Episodes
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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 -
Missing episodes?
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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 - Show more
