Podouken

Welcome to the hardboiled streets of 90s Chicago where a crime wave is at an all time high. It's up to you, officer Don Marshall, and you, Unnamed Female, to fight crime with as many bullets as possible. Then travel to the Wild West to also fight crime with as many bullets as possible. This is Konami's Lethal Enforcers arcade series. How was a knee-burning, motion-sensing game responsible for adding another arcade to the Lethal Enforcers family? Do you know all the words to the Hey Dude theme song? Is the Justifier the best possible name for a light gun peripheral? Was this game an inspiration for a certain scene in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight? We are asked what our favorite gun design is from arcade light guns (and our least favorite) and perhaps the question that Rob has been waiting his entire life to answer: who would win in the ultimate showdown between Aliens versus Predator versus RoboCop versus Terminator. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

Step into the rotting halls of Curien Mansion, where bullets fly and the undead just won't stay down. With cinematic flair, branching paths, and enemies that lurch ever closer, this horror-themed arcade shooter became one of the best in the light gun genre. Welcome to Sega's The House of the Dead. How did a broom help bring a terrifying boss to life? What are the worst words used in place of “zombies”? Why didn't they check the barn for Sophia at the beginning of the season? How did this blood-soaked game play resurrect zombie pop culture worldwide? But enough questions! Do you want some answers? We identify our favorite arcade-related merchandise (that aren't the games themselves), try to think of what games we look cool playing (hint: the answer is none), and discuss the most ambitious projects to recreate arcade hardware. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

We draw on a new miniseries that is all about light gun games. And we start with getting to the truth behind the biggest conspiracy of them all: Area 51. How did this game save Atari Games (at least temporarily)? Was every CiCi's Pizza contractually obligated to have an Area 51 game in their arcade? How did a bodybuilder from a theme park and a model next door neighbor become arcade icons? What do we actually believe is in Area 51. We answer questions about the origins of Arcade Obscura and get graphic as we describe our most gruesome arcade-related injuries. Don't like those questions? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

It's the end to our longest miniseries ever as we put our last quarter in the Four Player Beat ‘Em Up miniseries (sniffle) with an Arcade Obscura. Each host brings their choice for a 4 player brawler that we think is obscure or underrated. Jarrod brings us a Sega arcade game with a hot 90s topic that may not be the best player but sure is a looker. Rob gets cheeky with his obscure pick that is probably the closest we've ever gotten to getting Streets of Rage in the arcades. Adam gives us a super deep game with a cheap price tag and a history all to its own. The listener questions answered in this episode include what arcade or pinball is our hardest to keep working, an obvious trap question given to jinx us, and a scientific approach for the worst movie with the best pinball game based on it. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode or tell us why we're wrong to rank your favorite Capcom beat ‘em up dead last: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

In the year 20XX, a battle for world domination now begins!! The last featured episode of the 4 Player Beat ‘Em Up miniseries aptly finishes with Capcom's last 2D arcade beat ‘em up, Battle Circuit. Is this the closest we'll ever get to a Cowboy Bebop arcade game? How did an eight-player racing game turn into this four-player beat ‘em up? Who has the worst Elvis impression? Which Capcom system had the best games: CPS1 or CPS2?  In lieu of listener questions we felt inspired to do a Podouken Ranks on the twelve Capcom 2D beat ‘em ups starting with Final Fight and ending with Battle Circuit. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode or tell us why we're wrong to rank your favorite Capcom beat ‘em up dead last: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content like Podouken Picks: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

Welcome to the D&D world! We're expanding the lore with not one, but two Dungeons & Dragons arcade games made by Capcom! Tuck in for an in-depth episode about the Known World, why the Record of Lodoss War is more than an anime, and the rare example of how a consultant can actually help a company as we talk about Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom and its superb sequel, Shadow Over Mystara. Why aren't there steamboats in the Known World? Does Past Blaster really think Shadow Over Mystara is the best beat ‘em up ever? What character names are on Capcom's naughty list? How many buttons is too many buttons? We only answer one question this episode but it allows us to share our thoughts on the Fantastic Four movie trailer and some other upcoming super superhero movies. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

Let's go BEAST MODE with Konami's Metamorphic Force! It's the best X-Men meets Altered Beast arcade beat ‘em up that takes place on the island of Dr. Moreau where everyone is made out of water balloons that you'll ever play. Guaranteed. What were the working conditions for copywriters at Konami USA's headquarters? How much snow does it take to shut down a Florida city for multiple days? Why should your safe search be on when Googling one of Metamorphic Force's bosses? Which regional version of this arcade game is the best? Rob spills the deets on his biggest arcade and pinball bulk purchase ever and Adam defends the destruction of a Captain America cabinet. We also answer listener questions like if we've had any interesting food-related incidents in the arcade and which arcade games have the most unpleasant sideart? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz Check out our YouTube channel for our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

A barbarian, halfling, dwarf riding a giant, and centauress walk into a bar. It's not just the setup for a joke but also a fantastic beat ‘em up that Sega has criminally done very little with. Let's delve into the history of Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder! Do we have a reverse Splash situation happening in this game? What was the name of that one event on American Gladiators where they put that thing in the bigger thing? How did Jarrod score a Revenge of Death Adder PCB? Has anyone listened to the new Demon Skol record yet? Get ready for a lightning round of listener questions as we begrudgingly agree on our Mount Rushmore of arcade characters, determine if dwindling health is a feature or a bug, and pick a game world to live in. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz Check out our YouTube channel for our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

Return to Metro City in the distant future of… 2026 to fight crime with a video game mascot, his ninja friend, an alien mummy, and a reincarnated supergenius baby. No, this isn't some crazy fever dream, it's one of Capcom's most popular 90s beat ‘em ups - Captain Commando! Is Captain Commando a true sequel to Final Fight? What arcade board system grossed the most? Will Rob get cancelled for his opinion on a beloved Christmas movie? Do we have video evidence of Captain Commando kidnapping a group of kids (yes!)? ‘Twas the episode before Christmas and all through the studio, we answer listener questions like what is the cutest arcade character and our favorite Christmas video. Join the Podouken Discord and ask questions with care, that soon could be included in a future episode by clicking here: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz Check out our YouTube channel for our listener question segments and some additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

Are you tough enough to take on the sleaziest underground characters imaginable in order to rescue several beautiful girls? That's not us asking. That's Konami trying to entice arcade goers to play their first four-player beat ‘em up (and largely failing). We take the humanic weapons out for a spin in the largely forgotten Crime Fighters and its vastly improved sequel Vendetta. How did Crime Fighters lay the groundwork for Konami's much more successful games? Who thought it was a good idea to include some very problematic enemies? Why is this game so different between regions and player versions? How much did Vendetta steal from Final Fight who in turn stole from Crime Fighters? We talk about our visit to Free Play Florida and answer some listener questions (both of them by the same person): what are our favorite arcade joysticks and buttons, and if Podouken had its own brawler what would be our individual abilities (and who would be the fourth character)? Join the Podouken Discord and ask questions that could be included in a future episode by clicking here: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz Check out our YouTube channel for our listener question segments which are coming from our backup recording location this time (hey Busker, no busking): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

Welcome to Podouken - formerly an arcade history podcast, now rebranded as one of the vast multitudes of D&D podcasts. Let's roll a d20, hope that our history modifiers are high, and talk about Atari Games' four player hack ‘n slash, Gauntlet. How did a game about Dungeons & Dragons inspire this game about Dungeons & Dragons? Is Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (or M.O.M.) a good movie? Do focus groups provide anything of value? Why did we wait 128 episodes to discuss four player beat ‘em ups?! We're going the distance with our listener questions which include how far we would drive for our dream cabinet and makes us get all introspective about what we would like Podouken to be remembered for. You can join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions for a future episode by clicking this completely safe link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also check out our YouTube channel for new content (or old content but with 100% more visuals): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

Run! Go! Get to the choppa! Then load up some hostages in your helicopter and take them to the nearest USPS for express priority shipping back home. In the final Listeners' Choice 5 miniseries episode we're flying the unfriendly skies of the Brøderbund and Sega classic game Choplifter! How did this game make its way from the Apple II to the arcade? What simple foreign puzzle game did Brøderbund pass on? Is the United States Postal Service the ultimate spy cover story? Did our special guest record from a submarine sonar station? Our questions this episode include defining some often-used terms like “kneebasher” and identifying what arcade game based toy we would want that no one else would. Do you have a question? You can join the Podouken Discord by following this link and ask away in the episode questions channel: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz The new listener questions segments are also available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716 Thanks to Ross (aka FrozenFear on the Podouken Discord) for the Listeners' Choice game nomination!

Are you the best tennist? Well then, slap on your Citizen watch, drink a fresh bottle of Evian, and prove it on Sega's virtua carpet courts against tennis legends like Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Mark Phillipoussis. Lets Power Smash it with Virtua Tennis! Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world? Should we have a Real Arcade Wives of Podouken episode? What are our controversial takes on Pickleball and will those takes alienate some of our listeners? Our questions this episode include some doozies like asking us to come up with Podouken pickup lines and what top 80s or 90s IP would we love to see turned into an arcade or pinball game. Want your questions answered in a future episode? You can join the Podouken Discord by following this link and ask away in the episode questions channel: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz The new listener questions segments are also available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716 Thanks to Matt (aka Momsecretrecipe on the Podouken Discord) for the Listeners' Choice game nomination!

It was the best Batman game in arcades. It may have been the best baseball game in the arcades. It wasn't the best Ninja game in arcades but two out of three ain't bad. For the first episode of our Listeners' Choice (part 5) miniseries (and our 5th year anniversary episode) we're going to discuss the most known unknown game out there - Irem's Ninja Baseball Bat Man. How did this intoxicating combination of words come to be (and why is it so irresistible to say out loud)? Which of Mr. SNK's kids had the best rebrand of Ninja Baseball Bat Man? Does an alligator lose its tail? How was Past Blaster's trip to Japan? We answer this episode's listener questions: which games had the biggest crowds when we were growing up, and what arcade game did we discover for the first time through M.A.M.E.? Want your questions answered in a future episode? You can join the Podouken Discord by following this link and ask away: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz News! The listener questions segments are now available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716 Thanks to Kevin (aka Bull on the Podouken Discord) for the Listeners' Choice game nomination!

It's time to power down the LaserTimeDisc miniseries before it starts overheating with an Arcade Obscura. The hosts each pick a LaserDisc arcade game that they feel is either obscure or underrated (or both)! None of the hosts know what the other person's picks are so it always causes some interesting… situations. Did it finally happen? Did we all pick the same game? Why is “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” required reading for this episode? Did we discover the origins of Rainbow Road or a bad acid trip? Why did the first wave of LaserDisc arcades really fail? Since this is our last episode before our hiatus (we'll be coming back in October 2024) we answer what our four favorite Podouken episodes are. We also want to hear your picks on the Discord server! Plus it's time for round 5 of the Listeners' Choice. Hop on the Future Episodes channel and nominate a game you'd like to hear us cover. You can join the Podouken Discord (where all the action happens) by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Defender of justice, truth, and the planet Earth. Ace is being attacked by the evil Commander Borf. Struggle with Dexter to regain his manhood. Destroy the Infanto-Ray. Defeat the evil Borf. Be valiant, space warrior, the fate of Earth is in your hands in the Don Bluth animated, RDI programmed, and Cinematronics produced Space Ace! Is Space Ace the best laserdisc arcade game? What The Simpsons voice actor first lent her voice to one of the game's characters? Who is “the strongest man… in the world?” By beating the game do you commit mass xenophobic infanticide?! The listener questions this episode include what arcade games we'd like to see in an e-Olympics event and what claim to gaming fame have we performed but can't prove? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions, which could be included in a future episode, by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

So you're telling me there was a LaserDisc arcade game… made by popular pinball manufacturer Stern… in 1983… featuring the film directorial debut of Hayao Miyazaki… based on the popular Lupin the III anime… called Cliff Hanger… that is not related to the Sylvester Stallone movie? Yes we are, and we're going to talk all about it in this episode. Will Count Dreyco strike the first blow? Will the princess be forced to marry someone she can't stand? Will Cliff get stuck in a trapdoor for the rest of his life? Did you realize before this moment that all these questions are lifted directly from the arcade's attract mode and arcade flyer? What, you want more questions? How about some listener ones: do you have advice or suggestions for indie game developers who want to make arcade-oriented titles, and which arcade game first entry is superior to its sequel(s)? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions, which could be included in a future episode, by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Well howdy, Stranger. Do you think you're tough enough to take on the Mad Dog? Why don't you take a seat over yonder as I tell the tale of a hit LaserDisc full motion video game that took the arcades hostage in the early 90s. This is the tale of Mad Dog McCree. How did a law enforcement simulator company in New Mexico end up being the new sharpshooter of the arcade? Did Jarrod find the perfect specimen of a rooster in a Wal-Mart parking lot? Is the world ready for Mad Dog McThree: Boot Shootin' Boogie? What's our favorite Jeff Bridges quote? Listener questions this week include asking how the secret sauce is made for deciding what games we talk about and naming an arcade game and PCB that we could never part with. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions, which could be included in a future episode, by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Time to spin up a new arcade miniseries with the Laser(Time)Disc! The first game is a fantasy adventure where we become a valiant knight on a quest to rescue the fair princess from the clutches of an evil dragon. Sure, it's a tired formula, but this one has animation from Don Bluth! We are entering the Dragon's Lair. Hey kids, do you want to hear about the history of the analog optical disc format known as LaserDisc? What Dragon's Lair scene is the most obvious cash grab? Are birds the closest thing we have to angels? How much did Don Bluth and his studio charge to animate the prototype of the game? We respond to two listener questions: is there a game we thought we were good at but after seeing a pro play it felt like walking away, and what is an underrepresented game genre in the arcade? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions, which could be included in a future episode, by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

We finish our second round of the Neo Geo 4 Slot miniseries with the ultimate retrospective on the MVS Metal Slug series which include Metal Slug: Super Vehicle-001, Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X, Metal Slug 3, Metal Slug 4, and Metal Slug 5. Will Jarrod be able to keep it together with the conclusion of this Neo Geo miniseries? What were our thoughts on the first season of X-Men 97 (contains high-level discussion which may enter spoiler territory)? Why did Pastblaster mutilate a never before opened Metal Slug 4 kit? Why are the Mars People so… jiggly? We also talk about our arcade, Flippin' Great Pinball, which was recently hit by an EF-2 tornado. While we received major damage, many of our business neighbors received much worse including complete destruction of their buildings. You can contribute to a fund that will benefit the businesses affected using this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/poststorm-recovery-for-rrsq-businesses   

Let's be honest, 1997 wasn't our favorite year due to a trio of horrible deaths, songs like “MMMBop” ruling the radio, and George Lucas unleashing Greedo shooting first upon the theater-going public. But that doesn't mean the Neo Geo games of that year weren't awesome! We assemble our 4 slot with a duo of puzzle games in Money Puzzle Exchanger and Magical Drop 3, the return of another samurai fighter in The Last Blade, and the run ‘n gun stylings of Shock Troopers. Did we purposely plan our Neo Geo 1997 episode to come out within hours of the last episode of the first season of X-Men 97? Why can't Jarrod quit puzzle games? Why can't Rob quit samurai fighting games? Does this episode contain more mispronounced Japanese names than all other episodes combined? We get asked the mother of all dad question: what are our summer grilling ideas? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions, which could be included in a future episode, by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

It's 1996 - maybe the best year ever - where we got the Macarena (plus some actual good music), “draw me like one of your French girls'' entered the popular vernacular, and the worst console controller was released. It also might have also been the best Neo Geo release year as we show with our 4 slot selections of Neo Mr. Do!, Neo Drift Out: New Technology, Twinkle Star Sprites, and Ghostlop (AKA Ikaruga JezzBall). What Nintendo console is our favorite? How do we identify the difference between Arrival and The Arrival? Why does Rob enjoy music with honkers? Once again we must ask, does Jarrod's game really fit the theme of the episode? The question for this episode asks us what PCB or coin-op game we would never sell and we quickly identify who among us has a price. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions which could be included in a future episode by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Travel back to the year 1995 when we all found out who shot Mr. Burns, Apollo 13 came out so that all future movie trailers can use James Horner's music for their dramatic themes, and Calvin & Hobbes sled off into the snow one final time. Reminisce as the Podouken crew assembles their Neo Geo 4 slot with their picks of 1995 with Savage Reign, Far East of Eden: Kabuki Klash, Pulstar, and Puzzle de Pon! Why are this year's MVS releases an attack of the clones? How did this episode become so… suggestive? Did we just stumble upon the secret inspiration of Naruto? Was the return of Time-Boy a success? The questions this week include which arcade character do we think has the most rizz (which required our old asses to look up the definition of “rizz”) and what game is at the top of our bucket list to play on dedicated hardware? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions which could be included in a future episode by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Welcome to the year 1994 where the White House launched a website with unintended results, the Mandela effect kicked into high gear, and the most-watched car race ever was televised. Let's dust off an old miniseries, clean out the slots, and assemble the Neo Geo 4 slot with the Podouken picks for 1994 with Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy, Windjammers, Aero Fighters 2, and Zed Blade. What beloved childhood show just came back and why is the crew so psyched about it? Is up, right, left, up, right a cheat code or the directions on how to find Adam and Rob's first business? Who did Pastblaster fall in love with in this episode? The question this week deals with our thoughts on restoring arcades and how they affect the value. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions which could be included in a future episode by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

It was fun while it lasted but it's time to retire the Beast Mode miniseries in the best way possible - with an Arcade Obscura! Each host brings their pick of an obscure or underrated arcade game that (mostly) fits the theme. What obscure arcade game is so divisive it has Rob yelling into the microphone? How does Adam take the purest sport in the world today, and Texas's national pastime, and turn it into some kind of game?! Did Jarrod once again subvert the miniseries rules with his game selection? We answer the important questions like what's our favorite screen clearing move, and what are the games we put enough money into to finish back in the day. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions which could be included in a future episode by following this link: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

From one sentence in a notebook to a hundred digital legs, we talk about Atari's second best selling game ever and one of the highest-grossing in arcade history, Centipede. What makes Centipede so appealing to female players? How did Space Invaders lead Dona Bailey from Cadillacs to Atari? Why was there a delay in releasing this episode and is our excuse good enough for forgiveness? How did the first Atari World Championships spotlight that women could be better than men at video games? The excellent listener questions for this episode ask us to insert our choice for the most deserving creature that has never been featured into a video game, and if our lives depended on having to 1cc an arcade game what would it be? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions which could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Hear ye, hear ye! His Majesty King Williams invites you to witness the magnificent tournament in ye Land of Molten Magma and Stoned Clouds where brave knights shalt ride their bird and shalt fight with lance. It is long past time to talk about one of the best arcade games ever made… Joust! Who are you playing as in this game? How did the popular ‘Fire' button get replaced with another four-letter ‘F' word? What is the “Rob Throb” (and why should we never talk about it again)? How many Joust cocktail tables did Williams really make? Questions for this week include how we would suggest modernizing classic arcade games from the 80s and if we had to eat the concept of an arcade game which would be the most delicious? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions which could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Long, long ago in the land of Og there lived a one-eyed caveman by the name of Trog, and in that land there lived four friends: Rex and Bloop, Spike and Gwen. Let's control some colorful claymation dinos and grab some eggs in Bally/Midway's Trog - in PLAYmation! Why was the original game much different than the Trog that we got? Exactly who's cloaca did all these eggs come from? Is this the first arcade game to use claymation? What comic strip character did Jack Haeger base the titular character on? Listener questions this week put us in a moral quandary on whether we should give advice on converting a Neo Geo cab and the other asks us if the traditional arcade is ever going to come back - and we have some thoughts on that. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions which could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz  

Welcome to Urth! It's like Earth but in the future and all the continents look like a dinosaur skull burping fire. This is the world of stop-motion dinosaurs, peetalities, and human volleyball. This is the world of Primal Rage. Why is the Tiger R-Zone the superior arcade port console to play Primal Rage on? How was a stealthy musician involved in this game? Why are level inputs so despised when compared to edge inputs? Who has the best names for the Primal Rage fatalities? We are tasked with designing a Podouken-based early 90s beat ‘em up which includes the storyline for the adventure. Bonus action, we add hidden bonus characters to be included in this fake game. Do you have questions you'd like answered in a future episode? Join the Podouken Discord and ask away: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Now, it is beginning of a fantastic story! Let's make a journey to the Cave of Monsters! Good luck! In this beastly episode we will visit with Bub and Bob as we become the best Bubble Bobble bubble blowers on the block! Is Bubble Bobble the ultimate introvert shaming game? What is a potato party? How much money did Jarrod find in his newly acquired coin pusher? How much “Ice Ice Baby” is too much “Ice Ice Baby?” All that and listener questions! This episode we answer, “What is the largest arcade purchase regret that we have made” and “what home console or computer game would we like to see adapted into an arcade game?” Want us to answer your question in a future episode? Join the Podouken Discord and ask away: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz Ending episode credit to Lame Genie for their rock cover of the Bubble Bobble theme.

We're back and we have a doctor's note for our absence. So let's continue our Beast Mode series by exploring the ultimate game of cat and mouse with Namco's Mappy! Why did Pastblaster just pick up two new meowkies of his own? What ever happened to Micro Machines icon, Motormouth John? How did a Journey discussion make its way into this episode? What free games did Jarrod just score from a local laundromat? The listener questions this week are some thinkers: what new Marvel and Capcom characters would we place in a Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 remake, and what is our favorite year for arcade releases? Want us to answer your question in a future episode? Join the Podouken Discord and ask away: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz    

We're going Beast Mode in this new miniseries by starting off with a “g*ddamn kids game!” It's time to play the Konami developed and the Sega/Gremlin released Frogger. How did a “cross the road” joke turn into this super successful arcade game? Who was the heroine responsible for bringing Frogger to the States? What unfortunate series of events led to a breakdown on the side of the road, in a swamp, in the rain, with a bunch of pinball and arcade games in an open trailer? Who finally beat the Costanza Score? Plus we recap our time at Free Play Florida 2023, the difference between alligators and crocodiles, and answer two listener questions: what arcade game deserves a toy line that hasn't gotten one yet and what is our favorite video game memorabilia that we own. Want us to answer your own question in a future episode? Join the Podouken Discord and ask away: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight, never running from a real fight, she is the one named Sailor Moon. The final episode of the fourth Listeners' Choice miniseries is going full shoujo with the short-lived Gazelle's Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. How did a fateful encounter with a cat lead to the reawakening of a millenia old moon princess? What's the difference between Rhett Butler and Brett Butler? Why can't we skip certain cutscenes in this game? What type of censorship did the Sailor Moon anime experience when it traveled overseas? Join us and Matt (MomSecretRecipe on Discord) as we discuss all things Sailor Moon and answer the question, what was the title that first made us fall in love with video games? Want us to answer your own question in a future episode? Join the Podouken Discord and ask away: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Our Listeners' Choice miniseries continues with the penultimate episode! It's a bird… It's a plane… But is it a good game? It's Taito's Superman! Why is Superman fighting the Elephant Man? How do we know geography wasn't the Taito development team's strong suit? What does Muhammed Ali have to do with this game? How cheap were the prices for the world's oldest profession in 1989?! So sit down and enjoy a bowl of fresh Giger Orbs as we offer our suggestions on how to make a good Superman game along with listener Bizarro Aids and answer the episode questions! Want us to answer your question? Join the Podouken Discord and ask away: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

It's time for the 4th annual Listeners' Choice miniseries! And we're excited to search the world for our perfect man with listener RaymondTheFrog as we explore Jaleco's City Connection. How did Clarice, the punky teenage protagonist, get replaced by a no-name blonde smoker dude on the NES port? Did Jarrod just receive a newly minted nickname? Why is this game constantly compared to Pac-Man? Excuse me but what animal is pictured on the can of oil you're throwing at the police? Find out why cats really suck, how Tchaikovsky entered into the arcade, and our picks for favorite spooky Halloween arcade games. And, as always, join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions to be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Growing up in a glass bowl with chameleons, lizards, and tadpoles, it hardly enters your mind that there's something better than this. But pizza power - a flying saucer food delight. Pizza power, oh, that's what makes us feel alright! Time is up for the Cartoon miniseries as we explore the questionable history that is TMNT: Turtles in Time. When did this game actually hit arcades and why is Jarrod ready to fight someone over it? Why is this the only licensed beat ‘em up that Konami gave a sequel to? How easy is it to confuse John Ryan and Jack Ryan? Did anyone else watch the national broadcast of Hondo in 3D? Hear our answers to this episode's listener question/challenge: build a 4-player arcade cabinet using any characters from the Cartoon miniseries playing through one of the featured games. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions to be included in a future episode or nominate your picks for the upcoming Listeners' Choice series: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

Sound Boy makes its triumphant return! Since it's nearly our 4th birthday it's fitting we talk about the Cartoon arcade game that puts cake on full display - Konami's G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. What is the devastating truth behind the origin of this game? Is this the first arcade game based on a doll? How many times is “Yo Joe!” uttered in this episode (seriously we'll send some prizes to whomever counts it up)? Is this the most carnivore-friendly episode we've ever released? We discuss some of our favorite game shows, cajun cooking, the dark web, and answer the question, “what cartoon deserved an arcade game that never got one?” Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions to be included in a future episode or nominate your picks for the upcoming Listeners' Choice series: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

We were too late to throw some poop into the Caddy, hop in the two-seater, and evacuate from the impending hurricane so why not record an episode of the show? And this time we're not even talking about a Konami property! We're headed into the future to talk about Capcom's Captain Planet meets Jurassic Park beat ‘em up, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs! By what name is the uber-popular bootleg of this game known as? Does the cartoon's theme song slap like our past entries? What is the Hurritrain game? Why did Capcom create a fourth character for a three-player game? Jarrod explains his hangups with hurricanes that smash in the night and the whereabouts of Sound Boy. Rob tells the younglings about antenna-based television. Adam recounts playing the Sega CD version of this game. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions to be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz  

After a brief hiatus we are back to continue the Cartoon miniseries with another Konami title. If you're not a fan of bovine puns that get milked for all they're worth then this may not be the episode for moo. We are discussing the super punctuated Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa! Is this the spiritual successor to Sunset Riders? Which Macaulay Culkin character did young PastBlaster emulate? Will Rob's voice (and body) ever recover? Does Moo Mesa have the best country theme song ever aired on television? Can Seth Rogan please stop voicing animated characters? The listener questions get heavy this episode by asking us if we've ever owned a full-motion cabinet and delves into our distant past by asking us to explore our first arcade memory. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions to be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz

We're rolling over the episode count to triple digits and pulling out all the stops. For our hundredth episode we are covering THE cartoon arcade game - The Simpsons. And who better to talk Simpsons than with guest Chris Antista!   What characters appear in the arcade game that never have appeared in the cartoon? Was Brian Dennehy really Bigfoot? Is this the longest (and last) episode? Why is Marge throwing ass all around Springfield?   We close out our marathon show with the origin of the Podouken theme and a huge thanks to all the listeners who have supported us along the way.  

In another dimension, another time and space, a parallel universe was fallin' on its face. When out of the chaos, who else could it be but the animal adventures from S.P.A.C.E.? It's time to talk about Bucky - Konami's Bucky O'Hare! Are we the only podcast to ever spend 2+ hours talking about the Bucky O'Hare arcade game? Did Konami pour more time and effort into this game than any of their other licensed titles? What part does Sugar Bear from “Someone Saved My Life Tonight” play in the cartoon and game? Is “indefatigable” a real word? Plus we fall down the hare hole on TMNT toys, rewritable laser discs, infomercials, and our upcoming 100th episode. Let's croak us some toads!

A new miniseries begins as we explore arcade games based on cartoons (and there's going to be a lot of bangers). To start, we enter the animated sewers to bring you the #1 most-requested arcade game - Konami's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! How did this game pave the way for Konami arcade domination in the early 90s? Does TMNT have the best gag of any arcade game? Did Lindsay Lohan draw the training scene art for Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! on a V-Tech Video Painter? Did Konami try to give the turtles guns in this game?! So buckle up for some unadulterated love of Eastman and Laird's joke-turned-billion-dollar-property. We rank our turtle preference (and stumble upon the perfect personality test) as well as answer some listener questions. Turtle power!

We bring the Mounted Gun miniseries to a close with a good old fashioned Arcade Obscura. Each of us brings our pick for an obscure or underrated mounted gun game but one game is so obscure we invite the only person known to own it onto the podcast - Doc Mack from The Galloping Ghost arcade! Who is giving all these zombies guns? What American city has its own arcade game named after it? Are birthday cake Oreos really as gross as we make them out to be (yes)? Will an arcade game nearly 30 years in the making ever come out? Some listener questions get some love as Jarrod answers the three films he most recently watched (and they are on brand) and we identify what game is missing from The Galloping Ghost lineup. Special thanks to Craig Bass from Year of the Phoenix Productions and director of the upcoming documentary Ghostlord and the Quest for Dark Presence and Doc Mack (@GGA_Ghostlord). More information about the documentary can be found at https://www.ghostlordsquest.com.

We're back in the saddle again with another Midway mounted gun game that's not the same old song and dance. So if you don't want to miss a thing then walk this way as we cover this amazing and crazy game. Let's get back in the saddle with Revolution X: Music is the Weapon. Featuring: Aerosmith - Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer. Why should this game really have Featuring: Kerri Hoskins instead of Aerosmith? Who is responsible for this game not becoming Boot Shootin' Boogie: Featuring: Brooks & Dunn? Would that have been a better game? On a serious note, this episode contains discussion about gun violence in public settings. All discussion is specifically about the game, the actions within the game, and should not be interpreted as commentary on real-world events.