Retro Wildlands #59 - Ask Nomad! 2

[00:00:19] Greetings fellow travelers, vagrants, explorers, wildlanders, and welcome to episode 59 of The Retro Wildlands.

[00:00:29] My name is Nomad and this is my gaming podcast, or I like to share my thoughts and experiences with a video game that I've discovered or read discovered while roaming the gaming wildlands.

[00:00:40] Thank you very much for tuning into the show today.

[00:00:42] This last year has been a whirlwind, both in front of and behind the microphone for me, and I mean that in a great way.

[00:00:51] I started this podcast with the hopes of creating something that I could use to showcase my favorite hobby in the world in such a way that would be memorable nostalgic and hopefully entertaining.

[00:01:03] Based on your feedback, I've hit that mark pretty well, and I couldn't be more grateful.

[00:01:08] More than anything though, I'm still humbled at the fact that there are people out there willing to give me some of their time to see what it is that I have going on.

[00:01:18] Thank you again for being here, whether this just so happens to be your very first ever episode of The Show or you've hung out by the campfire with us before.

[00:01:27] I am really glad that you're here.

[00:01:30] DDR Canine Expedition Leader continues to do an amazing job leading us into the gaming wildlands each episode, and I can't think of a better being well suited to the task.

[00:01:42] Dexter, DD's brother from another dog mother, has been making sure we stay safe as we travel.

[00:01:49] Because of this, I've decided to bestow upon him the title of Security and Protection Officer.

[00:01:56] With his many years of worldly experience and his no nonsense attitude, I can't think of anyone better fit for the task.

[00:02:04] Though, while DD and Dexter work pretty well together, they oftentimes butt heads when it comes to bones and other chewable treats.

[00:02:13] You see, Dexter is a hoarder, and sometimes will give him a small bone to chew on only to find it, and the many others we've given him over the last several months,

[00:02:23] buried behind the couch cushions or under his dog bed.

[00:02:28] DD's normally a one and done sort of dog, but lately he's taking to hoarding a bit too,

[00:02:34] and to help DD perfect his hoarding ways, I've asked him to gather up everything we needed for this episode of The Show.

[00:02:43] That's because we're not going to be venturing into the gaming wildlands per se on this particular expedition.

[00:02:50] Instead, we're going to hang out around the campfire today while I share some stories and answer questions from you all.

[00:02:58] On today's episode, I thought it would be fun to do another Ask No Mad episode, a question and answer show where I took questions from the wildlands community to answer for everyone.

[00:03:10] One of the best things about this podcast hobby have been the people that I've met and interacted with, and I especially love this way of interacting with you all.

[00:03:19] Plus, it gives me a chance to talk about some things I probably wouldn't have talked about otherwise.

[00:03:25] A little while ago on our social media pages, I put a call out for questions.

[00:03:30] DD has gathered them all up and dropped them at my feet, so we're going to run through these together and have a little fun in the process.

[00:03:37] Questions were mainly around gaming, but there are a couple personal questions just to keep things interesting.

[00:03:43] Some of you asked multiple questions, which is awesome.

[00:03:47] If multiple questions were submitted by someone, I ended up just grouping them together and answering them all at once.

[00:03:54] I'm going to call out timestamps for those that did submit questions in the show notes as a way to break the show up a little bit,

[00:04:00] or if you're just dying to see how I answered your question specifically, you can skip right to your question.

[00:04:08] I'm fairly certain I can't have their dub every once in a while, so if I somehow missed your question, please message me directly on social media and let me know.

[00:04:16] Any time I gather up comments or questions for any of our shows, I always get nervous that I'm going to forget somebody because it did happen once, but I do have a decent system in place now, so hopefully we're okay.

[00:04:29] Alright, I think that's enough with the pleasant trees and the setup.

[00:04:33] It is about time we get into this thing.

[00:04:36] So get comfortable wildlanders, grab a drink, find the perfect spot by the warm fire and pop a squat.

[00:04:44] Let's chill out and relax as we roll into our second question and answer episode, ask no mad.

[00:05:00] Our first question comes from Gene over on our Retro Wildland's Facebook page.

[00:05:06] They asked, have you ever participated in the Sega vs Nintendo console wars?

[00:05:13] Which one is the best?

[00:05:16] We are right out of the gate swinging for the fences.

[00:05:20] To answer your question, Gene? Yes. I have participated in the console wars. Sort of.

[00:05:27] I was in a unique situation where I had access to a super Nintendo and a Sega Genesis growing up.

[00:05:33] My parents divorced when I was very little and the super Nintendo was in my mom's house thanks to my stepdad and my father had a Sega Genesis at his house.

[00:05:44] For a while I would visit my dad every other weekend or so and that's when I got to partake in the Genesis.

[00:05:51] Because I was living with my mom, I had much more exposure to the SNES and it quickly became the console I preferred.

[00:05:58] We had your standard pallet of games, super Mario World, super Mario Kart, Star Fox, the Legend of Zelda linked to the past.

[00:06:07] But we also had some awesome zingers like King Murphy Jr presents Major League Baseball, WWE F Royal Rumble and Ren and Stimpy VDits.

[00:06:17] A side scrolling adventure based on the Nickelodeon show.

[00:06:21] I used to watch Ren and Stimpy a ton at my dad's house and when I saw that they made a video game based on the show, I had to have it even if I could only play it at my mom's.

[00:06:31] But anytime I got to go over Dad's, I always found myself gravitating towards the Genesis.

[00:06:37] It was just so different.

[00:06:40] The sleek black design of the console and the controller wasn't stark contrast to the SNES.

[00:06:47] Anytime I played the Genesis it was like I was cheating on the SNES.

[00:06:51] My dad amassed a decent collection of games over time too.

[00:06:56] There was Sonic 2 of course but we had games like Mortal Kombat, Tojama and Earl, Sonic Spinball, Terminator 2, Judgement Day, Golden Ax, Earthworm Jim and probably more than that.

[00:07:10] While I loved Mario and all of his pals, Sonic just seemed cooler.

[00:07:15] Plus playing games like Mortal Kombat and Terminator 2 just made the Genesis to me a little bit more adult.

[00:07:22] And it's funny, I don't really think that had anything to do with the marketing campaigns at the time either.

[00:07:29] Hang it out with my dad was just cool and the Genesis just exemplified that.

[00:07:34] The uniqueness to the Genesis is sound design would always stick with me though.

[00:07:39] I always think of my dad when I hear the metallic twang of some of the music or sound effects whenever I play a Genesis game even today.

[00:07:48] But at the end of the day, I was an Nintendo kid and spent more time with those systems growing up.

[00:07:55] I had the original NES over at my grandmother's house and the S NES was at moms.

[00:08:00] I have more core memories around those systems than I do the Genesis and I always thought the graphics on that Nintendo systems were better.

[00:08:07] Even if the music and sound could be hit or miss on either system.

[00:08:12] Though the nice thing about doing this podcast is exploring the Genesis now that I'm older.

[00:08:18] Streets of Rage is far and away my favorite game on the console and my favorite beat him up to this point.

[00:08:24] I'm eager to keep exploring the library over time because there are a lot of awesome titles in the Sega Library.

[00:08:31] But after all the rambling, you did ask me which one was better gene.

[00:08:35] Honestly, if I'm looking at them from a hardware standpoint, I think they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

[00:08:42] But generally, I prefer Nintendo.

[00:08:45] Graphics were better most of the time and I enjoyed the sound in music from Nintendo more than the Genesis.

[00:08:52] Is that a product of my upbringing?

[00:08:54] Perhaps.

[00:08:56] But even as I explore more of Sega's offerings, I know that deep down, my hearts will always belong to Nintendo.

[00:09:02] It was my first and you never forget your first.

[00:09:22] Next up, we have a question from William who frequency our retro wild landspace book page.

[00:09:29] They asked, what would you consider retro?

[00:09:33] Is the 360 and PS3 retro or is it further back?

[00:09:38] Ah, yes, the great debate. What is retro?

[00:09:44] I find this question fascinating and one that I debate in my own mind quite often.

[00:09:50] So the easy answer for me is anything from the sixth generation of consoles back is what I consider retro.

[00:09:58] The sixth generation included the PlayStation 2, original Xbox, the Dreamcast and the GameCube.

[00:10:04] To me, it's pretty cut and dry.

[00:10:07] That era started around 1998 or so if I'm not mistaken, which was what 20-06 years ago?

[00:10:14] So looking at it based solely on time, I think PS2 Xbox era and back is a pretty safe call

[00:10:20] And one I think the majority of us gamers can agree upon.

[00:10:25] However, I think we're at a point in time now where there is a decent argument to be had on whether or not the seventh generation is retro or not.

[00:10:33] The PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the Wii are certainly not new to anyone.

[00:10:40] Well, unless you've never owned the consoles before but you know what I mean.

[00:10:44] That generation started about 19 years ago and while it doesn't seem like that long a time ago, think of it this way.

[00:10:51] 19 years ago, Facebook was launched, Martha Stewart went to prison and games like Half-Life 2, Halo 2 and Metroid Zero Mission came out.

[00:11:01] Yes, it has been that long.

[00:11:04] So is that long enough for those consoles to be considered retro?

[00:11:09] In my opinion, ehh, no.

[00:11:13] But and there's always a butt with me, I think nostalgia should play into whether you consider something to be retro or not.

[00:11:22] We get nostalgic for things in the past and that feeling of happiness or peace that comes with it feels so good when you're looking back on an older piece of media.

[00:11:31] Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2, the one that originally came out on the Xbox 360 is a game that I sometimes feel nostalgic for.

[00:11:41] I really miss logging in and playing match after match with my friends.

[00:11:45] I even like the campaign enough that I get the tinklies anytime I replay it today.

[00:11:50] Driving the snowmobile through the snowy mountains or taking back Washington DC brings me back to simpler times,

[00:11:57] once that I wish I could relive today.

[00:12:01] It's because of that, I can make an argument that the PlayStation 3 and 360 are retro at this point, and the weed, don't forget the weed.

[00:12:10] I do know that there's several games in that generation that I want to cover on this retro games podcast,

[00:12:17] and I don't think anyone can convince me that they aren't retro with how they make me feel.

[00:12:23] So that's my answer, William.

[00:12:25] PlayStation 2 Xbox era back retro for sure.

[00:12:30] PlayStation 3 360 we era retro if the nostalgia is there.

[00:12:37] Is there a rights or wrong answer?

[00:12:39] No, they're absolutely not.

[00:12:41] I know there's debates all over the place on this topic, but for me it all comes down to us.

[00:12:47] It all comes down to the players.

[00:13:07] Next up, we got a question from Jay who is one half of the waffling Taylor's podcast.

[00:13:13] A podcast you should consider checking out by the way.

[00:13:16] I had the pleasure of being a guest on their show several times that it has always been a blast.

[00:13:21] Jay jumped on our Twitter slash x page and posed this question.

[00:13:26] Say you had a long flight coming up something greater than eight hours,

[00:13:30] and that you could take any four games with you and keep you entertained.

[00:13:34] A assume magic allows you to take any game ever made and they just worked on a magical device,

[00:13:41] which games would they be and why?

[00:13:44] I love questions like this.

[00:13:47] Mainly because it's an excuse for me to overthink them.

[00:13:50] But no seriousness, at least once a year I travel for my day job,

[00:13:54] and generally I'm flying to where I'm going and then back home,

[00:13:58] so I tend to have this internal debate once a year by default.

[00:14:02] However, now that we have a magical device that lets me play anything I want,

[00:14:07] that certainly changes the game.

[00:14:10] Okay, let's talk this through.

[00:14:12] I always like taking a game with me that I can complete in just a few hours,

[00:14:18] so let's look at my backlog and see what's short that I haven't quite finished yet.

[00:14:23] Here we go, The Unfinished Swan.

[00:14:27] It's an adventure game with an interesting premise.

[00:14:31] The world starts out completely white and tossing out paint to will reveal the world around you.

[00:14:37] Apparently, you're an orphan chasing after a swan who darted off into a surreal world in front of you,

[00:14:44] and you have to paint the world to find it.

[00:14:47] It's more involved than that, but the unfinished swan sounds beautiful and quite relaxing.

[00:14:53] And it only three hours or so of game time,

[00:14:55] it is the perfect game for a long flight, and it'll be great to knock it off the backlog before I even touch the ground again.

[00:15:03] For the second game, it would have to be a retro game that I've been wanting to cover on the podcast.

[00:15:09] I'm the type of person that would want to find ways to work while I'm in flight,

[00:15:13] so playing something for the show would absolutely be something that I would try to fit in.

[00:15:18] That said, Bayonna-Kamando on the original Nintendo is one that keeps warming its way into my mind every once in a while.

[00:15:27] It's a platformer where you can't jump, but you can use a Bayonna-Karm almost like a grappling hook to traverse the world.

[00:15:35] It's a highly regarded game, and on my short list of retro games for the show, so that one is certainly coming with me.

[00:15:43] Now, for my third game, I'm taking Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker on the PlayStation Portable.

[00:15:51] It's one of my favorite games of all time, and the missions are very bite-sized being on a portable console at all.

[00:15:58] Plus, I just love the gameplay loop.

[00:16:02] Do missions, gather troops for your growing mother base, research equipment, and then repeat.

[00:16:07] Plus, there are so many audio logs with plenty of the game's story to listen to.

[00:16:13] Perfect if I just need a break, and I want to listen to the likes of David Hader, Sue, my earholes.

[00:16:19] The game is long enough that I could probably use it to take up the entire flight if I wanted to, so I always think that Peace Walker is the perfect addition to any flight.

[00:16:30] Finally, the last game I'd bring is one that can just go on forever if it needs to, and I don't think I'd ever get bored of it.

[00:16:39] It's a standard answer to be sure, but I would bring Tetris.

[00:16:45] Tetris is the perfect video game, and a great way to have fun and kill time all at once.

[00:16:52] Now, there's a million versions of Tetris out there, so if I had to pick a specific version, I would take Tetris effect connected.

[00:17:00] The music and visual presentation of this game is one of the most unique that I have ever experienced.

[00:17:07] I don't do it much anymore, but I would sometimes play this game with the lights off, a good pair of headphones on, and just completely zone out.

[00:17:16] Sometimes with a good beer or a glass of bourbon too.

[00:17:20] Video games are great for not just passing the time, but if you let them, they can transport you into another world for a while, and Tetris effect connected is the perfect game if you just need to forget your worldly troubles, or you just need to get through a long flight.

[00:17:45] Our next question comes from the Super Pot saga podcast over on Instagram.

[00:17:51] They asked, what is your favorite video game of all time, food, type of music slash band and movie?

[00:18:00] Nice, solid questions.

[00:18:02] One's that'll give you a good idea and solid sense of a person I'd say.

[00:18:06] So let's take them in order.

[00:18:09] For my favorite video game of all time, and I've probably mentioned it on a previous episode of the show, it has got to be Final Fantasy VII.

[00:18:18] This game is my absolute favorite, more so for the nostalgia I feel for it and what was going on in my life at the time.

[00:18:27] FF7 was the very first video game that I bought with my own money, and it was crazy how I raised it all.

[00:18:34] I'd save money my mom would give me to go play in the arcade when she and my stepdad bold in their bowling league.

[00:18:40] I also got a job delivering newspapers for extremely low pay, and anywhere else I would find money even just coins lying around on the ground.

[00:18:50] I would scoop up and put him in a ziplock bag until I had enough money to finally buy this game.

[00:18:56] Beyond that, Final Fantasy VII is a game that my childhood friends and I bonded over.

[00:19:02] Is the story in this game profound or are the characters extremely memorable from an narrative standpoint?

[00:19:07] No, they aren't, at least not me. But Final Fantasy VII came into my life at the perfect time and I love it for that.

[00:19:16] As far as my favorite food goes, it tends to change depending on my mood, but at the end of the day, I am a simple man, and I absolutely love me a good steak.

[00:19:27] For a while, I was head over heels with a good fuley, and I still am, but recently I discovered the del Monteco.

[00:19:35] It's thick cut and marble to quite nicely.

[00:19:39] Whenever I get my hands on one, just like any other steak, I make it pretty simple.

[00:19:44] I cook it on a flat top grill, super high heat, with the steak seasoned in salt, pepper and garlic.

[00:19:50] And a little bit of butter as it's cooking too.

[00:19:53] I cook my steak's medium rare, and that's that.

[00:19:57] Some nights when Justin is away for work and the kids are over their dad's house, I'll make myself a domanico,

[00:20:02] slap it on a cutting board, take it to the living room and eat it with my hands like a barbarian.

[00:20:08] While I watch something on TV, like X-Men 97, which I have finished rather recently.

[00:20:13] I don't get a chance to do that very often, and a domanico isn't the cheapest cut of meat in the world, but when I can, it's just the absolute best.

[00:20:23] Now as far as my favorite band or music, I actually don't have any that I could pick as my absolute favorite.

[00:20:30] My music taste is very eclectic, which is probably going to be the biggest word I use all day today.

[00:20:36] But if I peel back the layers, my overall taste would all stem from a little band called Metallica.

[00:20:44] I grew up listening to her metal thanks to my stepdad, bands like Rat, Twisted Sister, Motley Crew,

[00:20:52] but I really really got into Metallica when I was younger and so did my close friends.

[00:20:57] The very first CD I ever bought with my own money was their album Master of Puppets, and I brought it home and blasted it in the living room while I played Boshito Blade on the original PlayStation.

[00:21:11] Ever since then, I'd listen to all things heavy metal and hard rock.

[00:21:16] Some bands that I like include Trivium, Fight Binger Death Punch, Gojira, Mastadon, Romstein.

[00:21:23] So yeah, my journey really began here.

[00:21:27] I still love me some metal today but really I'll listen to just about anything.

[00:21:33] When I'm working it's mainly video game music or low-fi beats even some EDM if I'm feeling frisky.

[00:21:40] My friend Bob from work has gotten me into jazz a little bit lately and I've been listening to Miles Davis here in there too.

[00:21:47] I could go on and on about music, I absolutely love it.

[00:21:52] But to answer the question, Hard Rock's slash metal would be my favorite genre and if I had to pick a favorite band I would have to go with Metallica.

[00:22:02] Now lastly what's my favorite movie?

[00:22:06] That is super easy.

[00:22:08] The 1986 Blockbuster Top Gun.

[00:22:13] Top Gun is the best movie ever and it's all hwnest to Hellja.

[00:22:18] Well that and I dig fighter jets.

[00:22:20] I watched the movie constantly when I was living with my grandparents after my mom and dad's divorce and I could quote that movie line for line.

[00:22:30] There's just something about it that causes me to stop what I'm doing and watch it anytime it's on.

[00:22:35] It is the perfect shut-my-brain-off movie and it always makes me think of when I was younger.

[00:22:40] The dogfighting scenes are still exciting to me and no other movie makes me smile like an idiot even after watching it countless times.

[00:22:49] If you really want to get a feel for how much I love this movie, check out Episode 51 of this podcast where I talk about Top Gun on the NES and tie it all to the movie.

[00:23:00] It is my love letter to the greatest popcorn flick of all time.

[00:23:21] Next up, Lindsay from LL Cool Games dropped a past present future style question over on our Facebook page.

[00:23:30] Past? What game that you missed do you most look forward to?

[00:23:35] Present? What game that exists now do you not ever want to play?

[00:23:41] Future? What game franchise, slash type etc. do you hope to see return?

[00:23:48] Very good questions, Lindsay. Let's jump into whatever time machine apparatus suits us best and let's take a journey to the past first.

[00:23:58] What game that I missed do I most look forward to?

[00:24:02] That's a hard one because most of them I've played for the podcast so far.

[00:24:07] But when I think about it there is one game that so many people have told me they absolutely love growing up or they play it today and immediately add it to their list of favorites.

[00:24:17] And based solely on that I'm really looking forward to experiencing it myself.

[00:24:23] And that game is Earthbound on the Super Nintendo.

[00:24:27] It's a classic RPG by all accounts but there's something special about this game that people love and I'm dying to understand what the hell it is.

[00:24:36] Problem is, it's a pretty hefty game so I'll need to clear my schedule for it but mark my words.

[00:24:41] I will experience Earthbound one of these days.

[00:24:45] Moving along to the present, what game that exists now do I never want to play?

[00:24:52] Well there's a few but one that immediately comes to mind was Elden Ring.

[00:24:58] And before all of you Elden Ringers out there go to turn the podcast off just hold on here me out.

[00:25:06] This game looks amazing and based on the gameplay that I've seen I know I would love this game.

[00:25:11] It has everything I never want in a game really but to be honest it's just too big, too much meat on the bone for me to commit to it.

[00:25:21] 60 hours just to complete the main story and double that for all the rest?

[00:25:26] I just can't.

[00:25:29] I know the moment that I do I'll immediately get sucked into it and for the sake of this podcast my free time and potentially my marriage I just can't do it.

[00:25:38] And it bums me out honestly.

[00:25:40] Maybe one day when the kids are out of the house and things settle down maybe.

[00:25:46] But for now I am resisting Elden Ring's call.

[00:25:50] Now lastly let's travel to future.

[00:25:54] What game franchise or type do I want to see return?

[00:25:59] Well there's a few actually.

[00:26:01] Sony has a decent amount of franchises that are just sitting dormant that I would love to see come back.

[00:26:07] Probably the biggest one for me would be Siphon Filter.

[00:26:11] It was last seen on the PlayStation 2 and the PSP and if you happen to play Siphon Filter Logan Shadow to the end,

[00:26:18] I can say is it cannot end like that.

[00:26:21] It just can't.

[00:26:23] But seriously it was a great third person shooter franchise with some James Bond S gameplay that I think a modern reimagining would make so much better.

[00:26:33] Kill Zone would be another great franchise to bring back.

[00:26:37] I love me a good first person shooter and the whole franchise was really well done.

[00:26:43] I played a ton of Kill Zone mercenary on the Vita and was just floored with it so I'd be down to jump back into the series.

[00:26:51] Other than Sony IPs, Splinter Cell would be awesome to see again.

[00:26:55] I will say unless Michael Ironside is voicing Sam Fisher it wouldn't really feel the same but I enjoyed the games I've played so I'm all about seeing that series again.

[00:27:06] And lastly you know what I really want to have come back?

[00:27:10] Demo discs.

[00:27:12] Now I know most digital storefronts have downloadable demos that you can grab but I really really miss getting my hands on a bona fide demo disc.

[00:27:23] That just had a smathering of games you could try all in one place.

[00:27:27] I mean how many of you listening would only have access to a certain game via the demo disc?

[00:27:35] My parents didn't get many new games all that often so I'd find myself playing Playstation demo discs until they were all scratched up and they wouldn't play anymore.

[00:27:45] There's something magical about that and you had a great way to try out a bunch of different games that you wouldn't have played or probably heard of otherwise.

[00:27:55] Man that would be awesome today!

[00:27:57] Hell getting my hands on a switch cartridge that had 25 demos of their best games.

[00:28:03] Or better yet, a demo disc or cartridge that had nothing but the best indie games for you to try.

[00:28:10] How many indie games are there out there that go unnoticed because no one's ever heard of them or they just see them in a digital storefront and don't want to take a chance on them?

[00:28:21] Yeah, that's exactly what I want.

[00:28:23] I want a demo disc or a cartridge full of indie game demos.

[00:28:28] Is someone important in the gaming industry listening to this podcast by chance?

[00:28:32] Because you need to make this happen.

[00:28:54] Moving right along, Kurt reached out on our Facebook page with a situation that he found himself in.

[00:29:01] He said,

[00:29:02] No mad I have a question for you.

[00:29:04] I need some advice.

[00:29:07] I have a seven year old daughter who typically plays tablet games.

[00:29:11] Last year I bought her an Nintendo Switch Lite with Mario U Deluxe.

[00:29:16] She was excited at first but didn't really stick with it and quickly bailed on the game.

[00:29:20] After multiple attempts to revive the Switch, she still preferred tablet quote unquote games.

[00:29:27] Fast forward to Sunday night, a lightballed moment for me.

[00:29:31] I should buy a side-scroller on Xbox and co-op with her.

[00:29:35] Insert Castle Crashers.

[00:29:38] She loves it, stays engaged and wants to keep playing.

[00:29:42] Success!

[00:29:44] Okay now my question.

[00:29:45] What are some fun co-op side-scrollers you could suggest for my new little gamer?

[00:29:51] Thanks, Take Care, Kurt.

[00:29:54] I really like this story, Kurt.

[00:29:56] I've actually found myself in the same scenario as you once or twice with my own kiddos.

[00:30:00] Though, mine are much older now and have more clearly defined tastes.

[00:30:05] But, for you my friend, two games immediately came to my mind that I think your little gamer girl just might get some enjoyment out of.

[00:30:13] And you too.

[00:30:15] First and foremost, let me recommend Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredders Revenge.

[00:30:22] You and your little gal don't even have to be turtles fans to enjoy this one.

[00:30:26] The gameplay is easy to get the hang of and the overall vibe is very upbeat.

[00:30:31] That's mostly due to tea loaps' amazing soundtrack as well as the stunning visuals.

[00:30:37] Shredders Revenge is a great side-scrolling beat-em-up that rewards players who think strategically,

[00:30:42] but if your little gal is just into the button-mash experience, let's say, she'll be rewarded here as well.

[00:30:49] There's typically very little downtime between the action so you and her will stay relatively engaged.

[00:30:56] Plus, up to six people can play at once, so depending on how big your household is, it can be a great couch co-op experience.

[00:31:03] There was one night justine, the kids and I played through about half the game's main missions in one sitting.

[00:31:10] Everyone had a good time with it and I was on Cloud9 having everybody game together.

[00:31:15] So yeah, Shredders Revenge would be my top pick.

[00:31:18] I don't know if it's on Xbox at all though so you'll have to settle for the switch unless you have a Playstation console.

[00:31:25] And my other recommendation would be Scott Pilgrim vs The World, which I'm pretty positive is back on Xbox.

[00:31:34] It's another side-scrolling beat-em-up with more of an old school pixel art style.

[00:31:39] I think in some ways it can be a little slower than Shredders Revenge, but the gameplay is tight and very approachable.

[00:31:46] There's a mechanic in the game where players can collect money from fallen enemies to use for character upgrades or to buy things in the game shops.

[00:31:54] I don't know about your little gal curve, but my kids tend to enjoy that loop of collecting money and then spending it so there's that to consider.

[00:32:02] I think Scott Pilgrim is the tougher of the two games though, but I still think both of you will have a really good time with it.

[00:32:08] Hopefully those are some solid recommendations for you to my friend, and if not, well, that's what you get for asking me for advice so that'll teach you.

[00:32:30] Staying on the Retro Wild Landspace book page, Eric dropped a question over there as well.

[00:32:36] He said, I have a question for you.

[00:32:39] Besides Resident Evil and Final Fantasy, what is your go-to game multiplayer?

[00:32:46] I think at first Eric you had just asked what my go-to game was, then you messaged me privately and mentioned that you edited your question,

[00:32:53] and then I noticed the word multiplayer was there.

[00:32:56] So because of that, I've decided to answer your question in both ways.

[00:33:01] So I don't think it's a secret that I love the Resident Evil franchise at this point.

[00:33:05] Hell, now that I'm live streaming, I'm considering continuing my run-through of the original games. I love them that much.

[00:33:13] And while I still have some gaps in my Final Fantasy Resume, I will always have a love for that series for a multitude of reasons.

[00:33:21] So beyond those two franchises, what is my go-to game?

[00:33:26] Well, even though I haven't made a lot of time to play anything in this series lately, anything from the Metal Gear franchise would probably be my next go-to.

[00:33:36] Ever since I played Metal Gear Solid on the original PlayStation when I was younger, I have been fascinated by this series.

[00:33:43] There's ten or so games in this series if I'm not mistaken up to this point, and the timeline of events span 5 or 6 decades.

[00:33:50] No way I've been able to keep up with everything from inherited standpoint, but I can't help but love this series.

[00:33:57] But when Big Boss was introduced as a playable character and MGS3 Snake Eater, then expanded upon in future titles that really cemented the series

[00:34:05] as one of my favorites. I find a big boss an interesting character, but more so, I love that multiple games in the series have you working to build up a mercenary nation by recruiting soldiers

[00:34:17] and researching items and weapons to use in battle.

[00:34:21] Portable ops and peacewalker were two games that I played on the PlayStation portable to the point I practically couldn't do anything more with them.

[00:34:29] The Phantom Pain on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 remains one of my all-time favorite games in general.

[00:34:36] But I even had some obscure Metal Gear games that I still find enjoyment out of.

[00:34:41] Ever here of Metal Gear acid on the PlayStation portable?

[00:34:46] It's a turn-based, collectable card-tactical RPG style game. Yeah, let that sink in.

[00:34:52] There's also the Metal Gear Solid Digital Graphic novel that also came out on the PSP.

[00:34:59] It was an interactive comic book style retelling of the original Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation.

[00:35:05] Absolutely banger of a game.

[00:35:08] So even though I haven't made time for them recently, almost anything in the Metal Gear Solid universe would be something that I would call my go-to.

[00:35:16] I'm very much looking forward to the MGS3 remake coming out soon.

[00:35:20] No release date yet at the time of this recording, but they say sometime this year, 2024.

[00:35:27] I will be playing the original Snake Eater again to prepare for it and I will be covering that game on the podcast Mark My Words.

[00:35:35] As far as my go-to multiplayer game, I don't really have one if I'm being honest.

[00:35:41] As I've gotten older, I care less and less about multiplayer games and very much prefer a single player experience.

[00:35:48] That's mainly due to the fact that I don't have any friends, but really I just don't like playing with others that I don't know.

[00:35:56] There are some games that I certainly enjoy playing though.

[00:35:59] Call of Duty was always fun for me even if I'm not the greatest at it.

[00:36:03] I even doubt World in Battlefield 1 for a while.

[00:36:06] While I'll never turn down a match, I don't tend to gravitate towards multiplayer first-person shooters much.

[00:36:12] I really wanted to get into Helldivers too when it launched though.

[00:36:16] I have the game on my PlayStation 5 and I've played it a little bit here and there.

[00:36:21] And my god is that game fun.

[00:36:24] I actually still have the original Helldivers on my PlayStation Vida.

[00:36:28] But when it comes to games like that, I always talk myself out of playing them with other people because the game is so structured around teamwork and finding a way to complete an objective as a unit.

[00:36:39] While I think I'm a pretty good gamer overall,

[00:36:41] I always feel like I'm going to be that one person on the team that doesn't know what they're doing and I don't want to deal with that.

[00:36:49] Sure, it's easy enough to talk into a microphone and coordinate, but as odd as it sounds,

[00:36:54] while I can strike up conversations with random strangers in person,

[00:36:58] something about talking over a mic to someone I can't see just doesn't do it for me.

[00:37:04] So yeah, while I love me a good multiplayer game, I don't really have a go-to right now.

[00:37:09] Maybe that'll change one day, but honestly, I love my single-player game so if you need me for anything,

[00:37:16] I'll be hiding in my office away from all of you humans out there.

[00:37:33] Our last couple of commenters dropped a couple of questions each,

[00:37:36] so we're going to group these last few up a bit.

[00:37:40] Then we'll end up with a lightning round of some quickfire questions that I gathered up.

[00:37:45] But before we get there, next up we have Chris, who also reached out over on Facebook.

[00:37:50] He has three questions, but we're going to do the first two together.

[00:37:55] Chris asked, what is the most influential game of each decade gaming was popular?

[00:38:03] Also, what is the most influential singular game of all time?

[00:38:08] There are definitely some amazing games out there that have had some incredible influence on video games

[00:38:14] and the industry as a whole, and especially how we enjoy games today.

[00:38:18] But let's go back in time and start with the 1970s.

[00:38:23] For the 70s, it has to be pong, right?

[00:38:26] A pretty sure pong was born on or around 1972, and it certainly helped launch the industry as a whole.

[00:38:33] Pong was also responsible for getting the Atari home console up and running too.

[00:38:38] In the 80s, I was a little bit more torn here.

[00:38:42] My mind immediately went to Tetris actually.

[00:38:45] I believe Tetris is the greatest video game ever made, but when it comes to overall influence on the industry,

[00:38:52] I think I have to give it to Pac-Man.

[00:38:55] Pac-Man was practically an overnight sensation and its own right and continued to build the idea that video games are truly for everyone.

[00:39:03] I'm fairly certain that Pac-Man was a big player in the expansion of the arcade market in general, at least that would make sense.

[00:39:10] And the introduction of Miss Pac-Man was a great way to get more female gamers into the mix as well since video games were so dominated by men at the time.

[00:39:19] There's no denying the Tetris effect on the world, but Pac-Man gets my vote here.

[00:39:25] Now, the 90s were an interesting decade for gaming.

[00:39:29] Games like Wolfenstein 3D, Half-Life, Resident Evil and Castlevania Symphony of the Night Warborn,

[00:39:35] and all these games had a huge influence on games and the industry.

[00:39:41] But of all the games that came out during the decade, I feel doom was by far the most influential

[00:39:47] and I believe doom to be the most influential game of all time.

[00:39:53] There are a lot of things that dooms creation did for the industry.

[00:39:57] First it would first person shooters on the map.

[00:40:00] Sure there were some first person games before it, like Wolfenstein 3D,

[00:40:04] but doom stood head and shoulders above.

[00:40:08] One of the reasons for this was the way the graphics were done, which were the most immersive 3D style at the time.

[00:40:15] And while Doom I don't think is all that known for this back in the day.

[00:40:19] It helped establish the groundwork for multiplayer gaming over a network.

[00:40:24] The physics engine used for its gunplay featured some realistic weapon design that would continue to get better with time.

[00:40:31] The level design is worth mentioning to, levels in Doom weren't just a straight shot from point A to point B.

[00:40:38] There were multiple pathways and secrets to be found which encouraged players to explore,

[00:40:43] and those players were often rewarded for their efforts with items or power-ups.

[00:40:48] Hell even dooms violence and over the top gore had an influence on things to come.

[00:40:54] But all told Doom was a showcase for what video games could really be.

[00:40:57] They could be immersive single player experiences, fun and engaging multiplayer experiences, as well as just plain old innovative.

[00:41:06] Plus it helps that the way the game was coded, it can literally be played on most anything you have lying around, which is always a bonus.

[00:41:15] I'll end this question off with the 2000s and I have to say, even more amazing and influential games were released in this decade.

[00:41:23] Guitar Hero was a big one, even though I never got a chance to really get into that.

[00:41:28] World of Warcraft arrived in 2004 and Halo made its debut in 2001.

[00:41:34] But for this decade I think I have to give the title of most influential to The Sims.

[00:41:41] The Sims was extremely popular when it was released and everyone just lost themselves in this people simulator.

[00:41:47] Myself included.

[00:41:49] I mean, I feel like we've all played a Sims game, right?

[00:41:53] But looking back how the game designers programmed the characters in this game to behave and have needs was unique for the time.

[00:42:02] The game didn't really have an ultimate goal, it just encouraged you to play in the sandbox and have fun on your own terms.

[00:42:09] It changed what a video game could be and I argue is responsible for the surge of casual games and what it meant to be a casual gamer in general.

[00:42:18] And I'm sure most of us have some awesome memories with this game, like building your dream home or torturing your poor Sims by trapping them in just a small space with nothing but a toilet and a refrigerator to keep them alive.

[00:42:31] What? That was just me?

[00:42:33] Pshh, sure.

[00:42:34] I'm sure I was the only one who ever did something horrible like that.

[00:42:39] Now, Chris did have one final question he posed over on our Facebook page as well.

[00:42:43] He asked, which retro game older than 15 years holds up best to replaying in the modern age and which to play for the first time if you missed it the first time or are too young to have played it when new.

[00:43:01] So right away one game immediately came to mind while I was reading this and that is super Metroid for the Super Nintendo.

[00:43:10] While I did play this game a little bit when I was younger, I didn't really count as having played it since I barely put any time into it.

[00:43:18] But when I played it start to finish for this podcast, Holy crap was I impressed.

[00:43:25] For a 30 year old game, Super Metroid holds up as something you could play today and it would never dawn on you that this game is 30 years old.

[00:43:34] You're dropped into this game with no real guidance and it's up to you to see your mission through by exploring the world and learning about it.

[00:43:41] There's enemies that you'll encounter and it's up to you to figure out how best to fight them.

[00:43:46] You're completely alone, but as you find new items to power up and open new ways forward, you feel yourself becoming powerful along with Samus the main character.

[00:43:57] And that's one of the most rewarding things a video game can do for a player.

[00:44:02] I highly recommend Super Metroid to anyone who hasn't played it before.

[00:44:07] Hell, it's so immersive that you should play it with the lights off and a pair of headphones on.

[00:44:12] Even the sound design is so well done even better than some modern games really.

[00:44:18] So yeah, if you're talking about games 15 years or older holding up today, the clear winner in my mind is Super Metroid.

[00:44:47] Curtis over on our Facebook page will finish us off before we cap off the episode with a rapid fire round of questions.

[00:44:55] Curtis had two questions, the first of which being, what would you say is your favorite more recent game series?

[00:45:04] I'm not sure how far back I can go and still call it a recent series but my mind immediately went to the last of us.

[00:45:11] The best action adventure game I have ever played, period.

[00:45:15] There's only two games in the series and I'm pretty sure a third has to be on the way.

[00:45:20] But this game made such an impact on me back when it was released in 2013 as I'm sure it did on the countless others that have taken this game through its paces.

[00:45:30] I love the gameplay and the visuals but more than anything, I really enjoy this world that naughty dog is built.

[00:45:38] Admittedly though, I haven't completely finished the last of us part 2 yet but that doesn't stop this series from being my favorite more recent video game series.

[00:45:48] Games that can find a way to immerse me in their world and make me actually care about their characters like they existed in real life are special.

[00:45:56] And the last of us continues to do this for me even today.

[00:46:00] And lastly Curtis asks, what is your current favorite game genre and how has it changed over the years if it has at all?

[00:46:11] Generally speaking, I think my overall taste and video game is as much like my taste and music.

[00:46:17] I enjoy pretty much any genre of game with some rare exceptions but if I had to nail down a favorite, I really really love the survival horror genre.

[00:46:29] Ever since I played the original Resident Evil on PlayStation, I've been hooked on the idea of being tossed into a hopeless situation and finding my way out using resource management and a steady trigger finger.

[00:46:41] But survival horror like most things did evolve over time.

[00:46:46] Back in 1996 when Resident Evil launched, it kicked off several years of some amazing survival horror games.

[00:46:53] A lot of games were born that took a lot of influence from Resident Evil.

[00:46:57] The clock tower series was definitely a notable one but there were also other games like Parasite Eve and its sequel as well as Glerians on the original PlayStation.

[00:47:08] Hunting ground from Capcom which released in 2005 is probably one of my favorites even though I don't think enough people know about it.

[00:47:17] Shameless plug really quick, I did cover haunting ground way back on episode 15 of this podcast.

[00:47:23] Anyway, these games had their own spins on the genre from removing the ability to defend yourself to changing up how you attack threats.

[00:47:32] And let's not forget Silent Hill that took the genre in a more psychological horror direction.

[00:47:39] But for the most part around this time, the formula was untarnished.

[00:47:43] That wasn't till Resident Evil 4 was released.

[00:47:48] In an effort to shake things up and prevent the genre from going stale,

[00:47:52] RE4 put a huge emphasis on action oriented gameplay where the player needed to rely on their quick wit, their reflexes,

[00:48:00] and steady aim to see themselves through the horror.

[00:48:03] It goes without saying that Resident Evil 4 was one of the most successful games ever and it was that success that brought about change.

[00:48:12] Future survival horror games would embrace a more action oriented approach.

[00:48:17] Silent Hill homecoming was one where the lead protagonist had actual combat training, unlike how characters in earlier versions were just your quote-unquote every man.

[00:48:27] This explained the additions to the combat system in game and had players airying monsters and attacking them with combo strikes.

[00:48:36] We also got the likes of Dead Space, which took a unique spin on survival by forcing players to strategically dismember their enemies,

[00:48:44] throwing typical combat tactics the genre was known for out the window.

[00:48:49] As gaming technology gets more advanced, there's so much developers can do to immerse players in a survival horror experience that makes it seem more lifelike.

[00:49:00] But I find it funny that of all the gaming genres, survival horror seems like it's starting to go back to its roots.

[00:49:08] I don't think players really want an action oriented survival horror experience as much as they used to anymore.

[00:49:15] Take Resident Evil 6 for example.

[00:49:18] Great game in my opinion, but very much not survival horror and the fans made it very clear how they felt about it,

[00:49:25] which prompted a return to form in Resident Evil 7.

[00:49:29] But more evidence lies in more recent games like tormented souls, crow country and signalis.

[00:49:37] Personally, while I don't mind an action oriented survival experience, I have been craving some classic survival horror.

[00:49:45] I've honestly just become nostalgic for that original Resident Evil experience.

[00:49:51] Oh, Barry!

[00:49:52] That was too close. You were almost a jiggle sandwich.

[00:49:56] You're right!

[00:49:59] Oh, Chris?

[00:50:03] Stop it.

[00:50:05] Okay, to close this out, I thought it would be fun to take a bunch of random questions I received that could be answered in just a few sentences and turn it into a rapid fire lightning round of sorts.

[00:50:15] In full disclosure though, I am a talker, so we'll see how lightning was around will actually be.

[00:50:20] Most of these questions came from Jamie over on our Facebook page, but there are a few randoms from a wild lander who wanted my take, but also wanted to remain anonymous.

[00:50:31] So, all that said, let's get into it.

[00:50:39] First up, what's one game that you think everybody should try?

[00:50:44] Super easy and I'll give you two.

[00:50:46] For a retro game, even though I already talked about it, I have to go with Super Metroid for how well it holds up today.

[00:50:54] I was going to say Super Mario World, but I have to imagine just about everyone is trying it.

[00:50:59] If you haven't for some reason, absolutely get on that.

[00:51:03] And for a modern game, check out Sea of Stars.

[00:51:07] It's a turned-based role-playing game that I recently just finished and I think it's incredibly accessible even if you aren't one for role-playing games.

[00:51:15] There's a lot of ways you can tweak the experience for yourself, and it has one of the most touching stories I've experienced in a game, even if it takes a while to get going.

[00:51:27] Next question, are you a fan of fan-made music or video game-related covers?

[00:51:33] I'm thinking people like Prentle Floss and Mega-Ran.

[00:51:38] Yes, I am absolutely a fan of fan-made music or gaming music covers.

[00:51:42] I honestly only know if you artists off-hand, usually I just find a Spotify playlist with gaming music and covers and just let it go to town, but I do want to shout out a few really quick.

[00:51:54] Family jewels, who I discovered on YouTube, does some amazing metal covers of gaming music past and present.

[00:52:02] I love gaming metal covers and he is one of my favorites.

[00:52:06] And I recently came across an artist by the name of Micah, who largely remixes game music into the EDM style.

[00:52:15] There on Twitter slash X at DJMYK-8H if you're interested.

[00:52:21] I came across their EDM cover of the entire Zelda 2 soundtrack and it has become one of my favorite cover albums ever.

[00:52:30] Moving on to the next one.

[00:52:32] If you could create a Smash Bros. like game using a video game series or a smirkess board of different video game series, who would be in the game?

[00:52:44] I love this question.

[00:52:45] The easy answer for me is having a Smash Bros. style game with Final Fantasy characters in it.

[00:52:51] Decide a Final Fantasy on the PlayStation portable was about as close as we ever got and man do I miss that game.

[00:52:58] It's not Smash Bros. per se, but it's a great RPG style fighting game with Final Fantasy characters that was very, very well done.

[00:53:07] They tried to do it better with Decide and T, but they dropped the ball there in my opinion.

[00:53:12] But if I'm making my own Smash Bros. style game, I think I'd want to see a mixture of different fighting game franchises.

[00:53:19] Seems like a basic answer, but just think about it.

[00:53:23] Street Fighter, Tekken, Soul Caliber, Darkstalkers, Mortal Kombat, Virtual Fighter, Dead or Alive, Samurai Showdown, Killer Instinct, Blaze Blue, El even Power Stone.

[00:53:37] I'm not even that big of a fighting game fan, but having one place where all fighting game characters can go add it together, that definitely excites me a little.

[00:53:46] Next question, when it comes to the OG Resident Evil, which we know you're a big fan of, who is your main Chris or Jill and why?

[00:53:59] For me as much as I love Chris as a character, Jill will forever be my main in the original RE.

[00:54:05] Curse scenario is more iconic to me, and I enjoy that Jill seems to have more interactions with other characters.

[00:54:13] Plus, her campaign has Barry Burton, everyone's favorite member of Stars.

[00:54:18] Plus from a gameplay standpoint, her 8 inventory slots just makes backtracking much more tolerable, and her ability to pick locks more accurately reflects a highly trained individual.

[00:54:30] Chris's campaign is fun, and I love the challenge, but Jill's campaign is just comfort food for me at this point.

[00:54:38] Moving on to the next one, staying with Resident Evil here.

[00:54:42] If you could rank the main canon entries in the Resident Evil universe, which includes Kobra and Kobra, how would you rank them?

[00:54:50] Don't give reasons, just rank them tiermaker style.

[00:54:54] Alright, we'll start at the beginning and work our way up to Resident Evil 8.

[00:54:58] And just to be clear, tiermaker style I believe is ranking them by letter.

[00:55:04] F being the worst all the way up to S tier for the absolute best.

[00:55:08] And I'll rank them from a gameplay slash player experience standpoint, not just my favorites.

[00:55:14] Oh and lastly, I'm ranking the original games, no remakes or remasters here. Sound good? Okay, here goes.

[00:55:22] Resident Evil A, Resident Evil 2, S.

[00:55:27] Resident Evil 3, A, Resident Evil 4, S.

[00:55:33] Resident Evil 5, B. Resident Evil 6, A. Resident Evil 7, S.

[00:55:42] Resident Evil 8, B. Resident Evil Code Veronica, A.

[00:55:49] There you go, no reasons given, enjoy. Next question.

[00:55:54] What's the one game that you come back to on a regular basis and why?

[00:56:00] Well, I actually have two. My retrovice of choice is Contra on the NES.

[00:56:07] It's so easy to just pop in and see how far I can get in the single run.

[00:56:11] Contra will always be fun for me, and when I'm looking for a game to play, and I can't commit to anything,

[00:56:17] Contra is an easy and fun choice.

[00:56:20] Plus, I just like getting better and better at that game.

[00:56:23] For my modern one, currently I keep coming back to the Tarism of Final Barline.

[00:56:29] The Final Fantasy rhythm game that has you playing through hundreds of songs all over the Final Fantasy series and more.

[00:56:37] I am not really wanted for rhythm games in a whole honesty, but this game has hit the spot.

[00:56:43] Not only is the music amazing, but I love the little RPG elements that are bait into this game,

[00:56:49] so it always feels like my efforts are a massing towards something.

[00:56:52] More than that, it's the one game that kills time for me perfectly when I don't know what else to play,

[00:56:58] or I just want to zone out to a song or two.

[00:57:01] I can't seem to quit this game, and I don't think I ever will.

[00:57:07] Next up, a hypothetical. Fantasy Booking Time!

[00:57:11] You've just been made a producer of a brand new video game, and you have to book voice artists for both the protagonist and antagonist,

[00:57:19] and someone to write the OST.

[00:57:22] Give me the title of the game, and who you're hiring.

[00:57:27] Okay, this probably won't be quick, but let's get into it.

[00:57:30] So my protagonist would be played by Nolan North, who most people will know from his work,

[00:57:35] voicing Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series.

[00:57:39] My favorite role that Nolan has ever done was playing Captain Martin Walker in Speck-Ops The Line,

[00:57:45] a man who slowly loses himself over the course of the game.

[00:57:50] Nolan's voice has a decent range, and I love his work, so he's my good guy.

[00:57:55] Now, my antagonist might be an odd choice, but I want the actor John Bernthall to be my bad guy.

[00:58:03] Bernthall is probably most well known for his role as Shane in the Walking Dead,

[00:58:08] but he was in the movie Fury, Baby Driver, and he also played the Punisher in the Netflix series.

[00:58:14] He actually voiced and lent his face to the antagonist in Ghost Recon Breakpoint,

[00:58:20] and absolutely stole every scene that he was in.

[00:58:24] So because of that, he'll make the perfect bad guy in my game.

[00:58:29] Now, as for the soundtrack, one of my favorite composers has to be Yoko Shima Mora,

[00:58:34] who has games like Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy XV, Parasite Eve, and the Super Mario RPG to her credit.

[00:58:41] But since it almost sounds like I'm making an action game of swords,

[00:58:46] while Shima Mora would be great, I have always thought Hans Zimmer did amazing work

[00:58:52] for anything requiring a little action or intrigue.

[00:58:55] He's famous for movies like Gladiator and The Rock, but also video games like Call of Duty,

[00:59:01] Modern Warfare 2.

[00:59:04] And if I have to give my game a title, I'd call it Terminal Retribution,

[00:59:09] because I don't know which sounds cool now, doesn't it?

[00:59:14] Next question, would you ever get a gaming tattoo?

[00:59:18] Yes, I would, and as a matter of fact, I already have one.

[00:59:22] Well, technically two.

[00:59:24] For those that have played Final Fantasy XIII, I have the Lacee brand fully opened up on my right leg.

[00:59:30] I also have a cool piece on my right forearm.

[00:59:33] The overall piece is not a video game tattoo per se,

[00:59:36] it's actually a tattoo that both my wife and I share,

[00:59:40] but down the middle of this particular design is the Buster Sword from Final Fantasy XIII.

[00:59:45] I think I have a photo of the Lacee brand somewhere on our soul shuls,

[00:59:49] but I think I need to take one of my forearm and post it still.

[00:59:52] I will make a note to get that done.

[00:59:55] Alright, home stretch people.

[00:59:57] Up next, do you game with the lights on or off?

[01:00:02] And do you prefer headphones or are the TV speakers okay?

[01:00:07] I always want to immerse myself in my game as much as I can,

[01:00:11] so if I'm able to, it's lights off 100% of the time,

[01:00:15] and if I'm able to, I am tossing on a good pair of headphones.

[01:00:20] I have a hard time playing a game in doing something else at the same time.

[01:00:24] I want to give the game all the attention I can if I'm able to.

[01:00:28] I don't mind lights or TV speakers, but nothing beats lights out headphones on.

[01:00:35] And our last quickfire question.

[01:00:38] What's your favorite quote from a video game?

[01:00:42] I think my favorite can change depending on my mood,

[01:00:45] but one that always sticks with me,

[01:00:47] and it's one of the reasons I got my Final Fantasy XIII tattoo

[01:00:50] was from Lightning, the main character of XIII.

[01:00:54] She's simply said,

[01:00:55] it's not a question of can or can't.

[01:00:59] There's some things in life you just do.

[01:01:34] And that brings us to the end of the show, my friends.

[01:01:38] This has been episode 59 of The Retro Wildlands.

[01:01:42] Ask No Mad Number 2, a listener, question and answer show.

[01:01:48] Thank you very much for tuning into the show today.

[01:01:51] I really hope I was able to answer everyone's questions this episode.

[01:01:54] The one bad thing about putting a call out to all the social platforms I choose to occupy

[01:01:59] is that it can be hard to make sure I've gathered everyone's comments up.

[01:02:03] So again, if I missed you in some capacity, please accept my apology,

[01:02:07] but know it means the world to me that you even humored the idea of reaching out in the first place.

[01:02:13] I hope you all had a blast with this episode because I had a blast making it.

[01:02:17] And unless something different makes sense of here from now, I'll be sure to do one of these again.

[01:02:22] In the meantime, I'm usually pretty active on social media.

[01:02:26] So if you ever want a chat or pick my brain about something, I'm just a message away.

[01:02:32] If you like the show today and you want to show it and myself some support,

[01:02:36] please consider subscribing to the show on your preferred podcasting platform.

[01:02:41] The Retro Wildlands is a one-man show.

[01:02:43] So even though I have two wonderful canon companions that lead us into the gaming wilderness,

[01:02:49] it's all me over here.

[01:02:50] With all the things I have going on in my life at present,

[01:02:53] it's hard to commit to a solid release schedule like I originally had when I started this project.

[01:02:58] This is just a fun hobby for me after all.

[01:03:02] That said, subscribing to the show will let you know the moment I publish a new episode

[01:03:06] and you can get right into the wildlands with us straight away.

[01:03:11] Also, on top of the podcast, I'm slowly stepping into the world of live streaming.

[01:03:16] I've only done a few live streams whilst playing games, so I'm still getting a feel for it all.

[01:03:21] But if you're at all interested in hanging out with me while I play some older games,

[01:03:25] check me out on Twitch at no mad's Retro Wildlands.

[01:03:29] You can also find the show on Facebook or subscribe on YouTube.

[01:03:34] The platform I'm streaming off of allows me to simultaneously cast up to three platforms at once.

[01:03:40] So whenever I can, I try to do that.

[01:03:43] YouTube, Facebook and Twitch are the big three right now, so pick your favorite and drop me a follow.

[01:03:48] Or you can follow us on all three if you'd like.

[01:03:51] Also, join up with us on social media, so you can be aware anytime I set up a live stream.

[01:03:57] No real schedule right now, so following us on social will keep you informed until I nail something consistent down.

[01:04:04] Oh, and before I forget, if you really liked the show today or you've listened to the show for a while and you have a minute,

[01:04:11] I would appreciate it if you could leave a good review on your pot platform if it allows you to do so.

[01:04:17] Good reviews will help circulate the show, but more than that, they'll let me know that you're dig in the stuff that I put together.

[01:04:25] I'm really proud of what I've done with the show and how our episode sounds, so it would be in the world to me if you'd let me know that I'm doing good.

[01:04:33] But as always, don't feel obligated to do so.

[01:04:37] While I would love a good review for you, the fact that you're listening to the show right now whether you like the show or not is much more than I could ever ask for, so above all else.

[01:04:48] Thank you for being here.

[01:04:52] So what's coming up next?

[01:04:54] Well, my friends, spooky season has officially begun according to mine and just Dean's calendar, so that means I want to check out some spooky retro games.

[01:05:03] And there's one that I've been dying to play for a long time.

[01:05:08] I've been told it's amazing, I've been told it's a must play and I've been told it is hard as hell.

[01:05:16] But what makes me excited to give this game a try is the fact that I have a chance to save the world by slaying some demons all while wearing just my underwear where if I'm not careful.

[01:05:26] Sounds fun, right?

[01:05:28] Which is exactly why I'm going to tackle super ghouls and ghosts on the Super Nintendo.

[01:05:36] This side scroller is pre-loaded on my Super Nintendo classic, so I'll be busting out that gem and giving this one a run through.

[01:05:43] I think it'll be the perfect start to spooky seasons, so join us next time as we set out to save Princess Gwenevere and do so by keeping our armor intact.

[01:05:54] At least that's the plan.

[01:05:56] Should be a good time, so I'm hoping to see you right along with us into the Wildlands next time.

[01:06:03] Until then, my friends, my name is Nomad and you can find me roaming the retro Wildlands.