Retrovaniacs

This time we return to Jeremy P's beloved TurboGrafx-16, for a martial arts action game, Jackie Chan's Action Kung Fu! This was a port of an NES game that Jeremy G reviewed over on our YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z2So-cRQOA ) but this is an upgrade in many ways-- but is it worth checking out now?  We took on the sorcerer to let you know! Also discussed, what happened to "Wha...

(Let's try this again, with all the audio this time...) It took a Patron request, but we're covering one of the essential games for the Nintendo 64 library, the first 3D Mario game, Super Mario 64!  One of us hadn't played it before -- so how do they think it holds up?  Listen to find out. Joining us this week is Celeste (of https://www.anotherzeldapodcast.com/ and a host of 1v1 on the Boss Rush N...

This time we're taking on a Patron request!  Brandon has tasked us to save the world by collecting 11 rings, and making some friends along the way as we attempt to play Rings of Power! This Genesis-exclusive RPG was one we had never heard of, so grab your merry band of heroes and join us on our quest! We also have a special guest -- K (owner of Prime Arcade Sales and Repair -- https://www.tiktok.c...

In preparation for the upcoming remaster of the series, we're looking at Pocky and Rocky 2 for the Super Nintendo! This top-down action shooter let's you play with several different partners, or one of your friends, to blast your way through 9 stages of card-throwing, partner-tossing action! And we didn't want to talk about it alone, so we've asked Celeste (https://www.anotherzeldapodcast.com/ and...

This time we're taking a look at a read oddball game, Incredible Crisis for the Sony Playstation.  Maybe one of the weirdest all-around games of the generation, you take control of the members of the Tanamatsuri family as they try and get home for a nice dinner with Grandma.  Really!  Is this dressed up collection of mini-games worth a try?  Spoilers : mostly yes. Also discussed : Demakes, Xenogea...

In honor of the new Sonic movie sequel that is out now, we're looking back at another Sonic sequel, this time the 2001 Dreamcast outing Sonic Adventure 2!  Ditching the open world sections of the previous game, this is a more streamlined experience, but one where you only play Sonic maybe 1/6th of the time.  An interesting decision, but was it a good one? Also discussed, the new Borderlands, gamin...

Last year we did a show about 4 classic (?) Atari 2600 games and we had a lot of fun, so this year we're doing it again.  This time it's only carts by Activision : River Raid, Frostbite, Seaquest, and Pressure Cooker! We talk the mechanics, scoring, and patches that everyone has been asking for.  Or at least Jeremy P has. We also answer some listener mail about food, video games, and regrettably.....

As requested by our Patron, Ben, we're taking a look at the first Ubisoft Prince of Persia Title, 2003's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time!  We remember this game fondly as a best-selling rebirth of the Prince of Persia franchise, but does it hold up today?  We played it again to find out! Also discussed, the upcoming TMNT collection, and if we think it's worth getting excited over (we do), and...

This time we're taking on a Patron requested game for the NES, Xexyz.  This game blends action-platforming and shooting stages to tell the tale of Apollo and his quest to save the Queens of Xexyz from the evil Goruza empire. None of us had played this before, so we did and give you our opinion!  Also discussed-- one of us is publically admitting his backlog failures, and the recent Street Fighter...

Yo! Here's what's happening! The awesome Toons are waiting for you with a whole lot of fun and exciting surprises like secret characters.  It's all starting, so get it together... are you ready? GO!!! We're taking a look at Motor Toon Grand Prix (released outside North America as Motor Toon Grand Prix 2), a possible answer to the success of the Mario Kart series for the Sony Playstation, but how d...

It's a day late, but let's all pretend this hit on 1/31/22!  We're taking a look at this early JRPG for the NES, Destiny of an Emporer, by Capcom!  This was a patron request, so we talk to them for their thoughts on why it was picked, and of course we answer a ton of listener mail - including one of the worst questions we've ever been sent. The patron who sent us this request was Steve V, who you...

It's the first episode of 2022, and it's a Patron-requested episode.  "Tom" has requested that we cover Deus Ex: The Conspiracy for the Playstation 2, because he really wanted us to do Deus Ex for PC and this is as close as we get!  Is it a solid port of a PC game, and is that game in general worth porting?  We played through it to give you our thoughts. We kick things off with a look back at our...

It's slightly late, but still out before the end of December -- it's our annual Christmas show!  This time, we couldn't hold off any longer.  After 7 years of Billy threatening to cover Home Alone, we're doing it.  We're talking the Home Alone video games for the NES, SNES, Game Boy, Genesis, Game Gear, Master System, and PC and even the Amiga!  Keep the change, ya filthy animals. We also go throu...

We managed to get through over 150 episodes of the Retrovaniacs podcast without covering a Contra game - it's time to fix that.  We talk about Contra on the NES on this episode, and why it's considered such a classic. Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food, or really anything over at https://discord.gg/pb76x32uWY __________________________ If you would like additional bonus episodes of...

Our apparent love affair with Rare continues, as we look at another one of their offerings, Conker's Bad Fur Day. Originally released on the Nintendo 64, it was re-released later with some multiplayer addons for the XBox. Why would you play another cartoony looking 3d platformer? Maybe because this one, despite its looks, is clearly not for kids. Is that a good thing? We played it again to see! Th...

We've hit episode 150 and we couldn't have picked a better game ourselves than Goldeneye 007 for the Nintendo 64- and we didn't have to, because this one was a patron request!  Does Goldeneye hold up, or is this another older 3d title that really isn't worth playing today?  Grab that awkward N64 controller, and join us to see what we thought. We talk about our thoughts on the new Switch Expansion...

As #Retroween2021 comes to a close, we're revisiting the small forgotten vacation town of Silent Hill for the 3rd year in a row. This time, we follow Heather Mason and her trip to the town that she was born in, although she can't remember much of the specifics...  A direct sequel to the original Silent Hill, that also has a lot to do to match the marvel that was Silent Hill 2, how well does the th...

For our first episode of #Retroween2021, we're revisiting a series we haven't covered since 2017 -- we're looking at the Dreamcast entry in the Resident Evil franchise, Resident Evil: Code Veronica!  This is one of the last games in the series to have the "Tank controls" that the original game did, and it was the first in the series on (what was at the time) a next generation console.  This one ha...

Metroid Dread is on it's way, but it's going to show up in October, and we'll be busy with our annual month of horror games.  However, we are very excited about Metroid Dread, and so we're taking a look at the 2004 remake of the original Metroid -- Metroid: Zero Mission for the Game Boy Advance. We also talk about the most recent Nintendo Direct and answer some listener mail about getting burned o...

After talking way too much about Psychonauts 2, we dove into Sony's Syphon Filter, a 3d action game that sold well enough to have 5 sequels, and is included on the Playstation mini -- but is this worthy of being called a classic, or is this one better left in 1999? We also take some more listener mail all about cartridge systems in 2021, more flight sim music, and I'd bet a question somehow relati...

This time we're taking a Patron request to cover the 1998 Nintendo Game Boy game, James Bond 007! After Goldeneye was a smash on the N64, this game came out the next year for Nintendo's handheld -- but was it a first person shooter, a stock platformer, or something else entirely?  We were pleasantly surprised with what we got here. Also discussed, more Final Fantasy XIV, listener questions about o...

This time we're taking another Patron request, and this time it's Planemech asking us to cover the Super Nintendo comic book brawler Spider-Man and Venom: Maximum Carnage!  Based on the comic book event of the same name, does this game hold up now, or like many super hero related games from the era does it just fall flat?  Listen to find out. We also had a bunch more questions sent in from our lis...

This episode we're taking a Patron request from "Logan" who has asked us to cover Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, the third game in this series on the Game Boy Advance.   We've shown our love for the 16-bit Castlevania's and Symphony of the Night in the past, but is this a stumble for the series like some of the earlier handheld offerings?  We'll tell you what we thought. We also haven't been a full...

This week Jeremy P and Billy revisit the Sega Master System for one of the early titles, a port of the Sega arcade game Fantasy Zone!  Is this brightly colored cute-em up still worth checking out today? We played through it and share our opinions! Want to jump right to the game? Start at the 9:00 mark! Join us over on our Discord to discuss games, food, or really anything over at https://discord.g...

We take a look at the first Batman game for the NES, (loosely) based on the 1989 movie! Love that Joker -- but did we love this game? Listen and see! Want to skip right to the Dark Knight?  Start at the 6:50 mark! If you are interested in Read Only Magazine, check out the pre-order for issue 2 over at http://www.readonlymagazine.com __________________________ If you would like additional bonus epi...