Lethal Enforcers - Episode 139
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...
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The House Of The Dead - Episode 138
Podouken
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...
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Area 51 - Episode 137
Podouken
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?...
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Arcade Obscura (4P Beat ‘Em Ups) - Episode 136
Podouken
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...
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Battle Circuit - Episode 135
Podouken
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...
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Dungeons & Dragons: Tower of Doom / Shadow Over Mystara - Episode 134
Podouken
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...
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Metamorphic Force - Episode 133
Podouken
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...
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Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder - Episode 132
Podouken
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...
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Captain Commando - Episode 131
Podouken
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...
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Crime Fighters / Vendetta - Episode 130
Podouken
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...
info_outlineNew year, new miniseries as we dedicate our next group of episodes to answer a question posed years ago: “What Neo Geo games make it in the Podouken 4 Slot?” This episode is a gimme as the Neo Geo launched with four titles in the US: NAM-1975, Baseball Stars Professional, Top Players Golf, and Magician Lord.
What are the hosts’ first memories of the Neo Geo? Did Mr. SNK skate regular or goofy mongo? What are the four games currently in the arcade’s Neo Geo 4 slot?
We also answer some questions posted on the Podouken Discord like how we started an arcade, what it’s like dealing with hurricanes on the regular, our most troublesome games, and our favorite arcade-to-console ports.