NWR Connectivity

After a fissure in space time opened in Chicago, multiple eras of Connectivity hosts were pulled together into an Air B and B. Then completely unrelated Nintendo decided to have a Nintendo Direct so we quickly and poorly recorded a podcast with whatever we had sitting around. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr https://zencastr.com/?via=nwr Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John Rairdin arrives with his pick for the Game Club and let's just say it doesn't go over quite as well as Outer Wilds did. Join us as we look back at what should have been an incredible spiritual sequel to Metroid Prime, but was instead a budget title developed in an afternoon. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr https://zencastr.com/?via=nwr Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John is joing by Willem Hilhorst fresh off his trip to Gamescom 2024. Willem shares a bit about his work in games preservation and a brief summary of Gamescom as a convention, before diving into everything he did while he was there. As a special treat this episode is also available in video form on our Youtube. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

The NWR Connectivity Game Club returns with the cast each picking a game for the rest of the crew to play. Up first is The Outer Wilds as submitted by Melanie Zawodniak. We do our best to avoid spoilers for the first half of the episode, but we strongly recommend that if you have any interest in playing this game, you do so before listening to this episode. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

While John and Neal take a break from weekly Connectivity episodes, we've decided to pivot to a new format inspired by our popular Game Club episodes. Starting in July we'll be posting monthly (hopefully) episodes of a brand new Game Club. But this time, rather than basing games around a specific franchise, each member of the cast will choose a game to make everyone else play through. We'll be recording our first episode based on Melanie's pick, Outer Wilds in mid July. Pick up the game on your platform of Choice and play along with us! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John and Neal return after a month off with a new, somehow even less structured, podcast format. Nintendo has announced release dates for all of their confirmed 2024 games and they cut off in June. Nintendo has something unanounced happening this fall. Could it be Metroid? Mario Party? Hyrule Warriors? Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John and Neal provide the NWR podcast update on the Xbox Business Update. Ultimately it's pretty much all exactly in line with what Xbox (and John and Neal) have been saying they would do for the past decade. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

A bit of listener mail sends John and Alex down a winding path of replaying games they've already finished. Alex is drawn in by the siren song of Earthbound. John decides to see if he can beat Star Fox Zero without motion controls (for science). Then the fellas turn their attention to listing off their most replayed games and things get oddly literary. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Some listener mail leads us down a discussion of the development of Metroid Prime 4 before turning our attention to some recent Microsoft news (We recorded this before they laid off 1.9k staff). Finally Neal revisits a classic Pokemon game and John expresses his thoughts on the recent Palworld controversy (We recorded this before the Pokemon Company put out a statement). This episode was edited by Alex De Freitas. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Alex joins John for a short episode as we enjoy the calm before the storm. 2024 gets off on the right foot with Prince of Persia. The NSO adds two games we hope we like as much as we remember. And finally Ace Combat is apparently making its way to Switch. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Neal returns to join John for a countdown of the personal game of the year lists. But first, the fellas turn to some listener mail to discuss one of 2024's most mysterious upcoming games. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

We're back from our December break! Matt and Alex join John to discuss what they've been playing the past few weeks before diving into a ranking of Switch release schedules. Don't forget if you're an NWR Patreon supporter you have a bonus episode of NWR Connectivity available now! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

In this raw unedited episode, John and Neal give their predictions for the show that drives God ever further from His children, otherwise known as the Game Awards. But first, listener mail! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

NWR Reviews Editor, Jordan Rudek joins John and Neal to discuss his new book A Game in the Life. You can find store links where you can purchase A Game In The Life here. Next, Jordan and Neal dive deep into Super Mario RPG while John takes a nap. The boys wrap things up with a discussion of media bias and of course, a little Zelda talk. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Neal returns from a successful expedition to Super Nintendo World to give his impressions of Universal's Nintendo themed park. Afterwards John puts his claim of being able to separate art and artist to the test and visits the wizarding world (while flipping off its original creator) to discuss Hogwarts Legacy on Nintendo Switch. Finally, we reply to your thoughts on the Legend of Zelda movie with some listener mail. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Neal is lost in the desert and chaos has broken loose. Matt's talking about Fortnite, John is playing JRPGs, Link is a real boy, and Alex... well Alex played Shadow of the Colossus which is honestly pretty great. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

The 2D Mario Game Club squad plus Alex assemble to to discuss the very good new Mario game. They of course also get distracted by other stuff. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Noted Sonic fan John Rairdin gives his initial impressions of Sonic Superstars. Surely this time he'll like Sonic. Meanwhile Microsoft completes their purchase of Activision, Blizzard, King, and most importantly, our hearts. Finally we round things off with some follow up thoughts on the New Super Mario series in the moments before we start Mario Wonder. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

In the final part of our 2D Mario Game Club leading up to Super Mario Bros Wonder, we discuss the New Super Mario Bros series. And also for some reason Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate. Were these games good? How do they compare to the rest of the series? Can they inform our expecations for Wonder? Is Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate better than anything Arzest has ever made? Let's find out! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Neal and Alex enjoy what may be a surprise late contender for Game of the Year in Cocoon. John meanwhile has mostly been playing with his new thermostat which can likely run Doom. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

We got a review copy of the new NOT FIFA game FC 24. John played it like the massive sports person that he is. Meanwhile Neal was playing things John is well known for not liking, such as F-Zero. It's a weird start to the episode. The fellas then turn to some listener mail and a quick discussion of the recent Xbox leaks from the FTC hearing. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John, Neal, and Alex gather at the beginning of what would surely be a normal and not exciting week. Neal gives his thoughts on the Nintendo Direct (having been busy listening to a wide assortment of brass instruments), and John finally has a chance to talk about Starfield. The gang also catches up with their listener mail discussing the price of various online subscriptions. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John and Alex react to the September 2023 Nintendo Direct. John tries to say nice things about Paper Mario. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

The gang returns to talk about Mario's arrival on the Super Nintendo, along with his two Game Boy titles. Has Super Mario World truely stood the test of time? And are the land games good or just delightfully weird. Find out in this episode of NWR Connectivity! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Alex joins Neal and John to discuss the release of Sea of Stars and our incredibly positive opinions of it. Even John played it... for a few minutes. Alex then touches on his review of Bombrush Cyberfunk before we turn to a small backlog of listener mail. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John and Neal reunite after a series of scheduling issues. Without John's weekly guidence we find that Neal has been led astray by the temptations of the world and purchased a Playstation 5. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John and Alex recently discovered that they were both playing Baldur's Gate 3. They both really like it. Like game of the year level of like it. So in this episode they talk about it a bunch. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Matt joins John and Neal to talk through the titles that redefined console gaming. How has the original Super Mario Bros. aged? What's the best version of Mario 2? Can anyone think of anything bad to say about Mario 3? And is anyone even watching Marvel Secret Invasion? Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John is yet again lost in space so Neal is joined by returning editor Alex de Freitas for a chill chat about Pikmin and the new Pikmin 4 demo as well as an obligatory check-in with Tears of the Kingdom. Then the duo round out the show with a fun piece of listener mail. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

NWR's Summer Game(s) Fest team of Alex Orona and Joel DeWitte join John to discuss our first in-person experience with not E3. But before that we hear Joel's thoughts on Tears of the Kingdom and Alex's expiriences with Final Fantasy XVI on something called a Playstation 5. This episode is brought to you in part by Wongo Puzzles. Use our special link https://zen.ai/nwrconnectivity to save 10% at wongopuzzles.com. The discount will be applied at checkout! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Answering the call of his ancestral people, Neal returns to the mountains to undergo the sacred trials. Meanwhile, John asked Alex and Matt if they want to talk about video games. Matt has been watching new episodes of Pokémon that haven't even made it to the west yet, and everyone has been playing a lot of Zelda. This episode is brought to you in part by Wongo Puzzles. Use our special link https://zen.ai/nwrconnectivity to save 10% at wongopuzzles.com. The discount will be applied at checkout! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

In this unedited raw episode John and Neal sit down to talk through yesterday's Nintendo Direct. It got off to an oddly slow start before suddenly picking up speed 10 minutes in. Who's making Mario RPG? Should we be worried by vague 2024 announcements? What do Mario's staunchly stated republican beliefs mean for the future of 2D Mario? All that and more in this episode of NWR Connectivity. This episode is brought to you in part by Wongo Puzzles. Use our special link https://zen.ai/nwrconnectivity to save 10% at wongopuzzles.com. The discount will be applied at checkout! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Now that there is no centralized event, it's kind of weird that we all (except Nintendo) just hold press conferences in the same week in June. Anyway, they were largely pretty good! Except for Geoff's. Geoff's was boring. This episode is brought to you in part by Wongo Puzzles. Use our special link https://zen.ai/nwrconnectivity to save 10% at wongopuzzles.com. The discount will be applied at checkout! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Pikmin 4 is just around the corner and perhaps so is a Pikmin 4 Direct. John and Neal discuss the possibilities of the next Nintendo Direct before turning their attention to the sustainability of 6-year development times on The Legend of Zelda. The boys then turn their attention to what they've been playing (that isn't Zelda) before inevitably getting distracted by, you guessed it, Zelda. This episode is brought to you in part by Wongo Puzzles. Use our special link https://zen.ai/nwrconnectivity to save 10% at wongopuzzles.com. The discount will be applied at checkout! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is out and we've been playing it non-stop. But before we get to our initial thoughts on Link's latest adventure, we answer some listener mail regarding Xbox and the Playdate. This episode is brought to you in part by Wongo Puzzles. Use our special link https://zen.ai/nwrconnectivity to save 10% at wongopuzzles.com. The discount will be applied at checkout! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

In a desperate attempt to keep the backlog under control, John, Neal, and Alex flew through Xenoblade 3's Future Redeemed DLC. We start with some general (mostly spoiler-free) discussion of gameplay before diving into what the ending of Future Redeemed means for the rest of the series. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

The 3D Zelda game club finally draws to a close (until next week). The panel is joined by special guest Lauren Ronaghan to discuss the game's place in history, its design, and its accessibility to a new group of fans. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Steve Bowling of Good Vibes Gaming fame joins John and Neal to discuss his recent preview of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Don't forget to check out Steve's full preview. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

When you think about the Nintendo 64 you probably think about Mario 64, Ocarina of Time, and Star Fox 64 but those weren't the only games we were playing in the back half of the 90's. John and Neal explore the often-ignored world of third-party Nintendo 64 games. Contrary to popular opinion there were quite a few. And with the absence of Square/Enix, the Nintendo 64 got to have good games instead. (John wrote that last sentence). Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John and Neal stumble into the podcast, covered in popcorn crumbs and ready to talk about movies. We hold off on the Mario spoilers until the end of the episode so join us for a discussion of the new animated film along with the car-chase filled Tetris movie. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

The gang assembles to discuss the controversial title, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Is this the peak of what Link to the Past started? A dissaster that necessitated the soft reboot into Breath of the Wild? Some other sithian absolute? Find out in this episode of the 3D Zelda Game Club and don't forget to join us for our playthrough of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

With Neal out this week, Matt Zawodniak joins John to talk about some not-so-recent releases, Fire Emblem DLC both old and new, and The Last of Us (a show neither of them actually watched). Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

John and Neal take to listener mail once again to dig into the possibility of a major Gamecube Remaster. Keeping on that topic, the fellas explore their most desired remake from Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS. Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

After spending most of February on very specifically themed episodes, we've built up quite a bit of listener mail. Alex joins John and Neal to answer your burning questions about the eShop, Gamecube remasters, and so much more! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com

Fresh off the release of A Legacy in 3D: The Story of Star Fox, John and Neal sit down to discuss the understated importance of Star Fox to Nintendo as we know it. They quickly get sidetracked with Metroid Prime Remastered but its mostly about Star Fox! Connectivity has joined Twitter, so be sure to follow @ConnectivityNWR to be up to date on any announcements. We are wanting more listener participation, so feel free to ask questions, they may show up in the show! Please send in some hard-hitting questions for the Connectivity gang to ponder over: the address is connectivity@nintendoworldreport.com