Lost Joystick Network

Imagine you're just minding your business, hanging out with your military friends on a helicopter and, as a prank, they drop you off in a jungle rife with the enemy and no radio.THEN.. imagine that every time you FIND a wireless radio, they come and pick you up only to drop you off AGAIN.That's the story of Commando.

Episode 85 is here. This is where we really begin to tie the episode number to the year of a game (or games?) release. So let's talk about the NES. We don't do it very often around here. The console itself is a bit of a "hidden gem", so let's give it the exposure it deserves. We are primarily going to discuss the seventeen launch titles for the NES. Those games came out in October of 1985. That was almost forty years ago, folks! Don't worry, we will talk a little about the other thirteen black box games.. along with some of the other "black box-adjacent" games, too. So come hang out with us and have some fun. If you don't have fun, you can't blame us (maybe you can?)

The boys are back from Milwaukee after attending the 2025 edition of the Midwest Gaming Classic. We were lucky to be joined by a number of our friends, so tune in and find out all about all of the stupid things we did (bought).

Are you aware that there was a video game crash in 1983? Of course you are.. What about the video game crash of 1977? Yeah.. didn't think so.. n00b. Stick around and learn about it (we will barely talk about it).

What do you know about Turrican? No.. really, think about it? For over thirty years, most people have probably looked at the cover and thought "it's about a sexy robot". I know we did.

Who doesn't love Rogue-likes? What's that? A lot of people? Well.. disregard that then, but not completely. What if it's a Rogue-like that's very slow on a Sega Genesis and involves two aliens rappers from the planet Funkotron? Yeah, I thought you'd change your tune.

Does every "hidden gem" list for the NES inevitably end with "The Guardian Legend"?From the looks of YouTube, the answer is surprisingly "no".Does that make it more hidden gem-y? Who the hell knows, but we're willing to discuss it.So lock it in and rip the knob off.

A lot of people like this game, but some don't. One of those who don't happens to be one of the hosts of this show. So tune in and find out what his freakin' deal is..

Yep.. another year, another dollar. That's not a saying. Whatever. Come join us we strive to achieve greatness by playing 40+ year-old video games and talk about the old stuff we bought.

Well, if you forgot how our year in review went.... don't fret, because here it is! Yeah, yeah, yeah, we are getting caught back up. What better way than to listen to our year in review in March! So let's take a moment to reflect on what we've accomplished in 2024, which really isn't that much when you print it out on a piece of paper.

It's football season (well, it was when we recorded this).. And there's nothing retro video game fans and collectors like better than sports games. OK, that's not true, but Tecmo Bowl is definitely an exception.So come hang and listen to us talk about Bo Jackson for the next two hours.

Look, we are going to level with you here. . Road Rash for the 3DO is peak '90s. Motorcycle street racing with weapons is radical enough. But pair it with FMV cutscenes, chain wallets, and Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" blaring in the background and it may just be the apex of 90's attitude. So come along for the ride with the LJN crew to see what they think about this EA classic.

Who can forget the Mascot Wars of the early 90's? Nintendo had Mario, Sega had Sonic, and the TurboGrafx-16 had Bonk. See, the TurboGrafx-16 was a console put out by NEC and HudsonSoft in the United States that almost no one bought. So, of course, that now means it's one of the most interesting things in the world to the retro gaming community. Or maybe it's not.. we're not experts around here on what a community thinks.

WARNING: This episode deals with VERY adult themes. The adultiest of adult themes. So please keep this in mind as you drift away with Jay and Mike to the land of hips and fog. Silent Hill 2 is a terrifying journey deep into the psyche of James Sunderland. That's not hyperbole. This game is as scary and unsettling as it gets. The only thing scarier is the thought that Silent Hill may call for one of us someday. And who wouldn't want to spend their free time playing a game like that? Sounds fun, right?

Is there a more radical video game protagonist than Zeke from ZATM? Maybe. But he's got to be in the top ten all-time, right? It almost makes you feel bad for Julie, Zeke's counterpart in the game. It's like all of of the time and effort in radicalization was spent on Zeke and that just seems unfair to us.

Anyone who has played R.C.Pro-Am for more than five minutes is more than aware of the orange car. If you grew up with this game, you have hopefully suppressed that memory and the hatred of the orange car. Good news for you is that we are going to bring back to the surface and make you face your demons. Just another fantastic reason to tune in. Who knew that listening to a podcast about a 35-year old video game qualified as therapy?

It's 1989 and everyone has a favorite Turtle. Growing up, both Jay and Mike were Michelangelo fans. But then Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was released for the NES and it changed everything. Don't get us wrong, Mikey is still #1 in our hearts, even to this day, but Donatello's bō staff was undeniable. In summary, Michelangelo is still our favorite so the game didn't really change much for us.

I bet you thought that we were going to do something sexy for episode 69 of the Lost Joystick Network, didn't you? Well, good news.. we did. Because what is hotter than listening to middle-aged men talk about patches you could earn by playing video games in the early 1980's? At any rate, please tune in otherwise. I am sure there are some good jokes or sound drops in here somewhere.

Look, we know we keep saying that we are going to get more consistent in posting our episodes and we haven't. We're trying, but not very hard. You can expect that we will try harder. Thank you for putting up with us. -- Anyway, here's Kaboom!

Yep.. Sonic the Hedgehog. If you're looking in the description of a podcast episode for information on who Sonic the Hedgehog is, then I will tell you that what you learn is going to be limited. Go search the internet to find out more. Or listen to this episode. Yeah.. do that. -- Be sure to visit our Linktree at: https://linktr.ee/lostjoystick And come join us in the Discord server by joining our Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/lostjoysticknetwork -- As always, thank you for listening. We appreciate that you take time out of your day to spend with us. We really do.

Blazing Lazers is pretty great. The game is based off of the Japanese science fiction tokusatsu mecha action movie Gunhed. Yeah, you read that right. As for Gunhed, imagine Andy Dick was the director / producer for Blade Runner.. and that's Gunhed. -- Be sure to visit our Linktree at: https://linktr.ee/lostjoystick And come join us in the Discord server by joining our Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/lostjoysticknetwork -- As always, thank you for listening. We appreciate that you take time out of your day to spend with us. We really do.

Look.. we know what you're thinking? ANOTHER podcast about Super Mario Bros. 2? Our answer to that question: Yes.

Lets be honest here.. you see the title. You know what you're about get to get yourself wrapped up in. So buckle up, settle in, and get whisked away to the Far East. Shaq (yes, THAT Shaq) is in town for a big basketball tournament and winds up getting sidetracked. Find out by who and how by tuning in and taking a listen. -- Thank you for listening. We appreciate you sticking with us. If you could leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast aggregator of choice, it would mean a lot to us! If you don't think we deserve it, you're probably right.. but we can still ask.

What's better than the recap of a retro video game convention? Well.. how about a recap of a retro video game convention from three months ago? Yeah, we thought you'd like that. -- Stick around and listen to all of the hijinks and shenanigans that the LJN crew took part in during the Midwest Gaming Classic. We get that it all happened in April, but hey.. it's still pretty good. And if you DON'T listen, then you may not ever know the origins of the REAL Pepsiman and SlawDawg.

Ask yourself.. fire-breathing, husky, mustache wielding carnies are pretty cool right? Good new everyone.... Jinborov Karnovski is your guy.... If fighting a T-Rex (or two), pterodactyls and gangs of angry apes in some Greek ruins... Then this is the game for you!.... or not, we are making this up as we go, we are old.... didn't we forget something at the store.........................................

I'm sure you're asking yourself "Self.. who the posts a 2023 Year in Review podcast episode" in May of 2024. Well, let's assume that you didn't notice the giant rainbow with "LOST JOYSTICK NETWORK" at the bottom. Cool. But if you had to guess.. deep down.. wouldn't you already know? You know you would. ANYWAY.. thanks for sticking with us. We're trying. We really are.. things will get better, baby.. we promise.

What better gift to give that special person in your life on Valentine's Day than a podcast about DuckTales? Let's be honest.. this game has everything you should be looking for in a game.. Drama, intrigue, money, greed, and a final race to the top against your archrival. And isn't that what Valentine's Day is really about? Actually, let me check Google really quickly... Hmmm.. interesting.. I see...... It seems it is not.

Well here's that Halloween-centric episode that we all look forward to in February of each year. So fire up your pumpkin spice lattes and prepare yourself to be whisked away to Golvellius. (Also, just between us.. the game isn't really that "Halloween-y".. keep that between you and I, capiche?)

Episode number two in our backlog remediation plan (and number 57 in our hearts) centers around one of the most famous on-rails FPS FMV games for the SegaCD. Yep.. you guessed it.. Sewer Shark. Also, it's in the title of the episode so we're really not that impressed that you guessed it. Unless you're under forty years old.. then it's impressive that you've even taken the time to read this far.

Well well well.. what do we have here? Looks like a "new" episode of our show. Well I have good news and bad news. The good news is there's a backlog that we will be posting over the course of the next few days. The bad news is there was a backlog that needs to get posted over the new few days. Now with that out of the way, let's get to what we're all here for: FULL FRONTAL NUDITY -- Thank you for listening! Please give us five stars and all of your wildest dreams will come true.

Do you like running fast, jumping hurdles or competing in family fun and fitness?.... Yeah, we don't either, but if you think you are fast and you want to talk about the proverbial "great white whale" of the NES (ironically he lost his leg and we are talking about a running game...Ahab lost the leg, Mike and Jay are talking games) then you are in luck. Buckle up it's a wild ride, this episode is packed with collecting, stories of the chase, math lessons and rants.... Did we find a copy of Stadium Events? You will have to listen to find out. Thank you for listening. We appreciate you all!

Let's whisk away to Yuria. A land where the reptile fiend Death Adder has invaded every village and massacred thousands. Doesn't sound very appealing does it? Well, what if we told you that when you get there you're going to assume control of one of three powerful heroes who's only mission is to overthrow Death Adder and bring peace to Yuria, using a combination of melee and magic attacks? OK, we can tell you're still not convinced. So what if, when you're one of these three heroes, you also get to kick squirrels and ride Bizarrians? Yeah.. we can see that moved the needle. You're in, aren't you? So let's all head to Yuria and take on Death Adder. It's time to save the King and his daughter and reclaim the legendary Golden Axe.

Well, this is it. Are you ready to step into the world of high-risk video game investing? If so, THIS is your chance. Chase Peridot, AKA the "Retro Gem Miner" has agreed to waive his standard appearance fee in the hopes that he can enlighten unsophisticated collectors. -- That's right.. RGM is willing to teach you everything you need to know about video game investments, including an up-to-date review of his Seven Golden Rules for Video Game Investing and which video game-adjacent food items currently on store shelves that you should be looking at investing in. -- So don't forego this rare opportunity to get inside the mind of one of the brightest stars in investing. It's time to stop being a scrud and start ruling the social media airwaves. Are you willing to accept that everything you've ever known about collecting video games is WRONG and start understanding the right way to do it? You'd better be if you're going to listen to this episode.

The boys are back (finally) and this time they're discussing another certified banger: Illusion of Gaia for the Super Nintendo. -- If you've ever thought "I'd like to listen to some old guys talk about a game where a pig sacrifices himself for the betterment of humanity" then do we have good news for you. So tune in and find out what drove Hamlet to this lowly state. -- Thank you so much for listening. We appreciate your patience with us. We also appreciate you!

Town and Country Surf Designs: Wood and Water Rage. The name just rolls off the tongue. Developed by Atlas and published by the clowns at LJN, this is a simple game that reminds us of a simpler time. A time where cats in tuxedos avoid seagulls while surfing. So we hope you'll take a few minutes out of your busy day to listen to our thoughts on one of the most 80's games in the NES library. - As always, thank you for listening! We appreciate anyone who really does take time to listen to our insane rants.

Well.. here we are.. Episode 50. And man.. did we come correct. Quake for the PC is the subject. When people talk about the bangeriest of bangers, Quake is in that discussion. -- So tune in and see what the crew thinks of the game that helped do things like create online deathmatches, popularize eSports, and prevent thousands of nerds from ever kissing a girl. -- Thank you for tuning in. We appreciate your support. Tell a friend about the show, even if it's just as simple as "wanna hear something that sucks?"

Yars' Revenge.. sounds ominous and, come to find out, it is. The LJN squad dug into the story of this 1982 classic from Atari and man.. there's a lot to unpack. To us, the most impressive part of the backstory of Yars' Revenge is that the primary antagonist was able to destroy an invincible cannon. That could not have been an easy task to take on, but it's true. So tune in to the latest episode to find out more about things like "what is a 'Yar'", "how do you pronounce 'Qotile'?" and "are these nerds playing 'Tears of the Kingdom'?". - As always, we appreciate you listening. We really do. We keep saying it, but it's true. Thank you!

It's time to get gritty.. but with some legit electro music pumping in the background. Streets of Rage 2 a certified banger, as well as Yuzo Koshiro's aural masterpiece. So tune in and give us a listen. The whole crew chimes in on what many consider to be one of the must-haves for the Sega Genesis / MegaDrive. - Thank you all for listening! We appreciate every single one of you. If it wasn't for you, we'd be nothing.. or maybe even less. OK definitely less.

Spring is in the air, which means it's time for baseball. Well.. it used to mean that, back when people cared about baseball. The good news is that people still care about Baseball Stars for the NES. Well.. at least a few of them, who all happen to be on this show. - It also means that it's time for the Midwest Gaming Classic! Come find our booth at the vendor hall. And if you are reading this in the future, just know that you missed your opportunity to meet us and that we really had a good time. - Please leave us a five-star review on your podcast aggregator of choice. If you leave us a review and show us at MGC, you get a free copy of Super Mario Bros 3 for the Famicom (while supplies last!). - As always, thank you so much for listening and interacting. We love that you are a part of our community and always look forward to hearing from you. - https://linktr.ee/lostjoystick

Now we know that a lot of people are going to complain and say "Oh wow.. the LJN guys are doing another NES game. *YAWN*". Well that's just not true. We played the Famicom version of Parodius Da! and the Famicom is NOT the NES. And before you get all uppity about how we also played the PAL version of the game, remember that it's generally regarded as the "nes" in Europe. To us, that's just not the same thing. - Remember, if you see us at Midwest Gaming Classic, show us your 5* review of the show and you'll get a free copy of Super Mario Bros 3 for the Famicom. Also, if you tell us "Buy me Bonestorm or go to Hell!", you'll get 10% off everything in the booth. - Thank you for listening! We really do appreciate it! - #parodiusda #parodius #parodiusfrommythtolaughter #konami #8bit #retrogaming #podcast #podcasting #retrogamingpodcast #vicviper #twinbee #pentarou #salamander #gradius #parody #catboat #1990

The year in 1988 and you're Bill Rizer AKA Mad Dog, one of America's two most cunning, courageous, and ruthless soldiers from the Special Forces elite commando squad. Also, you look almost exactly like Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Predator", other than your perfect flat-top haircut. Your partner, Lance Bean, goes by Scorpion and also resembles someone from "Predator". You have both been chosen to stop Red Falcon and bring peace to the planet. You see, Red Falcon has been running the long con. They've been waiting thirty years to take over Earth and now.. the time has come. Can this dynamic duo defeat the dastardly detractor and dodge disaster? Tune in and find out! - Thank you to everyone who listens, hangs out on the livestreams, and tells your friends about the show. We say this a lot, but you really are appreciated. - Find us at https://linktr.ee/lostjoystick - #contra #nes #runandgun #konami #podcast #podcasting #retrogaming #retrogamingpodcast #bill #lance #maddog #scorpion #billrizer #lancebean #predator #konamicode #contracode #upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart #30lives #nintendo #nintendoentertainmentsystem #8bit #1988

We were joined by the one and only Michael Chiaramonte, NES programmer extraordinaire, to discuss a game that many people regard as one of the best of all-time: "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past" for the Super Nintendo. -- Come listen and find out what the crew thought of this classic. Also, you can find Mr. Chiaramonte hanging in The Collector's Quest patreon-only Discord or on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/clearvus -- So come come hang with us! And if you like what you hear, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We truly appreciate it!

When you do research about classic video games, you learn things. Take Double Dragon III, for example. We learned that Bimmy Lee may be the most loyal partner in the world. His girlfriend has been kidnapped (AGAIN) so he and his brother, Jimmy set out on a mission. A mission to KICK ASS all over the world, in an attempt to find Marion and rescue her. - Or maybe it's Jimmy Lee that's TRULY the most loyal. Think about it. He is always right there, ready to lend a helping hand in the constant need to rescue his brother's girl. - Or maybe it's you: our loyal listener. You listen to us prattle on for hours at a time about games like RBI Baseball. You must have the patience of a saint, and for that we thank you. - Thank you for listening. We truly appreciate every one of you that chooses to spend a part of your day with us. #onelove

So you think you're radical, huh? Yeah? HOW radical? Because we've got news for you JACK.. you will NEVER be as radical as Casey. Oh, you don't know who Casey is? Your Radical Meter just dipped into oblivion, poser. Casey is KID CHAMELEON and he's the toughest, coolest head in town. He REFUSES to be beaten. Yeah, that's right. So come join the LJN crew and listen us fawn all over the coolest kid in the neighborhood. Kid Chameleon could steal your car and your girl if he wanted to, but he's not a jerk. No, he's.. KID CHAMELEON

"Mega Man 2." What else do you need to say? If you have a podcast like we do, the answer is "quite a bit, actually". Mega Man 2 makes us wonder: are there people that DON'T like this game? We here at LJN like to imagine there aren't. And lets be honest.. even if they do exist, are those really the kind of people you'd want to be associated with? The answer is no. - As always, thank you for listening! We appreciate each and every one of you. If you are ever so inclined, please leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or within your podcast aggregator of choice.

The crew is lucky to be joined by friend of the show and co-host of The Collector's Quest podcast, Tyler Wilkin. We used our time wisely and discussed one of the bangeriest Atari 2600 bangers of all-time: Pitfall II: The Lost Caverns. We are here answering the tough questions like "what's the deal with this stupid rat" and "does Quickclaw have some sort of neurological disorder"? Also, why is Pitfall Harry's young niece lost in the depths of these uncharted caverns in the middle of Peru? If you want to find out, tune in and listen! Or, if you don't, just listen to the beginning and dip out when we get into the game itself. It's cool. We know you're busy. As always, thank you for listening. It means a lot to us that you're willing to waste your time listening to us talk when we are sure there are better things you could be wasting it on. If you like what you hear, please leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.. or anywhere they'll let you. Hop on Yelp!, check-in to your local Bojangles, and mention the show in your review.

The squad is back to talk about one of the best-selling launch titles for the original PlayStation: Ridge Racer. Look, we get it.. early PlayStation is a tough sell. Couple that with the game being an arcade-style racer and it's easy to see why the first iteration of the Ridge Racer series may leave a bit to be desired for some. Tune in to find out what the boys think of one of the pioneers of 3D arcade racing. -- As always, thank you for listening. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a five-star review. If you don't enjoy the show then why are you listening? You should leave us a five-star review anyway. That'll show us!

Pit-Fighter. The name alone evokes such lucid imagery; shurikens, combatants in sweat pants and a tank top throwing motorcycles on a freeway overpass, and sticks. If you have the time, sit back and allow Jay and Mike to whisk you away to a 16-bit wonderland. A wonderland of digitized graphics and post-fight celebrations where defeating Sidewalk Jim gets you raised on a forklift while flexing and your adoring fans pile cash at your feet. Thank you for listening! We appreciate every one of you. Also, we record this show live on Twitch every other Wednesday at 9PM Eastern, so come hang out! #pitfighter #tengen #atari #fighting #fightinggames #retrogaming #retrogamingpodcast #podcasting #buzz #ty #kato #sidewalkjim #motorcycles #stick #16bit #retrogames #sega #genesis #segagenesis #supernintendo #snes #nintendo #1990 #1991 https://instagram.com/lostjoystick https://twitter.com/lostjoystick https://twitch.tv/lostjoysticknetwork

Here's the deal.. Splatterhouse is cool. There's no way around that. It's a cool game with a gory overarching theme. So if you're interested in hearing about a cool game where you can waste gruesome creatures with a two-by-four or meat cleaver, then yeah.. tune in. If not, then why are you reading this? You know we talk about Splatterhouse. It's right there in the title. You have no one to blame but yourself for winding up here, reading this. Linktree https://linktr.ee/lostjoystick Leave us a voicemail! https://anchor.fm/lostjoysticknetwork Thank you for listening! We appreciate you. I know that sounds made-upish, but it's true. We really do.

The boys from LJN are back and this time it's serious. Since it is now October, we are contractually obligated to discuss scary or horror-themed games. To fulfill this requirement, Mike and Jay break down a game that could definitely be considered horrendous: Dr. Chaos for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Tune and and find out why this game exists and who is responsible so they can be brought to justice. - Thank you for listening!

Jay and Mike are joined in-studio by our good friend Kelan AKA milwaukeeretrogamer to discuss another certified banger of a game: Arkanoid. That's right.. Johnny hasn't killed the show.. yet. Tune in to hear our thoughts on the highest-grossing table arcade table cabinet in Japan in 1987. Oh, did we mention it was ALSO the highest-grossing arcade conversion kit in the US? Well it's true. It was. So sit back, kick your shoes off, relax, and whisk away to a story where the time and era are unknown. As always, thank you for listening! We appreciate each and every one of you. -- https://linktr.ee/lostjoystick