Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games

We're joined by Scott Anderson (Unity), Alfredo Barraza (Riot Games), and Alex Jaffe (Riot Games) to discuss Hyper Contender, the 36th game in the UFO 50 collection. “The daring, desperate, and indebted fight for money in the pits of Phogon.” Next week: Valbrace Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode:   Towerfall https://store.steampowered.com/app/251470/TowerFall_Ascension/    Rivals of Aether https://store.steampowered.com/app/383980/Rivals_of_Aether/    Rivals of Aether II https://store.steampowered.com/app/2217000/Rivals_of_Aether_II/    Brawlhalla https://store.steampowered.com/app/291550/Brawlhalla/    Multiversus https://store.steampowered.com/app/1818750/MultiVersus/  Samurai GUNN https://store.steampowered.com/app/239090/Samurai_GUNN/    Samurai GUNN 2 https://store.steampowered.com/app/1397790/Samurai_GUNN_2/?curator_clanid=38580399    Nidhogg https://store.steampowered.com/app/94400/Nidhogg/    Nidhogg 2 https://store.steampowered.com/app/535520/Nidhogg_2/    Scott's itch page https://impossible.itch.io/    Shuffle Tactics https://store.steampowered.com/app/2186580/Shuffle_Tactics/    Focused Space https://www.focused.space/    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

Rob, Nick, Doug, and Andy chat with Jeff Dubbin, a lawyer and (at the time of recording and publication) Board Game Arena's top-ranked international player of Reiner Knizia's Lost Cities. Lost Cities is a two-player card game about staking bets and unearthing archaeological treasures. We discuss the tactics behind high-level play, the ins and outs of Elo leaderboard systems, and the emotional impact of striving to be the best in the world.  Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Board Game Arena - Lost Cities (scroll down for leaderboards, toggle to “All Time”) https://en.boardgamearena.com/gamepanel?game=lostcities  Board Game Geek - Lost Cities https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/50/lost-cities Lost Cities Card Game https://store.thamesandkosmos.com/collections/lost-cities/products/lost-cities-card-game-with-6th-expedition    https://eggplant.show/  https://discord.gg/eggplant  https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow 

We're joined by Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), Russ Frushtick (The Besties), and Xanagear (youtube.com/xanagear) to discuss Campanella 2, the 35th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Pilot's gone missing on a giant space station and his sister Isabell is determined to find him!” Next week: Hyper Contender Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode: Post Games Patreon https://www.patreon.com/PostGames  Post Games podcast announcement https://postgame.substack.com/p/sneak-preview-of-post-games-and-early  Great Art https://www.mostancient.com/shop/great-art  The Besties https://www.themcelroy.family/podcasts/besties/    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 9 (reunion) and try to rank and contextualize the season. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and more. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series, including live finale interviews: https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin) and John Axon (Capy Games) to discuss Overbold, the 34th game in the UFO 50 collection. “In the notorious Red Arena, the more risk you take, the more money you make!” Next week: Campanella 2 Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: brainfruit! (Rob's new studio) https://bsky.app/profile/brainfruit.bsky.social  Binding of Isaac: Rebirth https://store.steampowered.com/app/250900/The_Binding_of_Isaac_Rebirth/  Make Ten Deluxe https://pancelor.itch.io/make-ten-deluxe The Electrifying Incident: A Monster Mini-Expedition https://store.steampowered.com/app/3352300/The_Electrifying_Incident_A_Monster_MiniExpedition/  A Year of UFO 50 - Camouflage https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-camouflage A Year of UFO 50 - Kick Club https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-kick-club A Year of UFO 50 - Golfaria https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-golfaria A Year of UFO 50 - Pingolf https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-pingolf https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 8 and share their Mole suspicions.  Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Reality TV Warriors finale live interviews w/ Gilles, Michèle, Alexy https://rtvwarriors.wordpress.com/2025/05/13/diary-of-a-mole-finale-iv/ Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by Shawn Alexander Allen (Treachery in Beatdown City), Robert Ashley (A Life Well Wasted), Greg Ford (EGM), and Trent Kusters (League of Geeks) to discuss Fist Hell, the 33rd game in the UFO 50 collection. "The city has a zombie problem and the mayor can't be trusted to fix it. Time to grab your friends & fight!" Next week: Overbold Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 7 and share their Mole suspicions.  Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Aaron “ix” Kearsley (Speedrunner) to discuss Mortol II, the 32nd game in the UFO 50 collection. “How many will have to sacrifice their lives to save Mortolia yet again?” Next week: Fist Hell Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Mortol II Map https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://i.redd.it/r44fngq6atqd1.png&rdt=46583   Redder https://w.itch.io/redder   A Year of UFO 50 - Rock On! Island https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-rock-on-island  A Year of UFO 50 - Mortol https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-mortol   Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 1 https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-kentucky-route-zero-part-1  Spelunky Showlike: Breaking world records with Kinnijup and ix  https://eggplant.show/03-breaking-world-records-with-kinnijup-and-ix    Spelunky Showlike: Death in Roguelikes with Kawa https://eggplant.show/07-death-in-roguelikes-with-kawa    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 6 and share their Mole suspicions.  Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by Ben Wilson (Saltsea Chronicles), John Axon (Capybara Games), and Scott Anderson (Unity) to discuss Pingolf, the 31st game in the UFO 50 collection. “Each year the best golfers in the galaxy show up to compete at the UFO Invitational.” Next week: Mortol II Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Desert Golfing https://store.steampowered.com/app/757040/Desert_Golfing/  Golfing on Mars https://store.steampowered.com/app/1340570/Golf_On_Mars/ Cursed to Golf https://store.steampowered.com/app/1726120/Cursed_to_Golf/ Executive Golf DX (Playdate) https://play.date/games/executive-golf/ Yoku's Island Express https://store.steampowered.com/app/334940/Yokus_Island_Express/ Scott's Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/impossible.bsky.social John's Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/johnaxon.bsky.social Ben's Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/zerofiftyone.bsky.social Ben's Crosswords https://zerofiftyone.net/ The End of Gameplay by droqen https://store.steampowered.com/app/3120040/The_End_of_Gameplay/ 31 Unmarked Games by droqen https://droqen.itch.io/31-unmarked-games  Episode 69 – Building a Better Bridge with Ben Wilson https://eggplant.show/69-building-a-better-bridge-with-ben-wilson Episode 129 – Reinforcing Worldbuilding through Gameplay with Spoils https://eggplant.show/129-reinforcing-worldbuilding-through-gameplay-with-spoils  A Year of UFO 50 - Golfaria https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-golfaria   https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow    

We're recapping the 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 5 and share their Mole suspicions.  Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Every Game In This City, Season 1 - Escape Rooms in Kuala Lumpur https://www.idlethumbs.net/everygame/episodes/a-chocolate-milk-heist Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant  

In the 4th installment of our current Into the Depths series, we dive into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015. Doug and Rob - joined by special guest host Star St. Germain - continue talking about the main quest with one of the game's creators, Jason Grinblat. This episode we talk through Pax Klanq, Yd Freehold, and the Tomb of Eaters. Don't forget to join our Discord and play along with the series. Show Notes: Buy Caves of Qud on itch.io: https://freeholdgames.itch.io/cavesofqud Caves of Qud soundtrack: https://freeholdgames.itch.io/caves-of-qud-soundtrack 2025 Independent Games Festival: https://igf.com/article/consume-me-wins-grand-prize-nuovo-award-2025-igf-awards Doug & Rob let's play video of Tomb of the Eaters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is3keH8R-8A Star on bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisisstar.bsky.social Jason on bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zflcrtqmb7pcwouiixuf22pq

We're joined by Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Gab Koenig (Tux and Fanny) to discuss Rock On! Island, the 30th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Rally your cavemen and defend your cave from waves of attacking dinosaurs.” Next week: Pingolf Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Jon Perry – How Tabletop Design Helped Shape ‘UFO 50' https://gdcvault.com/play/1035154/How-Tabletop-Design-Helped-Shape  Bloons TD 6 https://store.steampowered.com/app/960090/Bloons_TD_6/ PixelJunk Monsters 2 https://store.steampowered.com/app/749800/PixelJunk_Monsters_2/  Orcs Must Die! https://store.steampowered.com/app/102600/Orcs_Must_Die/  Dungeon Defenders https://store.steampowered.com/app/65800/Dungeon_Defenders/  Go Home Dinosaurs! https://store.steampowered.com/app/216090/Go_Home_Dinosaurs/  Tillmonk Spreadsheet with Rock On! Island Maps https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SKJjhP__EzNfMxeaDgvVVizerLlmimvsrVh-z13CAlo/edit?gid=358915784#gid=358915784  Brick101 Save Between Waves Mod https://github.com/davidmpickett/ufo50-rock-on-island-save-state  Tooth and Tail https://store.steampowered.com/app/286000/Tooth_and_Tail/  Blood on the Clocktower https://bloodontheclocktower.com/  A Year of UFO 50 - Mortol https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-mortol  Into the Depths: Kentucky Route Zero - Part 1 https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-kentucky-route-zero-part-1  A Year of UFO 50 - Party House https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-party-house  “Yes, And”-ing Your Design with Albert Birney and Gabriel Koenig (Tux and Fanny) https://eggplant.show/128-yes-and-ing-your-design-with-albert-birney-and-gabriel-koenig-tux-and-fanny    https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're recapping the new 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 4 and share their Mole suspicions.  Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Wie is de Mol (Netherlands) Season 14, Episode 3https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTgfpKoX96M&list=PL0V4yzkm-Av38Wy9dJZCLGsjOhKzXDVRp&index=3 Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by guest hosts Adam Saltsman (Finji), Trent Kusters (League of Geeks), and Teddy Dief (We Are OFK) to discuss Vainger, the 29th game in the UFO 50 collection. “The Vainger returns to Io and finds itself betrayed. The enemy must be found and eradicated.” Next week: Rock On! Island Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Prince of Prussia  https://adamatomic.itch.io/prince Deus Ex  https://store.steampowered.com/app/6910/Deus_Ex_Game_of_the_Year_Edition/  The Swapper https://store.steampowered.com/app/231160/The_Swapper/  Transistor https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/transistor/ Uncle Slam's record Vainger speed run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q12oY8A5ekA Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown https://store.steampowered.com/app/2751000/Prince_of_Persia_The_Lost_Crown/  Bloodborne https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/bloodborne/ Magic, Kevlar, and Conspiracies with Tactical Breach Wizards Dev Tom Francis https://interactive.libsyn.com/magic-kevlar-and-conspiracies-with-tactical-breach-wizards-dev-tom-francis  Usual June https://store.steampowered.com/app/2702430/Usual_June/ Hyper Light Drifter https://store.steampowered.com/app/257850/Hyper_Light_Drifter/  We Are OFK (game) https://store.steampowered.com/app/1490340/We_Are_OFK/ We Are OFK (artist page) https://www.ofk.cool/ Teddy Dief's webpage https://www.teddydief.com/ Gaburi Chicken, LA https://gaburiusa.com/ A Year of UFO 50 – Warptank https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-warptank A Year of UFO 50 – Camouflage https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-camouflage Surviving Overland with Adam Saltsman https://eggplant.show/28-surviving-overland-with-adam-saltsman A Year of UFO 50 – Porgy https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-porgy A Year of UFO 50 – Bushido Ball https://eggplant.show/ep-a-year-of-ufo-50-bushido-ball   https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're recapping the new 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 3 and share their Mole suspicions.  There's never been a better time to get into De Mol. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant

We're joined by guest hosts Xalavier Nelson Jr. (I Am Your Beast) and Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy) to discuss Rail Heist, the 28th game in the UFO 50 collection. “The most infamous train robbers in the west pull off a series of daring heists.” Next week: Vainger Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode:   Colt Express https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/158899/colt-express Invisible, Inc. https://store.steampowered.com/app/243970/Invisible_Inc/ Gunpoint https://store.steampowered.com/app/206190/Gunpoint/  SteamWorld Heist https://www.gog.com/en/game/steamworld_heist  Hotline Miami https://store.steampowered.com/app/219150/Hotline_Miami/  Killer Queen https://killerqueenarcade.com/  Leisure Suit Larry https://store.steampowered.com/app/763970/Leisure_Suit_Larry_1__In_the_Land_of_the_Lounge_Lizards/ Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 https://store.steampowered.com/app/2116510/Creepy_Redneck_Dinosaur_Mansion_3/ Baby Steps https://store.steampowered.com/app/1281040/Baby_Steps/ https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're recapping the new 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 2 and share their Mole suspicions.  There's never been a better time to get into De Mol. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant  

We're joined by guest hosts Kayin (I Wanna Be The Guy), Jay Ma (Into the Breach), and droqen (Starseed Pilgrim) to discuss Divers, the 27th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Control Dylan, Orlok, and Thyme as they explore the watery depths” Next week: Rail Heist Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode: Final Fantasy Legend 1 (via the Collection of SaGa: Final Fantasy Legend) https://saga-franchise.square-enix-games.com/en-us/games/collection-saga-final-fantasy-legend  Dungeon Encounters https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_US/games/dungeon-encounters Girls Last Tour https://yenpress.com/titles/9780316470636-girls-last-tour-vol-1  Subnautica https://store.steampowered.com/app/264710/Subnautica/ Stardom World Wrestling https://www.stardom-world.com/contents/4272  Droqen's website https://www.droqen.com/  Jay Ma on bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/jarmustard.bsky.social Kayin on bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/kayin.moe droqen on bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/droqen.bsky.social   https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're recapping the new 2025 season of our favorite tv show, Flemish De Mol (Season 13).  Laura, Jey, and Doug break down Episode 1 and share their Mole suspicions.  There's never been a better time to get into De Mol. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant live from the De Mol 2024 finale https://www.patreon.com/posts/eggplant-de-mol-105398809 Eggplant Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant Taskmaster - Get To 11 Points as Fast as Possible https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgLthsvxyAs  

Recorded in person at GDC 2025, we're joined by guest host Alfredo Barraza (Riot), and UFO 50 developers Jon Perry, Derek Yu, and Tyriq Plummer to discuss Hot Foot, the 26th game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's time to grab your beanbags and settle your differences on the Hot Foot court!" Next week: Divers http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

For the 2nd year in a row, we're recapping the new 2025 season of Flemish De Mol. And this time, we're posting the episodes to the main feed here. There's never been a better time to get into De Mol. Join us on the Discord for tips on how to watch, chat about the episodes, and to play a Mol guessing game with us. Links: Ep 122: Finding Decency in Reality with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) https://eggplant.show/122-finding-decency-in-reality-with-gilles-de-coster-de-mol Eggplant's De Mol 2024 recap series https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow Eggplant live from the De Mol 2024 finale https://www.patreon.com/posts/eggplant-de-mol-105398809 Discord http://discord.gg/eggplant  

We're joined by guest hosts Billy Basso (Animal Well), Jack Schlesinger (Baby Steps), and Gab Koenig (Tux and Fanny) to discuss Party House, the 25th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Can you throw the best house party of the summer without getting busted?” Next week: Hot Foot Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: The Quacks of Quedlinburg https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/244521/the-quacks-of-quedlinburg Dominion (Temple Gate Games) https://templegatesgames.com/gamepages/dominion.html Quarriors! https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/91536/quarriors  Jon Perry's board games https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/73364/jon-perry  Michael O'Blivion's UFO 50 YouTube videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjLTO0klFN8&list=PL1D9Hwc75ZKp0tryurUbmtRUufIk_j6GD&index=4  Luck be a Landlord https://store.steampowered.com/app/1404850/Luck_be_a_Landlord/  Slice & Dice https://tann.fun/games/dice/  Into the Depths: Slice & Dice – Part 1 https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-slice-dice-part-1  Baby Steps https://www.babystepsgame.com/  Animal Well https://www.animalwell.net/  Episode 139 – Sticking to Your Systems with Animal Well https://eggplant.show/139-sticking-to-your-systems-with-animal-well  Into the Depths: Caves of Qud (Part 1) https://eggplant.show/into-the-depths-caves-of-qud-part-1  Episode 92 – Untangling Language with Knotwords https://eggplant.show/92-untangling-language-with-knotwords  Episode 128 – "Yes, And"-ing Your Design with Albert Birney and Gabriel Koenig (Tux and Fanny) https://eggplant.show/128-yes-and-ing-your-design-with-albert-birney-and-gabriel-koenig-tux-and-fanny  https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're joined by guest host Madison Karrh (Birth), Billy Basso (Animal Well), and Steve Gillham (OzymandiasAV) to discuss Caramel Caramel, the 24th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Melon got a new camera and is going on a galactic adventure to try it out!” Next week: Party House Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Snapshot Game https://store.steampowered.com/app/204220/Snapshot/  Spelunky by Derek Yu  https://bossfightbooks.com/products/spelunky-by-derek-yu Brick101's mod for Caramel Caramel  https://github.com/davidmpickett/ufo50-caramel-health  Animal Well https://www.animalwell.net/  Episode 139 – Sticking to Your Systems with Animal Well  https://eggplant.show/139-sticking-to-your-systems-with-animal-well Abnormal Mapping  https://www.abnormalmapping.com/  https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're joined by guest host Alfredo Barraza (Riot), plus Farbs (Wild Bastards), Dan Vecchitto (Trombone Champ), and Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything) to discuss Onion Delivery, the 23rd game in the UFO 50 collection. "Can you survive the work-week in Zorrg City? Do your best to make deliveries amidst the chaos!" Next week: Caramel Caramel Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode: Retro Racing 2 https://www.mrqwak.com/games/retro-racing-2/   Grand Theft Auto https://www.rockstargames.com/games/gta  Trombone Champ https://www.trombonechamp.com/  ICE CREAM DELIVERY JOB  https://youtu.be/NfnzV0eMdug?si=q3rBfxpj9cI9cPbU  "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein https://tsd.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine.html Adam Conover Tour Dates https://www.adamconover.net/new-tour-dates/   Adam Conover on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/adamconover.net Farbs on Mastodon https://mastodon.social/@Farbs Holy Wow on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/holywowstudios.bsky.social   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

In the 3rd installment of our current Into the Depths series, we dive into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015. Doug and Rob - joined by special guest host Star St. Germain - talk to one of the game's creators Jason Grinblat about the main quest, from Bethesda Susa thru . Don't forget to join our Discord and play along with the series. Show Notes: Buy Caves of Qud on itch.io: https://freeholdgames.itch.io/cavesofqud Jason's reference image for Bethesda Susa: https://imgur.com/a/rH257at Star on bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/thisisstar.bsky.social Jason on bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:zflcrtqmb7pcwouiixuf22pq  

We're joined by Trent Kusters (League of Geeks) and Kayin (I Wanna Be The Guy) to discuss Porgy, the 22nd game in the UFO 50 collection. "Strange happenings near the coast! Dive deep and get to the bottom of what's fishy in the sea." Next week: Onion Delivery Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed on this episode: Kayin's Porgy Blog Post – ”On Backtracking” https://kayin.moe/backtracking   Games: Agency as Art – C. Thi Nguyen https://global.oup.com/academic/product/games-9780190052089?cc=us&lang=en&  A Play of Bodies – Brendan Keogh https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262037631/a-play-of-bodies/  Shadow The Past's Porgy Speedruns (1st World Record run) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoYXGkX2_IA&t=1s  Game Maker's Notebook – 17 Year Development Journey with Caves of Qud https://interactive.libsyn.com/17-year-development-journey-with-caves-of-qud    Kayin's website https://kayin.moe/about   Kayin on bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/kayin.moe  Trent on bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/trentkusters.bsky.social   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're joined by Liz Ryerson (Sounds from the Abyss) and Ben Esposito (Neon White) to discuss Waldorf's Journey, the 21st game in the UFO 50 collection. "Waldorf didn't go looking for adventure. He was just trying to enjoy a nice nap..." Next week: Porgy Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Show Notes: Terry's Other Games – A collection of Terry Cavanagh's smaller works https://terrycavanagh.itch.io/terrys-other-games Paralect https://igf.com/paralect-0 Waldorf's Journey Speedrun World Record by MACH https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv2IlhR1fQw Neon White https://neonwhite.rip/ Liz Ryerson's Bandcamp https://bandcamp.com/lizryerson Sounds from the Abyss mixes https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdRlER1F5rGvaoE-XbV6jz6OymxQw4jx&si=HFcDTYa5DPqD_aD5 Great Art by Liz Ryerson https://www.mostancient.com/shop/great-art GDC Experimental Game Workshop links: 2004–2022 GDC Vault Recordings https://gdcvault.com/browse?keyword=experimental+gameplay+workshop 2023–2024 GDC Vault Recordings https://gdcvault.com/browse?keyword=experimental+game+workshop Experimental Game Workshop website https://www.experimentalgameworkshop.org/ GDC 2025 Experimental Games Showcase speaker list https://schedule.gdconf.com/session/experimental-games-showcase/911131 Episode 145 – Addressing Memory with Plunderludics https://eggplant.show/145-addressing-memory-with-plunderludics Episode 94 – Learning to Unclench with Ben Esposito (Neon White) https://eggplant.show/94-neon-white http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

Doug and Rob chat with mut moochi, Jonny Hopkins, and Gurn Group about their experimental game and emulator hacking practice, which they call "plunderludics". We're also joined by special guest co-host Bennett Foddy. We describe some of their pieces, the comparison against plunderphonics and other related terms, the tools they've developed, and more. Show notes:  plunderludics wiki https://plunderludics.github.io/ Unityhawk https://plunderludics.github.io/tools/unityhawk.html boshi's place https://boshis.place/ mut's Tapestry https://2024.amaze-berlin.de/mentions/tapestry/ mut's Auto Mario https://nes.mut.media/goodluck.html Mario Mario's bro skater 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWHXMURV2vo tetris, but all at once, but all at once https://x.com/jwhopkin/status/1624188079408918528 jonny's Mario x film composites https://x.com/jwhopkin/status/1627367719518576656 https://x.com/jwhopkin/status/1628938203435614208 https://x.com/jwhopkin/status/1630298848479281153 Gurn Group's itch page https://gurnburial.itch.io/ Mario Tag documentation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pul43sdWO8k Multibowl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multibowl "Plunderphonics, or Audio Piracy as a Compositional Prerogative" https://plunderphonics.com/ JohnLee Cooper's list Plundercore (Not By Me Mostly) https://itch.io/c/2861178/plundercore-not-by-me-mostly Water Level/b.l.u.e. EXPLORATION by hatimb00 https://hatimb00.itch.io/blue-exploration      

We're joined by Adam Saltsman (Finji), Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), and Bijan Stephen (Compulsion Games) to discuss Warptank, the 20th game in the UFO 50 collection.   "Use your tank to regain control of the station and sever all ties to Capsule World!"   Next week: Waldorf's Journey   Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   The Cousin Game is one of the oldest and most underappreciated genres by Patrick Gill (Polygon)   Sounds from the Abyss mixes   South of Midnight   Fun City (Cyberpunk TTRPG podcast)   Adam's itch.io (adamatonic.itch.io)   Great Art by Liz Ryerson   GDC Experimental Game Workshop links: 2023–2024 GDC Vault Recordings Experimental Game Workshop website GDC 2025 Experimental Games Showcase speaker list Episode 28 – Surviving Overland with Adam Saltsman A Year of UFO 50 Episode 16 – Camouflage http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Big Bell Race, the 19th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Do you have what it takes to become the Big Bell Race Champion?" Our show has been nominated for a 2024 Thinky Award in some great company! Check out the full list here... and if you should be moved to vote for us, that is between you and whatever higher power you recognize. Thanks to Thinky Games for the recognition. Next week: Warptank Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.  Discussed on this episode: Darknet Remastered  Darknet Soundtrack Arco Arco Soundtrack   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're joined by John Axon (Capybara Games) and Ben Wilson (Die Gute Fabrik) to discuss Golfaria, the 18th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Deep beneath the fairway, a golf ball awakens. Where did it come from? What is its purpose?" Next week: The Big Bell Race Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   John Axon on Bluesky Zerofiftyone.net (Ben's crosswords) Episode 69 – Building a Better Bridge with Ben Wilson Episode 129 – Reinforcing Worldbuilding through Gameplay with Spoils   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We chat with Mo Cohen (Queermo Games) and Hagen Deloss about Queer Quest, a point-and-click adventure that's best described as "gay Monkey Island meets feminist Leisure Suit Larry".  Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Show notes:  Queer Quest official site (Queermo Games) Mo Cohen Queer Quest on Steam and itch.io Hagen Deloss Eggplant interview with Gilles De Coster (De Mol) Leisure Suit Larry Monkey Island Queer Quest Kickstarter (October 2016) Mar Del Castillo and Miss Honey Skullduggery! mobile game Read Only Memories (ROM) (MidBoss) My Ex-Boyfriend the Space Tyrant (Luke Miller) Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator Sense8 Rise of the Video Game Zinesters by Anna Anthropy Tarotno Kentucky Route Zero Eggplant episode Beak, Feather & Bone

We're joined by Carolyn Petit (Kotaku) and Russ Frushtick (Polygon) to discuss Campanella, the 17th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Fly the Campanella through five challenging worlds! And don't forget to stop for coffee!" Next week: Golfaria Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed in this episode: Space Taxi Alfonzo's Bowling Challenge Carolyn on Bluesky Russ on Bluesky The Besties Podcast   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow  

We're joined by Adam Saltsman (Finji) and Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin) to discuss Camouflage, the 16th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Blend in with your surroundings to evade predators and fulfill your destiny." Next week: Campanella Audio edited by Dylan Shumway.   Discussed on this episode: Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love – A Journey to the End of Taste by Carl Wilson Willy's Wonderland Adam's PICO-8 Games (and other itch.io releases!) Izzy's itch.io page (specific titles mentioned below) Gexfeld Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure Adventure Channel Surfing Oral Gex Podcast Episode 28 – Surviving Overland with Adam Saltsman   Adam Saltsman on Bluesky Izzy Kestrel on Bluesky   http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

The whole crew assembles to share our personal five favorite games of 2024, alongside picks from previous show guests and our listeners. Happy 2025! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS): Doug: Xenosphere B3313 (Mario 64 mod) Boku no Natsuyasumi 2 Slice & Dice 3.0 Caves of Qud Sarah: Velgress (from UFO 50) Balatro Bridge Command Waxwing Key of Dreams Zach: Astro Bot Astro Bot Astro Bot Astro Bot Astro Bot Laura: https://simogo.com/work/loreleiandthelasereyes/ Balloon SMP Interstate 35 Games to play with babies / Zach's 2023 pick Dress to Impress (Roblox) Nick: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Pseudoregalia Paper Beast Smart Ball The Nest Andy: Hollow Knight Pokemon TCG Pocket Super Mario Galaxy 2 Astro Bot Velgress (of UFO 50) Rob: Balatro Moon Adventure Barbuta (of UFO 50) Slice & Dice 3.0 Caves of Qud   Other picks from guests and listeners: UFO 50 Cryptmaster Case of the Golden Idol DLCs Fractal Block World N++ Community Tab Project Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip 10 hours of silence occasionally broken up by the Taco Bell bong Fallout 4 Earth Defense Force 6 Rabbit and Steel Rogue Legacy 2 The Frog for Whom the Bell Tolls Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom Feldivek Factorio Playframes: How Do We Know We Are Playing? by Celia Pearce Celeste Pepper Grinder Riven (2024) Caves of Qud Animal Well Katamari Damacy Leap Year Arcs MX Bikes Karen Kavett's Gradient Cascade Puzzle  Earthrise 1 in Melbourne Cine2Nerdle Battles Deadlock  

We're joined by Patrick Traynor (Patrick's Parabox) and Frank Lantz (Universal Paperclips, NYU Game Center) to discuss Block Koala, the 15th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Flamingus has stolen all the water! Solve puzzles to defeat him and save the park!" Next week: Camouflage Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Frank Lantz's Substack Patrick's Parabox PuzzleScript Stephen's Sausage Roll by increpare Corrypt by Michael Brough Hectique's UFO 50 All Games Speedrun (the Block Koala part)  The Witness by Jonathan Blow Jelly no Puzzle by Qrostar Blockhouse by Kory Heath The Gang by Kory Heath Episode 124 – Thinking Inside the Box with Patrick Traynor (Patrick's Parabox) Episode 87 – Fighting Words with Everybody House Games (Babble Royale) Episode 31 – Good Times with Bad Robots with Frank Lantz (Hey Robot)   Join our Discord: http://discord.gg/eggplant Leave us a tip: https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Casey Yano (Mega Crit), Trent Kusters (League of Geeks), and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Bushido Ball, the 14th game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's the annual Bushido Ball tournament. Choose from 6 fighters and compete to win!" Next week: Block Koala http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

In the 2nd installment of our current Into the Depths series, we dive into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and in this episode we celebrate this month's momentous v1.0 release. Doug and Rob talk to one of the game's creators Jason Grinblat about Qud basics and the early game (up to Golgotha). Don't forget to join our Discord and play along with the series. Show Notes Buy Caves of Qud on itch.io Caves of Qud merch qudzoo - "Your one-stop shop for improving in Caves of Qud" Recommended settings for playing Qud on a Steamdeck (credit to Discord user patric!) "The important changes are all in UI portion of the options menu:  UI Scale: 1.25 Play Area Scale: Pixel Perfect Pixel Perfect Tile Graphic Scale: 2 Ability Bar Mode: Compact Mini Map: Off Nearby Objects: Off Message Log Font: -5 Last but not least, use your finger to move the bar between the play area & the message log as far to the right as you can. It's a little fiddly to do, but frees up a good amount of real estate."

We're joined by Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It), Kenny Sun (Mr. Sun's Hatbox), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Mooncat, the 13th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Jump and dash through forests, caves and mountains, in search of the egg." Next week: Bushido Ball http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by UFO 50 developers Derek Yu, Jon Perry, and Eirik Suhrke to discuss the first 12 (?) games in the collection.  http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Tanya X. Short (Kitfox Games), Star St. Germain (Aconite), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Avianos, the 12th game in the UFO 50 collection. "In a time when birds rule, an epic war rages between the red talons and the blue beaks." Next week: Mooncat http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by John Axon (Capy Games) and Hayden "Docky" Scott-Baron (Planet Coaster) to discuss Kick Club, the 11th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Sports are fighting over who is best! Let's all play together!” Next week: Avianos http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Tanya X. Short (Kitfox Games) to discuss Devilition, the 10th game in the UFO 50 collection. “Build and detonate chain reactions to drive the demon horde out of town!” Next week: Kick Club http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything) and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Attactics, the ninth game in the UFO 50 collection. “Carefully arrange your troops for maximum advantage in this game of realtime tactics.” Next week: Devilition http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Marc Flury (Thumper) and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Planet Zoldath, the eighth game in the UFO 50 collection. “Brave the wilds of Planet Zoldath in search of the intergalactic treasure map!” Next week: Attactics http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Derek Lieu (derek-lieu.com) and Colin Northway (Fantastic Contraption) to discuss Velgress, the seventh game in the UFO 50 collection. “The space pirate Alpha is trapped in the deep pit known as Velgress. Help her climb out!” Next week: Planet Zoldath http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Aaron "ix" Kearsley (speedrunner), Stephanie Boluk (UC Davis), and Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis) to discuss Mortol, the sixth game in the UFO 50 collection. “How many people will lay down their lives to save Mortolia?” Next week: Velgress http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow

We're joined by Daniel Mullins (Inscryption), Stuffed Wombat (Mosa Lina), and XanaGear (youtube.com/xanagear) to discuss Magic Garden, the fifth game in the UFO 50 collection. “Stop the jealous witch Cloverana from sabotaging your garden!” Next week: Mortol

In the first installment of a new Into the Depths series, we dive into the brilliant Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and we're celebrating it as it nears a v1.0 release. Doug and Rob, together with guest host and Qud-head Jack Schlesinger (Puzzmo, Knotwords, Good Sudoku), talk to Caves of Qud creators Brian Bucklew and Jason Grinblat all about post-apocalyptic worldbuilding, building an emergence-focused game engine, and what it takes to keep a project and partnership going for nearly two decades. Don't forget to join our discord and play along with the series. Try to get a character to Level 5 before our next episode, where we'll get into some basics around the early game and Qud's many interlocking systems. You can purchase Caves of Qud -- still in Early Access, for now -- on Steam or GOG. Discussed in this Episode Gamma World Dwarf Fortress Kitfox Games Data-Driven Engines of Qud and Sproggiwood, talk by Brian Bucklew @ IRDC 2015 A Data-Driven Object System, talk by Scott Bilas @ GDC 2002 ("Looks like the paper isn't available but here's a talk on the same subject matter") The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Ancient Domains of Mystery (ADOM) Tracery for context-free grammar generation Emergent Narrative in Dwarf Fortress, talk by Tarn Adams @ Progression Mechanics 2017 The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe Clark Ashton Smith Sam Wilson (pixel artist) Craig Hamilton (OST)