Content that'll quench ya!
A cause for applause! Welcome to the show, dearest guests. Please be seated. To close the year we thought we’d try something a little different – it’s an alternative game awards show! We polled some members of the community and collated our own thoughts on the past year ‘n change, and who’da thunk it – we’ve got plenty to share. So join us in this celebration of everything that is, was, and could be. It’ll be a night to remember!
The night gaming came home! In an extra spooky special, Sam, David and guest Shane Cannon hand out tricks and treats alike as they discuss the rich legacy of illustrious horror director John Carpenter. It’s an eclectic tale spun across cult movies, the games inspired by them, and the famously outspoken gaming tastes of the big man himself. And, uh. Hang on. Didn’t David have something this week too…?
Set phasers to “gaming”! There’s a great big universe out there, and by gum, someone’s gotta make sense of it. Join us, as we beam up old-school YouTuber and die-hard Odo fanatic Christopher Bingham (@chriscoolblog) to explore what works about Star Trek (and what so often doesn’t) across a plethora of interactive tie-ins. A most vital engagement!
The world’s a stage – and life’s a dance! It all gets a bit hairy-scary as Gamer Era kicks off the big red boots for the spookiest month of the year. Returning guest Lucy (@fortunekookiekrisp) joins Sam for an enchanting Bayonetta special, as a recap on the much-loved game series turns to a spirited discussion of the real-life folklore and superstition that may have inspired it. Cat not necessary, but strongly recommended.
Gaming. It’s our business. With conquest on the mind, our brave hosts each explore the various triumphs and blunders of two titans venturing into the digital realm. First, David chronicles The Lego Group’s tentative steps into the 2000s – from the experimental Island series, to the justly forgotten cross-media flop of Galidor, through to the eventual breakout success of Bionicle. Then, Sam finally investigates a lifelong curiosity – just who exactly is multi-millionaire media mogul Alan Sugar, and what was he doing getting involved in the booming British micro-computer scene of the ‘80s? It’s all to play for in another block-busting instalment!
Welcome back, valued listener. Pay close attention. Time is of the essence… Out from the darkness and into the light shine two masters in their fields. First, incumbent agent Sam details the original Perfect Dark – the much-hyped spiritual successor to GoldenEye that continues to draw interest to this day. Then, interstellar traveller Vernon (@meektheraccoon) flashes back to the TimeSplitters series, itself both a contemporary and successor to Perfect Dark with a similarly devout fanbase. These twin titles separated at birth share many commonalities, but it is crucial that focus is not lost. Good luck, listener.
We’d be GREAT at curating – we’d be the game curators… It’s a calamity among worlds as PODTOR WHOCAST and GAMER ERA collide for the very first time! Join Sam, David and Michel as they journey through the unknown – from the neon-soaked days of the 1980s, to the twisted nights of the wilderness years in the 1990s, all the way to the “Nu” dawn from the mid-2000s. There’s also discussion on Michel’s involvement in writing for Fallout London, and the fascinating parallel history of microcomputers in the UK. This episode became such a monster that one instalment couldn’t possibly contain it – look forward to a Part Two somewhere in your future!
Tales woven across small screen laughs and big screen thrills. It’s a veritable luckfest as our hosts spread the licensed game lovin’ across Rotherham and Tinseltown. Sam starts us off by pitching his idea for the ChuckleVision game that never was, hitching the wagon on various “Chuckle-likes” to find the perfect title to clone. Then, David takes us through the back half of the 90s movie zeitgeist through a pixelated lens, peppered with facts and tidbits. This week’s one is a bit of an unintentional epic – hold on to your ticket!
It’s better than bad – it’s good! It’s time to get goopy, gacky, and all kinds of wacky, as Sam invites resident millennial Kit back on the pod to talk through two of Nickelodeon’s earliest animated efforts and their vibrant history in games. How close did Ren & Stimpy get to capturing the anarchic spirit of the show? How much content was cut from the Rugrats’ premiere 3D outing? And how many times can we say the words “lost media” before it loses all meaning? Whatever the answers, one thing’s clear – a gamer’s gotta do what a gamer’s gotta do. Gaming, that is.
Put me in, coach – I’m ready to play! In the spirit of a VERY sporting summer, Gabe beams in from @The_Pauldcast to share memories of digital bats, clubs and racquets. In the first half, Sam provides commentary on the contributions of a certain moustachioed plumber to the arcade sports genre, before David rises from the bench to analyse some truly bizarre football (soccer!) tie-ins and off-shoots. Also tangents. So, so many tangents.
