Gamers on the Go

Download the episode here or listen on SoundCloudMatt Giguere and Bobby Pease join GOTG this time as we're all excited about Panic's new yellow fun dispenser, the Playdate. We cover our overall impressions of the hardware, the first two weeks of official games for it (including Whitewater Wipeout, Casual Birder, Crankin's Time Travel Adventure and Boogie Loops) and some of the software we've sideloaded onto the system. Look forward to future episodes where we'll cover the other games in this first season of Playdate content.Show Notes:See and hear more of Matt on his Twitch channel and Tyler Abstract's Abstract Japan podcastAnd see more of Bobby (and Chase) on The Casual Hour network

Download the episode here or listen on SoundCloudCo-host of The Casual Hour Johnny Amizich returns to GOTG as we talk about a very cool new piece of tech for fans of handheld gaming: the Analogue Pocket. We give our early impressions of the hardware and talk about the possibilities it represents for portable retro gaming. And since we also wanted to talk about some actual games, we've dug into the well to play three of the Game Boy's earliest sports titles - Baseball, Tennis and Golf.

Download the episode here or listen on SoundCloudHappy Metroid Dread day for all the 2D Metroid fans in the house. To celebrate, Matt “Giggysan” Giguere joins as we look back on Nintendo and MercurySteam's previous foray into the series - Metroid: Samus Returns. Is it the best remake of Metroid II? Does it inform us about anything that Metroid Dread might have in store? Does Chase like Metroid now? Tune in to this episode for answers to all these questions and more. Show Notes:Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit does a great breakdown of how both Metroid II remakes attempt to recreate the original Game Boy game. Looking for Metroid Dread content? Check out The Casual Hour on Twitch and YouTube for quick looks and impressions.Find more of Giggysan's work on his Twitch as well as his occasional guest spot on the Abstract Japan podcast.And if you like energy beams and mechanized armor, Chase has been playing through all of Super Robot Wars X on his YouTube channel.

Download the episode here or listen on Soundcloud.Co-host of The Casual Hour, Bobby Pease joins Chase to talk about the first mainline Pokemon games released on the Nintendo 3DS: 2013’s Pokemon X and Y. From the French-inspired Kalos to the brand new Wonder Trading and everything in-between, enjoy this mega-evolved episode!Show Notes:We didn't get deep into the post game, but if you want to learn about everything that opens up to you after beating the story, here you go.For more from The Casual Hour, where you can hear more of Chase, Bobby and their co-host Johnny, visit all the official channels here.

Download the episode or listen on SoundCloudIn this episode six years in the making, Pierce Courchaine joins us to talk about the mysterious and innovative 2015 game Her Story. We compare notes, discuss its calculated writing and attempt to uncover the truth. Note that we do spoil the hell out of the game eventually, but there is quite a big of spoiler-free talk at the beginning, as well as a clear warning before we get into the finer details. And because the universe is weird, turns out, that Sam Barlow, the creator of Her Story, announced a new game called Immortality right after we recorded this episode!Show Notes:If you want more Her Story, Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit, did a much better job explaining how this game works than we did. And here's Mark's complete explainer for the game.There is also an exhaustive breakdown of the game by DePaul and University of Chicago professor Ian Bryce Jones, who has used Her Story as a teaching tool in his college classes.

Download the episode here or listen on SoundCloudWe had so much fun doing the 3DS Retrospective with Matt Giguere, we decided to bring him back to do the same with the Nintendo DS. From the hardware revisions to the best “DS” subtitle, we dive deep into this weird and wonderful system and the games it inspired. And then, of course, we spend way too much time debating the top 25 DS games of all time (with the caveat that there’s a ton of games we haven’t played for the system). We’ll post the full list soon. And if you’re interested in our personal top 25 lists, those will also be releasing in the coming days. If you want more Matt Giguere, you can find him streaming on Twitch or guest hosting occasionally on the Abstract Japan podcast. 

Download this episode or listen on SoundCloudIt’s time for Gamers On The Go’s annual end of year wrap up, and that means East Coast Correspondent Matt Giguere is back. But with 2020 being such a weird year, we’re doing things a little differently. Instead of ranking games and picking a definitive winner, Matt and Chase just have a chill discussion about some of the best and/or most interesting games they played this year. 

Download this episode or listen on SoundCloudThe Casual Hour’s Johnny Amizich returns to the show to push, crash and stretch our knowledge of Intelligent System’s string of the 3DS and Wii U puzzle games. While we mainly focus on “the good one,” that being the original Pushmo, we do take a look at the entire franchise. Plus, we talk about the much more accurate European and Japanese names for each game in the series.

Download the episode hereOr listen on SoundCloudMatt “Giggysan” Giguere is back this episode to help us pay tribute to the 3DS, a system that has all but finished its run as Nintendo’s last dedicated handheld console. We’ll take a look back at the machine and its features, its successes and failures, its quirks and its lasting legacy. And then we’ll brave the monumental task of cherry picking the 3DS’ 25 best games (with a fair amount of rules to keep things interesting). If you’re not into the idea of an almost four hour podcast, don’t worry, we’ll be publishing our list soon for your reading pleasure, as well as posting personal favorite lists from Matt and Chase. When Matt’s not guesting on GOTG, you can often find him guesting on the Abstract Japan podcast spinning Japanese tracks that aren’t just your typical J-pop.

Download this episodeOr listen on SoundCloudMatt Giguere is back for our annual recap of PAX East. Matt was at the show and played a ton of games (and went through a ton of hand sanitizer), and he’s ready to report on which ones should be on your Switch eShop radar. We also chat about wrestling card games, Mario speed runs and the abundance of video game documentaries coming out these days. Show Notes:To catch Matt outside of GOTG, you can often hear him on the Abstract Japan podcast.

Download the episode hereOr listen on SoundCloudCasual Hour co-host Johnny Amizich is back on GOTG to discuss a surprising low point of the Pokemon series with Pokemon Black & White 2. Johnny and Chase discuss what we think went wrong with this one, while also picking out the handful of good things still to be found. And Chase somewhat softens his stance on nicknaming Pokemon.

Download the episodeOr listen on SoundCloudWe’re kicking off 2020 with a look back to 2013 as East Coast Correspondent Matt Giguere returns to GOTG to talk about Millennium Kitchen’s serene adventure game, Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale. In this episode we’ll cover the rest of Guild series of games, Friday Monsters influences like Jet Jaguar and Japanese tokusatsu shows and we even cast our custom spells at each other. So, jiwa-jiwa, fuwa-fuwa, koron-koron and enjoy this latest episode!Show Notes:Here’s the interview we referenced featuring Millennium Kitchen game designer Kaz Ayabe by the Gaming Intelligence Agency.If you need more tokusatsu, here are some fight scenes courtesy of Zepher024.When Matt’s not guesting on GOTG, you can find him guesting on the Abstract Japan music podcast.

Download this episodeOr listen on SoundCloudAs we wave goodbye to 2019 and the end of the 2010s, GOTG’s East Coast Correspondent Matt Giguere joins us to discuss the state of handheld video gaming and the best portable games of the year. But if listening to a three hour podcast is not your thing, we’ll be posting our individual written top 10 lists in the coming days. Thanks to everyone for your support this year. We look forward to making more shows in the next decade!

Download this episodeOr listen on SoundCloudFrequent flyers on the GOTG program, Matt Giguere and Bobby Pease join Chase for this spoiler-filled episode on the newest entry in Nintendo’s ongoing strategy franchise, Fire Emblem Three Houses. We’ve each selected a different house and come together to compare and contrast the stories we experienced (and, y'know, decide who best girl is.) Strap in, it’s going to be a long one. Show Notes:When Matt isn’t guesting on GOTG, you can find him guesting on the Abstract Japan podcast.And for more Bobby and Chase content, check out The Casual Hour podcast and their quick looks on the Lumberjacksmack YouTube channel.

Download the episodeFrom The Casual Hour and Lumberjacksmack, Bobby Pease joins the podcast to talk about the new game from studio EightyEight Games, Photographs. Spoilers abound as we break down the five games and five stories that make up this short and fascinating mobile anthology. Show Notes:The designer of the game, Luca Redwood, is thinking about making a commentary track for the game. Here’s a sample from his Twitter.

Download the latest episodeOr listen on SoundCloudEast Coast Correspondent Matt Giguere is back to report on PAX East 2019, giving his first-hand impressions of a number of games including My Friend Pedro, Bloodstained, Katana Zero and more. We’ll also talk about Spider-Punks, four-day long conventions and what the hell was up with that Gearbox panel. Show Notes:Below is a list of the games Matt played at the show along with some trailers if you want to check them out. Bloodstained: Ritual of the NightMy Friend PedroKantana ZeroSuper Crush K.O.Phantom BrigadeWarsaw

Download the episode or listen to it on SoundCloud.Johnny Amizich makes his GOTG debut to talk about 2011’s Super Mario 3D Land. We discuss the merits of 2D vs. 3D Mario games, how 3D Land bridges the gap between the two and how much better Nintendo EAD was before their restructuring (y’know, if you don’t could The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Mario Odyssey).Show Notes:Like most Iwata Asks, the one on Super Mario 3D Land we referenced in the episode is packed with interesting tidbits.