Retrovaniacs

We conclude our FFVII coverage (see our most recent bonus shows for patrons on FFVII Advent Children and our round-table about Remake) with a look at the startlingly different take on the FFVII gameplay with Final Fantasy VII : Dirge of Cerberus for the PlayStation 2!  This game let you play as Vincent in a mostly solo adventure that wasn't an RPG but a 3rd person shooter with RPG elements, and we...

We're covering another request - Suikoden for the PlayStation!  This game is a classic style JRPG that adds a large cast of playable characters, large scale battles, and an upgrade system that allows you to really modify your party in many ways.  This game led to a series that was prevalent on the PlayStation 1 and 2, but has faded out over the years, although there is an HD remaster on the way. ...

It's our first episode of 2024, and we're starting it off with a Patron requested game, Body Harvest for the Nintendo 64 as picked by Joey H.!  This game was developed by the company that would go on to make Grand Theft Auto III and change the landscape, and it has a lot of the things we'd see in that game-- but is there a reason this never had the success as their later offerings?  We'll tell you...

As we hit the end of 2023, we're looking back at our favorite games of the year, somme disappointments, and the games we've covered. Really though?  We answered your mail.  As always, it was a wide range of questions that are probably not suitable for the kids.  So put on some headphones, and enjoy as we clean out our mailbox and prep for 2024.  Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food,...

We love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - in the arcades, NES, and SNES we've had some great games, but we had never played the TMNT counterpart to Turtles in Time -- TMNT : The Hyperstone Heist. Now we have, and we're here to talk about it. And we've got another bonus for your Turtles fans-- after our episode we have posted the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) movie review from Movie Smash! -...

Gather round the dinner table, because this year we're bringing you a puzzle game feast!  We're serving up talk on 3 different puzzlers on 3 different consoles - arguably 4!  First up, we're going to visit the Game Boy to take on Kwirk (he's A-MAZE-ing), then the Game Boy Advance for Egg Mania, and finally we finish off our meal with some NES/SNES action with Yoshi's Cookie! And as any good meal s...

It's a Patron request for our final episode of Retroween2023, as we take on Illbleed for the Sega Dreamcast! We steel our nerves, and venture into an amusement park that is designed to kill you, and perhaps Billy had one too many Hassy's beforehand. Want to jump right into the game?  Start at the 9:00 mark! Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food, or really anything over at  https://dis...

For our first #retroween2023 episode on the main feed, we're taking a look at Eternal Darkness!  This horror game on the GameCube has never come out for another console, but is also highly regarded.  We're playing it again this year and giving our thoughts on how it holds up today! Also we take on some of your questions including how we get ready for Halloween! Want to jump right into the game?  S...

We're digging into the sequel to Legacy of Kain, which takes the top-down evil Zelda style Playstation gane and turns it into a 3d evil Zelda style Playstation game - but is that transition a successful one?  Does it still have that Legacy of Kain feel, even though you aren't playing as Kain? This was a patron request, and at least one of us hadn't really played it before, so we did - and we're he...

For the first time, we're reviewing a game that never made it out to North America!  Thanks to patron "The 16-Bit Big Boss", we're taking a look at Terranigma! It's an action-RPG from the people behind Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia, but this third game in this thematic trilogy never made it to our shores. It's often referenced on people's top 10 SNES games,  but what did we think?  Listen to fi...

I think we're gonna need a bigger boat for this episode, because it's the summer, Jeremy P is at the beach, and that means he's thinking about sharks.  So, we're talking about Jaws for the NES! Want to jump right to the game?  Start around the 11:00 mark! Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food, or really anything over at  https://discord.gg/pb76x32uWY __________________________ If you...

Last year we brought you Oops! All Mail! and we cleared out a ton of mail.  Since then, you've all been busy sending us questions that we usually answer at the end of each show, and we've got way more than we can handle in short bursts, so for the second time we're doing an entire show to answer the questions you've sent!  It's the Retrovaniacs All Mail Revue! Want to jump right in?  Rip open that...

Oh hey - it's a Turbografx game, but wait!  It wasn't picked by Jeremy P-- this one is a patron pick! Kevin asked us to cover Cratermaze, an early action puzzler for the console! And it's one Jeremy P even hadn't played before! Also covered, jerks from video games, food that only a hobo would eat, and probably some more talk of Stardew Valley. Want to jump right in?  Dig to the 10 minute mark! Joi...

We didn't plan on covering two graphic adventures in a row, but both were patron requests, and this time Drew on Patreon has requested we play the Sega CD game, Rise of the Dragon!  This cyberpunk detective game places you as Blade Hunter, sent to find out how and why the mayor's daughter was killed, and we found out - but should you?  Listen to hear our thoughts. Also discussed, maybe we all star...

Aye, matey! We're gathered here at the SCUMM Bar in Melee Island to talk about a graphic adventure requested by one of you Patrons - The Secret of Monkey Island! Ported to Sega CD, this was originally a PC game that put you in the shoes of unlikely pirate, Guybrush Threepwood, and follows his quest to become a pirate and in the process defeat the evil ghost pirate LeChuck! If you like classic poin...

As requested by patron Robert C. (find him at https://www.tiktok.com/@robertcarr75 ), we're taking a look at the NES version of Bionic Commando!  A completely different game than the arcade game of the same name, Capcom made this a full adventure with equippable items, minor puzzles, and a much longer mission - but did this game's awkward mechanical arm work well in lieu of jumping?  We're playing...

This time on Retrovaniacs, we're taking on a Patron request to cover Red Earth, Capcom's "lost" arcade fighter that has recently been released on consoles on the Capcom Fighting Collection!  Is this a game that we're lucky to try out finally after over 25 years, or was this better left as a footnote in their arcade catalog? We also talk video game hot takes, Ys games, and Jeremy P gets an interest...

Remember when Squaresoft put out a classic 2d shooter for the Playstation? Well, we're going to play it again and talk about it this time as we discuss Einhander! Does this shooter hold up today, or is this a case where maybe an RPG studio shouldn't have branched this far out? As always we discuss some other games we've been playing, and of course answer listener mail from folks with questionable...

Grab your favorite chaps and cowboy hats - because we're taking on a game requested by Julian over on our Patreon, he's asked us to saddle up and play Red Dead Revolver, the 2004 prequel to Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption series. Does this game hit a bullseye, or is this game better off sent out to pasture? Also this episode, Jeremy G is back and we've got a ton of listener mail about memorable gam...

In excitement for Pikmin 4, Jeremy P takes us on a journey into the world of Pikmin. Is this a game for you?  If you haven't played it, he's going to try and sell you on it, and if you have and didn't care for it, maybe we can convince you to try it again! Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food, or really anything over at https://discord.gg/pb76x32uWY __________________________ If you...

As requested by Todd from our Patreon, we're taking a look at Black Belt for the Sega Master System.  At first glance, this seems like Sega's take on Kung Fu, but there may be some more here than meets the eye. We also take on your questions regarding our earliest gaming memories, memories with grandpa, and some talk of Royal Farms chicken. Again. Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food...

This time we're taking on another Patron requested game, as we return to another non-standard Pokemon game, the photography challenge Pokemon Snap! How does this game hold up today, and if you wanted to try it yourself, it's a fairly recent addition to the Switch N64 library, but we'll still give our opinions on it as well. As always we tackle a handful of listener mail, and discuss other games we...

After an unexpected December break, we're back with a Patron requested episode on The Pagemaster - a platformer based on the Macaulay Culkin movie of the same name.  Is this a case where a licensed game holds up regardless of your thoughts on the movie?  We played it with little to no knowledge of the film, and shared our thoughts! We also reached back into our mailbag to discuss what would make t...

In honor of Thanksgiving this year, we're talking all about 4 different games that have (sometimes very loosely tied) food related themes to them for the Atari 2600!  We're talking about Fast Food, Burgertime, Joust, and Plaque Attack!  How does Joust make any sense to add here?  Listen to find out! Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food, or really anything over at https://discord.gg/p...

As requested by Patron Jeremy S, we're taking a look at Wario's 3rd outing on the NES handheld, Wario Land 3! Additionally, Jeremy G returns to Retrovaniacs, and tells us all about what he's been up to, and we answer some listener mail on pre-buy bonuses, cross-genre games, and more! Want to start collecting treasures? Waaaaah over to that 14:00 mark! Join us over on our Discord to meet Logan or j...