertcredit. Each panelist has four skips, but will it be enough to survive your best? Find out now! Have you considered discussing this episode in the forums? A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Hershers Pizza Ep. 19 - Interactacular Ep. 180 - Insert Credit 20th Anniversary Ep. 110 - History Ep. 146 - What Is Wrong With Video Games And Nine Other Questions Activision-Blizzard Lawsuit NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals Earth Defense Force 2: Invaders from Planet Space Antichamber Yakuza: Like a Dragon Vanquish The Sword of Doom (1966) Throne of Blood (1957) Wario Land Shoot 1UP Sucker Punch (2011) The Mighty Boosh Zork Bioshock Infinite Power Stone The Magic of Scheherazade The Legend of Oasis Live a Live The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater Yakuza 0 Sonic Amateur Games Expo Metal Gear Solid 3 Earthbound Mighty Morphin Power Rangers DOOM Eternal Konix Multisystem The Great Giana Sisters Sonic Mania Bullet Witch XCOM Zone of the Enders Dishonored Sega’s Eye sound Final Fantasy XIV Dactyl Nightmare Vanquish Bayonetta Collection For PS4 Steelbook Edition Shenmue III Steelbook Edition Shenmue III Persona 5 Final Fantasy XII Zodiac Age Final Fantasy XV Tekken 7 Fortnite Stardew Valley Red Dead Redemption II Panzer Dragoon Saga Mama Mia! (2008) Septentrion: Out of the Blue Dark Savior Skies of Arcadia Wonderful 101 Shining Force Crystal’s Pony Tale Gunstar Heroes Ibara Kuro: Black Label Football Manager Rollercoaster Tycoon A Link Between Worlds Link’s Awakening Mario Party A Short Hike The Curling Kirby’s Dream Course Super Monkey Ball Assassins Creed Valhalla Tales series Enders Game Battle Room Lost Vikings Eye floaters Jim Power Duck Hunt Hyperdimension Neptunia Peter Molydeux Tokimeki Memorial Hades Boyfriend Dungeon Seven Samurai (1954) Defender of the Crown Seven Samurai 20XX Deadly Premonition Ribbit King Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter Big’s Big World Rain Jerx Girl’s Garden Arcane Kids Martin Luther King in Fortnite Dragon Ages The Last of Us Clash Royale Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution SoulCalibur II SoulCalibur V Diaries of a Spaceport Janitor Steel Battalion Ys: Book I & II Mother 3 Insulin Growth Factor Desert Bus Death Stranding Recommendations: Brandon: Legend of the Eight Samurai (1983), Formula 1: Drive to Survive, JVC D series Tim: The Last Dance with Michael Jordon Frank Trailblazer Cifaldi: Do not own a CRT television Jaffe: Usagi Yojimbo Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/30/20211 hour, 47 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 199 - Dreamcast Fruit, with Chris Kohler

Editorial director of Digital Eclipse Chris Kohler joins the panel to cover bug-free cartridge games, on air game history research, and a brutal round of Famicom Feud. Original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Mathew Kumar asks: What are the “phantom games” in your collection? (03:59) Which areas of games are most in need of preservation? (10:36) What’s the line between stealing an idea and iterating on it in video game design? (16:26) What are some mundane activities that would make good simulator games? (21:19) What would be on your cardboard sign at a wrestling event? (26:33) Dirtbag Seasons asks: Why and when did we start calling old games “retro”? (30:23) How, when, and where should games present content warnings? (36:39) Brandon Sheffield asks: What are your favorite side quests? (45:19) What is the Ghostbusters 2 of video games? (52:26) LIGHTNING ROUND: Famicom Feud – Video Games Notable For Negative Reception (56:24) Quick, now’s your chance! Discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: $1.99 Are You Out Of Your Mind? FM Towns Marty SWOS Donkey Kong Classics Adventures of Lolo Princess Pajama Taito X-55 Fortnite’s Among Us ripoff Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes Threes developer addresses clones Shenmue Panzer Dragoon Saga Quest 64 Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom Cosmic Fantasy 4 Part 1 Linda Cube Lotte May Retronauts Coleco Chameleon Boyfriend Dungeon Situation Does The Dog Die Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars Shining Force III Wing Commander Ghostbusters II ActRaiser 2 Hudson Hawk Platoon Barton Fink Phalanx Recommendations: Frank: The new Twilight Zone series Brandon: Vote no on recalling Newsom if you live in California, even if he sucks he’ll get replaced by somebody a whole bunch worse Chris: The Ultimate History of Video Games vol. 2 Jaffe: The Many Deaths of Laila Starr Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/23/20211 hour, 14 minutes, 18 seconds
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Ep. 198 - YSCBA, with Ash Parrish and Liz Ryerson

Fan favorite panelists Ash Parrish and Liz Ryerson return triumphant to to cover Knuckles, vaporwave, and the multitude of things the hell wrong with video games. Questions this week: Let’s talk about Idris Elba as Knuckles (05:02) What are some cool video game collections you know about? (10:42) If you were in charge of a Fortnite music fest, who would you feature? (17:22) Are video games part of vaporwave? (23:00) Dirtbag Sleepy Nice demands: Name five metal genres, then assign five video games to them. (27:44) What the hell is wrong with video games? (33:19) LIGHTNING ROUND: Initial Design (01:16:18) A lot of smart people will have more to say about this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Mega Man Battle Network 2 Dragon Age: Origins Final Fantasy VIII Adel fight Worms Armageddon Idris Elba as Knuckles Idris Elba as Macavity Michael Jackson’s involvement with Sonic 3 The Knuckles Rap Black Woman Gets Two World Records For Her Vast Vintage Gaming Collection Death Crimson Travis Scott’s Fortnite concert Ariana Grande’s Fortnite concert Marshmello’s Fortnite concert Björk Death Grips Lil Nas X death’s dynamic shroud - I’ll Try Living Like This Broken Reality Black Thrash Metal Doom Metal Sludge Metal Second-wave Black Metal Grindcore Paratopic Control S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadows of Chernobyl Activision-Blizzard lawsuit and more Raccoon Logic company photo Steve Gaynor leaving Fullbright Recommendations: Liz: The Blood Zone, death’s dynamic shroud Ash: Pig (2021) Brandon: G.I. Samurai, Oddtaxi Jaffe: The Nice House on the Lake Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/16/20211 hour, 28 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 197 - Myst Opportunities, with Chris Remo and Mathew Kumar

Game designer, composer, and co-creator of Idle Thumbs Chris Remo joins the panel along with Mathew “Agent of Chaos” Kumar to cover the Honda Prelude, Crossword of the Dead, and live on-air cat noises. Questions this week: Jeff Gerstmann asks: What’s the coolest vehicle to ever appear in a video game? (04:54) Are the Myst games still good? What should people play instead? (10:55) What kind of feeling does acoustic guitar give to a game? (16:41) What’s better in a video game, an elevator or stairs? (22:45) What six C-list video game villains would you recruit for a government black ops team? (28:20) Dirtbag Gaagaagiins asks: What’s the best autoscrolling section in video games? (33:08) When and how do games successfully recontextualize frustrating tropes? (40:28) Review the concept of crossword puzzles based on their graphics and mechanics. (44:57) What are some of your favorite harmless video game hoaxes? (50:41) What is the Waiting for Godot of video games? (56:48) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design – Jodi Picoult (01:01:44) Don’t you wish you could share your answers to the prompts? You can do exactly that in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Dennis Miller action figure Musee Mechanique Warthog Pale Wing Vic Viper R-90 Ragnarok Sonic mine cart Honda Prelude Tokyo Highway Battle Fortnite Vehicles Kung Fu Rider Dolphin Blue Nier Boar OutRun Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge Myst Riven: The Sequel To Myst The Witness Michael Brough Stephen’s Sausage Roll Habitat Firewatch Elevator Action Snake’s ladder climb Mickey Mania Ys: Book I & II Batman: The Telltale Series The Suicide Squad Rez Peter Molyneux Zool Battletoads The Adventures of Batman and Robin WTF: work time fun I Wanna Be The Guy Chris Remo’s YouTube channel The Bobby Kotick image Ermac Missingno The Blue Box Studios thing Waiting For Godot SNK VS. CAPCOM Card Fighters DS P.T. Jodi Picoult Recommendations: Brandon: To Kill With Intrigue (1977), Walker (1987) Mathew: Gold Ninja Video fundraiser Chris: Police Story (1985) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/9/20211 hour, 19 minutes, 10 seconds
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Ep. 196 - The 420 Episode, with Patrick Miller

Insert Credit Fighting Game Correspondent Patrick Miller rejoins the panel to cover questions from the world’s hottest editor and producer, as well as lightly flavored sparkling water, the hottest games in palladiums, $5 bets, and WEEEEEED, DUUUUDE!!! Original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: What game characters smoke weed, and what game characters are narcs? (06:11) What are some underrated gamer snacks? (11:52) What are memorable video game dreams? (17:42) Do you think Bayonetta and Lady Dimitrescu know each other? What’s that like? (22:06) Do you think Sonic the Hedgehog gets tired of all the Chronic the Hemphog jokes? (26:09) Describe the worst Flash game you can remember, and give constructive criticism. (31:14) What’s with the weird relationship between video games and movies? (36:15) What can we say about the Winners Don’t Do Drugs campaign in palladiums? (41:51) Esper Quinn asks: What’s a game that’s just alright? (47:28) Who is the Willie Nelson of video games? (53:39) LIGHTNING ROUND: Untimed Video Game Weed Parody Titles (55:09) Puff puff pass on by the discussion thread for this episode in the Insert Credit Forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Grateful Dead Robert Crumb NARC NARC (PS2) Emperor Pilaf VOLCANO Cheez-It Cactus Cooler AHA Black Cherry Coffee AHA Apple Ginger Soleil Cucumber Melon Rap Snacks Have’a Corn Chips Zapp’s Kettle Voodoo Chips Nixie Peach Black Tea Lotte May’s Milky Way Magic Stars reviews Snake’s dream Link’s Awakening Super Mario Bros 2 The Simpsons: Bart’s Nightmare Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland Kirby’s Dream Land Alundra Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo Like Like Bayonetta Lady Dimitrescu Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Spumco Shock the Monkey Skrillex advergame QWOP Winnie the Pooh’s Home Run Derby Nanaca Crash (i got a 2153m while editing this episode, see if you can beat that) Kongregate Alien Resurrection Uwe Boll Winners Don’t Use Drugs Street Fighter II: Rainbow Edition Centipede oh he so pringles SaltyBet World’s Tallest Thermometer Adventure Island series Goemon series Onimusha series Fight For Life Kelly Claes Willie Nelson Snoop Dogg in Tekken Kirby Rap Feat. Snoop Dogg Recommendations: Pat: Green Crack, Trainwreck Brandon: Sea of Green - Northern Lights, Mammoth Value - A Single Book Of Songs By, Terra Firma, Lowrider - Ode to Io, Gamera - Smoke and Mirrors, Bongzilla - Stash, Nightstick - Ultimatum, EyeHateGod - Southern Discomfort Frank: Roasted in-shell peanuts Jaffe: The Righteous Gemstones Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/2/20211 hour, 7 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 195 - Knuckles' Chaotix Is For Lovers, with Jeff Gerstmann

Game journalist and Giant Bomb co-founder Jeff Gerstmann joins the panel to cover The Wheelman, phone phreaking, and Super Sushi Pinball. Questions this week: Rachel Weil asks: What are you favorite hidden gem video game reviews? (03:20) What does Frank have to report on his two-week absence to save video games? (09:20) What’s going on with the video game speculator market? (14:43) How and why did Giant Bomb become a wiki for video games, and hows that going? (19:57) Design a game about phone phreaking in the 20th century. (25:48) Dirtbag Kory asks: In the year 2050, what will be known as the most ridiculous part of video games in 2021? (31:25) What game design principles make a really satisfying pinball table? (35:26) Fifteen years after the launch of the Wii, what do we have to say about casual games? (41:12) What’s the history and current state of publishers paying for reviews? (46:34) What is the Francisco Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son of video games? (52:27) LIGHTNING ROUND: Who’s It For? (56:36) We have a lovely forum available if you want to discuss the episode! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Shade wolf from Nier (spoilers) Dog’s Life The Revenge of Shinobi Kimimi The Game Eating She-Monster Mizzurna Falls Old Man Murray Erik Wolpaw’s Final Fight One Review Chrontendo Topher’s Sonic 2 review Vin Diesel’s Alternative Guide to Barcelona by tombo Vin Diesel’s The Wheelman The Video Game History Foundation, Which Was Co-Founded By Frank Cifaldi And Kelsey Lewin In Case You Didn’t Know Sealed Mario 64’s Record-Breaking $1.5M Sale Has Retro Experts Skeptical CheetahMen II Giant Bomb Wiki ComicVine Pup Breeder Phone Phreaking The Thompson Twins Adventure Her Story Flaming Carrot Comics Larry Sanders Show Bloody Wolf FunHouse pinball machine Centaur pinball machine F-14 Tomcat pinball machine Lethal Weapon 3 pinball machine The Pinball Circus pinball machine Banzai Run pinball machine Tap Titans 2 Saturn Devouring His Son Recommendations: Brandon: The first half of Take Care of My Cat (2001), The Rippington’s Weekend in Monaco Frank: Stop subscribing to the Video Game History Foundations incredible “Mystery Box” Vintage Video Game Magazines Jeff: Giant Bomb Podcasts, garages Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/26/20211 hour, 11 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 194 - Kim Cardassian, with Rachel Weil and Lotte May

Artist and FEMICOM founder Rachel Weil alongside gamedev Lotte May join the panel to cover the Bally Astrocade, Jaffe’s favorite isekai, and Amethyst Princess of Gemworld. Questions this week: What’s the deal with the Steam Deck? (03:44) How does femininity best express itself in video games? (08:10) How can we translate the appeal of mahou shoujo into video games? (13:31) What’s the relation between video games and glitch art? (18:35) Excluding Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft and Sega, who are the top 5 console manufacturers? (23:09) From Brandon Sheffield: What are the best action games with female protagonists? (29:23) Dirtbag Spencer asks: what video game allows for the most self-expression, while not specifically being about creativity? (34:29) What are the greatest movie tie-in games made before 1995? (39:33) Who would you use as the template for a “look book” for designers of female game characters? (44:11) Who or what is the Lisa Frank of video games? (48:37) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pink Games (53:04) People will think you’re cooler if you discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Yakuza 0 Steam Deck Stream Deck Saturn controller WaveBird Bally Astrocade Imagine: Babyz Fashion Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Mahou shoujo Sally the Witch Majokko Daisakusen: Little Witching Mischiefs Super Robot Taisen Kim Kardashian: Hollywood Cardassian Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Another Story Magic Knight Rayearth Suzanne Treister’s fictional video game stills Zgrass on youtube NEC The 3DO Company Casio Bandai TurboGrafx-16 Casio Loopy WonderSwan SuFami Turbo Jaguar GamePark GP32 Valis Barbie Fashion Designer Barbie Mermaid Adventure Crystal’s Pony Tale Miracle Girls: Tomomi to Mikage no Miracle World Adventure. Lost Word of JeNnY: Ushinawareta Message Devil Hunter Yohko: Dai 7 no Keisho Kendo Rage Blazing Rangers Smarty Theresa Duncan Chop Suey skate 3 Tekken 7 Character Creator GTA Online Final Fantasy XIV Demolition Man Batman Returns Home Alone Alien3 Aladdin The Lion King Beauty and the Beast Hagane: The Final Conflict Cliffhanger The Goonies Friday the 13th The Little Mermaid Fester’s Quest Barbie Fashion Amethyst Princess of Gemworld Jem Style Savvy series Amethyst Princess of Gemworld series Lisa Frank Nathalie Lawhead Andi McClure El Shaddai Paloma Dawkins Recommendations: Lotte: Turn A Gundam, Godzilla Singular Point Rachel: FEMICOM Museum, Pop Cutie! Street Fashion Simulation Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/19/20211 hour, 3 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 193 - The Gex Hive, with Ian Bogost and Ash Parrish

Writer, game designer, and professor Ian Bogost joins the panel along with Kotaku and Insert Credit regular Ash Parrish to cover Hairizon Zero Dawn, Gex vs. Bubsy, and Sonic Actually Being Back. Original music by Kurt Feldman, including the all new Violence Island theme! Questions this week: From Liz Ryerson: What’s your favorite romhack? (06:04) Which video game metrics and features do critics tend to ignore? (11:17) Which games were most affected by ESRB ratings? (16:34) What are the best non-Bonk Turbografx platforming games? (21:58) Now that Facebook games are mostly gone, how do you explain Cow Clicker to somebody who wasn’t there? (26:23) Violence Island: forums.insertcredit.com Submissions (32:49) Has a video game ever changed your opinion about something outside of video games? (41:47) What was the most ambitious video game to actually deliver on its promises? (47:13) Who is the Slavoj Zizek of video games? (51:47) LIGHTNING ROUND: Dirtbag Driftglass presents: Casting call (55:29) Have answers of your own, do you? Share them in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Crush 40 Sonic Shoes Peter Piper Pizza Grand Poo World Sonic 3D Blast Directors Cut Super Mario Clouds I Shot Andy Warhol Horizon: Zero Dawn Lucio from Overwatch Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales Monsters, Inc. (2001) Megatextures Rage Hot Coffee Indivisible Blanka American McGee’s Alice Let Cloud Strife Pole Dance Doki Doki Literature Club Plus trigger warnings Grounded’s Arachnophobia mode Trypophobia Chicory: A Colorful Tale Keith Courage in Alpha Zones Jackie Chan’s Action Kung Fu The Legendary Axe Cross Wiber P47 Ninja Spirit Rygar Cow Clicker WIRED’s piece on Cow Clicker XBLIG Parkour Tapwave Zodiac N-Gage Servbot Lemming DeBlob Inkling Francis York Morgan Raz Fred Dukes Gex Bubsy Dragon Age II Black & White Minecraft Death Stranding Sonic Mania No Man’s Sky Destiny 2 Bioshock Infinite Inside Out Coco Slavoj Zizek Roger Ebert Steak-umm’s Twitter Recommendations: Brandon: dedeco VGM DJ, Kino Lorber’s Cool As Ice blu-ray Ash: Chicory, Kotaku Splitscreen Podcast Ian: Drink an Americano, play Psychonauts Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/12/20211 hour, 7 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 192 - July 4th Best British Games Spectacular, with Bennett Foddy and Mathew Kumar

Happy Canada Day! To celebrate, Brandon and Frank (American) along with writer, designer and Insert Credit regular Mathew Kumar (Scottish) and legendary game designer Bennett Foddy (Australian) determine the greatest British video games of all time. Original music by Kurt Feldman. The List, in order of discussion: Sonic R (05:51) Lemmings (09:02) Pipe Mania!! (12:03) Burnout Paradise (15:20) Alien Resurrection (17:29) Elite (21:27) Damocles (25:34) Where Time Stood Still (29:46) TxK (33:40) Skool Daze (37:56) Wizkid (42:20) Batman: Arkham Knight (45:52) The Chaos Engine (50:11) Head Over Heels (54:12) Populus (58:35) Grand Theft Auto IV (01:02:35) WipEout 2097 (01:06:55) Sensible World of Soccer (01:10:32) Deus Ex Machina (01:16:27) Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk (01:20:11) See the final rankings in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Charity shops Sonic R Lemmings Benefactor Troddlers GameCenter CX Pipe Mania!! Frisky Tom Burnout Paradise Alien: Resurrection Alien: Resurrection (1997) Alien: Isolation The making of Alien Resurrection PSOne Elite Elite: Dangerous Frontier: Elite II Zarch Damocles Outer Wilds Midwinter Lords of Midnight Where Time Stood Still Hardcore Gaming 101 on Where Time Stood Still Frankie Goes to Hollywood The Great Escape TxK Jeff Minter Skool Daze Bully Grange Hill Wizkid: The Story of Wizball II Batman: Arkham Knight Renegade Batman: Arkham Asylum The Chaos Engine Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe Gods Magic Pockets Head Over Heels Knight Lore Light Crusader Syndicate Populous Magic Carpet WipEout 2097 Sensible World of Soccer Kick Off Deus Ex Machina The Graveyard Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk Wonderland Dizzy Fantasy World Dizzy Treasure Island Dizzy Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/5/20211 hour, 32 minutes, 44 seconds
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Ep. 191 - The Not Game Making Dimension, with Liz Ryerson

Musician, writer, and Insert Credit regular Liz Ryerson returns to cover lawyer angels, Charles Martinet’s infidelity, and Le Console. Questions this week: Kelsey Lewin asks: What’s the recipe for the worst way to play Super Mario Bros.? (03:42) Has a spiritual sequel to a game ever surpassed it? (08:58) How would you commemorate a series 30th anniversary when you have no new games to announce? (13:16) Can listening to a game’s soundtrack spoil the game? (18:00) How have video games failed the queer community? (23:09) Dirtbag MoxBagel asks: How do you design around players hoarding items? (32:49) If all the big tech giants made video game consoles, which one would be the biggest disaster? (38:28) What are the best unlicensed games? (43:36) Can realistic human jumping be fun in video games? (49:15) Who’s the Christopher Columbus of video games? (54:26) LIGHTNING ROUND: Glitchfork Reviews (59:03) Got somethin’ to say about this episode? Discuss it politely in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: NES Advantage controller NES Max controller Power Glove Game Genie Axiom Verge Bloodstained King’s Field Siren Thimbleweed Park The Legendary Axe Astyanax The Magic of Scheherazade Sonic Symphony Friend of the show Ash Parrish Topher’s legendary Sonic 2 SE letsplay Earthbound Chrono Cross Chrono Trigger Sonic Mania Homestuck Undertale Tim Follin Nier’s terrible trophy Deadly Premonition Poison Birdetta Earth Angel bar Erica Anderson Saints Row Razer E3 keynote Stadia is dead Amazon buys the CryEngine Amazon Games probably one of the worst disasters in gamedev Micro Machines Magic Kid Googoo Armadillo ATB Knights of the Round Fuzhou Waixing Computer Science & Technology Co.,LTD Strip Fighter II (nsfw, but only in theory) Another World Canabalt Normal Mario Bros Bethesda and Madden The Edge Guy Tommy Tallarico Mamoru Samuragochi Recommendations: Brandon: Ace Combat 3 soundtrack, Liz’s Sounds From The Abyss mixes Frank: Sleep, drink water Liz: Stretch, Ross’s Game Dungeon, The Blood Zone Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/28/20211 hour, 10 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 190 - Crazy Taxicab Confessions, with Kelsey Lewin

Co-director of the Video Game History Foundation Kelsey Lewin joins the panel to discuss how weird the letter 7 is, the WonderSwan, and Metallica covers of Barney songs. Original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Brandon Sheffield asks: What is the best video game console nobody actually plays? (03:56) What would be the best way for a disgraced indie developer to announce his retirement? (09:19) What are the pros and cons of controlling multiple party members? (14:14) What’s the next ubiquitous video game trailer song? (20:11) Improv Zone – Museum Tour (26:13) Dirtbag Anonymous asks: What is the best callback joke in video games? (31:13) Which video game went through the most interesting development cycle? (37:06) Famicom Feud – Wonderswan Top 15 (42:53) What is the oxford comma of video games? (51:45) How do you really appraise hard to find retro video game ephemera? (51:59) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Discourse – How Cunning A Linguist? (57:09) You know, you could always discuss this episode in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: WonderSwan Insert Credit “Last Letter” Forum Game Sega Dreamcast Vectrex Multicart Spike Atari Jaguar Hyundai Genesis Scott Cawthon donates to Trump, other GOP Scott Cawthon retires Jeff Bezos is getting in a rocket Willy’s Wonderland Donate to the Video Game History Foundation There Is No Such Thing As Ethical Consumption Under Capitalism Guardians of the Galaxy Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Tales series Tails Adventure The Offspring - All I Want (Crazy Taxi version) F-Zero - Mute City Guitar Hero: Metallica Caspers Hot Dog Barney - The Cleanup Song New Pokemon’s Nap Maniac Mansion Thimbleweed Park Nier: Automata Shadow Squadron Stellar Assault SS Wii Music Psycho Fox The Legendary Axe Astyanax Swan of Wonders Top 15 Makaimura for WonderSwan Kaze no Klonoa: Moonlight Museum Judgment Silversword Gunpey Flash Koibito-kun Engacho! Buffers Evolution Rhyme Rider Keroican Rainbow Islands: Putty’s Party Oxford Comma Mismatched Couples (1985) Streetlight Records Craig discord recording bot WonderSwan console variants Special thanks this week to Friend of the Show Ash Parrish Recommendations: Kelsey: Video Game History Foundation, Video Game History Hour, Blind Box Vintage Video Game Magazines, One Punch Man season 1 Brandon: Ginger Root - Loretta (Official Music Video) Frank: Loki, Sweet Tooth, look up fan edits/restorations of work Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/21/20211 hour, 8 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 189 - Purse Owner 5, with Dami Lee

Questions this week: From Frank Cifaldi: What’s up with E3? (03:47) How is the Korean video game industry different from other parts of the industry? (09:45) What are the biggest headaches in the world of video game translation and localization? (14:38) What’s the ugliest video game hardware you’ve ever seen? (19:42) What video game eggs would make the best omelettes? (24:13) Dirtbag Kory asks: How do you define the Japanese use of the word ‘gear’? (29:45) Which two game industry figures have never worked together, but really should? (34:51) Design a 90’s Master System clone. (39:34) Is there such a thing as a good webcomic about video games? (44:14) Who is the Nathan Fielder of video games? (48:35) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design – Dame Judi (52:45) Are YOU a bad enough dude to discuss this episode in the forums? A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Sakura Taisen 4 Blazing Lasers Gooigi Death Stranding Directors Cut Elden Ring Metal Slug Tactics Mohammed bin Salman, Murderer and Majority SNK Owner Summoner’s War Genshin Impact PC bang Legends of Localization Samurai Showdown V Kris Inherto 3DO Master System Zeebo Jaguar CD Coleco Telstar Arcade Divers 2000 Dreamcast Game Boy Player Ouya PC Engine SuperGrafx Dizzy the Egg Neopets Neggs Meerka Chase Petpet Neopets Puzzle Adventure Guilty Gear Cave Story Game Gear Gears of War Goichi Suda Jet Set Radio Alexey Pajitnov Tetris Hexic Hatris Hirokazu Yasuhara Masaya Matsuura Rodney Alan Greenblat Gam Boy Dooly the Little Dinosaur Agi Gongyong Dooly Hot Comics for Cool People Nancy Nathan For You Acclaim marketing team advertising on tombstones $10,000 to name your child Turok BMX XXX Bennett Foddy Dumb Starbucks Habbo Hotel Recommendations: Brandon: The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001), Evil Dead Trap 2 (1992) if you have a strong stomach, Oh, DEER! Soundtrack Frank: A Forensic Analysis of Earthbound’s Deepest Secrets, The Video Game History Hour Dami: Trick, Vincenzo Don’t miss our watchalong for the Morton Jankel Cut of the Super Mario Bros movie, Friday June 18th at 6:30p/9:30e! Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/14/20211 hour, 5 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 188 - Mariountain Dew, with John Linneman

Questions this week: From Brandon Sheffield: How would you run a cafe-arcade hybrid, and what would you call it? (03:10) How would video games be different if Microsoft bought Nintendo twenty years ago? (10:33) What factors decide whether a video game should be first person view or third person view? (15:02) What historical video game hardware breakthroughs are bigger deals than people realize? (20:26) What scenes do you hope to see in the new restored version of the Super Mario Bros. Movie? (25:29) What video games suffer the most from being played on unintended hardware? (30:37) Dirtbag Devils Blush asks: Who is your favorite developer of games you aren’t interested in playing? (39:33) As a player, when can you feel the absence of a cut feature the most? (43:21) How do you make a cool video game desert? (48:01) Who is the Guy Fieri of video games? (53:02) LIGHTNING ROUND: Product Placement (58:47) Discuss this episode among generally polite and universally cool people in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Misophonia Ys: Origins Thief: The Dark Project Project Milo insaneintherain Microsoft Surface coffee table uWink SPARTAN-458 Jiu Jitsu (2020) Breakdown Tom Petty - Breakdown (Live 1985) En Vogue - My Lovin’ (Never Gonna Get It) Nvidia GeForce 3 What Are Vertex And Pixel Shaders? Bump Mapping U.S. Games, a subsidiary of Quaker Oats NEMO Super Mario Bros: The Morton Jankle Cut The Thief and the Cobler: Recobbled Cut Video Game History Hour Ep. 23 - Working on Donkey Kong Country and Dinosaur Planet with Kev Bayliss & David Wise Warlock Warlock’s transparent logo screen Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure Eternal Champions VectorMan The Adventures of Batman & Robin dithered and undithered EVE Online Jeff Minter Will Wright Polyphony Digital Final Fantasy XV Dragoon Lady Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (2016) Dark Sector Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords Phantom Dust Planet Earth II Tom Brady Guy Fieri Cliff Bleszinski Tingle Daxter Sobble Peter Molyneux Tomonobu Itagaki Hideki Kamiya Recommendations: Frank: Video Game History Foundation “Blind Box” Vintage Video Game Magazines Brandon: Enjoy the media you’ve collected over the years, The Brat - Attitudes EP John: DF Retro, Retrotink 5X Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
6/7/20211 hour, 11 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 187 - Revealed: What War Is Actually Good For, with Gene Park

Washington Post Video Games Reporter Gene Park joins the panel to cover 3D growing pains, Magic: the Gathering card theft, and the return to that mountain of murder, Violence Island. Questions this week: From Mathew Kumar: What’s your “ol’ trusty” game peripheral? (03:34) Which franchise presented the more exciting future this week: Dragon Quest or Sonic the Hedgehog? (08:37) How has eBay’s recent reorganization impacted game history preservation? (14:04) Violence Island: Sonic’s Best Friend (19:39) Dirtbag Official_Danimalz asks: When was the “awkward puberty” of video games? (31:35) What makes a video game timeless? (36:05) What are the best murders in video games? (41:29) What should you never do when titling a video game article? (45:39) What is the Dragon Quest of movies? (51:27) LIGHTNING ROUND: Achievement Unlockers (57:07) What are YOUR answers to these immaculate questions? Share in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Mario Monsters Sector NGP Gene’s Virtua Fighter 4 Review (it’s at the bottom of the page) 30-50 Feral Hogs Game & Watch Multi-Screen: Green House Karateka Dragon Quest announcement stream Sonic announcement stream “Sonic Rangers” Rangerx eBay enacting adult content ban Tundra Miles “Tails” Prower Shadow the Hedgehog Amy Rose Cream the Rabbit Big the Cat Blaze the Cat Knuckles the Echidna Rouge the Bat Cheese the Chao Chao Slices Big the Cat meets Blaze the Cat Knuckles Rap Illyana Rasputin 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Vampire Savior Battle Arena Toshinden Jet Set Radio Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP Earth Defense Force Earth Defense Force: World Brothers OutRun Super Smash Bros: Mealy Street Fighter III: Third Strike Asuka 120%: Final Burning Fest Hitman 2: Silent Assassin Kasumi Ninja Murdered: Soul Suspect Tenchu: Stealth Assassins The real tragedy of Ethan Winters, Resident Evil’s ‘Village’ idiot by Gene Park Betteridge’s law of headlines “Saturny Nights Fever” Demon Slayer: Mugen Train (2020) Recommendations: Gene: Subscribe to your local newspaper only if they’re good, twitter.com/genepark, Launcher, Frank: The old Perry Mason is on Paramount+, though note that this is not a recommendation of Paramount+, Good Deal Games Brandon: Slay in Hell by Steel Bearing Hand, mention insert credit when buying Genesis games from Good Deal Games for $5 off Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/31/20211 hour, 9 minutes, 48 seconds
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Ep. 186 - Dirtbag Strikes Back, with Alex Jaffe and Mathew Kumar

With our regular host recovering from vaccination, Riot Games’ Alex Jaffe steps in along with Insert Credit correspondent Mathew Kumar to dig into our Dirtbag of Patreon subscriber submitted questions. (Content warning: conversation takes a pretty morbid turn in question 5. Also it’s a Mathew Kumar episode, so there is some swearing.) Questions this week: What should Brandon do with all these copies of TV Sports Football and Hockey? (06:37) TheFragranceOfDarkCoffee asks: Whats the best heist in video games? (12:17) Yeso asks: What personal problem in your life would make a good Yakuza sidequest? (17:57) Shun asks: Design a Kanye West-focused Nintendo game (23:53) Ravioli asks: What video game attack move would you want to be killed by? (28:23) Billy asks: Name two video games each in ten seconds each, then rank those games (34:29) Kyle in Montreal asks: if the main character of a game were to become the director of a sequel to that game, what would it be like? (40:14) Skebump asks: What would a new Panzer Dragoon game look like in 2021? (44:34) Shin asks: What is the most engaging video game credit sequence? (49:13) Sam B asks: Who is the Marcel Proust of video games? (53:49) LIGHTNING ROUND: Emptying the Dirtbag (54:36) Think YOU have better answers than the panel? You don’t! But you can discuss the episode here in the insert credit forums. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Mario Monsters, which DOES feature our usual host Alex Jaffe Project L Friend of the show Patrick Miller Alphabear Road Not Taken Steambirds Alliance Bushido Bear Alex Jaffe’s GDC talk, Cursed Problems in Game Design TV Sports: Football TV Sports: Hockey Cody at Pink Gorilla 22cans 96 Tears by ? and the Mysterians Corpse Killer Maniac Mansion Monaco: Whats Yours Is Mine Shots by LMFAO ft. Lil John Due Process Frozen Synapse Grand Theft Auto Online Tender Major Minor’s Majestic March Blazing Lasers Ninja Spirit THE TOP SIX GAMES OF QUESTION 6: Super Mario Bros. Sensible World of Soccer Mega Man 2 Earth Defense Force 2017 Android Assault Cuthbert Goes Walkabout Frank’s Cuthbert tweet and game covers WarioWare series Antstream Panzer Dragoon: Remake Moebius The Incal Sable Space Harrier Katamari Damacy ending credits Super Monkey Ball ending credits Metal Slug ending credits The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) What Remains of Edith Finch Jonathan Blow’s jar of pee (warning: photo of jar of jonathan blow pee) Esper Note: the correct answer to question 9 is NieR: Automata. No I’m not going to link it, go beat NieR: Automata. Marcel Proust David Cage Recommendations: Mathew: Check out decolonizepalestine.com, BDS, donate to Palestine Children’s Relief Fund Brandon: itch.io Solidarity Bundle for Palestine Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/24/20211 hour, 2 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 185 - Newman On The Toilet, with Kazuma Hashimoto

Translator and media critic Kazuma Hashimoto joins the panel to cover zabbing bloboids, the three hundred and twenty six pathways of Shadow the Hedgehog, and The Masked Tuber. Questions this week: Liz Ryerson asks: What’s the hot new genre of video game in the year 2050? (06:11) Is there a spectrum of quality for pachislot games? (11:02) What defining element of a video game series do you wish the developers would be more flexible with? (15:43) What were the most self-ruinous business decisions in video game history? (19:59) Friend of the show Ash Parrish broke a story this week about a $10 calculator app for the Switch. What features can we expect? (24:42) Dirtbag Deadbeat asks: What is the most interesting reason you have stopped playing a video game? (30:24) Repeat from last week now that we have an expert: what are the components of an ideal RPG party? (35:45) What are the best video games you can’t play anymore? (40:06) When will we know vtubers have officially peaked? (45:18) What is the Jurassic Park of video games? (50:14) LIGHTNING ROUND: Review Scale Calibrations (56:31) Think YOU have better answers than the panel? You don’t! But you can discuss the episode here in the insert credit forums. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Ys series Yakuza series Yanya Cabalista Resident Evil VIllage Mancala PACHI-SLOT biohazard PachiPara series Shadow the Hedgehog’s 326 Pathways 38 Studios N-Gage The Wait Is Over: Calculator Debuts For Nintendo Switch by Ash Parrish Nier Replicant v.1.22474487139 is the square root of 1.5 Donkey Kong Jr. Math Mavis Beacon Undertale Beyond Good & Evil Genshin Impact censors “Hong Kong” and “Taiwan” Final Fantasy XII Vaan Fran Lulu Uncharted: The Lost Legacy World of Warcraft Classic Lineage II Ragnarok Online MapleStory P.T. Metal Gear Online Kizuna AI Hololive Inugami Korone Gawr Gura Final Fantasy VIII Intro Mr. Bones Wayne Knight Bullit (1968) Recommendations: Brandon: Dreams of the Carrion Kind by Disincarnate, G2 (1999), Frank: A big book of unreleased NES games Esper can’t find a link to because Frank doesn’t even attempt the title Kazuma: +81 Podcast, Shusenjo (2019), HazVsRPG, Kagenaga on twitch Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/17/20211 hour, 12 minutes
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Ep. 184 - Gamer Type Gamers, with Liz Ryerson

Liz Ryerson triumphantly joins the panel to cover DDR dance pads, Batman games, and Burger Time Royale with Cheese. Questions this week: What are we learning about the video game industry from the Apple v. Epic court case? (03:52) What would be an interesting game series to play a Shuffler of? (09:04) Is there something you’ve wanted to see video games do for a long time, but once they finally did it you weren’t that impressed? (15:25) Which property-based video games take the greatest liberty with their source material? (20:33) Design a new non-dance game for the DDR pad. (26:25) Dirtbag Spencer asks: What makes a definitive edition of a video game definitive? (31:07) What game has the best party members? (36:41) Is there anywhere for the Battle Royale genre to go from here? (41:47) When have you had to lie about how you felt about a video game? (46:43) Who is the John Swartzwelder of video games? (52:34) LIGHTNING ROUND: Donkey Kong Universe - Phase 1 (57:11) Think YOU have better answers than the panel? You don’t! But you can discuss the episode here in the insert credit forums. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Phanto Mask Sonic Ice Cream Epic v. Apple Epic Payouts Enter the Gungeon Celeste Everything Bizhawk Emulator Suite Sonic Shuffler Mr. Friendly by JP LeBreton Bennett Foddy’s Multibowl Sonic 4 Sonic 4ces Batman: The Video Game The Adventures of Batman & Robin PC Engine Batman ZX Spectrum Batman McKids Popful Mail Waterwold SNES Waterworld Soundtrack Incredible Crisis Space Channel 5 Deee-Lite Fullmetal Alchemist! Mimikyu Nuzlocke Challenge XCOM: Enemy Unknown Anachronox Battle Royale (2000) Kinji Fukasaku Paul Verhoeven Black Book (2006) Burger Time Pro Player interview John Swartzwelder’s interview Jeff Minter The Time Machine Did It Steve Ditko Colossal Cave Adventure Danielle Bunten Berry Recommendations: Frank: Beat Nier Replicant, get bored on the second playthrough and watch the endings on YouTube (both Jaffe and Esper strongly recommend against this) Liz: Tomato Way trilogy Brandon: Touch and Go by Toshiki Kadomatsu, Returner (2002), Get your parents and grandparents vaccinated Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/10/20211 hour, 6 minutes, 54 seconds
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Ep. 183 - We Need To Talk About The Noid, with Jim Stormdancer

Jim Stormdancer, developer of Frog Fractions and host of Topic Lords joins the panel to hearld/warn of the return of The Noid, how to craft an ARG, and The Insert Credit Greatest Game of All Time (ICGGOAT). (Content warning: This episode contains strong language.) Questions this week: We Need To Talk About The Noid (00:57) What game did you have to learn to like before liking it? (06:29) Is there a line between surprising players and not giving them the game they paid for? (09:34) What do we have to say about NFTs? (15:27) Which game series have the most interesting naming and numbering conventions? (20:08) Dirtbag Kory asks: What are the best games about electricity? (25:52) What are the game design principles behind a good ARG? (31:39) What would your video game vanity license plate be? (37:53) What’s the best Star Wars game, and how could you make a better one? (40:57) What is the Paddington 2 of video games? (46:13) LIGHTNING ROUND: Adjectivity (51:33) Think YOU have better answers than the panel? You don’t! But you can discuss the episode here in the insert credit forums. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: The Noid Hatsune Miku <3 Avoid The Noid Yo! Noid KFConsole Dr. Muto Dr. Neo Cortex Ys Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes Warlock Frog Fractions King of the Hill “Full Metal Dust Jacket” NFTs Long Blockchain Corporation List of Kingdom Hearts games NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… Driv3r Battle Frenzy Herzog und Herzog Zwei Zwei und Zwei 2 Megamanx 9 Stories 9 Rooms 9 Whatevers Shenzhen I/O Chibi Robo!: Plug into Adventure! Gunpoint Elec Man Electrician Hansha de Spark! Pipe Dream Frog Fractions ARG What’s That Game? on the insert credit forums Train Hot Dog Podcast Sea of Thieves GTA2 Star Wars: Dark Forces Star Wars Super Star Wars Star Wars: Jedi - Fallen Order Battlefront und Battlefront Squadrons Star Wars Holiday Special Paddington 2 (2017) Babe: Pig in the City (1998) Kuron and the Jelly Islands The Quiet Man Recommendations: Brandon: Dance Volunteer by Portable Rock, Pensieri di Nessuno by Words And Actions, Gozu (2003) Frank: Play video games on easy Jim: The Hat DLC which is no longer on sale, Topic Lords Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
5/3/20211 hour, 3 minutes, 53 seconds
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Bonus Credit - Crazy Horse As Well

A half hour bonus episode of unaired material, previously exclusive to Patreon subscribers. Subscribe now for more like this! Original music by Kurt Feldman. (Ep. 175) Brandon explains who could potentially enjoy the film Pyscho Gore Man and talks about how incredible Mark Dacascos is. Special Guest Topher Docfuture Florence explains what he would have liked Batman: Soul of the Dragon to be and discusses Hong Kong filmmaking economics. Frank identifies which Daredevil comic Brandon is talking about. (Ep. 176) Brandon is frustrated by a Metal Gear Acid purchase and discusses The Grapes of Death. Frank makes a pun and recommends Metal Gear 2. (Ep. 176) Extended break. Frank doesn’t know what to do with the phrase “Golden Teet” and the strip club Crazy Horse Too. Special Guest Ash Parrish knows which one of the panel doesn’t write erotic fanfiction. Jaffe is upset about by A to X Video Outlet. Brandon solves the problem. (Ep. 176) Jaffe’s chewing again. Brandon just watched Reign of Fire. Frank was talking with a couple guys from Rare about Dinosaur Planet. Special Guest Ash Parrish has seen all the Olympus Has Fallen movies. (Ep. 176) Extended post-show. The panel, joined by Special Guest Ash Parrish, absolutely dogs on the box art for Monster Maxx. Jaffe asks a question he almost saved for a future episode: What is the qualitative difference between a 94% review and a 96% review? We make fun of the British again. (Ep. 178) Extended break. Special Guest Mathew Kumar discusses how we’re all going through it during the Pandemic and breaks down the No Woman No Cry equation. Jaffe makes a pun. Special Guest Kris Graft is taken aback by the hatred for Geometry Wars. Brandon explains how Insert Credit show works. Subscribe at any level to receive monthly episodes just like this, and much more exclusive content! Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/26/202129 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep. 182 - Chipfaced, with merritt k

Fanbyte writer and podcaster merritt k sits with the panel to cover the darkness within Viva Pinata, Bad Boy Reggie Fils Aime, and an explanation of what Touhou actually is. Original music by Kurt Feldman. (Content warning: This episode contains strong language.) Questions this week: From Ash Parrish: Congress has a button to destroy all video games, and you’ve been brought in to convince them not to press it. What’s the worst game to present? (03:25) What are the most egregious cases of falling upwards in the video game industry? (08:47) What game did you come around to liking after vocally disliking before playing? (14:12) How do video games express extreme speed, without sacrificing control? (20:06) Leaving aside Lester the Unlikely, what is the most unlikely video game? (24:45) Dirtbag Derek asks: What do you predict will be the cause of the next video game renaissance? (32:16) What’s happened in the Japanese indie game scene since Cave Story? (38:14) What examples of fans officially taking a game forward have worked out? (42:58) What is the Alvin and the Chipmunks of video games? (48:52) LIGHTNING ROUND: Seven Virtuous Minigames (54:40) Think you have better answers than the panel? Politely discuss this episode in the Insert Credit forums. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Blind Box Vintage Game Magazines Primus - Too Many Puppies Ash Parrish Six Days in Fallujah Hyperdimension Neptunia Viva Pinata Genshin Impact Battletoads Turbo Tunnel Danganronpa Altaïr Ibn-La’Ahad Gravity Rush Kudo Tsunoda Reign of Fire Phil Harrison Kickin’ ass, takin’ names, makin’ games Crusader of Centy 99 Potions James Rolfe Oh, Deer! Rocket Knight Adventures Faster Than Speed Lester the Unlikely Wild Woody Land Before Time Air Bud Mister Mosquito Bee Simulator Deadly Premonition 2 Jersey Devil Glover Normy’s Beach Babe-O-Rama Sgt. Rock game Gumby vs. The Astrobots Snoopy vs. The Red Baron Jackbox Every Ninja Turtles reboot Touhou Sakuna: of Rice and Ruin Sonic Mania Dizzy the Egg Toxic Avenger Alien cartoon Robocop cartoon Total Recall Tool Assisted Speedruns Rabbids Alan Sherman Toki Tori Toki Recommendations: Brandon: Clazziquai - Remix Pinch Your Soul, Yukiko Tanaka - Reflection, Nobody (2021), Enter The Fat Dragon (2020), recognize the misogyny and colorism in Baahubali Frank: Feel free to pirate games, Gumby Merritt: Fanbyte, Fanbyte Podcasts, twitch.tv/fanbyte Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/26/20211 hour, 10 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 181 - All Six Of Them, with Ash Parrish

Game journalist and friend of the show Ash Parrish returns to cover Amiga AI, alien boyfriends, and pynball. Questions this week: From Heather Alexandra: What game has the tastiest potions? (03:53) What’s something you never want to see in a video game again? (08:27) What are the best achievements in video game AI development? (12:56) Which officially released video games are most transparently fanfiction of other games? (17:37) Design the perfect romancable alien RPG NPC, but make them distinctly nonhuman. (22:27) Dirtbag MoxBagel asks: How would you re-design pinball to be more of a 30 minute game instead of a 3 minute game? (28:40) Have you ever wished a game challenged you a little more? (34:53) What are the best liminal spaces in a video game? (39:41) Has your opinion of a game ever changed after speaking with the developer? (43:53) What is the Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” of video games? (49:52) LIGHTNING ROUND: Alphanumerous Characters (55:26) Think you have better answers than the panel? Politely discuss this episode in the Insert Credit forums. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Seventh Son of a Seventh Son by Iron Maiden The Seventh Sign (1988) Synesthesia A Healer Only Lives Twice Phantasy Star Bayonetta Castlevania Holy Water C.C. Lemon Final Fantasy Potion energy drink Bawls Mamotte Knight Ico The Last Guardian Enemy: Tempest of Violence Final Fight River City Ransom X-COM Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee Lemmings Yooka Laylee Fantasian Doujin games Melty Blood Touhou fangames I Wanna Be The Guy Freedom Planet Project X Zone Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Inuyasha Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Elcor Volus Blue humans Babylon 5 Trypophobia (warning: potentially upsetting) Tryptophan Misophonia 3D Pinball Pinball Quest Devil’s Crush Demon’s Tilt Alien Crush Fantastic Pinball Pokemon Pinball Sonic Spinball Metroid Prime Pinball Flipnic: Ultimate Pinball Yoku’s Island Express It Takes Two The Witness Nier: Automata Deadly Premonition Mega Man 2 ending cavern Sonic CD soundtrack “Games for which there are two soundtracks, and both are good” on the Insert Credit Forums Black Athena: How Hades Gets Its Gods Right by Ash Parrish Slap Happy Rhythm Busters Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” Super Mario Galaxy Spec-Ops: The Line Wii Sports Take Five Street Fighter IV Mortal Kombat III Recommendations: Ash: Kotaku Splitscreen, twitter.com/adashtra Brandon: Fourth Dimension, Melinda’s Hot Sauce Frank: Shaquanda’s Hot Pepper Sauce Jaffe: The Unknown (1927) This Week’s Insert Credit Art Jam Topic: Cheating Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/19/20211 hour, 2 minutes, 57 seconds
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Ep. 180 - Insert Credit 20th Anniversary

Twenty years of insertcredit.com, as remembered by past and present contributors. Featuring Vincent Diamante, Chris Woodard, Azurelore Korrigan, Patrick Miller, and more. Questions this week: What do you remember about the GP32, and how does obscure hardware fit in Insert Credit’s taste? (07:20) What are the best video game comeback stories? (11:42) If Insert Credit could secure the film rights to any video game, what would it be? (16:09) What gets changed when porting a video game? (19:19) What Insert Credit-type games influence Vincent’s music composition? (23:06) What is Tose up to now, and what other important game companies don’t we know about? (31:51) Insert Credit declared the death of print video game media on April 16th, 2008. Is that about right? (36:38) In 2009, there was some pontification on Insert Credit on what constituted “good” or “bad” video game journalism. Where do you stand on that now? (41:03) What are some of the most striking video game convention displays you’ve seen? (44:43) How did the cottage industry of new games for old consoles happen, and which ones are worth discussing? (49:50) How did the forums and community shape Insert Credit’s identity? (59:03) How can one still find obscurity on the internet? (01:09:03) What are the biggest differences between video game culture in 2004-2006 and now? (01:14:00) After all these years, how would you define your relationship to video games? (01:20:35) What the hell is wrong with video games? (01:24:54) How has Insert Credit changed since the start of the podcast? (01:44:53) How did you all go from writing about to developing and preserving video games? (01:49:24) Are video game blogs dead? (02:00:09) What are the best things to come out of Insert Credit? (02:04:40) Finish this sentence: Insert Credit is the _____ of video games. (02:09:15) Discuss these questions and obscure video game hardware in the Insert Credit forum thread for this episode. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Lost Levels Vincent Diamante thatgamecompany Skullgirls GP32 Arcturus: The Curse and Loss of Divinity Astonishia Story White Day: A Labrynth Named School Corum III: Chaotic Magic Gamasutra Punch-Out!! (Wii) NieR Puyo Puyo Windjammers Wonder Boy Hajime no Ippo Asuka 120% Clue (1985) SoundTeMP Sky by thatgamecompany featuring music by Vincent Diamante Kingdom Hearts 100% ending featuring Insert Credit watermark Tose Co. Ltd. Interview: Tose: Game Development Ninjas by Brandon Sheffield Game Developer Research Institute Jason Schreier Gizmondo Phantom ApeXtreme N-Gage Colors Intellivision Amico Star Odyssey SGDK Super Fighter Team Piko Interactive Stone Protectors MadMan’s Cafe Peter Molyneux The GIA Insert Credit Show Episode 13 - Shave and a Haircut, with Justin McElroy Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Iron Man Captain America: Super Soldier Shoryuken Forums The Molydeux Game Jam Lost Media Wiki Barnyard Blast: Swine of the Night Edge Magazine Flower The Last Blade 2 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex for PS2 Drag-On Dragoon cavia inc. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/12/20212 hours, 15 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ep. 179 - Dirtbag Deep Dive, with Tyriq Plummer

The panel opens the Dirtbag, joined by game developer and composer Tyriq Plummer. Also covered: petty attract modes, the steamy details of Wario’s parentage, and Bleomard Nimoy. Questions this week: David asks: What are your favorite home console attract modes? (01:33) Big Steve Lasanga asks: is the pursuit of “legitimacy” by prestige games a creative dead end? (04:46) Sam asks: Why aren’t there more genre mash-ups in video games? (09:22) Shun asks: what would a Quadruple A video game be like? (12:10) Thundercricket asks: What is the most practical dungeon in a video game? (14:49) MoxBagel asks: How would video games be different if Sega was the dominant console manufacturer today? (18:36) Graphite asks: What are the most notable video game misreadings? (21:58) Aldo Leopold asks: is cranking the resolution in a PS2 emulator playing “the real game”? (25:32) Daniel R asks: What are the selling points of quadruple-A game Steampunk 1877? (29:00) TheFragranceOfDarkCoffee asks: How do you recommend a competent and enjoyable but not remarkable game? (32:27) Kiko asks: Is it possible to reboot Seaman? (35:41) Anders M asks: What countries besides the US, Japan, and UK put out the best games? (38:23) GigaSlime asks: What celebrities would you cast in your expensive vanity project? (41:58) George Rohac asks: What about video games still gives you hope for the medium? (45:30) Eric Eaton asks: What is the Bob Dylan of video games? (49:45) LIGHTNING ROUND: Spilling the Dirtbag (52:47) Think you have better answers than the panel? Politely discuss this episode in the Insert Credit forums. A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: SNK 40th Anniversary Collection Exile Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes Samurai Showdown Yakuza 4 A Mind Forever Voyaging Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War Final Lap Twin World Court Tennis Volleyball Shooter by Necrosoft Games Available Now on Stadia and Google Play Pass AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!!: A Reckless Disregard for Gravity SNK vs. Capcom: Cardfighters’ Clash 2 - Expanded Edition Mister Mosquito PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (puh-SAS-burr) Phantasy Star Online Undertale Sylvan Tale Phantom Dust L is real 2401 IDARB Super Mario Bros fans are panicking over rumors that Mario is going to die by Clare Duffy, CNN Business Parasol Stars Godzilla v. Kong (2021) Venom • Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety Barnyard Blast: Swine of the Night Seaman Brendan Fraser Doom Patrol Christopher Lambert LeVar Burton Conan O’Brien in Death Stranding GrandPooBear Avery Brooks Moses Sumney Jim “Somebody” Guthrie Ozzy Osbourne Jaleel White Alf Heathcliff Nancy Comix Zone Crusader of Centy Chulip Celeste A Short Hike Wandersong Bob Dylan Papers Please Disco Elysium Captain Blood Mizzurna Falls Mother 3 Soul Edge Mortal Kombat Wizardry series Recommendations: Brandon: On-Gaku: Our Sound (2019), Night of the Kings (2020), Katedralen by Mork, The Insert Credit Art Jam Tyriq: Catacomb Kids, twitch.tv/fourbitfriday, Mid-Air Thief, Crumb, Frror Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
4/5/20211 hour, 2 minutes, 48 seconds
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Ep. 178 - Top 20 Xbox 36Tacular, with Kris Graft and Mathew Kumar

Special guests Kris Graft of Gamasutra and Mathew Kumar of Future Club join the show to rank the top 20.17 Xbox 360 games of all time, as well as discuss unconventional promotion techniques, vanilla cake, and living to see yourself as a robot. THE INSERT CREDIT XBOX 360 TOP 20.17: Deadly Premonition Left 4 Dead NieR Gestalt Dead Rising Bloody Checkers Halo: Reach Gears of War Mamotte Knight Pac-Man Championship Edition Rock Band Lost Planet 2 Lost Odyssey Bullet Witch Ridge Racer 6 Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved Trials HD Iron Brigade Crackdown Vidiot Game Castle Crashers 20.17. Earth Defense Force 2017 Got a different list, or think we missed something big? Come politely discuss the list in the forums! A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: MTV Presents Xbox The Next Generation Revealed Presented by Elijah Wood with Special Guest Performance by The Killers Interview: Astro A-Go-Go: Designing the Xbox 360 “The Big X” Xbox prototype GameTap Women in Refrigerators Yaris Big Bumpin’ 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand Gears of War “Mad World” trailer Burger King Games The Oliver Twins Bomberman: Act Zero Back 4 Blood Blue Dragon OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious Action Button Reviews Pac-Man Lit - My Own Worst Enemy George Harrison’s Son Vanquish Vidiot Game Free on Steam OnLive Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/29/20211 hour, 55 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 177 - Yakuza the Musical, with Heather Alexandra

Double Fine’s Heather Alexandra joins the panel to cover Jerry Lewis, beating coins out of people, and The Ultimate MacGuffin. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit 20: You encounter someone who, quote, “plays video games for the story.” What games can you assume they own? (7:12) What does it mean to be a community manager for a game studio that mostly makes single player games? (12:35) What are the most video gamey things you’ve seen in real life? (18:04) It’s been one year since we all went into a global quarantine. How would video games be different right now if that never happened? (23:06) The Adaptation Game: Yakuza movie (27:49) Dirtbag Kory asks: What is the most underappreciated button on a controller? (32:20) What is the best MacGuffin in a video game? (37:25) Frank’s question: How would you design a video game museum? (40:48) What tea blends would you match with games? (48:37) LIGHTNING ROUND: Blue Rogue’s Code (52:59) Think you have better answers than the panel? Politely discuss this episode in the Insert Credit forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Skies of Arcadia Danganronpa Firewatch Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV Jerry Lewis Gallagher Gallagher’s Gallery Double Fine’s Discord Insert Credit Forums Everwild Fig Supergiant Grim Fandango Austin Walker Brent Porter They Live Intellivision Amico Gunsport By Necrosoft Games Available Now On Google Play Pass Yakuza 0 Baka Mitai Turbografx controller VMU buttons Dreamcast controller Jaguar controller GameCube controller The Duke MacGuffin Chaos Emeralds Big Whoop The Empty Lot Ankaran Sarcophagus Amulet of Kings Piece of Eden Rain Room David Crane Cyber Doll Blue Rogues Sakura Taisen Bryce Boltzmann Recommendations: Heather: To The Horizon, Psychonauts 2, Lapsang tea, Kukicha tea Frank: DG Voodoo 2 Brandon: Ploho, Morwan, D’LaVance, Moondog, Peppermint Bark tea, Turmeric Three Root tea, Unicorn Grass tea Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/22/20211 hour, 11 minutes, 7 seconds
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Ep. 176 - Gin & Sonic, with Ash Parrish

Ash Parrish rejoins the panel to cover Final Fantasy XIV’s superiority, the Screaming Idea, and G4M3R5. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit 86: What games not originally designed for arcades would best make the transition to arcades? (01:58) What specifically makes Final Fantasy XIV the best MMO game? (05:17) Which games have benefitted the most from changing course during development? (10:37) What game features the greatest distance of quality between how good the music is and how bad the game itself is? (15:42) The pandemic is over, and each of you is opening up a barcade. What do you name it? (20:44) Patreon Supporter THX Deep Note’s #1 Fan asks: If you could design a startup jingle for a video game console, what would it sound like? (28:28) What are some things that video game fans THINK they want, but won’t actually enjoy? (33:36) What is the longest you’ve ever struggled with a particular challenge in a video game? (38:44) Topher “Docfuture” Florence gives this challenge: Design a singular controller to be put into a time capsule that will be the only controller to play all console games. It can have any button or stick configuration, but is arbitrarily limited to only 3 “gimmicks.” (44:07) Who is the Meghan Markle of video games? (49:31) LIGHTNING ROUND: Guess That Fanfic (54:29) Think you have better answers than the panel? Politely discuss this episode in the Insert Credit forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Michigan J. Frog Push Up Push Pop Push-Up Bra Ribbit King Hades Blitzball Flappy Bird Scribblenauts Firewatch Ring Fit Adventure Super Mario Run Stupid bad Rayman ad Final Fantasy XIV Clash Royale Deadly Premonition Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida Yoshi’s Island Plok PachiPara series Disaster Report Okami Sunsoft Games Hover Strike Picross Final Fantasy XIII Dirge of Cerberus Original Pokemon cave theme Crank Yankers theme Dreamcast startup jingle Gamecube startup jingle Playstation startup jingle Xbox startup jingle Xbox 360 startup jingle That tall vampire lady in the new Resident Evil Extra-Dimensional Biological Entity Nier Automata “Idiot Savant” sidequest Exile: Wicked Phenomenon Ouendan Fullmetal Alchemist theme Celeste Area 51 Seaman Meghan Markle Glu Mobile Clementine She’s Gone Gone Gone Rewrite From Which All That Was Pizza Date Among the stars we fell in love Acts of God The Confession of a Lifetime Game Boy box art Frank drops in the chat after the show Recommendations: Brandon: Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar (2021), Frankie Rose’s Cage Tropical, Crazy Samurai 400 vs 1 Ash: Kotaku Splitscreen Jaffe: The Tobolowsky Files Frank: The Video Game History Hour Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/15/20211 hour, 4 minutes, 54 seconds
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Ep. 175 - Just Wanna Murder Kids Again , with Topher "Docfuture" Florence

Topher “Docfuture” Florence joins the panel to cover holographic divorce, appeasement of the Froot Brute contingent, and Lammypedia. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit 31: Design a game for the Star Trek holodeck. (06:36) Which games in genres with traditionally minimal or completely absent narratives have the most compelling stories? (12:05) What would Animal Crossing be like if Tom Nook were as villainous as internet memes say he is? (17:38) Which corporate mascot has the most potential as the star of a great video game? (22:43) If there was a Friends video game, what would the strats be to speedrun it? (28:59) Patreon Supporter MoxBagel asks: In an alternate reality your favorite game that deserved a sequel but never got one just had its 10th game. What is it like? (33:31) What are the good Twitch streams and Let’s Plays for the discerning Insert Crediter? (38:10) Which video game characters should guest star in the next season of Scooby-Doo, and what should their episodes be about? (43:18) From Liz Ryerson: What would a DocFuture prestige TV show look like? (48:53) What is the Police Dogs of video games? (54:05) LIGHTNING ROUND: Death by Degrees (57:08) A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Dilton Doiley Archie Meets the Punisher Holodeck Facade The Orville Seaman Black Tiger Bonk’s Revenge Katamari Damacy Ribbit King Mitch Hedberg Tom Nook donates 90% of his proceeds to an orphanage Yo! Noid Chester Cheetah: Wild Wild Quest Chester Cheetah: Too Cool to Fool Tony & Friends: New Adventures - Invasion in Kellogg’s Land Flo Cap’n Crunch’s Crunchling Adventures Chex Quest I Wanna Be The Guy Deception KFC Dating Sim Crazy Craving, the “Me Want Honeycomb” guy Friends: The One With All The Trivia Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures Shatterhand Um Jammer Lammy EyeToy Linda^3 For Frog the Bell Tolls Video Chess Fallout: New Vegas - You Only Live Once Lance McDonald’s PT Explorations Retro Pals Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? Hanna-Barbera’s Pac-Man show Kids Incorporated Hammerman Life on Mars (American series) WandaVision Sex House Kevin Can F**k Himself The King of Comedy (1982) Dog Police Strong Bad Hampster Dance Frog Fractions Boggy B Tiny Kong SHODAN Commander Shepard Huang Lee Axel Pimple Brock Happy Mask Salesman Remeer Blue Suede Goo Mr. Resetti Battle Arena Toshinden MDK Recommendations: Frank: Phantasy Star IV: Ludonarrative and the Artistic Value of Classic Games Brandon: The Baddest by Toshinobu Kubota, The Changin’ Times of Ike White (2019), THE ALL NEW insertcredit.com !!! Topher: Lunatic Obscurity Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/8/20211 hour, 11 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ep. 174 - Sega Macarena, with Liz “Lids” Ryerson

Liz Ryerson joins your favorite 7/10 podcast to cover the secret origins of CapyGames, the true name of the Saturn, and misunderstanding pixel art. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit #12: Which video game soundtracks are notable for their use of uncommonly heard instruments? (05:07) What musicians would you have chosen to celebrate Pokemon’s 25th anniversary? (10:06) Which video games are the best at inducing claustrophobia? (15:28) Which is better: games about upward movement, or games about downward movement? (21:09) Improv Zone: Salty Bet Commentary (27:17) Patreon Supporter Malcove asks: What is the best 3-player game? (34:42) What’s with Sony shuttering Japan Studio? (39:45) Is it time to retire pixel art in video games? (48:48) Frank’s Question: What do we think of modern pixel art emerging as a misunderstanding of classic pixel art? (53:58) What is the forgetting to defrost your ingredients until right before it’s time to make dinner of video games? (59:47) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Tennessee Williams Plays (01:01:28) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
3/1/20211 hour, 12 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 173 - We Don't Usually Swear, with Lotte May

Content warning: Brandon says a swear at 53:03, but it’s justified. Special guest Lotte May joins a Tim-less panel to have a chill hangout. This episode is a Chill Version features three new lofi tracks from Kurt Feldman! Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit #14: If you could send 3 portable games to everybody in the world, what would they be? Game Boy Color edition (04:26) How will strategy guides in the Library of Congress benefit future Americans? (09:37) Why are some games so much better when played on smaller, portable screens? (15:44) What are your favorite pieces of bespoke, custom made video game hardware? (20:47) It’s 1995. What games would you design to enhance the launch library for the Casio Loopy? (26:06) Patreon Supporter MoxBagel asks: What game would you give a young Brandon Sheffield to change his destiny as an inveterate Nintendo hater? (30:50) When and how is the color pink best utilized in a video game’s color palette? (36:27) It has now been 24 hours since the February 17th Nintendo Direct aired. What can you still remember about it? (40:13) What is the worst advice you’ve ever gotten about your video game industry job? (46:14) What’s a game that would be worth making for an old system? (50:57) LIGHTNING ROUND: The Blank of Video Games: Coffee (57:44) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/22/20211 hour, 9 minutes, 10 seconds
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Ep. 172 - Dithligonal Heckahedron

Permanent tracheal damage, Geoff Keigh3, and Dr. Wowy’s Pee Factory. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit #10: What can we expect from the upcoming Metal Gear Solid movie? (4:56) Frank’s question: What do you say to someone who wants your career in video games? (10:17) Remember E3? It’s back, in streaming digital presentation form! Is there no turning back now? (16:44) If we define a perfect game as one which exhausts every satisfactory application of its core concept, which games fit that definition? (22:25) The Adaptation Game: Saturday Night Live (28:43) Patreon Supporter Meghan Murphy asks: what game has the best post-game? (35:27) What’s the right amount of random chance to use in a video game? (42:20) What are the greatest lengths to which you have ever gone to play a particular video game? (48:06) What are the best bombs in video games? (53:40) What is the finding a long, crispy french fry in your order of onion rings of video games? (59:16) LIGHTNING ROUND: Playing Flavorites: Mega Man Robot Masters (01:05:13) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/15/20211 hour, 17 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep. 171 - Hidden Glass Shard

Bad jokes, meaningful treehouse hangouts, and the Five Best Video Game Magazines Of All Time. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit #123: What would be the worst movie to license as a beat-em-up? (02:21) What’s keeping big tech companies from breaking into video games after Microsoft? (07:42) What is executionally the worst joke you have ever seen in a video game? (13:21) Which human video game characters would be most valuable to examine for medical science? (19:39) What are the top five video game magazines of all time? (25:34) Patreon Supporter Beaion asks: What game are you always trying to get your friend group or social circle to play and why won’t they play it? (31:43) What are the ideal personal and environmental conditions which must be met before you play a video game for a long period of time? (38:28) When do you feel like you need to start an unfinished video game over from the beginning before you can finish it? (42:53) What was the best day you ever had just playing video games? (48:34) What is the “figuring out how to use the shower in an unfamiliar bathroom after a long day of travel” of video games? (56:50) LIGHTNING ROUND: Trademark-Free Video Game Valentines (01:01:53) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/8/20211 hour, 13 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep. 170 - Sonic the Hedgefund

Earthworm Jim didn’t invent the 90’s, he was just there. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit: What’s the most backhanded compliment you could give a video game? (02:52) Can we harness the feedback loop of gacha games for good? (09:33) What pair of short video games would make the best double feature? (14:58) Biolence Island: Viohazard Protagonists (20:31) Patreon Suppoerter John Beyer asks: is it wrong to play old video games and remakes instead of new video games? (32:50) If you weren’t aware of the credits, would you be able to tell Balan Wonderworld is a Yuji Naka game? (39:40) What video game actions would be more fun if they were decompressed? (46:23) Who are the Dexys Midnight Runners of video games? (50:33) Explain Gamestop stock manipulation to your mom. (56:03) LIGHTNING ROUND: Stock Market Tips & Tricks (01:03:13) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
2/1/20211 hour, 21 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 169 - Quorantine Spectaskular

A last minute guest cancellation means double value for you! Jaffe presents the panel with Quora.com’s top twenty video game questions at three minutes a piece. Quoras this week: Jay Sapinsky asks: how do you spot gamers in real life? (06:06) Nor Reza asks: What about Fallout Lore bothers you? (08:57) Aditi Triveti asks: What is the most messed up thing you’ve ever done in any video game? (11:49) Anthony Andranik Moumjian asks: Is it bad to leave a gaming PC on all the time? Can it damage the PC? (14:56) Andre Xast asks: Hulk will protect you from the final bosses of the last 3 video games you played. Do you live? (17:35) Kaan Kala asks: How difficult is legendary difficulty in Skyrim? (20:21) Nor Reza asks: What is something in the Call of Duty games that makes no sense? (22:02) Kyle Dring asks: Why are low morality games so popular? (24:11) Lily Shen asks: What is the cheapest thing you’ve done to win a video game that wasn’t technically cheating? (27:39) Anonymous asks: How do I find inappropriate games on Roblox? (31:21) David P. Black asks: Do soldiers in wars actually throw empty mags like in video games? (35:15) Sam Bunn asks: What game feature or animation makes you think “This person must’ve had a lot of fun making this?” (37:36) Nor Reza asks: What if you woke up in a video game and there was no way out? (40:39) Ryan Nelson asks: Are there any games that punish or mock you for playing it in a certain way? (43:18) Sean Kernan asks: What’s the furthest a parent has gone to get their kid to quit gaming? (46:10) Ryan Russell asks: What are some things that only gamers would understand? (49:01) Christopher Abrahams asks: Why do Marvel games not made by Sony feel like they are pandering to MCU fans? (50:33) Nor Reza, King of Video Game Quora asks: Why are support classes so dang boring in video games? All you do is heal people and it doesn’t feel rewarding. (52:56) Craig O Grant asks: What’s your favorite Minecraft trick and how do you do it? (56:16) Anonymous asks: Why is video gaming a “teenage” thing? (58:22) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/25/20211 hour, 5 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 168 - Game of the Year 2020

The only game of the year podcast willing to say, On Main, that VR isn’t video games, Sonic The Hedgehog The Movie is a game, and Dragon Quest XI came out in 2020. Alphabetical Nominees (Unranked): 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (09:39) A Short Hike for Nintendo Switch (14:00) Animal Crossing: New Horizons (18:18) Blaseball (25:03) Deadly Premonition 2 (28:45) Demon’s Souls Remake (32:44) Disc Room (37:02) DooM 64 for Nintendo Switch (41:25) DooM Eternal (46:10) Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition (49:56) Final Fantasy VII Remake (53:57) GG Aleste 3 (01:01:01) Hades (01:07:17) Half-Life: Alyx (01:11:51) Ikenfell (01:20:22) Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition (01:26:28) The Last of Us Part II (01:30:14) Spider-Man: Miles Morales (01:35:58) Streets of Rage 4 (01:40:26) Yakuza: Like a Dragon (01:45:27) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. THE FINALIZED AND RANKED 2020 TWENTY: Yakuza: Like a Dragon A Short Hike for Nintendo Switch Ghost of Tsushima Demon’s Souls Remake Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition Final Fantasy VII Remake Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 Animal Crossing: New Horizons Hades Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition Deadly Premonition 2 The Last of Us Part II Spider-Man: Miles Morales Disc Room DooM 64 2020 DooM Eternal Hyperspace Delivery Service for Nintendo Switch GG Aleste 3 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
1/18/20212 hours, 10 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 167 - The Great Great Gatsby, with Patrick Miller

Patrick Miller victoriously rejoins the panel to cover high literature, experimental film, and the ultimate fighting game tournament arc. Questions this week: Previously on Insert Credit: What can you tell about a person based on their fighting game style and preferences? (04:41) As far as video games go, what is and is not cyberpunk? (10:50) What studio which has never made a fighting game before could probably make a pretty good fighting game? (16:36) What did Adobe Flash mean for video games over the past 24 years, what have we lost, and what can be saved? (22:12) Design The Great Gatsby 2 (28:00) Which video games make you feel the heaviest? (34:40) What are some games you went too easy on? (40:32) What is the Eraserhead of video games? (46:34) Giant-Sized Violence Island: Fighting Game Protagonists (51:35) LIGHTNING ROUND: Patreon Suporter Grandbag’s Funeral presents Name Design: Baskin Robins Ice Cream Flavors (01:03:40) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/11/20211 hour, 22 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 166 - Insert Credit Annual #3

The greatest video games ever made, ranked…again! The panel weaves through a new elaborate structure to determine, inarguably, the best video games of all time. Final List: DooM [Action] Celeste [Platforming] Mother 3 [Narrative] Dragon Quest V [RPG] Outrun 2 [Driving] Raw Danger [Adventure] Valkyria Chronicles [Strategy] Castlevania: Symphony of the Night [Metroidvania] Phoenix Wright [Visual Novel] Link’s Awakening [Action-Adventure] Capcom vs. SNK 2 [Fighting] Saturn Bomberman [Party] Stardew Valley [Sim] Hades [Roguelike] VIDEOBALL [Sports] Final Fantasy XIV [MMO] Dragon Quest Builders 2 [Creative] Baba is You [Puzzle] LoL [E-Sports] Genshin Impact [Free-To-Play] Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
1/4/20211 hour, 41 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 165 - Best of Insert Credit 2020

Some podcasts pull up old audio and call it a day, but when Insert Credit goes retro, we do it up right. All-time great questions return anew for fresh answers. Questions this week: Who are the greatest frauds in video games? (09:52) How would you adapt Bartleby the Scrivener into a video game? (15:13) Which video game characters who have never met before would you set up for a blind date? (19:28) What is the exact middle game? (24:04) What the hell is wrong with video games? (29:01) A national pizza chain has hired you to choose the games to emulate on their arcade cabinet; but they can only be abandonware by defunct publishers. What do you choose? (32:13) If there were a video game convention where only one company could represent each country, who would be there? (37:35) Who is the Prince of video games? (43:16) How could we save Sega by readjusting their timeline? (48:50) What’s the Day the Clown Cried of Video Games? (53:43) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pokedexperts (01:00:39) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/28/20201 hour, 15 minutes, 6 seconds
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Ep. 164 - Happy Asparagus Week

The most wonderful time of the year descends upon us. The panel covers fishing, fancy finishing, and Finland. Questions this week: What was the last innovative use of 3D space in a video game? (04:04) What should I mean when a video game receives an award for “Best Direction”? (08:55) Why are fishing minigames so ubiquitous, and what’s the best one? (13:40) Are there any really good adaptations of video games into physical games? (18:12) How would you adapt the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade into a video game? (22:11) Patreon Supporter Gwifblymth asks, what’s going on with Treasure? (27:17) How good was the TurboGrafx-16? (35:40) What’s the Christmas Game? (40:52) What is the Cheesecake Factory of video games? (48:34) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design: Christmas Songs (55:26) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/21/20201 hour, 4 minutes, 50 seconds
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Ep. 163 - It Doesn't Get Eddie Vedder Than This, with Heather Anne Campbell

Special guest Heather Anne Campbell of Whose Line Is It Anyway, Twilight Zone and How Did This Get Played joins the crew to discuss economics, Eddie Vedder, and an extremely good Improv Zone. Questions this week: Does something need to be done about poor performance and understanding of console transition games? (06:53) What is your favorite video game you’d still consider a bad game? (12:59) What’s the most interesting economic system in a video game? (18:12) What’s the most spectacular video game award show failure? (23:24) Which video game characters would most likely sign up for a UCB class? (29:18) Improv Zone: Video Game Characters in UCB Class (34:25) Question by Patreon Supporter Cera Sophia: What are the underappreciated creative/production roles in video games? (39:15) What can you tell about a person based on their fighting game style? (45:24) What can someone say to convince you to check out a game, in four words or less? (50:25) What is the Neon Genesis Evangelion of video games? (54:35) LIGHTNING ROUND: Slogan Slingin’ (59:33) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/14/20201 hour, 9 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 162 - Stanley Cuberick

A nearly educational episode, featuring time travel, masterclasses, and film director name pronunciation. Questions this week: Let’s fix the Sega Timeline (03:23) How can video games reward and encourage patience? (08:48) Who would you ask to teach the Game Design Masterclass, and who would actually do it? (14:55) Which video games have the most upsetting color palettes? (20:50) The Adaptation Game: 2001: A Space Odyssey (26:09) Question by Patreon Supporter Blue Milk: Who would you cast as the Kacho for an American GameCenter CX? (31:26) If you had to place five video games on the elemental plinths from The Fifth Element, what would you choose? (37:45) If Nintendo released a new version of R.O.B. today, what would it do? (43:17) Which video game has the best map? (48:07) What is the Freebird of video games? (53:25) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pokedex Entries (58:47) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
12/7/20201 hour, 10 minutes, 44 seconds
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Ep. 161 - Legalize Bowsette

An asynchronous recording makes for a time-displaced good time. Featuring the all-new intro theme by Kurt Feldman! Questions this week: What dead video game genre is least likely to ever make a comeback? (02:36) If there were an international video game conference where only one company could represent each country, which would be present? (06:55) How are status effects best used outside of traditional RPGs? (10:48) Theme Sale: Pokemon Red Version, Chess Titans for Windows 7 and 8, 1992’s Clue, Zool, and Picture Puzzle by HAL Laboratory. (15:10) Question by Patreon Supporter Ross Hamrick: How do you think videogame nostalgia of the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch era will manifest in a decade from now? (21:14) What ISN’T a game, but FEELS like a game? (26:41) How can Nintendo improve the experience of waiting in line? (31:18) What is the least responsible video game journalism you’ve ever seen? (36:49) Tim’s Soapbox (41:25) What is the WATCHMEN of video games? (48:38) LIGHTNING ROUND: Game FAQs Poll Responses (54:25) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/30/20201 hour, 8 minutes, 9 seconds
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Ep. 160 - Press H to Hershey

A decidedly digestive discussion of Dragon Quest, DuckTales, and Diedrich. Questions this week: What video game character creator has the best hair? (05:20) What is the most disappointed you’ve ever been by a video game? (10:27) What songs would you put in one of those video game-themed orchestral performances? (17:37) When has a video game been significantly improved by a glitch? (24:14) How would you make a video game where the initial design document is just the DuckTales theme? (29:51) Patreon Supporter Slick Rick asks, what is the most successful video game scam? (36:46) When does an otherwise good video game take itself too seriously? (43:11) What are the best shops in video games? (49:23) What abandonware games would you put in a national pizza chain’s arcade? (54:37) What is the Apocalypse Now of video games? (01:00:50) LIGHTNING ROUND: Closest Without Going Over: Video game fanfiction totals (01:07:36) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/23/20201 hour, 31 minutes, 25 seconds
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Ep. 159 - Loopy Lorries, with Ash Parrish

Fanfic, narcware, The Lost City of Zinj, and Weiner Hotdog. Questions this week: From previous winner Gita Jackson, what video game would be most improved by making the protagonist black? (07:26) Which video game trilogy has the strongest three act structure? (14:33) What kinds of video games inspire the best fan fiction? (18:45) What role has console cloning played in video game history? (24:24) If there were a fighting game with only characters from dorm room movie posters, who would the strongest be? (29:16) Patreon Supporter Nathan Roberts asks, what video games could or should have received a sensitive British localization? (36:06) What’s with all the DMCA takedowns on Twitch streamers all of the sudden? (41:32) When do you wish a game was longer? (46:13) If you worked for a video game matchmaking service, what characters would you set up on a date? (51:54) What are the Black Eyed Peas of video games? (57:37) LIGHTNING ROUND: Video Game Sequel Subtitles (01:04:03) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/16/20201 hour, 14 minutes, 32 seconds
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Ep. 158 - Writing Python Scripts While Skateboarding

Console talk, Tricky Dick, and the activities of teens. Questions this week: Who should get a Playstation 5? (04:18) Who should get a Xbox Series X? (09:47) In what ways can gamehuggers be more ethically minded consumers? (13:39) What video game was most improved by a remaster? (20:06) The Adaptation Game: 1972 Watergate Scandal (27:06) What are the best blunt combat weapons in video games? (32:14) What T-rated games are actually most suitable for teens? (39:21) What video games got popular years after initial release? (45:29) If you lined up every video game ever from best to worst, what would be the exact middle game? (52:00) What is the Pee Wee’s Big Adventure of video games? (57:54) LIGHTNING ROUND: Patreon Supporter Shun asks: in an alternate universe where video games never exist, what would the following video game industry figures be doing for work? (01:04:03) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
11/9/20201 hour, 17 minutes, 34 seconds
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Ep. 157 - The Dirtbag Hour, with Mathew Kumar

A mistake at our Scheduling Factory means Patreon questions at blow-out prices! With special guest Mathew Kumar. Questions this week: Jerry asks, what life skill should be the next to receive the Mama treatment? (03:53) Moe asks, what video game action would make for the best Olympic event? (08:43) Dirtbag asks, have you ever realized you don’t like a game only after sinking lots of time into it? (13:28) Squit asks, how would you improve Sonic’s bonus levels? (19:59) Ross Hamrick asks, who is the Prince of video games? (24:53) Sam asks, what did we lose when we lost dedicated portable consoles? (29:59) Jonathan Qiao asks, what’s the most realistic RPG progression system? (35:40) Jack O’Keeffe asks, what non-racing games have the best driving? (39:56) tim rogers asks, whats everybody’s Sonic OC? (45:24) LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review (53:09) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. Art by forum user @SuperEffective
11/2/20201 hour, 10 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 156 - Horror Game Ranking Spec-Drac-ular

The greatest horror games of all time, according to a bunch of people who don’t play that many horror games. Silent Hill 2 Resident Evil 2 (2019) Resident Evil 4 Left 4 Dead 2 Clock Tower (1995) Silent Hill Silent Hill 3 P.T. D2 Deadly Premonition Until Dawn Tecmo’s Deception: Invitation to Darkness Baroque Rule of Rose Sweet Home Parasite Eve Danganronpa Siren Dino Crisis Devil’s Crush Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman. Opening theme “Mashtlevania” by Max Hully.
10/26/20201 hour, 52 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 155 - Animal Cro666ing, with Liz Ryerson

The game enjoyer, in today’s political climate, is a rare breed of individual indeed. Special guest Liz Ryerson CONTENT WARNING: This episode features artistic descriptions of gore during Question 9. Question 10 begins at 01:05:55 if you’d like to skip. Questions this week: What’s the last game you played for entertainment purposes? (05:44) What makes horror games fail? (13:44) When does video game culture most feel like a cult? (19:28) What are the most out of place songs on a video game soundtrack? (25:14) If you were making a Frankenstein monster out of video game characters, which body parts would you use? (31:13) Question by Patreon Supporter Kiko: Which game narrative would change the most if the protagonist had access to therapy? (38:08) What video games accurately reflect the time and money put into making them? (45:57) What are some fake video game titles you’d use as set dressing in a haunted house? (51:40) How do you do gore right in a video game? (56:42) What is the Rocky Horror Picture Show of video games? (01:01:55) FRIGHTENING ROUND: Reccing Crew (01:08:55) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/19/20201 hour, 27 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 154 - Fist or Twist or Blister

The term “Immersion” has been subject to perversion at the hands of vermin. Questions this week: Gaming injuries (01:21) Audaciously breaking immersion (08:40) Volatile video game partnerships (14:39) Greatest handheld LCD games (20:24) Theme sale (26:05) Question by Patreon Supporter MoxBagel, who asks: When you walk into an arcade, what is Your Game? (33:18) Most accurate game company name (40:14) Video game characters that remind you of someone you know (46:01) Beating Mario and Sonic at the Olympics (51:30) The Crystal Head Vodka Bottle of video games (56:06) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design (01:00:00) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/12/20201 hour, 11 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep. 153 - Ain't No Sunshine When Game, with Laura Michet

The questions are perfect. The podcast is perfect. And I feel perfect. Special guest Laura Michet. Questions this week: Video game verb actions (3:12) The first well written video game story (8:00) What’s new with ARGs? (13:22) Game articles that are fun to read but a pain to write (19:02) Bubsy’s Smash reveal trailer (24:03) Question by Patreon Supporter Gumby: What would a video game holiday celebrate? (30:09) The balance of agency and personality in game protagonists (36:53) The best time of day for video games (40:31) Recommend Jaffe a dungeon crawler (44:37) The Niel Cicerega of video games (49:40) LIGHTNING ROUND: Design a League of Legends champ (53:42) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
10/5/20201 hour, 9 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep. 152 - Doctors Hate Tim!

Don’t buy tables that have gun holes in them. Questions this week: Future Club slogan and jingle (03:34) Does rumble really matter? (09:01) Is it time to panic over Microsoft acquiring Zenimax? (14:22) Game director signature shots (20:29) Helping video game characters with tax breaks (26:39) Patreon Supporter Golok asks about the best video game cold opens (34:44) Rearranging level order (41:11) Saving the Mass Effect franchise (46:55) Five best video game documentaries (52:10) Musou games in other time periods (01:01:51) Edited by Esper Quinn. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/28/20201 hour, 15 minutes, 35 seconds
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Ep. 151 - Sex Zelda, with Jonathan Kim

Special guest Jonathan Kim joins the crew to cover what really matters: recognizing Columns as an essential work. Questions this week: Sell me a PS5 (4:23) Whats The Deal with game names, Jerry? (9:22) Sega’s neglected canon (15:27) Best aesthetics in worst games (21:12) Ideal fighting game cameos ( 26:47) Patreon Supporter Sam asks: How did Japan’s game industry recover? (33:15) Scott Pilgrim’s nostalgia timeshifted ten years later (40:54) Insert Credit as Majora’s Mask NPCs ( 45:14) Non-hellish game employers (50:53) The Raid 2 of video games ( 54:01) LIGHTNING ROUND: This or That (57:52) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/21/20201 hour, 14 minutes, 47 seconds
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Ep. 150 - Patreon Question Bonanza

In this episode, Insert Credit answers your questions. No, really this time! Questions this week: Golok inquires about Capcom remakes (04:55) Daniel C asks about Japanese hidden gems (07:07) Beandog asks about getting into the industry (09:12) Mox Bagel asks about changing time periods for games (11:30) An anonymous patron asks what the Quibi of video games is (13:40) Cera Sophia asks about the future of dedicated handhelds (15:47) Boogie asks about the Playdate (17:52) Kyle asks which novels are the most like playing games (19:56) Jesse asks about the current Peter Molyneux of games (22:36) An anonymous patron asks what the most painful control scheme is (24:40) Brenton Woodrow asks which five persons or teams should get resources to make a dream game (27:10) Gigaslime asks about rejecting games based on bad humor (29:22) Kiko asks which non-mainline Mario jumps best (31:46) Chris asks which games are chill enough to warrant 80-hour playtimes (33:50) An anonymous patron asks about designing Sonic in a ruined Earth (36:07) Josh J asks about improving arcade games on console (39:30) Jared P asks about “dream game mods” on many levels (42:26) Sam asks for a decision between freaking, marrying, and killing Yoko Taro, Swery and Yoshiro Mikura (44:53) David asks for a Bartleby the Scrivener game (46:53) An anonymous patron asks which game is the best palette cleanser (49:52) Shane asks about new Funko Pop lines (51:53) Anders M asks about asymmetrical multiplayer (54:10) Spencer S asks about Xbox Ones in the psych ward (56:46) Suda 69 asks about hyperspecific aesthetics in games (58:59) Anonymous asks about video game webcomic resurgences (01:01:23) Kind Of Bummed That Mappy Is A Cop asks about VR for dogs (01:03:34) Andy D asks to redesign the Tour de France series (01:05:44) Wemblin asks if The Witness was any good (01:07:45) An anonymous patron asks about recruiting new Creative Directors in AAA games (01:09:47) MVB asks what thoughts Insert Credit isn’t qualified to discuss (01:12:12) LIGHTNING ROUND: Pokemon Design (01:15:38) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/15/20201 hour, 25 minutes, 21 seconds
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Ep. 149 - The Dunked-On Ratio

Breaking: Pregnant Elsa Dies at Dentist. Questions this week: Games Requiring Original Hardware (03:33) Mario 35th (09:18) Most Difficult Game to Review (15:13) Good Overworlds (20:56) Best Dentistry Game (25:10) What does “Overrated” mean? Question by Patreon Supporter Ricky Bankemper (33:03) Vlambeer Legacy (40:23) Unfinished and Abandoned Games (46:36) Babysitting Diddy Kong (54:13) Gunsport is the Towerfall of Stadia (1:00:08) LIGHTNING ROUND: Recc’ing Crew - SNL Edition (1:05:10) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
9/7/20201 hour, 21 minutes, 42 seconds
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Ep. 148 - GaaS Redirects Here

It is only through playing Sonic R-Kam Knight that you realize: everyone is a person. Questions this week: BGDCOAT (02:22) Lies, Damn Lies, and Not Actually Playing Video Games (10:25) Favorite Trains (16:00) Copy These Game Designs (21:35) Cloneverwatch Character (26:19) Best Overshadowed Game Question by Patreon Supporter Dracula Is Behind You! (34:17) Dream Features for the Switch Update 2021 (40:16) What we wish “games as service” meant (45:58) The appropriate time for realism (52:00) “The Day The Clown Cried” of Video Games (56:15) LIGHTNING ROUND: DND Alignment Chart for Video Games (1:03:45) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/31/20201 hour, 15 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 147 - E pluribus unum, with Gita Jackson

E pluribus unum, that means I got mine, go away. This special episode features Gita Jackson! Questions this week: The Sims Rule (04:10) What’s up with Roblox? (10:15) The line between video games and online gambling (16:49) What real or fictional location would make a great setting for a Hitman level? (23:10) G4 Lineup (29:17) Mario’s New Look Question by Patreon Supporter Known as “Shigeru M.” (39:20) Apple v. Fortnite (45:57) The Fables of Fable (51:49) Have you ever saved a video game for a special occasion? (57:41) Who are the greatest “Himbos” of video games? (1:02:53) LIGHTNING ROUND: Fancasting - Mega Man (1:08:52) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/24/20201 hour, 20 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep. 146 - What Is Wrong with Video Games and Nine Other Questions

Insert Credit examines the balls on the stuff. Questions this week: What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What the hell is wrong with video games? What can we do to make games better? LIGHTNING ROUND: How have games gotten better in the last ten years? Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/17/20201 hour, 16 minutes, 3 seconds
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Ep. 145 - Saving Blind

Insert Credit maneuvers into the Pocket Position. Questions this week: Pride (02:57) Unintended Demographics (08:57) ACAB (14:28) T-Shirts (19:41) Theme Sale: Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception, Battlefield 4, Perfect Dark Zero, Crysis, Tom Clancy’s End War (26:53) JRPG Pro Athlete Team (33:20) Missing the Best Part (39:49) Idea Jealous (45:38) LIGHTNING ROUND: Gaming Pedigrees: Dog Breed Edition (51:32) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/10/20201 hour, 7 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 144 - Demonology Alternative Medicine

Dr. Mario Killed MJ and Other Leaks. Questions this week: The Aja of video games Question by Patreon Supporter Chris (08:21) Stage play games Question by Patreon Supporter Emmit (13:59) Which video game doctor most deserves to have their medical license revoked? Question by Patreon Supporter Kyle (19:29) Football manager games Question by Patreon Supporter Jordan (25:06) NeoGeo Pocket, Game Gear, Atari Lynx, and obscure Game Boy games Question by Patreon Supporter Sam (30:17) Video game Zoom table read Question by Patreon Supporter rootfifthoctave (42:24) Port into an FMV game Question by Patreon Supporter Mox Bagel (48:48) If you got eaten by Kirby, what power would he gain? Question by Patreon Supporter Keiko (53:20) High art movements or techniques for video games Question by Patreon Supporter Anonymous (57:56) Design the worst video game crossover Question by Patreon Supporter Anonymous (1:04:10) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design Star Wars Edition (1:09:44) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
8/3/20201 hour, 24 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 143 - Every elephant that has ever died

In the outer wilds, things are getting pretty world. Questions this week: Xbox Series X Presentation Impressions Part I (03:00) Xbox Series X Presentation Impressions Part II (09:20) Is the world ready for Dreamcast 2? (15:58) What are the best games to play when you’re in excruciating pain? (23:27) The Adaptation Game: Moby Dick (29:30) What are the most satisfying video game environments to pulverize? Question by Patreon Supporter Breadface (34:48) Video Game Conspiracy Theories (42:02) Has a video game ever made you feel like throwing up? (48:49) On what occasions have game developers genuinely learned from their mistakes? (55:07) Which video game characters could do Agent 47’s job better than him? (1:01:00) LIGHTNING ROUND: Designer Drinks (1:07:07) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/27/20201 hour, 27 minutes, 27 seconds
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Ep. 142 - Football Numbers

We all know what gibs are. Questions this week: Bryan Cranston Presents the Ford Bronco (02:42) A $1200 Pac-Man Collector’s Edition (08:57) The Most Audacious Idea Thefts in Video Game History (15:19) Paper Mario EXP (22:19) Cashing in on the Cake Meme (28:22) 2007 IGN Campaign - Question by Patreon Supporter John (34:55) Does Deadly Premonition 2 live up to the original? (41:16) Twitter Account Ideas (47:20) Elemental Game Quadrants (53:40) The Horniest Video Game Without Sexual Imagery (58:53) LIGHTNING ROUND: Recc’ing Crew - Disney Princesses (1:03:55) Edited by Blaine Brown. Original Music by Kurt Feldman.
7/20/20201 hour, 20 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 141 - Park My Bricks

Wario may be the Bonk of Nintendo, but unfortunately for him–Sega is back. Questions this week: Nintendo Switch Online (03:38) Video Game Reality Shows (09:50) The Sega Aesthetic (15:49) Games for Broken Thumbs (22:01) Improv Zone: Wily vs. Robotnik (27:35) Have you ever been sitting in your car, at a traffic light or in a parking spot, and the car next to you starts moving slowly… and you freak out and think you’re the one moving? What a weird feeling! How can this feeling be translated into a video game? Question by Patreon Supporter Adam (35:56) Cowardly Video Games (40:39) Your Walk-Up Song (46:41) Modern Day LCD Adaptations (52:38) Is Wario a Libertarian? (58:59) LIGHTNING ROUND: Duke Nukem One Liners (1:04:58) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Stage 11-2 Theme’ from Vice Project Doom-Guitar Cover performed by YouTube user zer0_hunter 6066 and ‘Grabbag’ from Duke Nukem 3D.
7/13/20201 hour, 13 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 140 - The Other Belmont

In this episode of Insert Credit, we delve into the contents of the latest issue of Game Speculator. Questions this week: The Legacy of Andy McNamara (05:03) Is Video Game Box Art Important? (11:41) Worst Industry First Impressions (17:42) Video Game Dog Toys (24:20) THEME SALE: Super Punch-Out, Skies of Arcadia, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Resonance of Fate, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (30:22) What beloved games are mostly regarded for their localization? Question by Patreon Supporter Colin (41:25) The “Luck” Stat (48:11) The Most Inaccurately Adapted Sport (53:50) Super Coen Bros. (1:00:25) The New York, California, Nevada, Indiana, and Florida of Video Games (1:07:32) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name a Fake Castlevania Game (1:15:07) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Theme of the Cheetahmen’ from Action 52, Remix by YouTube User GaMetal Remix and ‘Reincarnated Soul, Part 2 (Stage 1)’ from Castlevania Bloodlines.
7/6/20201 hour, 24 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 139 - The Wonder Bread of People

Play it later, Emulator. Questions this week: Old Business - WB Games; Frauds (04:24) 3D Platforming since Jumping Flash (09:02) Life After Mixer (15:36) Getting Lost in a Game Map (22:29) Worst Thing to Happen To You While Playing a Game - Question by Patreon Supporter Samuel (30:20) Presenting Your Save Files to the Court (37:09) Compliments for Games That Turn You Off (43:37) Jump Around and Talk to People (49:18) LIGHTNING ROUND: Soda Fountain (56:00) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Toss A Coin To Your Witcher - METAL COVER’ Cover by the band Ghost Fight featured on YouTube Channel NateWantsToBattle - Give Heart Records, ‘Iron Man - 8 Bit Tribute to Black Sabbath’ by 8 Bit Universe, and ‘Round 1-1 Shooting Ristar’ from Ristar The Shooting Star for the Sega Genesis.
6/29/20201 hour, 17 minutes, 14 seconds
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Ep. 138 - Dumb-Like-A-Baby Stupid

There is no ‘I’ in Top Gear. Questions this week: The Good Itch (05:02) Revive a Franchise (13:41) Greatest Frauds (20:05) WB Gaming Bid (29:07) Theme Sale (35:55) Best Pre-90s Games - Question by Patreon Supporter Samuel (44:33) Delay Announcement Strats (51:42) Crouching (58:30) Character Diet (1:05:03) What Are The Whats of Video Games? (1:11:14) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design Trump Edition (1:19:53) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Toe The Line’ from Wolfenstein - The New Order and ‘Blue Level’ from Tempest 2000.
6/22/20201 hour, 34 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 137 - Raystration 5

The Truth is He Hate You. Music ‘PS5 Hardware Reveal Trailer’ from PS5 Hardware Reveal Trailer and ‘Web Launch’ from Spider-Man for the PS4. Questions this week: If This Was E3 (02:06) Consoles for Cockroaches (07:16) The Next Hot Exclusive IP for Xbox (12:10) Console Allegiance (18:04) Time loop games (23:24) Fortnite Kart (28:35) What was missing? (33:57) Do any games use the new graphics? (39:27) Called Shots (45:26) Frank’s Bad Question (51:03) Controller Paddle Mystery (55:40) Will there be a PS6? (59:43) LIGHTNING ROUND: Ranking Every PS5 Game (1:02:01) Edited by Blaine Brown.
6/15/20201 hour, 26 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep. 136 - PS2CULAR

If it’s gotta be one, it’s gotta be 2. Ranking games from the PS2. Official PS2 Games List: Raw Danger! R-Type Final Katamari Damacy Bujingai Steambot Chronicles SMT Nocturne Silent Hill 2 Chulip God Hand Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex Breath of Fire V Psi Ops Burnout 3: Takedown Drag-On Dragoon 2 Neo Contra Ico Metal Gear Solid 2 Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast Michigan Ape Escape 3 LIGHTNING ROUND: PS2 games that did not make the list Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Magical Sound Shower EuroMix’ From OutRun 2006 Coast 2 Coast and ‘Ghost Approaching (Stage 4)’ from Bujingai.
6/8/20201 hour, 52 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 135 - Tim Schafer Definitely Listens to This Show

Gotta Fro Grast, Randomize your Chicken, and head on down to OnlyFranks.com on this week’s Insert Credit. Questions this week: Jigsaw puzzles (05:36) The Next Video Game Animal Star (11:24) Universal Standard Game Length Time (17:37) Soundtracks to Dance To (24:25) The Improv Zone: Magazines, YouTube, & Insert Credit (30:19) The Velvet Underground and Nico of Video Games Question by Patreon Supporter Esper (36:06) Video Game Offices (The Mortal Kombat Ad) (42:36) Localizing American Video Games (48:08) Video Game Characters on TikTok (54:14) Ranking the Decades (1:00:03) LIGHTNING ROUND: Flavor of the Month (1:06:24) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Intro’ From Digital Pinball - Last Gladiators and ‘Dunes’ from Xeno Crisis.
6/1/20201 hour, 14 minutes, 54 seconds
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Ep. 134 - Finding the Promontory

Insert Credit has it all: robot turds, dead fish, speedbuns, night candy, and even the satisfaction of having eaten a full meal in one second. Questions this week: Genre Subversion (06:58) Getting Stuck (13:04) Good Game Sound Effects (19:18) Business Games (25:42) Video Game Marching Band (Parappa Sucks) (31:16) Brian from Patreon asks about: Renaming Video Games (38:02) The Correct Size of an RPG Party (46:52) Limited Run Games (53:09) Playing Games Wrong (59:12) LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design (1:05:24) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Title Theme’ from Sim City SNES and ‘PaPaPa Love’ from Muscle March.
5/25/20201 hour, 18 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 133 - Doom Demon Plate Crash

The Brain Kickstarter. Insert Credit and The Whimsical Shooting Simulator. Questions this week: Aging Video Game Stars The Legacy of the 2010s Video game preservation in the time of constant updates What are the hallmarks of a great video game trailer? The Adaptation Game: Bazooka Joe Alex C asks: Was Lost Planet 2 Proto-Destiny? Has anyone played any game they backed on Kickstarter? Podcasting Games Joke Weapons Most effective space-based games LIGHTNING ROUND: Crunch Time Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘The Rival (Black Knight - First Battle)’ From Shovel Knight and ‘Neonlight Galaxy (Combo Mix)’ from Penguin Wars.
5/18/20201 hour, 27 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 132 - Jinn Quest

Everybody’s played Journey. You’ve played Journey. The Fine Line Between ‘Yes, And’ and ‘Yeah, Actually’. Questions this week: What would it take to get you actually excited about a new console (05:10) This week an English fan translation was released for LSD dream emulator. What is this game and how do you play it (11:55) Hideo Kojima fans often praise the themes for his games for their uncanny predictive powers. What makes his games so apparently prescient (18:15) What are the qualities of a Valis-like (24:28) Improv-zone. Frank, you are Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser at your first share holder meeting. You are desperately attempting to earn the faith of Tim and Brandon, who each suspect you be the actual King Bowser. (31:30) Patron question: What 2D game is closest to the Yakuza series (39:42) What’s the best bootleg video game merchandise you’ve seen in the wild (46:08) Have video games ever been worse for taking player feedback to heart (52:41) What is the Olive Garden of video games (58:45) If you were given unlimited funds to develop a video game, and you had to prove all the funds were being used on the video game, how would you exploit that resource to help as many people as possible (1:04:30) LIGHTNING ROUND: Slogan Slinging (1:08:30) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Title Theme’ From Bashi Bazook and ‘Vecanti’ from Valis IV.
5/11/20201 hour, 17 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 131 - Interforce: Heck Fire - The Official Game of the Movie

Insert Credit Enters the Whack-a-Box Hard Mode Challenge. Questions this week: The ideal mini-game (05:28) If Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft made cars (11:52) Favorite ways that games have covered up clearly running out of time or money (17:10) Which of Sonic the Hedgehog’s friends owes him the most amount of money (23:05) Best first impressions made by an non-player video game character (28:40) Shouting the name of a video game every time you’re hurt (35:34) Gaming’s most iconic romance (41:03) Face mask designed by any video game artist (46:57) Who should have played Geralt in the Netflix series The Witcher (53:38) What’s the longest period you’ve spent exclusively playing one video game (59:51) LIGHTNING ROUND: Boss Rush to Hell (01:06:06) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Animal Crossing New Horizons Theme’ From Animal Crossing New Horizons, Cover by YouTube User FamilyJules and ‘Theme 1’ from Knack.
5/4/20201 hour, 17 minutes, 46 seconds
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Ep. 130 - Lick the Knife

Agree with each other or get the buzzer. Questions this week: When is a board game better than a video game (04:30) When is the easiest job in the video game business (10:50) Easily fixable flaw (17:16) What games should have been on another platform (22:50) If you were part of the Yakuza in the video game series Yakuza what would your specialty be (28:40) What are they holding back for Mario Maker 3 (34:56) Sell me on Diaster Report (41:12) Alamo Drafthouse of video games (47:10) If you could have any piece of clothing from a video game what would it be. (54:20) The best speed runner in the world at a video game of your choice (01:02:18) LIGHTNING ROUND: Auto Player One (01:08:58) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘34 t u s k’ From Yakuza 0 and ‘Move Me’ from Ridge Racer Type 4.
4/30/20201 hour, 12 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 129 - Do Me, Ternal

After 10,000 years we’re free, et cetera. The insert credit show has returned. Insert Credit: The only show on the internet in which we weekly deliver the loudest news, reviews, tips, and tricks; fresh-dripped, hot from the bottom of video games themselves. Questions this week: How will Coronavirus change video games (02:46) Which game sequels forgot the little things (09:22) What was the 2017 GotY (16:12) If half life alyx isn’t enough to bring people to VR what will (22:38) What are some setting options every game menu should have by now but doesn’t (29:05) What was the 2018 GotY (35:40) What would change in a FF7 remake style reboot of your time in highschool (46:20) What are these sisterly qualities (52:36) Is the PS5 controller everything you’ve been dreaming of and more (59:10) What was the 2019 GotY (01:05:25) LIGHTNING ROUND: Zoology Crossing (01:11:45) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘The Only One’ From Astral Chain and ‘Connor Main Theme’ from Detroit: Become Human.
4/27/20201 hour, 23 minutes, 10 seconds
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Ep. 128 - If The Shoe Fits, Be a Clown

Sharing games with your friends can be fun, OR IT CAN BE ILLEGAL!!!! Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Very No’ From Ane-san.
4/27/20171 hour, 18 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 127 - Is The Switch The Ideal Console?

Fruit is vegetables for idiots. Questions this week: Given infinite resources is it actually possible to make guaranteed money in video games? (08:36) Movie Games (27:05) Is the Nintendo Switch the ideal video game console? (47:47) Insert Credit Mailbag (01:01:34) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Gruen’ From Bulk Slash.
4/12/20171 hour, 25 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 126 - The Longer Con

Insert Credit talks memories and conventions. Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Heart of Fire’ From Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
4/16/20161 hour, 15 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 125 - Free Lap Dances for Devs

Insert Credit Is Stuck in a Room Full of Holes. Questions this week: That Let’s Play Cancer (03:30) 3D Printing Steam Controllers (16:05) Fake NX Controller (25:02) Favorite Easter Eggs (29:25) GTA Deer Cam (41:41) Xbox Wins Gross GDC Party Award (47:03) Firewatch Copycats (55:33) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Everything vs Everything’ from MUGEN
3/30/20161 hour, 8 minutes, 12 seconds
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Ep. 124 - SD Remix

Insert Credit Announces ‘The Face Phone.’ Changing the World One Face at a Time. Questions this week: Coleco Chameleon (03:30) Insert Credit Console (09:26) Nintendo NX (17:02) Hacking Your Own Game (30:38) Cool Modes in Video Games (38:12) Best Video Game Remixes (52:28) Doom (01:04:00) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Brutal Doom Trailer Theme’ by Andrew Hulshult.
3/8/20161 hour, 13 minutes, 52 seconds
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Ep. 123 - Part-Time Un-American Monster

In this episode a fruitless conversation will ensue. Questions this week: Real Life NPCs (05:03) Worst Licensed Beat ’Em Up Possible (20:42) Video Game Reactions (26:35) Arbitrary Constraints (36:00) Heat: The Video Game (49:32) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Duck Hunt Remix Collab 01 – M.V.F.L.G.’ by YouTube User Tellee Kinetic.
2/25/20161 hour, 9 minutes, 28 seconds
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Ep. 122 - The Knife That Cuts the World

Are you a paragon? Or are you a maverick? Narrative Genre Classifications: Silent Observer (08:30) Forced Participation (17:50) Multitasking Forced Participation (29:44) Heavily Scripted Cinematic (44:04) Text Dense Approach (58:00) Pure Abstraction (01:05:22) Make Your Own (Emergent Narrative) (01:10:42) Narrative Tree (01:14:46) Voice of God (01:16:50) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Heartache’ From Undertale.
2/17/20161 hour, 31 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 121 - 250 Million Dollars Worth of Death

Video games, but who cares? Questions this week: Writing (01:20) Voice (12:00) Grasping for Words (16:22) Reading Influences (20:48) Starting with a Point or a Feeling (39:15) Worst Writing (52:09) Liking Your Own Writing (01:05:50) Forgiving Bad Writers. (01:15:20) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Courtroom Lobby First Prelude’ From Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.
2/9/20161 hour, 28 minutes
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Ep. 120 - Black Label Jonathan Blow

“I’d pay hundreds if I was assured it’d be a great experience.” -Nicholas Wasilewski, Action Button Entertainment Programmer Questions this week: The Witness (02:15) $100 Video Game (17:10) Most Paid for a Game (42:03) Greatest Resell Value Games (53:50) RAD Lifetime Spending (58:59) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘The Witness Release Date Trailer’ From The Witness.
1/28/20161 hour, 6 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 119 - That’s No Uppercut

Personally, I call it a Star Punch. Question this week: Thoughts on the term ‘Gamer.’ Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Main Theme’ From Punch-Out!! Wii.
1/21/20161 hour, 5 minutes, 27 seconds
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Ep. 118 - Potentially Mythical

A Non-Bonkers Cat Cop. Questions this week: Preferred Languages (03:44) Foreign Story (13:44) Discoverable Secrets (41:00) Deliberately Hidden Information vs. Implied Unprovided Information (01:16:20) Dragon Quest (01:26:00) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Taking on the Shagohod Guitar Cover’ From Metal Gear Solid 3 performed by YouTube user DSC.
1/8/20161 hour, 31 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 117 - OVVNIIID

Decompose in Real Time. Questions this week: Thrillogies (03:00) Longest Session (15:50) Longest Completion (29:55) Most Combined Hours (45:22) Cathedrals (58:10) Change (01:16:22) Spoilers (01:20:50) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Quiet’s Theme Guitar Cover’ From Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain performed by YouTube user DSC.
12/22/20151 hour, 31 minutes, 3 seconds
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Ep. 116 - Star Lord of the Matrix

Trilogies and Series. Questions this week: What does anyone think about Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and the Matrix (05:11) Video game series (21:05) Do you find it as engaging to play older games knowing what you know now (30:00) Aren’t there any video games that are trilogies? (40:00) Low res 3D (46:40) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Tetris Guitar Medley’ by YouTube user DSC.
12/17/20151 hour, 2 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep. 115 - Big Weird Box

Any aspect ratio is incorrect for Bubsy. Questions this week: Tetris Movie (04:20) Nintendo Badge Arcade (11:39) Bubsy Towfer (19:10) Birthday Mania (25:50) Mother 3 Republished (34:50) Tim’s Thoughts on Dragon Quest (42:00) Posthumous Physical Product Releases (48:37) Activision Requires King (01:01:34) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Power to Progress’ by Darren and Steven Loveday from the Life is Strange Soundtrack.
12/10/20151 hour, 11 minutes, 42 seconds
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Ep. 114 - Indie Mega Truth

Game marketing for cool guys. Questions this week: What’s the last game that surprised you. (08:15) How did you find these games that surprised you. (14:35) How do we get people to find cool things. (19:30) This so called indie apocalypse. (42:15) If you were a business person what video game would you fund right now. (47:55) Could of make a version of this game that would you want to play and would be willing to make. (55:23) Are there games that you all want to be playing but people are not making them anymore. (58:00) Curators (01:00:00) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Uroboros’ by Eirik Suhrke from the game soundtrack to Downwell.
11/19/20151 hour, 8 minutes, 7 seconds
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Ep. 113 - Vertilidrome

On Unlucky #113 Insert Credit discusses fashion in video games. Questions this week: Hats in Video Games (02:40) Hair in Video Games (08:57) Glasses in Video Games (15:18) Jackets in Video Games (21:42) Shirts in Video Games (28:07) Belts in Video Games (34:15) Pants in Video Games (40:48) Dresses in Video Games (47:04) Shoes in Video Games (53:24) Accessories in Video Games (59:38) LIGHTNING ROUND: Review the List (01:06:21) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Spread the Wings Remix’ from Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves remixed by YouTube user RBGasp. The Best: Hat: Cormano (Sunset Riders) Hair: Lightning (Final Fantasy XIII) Glasses: Lucca (Chrono Trigger) Jacket: Rock Howard (Garou: Mark of the Wolves) Shirt: Fiona Belli (Haunting Ground) Belt: Tetsuya Nomura Pants: Chun-Li Dress: Ulala (Space Channel 5) Shoes: Sonic the Hedgehog Accessory: B. Jenet (Garou: Mark of the Wolves)
11/5/20151 hour, 23 minutes, 48 seconds
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Bonus Credit – Jokes in the Dark

This bonus excerpt is from the initial attempt at #113 before Everything Went Wrong™. Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Stage 3 Remix’ from Sunset Riders for the SNES remixed by YouTube user MOD.
11/5/201521 minutes, 41 seconds
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Ep. 112 - The Future With Pixels

Join Showboys and Showbabies in this Frank Episode of Insert Credit.Questions this week:What Do People Like About Retro Games? (03:15)Undertale (15:55)Top 10 List of Games Developers Should Play (22:55)Top 10 List of Games Developers Should Play:Castlevania: Dracula X Rondo of BloodGunstar HeroesThe Legend of Zelda: Link's AwakeningEarthBoundSonic the Hedgehog 2Shining Force IISecret of Monkey IslandDragon Quest VLufia II: Rise of the SinistralsGate of ThunderEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Spear of Justice’ and ‘Dogsong’ from Undertale for the PC.
10/28/20151 hour, 37 minutes, 46 seconds
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Ep. 111 - The Show With the Nost Algia

A look back on looking back with Insert Credit.Questions this week:Why Collect? (02:06)Video Game Imagination Play (08:45)What's the most money you would pay for something you really want (17:17)Past Games vs. Present Games (31:27)Future Nostalgia (40:00)Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Ilberns Ruins’ from Ys III Wanderers from Ys for the PC Engine.
10/7/20151 hour, 7 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 110 - History

Recorded in Korea, England, and America.The final installment of Insert Credit Abroad. Brandon buys games in Korea. Tim's long journey home.Edited by Blaine Brown.
10/4/20151 hour, 31 minutes, 43 seconds
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Ep. 109-part-two - Part Two – Insert Credit Abroader

Recorded on the streets and in the buildings of Japan. Part two. TGS and Japan game haul. Edited by Blaine Brown.
9/23/20151 hour, 23 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep. 109 - Part One – Insert Credit Abroad

Recorded on the streets and in the buildings of Japan. Part one. How to poop in Japan. Edited by Blaine Brown.
9/22/201548 minutes, 57 seconds
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Ep. 108 - 108

Intentionally mellow and unintentionally staticky memories and introspection. Questions this week: What are your internet handle origins? (04:35) What are the best gamer internet handles you’ve seen? (14:30) How many Insert Credit community members have you met? (23:16) How did Brandon meet Frank? (23:34) How and why did Frank start Lost Levels? (26:26) How and why did Brandon start Insert Credit? (31:50) What’s your first memory of meeting an impressive video game personality? (42:00) What made Tim decide to join Insert Credit? (55:00) Questions we didn’t discuss: Games with a lot of characters? (01:16:50) Chinese culture in games? (01:17:10) Buddhist references in games? (01:18:42) What is worth remembering and talking about when it comes to Namco? (01:20:24) Arcade ports more interesting than the originals? (01:21:15) Edited by Blaine Brown.
9/20/20151 hour, 27 minutes, 8 seconds
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Ep. 107 - The Truth About Stacy, with Ian Adams

Babysitting with Ian Adams. Questions this week: Mario vs. Mario (02:08) Free to Pay Aesthetics (08:29) Steam Discovery (15:00) FREE VIDEOBALL CODES (23:00) What’s the Point of Consoles (31:36) LIGHTNING ROUND: Baby-Sitters Club (36:30) Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Jeffrey Theme’ from Virtua Fighter Arcade and ‘Battle Theme 3’ from Rising Thunder.
9/3/201550 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 106 - Fat Guy to That Guy, with Mathew Kumar

Mario Sandwich Maker. Questions this week: Eat Fresh Sandwich Video Games Brand Identity Wahoo Maker Dragon Quest XI Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Pepsiman Theme Song’ from Pepsiman for the PlayStation.
8/21/20151 hour, 24 minutes, 33 seconds
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Ep. 105 - Inappropriate Implementation of Organ Music

Separates the Rubes from the Iks Cubes. Questions this week: Console Startup Sounds and Soundlogos What Are You Playin’? What Are You Buyin’? Nicholas Cage Saves the President’s Doughrter Level Rush Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Track 2’ from Die Hard Arcade for the Sega Saturn.
8/16/20151 hour, 4 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 104 - One Button Starcraft

The Bigger the Trouble the Littler the China. Questions this week: Games for Girls Pachinko Enjoyable Punishment Mechanics PlayStation US Launch Anniversary Speedruns Edited by Blain Brown. Music ‘Idol’ from Ane-San for the PC Engine.
8/10/20151 hour, 6 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 103 - Muffin Monster

Join the ThinkForce today! Questions this week: Costume Changes Satoru Iwata’s Faked Death Talking Heads Stop Making Sense The Motion Picture Soundtrack The Video Game Water Bottles and Sunny D Firefighting and Concept Games Looks Alone Airport Levels Film Licenses: Mad Max Edition Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Main Theme’ from Mighty No. 9.
8/9/20151 hour, 4 minutes, 11 seconds
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Ep. 102 - Who Suzuki?

Don’t ask me about the Insert Credit numbering scheme. -Blaine Questions this week: Best Meal at E3 Shenmue 3 Kickstarter Pseudo 3D Driving Game Social Darwinism PriceCharting.com circa 2012 Cheap Good Bad Games Beverages in Japan Low Score Boy Shockingly Good Looking Saturn Games Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Replay’ from Virtua Racing Deluxe for the 32x.
7/26/20151 hour, 23 minutes, 20 seconds
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Ep. 100 - Sonic Tuesday

Celebrate Episode 100 With Contending Sports Persons Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Tim Rogers.Questions this week:Save the Sega SaturnSonic TuesdayReversing the Devaluation of Classic GamesBest 2D ControllerLIGHTNING ROUND: Name 100 Video Games (01:09:00)Sonic the Hedgehog 2Gunstar HeroesSuper Mario Bros. 3Panzer Dragoon II: ZweiPrincess Tomato in the Salad KingdomBug!Cross Wiber: Cyber-Combat-PoliceBlack ICE\White NoiseTrevor McFur in the Crescent GalaxyCall of Duty: Modern WarfareLandstalker: Kōtei no ZaihōShining Force IICrusader of CentyUniracersPrincess CrownThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastBonk's RevengeBarkley, Shut Up and Jam: GaidenFinal Fantasy IVSilhouette MiragePhantasy Star IVPlokSaturn BombermanCrash BandicootElevator Action -Returns-EinhänderPokémon Pinball (Game Boy Color)Panel de PonJumping Flash!SEGA Superstars TennisCode Name: ViperThe King of Fighters 2001Dr. ChaosHerzog ZweiNiGHTS into Dreams...Beneath a Steel SkyHarlan Ellison: I Have No Mouth, and I Must ScreamGunheadWing Commander: PrivateerGrim FandangoSōkyūgurentaiL.O.L.: Lack of LoveChulipMoonLittle King's StoryCrazy TaxiSengoku TurbCyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio TangramSpace FuneralStreet Fighter Alpha 2 GoldMother 3SpelunkyOutRun 2Ninja Five-OVice: Project DoomGhost in the Shell: Stand Alone ComplexSkitchin'Road Rash 2Berzerk (PS2)Cannon FodderReturn FireXenoblade ChroniclesLittle SamsonClash at DemonheadStreets of Rage 3Ufouria: The SagaMr. GimmickFinal Fight 3Blaster MasterKickMasterDevil's CrushNBA Jam Tournament EditionDemon's CrestLandmakerShatterhandLow G Man: The Low Gravity ManDynamite HeaddyJ.J. & JeffGunstar Super HeroesYs: Book I & IIGolden Axe WarriorAlex Kidd in Miracle WorldAsuka 120% Limit OverMonster World IVNew Adventure IslandBattle GareggaSuper Ghouls 'N GhostsLufia II: Rise of the SinistralsLayer SectionTreasure Island DizzyThunder Force VIDarius GaidenBloody WolfDemon SwordNinja SpiritTaz-Mania (Sega Game Gear)EarthBoundSuper Magnetic NeoPorky Pig's Haunted HolidaySecret of EvermoreEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Chrono Trigger Main Theme Acapella’ by YouTube user Smooth McGroove and ‘Sonic Remix MegaMix Vol. 1’ by YouTube user Plasma3Music Remixes.
12/3/20141 hour, 23 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 99 - Nephulous Cliche

Final Fantasy Ruined Everything.Questions this week:PSX RPGsFavorite SecretsThings That Should’ve Been in the GameWho’s That Polygon?Games of 1999Balance Exploration and ShootingEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U – E3 2013 Theme (Recreated)’ by YouTube User GuardianSoul.
10/26/20141 hour, 7 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 98 - Delightfully Dead, with Vito Gesualdi

Nobody Gets Laid in Middle Earth.Questions this week:This Week in Video GamesShadowsStealth KissN64 GamesConvince Frank to Play DestinyGames of 1998.Best Games for the N64:Super Mario 64Sin and PunishmentStar Fox 64GoldeneyeMajora’s MaskStar Wars Shadows of the EmipreOcarina of TimePokemon SnapBody HarvestDiddy Kong RacingOgre Battle1080 SnowboardingPerfect DarkPaper MarioExcitebikeRogue SquadronBonus:Yoshi’s StoryTetris SphereStar Wars Pod RacerAidyn ChroniclesHybrid HeavenMario Party 2Best Games of 1998:Mega Man LegendsHalf LifeGrim FandangoStarCraftMetal Gear SolidFallout 2Baldur’s GateHeart of DarknessSuikoden 2XenogearsEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Rusty Bucket Bay’ from Banjo-Kazooie Performed by YouTube User DSCAccount.
10/2/20141 hour, 49 seconds
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Ep. 97 - Crazy Taxi Arrow, with Christian Nutt

Frank is in Portland and Dead.Questions this week:Weekly UpdateThe Engagement LineFavorite 1989 ConsoleGames of 1997Best Games of 1997:Final Fantasy VIICastlevania: Symphony of the NightMega Man LegendsAsuka 120% LimitedSilhouette MirageShining Force IIIFinal Fantasy tacticsStarfox 64GrandiaSonic RBreath of Fire IIIFalloutUltima OnlineStreet Fighter III: 2nd ImpactGran TourismoStreet Fighter IIIMusic ‘Theme of Nana’ from Asuka 120% Limited.
9/8/20141 hour, 21 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 96 - Two Darn Fish Playin’ Street Fighter

Insert Credit Drives into an Open Grave.Questions this week:Swing CoptersDesign a Vertical Scrolling iOS GameSubverting the Game WorldNight Trap KickstarterGames of 1996IQ Test – Unknown DevelopersWikipedia List of Video Games Considered the Best Part Two.Best Games of 1996:Panzer Dragoon II ZweiSuper Mario 64NiGHTSDragon ForceQuakePokemon Red/BlueDaggerfallDiabloResident EvilTomb RaiderWild ArmsSuper Mario RPGCrash BandicootBubsy 3DDuke Nukem 3DMusic ‘Map Theme (ElecV 100bpm Remix)’ by YouTube User ElecV Voom based on Gargoyle’s Quest and ‘Town Theme’ from Wild Arms.
8/25/20141 hour, 17 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ep. 95 - Episode Nineteen Ninety-Four

Insert Credit Ranks the Games of 1994.Official Best Games of 1994:Sonic 3 & Knuckles (GEN)Castlevania: Bloodlines (GEN)Streets of Rage 3 (GEN)Contra: Hard Corps (GEN)Final Fantasy III (SNES)Shining Force II (GEN)Super Metroid (SNES)The King Of Fighters ’94 (NEO)Metal Combat: Falcon’s Revenge (SNES)Virtua Racing (32X/GEN)Mega Turrican (GEN)Mega Man X (GEN)SOS (SNES)Tempest 2000 (JAG)The Lost Vikings (SNES)Blackthorne (SNES)Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures (GEN)Cybermorph (JAG)Shadowrun (GEN)Sparkster (SNES)Honorable Mentions:Dynamite Headdy (GEN)Crusader of Centy (GEN)Demon’s Crest (SNES)Urban Strike (GEN)Donkey Kong Country (SNES)Vortex (SNES)Special thanks to Insert Credit community member Alexander Tulett for transcribing this list.Music ‘Final Battle’ from Sparkster.
8/17/20141 hour, 57 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 94 - Episode Ninety-Five

Insert Credit Explores the Heart of Dogness.Questions this week:Single Adjective TitlesStupider than Watch Dogs30 FPS PreferrersThis Week in Video Game NewsBest Game with the Word Dog in the TitleModern Celebrity Video GameWikipedia List of Video Games Considered the Best Part OneLIGHTNING ROUND: Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Strike the Earth!’ From Shovel Knight and ‘Attagirl’ from OneChanbara.
8/7/20141 hour, 4 minutes, 48 seconds
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Ep. 93 - Multivarious Ravioli, with Patrick Miller

We discuss Evo with guest Patrick Miller.Questions this week:Personal Highlight of EvoEvo Trading CardsTier SystemLow Tier TournamentsMore RepresentationGirl CharactersCreative Evo PrizesPlayStation One ControllerPredictions for Evo 2015LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review – Games of EvoEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘The Next Door’ From Super Street Fighter IV and ‘Reach Out To The Truth’ from Persona 4 Arena.
7/18/20141 hour, 15 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 92 - Podcastiversary II – Substance

We Probably Won’t But We Might.Questions this week:Next Fad After ZombiesPrison GamesIdeal RoommateIs the PS Vita Worth Buying Yet?PinballBest DogHideo Kojima vs. Peter MolyneuxImprov ZoneCitizen Kane of Video GamesLIGHTNING ROUND: Title Design – Video Games Based on Titles of Episodes of this Very Podcast EditionEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Tetris The Movie’ by YouTube user Plasma3Music Remixes and ‘4 Minutes Before Death ~ Variation’ from Ghost Trick Phantom Detective.
7/4/20141 hour, 14 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 91 - Flip the Bard

Insert Credit Spins those Nordic Tracks.Questions this week:Steam Sale 2015Third Place Game DevDeath by ImpactGet Hit to WinFriends PreferencesMost LostCustom Soundtrack Far Cry 4 EditionAssassin’s Creed Series AssassinatedLIGHTNING ROUND: Title Design – DecepticonsEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Tuffy Theme’ from Tuffy the Corgi and the Tower of Bones, ‘Vast Plain Grasslands (Day)’ from Wario Land 3, and ‘8-Bit Chicken Dance’ by Newgrounds User Fineas.
6/27/20141 hour, 13 minutes, 51 seconds
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Ep. 90 - Six or Seven Minutes

We rank the games of E3 2014.The List:EvolveBloodborneSuper Mario MakerPhantom DustNo Man's SkyCupheadCaptain Toad: Treasure TrackerDestinyGrim FandangoScaleboundForza Horizon 2SplatoonHalo 5: Guardians Call of Duty: Advanced WarfareAssassin's Creed UnityBattlefield HardlineYoshi's Woolly WorldSunset OverdriveOri and the Blind ForestHyrule WarriorsEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Casino Calavera’ from Grim Fandango.
6/20/20141 hour, 21 minutes, 5 seconds
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Ep. 89 - Bon Appétit

Who Crotches the Crotchmen?Questions this week:Frank RecapMake E3 Less BoringA Line in a Game MovieWorst LevelsAlternate History GamesGreatest Failings of Game EnginesAlien DevelopersMisunderstanding SequelsImprov Zone Minor League GamingLIGHTNING ROUND: Hyper-Specific Japanese GenresEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Race Around the World’ from Castle Crashers, ‘Labyrinth Zone’ and ‘Marble Zone’ from Sonic 1, ‘Aiden Pearce (Main Theme)’ from Watch Dogs, and ‘Aban Hawkins Theme’ from Aban Hawkins and the 1000 Spikes.
6/13/20141 hour, 14 minutes, 24 seconds
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Ep. 88 - Arctic Blast, with Jonathan Kim

One of Those Skullguys.Questions this week:Best Sega Games Outside of the Genesis LibraryKanto CareersBest CrowdXbox One and PS4 RevisitedPersonal Robot MaidFighting Game DirectorsCool CartoonsLIGHTNING ROUND: Design an Original Skull GirlEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Lament’ and ‘Maplecrest Stage’ from Skullgirls and ‘8-Bit Chicken Dance’ by Newgrounds User Fineas.
6/5/201454 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 87 - Mario Is Dead

Now Featuring Brandon Sheffield.Questions this week:Better with No FriendsGenres that are DeadConsole War CrimesGames You HateChildhood is DeadMario is DeadFlappy Bird Re-ReleaseNintendo Wi-Fi is DeadThe Kabbalah of Video GamesLIGHTNING ROUND: Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Wily’s Castle (Recreation) – Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Music Extended’ Recreated by YouTube user BrawlBRSTMs3.
5/30/20141 hour, 11 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 86 - World of Yourcraft, with Michael Kerwin

Eighty-Sixing.Questions this week:Year of LuigiMost Impressive MinecraftsOculus-Facebook Billion Person MMOFailed PeripheralsCustom Soundtrack – Candy Crush SagaAvengers LicenseFastest Video Game Ever MadeThe Arcade TransitionDescribe to Your Mom – Takeshi’s ChallengeLIGHTNING ROUND: Team Battle – GauntletEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Executor’ from Space Invaders Extreme DS, ‘8-Bit Chicken Dance’ by Newgrounds User Fineas, ‘The Fastest Thing Alive Fan Full Version’ Remixed by YouTube User kapacitado, and ‘Congo Jungle Stage’ from Super Smash Bros.
5/23/20141 hour, 18 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 85 - Beyond Good Souls

One Quarter Broadcast On Location from a Miniature Golf Course.Questions this week:Video Game LegendsConsole Buying Games Old and NewMotorcycle GangBest Fashion Game DeveloperHow To Ensure Zero Sales of a GameWhich Games Have Changed Design for the BetterMost Radically Redefined Public ImageVideo Game DJMock MarketLIGHTNING ROUND: Best To WorstEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Bonus Level’ from Cool Spot and ‘Living in the City (Instrumental Version)’ from Sonic R
5/14/20141 hour, 14 minutes, 14 seconds
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Ep. 84 - Cat Physics

Who Are You Callin’ a Flappy Bird?Questions this week:Exclusivity HarmDesign the Godzilla Tie-In GameTitle InsultsShould FPS or Shmup Games Be Called ‘Shooters’Underutilized Real World PhysicsPsychiatrist GamesNew God Game ConceptsVideo Games as RewardsSmart Bad Video GamesLIGHTNING ROUND: Team BattleEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Swear’ from Mr. Driller, ‘Main Theme’ from From Dust, and ‘Level 1 Theme’ from Marble Madness.
5/1/20141 hour, 10 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 83 - Content Video Game Nerd, with Mathew Kumar

Insert Credit Is The Prequel to Die Hard.Questions this week:PAXBest Debut GamesWhy Was the Halo Composer Fired from Bungie?Game Most Interesting to LoseMost Dreamy GamesDo You Fight for Fun or for Glory?Six Universal EmotionsCan Someone Please Explain Goat Simulator?Favorite Game Makers (It’s Spelled ulillillia)LIGHTNING ROUND: Title Design Tim McGraw GamesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Trailer Soundtrack’ and ‘Main Theme’ from Goat Simulator.
4/24/20141 hour, 27 minutes, 46 seconds
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Ep. 82 - Did I Say Gogo?

Insert Credit Knows Nobody Cares About Robin.Questions this week:Saving Video Game History with Frank and BrandonGDC RecapBest 3D Single Player Hand-to-Hand CombatFFVI – Name All Party Members and Add a FifteenthGames Other Than Dark Souls 2Lowest Percentage Completion Single Player GameRestaurant Staffed by Video Game ProfessionalsWorst and Most-Listened-To Song in a Video GameDid Facebook and Oculus End the Kickstarter Dream?LIGHTNING ROUND: Game RaterEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Ape Escape Theme’ Ape Escape for the PlayStation Move (Japanese Version), ‘Victory Fanfare’ from Final Fantasy VI, ‘Bubble Bobble Theme’ from Bubble Bobble Covered by Lara de Wit.
4/17/20141 hour, 13 minutes, 40 seconds
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Ep. 81 - BGOAT, with Rob Meyer

We determine the Best Competitive Game of All Time.Edited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Rainbow Road’ from Mario Kart 7 Performed by YouTube User DSCAccount.
3/26/20141 hour, 29 minutes, 25 seconds
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Ep. 80 - No More Cheeroes

Insert Credit Has Got That Bad’un.Questions this week:Good Postmortem DiscussionChronotrigger RecruitingLargest Critical BlindspotAkira Toriyama Dragon QuestTaking Smartphones SeriouslyThemed ArcadeDesign a Non-Violent Video Game Using the Doom IPHow to Become a Better Level DesignerRedesign a Video Game CharacterLIGHTNING ROUND: The Crichtoning RoundEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Sonic Boom’ from Sonic CD, ‘Victory Fanfare’ from Final Fantasy VI and ‘Level 1’ From Jurassic Park for the NES.
3/13/20141 hour, 25 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 79 - Weird Ninja Turtles Fan Fiction

Insert Credit is Both the Sin and Punishment.Questions this week:Less Blank and More BlankMost Fun Projectile CatchingCustom SoundtrackVideo Game Olympic RepresentativesImprov ZoneMost Unpleasant Console Game to Work OnPersonalities to Create a GameMicrotransactions in Nintendo GamesWilly Wonka and the Video Game FactoryLIGHTNING ROUND: Rank the Devil May Cry GamesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Beach Stage’ from Flying Power Disc – Windjammers for the Neo Geo and ‘Monday (Glitch Mob Remix)’ by Nalepa from the DmC Devil May Cry Trailer.
3/8/20141 hour, 25 minutes, 8 seconds
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Ep. 78 - Hot Tunes and Cool Chooms

Insert Credit Has Zoop and It’s Jaffe’s Fault.Questions this week:Great Ideas Already DoneIrrational GamesTwitch Plays PokemonMonthly Video Game Comic BooksMost Back-Handed ComplimentYour Video Game BossLightning Round Bottom Line Review Arcade EditionLightning 2 Who Would Win in a FightLIGHTNING ROUND: Lightning Returns Returns Elevator Pitch Co-Op EditionEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘The Ego Room’ from Remember Me and the Zoop Soundtrack.
2/26/20141 hour, 11 minutes, 24 seconds
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Ep. 77 - The Crybox, with Adam Rippon

Insert Credit Celebra las Consolas de los Muertos.Questions this week:Brandon at D.I.C.E.Save NintendoSuccessful Breaks Out of the Comfort ZoneMobile BirdsFictional VehiclesVideo Game HolidaysGood CastlevaniasNullify One Trademark, Copyright, or PatentSmash Mouth’s All Star of VGMLIGHTNING ROUND: Best to WorstEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘Terra’s Theme’ from Final Fantasy VI Performed by YouTube User DSCAccount and ‘Lonely Rolling Star’ from Noby Noby Boy.
2/23/20141 hour, 14 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 76 - Iceberg Podcast, with Jim Stormdancer

Insert Credit is the Opposite of Cool Spot (That’s a good thing, trust us).Questions this week:Disparate Worlds TacticsThe Series for WayForwardDreamcast VMUAccidental GreatnessSurprises in GamesEdutainmentLIGHTNING ROUND: Opposite DayEdited by Blaine Brown. Music ‘In The Mountain’ by Yuzo Koshiro from Stickman Is Back Genesis, ‘Title Theme’ from Forever Kingdom (Evergrace 2), ‘Wild Child & Manmos’ by Yasuyuki Suzuki and Emiko Suganuma from Tail of the Sun PSX, and nearly the entire Frog Fractions Soundtrack by Twinbeard.
2/16/20141 hour, 24 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 75 - Simply Impossiblag

Insert Credit would win in a fight against Past, Present, and Future.Questions this week:Easily Fixable Game RuinersNo More LocalizationBest to WorstThree Laws of Video GamesFavorite Stage One BossThemed ArcadeCover Stories for a Video Game Celebrity MagazineLIGHTNING ROUND: Title DesignEdited by Blaine Brown. Music “Boss 3” and “Stage 4” from Gunhouse. Gunhouse is available now for PS Vita and PlayStation Mobile!
2/2/20141 hour, 18 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 74 - Insert Credit Annual #2

The second installment of an annual series wherein we determine what may be empirically be considered the Best Game of All Time.The List:Panzer Dragoon II ZweiNiGHTS into DreamsCastlevania: Dracula XGunstar HeroesSuper Mario BrothersManica Mansion: Day of the TentacleLufia II: Rise of the SinistralsPhantom DustSonic & KnunclesGhosts in the ShellGears of War IIBreath of Fire: Dragon QuarterZelda II: The Adventure of LinkThunder Force IVAsuka 120% Limited OverOuendan IIUfouria: The SagaQWAPMarble MadnessA Mind Forever VoyagingEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Plain Asia' from the album Arrow Rain from the game Imperishable Night, 'Mario Land Overworld Theme Remix' uploaded by YouTube user shadowmario23, and 'Stage 2' from Marble Madness for the NES.
1/9/20141 hour, 57 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 73 - GOTY 2013

We rank the best games of 2013.The List:The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between WorldsGone HomeAttack of the Friday MonstersRidiculous Fishing868-HackThe Last of UsShin Megami Tensei IVKokugaPaper PleaseAntichamberDive KickKentucky Route ZeroThe Stanley ParableSuper Mario 3D WorldBrothers: A Tale of Two SonsFire Emblem: AwakeningCandy Box!Pokémon X and YBioShock InfiniteMetal Gear Rising: RevengeanceLIGHTNING ROUND: Edited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Insert Credit GOTY Serenade 2013' by Alex Jaffe.
12/26/20131 hour, 17 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 72 - The Longest Blink

Broadcasting a podcast broadcast pre-recorded live from development heck.Questions this week:What's the best fake language in a video game?Why do so many games that escape development hell end up a disappointment, and which games escape that fate?Which third-party developers would you most like to see making the next Zelda game?Design a game that takes into account the player blinking.How embarrassing is the PAX Diversity Lounge?Custom Soundtrack: Sonic the Hedgehog 2Which game creators have the most contempt for their own creations?A deep cable television network wants the three of you to produce a nightly 4 hour programming block of your own design.LIGHTNING ROUND: Themed Arcade Again AgainEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Lorule Overworld' and 'Lorule Field 2' from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for 3DS.
12/18/20131 hour, 12 minutes, 8 seconds
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Ep. 71 - Dead Chimera

Insert Credit Doesn't Wanna Be The Guy.Questions this week:What games would you want to do a single credit run on?How much are video games like what you imagined they would be like in the future when you were a kid?What are your "sick day" video games?What are the best games that can no longer be played or acquired?Custom Soundtrack: Final Fantasy VIIWhat is needed to make a good masocore game?LIGHTNING ROUND: Playing Favorites: Holiday EditionEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Haunted Graveyard' from Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts SNES, 'Dream Dreams' from Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams Remixed by OCRemix User by Dale North, 'Maya Fey - Turnabout Sisters' Theme 2001' from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney DS Remixed by OCRemix User OA, and 'Xmas MGS Boss 4' from Merry Gear Solid 2 PC by Arthur Lee.
12/11/20131 hour, 13 minutes, 9 seconds
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Ep. 70 - Endless 100 Meter Dasher

Trying to Make the Bleak Future a Little Bit Better.Questions this week:If a plague killed everybody in the game industry except you, your friends, and five people of your choice, who would be safe?Has a game series ever produced a better sequel for less money?Design a video game to be played for 24 hours straight without stopping.Complete this sentence -- "There are two kinds of people who play video games:"What are some creative but home-safe insults for multiplayer?You're going out for lunch with a date who wants to eat at a restaurant from a video game. Where do you take her?What licensed music would you put into Gears of War?What is the most independent video game?Who's the most competent video game princess?LIGHTNING ROUND: Title Design - Tom Hanks MoviesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Main Theme' from Cave Story PC and 'Begin', 'Home Waters (Down)', 'Stormy Seas (Down)', 'Arctic Floes (Down)', 'Maelstrom (Down)', and 'Alternative End (Unused)' from Ridiculous Fishing iOS.
12/4/20131 hour, 19 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 69 - Big Ol' Game Burger

Tim Rogers Hosts The Jerry Bruckheimer Michael Bay Double Funeral.Questions this week:What's your favorite video game format?What are you most thankful for re: video games?When did you get your first television?When is a Batman game "Batman enough"?Is video game music dead?Theme ArcadeWho do you take a heart, liver, and kidney from: Mario, Sonic, Bonk?LIGHTNING ROUND: Rank The SeriesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Adventure' by Disasterpeace from Fez PC, 'Base Theme' from Contra NES, 'Ending Theme' from Super C NES, 'Area 3' from Operation C GB, 'Stage 1' from Contra III The Alien Wars SNES, 'Stage 4' from Contra Force NES, 'The Hard Corps Blues' from Contra Hard Corps Genesis, 'Jungle Conflict' from Contra Legacy of War PSX, 'Mission 1' from Contra Adventure, 'Stage 1' from Super Contra X NES (The Unlicensed Game), 'Fortress' from Shin Contra PS2, 'Main Theme' from Neo Contra PS2, 'Stage 1' from Contra 4 NDS, 'Boss 2' from Contra ReBirth Wii, 'Final Boss' from Hard Corps Uprising XBLA and PSN.
11/27/20131 hour, 26 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 68 - Hotter Than Reality

Insert Credit Is A Crate Full of Mysteries.Questions this week:What IP based on its name alone could raise $200,000 on Kickstarter regardless of team?Why would anyone need a machine that you connect to a TV and control with physical buttons?How have video games manifested in your dreams?A genie transforms the entire world to have the aesthetic of a video game, but you get to choose which one.Who would win in a fight between a super robot designed by Sony, and a super robot designed by Microsoft?Are there good racing games where the camera isn't directly behind your car?What are the best death animations?If we want to play games with our far-away friends turn by turn, what are our non-Zynga options?How would you make Captain N: The Game Master: The Movie?What are some games you should never play?LIGHTNING ROUND: Games You Should Never PlayEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Opening Credits' from Space Quest IV and 'Main Theme' from Super Mario 3D World.
11/20/20131 hour, 7 minutes, 12 seconds
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Ep. 67 - Fire, Water, and Quiet Revenge, with Mathew Kumar

Insert Credit Is Chock-Full of Fruit Ions.Questions this week:What would it take to get you to back a Kickstarter and retain interest in it?What would you do if you got a new console one week earlier than everyone else?What can we say to our dads when they insist video games are a waste of time?Who are the Mozart and Salieri of video games?What innovative evolution conditions would you include in the next Pokemon game?If you were dividing a diet of good video games into four food groups, what would they be? Provide examples.In what instances have you found yourself actively suppressing the desire to play more of a particular video game?What's the story with those video game trade schools you see ads for sometimes?LIGHTNING ROUND: Title Design - Batman StoriesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'K.K. Cruisin' True Remix' Remastered by YouTube User Mesmonium Based Off of the Song 'Cruisin'' from Animal Crossing City Folk for the Wii and 'Title Theme' from NBA Jam for the SNES.
11/12/20131 hour, 17 minutes, 35 seconds
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Ep. 66 - A Pink to the Last, with David Hellman

Insert Credit Presents Boobs in the Sand - Championship Edition.Questions this week:Who's your favorite c-list villain from a video game?Design the free-to-play game that makes everyone get over their hatred of free-to-play games.Why are video games fun?How would you define your relationship with video games?What video games are the most personally empowering?What is the biggest argument you've had about a video game?If an elecromagnetic storm knocked out all electronics for 30 years, what would gamers turn to for entertainment?What is the most poisonous mainstay of video game development?Have you ever felt like video games have left you behind?LIGHTNING ROUND:  Shame FamitsuEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'The Infinite Teatime' from Jeff and Casey Time and 'Undercurrent' from Braid.
10/29/20131 hour, 20 minutes, 12 seconds
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Ep. 65 - The Porn Episode, with Ian Adams

Insert Credit Loves a Good Lady in a Shirt.Questions this week:What video game are you the most baffled actually got made?What were the best looking games of the pre-NES era?When is a video game remake or remaster different enough from its predecessor to be eligible again for award consideration?Your publisher has demanded that you punch up the dialogue for your 3D platforming game, and have been given three options. The writing samples seem to channel DnD, other video games, and Monty Python, including direct quotes. Which person do you choose?How many games is that bit.trip runner guy in?How will future game designers invoke nostalgia for the games of the 00s?What are your fondest memories of the Nintendo Wii?Which video game character do you believe would hate you personally the most?LIGHTNING ROUND: Playing FavoritesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Impetus' from Bit.Trip Runner and 'BGM 1' from PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX.
10/23/20131 hour, 7 minutes, 51 seconds
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Ep. 64 - Sexy 2DS and Naked Chess

Insert Credit Makes You a Jill Sandwich.Questions this week:Does the intended commercial reach of a game has any meaningful impact on it as a creative product?What are some topical video game costume ideas for Halloween?What are the differences between the European and the American video game scenes?Who or what is the Yoko Ono of video games?Could a non-massively multiplayer video game put out a new chapter every week?When it comes to assessing an experimental game, how much credit should it get for trying something interesting, even if it fails?What is the best vest in a video game?Deadly Premonition is getting a 350 page companion app. What other games should get this treatment?What have video games gained from chess, and what more can they stand to gain?LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line ReviewEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Angry Birds Theme' from Angry Birds iOS Covered by Pomplamoose and 'Theme of the Last Battle' from Professor Layton and the Last Specter DS.
10/14/20131 hour, 23 seconds
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Ep. 63 - BSNESGOAT

The Best Super Nintendo Games of All Time.The List:EarthBoundChrono TriggerSuper Mario WorldDragon Quest VLufia II: Rise of the SinistralsSecret of EvermoreMega Man XFinal Fantasy IVSuper MetroidMetal Combat: Falcon's RevengeSuper Mario World 2: Yoshi's IslandMetal WarriorsFinal Fantasy VIThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the PastContra III: The Alien WarsSuper Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven StarsSecret of ManaKirby's Dream CourseFinal Fight IIISuper Mario KartEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Sinistral Battle Theme' from Lufia Curse of the Sinistrals DS.
10/9/20132 hours, 25 minutes, 48 seconds
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Ep. 62 - Dinosaur Sexual Energy

Insert Credit Welcomes First Time Listeners.Questions this week:Did anything actually happen at TGS?What have you gained from this latest excursion to Japan?Who should be the most excited about the Steam controller?What adjustments should be made to the Legend of Zelda formula?How can smaller game companies fight back against the giants?IMPROV ZONE: Frank and Brandon are meeting for their first date. Tim, their guild leader, has invited himself and is oblivious to their relationship.Were there any promises you were amazed a game WAS able to keep?Who's the best king in a video game?What was Hiroshi Yamauchi's impact on video games?LIGHTNING ROUND: Title Design - Art as GamesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Overworld Music' from Dragon Quest V for the SNES and 'Battle Theme' from Dragon Quest V for the DS.
10/1/20131 hour, 13 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 61 - Grand Theftcast

We talk GTA V.Questions this week:What's the closest we've gotten to the Holodeck from Star Trek?Create a compelling narrative and background for a female protagonist in an add-on to GTA V.How would you compare the GTA franchise to the Yakuza franchise?What honest jobs would you like to see in the next GTA?If you and your friends were playing GTA in elementary school, what myths and exaggerations would you expect to hear about the games?Would you consider GTA to be a mature franchise?What other film genres can you see Rockstar taking on?If GTA V was the first game someone was playing in the series, what reasons would you give them to revisit previous games in the series?What's the difference between the violence in GTA IV and GTA V?LIGHTNING ROUND: Rockstar Report CardEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Loading Theme' from GTA IV for the Xbox 360 and 'Loading Theme' from GTA San Andreas for the PS2.
9/17/20131 hour, 20 minutes, 46 seconds
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Ep. 60 - Veneer of Sophistication, with David Abrams

Building Staircases on Top of People's Heads.Questions this week:What are some defining moments in your game playing history that have stuck with you?What games apart from Animal Crossing and The Sims allow you the most freedom to express yourself through interior design, and how will this subgenre evolve?What's the best Twine game you've ever played, and what Twine game would you most like to make?On a scale of 1-100, how much more or less likely are you to play a game after the creator describes it as "erotic"?What's the best jetpack in video games?If you had to sink one billion dollars into a video game, what would it be like?What feature or features does a video game have to include for it to immediately register on your "to play" list?What games aren't annual franchises, but you wouldn't mind it if they were?What are the most vegetarian friendly video games?LIGHTNING ROUND: Pitch MeetingEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Message from Nightopia' from NiGHTS into Dreams for the Sega Saturn and 'Ally Attack' from Fire Emblem Seisen no Keifu for the Super Famicom.
9/10/20131 hour, 23 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 59 - The Rise and Fall of Breasts in Zero G

Insert Credit Engineers Sex with a Robot Orb.Questions this week:How was your PAX Prime time?What happened to Penny Arcade?How has Miyazaki's influence affected video games?What's going on at Capcom right now with the Kickstarter success of Mighty No. 9?Is Saints Row 4 a subversive critique of what's wrong with AAA games, or is it just another example of what's wrong with AAA games?IMPROV ZONE: Brandon, you are the passionate screenwrite on the Sonic the Hedgehog movie who believes in the source material. You're meeting with the producer and the A-List actor playing Robotnik. Neither has ever played a game before.You're given the funding and crew to create a documentary about any subject related to video games. What is it about?LIGHTNING ROUND: Playing Favorites TV EditionEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Dr. Wily's Stage' from Megaman 2 for the NES performed by YouTube user DSCAccount and 'Corneria' from Star Fox for the SNES.
9/3/20131 hour, 9 minutes, 23 seconds
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Ep. 58 - Movie Theater Popcorn Money

Insert Credit is Slick and Hand-Holdable.Questions this week:After Madden 25, other video game series could benefit from putting the number of games they made into the title? (01:30)What game has the best title music? (09:05)Will Unity's support of 2D mean more good 2D games? Should people outside of development care about this? (19:05)When is Nintendo going to give up on the second screen? (33:39)What retro game if brought back in 1080p would make you drop $300 for a Wii U? (53:44)Edited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Title Theme' from Valis III for the Sega Genesis.
8/28/20131 hour, 5 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 57 - Climb the Madden

You Can't Drink Coffee in the Lightning Round.Questions this week:How can someone most accurately assess whether a game will be worth playing during the first 5 minutes of booting it up?Are there any visual styles you can pinpoint between Saturday Morning Cartoon and hyper-realism that more video games should be using?What's the best thing you've seen from Gamescom, and what do you hope to see from it in the coming days?The premise of Batman: Arkham Origins is that 8 assassins have been hired to kill him. If you were hiring 8 video game assassins to kill Batman, who would they be?How will Gone Home impact the future of adventure games?Think about your favorite video game that proved to be a commercial failure mostly due to poor marketing. How would you have gone back in time and run it differently?What games were born out of jokes?Which fighting game features the most interesting super move mechanics?What is the Superman IV: The Quest for Peace of video games?LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line ReviewEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Bloody Tears' from Castlevania Judgment and 'Bowser's Galaxy Generator' from Super Mario Galaxy 2.
8/21/20131 hour, 11 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 56 - Creedence Clearwater Saga

Insert Credit loves arcade pizza.Questions this week:What's the saddest a video game ever made you?What are some notable attempts games have made to allow you to play multiple characters at once in the past?Conceptualize the Breast Game of All Time.What are some games that you're glad you've played, but wouldn't recommend to others?How can we use Twitch to set up a better and more popular 24 hour video game stream than Salty Bet?You've been sealed in an arcade in the year 1983 until you break the world record on any arcade game available. Which do you go for?Every prison inmate in the United States is issues a video game system with 3 games. Each of you gets to choose one of them.Should the Xbox One have stood their ground on any of their now retconned features?What is the actual deal of Candy Crush Saga? I thought it was social media trash but people have been playing it in earnest.LIGHTNING ROUND: Apps to ApplesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Sewer Surfin'' and 'Big Apple 3am'by Mutsuhiko Izumi from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time for the Super Nintendo.
8/14/20131 hour, 11 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 55 - All About Vacuum Cleaners, with Leigh Alexander

We Take You on a Tour of Bethesda Studios.Questions this week:What is the video game equivalent of a luxury car?Are we paying enough attention to GaymerX?Which often overlooked multiplayer game do you think deserves more of a following in the competitive community?What is the best use of rope in a video game?You have to rob a Las Vegas casino, using a crack team of 5 video game characters. But you can only afford characters who have been in fewer than two sequels. Who do you choose?What would it be like if films were reviewed as if they were video games?What new varieties of Pikmin should be in the next game in the series?Is EverQuest Next good enough to overcome a healthy bias against MMOs?What story would you tell kids who want to get into video games to scare them into a real job?LIGHTNING ROUND: Title DesignEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Treasure Hunter Lyle' by Motoaki Takenouchi from Landstalker for the Sega Genesis and 'Fighting Dancer' by Eri Sugai from Lady Stalker for the Super Famicom.
8/7/20131 hour, 9 minutes, 55 seconds
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Ep. 54 - Married with Your Money

Insert Credit Tip: You Could Google That But Maybe You Don't Want To.Questions this week:What's your favorite browser flash game?What's your favorite implementation of a bow and arrow in a video game thus far?What tips can you give aspiring jerks to irritate game makers to their breaking point?Design an open world sandbox game based on the golden age of cartoons.Which video game sequels to the best job of revisiting the settings of previous entries?Is it time to buy a PlayStation Vita?What are some untapped ideas for marriage proposal rom hacks?In an alternate universe 2013 where Nintendo went bankrupt after the Wii failed, who would they sell their IPs to?On what occasions will you spend $50 or more on a single video game?What is the Happy Madison Studios of video games?LIGHTNING ROUND: Playing FavoritesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music 'Song of Storms' By Koji Kondo from Ocarina of Time N64 Jazz Version By SoundCloud user travislien and 'Gene's Rock-A-Bye' by Masafumi Takada & Jun Fukuda from God Hand PS2.
7/31/20131 hour, 17 minutes, 36 seconds
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Ep. 53 - Insert Blasstacre, with Christian Nutt

Insert Credit is the viscous syrup of reality.Questions this week:TIM: What would Yuji Hori's Sonic the Hedgehog be like? (04:33)What are the implications of Nintendo acquiring Atlus? (11:00)Design a video game for Google Glass. (18:07)What are the best multiplayer games for a person with one arm? (24:22)KYLE ROBINSON: What is the game you're most proud of beating without a strategy guide or walkthrough? (30:51)What is the difference between an artistic game, and a pretentious game? (38:27)What is the best 4th game in a series? (47:56)What would Disney Infinity have to announce to get you interested? (54:58)What are the worst games to play with the volume off? (01:01:15)LIGHTNING ROUND: Elevator Pitch (01:05:50)Edited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'Mass Destruction' From Persona 3 FES PS2 and 'Trainer Battle (Kanto)' from Pokemon HGSS DS.
7/25/20131 hour, 15 minutes, 6 seconds
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Ep. 52 - Demon Negotiation

PlayTastin' some Edward James Oatmeal.Questions this week:Which game from the video game title generator are we going to design?Which game do you feel you could write a book about?In an alternate timeline where 8 bit video games existed in the 1940s, what games would there be in America as propaganda for the war effort?What was the second-best year for video games?Other than yourselves, which fringe video game developers would you like to see at the helm of a AAA video game?What is the best defensive item in a video game?How would the game publishing industry be different if it were run like the recording industry?Design a video game to test the aptitude of government officials.Who is the Pete Best of video games?LIGHTNING ROUND: Apps to ApplesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'To Make the End of Battle' and 'First Step Towards War' from Ys I and II Eternal Story PS2.
7/18/20131 hour, 9 minutes, 50 seconds
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Ep. 51 - Why Not Batman?

Insert Credit will immediately consume a chicken leg from a trash can.Questions this week:What was the best year for video games?If California were to sink into the ocean tomorrow, how would it affect video games?Which long-abandoned video game trope to you feel is long due for a comeback?How may the concept of bosses translate into nonviolent video games?IMPROV ZONE: Satoru Iwata answering shareholder questions.Rank these games from best to worst: Microsoft Flight Simulator, Rock Band, You Don't Know Jack.What is the best kitchen in a video game?What is the taking a picture in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa so it looks like you're holding it up of video games?What was the highlight of Molyjam?Which video game character would you want to team up with Batman?LIGHTNING ROUND: Playing FavoritesEdited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'Pursuit ~ Cornered (Variation)' from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney DS and 'Pursuit ~ Lying Coldly' from Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth DS.
7/10/20131 hour, 19 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 50 - The Great Mattsby, with Chris Plante

Insert Credit is content with viewing a jpeg of the iceberg.Questions this week:How will Zynga evolve under the man behind the Xbox One?Which Nintendo 64 game best utilized the Z trigger?Which pre-existing IP would be the best fit for an adaptation by the Civilization team?Would you rather play 1,000 hours of Fire Emblem or 1,000 hours of Advance Wars?How would you run an ARG to promote the actual release of Half-Life 3?What makes Cavia so great?Which video game best captures each decade of the 20th century?What is the Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier of video games?On which topics would you trust Mario for advice?LIGHTNING ROUND: Design by TitleEdited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'The Vanishing Sky' from Bullet Witch Xbox 360 and 'Metallic Mario' from Super Mario 64 composed by Koji Kondo.
7/3/20131 hour, 12 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 49 - Podcastiversary

All things Insert Credit.Questions this week:For the listeners who missed its glory days, tell us more about the original Insert Credit.Introduce a new acronym-based term into the video game lexicon.What games have impacted you the most?What would the Insert Credit dating sim be like?IMPROV ZONE: You're a couples counselor, the couple is fighting about their video game preferences.If you were all permanently exiled from the video game industry, what would you do with your lives?Design a video game about writing about video games.Where do you see yourself in 5 years?What are your favorite moments of the show?Let's decide our next ranking episode on air right now.LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review: Developer Edition (01:06:08)Edited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'Rydeen' by YMO and 'Bout Theme' from Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! NES.
6/26/20131 hour, 17 minutes, 15 seconds
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Ep. 48 - Obtain E3, with Christian Nutt

Insert Credit ranks the most exciting games from E3 with guest Christian Nutt. The List:Super Mario WorldTitanfallD4Mad Max1001 SpikesSuper Smash Bros.KnackYs: Memories of CelcetaThe Wonderful 101DestinyThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerRyse: Son of RomeOctodad: Dadliest CatchMetal Gear Solid V: The Phantom PainThe Witcher 3Final Fantasy XVBattlefield IVMirror's Edge CatalystKiller InstinctWatch DogsEdited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'Aban Hawkins Theme' from Aban Hawkins and the 1000 Spikes XBLIG.
6/19/20132 hours, 5 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 47 - BGGOAT

What's the best Sega Genesis game of all time?The List:Sonic the Hedgehog 2LandstalkerGunstar HeroesShining Force IIBare Knuckle 3Thunder Force IVSonic 3 & KnucklesRanger XCastlevania: BloodlinesContra: Hard CorpsPhantasy Star IVRoad Rash IIMonster World 4Rocket Knight AdventuresAlien SoldierShinobi III: Return of the Ninja MasterGain GroundShining in the DarknessShadowrunVectormanEdited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'Bare Knuckle Blitz' from the Streets of Rage Series remixed by WillRock from OCRemix, 'Emerald Hill Zone' and 'Chemical Plant Zone' from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Genesis.
6/5/20132 hours, 14 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 46 - Durango Unchained, with Patrick Miller

Consolation Prize: Buzzword Hand Grenade.Questions this week:Is the Xbox One a video game console?Is this thing huge?Is it just me or is the Xbox One controller pretty great?Let's address the name.Can the Xbox One see into your dreams?How many Emmys will Steven Spielberg win in his first of what is sure to be many seasons of his Halo show?Will the Xbox One change the way we play with dogs in video games forever?What notes did Satoru Iwata take on the Xbox One presentation?Complete this sentence: the Xbox One will be the ___ of video games.Edited by Blaine Brown. Music is from the official Xbox One Unveil Video.
5/21/20131 hour, 5 minutes, 1 second
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Ep. 45 - Listen Jerk

No Lightning Round Because Frank Doesn't Feel Like It.Questions this week:With the original Wii, Nintendo got the family together in the living room. How does Nintendo get the whole family into the bathroom?Brandon Boyer announced a conference called "Horizon" to highlight beautiful games. What alternative conference will we need in 2 years once it becomes as big as E3?Google.IO has new features -- geofencing, sensors for how you're traveling, and customized Google Maps. Can we use these features to make a fun game?Let's talk about our favorite speedruns.Syfy is released a TV/MMO hybrid called Defiance. How would you go about creating consistency between these?What's the future of selling games to hotel guests?Let's design games that would actually be fun to play on an ariplane system.Namco just announced a Pac-Man game based on a show based on the video game. What other franchises should come full circle that way?Come up with a serious game educating people on misophonia.Edited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'The Moon' from Duck Tales NES remastered by My New Soundtrack and 'White Castle Town' from The Secret of Evermore SNES.
5/15/20131 hour, 14 minutes, 25 seconds
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Ep. 44 - Straight Trippin' with Cool Shoes

Insert Credit is a class of characters with character classes.Questions this week:With the release of the new GTAV trailers, let's talk about what games feature the abilities to switch on-the-fly between playable characters.The new Xbox is rumored to feature linked achievements that can be rewarded across several titles. How do you foresee this being utilized?Disney gave EA exclusive rights to Star Wars game production. Which studio under EA's auspices should make them?How can The Sims 4 improve upon previous entries in the series?IMPROV ZONE: Brandon, you work at the game retail section of a department store in 2003. Tim, you're a nervous 14 year old, trying to purchase DOA XBV while your mom, Frank, is distracted but periodically keeps checking on you.Craft a themed Humble Bundle for Steam.What the hell is a MOBA and why should I care?Does Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon possess our particular brand of preferred hotness?Sony has hired you to design the competitor to Itadaki Street for the PS4. You can use any characters you want, but must use every feature of the controller.LIGHTNING ROUND: Apps to Apples (01:02:48)Edited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'MGS3 Theme' performed by YouTube user DSCAccount and 'Hidden Village' from the Twilight Princess OST.
5/8/20131 hour, 9 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 43 - Slenderman with Googly Eyes

Higher number of trucks than your average show.Questions this week:What game would you most like to play exclusively while getting your hair cut?What video game adaptation of a film being released this summer would you most like to work on?What would be the ideal premise for a video game set in Oakland, California?Which game studio has the healthiest social conscience?What would we end up with if we fused a western RPG franchise to Studio Ghibli for a reverse Kingdom Hearts?The Nintendo DS features a game called My Stop Smoking Coach. What should be happening in this game?After objectivism and patriotism, what will be the next easy low hanging target for the BioShock series?Which Belmont is best?What categories would you add to the GamePro formula of rating by graphics, sound, control, and Fun Factor?LIGHTNING ROUND: Mascot Pitch (01:02:00)Edited by Blaine Brown. Music: 'Realm Overworld' performed by YouTube user DSCAccount and 'Run' by Danny Baronowsky.
5/1/20131 hour, 12 minutes, 34 seconds
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Ep. 42 - Go Big Action or Go Home Action

Suplexing the Biggest Willy and Getting the Most Dew Done.Questions this week:Extoll the virtues of vehicle-based deathmatch multiplayer.Name a few categories you would add to the Guinness Book of World Records: Gamer's EditionIn Final Fantasy VI, Sabin is famously capable of suplexing a train. Enumerate some of the greatest feats of human strength in game characters.If not a game developer, what do you suppose Tomonobu Itagaki wanted to be when he grew up?What would be the best game to set in a 1:1 replica of our solar system?What is the 7 Year Itch of video games?Choose 4 video game symbols to appear on your Insert Credit coat of arms.If there was a King of Video Games, what would their duties be?According to the Kubler-Ross model, the 5 stages of grief, are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Which games best embody each of them?LIGHTNING ROUND: LP 2 VG (01:09:30)
4/25/20131 hour, 18 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 41 - Twenty-five Percent Hog

Questions this week:Which developer would you like to see get their hands on Star Wars video games?What's the difference between a fun video game and an entertaining one?Which number game in a series is usually the best one?How would you fix Dynasty Warriors?Design a video game that you can safely play while driving.Can you guys talk about the Wii, now that it's at the end of its life cycle?Which video game features the best leveling up system?Venusaur, Charizard, Charizard, Pikachu: KMF/Employ?Who is the unluckiest video game character?The year is 199X. The console wars are in full flame. Nintendo has hired you to offer a rebuttal campaign to "Sega Does what Nintendon't"LIGHTNING ROUND: The Jestons Meets The Flintstones Bowling. (01:00:30)
4/16/20131 hour, 11 minutes, 2 seconds
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Ep. 40 - Based on an Internet Poll, with Patrick Miller

Insert Credit talks about games with guest Patrick Miller.Questions this week:What is the no-fly underwear of video games?What are the implications of Microsoft going to the Always Online business model?Each of you gets a song in a Parappa the Rapper video game. What is it about?EA was recently voted the worst company in America. Is it even the worst video game company in America?Which video game premise features the highest stakes?What would Keita Takahashi do with 90 billion dollars?Slippy Toad, Peppy Hare, Falco Lombardi: KMF?Who would be the first 5 inductees into a video game music hall of fame?LIGHTNING ROUND: Would You Rather (53:17)
4/9/20131 hour, 10 minutes, 51 seconds
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Ep. 39 - Not David Hayter

Questions this week:What are the highlights of GDC that aren't covered by mainstream game media?Who would you like to hear in David Hayter's place to play Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid V?What are the worst things you can do when remaking a classic video game?Try to make it on TV by writing a video game themed spec script of a currently airing TV show.IMPROV ZONE: GameStop manager interviewing Brandon and Duke Nukem.If Electronic Arts did April Fool's publicity stunts, what would they be like?Review BioShock infinite as if you were bribed just the right amount above your dignity threshold to do so.How would Nintendo be different if Gunpei Yokoi were alive and with us today?LIGHTNING ROUND: Apps to Apples (55:45)
4/3/20131 hour, 6 minutes, 14 seconds
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Ep. 38 - Toad vs. Peach, with Mike Mikka

Insert Credit talks about games with guest Mike MikaQuestions this week:What's the best fishing minigame?Which FEMALE video game characters make the best role models?Other than Donkey Kong, what games feature the best single screen level design?How does one enter the world of rom hacking?How would you adapt the works of HG Wells into video games?What would be GOD HAND's equivalent to Final Fight's Street Fighter II?What is the mustache finger tattoo of video games?If you could only play Capcom games or Sega games for the rest of your life, which would it be?If Hell is personalized for each of its denizens, what would it be like for game developers?Who is the best video game dad?LIGHTNING ROUND: Elevator Pitch (01:10:25)
3/19/20131 hour, 17 minutes, 18 seconds
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Ep. 37 - Enter the Drakengard

Questions this week:What do you expect for Drakengard 3? (01:10)Do the benefits of EA's Always Online model outweigh the risks? (07:35)In many games, after you defeat an enemy, it disappears. Where does it go? (13:55)If you could eliminate one common lazy game critique from reviewers at large, what would it be? (20:10)Who would win in an actual fight among the Super Smash Bros. cast? (26:45)Assume video game music cover bands are awesome. The three of you start a videogame music cover band. Which songs do you cover, and what instruments do you play? (33:35)Best dog? (39:45)Describe Tetsuya Nomura's ideal date. (46:05)How real is video game addiction? (52:45)Which video games provide the best role models? (01:00:13)LIGHTNING ROUND:  Bottom Line Review (01:06:50)
3/12/20131 hour, 14 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep. 36 - Video Games' Greatest Mystery

Questions this week:Do you forgive games for being wacky because they're video games?What video game music would you put in a wedding playlist?Who's the best narrator in a video game?What is the mark of a video game that lends itself best to fanfiction?What video game ad campaign do you personally find the most offensive?What's the best level in a Mario game?Who would win in a fight: Raiden from Metal Gear or Raiden from Mortal Kombat?I've never played a Tomb Raider game. Is there any reason to start now?If you ever have kids, what boundaries would you draw for their video game playing?LIGHTNING ROUND: Elevator Pitches (01:01:00)
3/7/20131 hour, 7 minutes, 19 seconds
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Ep. 35 - Podcasting Sucks

Guest Host Frank Cifaldi. Regular members Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield (also Jaffe in the end).Questions this week:Design a game to save the Atari Jaguar.Which video game features the best item shop?What needs to happen for game quality to start correlating directly with game sales?If you could get away with stealing one hardly noticeable animation from a game of your choice, what would it be?If you could only play one genre or format of games for the rest of your life, what would it be?Design an iOS game where the central mechanic is your remaining battery life.Which video game character would be the ideal roommate?Diversify the catalog of purchasable items with Microsoft points.What kind of Tycoon games haven't been made?Who is the Larry the Cable Guy of video games?LIGHTNING ROUND: Reimagine Shovelware (01:13:55)Edited by Andrew Toups.
3/6/20131 hour, 26 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep. 34 - Orbistacular, with Andrew Toups and Bennett Foddy

Just finished watching the PS4 press conference? We can tell you what to think of it!Questions this week:Which Sony executives were the coolest, and which were the creepiest?What does one wear to a video game press conference?How many polygons are in a soul?Why would anyone ever use any of these PS4 social features?Do people still care about controller rumble?Is the PS4 truly "by game creators, for game creators"?Can Watch Dogs do big good game tape?How do you get someone excited about an FPS?Was it a mistake to call it the PlayStation 4? Edited by Andrew Toups.
3/5/20131 hour, 13 minutes, 16 seconds
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Ep. 33 - The Long Con

3D printing peripherals, Final Boss analysis, and Jerry Lewis analogies await you in this episode.Questions this week:What was the most painful hour of a video game you've ever played? (02:49)PK MOMS: Design an educational game for 5th graders that teaches them not to be assholes on the internet. (09:03)Is game criticism becoming more daring? (15:33)How would you run your video game convention differently than others? (21:54)What makes one Roguelike better or worse than another? (28:19)Which video game character would have your highest Enemy rating on OK Cupid? (34:00)What separates a final boss fight from a regular boss fight? (40:35)How would you make a game with a worse metascore than 8/100? (46:55)How might future games use a 3D printer? (53:31)What is the The Day The Clown Cried of Video Games? (57:55)LIGHTNING ROUND: Elevator Pitch (01:03:35)Edited by Andrew Toups.
2/28/20131 hour, 9 minutes, 31 seconds
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Ep. 32 - It'sa Me-Time

Avast! Romantic subplots, machinima, and fantasy character classes off the port bow!Questions this week:FRANK: What are the categories for the Insert Credit Awards? (01:11)RONALD WU: What is the best love story or subplot in a video game? (07:46)If American football is the best designed professional sport, what is the most poorly designed professional sport? (14:16)If you were to make a machinima series today, what game would you use? (22:56)What secret powers might video game hobbyists possess? (28:25)How would the Persona series be different if it was set in college instead of high school? (34:55)What is the absolute best character class in fantasy games? (41:12)What would you do with several million dollars to develop a game to promote scientology? (47:52)Which studios are the best at game localization? (54:20)What game has the best voice acting? (01:00:25)What would you do with a Being John Malkovich doorway into the head of Shinji Mikami? (01:01:32)LIGHTNING ROUND: Magnum Opus (01:08:00)Edited by Andrew Toups.
2/21/20131 hour, 16 minutes, 37 seconds
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Ep. 31 - Mein Krampft

Crossovers! Halo skulls! The definition of genre! All and more are discussed on this week's episode of the Insert Credit Show!Questions this week:FRANK: What would it take for you to buy a new console? (01:50)How do video games affect people worse than guns? (09:39)Where is the synergy between Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem? (16:19)Who is the Ozzy Osbourne of video games? (23:03)IMPROV ZONE: It's E3, and you're talking Shigeru Miyamoto out of his room. (29:22)Is the word "Genre" used appropriately in video games? (36:01)JOHN SIMPSON: Design a game for the Star Trek holodeck. (45:40)Which games do the best job of justifying character death? (51:48)What kind of skulls would you implement in the next Halo? (58:11)What game was the most difficult for QA testers? (01:04:37)LIGHTNING ROUND: Present Your Concept (01:10:55)Edited by Andrew Toups.
2/7/20131 hour, 15 minutes, 34 seconds
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Ep. 30 - Electro-Lester the Unlikely

This week on the Insert Credit Show, I come one step closer to realizing my destiny as the Drew Carey of Video Games. Join us on our bold attempt to add story to our show’s gameplay as we tackle the following topics.Questions this week:Deleting one video game from your memory (02:08)A Club Nintendo Makeover (10:45)Ralph Nader vs. Video Games (17:18)The deal with Team Fortress 2 and hats (23:42)Improv Zone: Two doting parents (Rogers, Cifaldi) support their nationally ranked teenage Call of Duty player (Sheffield). (29:57)Pinball Wizardry (37:12)First Person Non-Shooters (46:32)Game wiki management (53:02)Pulling game villains from the public domain (59:22)Manipulating the touch-screen interface without your fingers (01:05:42)LIGHTNING ROUND: Directors Breaking Into Video Games (01:12:35)Edited by Andrew Toups.
1/27/20131 hour, 21 minutes, 43 seconds
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Ep. 29 - Endless Walker, with Kirk Hamilton

Kotaku Features editor Kirk Hamilton joins us to talk about the definition of a power-up, video game hairstyles for your girlfriend, and why Capcom hates Mega Man.Questions this week:BioWare’s Gay Planet (02:50)Super Mario World as a Modding Community Playground (09:38)Electronic Arts president John Riccitiello vs. United States vice president Joe Biden (15:56)Modern pop artists in game music composition (22:51)Game-Inspired Hairstyles for your Girl/Boyfriend (29:10)Title schema for future Pokémon games (35:46)A report card for Platinum Games (42:20)The best power-up in a video game (and what constitutes a power-up) (52:12)Why Capcom hates Mega Man (58:33)How to inflate your game’s metascore (01:05:01)LIGHTNING ROUND: Elevator Pitch (01:11:27)Edited by Andrew Toups. Music for this episode includes Sleater Kinney’s “Oh!” and Pizzicato Five’s “Trailer Music” and “It’s a Beautiful Day”.
1/20/20131 hour, 18 minutes, 53 seconds
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Ep. 28 - The Insert Credit PS2cular

The insert credit crew eulogizes the Sony PlayStation 2 Computer Entertainment system. Also my dad interrupts.Questions this week:TIM: Which PlayStation 2 games did you first get? (01:39)Other than the obvious increase in hardware capability, how did the PS2 era compare to the PS1? (08:20)If you were 10 years younger, would you have bought a PS2 over the GameCube, Xbox, and Dreamcast? (14:36)How did GTA San Andreas become the best-selling PS2 game? (21:06)What functions can Sony build into the PS4? (27:26)What was the weirdest game on the PS2? (33:49)Is there no room for improvement over the DualShock? (40:02)What will finally doom the PlayStation? (46:53)Has the PlayStation 3 lived up to the PlayStation 2's legacy? (53:18)What epitaph would you write for the PlayStation 2? (59:35)LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review (01:05:55)Edited by Andrew Toups.
1/13/20131 hour, 11 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 27 - Insert Credit Annual #1, with Kris Graft

The first installment of an annual series wherein we determine, at least for this year, what may be empirically be considered the Best Game of All Time.Final List:Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)Chrono Trigger (SNES)Tetris (Various)OutRun 2 (Arcade)Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike (Arcade)EarthBound (SNES)Mother 3 (GBA)God Hand (PS2)The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (GB)The Secret of Monkey Island (DOS)Half-Life 2 (PC)Another World (Amiga)Sid Meier’s Civilization (PC)Bonk’s Revenge (TurboGrafx-16)Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)Minecraft (PC)Cave Story (PC)Super Metroid (SNES)Final Fantasy Tactics (PS)PONG (PONG)Edited by Andrew Toups.
1/1/20131 hour, 44 minutes, 50 seconds
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Ep. 26 - 2012 Retrospectacular

Frank looks back on the defining moment of 2012, Tim tells us about things he would rather eat than play video games, and Brandon is there too.Questions this week:What's your favorite snow level in a video game? (00:55)What was the most memorable moment in video games this year? (07:43)What was the greatest disappointment in video games this year? (14:01)Who won 2012? (20:19)Who was Video Games' Person of the Year? (26:33)Complete this sentence: 2012 was the year of the ___. (32:55)Does the Vita or the Wii U show greater promise? (39:26)What should video games make their New Year's Resolution? (45:52)What will be the game of the year next year? (50:02)Was this a good year? (01:02:30)LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review (01:09:10)Edited by Andrew Toups. Music from The Zombies (“This Will Be Our Year”) and Neu! (Fur Immer).
12/27/20121 hour, 18 minutes, 51 seconds
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Ep. 25 - Grateful Deadly, with Jordan Morris

Jordan, Jesse GO! cohost Jordan Morris joins us to talk about Chun-Li, side question, and Adrien Brody.Questions this week:Video games of Christmas Past (02:27)Fighting games as an Olympic event (09:14)Comedy in Japanese games vs. comedy in American games (15:39)Adrien Brody’s Predators: The Official Game of the Movie (22:06)Santa Games (27:05)What defines a good side quest (33:16)Chun-Li as a sex icon (33:16)Mid-nineties mascot design (46:09)The Grateful Dead of video games? (55:50)A GOD HAND Christmas Miracle (01:00:43)LIGHTNING ROUND (01:04:55)Edited by Andrew Toups. Music: Lemon Demon – BRODYQUEST, Add N to (X) – Metal Fingers In My Body, Add N to (X) – Revenge Of The Black Regent
12/21/20121 hour, 18 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 24 - GOTY 2012 Speculationtacular

We asked you for your nominations for the Game of the Year. Now let us tell you why those are all terrible.The List:XCOM: Enemy UnknownJourneyThe Walking DeadDishonoredMax Payne 3Tokyo JungleFar Cry 3Borderlands 2Halo 4Hotline MiamiFire Emblem AwakeningGuild Wars 2Dragon Quest XGunlordFaster Than LightMass Effect 3Tales of Graces ƒClash of ClansEdited by Andrew Toups. Music: “Somebody That I Used To Know”, Gotye
12/14/20121 hour, 26 minutes, 29 seconds
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Ep. 23 - Antcopter

Another live show means discussion abounds regarding the new SimCity, the Spike VGAs, and the most pretentious video game ever made.Questions this week:Q*Bert, narrated (02:06)Anatomy of a Fake Gamer (05:35)What video games feature the most interesting internal economy? (11:27)What would you like to be able to do in the new SimCity? (17:54)What categories would you add to the Spike TV Game Awards? (24:18)What music would you license for the next GTA? (31:00)Design Wikipedia: The Game. (35:09)How did video games come to be stereotyped as a male activity? (40:26)Which character archetypes could afford to disappear from games for a while? (47:06)What's the most pretentious video game ever made? (53:32)LIGHTNING ROUND: Famous Historical Figure (01:01:28)Edited by Andrew Toups. Music: Francoise Hardy – “Le Temps d’Amour”, Jacques Dutronc – “Les Playboys”, France Gall – “Teeny Weeny Boppie”, and Francoise Hardy – “Ce Petit Coeur”
12/9/20121 hour, 10 minutes, 11 seconds
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Ep. 22 - I, Gradius

The Four Guys get together to livestream some real talk about fighting game spinoffs, rail shooters, and the Mayan apocalypse.Questions this week:Brandon’s homework assignment. Which RPG puzzles have you particularly actually enjoyed? (01:20)Why don't fighting game spin-offs work out? (06:00)What are the best ways to implement your phone's GPS into a mobile game? (12:23)Is there any good reason to keep making rail shooters? (17:40)How would you redraft ESRB policy? (24:02)In the context of video games, when is it okay to use the word "epic"? (30:17)What non-video game jobs would prepare you most to work in video games? (36:55)How will the impending Mayan apocalypse affect the video game industry? (44:54)Has there ever been a minigame better than the game it was in? (51:17)Redesign Minesweeper as a Tetsuya Nomura RPG. (57:52)LIGHTNING ROUND: Sacred Cow Barbecue (01:04:10)Edited by Andrew Toups.
12/2/20121 hour, 12 minutes, 56 seconds
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Ep. 21 - Grim Fans Dango, with Patrick Miller

Tim, Frank, Brandon and Patrick Miller discuss Skyrim with guns, Tim Schafer's fanbase, and the Fender Stratocaster.Questions this week:What is your favorite game where mistakes are as important as what you do on purpose? (01:50)What will the hallmarks be of the Wii U console generation? (08:07)What games would be better with guns in them? (14:38)How would you design a Capcom franchise restaurant? (20:59)Who would win in a fight between Kratos and Bayonetta? (27:25)When was the exact point in time that talking about video games in public became socially acceptable? (33:20)Which artists would you put on the soundtrack for a Metroid movie? (39:48)DANIEL CLELLAND: What is the Fender Stratocaster of video games? (46:09)What would a game entirely solicited by Tim Schafer's fanbase be like? (52:25)How can we make visual novels more popular in America? (59:00)LIGHTNING ROUND: I'm going to name 12 Japanese pornographic games, and you have to reimagine them as non-pornographic games. (01:08:00)Edited by Andrew Toups. Music, Brainlord: “Natural Cave”, Shuggie Otis: “Purple”, “Sparkle City”.
11/25/20121 hour, 18 minutes, 22 seconds
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Ep. 20 - 9 Cent Convenience Fee, with Patrick Miller

Brandon's adventures in the Far East can only mean the return of Patrick Miller! Level editors, the Duckiverse, and swimsuit design are discussed.Questions this week:What exactly defines a roleplaying game? (02:03)JASON YOUNG: Which video games should be used as recruiting devices in the tradition of The Last Starfighter? (08:30)What would Warren Spector's DuckTales be like? (14:46)Which video game features the best built-in level editor? (22:55)You encounter someone who "plays video games for the story." What games can you assume they own? (29:09)What would happen if a pinball table and a jazz band had a million weird babies? (34:17)There has not been a female protagonist in a Rockstar game since GTA 1. Can Rockstar make a game within their wheelhouse with a female lead? (39:48)What would you include in the next Dead or Alive swimsuit pack? (46:15)What is the most difficult type of video game to review? (51:48)LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Reviews: Console Edition (57:10)Edited by Andrew Toups.
11/11/20121 hour, 9 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 19 - Interactacular

The Lost Fully Interactive Podcast 19.Questions this week:Who are the best mothers in video games? (02:14)If you had to get a video game neck tattoo, what would it be? (08:28)What is the Rugrats Movie of video games? (14:44)When was the first time you got a boner while playing a video game? (20:54)Who would win in a fight: Seanbaby or Yahtzee? (27:10)What would you put on the soundtrack of a new Idolmaster game? (34:35)Design a video game based on the life of Miley Cyrus. (40:30)IMPROV ZONE: You've just been appointed the President of Video Games. You are addressing the public as your leader, making your inaugural address. (46:58)LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review (52:48)Edited by Andrew Toups. Music ‘Tristram Village’ from Diablo I and II, ‘Level 1 Theme’ from Marble Madness, and ‘Backyard’ from Rugrats Search for Reptar
11/9/201255 minutes, 51 seconds
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Ep. 18 - Gamesptoptp

The Core Three give us the scoop on Polygon, the LucasArts buyout, and preorder bonuses.Questions this week:FRANK: Adapt Sanford and Son into a video game. (01:52)Are we in the Golden Age of video game journalism? (08:55)How effective are preorder bonuses as a marketing strategy? (15:10)What is the best Atlus game? (21:19)Explaining Dishonored to your mom. (27:30)What does Disney buying out LucasArts mean for videogames? (34:51)What expectations can we extrapolate for Portal 3? (41:08)Why the hell are Square Enix mobile games like 15 bucks? (47:25)Who is the PT Barnum of video games? (53:51)What was the deal with that handle on the back of the GameCube? (01:00:19)LIGHTNING ROUND: MathM: Pitch me some games to relay to my dad, David Jaffe. (01:06:44)Edited by Andrew Toups.
11/2/20121 hour, 13 minutes, 58 seconds
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Ep. 17 - Halloween SpecDRACULAr, with Vito Gesualdi

Vito Ghostualdi joins Frankenstein Cifaldi, The Grim Rogers, and that other guy to share spooky stories.Questions this week:Which video game franchises could benefit from a Halloween-themed entry? (04:38)Explain the relationship between Count Dracula and Death in the Castlevania series. (10:34)What are some easy video game costume ideas? (17:05)How do you make zombie games interesting again? (23:23)Why is Pac-Man chased by ghosts? (30:37)Come up with a better localized name for the Biohazard series than Resident Evil. (36:55)What would the Insert Credit DOOM .wad be? (43:26)Nemesis, Pyramid Head, Scissor Man: KMF? (49:43)What's the scariest video game ever made? (55:20)LIGHTNING ROUND: Frightening Round (01:02:17)Edited by Andrew Toups. Art and Story by Gilbert Smith.
10/28/20121 hour, 10 minutes, 4 seconds
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Ep. 16 - Jump on the Giant Chicken, with Kris Graft

Gamasutra Editor in Chief Kris Graft shares his opinions on region locking, naming your characters, and the battle capabilities of Fat Princess.Questions this week:Christian Nutt’s homework (01:10)What is the deal with regional lockout? (09:53)How may video game enthusiasts tastefully decorate their living spaces to reflect their hobby? (16:11)Let's ruin Halo 4 for our listeners. (22:38)Which games should come pre-installed with the next version of Windows? (29:08)What would video games be like if Dead or Alive fans got everything they wanted? (35:31)XCOM 2012 is to XCOM 1994 as... (43:06)DANIEL CLELLAND: What's the best mounted weapon in a video game? (49:28)Who would win in a fight: Sweet Tooth or Fat Princess? (55:46)Which fictional video game character would you write into the presidential ballot? (01:02:09)LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review (01:08:34) Edited by Andrew Toups.
10/19/20121 hour, 18 minutes, 6 seconds
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Ep. 15 - Not Famous Anymore, with Christian Nutt

Christian Nutt returns by popular demand for discussion of up and coming game developers, the next career move for CliffyB, and promotional t-shirts.Questions this week:Think of a popular video game from the past 6 years that you really dislike, and say something nice about it. (07:39)If you were the curators of The Smithsonian's "The Art of Video Games," what would you put on display? (14:08)Which up-and-coming rookie game developers show the most promise in their future careers? (20)Devise Waluigi's solo video game debut. (26:56)THIS MACHINE KILLS FASCISTS: Design the ideal games for the other panelists, but they can only comment with colder and hotter. (33:24)What's next for CliffyB? (40:40)Which video game would be best adapted into an HBO miniseries? (47:00)What messages would you send back in time to video game companies in 2006? (52:04)When is it okay and when is it not okay to wear a video game t-shirt? (59:08)LIGHTNING ROUND: Name the Review (01:04:37)Edited by Andrew Toups.
10/12/20121 hour, 15 minutes, 13 seconds
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Ep. 14 - Train Hard, with Bennett Foddy

QWOP creator Bennett Foddy joins us to talk about stuff. Stuff like Alan Moore, air dropping video games, and an actual Nintendo theme park.Questions this week:How do we get people back into arcades? (02:32)We know what a AAA video game is, but what's an A, AA, or AAAA video game? (08:53)When is DLC worth buying? (15:17)What are the best underwater segments in video games? (21:49)Who is the Alan Moore of video games? (28:07)If you could send 3 portable games on one device to everybody in the world, what would they be? (35:55)What would be the attractions of a real Nintendoland? (42:28)What company should Capcom fight next? (48:51)How would you explain QWOP/Noby Noby Boy to your mom? (55:17)My sister asks: Which video game character would have the most trolls on Twitter? (01:02:20)Edited by Andrew Toups.
10/5/20121 hour, 9 minutes, 30 seconds
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Ep. 13 - Shave and a Haircut, with Justin McElroy

Jaffe tries his best not to sound like a psychopath while the host of My Brother My Brother and Me podcast Justin McElroy chats with us about Sony's trophy system, games we got as gifts, and speed running.Questions this week:You've been evicted from your home and are being relocated to a city or town from a video game of your choice. Where do you go? (03:26)What is the philosophical difference between Microsoft's Gamerscore system and Sony's trophy system? (09:38)Who would win in a fight: Sid Meier or American McGee? (15:40)LEONARDO: Do you remember any game you got as a gift that you thought would suck, but was actually pretty neat? (22:00)You have to make a game to appeal to the Brony subculture, but do not have the My Little Pony license. (28:27)Write instructions to Final Fantasy: The Board Game. (36:20)What should our cubicle-bound listeners be playing in their browsers at work while the boss isn't looking? (40:18)Rank these games from best to worst: Mass Effect 3, Borderlands 2, Xenoblade Chronicles, Journey. (46:53)Yahoo Answers question: PlayStation account hacking addiction? I want to stop but I'm too addicted. (52:56)What are the hallmarks of a video game ideal for speedrunning? (59:33)LIGHTNING ROUND: Video Game Name (01:05:50)Edited by Andrew Toups.
9/28/20121 hour, 18 minutes, 49 seconds
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Ep. 12 - (#episodename), with Hamish Todd

Action Button Dot Net columnist and Music of the Spheres developer Hamish Todd makes a special appearance to discuss cosplay, surprise sequels, and high luncheon.Questions this week:What do we have to look forward to if the Wii U builds itself as a home for potentially dead franchises? (03:42)If you were judging a cosplay competition, which costumes would be most likely to win? (10:07)Which console featured the absolute best launch library? (16:17)What is one video game that you will never, ever play, and why? (22:33)Who would win in a fight: Doctor Wily or Doctor Robotnik? (28:50)Do you feel your work is appreciated? (36:30)What would a Mario game be like where you played as a Goomba? (43:03)If you could grab the novelization rights to any video game, which would you get, and how would you use it? (49:12)Which video game soundtracks are most notable for their use of uncommonly heard instruments? (55:36)What is the worst idea for a game that has never been released that you've ever heard? (01:01:50)LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review (01:08:17)Edited by Andrew Toups.
9/21/20121 hour, 14 minutes, 45 seconds
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Ep. 11 - Big Head Mode, with Adam Saltsman

The Insert Credit Crew is joined by CANABALT creator Adam Saltsman to discuss the appeal of giant robots, to design a game for my old Nokia cell phone, and to play "Kill, Marry, Boff" Round 3.Questions this week:What is your favorite depiction in a video game of Hell? (03:56)What is it about about giant robots that people find so appealing? (10:11)What can we expect from Grand Theft Auto 20? (15:39)John Romero, Jonathan Blow, CliffyB: KMF? (22:05)JASON YOUNG: Other than Final Fantasy VII, what other games might benefit from a de-make? (28:35)First we lost Nintendo Power, now G4 is going off the air. What's the next video game celebrity death? (36:50)What is your dream video game crossover? (42:55)Pitch me a mobile game for the Nokia cellphone I had in high school. (49:08)Which Valve headliner will have the greatest impact on video games: Greenlight, Steam TV, or Steam's VR headset? (55:26)If Valve is the Pixar of Video Games, then who's the Dreamworks of Video Games? (01:02:20)LIGHTNING ROUND: Who would you cast? (01:08:11) Edited by Andrew Toups.
9/12/20121 hour, 21 minutes
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Ep. 10 - My Neighbor Totilo, with Stephen Totilo

Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo debates with us over the validity of video game nostalgia, online comment systems, and the sanctity of the Warthog.Questions this week:All of your games and consoles have been stolen, but you do have a $1,000 GameStop gift card that expires at the end of the week. How do you spend it? (03:14)Which games have most innovatively used the DualShock controller? (09:46)Has a video game ever made you cry? (16:08)What are the most embarrassing comments you've seen on an online video game article? (22:16)What can we the viewers expect from the upcoming Metal Gear Solid movie? (28:36)What are the biggest mistakes to avoid when designing a dungeon? (37:36)How can the Tony Hawk franchise stage a comeback? (43:59)JOEX111: How would you design a great game around a daytime soap opera while staying true to the spirit of the show? (50:15)Create a mixtape of video game music to listen to while driving your car. (56:38)What's the best video game quote to put on your tombstone?(01:03:00)LIGHTNING ROUND: Corporate Slogans (01:04:04)Edited by Tim Rogers.
9/7/20121 hour, 14 minutes, 5 seconds
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Ep. 9 - Al Pacino’s Vegas Adventure, with Brent Porter

Action Button Entertainment art director Brent Porter hangs out for some real talk about BioWare, escort missions, and how to make D-Day interesting again.Questions this week:What can horror games do to effectively scare players? (02:36)What is the correct way to establish lore in a video game series? (08:54)ANNA P. What's the best food item in a game? (15:09)Where's the best real world location to set a Metroidvania? (20:46)Is BioWare really the Joss Whedon of video games? (27:02)How can war games make D-Day interesting again? (36:41)Defend the oft-maligned escort mission. (42:59)Which real life sport translates most accurately into its video game counterpart? (49:08)What will the repercussions be once Wreck-It Ralph shatters all of the box office records? (55:31)…and a special Game Show Round! (01:03:30)Edited by Andrew Toups.
8/31/20121 hour, 17 minutes, 24 seconds
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Ep. 8 - Panza Vision, with Vito Gesualdi

Hollywood Correspondent Vito Gesualdi pops in to talk about Nintendo Power, Turbo Play, and MAD Magazine.Questions this week:What would you have to say at Nintendo Power's wake? (02:11)Design a game based on Don Quixote. (08:38)How did the "shoot-them-up" genre become so culturally linked to the "moe" aesthetic? (14:57)Who would win in a fight between Gabe Newell and Gabe from Penny Arcade? (21:25)What would you do with the foreknowledge of how the game industry would develop 10 years ago? (27:47)How much would you value the only US copy of Final Fantasy II? (35:47)How can we bridge the gap between those who exclusively play sports games, and people who play everything but sports games? (42:10)Is the OnLive service worth saving? (48:37)What's the best ridablanimal in a video game? (55:01)Aaron Cortelyu: What's wrong with the Souls series? (01:01:21)LIGHTNING ROUND: Come up with as many Mad Magazine title parodies as you can in 3 minutes. (01:07:56)Edited by Andrew Toups.
8/23/20121 hour, 13 minutes
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Ep. 7 - Gamer Grub, with Patrick Miller

Insert Credit regular Patrick Miller joins us to talk about Gamescom, players of video games, and warthog drifting.Questions this week:What distinguishes Gamescom from other industry events? (01:17)Were there any GameCube games with good voice acting? (07:28)What is the best feeling vehicle in a video game? (13:42)MICHAEL STERNS: What are your least favorite industry buzzwords? (19:50)Would you rather play a Pokemon MMO or an Animal Crossing MMO? (26:10)Who is the William Hung of video games? (33:41)Rank all the games in the Halo series from best to worst. (39:54)How can we streamline the character customization process without losing nuance? (46:10)What are some films every gamer must watch? (52:44)Design 8 new Robot Masters for the next Mega Man game. (58:50)LIGHTNING ROUND: Bottom Line Review (01:03:20)Edited by Andrew Toups.
8/17/20121 hour, 9 minutes, 35 seconds
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Ep. 6 - Seattle Rhythm, with Christian Nutt

Fresh off his article on The Bouncer, Christian Nutt joins the gang to discuss unkept Fable promises, using the -san suffix in English writing, and Charizard.Questions this week:In game design, where is the line between difficult and unfair? (03:30)How has the beat-em-up genre evolved in the past 20 years? (09:35)Who would win in a fight: Master Chief or Charizard? (15:53)Design a game for the Oculus Rift visor. (21:57)Why is the Tales Of series worth my time if I've played literally any other JRPG? (28:10)What's the prettiest looking video game ever made? (36:36)Cavia was originally founded to make video game adaptations of Studio Ghibli movies. Would that have been a good idea? (42:53)How did you envision the falsely prophesied perfect Fable game? (49:10)LUKE MAXWELL: Why is Dragon Quest X the way that it is? (55:30)What is the most embarrassing article you've ever written? (01:02:05)LIGHTNING ROUND: Spoil as many video game endings as you can in the next 3 minutes. (01:09:22)Edited by Andrew Toups.
8/10/20121 hour, 13 minutes, 42 seconds
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Ep. 5 - Tactical Freakout, with Shawn McGrath

This week the Insert Credit gang is joined by Dyad creator Shawn McGrath to discuss weapon design, NPC dialogue, and the rigidity of Johnny Wadd.Questions this week:What is the most fun weapon in a video game? (02:18)In an MMO addiction clinic, what would be used as methadone? (08:36)NORBERT LEVEJSIK: Who is the Johnny Wadd of video games? (10:52)Pitch DYAD as a Saturday morning cartoon. (16:58)What studio would you cede control of Kingdom Hearts to: Atlus, Level 5, or Cavia? (21:40)Can we actually see a good Superman game in our lifetime? (29:42)If you were Doctor Robotnik, how would you finally beat Sonic the Hedgehog? (35:54)Rank these from best to worst: Spec Ops The Line, Marble Madness 2, Shank (42:08)What's the best way to make a living in the video game industry? (48:14)What bands and artists would you recommend to people who primarily listen to video game music? (53:10)LIGHTNING ROUND: You have 5 minutes to write as much dialogue as possible for NPCs in a 90s Japanese RPG. (59:50)Edited by Andrew Toups.
8/3/20121 hour, 6 minutes, 39 seconds
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Ep. 4 - Dr Pepper Hot Dog Cafe

Those Three Guys (tim, brandon, frank) return for a fourth helping of no-nonsense questioneering. Join us for a hearty discussion of Metacritic, Monster World, and mouse livers. Questions this week:Is Bonk's Adventure better than Monster World? (03:40)How useful are score aggregation websites like Metacritic? (10:29)To what extent did Sega do what Nintendon't? (16:47)In the year 2027, what will video games be like for cats? (20:31)Is Steam a plague or a blessing? (26:55)Solid Snake, Duke Nukem, Marcus Fenix: KMF? (33:10)NICHOLAS LEIVILLEI: What are the best or worst lessons a video game taught you? (37:46)How would you run a paper and ink video game magazine with unlimited resources? (44:12)Who is the most tragic character in a video game? (50:31)You and your friends are prank calling GameStop. What kind of calls do you make? (57:17)LIGHTNING ROUND: Final Fantasy (01:03:40)Edited by Andrew Toups.
7/27/20121 hour, 9 minutes, 11 seconds
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Ep. 3 - Shagargamel

Is your body ready for one full hour of frank, tim, and brandon discussing time as a game design mechanic, the value of the PlayStation Vita, and how to explain Hyperdimension Neptunia to your mom? Because if so then oh man do we have a treat for you!Questions this week:What distinguishes the Ouya from every other attempt to create the Uber Console? (03:11)Which games best utilize the concept of time? (08:06)Who would win in a fight: Arkham City Batman or LEGO Batman? (14:53)What's inside Molyneux's box? (21:19)What is the Seinfeld of video games? (27:02)Write a more robust story mode for a Dead or Alive: Xtreme Beach Volleyball sequel. (33:37)AARON BOAG: Is the PS Vita actually worth buying right now? (39:24)Can love bloom even on shagagamer.com? (45:44)What would the Insert Credit webcomic have been like in 2000? (52:10)Explain Hyperdimension Neptunia to your mom. (58:28)LIGHTNING ROUND: Action Button Style (01:01:25)Edited by Andrew Toups.
7/18/20121 hour, 5 minutes, 38 seconds
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Ep. 2 - Citizen Bonk

frank cifaldi, tim rogers, and brandon sheffield once again join us to discuss kickstarter, the history of achievements, and the meltdown of 38 Studios.Questions this week:Is Bonk's Adventure better than Super Mario Bros? (04:35)What are the ingredients of a good boss battle? (11:02)What achievements would you shoehorn into classic video games? (17:16)How can a game be easy without being boring? (23:47)What new Pokemon would you incorporate into the next generation? (30:03)UPIE: Who would win in a fight: the game industry, or the alternative medicine industry? (35:47)The Penny Arcade kickstarter: brilliant, deplorable, or hilarious? (38:40)What video game has the best title? (45:04)What are your impressions of the fighting game community? (51:17)Why should or shouldn't we be terrified by the meltdown of 38 Studios? (57:44)Is a video game's ending really that important? (01:04:55)Which development studio do you wish could return from the dead? (01:05:27)What video game have you put more hours into playing than any other? (01:06:07)What exactly is so exciting about Source Filmmaker? (01:06:38)Edited by Andrew Toups.
7/11/20121 hour, 8 minutes, 17 seconds
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Ep. 1 - Happy Birthday, Charles Manson

This week frank cifaldi, tim rogers, and brandon sheffield join us to discuss Hideo Kojima, how to make MMOs fun, and skellingtons.Questions this week:What were some neat features of the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii that were never utilized to their full potential? (05:22)MMOs: How can we make them fun? (11:09)In the era of GameFAQs, how can easter eggs and cheat codes survive? (17:38)Give an elevator pitch to Nintendo for a new console peripheral. (23:46)What is the next big thing after zombies and vampires in video games? (29:55)Hideo Kojima, Shigesato Itoi, Fumito Ueda: KMF? (36:16)Who is the Charles Manson of video games? (42:11)If you could erase one video game and its influence from the time stream, what would it be? (45:00)How has Metal Gear Solid affectd the video game landscape for better or worse? (51:20)In Resident Evil 6, your character can move around while they shoot. Is this a good thing? (01:00:00)Who would you cast next for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale? (01:00:40)Voice acting in Zelda: can it happen, can it be good? (01:01:21)
7/3/20121 hour, 2 minutes, 3 seconds