Retro Game Renegades

A most appropriate game selection for our 50th!  It's hard to get through a whole RPG for a show, but thankfully this one was pretty familiar to all of us and it really was a pleasure to re-visit (come on, did you think I was gonna say something bad about it?).  From your hometown, to frozen landscapes of the future, to prehistoric jungles, Chrono Trigger takes you to to the edge of imagination and stitches together the fabric of time with a most obvious care.  Most appropriate indeed.  See you again?

We're back again.  This time we're in masks, capes, and overly tight tights while we take on Batman for the NES.  In preparation, I misread the room and believed that Joe and Dylan weren't partial to this game, and I was relieved because I wasn't either.  Turns out I was totally wrong and they thoroughly enjoyed it.  Tune in as we dig in to everything from level design, difficulty, to music.  Even though I am the odd person who doesn't like this game, it still has a lot to offer as an NES game.  Check it out!

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines!  This week, Dylan joins us to highlight our most noteable racing games from our early childhood to the end of our adolescence.  We're talkin' NES right through to Dreamcast.  Not all racing games are easy to spend an hour talking about, so we decided to pool our ideas together and share memories of the racing games we played, or read about as we grew up.  Will you remember these titles?  Only one way to find out!  Listen now!

Picking up right where we left off, our discussion/debate on FF1 and all of its features, quirks, and characteristics continues.  It's one of those games, I think anyone who has a memory of it, has some things really embedded into their brain from it.  It's such a memorable title.  I know I am biased but thankfully I get to write this, so I guess that's that.  Hopefully some of you have fond memories of this title, and even if you don't, you can always side with Joe and hate it.  Don't miss the thrilling conclusion of RGR's coverage of Final Fantasy 1 on NES.

Oh man.  I shouldn't be writing this.  I'm WAY too biased in favor of this game.  And lord knows it ain't perfect, nor did it age well.  But keep that between us, 'cause I rarely admit that.  I especially won't admit that to Joe.  This week is another triple threat match featuring a game you'd take with you if you were stranded on a desert item and could only take a handful of items.  We welcome Dylan back for another week, and thankfully, he's totally on my side when it comes to arguing with Joe in favor of this game.  Those of you who like this game, love it, so please join us as we have a discussion aka argument about why this game kicks so much ass.  See you in there!

We've got a new special guest this week!  Dylan hops aboard with us this time for a kick at Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Sega Genesis/Megadrive.  Here's another one that I'd frequented as a child, but didn't own a copy myself.  Sometimes when you revisit a game, you realize it was better left in the past, and this, to me, mostly qualifies as one of those games.  Don't get me wrong, super creative character design, a mascot that's still relevant, beautiful graphics, catchy soundtrack, and the most uber-mediocre gameplay ever.  It just wears out its welcome after a few levels.  But its beautiful.  Man, I have mixed feelings.  What do you think?  Jump in and listen as the trio of dudes discuss their opinions on this heavy hitter from Sega.

Whether you're into high flying maneuvers, breakdance fighting, or impaling yourself with a glowing sword for no reason, Tekken 3 has the full toolset to bring you and your friends a good time.  This game can be enjoyed alone in a refreshing amount of game modes, and when you add a friend it just seems to elevate the experience.  It's hard to pick at this one too much.  As far as fighting games go, I think this one stayed "good" more so than most of its peers.  Tune in while we reminisce about the good ol' days of Tekken 3 on the PlayStation 1.  

Another NES classic coming this week.  None of us had played this as children, and stumbled into it later in life or just for this episode.  We didn't all love it, but I can definitely understand why this title was such a hit in it's day.  It doesn't take much for the sprite style to burn into your brain (I learned it from NES Dodgeball), and the system for progression was totally fresh and new, dare I say nothing like this had been done before.  Join Steve, Joe, and Sean as we recap our plays on River City Ransom for the NES!!  See you in the streets.

This week, we're headed to the good old days of our childhood, and picking up a game that would seem unlikely to a person not have grown up at that time.  It's Disney's Aladdin, and if you're a retro gamer, I'd go as far to say this is a must play.  It just managed to make a great game.  It wore the skin of an Aladdin game, but I really think it was so well rounded that it had the potential to be a hit game even without the help of it being marketed as a title to match a then-blockbuster movie.  Join Steve, Joe, and Sean as the Aladdin recap hits your ears on RGR.

Well damn, it's about time we show some love to the TurboGrafx 16!  Full transparency, I've never seen one of these consoles in my life, and I was born in the mid 80's.  No one that I knew owned one.  I don't know if this is normal or just a thing where I grew up.  I remember seeing the commercials for this game and wishing I could give it a try.  Fast forward a few decades, and the time has come.  The game looked every bit of good as I remember, it actually had a pretty cool soundtrack too.  A little bit on the punishing side for a consoles flagship/mascot game, but we gave it a good go, and talked all the ins and outs of Bonk's Adventure.  So join us this week and let us share the experience with you.  Catch you in the airwaves!

This week, it's a triple threat as Sean joins Steve and Joe for a chat about Ninja Gaiden 2 on the NES.  I just want to say this game will ragdoll you until you learn to tame the beast, but if you manage to hang in there and skill up, you'll be playing a beautiful game with a tough design, beautiful landscaping and architecture, and a deadly soundtrack.  As of recent, show coverage tends to meander off the rails for a bit, and this episode is no exception.  Things get a little weird.  Anyway, come waste over an hour of your life on our conversation on this ancient jewel.  

One of my old bosses used to use the expression "Now there's a pair that'll beat three of a kind anyday!"  and while he was intentionally corny, it stayed in my head for years.  The phrase manifests itself today as two major players in the puzzle game, uhh, game.  There's alot to be said about both games, and alot of weird and fun childhood memories tied to them.  We aren't really putting the two head to head, but rather celebrating them in an oscillation of conversation.  With that said, join us!

A reflection of 90s culture for kids is clear to see in Earthworm Jim.  It's.... a lot.  But in a good way.  If you judge a book by its cover, you may overlook the fact that a great cast of characters had been created, backed with some of the best graphics on the console.  This game was enjoyed by many, and is a challenging platformer for anyone who wants to travel back in time and take a run at this.  So did it hold up well?  The answer lies behind that play button, so check out this week's ep as we talk about our old and new experiences with Earthworm Jim.

This week, we aren't really covering a game.  We are, however, using one of the greatest games in history as a platform to highlight a fun, stupid event from 20 years ago.  When we were teens, Joe had his very own HTML website which consisted of mostly text based articles written by him and his buddies.  If you were lucky, you could even find the odd picture in there.  ANYWAY.  Joe and his friend Greg decided to fabricate "secrets" for FF7 as an article idea, and somehow, it began to show up in search engines, and a lot of people saw it.  So many, that hundreds of comments poured in, whether they were negative, positive, confused, or just disappointed.  We take a dive into what those secrets were, and read some of our favorite comments.  For the sake of leaning in favor of PC, I had to bleep out a few unsavory terms.  Anyway, this episode is a break from the norm, and hopefully it appeals to you, because we had a blast re-discovering the idiocy of ourselves and others on the internet some 20 years ago.   

This would have been an easy way to open the podcast last year, but we were super hesitant to cover such a monster of a game so early.  We wanted to wait until we built some comfort and structure so we could deliver a quality episode when it came time to cover Super Mario World.  Well guess what?  We're just as sh***y as we always were, so you're getting it now!  This game came with my SNES, so its the first 16 bit title I've ever played, and man was it meaningful.  Replaying this was such a pleasure.  I gotta admit, I have feelings for this one. Join us as we reminisce on this launch title!  Spoiler Alert - it kicks just as much ass now as it did then.

I have no idea why, but it seems like the old school wrestling games kicked ass, and continued to kick ass through the years, including today.  This title in particular, amongst some others, stayed awesome all this time and arguably, are more fun than most current wrestling games.  Join Steve, Joe, and Sean as we sit down and quickly get sidetracked, jumping into our memories of old school wrestling, using this game as a springboard to dive into a bunch of memories and pointless conversations.  Queue up your entrance music, put your ring gear on, and join us as we take on WCW/NWO Revenge on the N64!!

Guys.  I gotta say it, even though you'll hear me say it a few times during the episode.  I begged Joe for so many years to play this game (because it kicks ass), and he just flat out refused.  FINALLY, after over a decade of pestering (and a podcast to use as leverage), Joe has reluctantly agreed to play Super Metroid.  And spoiler - he thought it kicked ass too.  Of course he would.  Come hang with us and get a recount of this classic from someone who played it over 20 years ago, and someone who is brand new to it.  Get it!!

It's that time again!  If you've listened to me weigh in on first generation 3D consoles before, I generally argue that they aren't able to stand the test of time because they were just so god awful to try and process with your eyeballs.  I really believe Goldeneye is an exception to this claim; it may be limited in graphical potential, but it was a relatively easy game to look at, and most importantly, gain and maintain your bearings as you moved about the map.  From the campaign, to the near-to-our-hearts multiplayer (perhaps the OG of multiplayer shooters, and maybe the most badass right up til Halo), we dive into our revisit of this game, nay, this historical gaming landmark that is Goldeneye: 007 on the N64.  Grab your weapon of choice and tune in while we ramble like idiots once again!!

This ain't no cult classic.  Contra was a banger of a game when it hit the scene, it held our attention long after NES was relevant.  Looking back at this title after 30 years, and its honestly hard to find flaws.  This is a perfect example of Konami firing on all cylinders and bringing us a game that ends up becoming a piece of Nintendo history.  A game that's very difficult, not built for the faint of heart, yet a game that really encourages you to get up one more time, and keep fighting for that next stage.  This week, Steve, Joe, and Sean sit down and dig into Contra on the NES.  It was deadly.

Our earliest recollection of rhythm based games, these found a way to make the PS1 just breathe differently.  A totally new way to play, with a strong emphasis on being hook-y and colorful while offering a challenge that was fun to tackle.  I can remember playing a demo disc with Parappa on it, and that's an old memory.   Join Steve, Joe, and Sean as they recount the modern dip into Parappa the Rapper and Umjammer Lammy, comparing the two and arguing a bit about things that have nothing to do with the game.  This was a really fun episode to record, so please enjoy!

It took some trial and error, with a bit of discussion to figure out the parameters on this one, but we decided we wanted to talk pinball.  It doesn't seem reasonable to rant about a pinball game for an hour, and covering every retro pinball game ever made would take many hours.  We decided to put some of retro gaming's flagship systems head to head - NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis/Megadrive.  We're focusing on North American releases here since it's where we hail from, but there will be an honorable mention or two from overseas, since there were some absolute gems from EU and JP.  Come hang with me, Joe, and Sean as we sift through a small pile of pinball titles and crown a champion!!

I remember seeing the TV commercials for this game and being genuinely impressed as a kid.  Unfortunately for the scenario, I was a Nintendo kid and had no way to experience this Sega platformer.  When Sean suggested we try this game for an ep, I was more than happy to oblige.  I'd totally forgot about a game that I'd wanted to try for a long ass time.  The day has finally come, and we get to tackle this classic title.  Kick back with Steve and Sean for a swing at Vectorman on the Sega Genesis/Megadrive!

This week, we've got an absolute diamond on the NES!  I must have extra affection for this game from owning it and playing it a ton a a kid, but even so, I really feel it's a must play for anyone who wants to experience "Nintendo" difficulty (without needing to be unfair), with the forgiveness of a password system to save progress, and gameplay that is so tight, you just want to try again, because you know you can do it.  Eventually.  Relax, and enjoy as our buddy Sean jumps into Joe's chair and joins me while we remember the fun that is Kid Icarus. 

This was a game that turned everyone's head in the arcade.  I can distinctly remember seeing this cabinet and gravitating toward it, almost helplessly.  Watching other kids go head to head, blood spilling all over the screen, and if you're really lucky, you get to see a fatality.  I pumped a lot of quarters into that cabinet, and it was worth every cent.  Later, I saw this game as an SNES cartridge in the holiday catalog, and I was lucky enough to get it for Christmas.  Needless to say, many hours were dumped into MK3, so when it came time to pick a game for the pod, the MK series came up, and we opted for UMK3 since it took all the cool stuff from MK3 and added even more of the characters that we know and love.  Unfortunately, this (UMK3) is SUPER crappy to play solo, but its a total blast with a friend, taking MK3 one step further with so many more options.  Come join us as we ramble on about this most notable SNES/Genesis/Arcade title!  See ya in there!

Happy Holidays all!  This week, we decided to spend some time on a game that we knew we'd likely regret, and never be able to reclaim the moments of our lives wasted on it.  Boy did this one deliver.  I had no idea there were so many iterations of Home Alone on various consoles, all sharing the same title.  I'd argue that this is one of the better Home Alone games, but that's kind of like comparing dog turds to each other and trying to pick the best looking one.  And here's the twist - even though this game completely stinks, it's actually not hideous as far as playability goes.  It's actually kinda fun at first, until you realize that the first two rooms in the game have provided you with 100% of the plot/objectives, and you've seen 90% of the enemies.  After the initial minute or two of playing, it grows stale real quick.  BUT it was worth it to play and create an episode for this one, since it fits the holiday theme we wanted to go for, and it's fun to mess around and poke fun at the odd game.  This was definitely an odd game.  Join us as we recount a most absurd playthough of Home Alone of the SNES!

What started out as a random suggestion became a serious pick for a game - this is an iconic beat 'em up!  I only wish I'd gotten to play this one on console or in the arcade on multiplayer.   Even so, this is a blast of a game to hack away at solo, dipped in a classic old school sauce (you know, the kind that rattles your brain with it's ridiculous AI; until you figure it out and become the master).  Also, shout out to those thieves, or as Joe calls 'em, "treasure goblins", which I think is totally rude of him.  Unsheathe thy blade and join us as we take on a ripper of a game from Sega!!

Another week of retro gaming is upon us.  But it's a special week, because we've got our old friend Tony in the co-pilot's chair with us, and we're covering one hell of a game!  Double Dragon 2 was an absolute stunner of a game, I loved jumping in over and over as a kid and seeing how far I could make it.  Eventually, I picked up a Game Genie and really showed this game who was boss.  As a grown-ass man, I decided to not cheat my way through it, and boy is this game tough!  That said, it's very fair in its mechanics and design.  Sometimes when you revisit these games as an adult, you come do discover that they actually kinda suck as far as playability goes, and the magic lessens.  Double Dragon 2 is NOT that game.  It held up so well, and we're more than happy to gush about it for like 90 minutes.  Grab your toughest looking sleeveless tee, your twin brother whose name rhymes with your own, and meet us on the mean streets, forests, haunted mansions, whatever it takes to kick ass and save the girl!

This week's episode comes to you from the shadows as we review our fresh playthrough(s) of Revenge of Shinobi on Sega Genesis.  This is one of those games - even if it's not "your" thing, it's worth firing up just to witness the game as an event in video game history.  It's got lots of platforming and difficulty to offer, and it has tons of infringement thanks to its characters.  Join us as we hash it all out, from the features that really pop, to the weird, perhaps unnecessary details.  Pro tip - Wear dark blue when you're sneaking around.  Black creates too much of a silhouette.  See you behind enemy lines.  

Ohhh man.  I can still picture it.  I'm 14, hanging out in my friend's room, he's sitting at the big ass CRT monitor of his desktop computer, likely playing DJ using Winamp (we listened to Black Sabbath, Slayer, prank phone call recordings, maybe even some Wesley Willis), there's an electric guitar on a stand, and KISS posters plastered to the walls.  I'm on his futon, holding the PS1 controller in my hand, and I just fired up THPS2.  Holy cow.  A sequel to an already awesome game.  Coming from a guy who has zero interest in commandeering a skateboard, this game is so damn cool, and so much fun.  I just couldn't stop coming back for another round after falling shy of my goals.  Seriously guys and girls, if you haven't played this one, you really must.  I can't help but give this game a glowing review, and even though Joe didn't have exactly the same experience, he basically echos my sentiment.  Throw on your favorite punk/rock tune and drop into a half pipe of nostalgia as we recount our playthrough of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2!

Here comes one of the most popular games released on the SNES!  Another cart I was the proud owner of.  I have a TON of fond memories playing this game.  It really took the SNES to a new level; in fact, the cartridge had tech onboard that was specially designed to make the game function, as 3D graphics were not even supported by the console at the time!  From the most unique difficulty settings ever, to the colorful, contrasting stages, upgrades, first-or-third person view, and epic boss fights, this game really broke the mold upon release.  That said, it ain't all sunshine and rainbows.  When the going gets tough, the framerates drop really bad, and sometimes it's just plain hard to see what the $%^@ is going on out there.  We'll talk about the good, bad, and ugly!   Embrace your inner animal, buckle up, and blast off with us as we recount our playthrough of Star Fox!!

It's time for a good ol' fashioned battle between two well-remembered hockey games for retro gaming fans.  We tossed around the idea of covering an NES sports game, and when hockey came up, it only made sense to combine these two games since we simply couldn't choose which to make an episode with.  Of course, it becomes a bit of competition when this happens, so we talk about which game has the edge in which department, as well as revisiting some features from each game we loved and maybe even ended up forgetting since childhood.  "Rip the pass"(?), shoot, start a massive fight, and join us as we dish out a re-take on these weapons from the late 80s!

Licensed games can be a bit sketchy.  Especially in the late 80s/early 90s.  Remember the Home Alone game(s)?  Anyway, what I wanna get across here, is that Ducktales could have been a total flop; the devs could have been happy enough to push out a cart that represents an already super successful product; but instead of just mailing it in, they made a GREAT game.  I never gave this one a real chance until we decided to do it for the pod.  If you haven't tried this one, do it!  And if you want to ease your toes into that cool water, grab a golden goblet, your best glasses and cane, and come chill with us for an hour or so while we share our experiences with this NES title!  See you on that big ass pile of gold!!

It's Halloween in less than a week!  And what better way to commemorate the day of the dead by covering a scary ass game on the pod!  We honestly picked this one because we wanted to fill the gap on a horror style retro game, and also pick something that a lot of people would recognize.  We chose this based on those two factors, and ended up having a great gaming experience with a title that we'd both never played previously.  While I wouldn't say this game is free from flaws or imperfections, when it nails an idea, it smashes it out of the park.  I never thought I'd compliment music in an NES game so much, and the characters/sprites look truly badass.  Grab your ugly horizontal-stripe sweaters, your best glove with giant claws sticking out of it, and press play on this episode as we revisit a perfect game for the occasion!

This is an episode that will always stick out for me.  I had several of these pirated carts when I was a kid.  We aren't talking about these newfangled carts you buy on Ebay that were made recently; we're talking about the old school way of getting the most bang for your buck.  It was similar to buying drugs before tech took over, really.  You had to know a fellow NES fan.  Through a web of connections, you could receive a hot tip on where to find copies of these NES cartridges that contained dozens (or over a hundred) games!  This is massive!  You'd make your way to a local video/game rental shop (there were many), or even a local shoe store?  (anything can happen), and some stranger would sell you a copy of one of these beauties.  Whether it was the 31 in 1, 42 in 1, even 190 in one, these were a rare thing, definitely illegal, and something you needed to "know somebody" to get your hands on.  Such a cool piece of gaming history.  Strap yourselves in, this ride's almost 2 hours long!!  We're gonna gloss over a LOT of games as we try to pick off our favorites. PS - Sorry for referring to it as "191 in 1", I was close enough.   It's been almost 30 years, ok?  

Now this game will shake your tree.  Rattle your barrel.  Peel your banana.  Know what I'm sayin'?  This was a very strong addition to anyone's SNES collection in the '90s, and it remains as stellar as ever.  If you're into platforming, this is a must play series.  Not only are the levels the perfect amount of challenging, but the games quality of life elements are right where they need to be.  Toss in being tantalized to collect every special item in the game, and you've got one hell of a formula for success.  Grab some forest fruit, your boombox and electric guitar, and pull up a tree branch with us while we discuss our experiences taking on this golden banana of a game in modern time.  

Maybe I'm wrong here, but did this game fly under the radar for you guys?  I never really knew about it until I was well into adulthood and just happened upon it one day.  What a lovely surprise!  This game had a pretty cool concept, at first, it didn't look like much, but as time passes and you progress, the game opens itself up in layers and creates the feeling of a diluted (and I don't mean that in a bad way) Metroidvania title, not just a linear platformer as you kind of expect when you first get a feel for it.  Join Firebrand as he embarks on a quest for the ultimate power!  See you in Hell!  (I don't think the game takes place in Hell, but that's a cool way to close this paragraph)

Let's get ready to rocket and roll!  Now here's a game that you saw the TV commercial for as a kid and were left totally intrigued and curious as to what the hell could potentially be happening in this game.  Cars, trucks, strangely created vehicles, projectiles, and the sickest looking clown you'd ever seen!  (Sorry, Pennywise.)  When the opportunity to rent/buy this sucker finally came around, it didn't disappoint.  Imagine Mario Kart's battle mode on steroids, with a dark sense of humor and no inhibitions about being ultra-violent.  Admittedly, it hasn't aged like some of the classics, but I gotta say, it was totally worth revisiting for the show, and it's gonna be a blast recounting our most recent experience with you guys.  Shield up, stock your weapons, put the pedal to the metal and kill or be killed!

Another ep featuring an N64 game!  This time we're ripping through the Star Wars universe, in a game that really does it all.  One could argue that it doesn't do it all very well, but it still has a little bit of everything.  Whether you're flying across the snowy fields of Hoth, venturing on foot, swimming, jumping from train to train, or cruising through space, you get to assume the role of Dash Rendar as he makes an effort to stop the dastardly Xizor from crushing the Rebel Alliance and strengthening the Empire.  From the various styles of play to the soundtrack, we try to touch on it all here.  Please join us as we explore all aspects of this popular franchise entry!

Now this game is what the kids these days call a BANGER.  Whether you're 40 years old or 14, you can appreciate the fun factor in this NES gem.  This game, to me, defines difficulty scaling on a scale larger than most games would dare to even aim for.  I had a lot of fun playing this as a kid when I got a chance, and I probably have even more as a fully grown, immature man child.  So come with us, score some easy victories, some cheap victories, get punched 'til you're dizzy, get punched some more until you fly out-of-frame and hear the most taunting sound effect in the word.  You will win, you will lose, and when you lose, it feels fair.  Because of that, you're gonna keep coming back for more.  So get your trainer to wrap those thumbs up and we'll see you in the ring!!

If you happened to own a Gameboy during your comeuppance as a gamer, I friggin' hope you had a copy of this game.  It wasn't the hardest, or the longest (now there's a low hangin' joke), but it was a lovely game to experience.  For those of you who may need a refresher, this hand held console didn't do colors!  We had an odd green LCD display with 160x144 pixels.  It was an overgrown calculator.  Considering this, Nintendo managed to crank out a fantastic title with this one.  Not only did the series introduce us to Wario, but this particular game let us control him for the first time, and it's evident he had some staying power.  This is a bite sized Super Mario World where you get to be the bad guy, and we had a surprisingly great time playing and chatting about!  Come hang on Kitchen Island!  (we know that sounds weird)

Finally, an episode for all your Genesis fans!  This one was a Joe pick, as I hadn't played it prior to the pod.  Boy, was I missing out.  What a sweet beat 'em up game!  After a little googling, I discovered I'm not the only one with this opinion, as this is arguably the best beat 'em up game on the Genesis, as well as the entire Streets of Rage series.   This is one of those games where you might really suck when you start out, but with every death, and every new enemy, you learn new patterns, and new ways to exploit your opponents' weakness.  It goes further than just a punch and a kick button too, as there are different special moves you can use, and each playable character has their own signature attack.  So wrap your hands, get your kickin' boots on, and take a nasty ol weapon with you just in case you feel like whipping some extra ass.  See you on the streets, sucka!!

You gettin' dunked on!  It's time for the renegades to dip our toes into a sports title, and this is certainly one for the books.  NBA Jam and it's follow up, NBA Jam: TE were absolute sensations in the arcade and on home consoles.  If you could compare a game to a Venn diagram, this fits the bill perfectly, it was meticulously designed to appeal to both the regular ass gamer who could care less about sports, as well as the hardcore sports fan.  How do you hit both those demographics at once?  We still can't figure that out, but we can say for sure that Midway knocked this one out of the park.  From otherworldly windmill dunks, to shoving your opponents across the entire court, to the coolest iteration of light up shoes we've ever seen, join us this week in the Midway arena for some perfectly paced, over the top sports action that everyone can love.  This game is ON FIRE!  See you on the court!!

Ohhhhhh Snap!  Now THIS is a game that everyone remembers, and has most likely played as a child, if you fit the demo ;).   This game is a hard, unforgiving teacher.  You want a lesson from retro game school?  This is 101 material, baby.   Not that it's overly difficult all the time, but you really needed to make the most of your resources here.   From the included instruction manual that is absolutely necessary to read thoroughly to reduce suffering, to careful budgeting in-game to make sure you're properly equipped, this can be a moderately difficult, to ruthlessly punishing game.  If you don't seek out weapon/armor/health upgrades, you're gonna find yourself in some serious hot water when it's dungeon time, especially toward the end of the game.  This turned out to be a fun episode, because Joe and I share some pretty different views on this one.  I may be wearing the nostalgia lenses here and allowing them to take control of my opinion, but on the other side of the coin, Joe never read his manual, and that's on him to deal with.  Super fun to revisit, reminded me that not all games age perfectly, and while it may not be an amazing game 30+ years later, I totally loved covering this one for the show.  It deserves it.  Grab your tunic and leggings, crappy wooden sword, and for Pete's sake, your instruction manual.  Join us as we discuss this absolutely iconic NES title.  See you in Hyrule! 

RGR completes another lap this week with Mariokart 64!  This one's a beacon in the foggy memories of decades past.  Even someone like me who played a limited amount as a kid has vivid memories of this one.  Super Mariokart on SNES paved the way, and this title had the privilege of reimagining the game in 3D.  They sure delivered, too.   Admittedly, I'm biased toward my SNES, but this next installment in the 'kart series really took things to the next level, and with a 4 player feature, you can't go wrong here.  Come for the ride with us as we discuss the colorful characters, shortcut-ridden tracks, creative courses, and fine tuning of already excellent weapons.  It may not be the deepest game of it's time, but it more than makes up for that with pure fun factor.  See you on the track!

Dudes.  Dudettes.  We love bringing this show every week, but I'm having a really hard time deciding whether to recommend you listen to this episode, or sprint to your nearest copy of Symphony of the Night and play the shit out of it.  This game is awesome.  The only reason I'm familiar with this game is because of Joe, who showed it to me many years ago, and it's the same reason I love all subsequent Castlevania games that have the "metroidvania" feel.  Buckle up and ride along with us as we can't help but gush over the beautiful level design, foreground art, backgrounds, sprites, animations, and did I mention how f'n cool the bosses are?  God damn.  I don't even know what else to say.  This is our longest episode to date, and it absolutely deserves it.  See you in Dracula's castle!!

This show is still getting off the ground, and what better help can we ask for than the blue bomber himself?  This was such a fun game to come back to and play!  We touch on all the main stages, robot masters, how everything looked, felt, as well as our frustrations (which were very few!).  Unlike our Street Fighter 2 ep, you won't get a raging Steve in this installation, because there's just not enough to get mad about!  That said, please come run, jump, shoot, and rocket skateboard(?) your way through history with us as we talk about an absolutely iconic game!  See you in there!

It's that time again!  This week, we're rolling into the show's first fighting game, Street Fighter 2.  Because of all the variations available, we're going to touch on not only the original, but also "Turbo", and "The New Challengers".  We will have a look at everything from the characters, interactive stages, music, and we're definitely going to discuss the insane level of difficulty this game offers you in single player mode.  Man, this one really frustrated me!  (Steve).  Anyway, whether I'm mad or not, I can't deny that the Street Fighter franchise has absolutely blown up since this game, and even in 2022 I will still fire up whatever the most current iteration is, and do my best to serve up an ass-whooping.  Especially if I get a chance to slap Joe around.  Join us this week and re-live the fun, and the frustration!!

Things are about to get weird!  Have you ever seen the Edison's mansion?  The sights, sounds, smells, and people are really something you'll never forget.  This is a totally different take on an NES game, one that has you pointing and clicking instead of running and jumping.  Don't let that fool you into thinking this isn't exciting.  This has got to be one of the most charming, creative, and intuitive games produced for the NES.  If you've never played this one, it's highly recommended.  Whether you've enjoyed it in the past or not, come join us as we recount our separate adventures through Maniac Mansion, this is a game you can learn something new about every time you roll through!

In this episode, We dust off our favorite ninja weapons and take on the Foot Clan in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Arcade Game on the NES.  From the rainbow of foot soldier colors, the bosses, the open manholes (who turned the lights out?), to a shameless amount of Pizza Hut advertising, we go deep in detail on our experience from replaying this childhood staple, as well as sharing memories from playing through the game decades ago.   

Welcome to RGR!! It's our inaugural episode!  We are super excited to get this thing going after a ton of prep, and we hope you can tolerate a couple dudes who haven't a clue what they're doing!! (Only partially joking :D) We want to cover games from the 80s-00s, and we wanted to start off with a game that would be remembered by a large demographic, so we're kicking things off on the modern side. This week, we warp a few years into the future and take on Halo: Combat Evolved for the original Xbox.  It's hard to believe this game is a few decades old!   Prepare to dig in to the games mechanics, weapons, levels, enemies and more as you join RGR for a trip down memory lane.  Speaking of which, there are lots of personal experiences and memories to share related to this title.  Grab an overshield and your favorite weapon and come for the ride!