Blowing Cartridges

11 Years ago, in March 2011 the Nintendo 3DS was launched. After selling over 75 million consoles, 11 years later the 3DS is no longer found in stores, and the console's online store, the Nintendo eShop will be taken offline on March 27, 2023.   On this episode, Brendan and Zach are joined by friend of the show Luke to discuss their respective thoughts and experiences with the 3DS. Topics discuss...

Remember fond memories of pushing your older brother off a couch as he was about to beat you for the fifteenth time on Rainbow Road on the N64? Recall forcing your friends to use the third-party controller of dubious quality when they came over to play games with you?   Joined by Josh from the Podcast Nintenvania, this episode revolves around co-operative gaming, specifically that of local, 'couch...

In the context of PAX Aus 2022 and the commentary surrounding the limited presence of major publishers on the show floor, Zach and Brendan take a dive to discuss the growing commercial role indie games have in the current gaming landscape.   Particularly focusing on the realm of consoles, the discussion focuses on the strengths of indie games, why they aren't going anywhere and ultimately the syne...

Political systems are all around us in everyday life, but how are they represented in video games? From masquerading as tech upgrades in strategy games to providing overlays for games like SimCity, references to politics litter the gaming landscape.    Brendan, using his finest rambling techniques, takes Zach along for a wide ranging discussion on how political systems appear and are represented i...

Why is speedrunning a phenomenon in gaming that holds such high regard? Is there a difference between skill-based completing a game as quickly as possible or finding glitches to exploit to 'unnaturally' cut the length of a game down? What is the attraction of setting artificial limitations on oneself when playing a game?   It is these questions and more that Zach and Brendan attempt to dive into o...

In a belated Easter special episode, Brendan and Zach conduct a deep dive into video game Easter Eggs. Starting with a overview of the history of Easter Eggs and the duo's favourite examples, this episode quickly devolves into a lengthy discussion about one infamous Easter Egg in particular - Totaka's song   Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at blowin...

Often in conversations amongst gaming enthusiasts, 'simple games' are viewed with contempt as preference is given to large, cinematic and seemingly complex experiences. But are mobile games really inherently different to console and PC games? Are simple games really simplistic or is there a hidden depth in this experiences that makes them compelling to play.   Joining Zach and Brendan for this epi...

Thus far, the video game industry in 2022 has been marked by a number of acquisitions amongst the major gaming industry publishers and platform holders. From Microsoft acquiring Activision to Sony acquiring Bungie, it appears that the industry is increasingly consolidating before our eyes.   Joining Brendan and Zach to discuss this topic is Matt Sainsbury from Digitally Downloaded, who has been no...

Throughout the history of Blowing Cartridges, Brendan and Zach have often conversed about assessing whether a game is good based on a number of criteria ranging from review scores to gameplay mechanics and narrative design. However, the question remains: how does one predict whether a game will be good?   Joining the duo for this episode to discuss this topic is Steve, the creator of Fantasy Criti...

Upon release in 2020 on the Nintendo Switch, Paper Mario the Origami King received a mixed response from critics and fans. Whilst enjoyed by many, it quickly found itself in the middle of the storm that has been raging since Nintendo changed the Paper Mario formula after the much beloved Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door on Gamecube.    So buckle up, put on your favourite headphones and listen a...

2021 was a year of returns in gaming, with a number of fan favourite franchises making their respective comebacks. However, there was an undercurrent of feeling that Coronavirus continued to exert a not so insignificant impact on the release schedule of games.    Thus Brendan and Zach dive into giving a recap of the realm of gaming in 2021, briefly discussing the major industry events that occurre...

Special guest and friend of the show John Dewis once again joins Zach & Brendan to once again discuss video game music. This time, the focus is on the role that title music plays in crafting a gaming experience and how developers use music to entice players into their game and convey elements or themes that the game itself attempts to confront.    Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via...

Ever wondered what separates a "JRPG' from other "RPGs"? Why do we place what appears to be a geographic designator on a particular type of video games? What are the characteristics and elements that are fundamental to a JRPG?   Joining the usual duo of Brendan and Zach for this episode is Matt S of digitallydownloaded.net to assist in conducting a deep dive into the genre. Matt offers a wealth of...

Metroid is a series that is close to the heart of a multitude of Nintendo fans, many of whom have been eagerly awaiting a follow up to 2002's Metroid Fusion. Metroid Dread, unexpectedly unannounced earlier in 2021 instantly sent excitement through the Nintendo enthusiast community.   Now that Dread has released and has been played by millions of players, the question remains, does it live up to bo...

Over the last decade, boardgaming has made a resurgence in the popular imagination. From social phenomenon Cards against Humanity to the advent and wild success of crowdfunding, it feels that boardgames have never been more popular or widespread. Indeed, many video gamers have increasingly become boardgame enthusiasts, with conventions such as PAX revealing the overlap that exists within the respe...

Just over 20 years ago, the Gamecube launched in Japan, marking an auspicious event in the lives of the two hosts of Blowing Cartridges. The Nintendo Gamecube was the childhood console for both Zach and Brendan, representing many formative moments in both their respective gaming journeys.   Joining them on this episode is Gookanheimer, a dear friend of the show from the Aussie-Nintendo/Another-Cas...

One of the impacts of the last 20 months of rolling lockdowns has been the growth of particular games. From Fall Guys, to Animal Crossing and Among Us, various games have gone viral and managed to captivate audiences outside of the traditional gaming demographic.   In this context, Zach and Brendan approach their latest cartridge that offerings an interesting proposition - is there a video game fo...

Have a favourite game that you'll constantly go back to when you're feeling a bit down? Is there a particular gaming franchise that compels you to camp outside your local EB Games to secure a copy of its latest release? Zach and Brendan attempt to unpack the impact that nostalgia exerts on gaming, the manner in which it is both successfully and unsuccessfully utilised by publishers and developers...

Content creation forms an important pillar of modern video game culture. Booming over the past 10-15 years, it has never been easier to stream your own gameplay or upload your own videos to youtube. But why do an increasing amount of gamers embark upon such a journey?   Joining Brendan and Zach this episode is streamer Anzu and Vtuber Shino to discuss the challenges around streaming, why people bo...

From "My uncle works at Nintendo" to the existence of the Dreamcast 2, video game rumours have captured the imagination of enthusiasts and fans alike. With the recent announcement of the Switch OLED, that dashed many dreams that people held surround the "Switch Pro" and rampant speculation over what Hideo Kojima is up to next, this is a topic that has never been more relevant. Zach and Brendan, jo...

How long a game takes to complete is an indicator that occupies and important position in the gaming lexicon. With sites like howlongtobeat.com and common assertions that a game needs to be a particular length to be worth "$60" this poses a fascinating area of gaming culture to explore.    In true Blowing Cartridges style, this particular cartridge represents our shortest regular episode yet. Does...

Zach and Brendan, with returning guest Luke, revisit a topic from an early episode of the podcast: E3. With the event being held online for the very first time due to the ongoing pandemic, the trio assess the successes and failings of E3 2021 and ponder the future of what many gaming enthusiasts have considered the premier event on the gaming industry calendar.   Have any comments? Feel free to dr...

Since the trainwreck that was the Super Mario Bros Film, movie adaptations of films have never quite emerged from the sea of mediocrity they find themselves mired in. Similarly, gaming culture itself have inspired a plethora of films, yet many of them too fall short. Why is this? The Blowing Cartridges co-hosts, Brendan and Zach, have been dispatched to investigate this phenomenon.    Have any com...

From demo CDs on the front covers of video game magazines to digital downloads from online storefronts, demos have been present in video games for decades. The rise of digital marketplaces have resulted in Betas and Early Access becoming viable options for video game developers. Tune in to hear Brendan and Zach discuss their respective experiences regarding these formats and their overall thoughts...

As gamers, we frequently feel the nostalgic desire to play old games. These range from games we enjoyed in our childhoods, those that we never had the chance to play and games that are older than we are.  Special guest Bryce Dewit joins Brendan and Zach to discuss the role of emulation in gaming, emulating games versus playing them on their original hardware, his struggles with learning Python to...