Taiko No Tatsujin - Episode 147
Podouken
Namco set out to create a super popular rhythm game and accidentally created the most popular mascots since Pac-Man. Don-chan and Katsu-chan are unavoidable as we talk about the extremely popular in the East but largely ignored in the West drum game, Taiko No Tatsujin! Why was this game never released in the U.S. until now? How did an instrument mishap lead to the most embarrassing moment of young Rob’s life? Is every arcade game released after the year 2000 just a Playstation in disguise? How did Donkey Kong steal this game’s popularity? We answer your questions like what arcade game...
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Jubeat - Episode 146
Podouken
Finally a rhythm game that is unlikely to give you a cardiac arrest. We explore the often mispronounced (hint: the “j” is silent) BEMANI hit that is DDR for your fingers, jubeat! What is the magic behind this geometric anomaly of an arcade game? Is Scatman or Y.M.C.A. the most beloved of all western songs by Japanese game developers? How hard is it to get a jubeat in the States? Does everyone want a Dance 86.4 Funky Radio Station now? This episode we answer questions about what hobbies we’d pursue if we weren’t always fixing arcade games and who are our favorite real-life people in...
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Dance Dance Revolution - Episode 145
Podouken
This miniseries is all about rhythm - rhythm games, that is. We recognize that three middle-aged white guys may not be the best option to talk about this episode’s game so we asked local (and international) legends Chris Austin and Leon Brunson to give us an insight into the strategy, gameplay, and tournament scene of Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution. What kind of hardware do Leon and Chris (literally) bring to the table? How many times have we moved Adam’s DDR? What ever happened to Toshiba? Did we identify the perfect footwear for home DDR play? Questions this episode include what...
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Arcade Obscura (Light Gun) - Episode 144
Podouken
It’s the end of the Light Gun miniseries and we’re down to our last remaining bullets. Now it’s time for each host to shoot their shot on their pick of an obscure or underrated Light Gun arcade game. Did it finally happen? Did we pick the same game?! Adam brings the cinematic rage with his choice. Jarrod channels familiar territory with a game made by familiar people from a familiar company. Rob goes rogue with a controversial game that may or may not break all the rules (we’ll let you decide). The listener questions in this episode include our favorite of the light gun games, how we...
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The House Of The Dead 2 - Episode 143
Podouken
It’s the last featured episode of the Light Gun series! The portal to carnage opens again as we dig up arguably Sega’s best light gun series - and arguably the best game in the series - with The House of the Dead 2. When will G-nome Theory be touring next? How did the AM1 team’s demand for more time to work on the sequel lead to a hardware upgrade? Will you suffer like G did with some of the rabbit holes we go down in this episode? Do you remember where you were on 9/9/99? Want to know about arcade cabinet hygiene and our first arcade game memories? Tune in! Want to ask something...
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CarnEvil - Episode 142
Podouken
Lights go dim, the tokens drop, the carousel spins - it’ll never stop. From haunted houses to freakish feats, the bosses roar and shotgun greets. So pump that gun and don’t delay, the Midway’s mad and here to stay. This ain’t no game for hearts too civil… It's the podcast ode to CarnEvil! Why do we know so much about the local “insane asylum” called Sunland? Do jiggle physics apply to ghostly apparitions? Has Rob taken Halloween decorating too far? Did CarnEvil give us the first video game version of Krampus? The listener questions answered in this episode include what insane...
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Big Buck Hunter - Episode 141
Podouken
Woo-wee! There’s no avoiding it any longer. While these games don't rank highly on our personal lists, we must talk about one of the most influential and long-lasting series in light gun arcade games, Big Buck Hunter. Do we represent the snobby gaming community? How did appealing to the “Bubba factor” make this popular game series thrive? What is the connection between the hosts, Big Buck Hunter, and the Florida State University football team? Who’s that I hear… is it… could it be… Sound Boy?! Our listener questions in this episode ask us to forecast what arcade game will have...
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Time Crisis - Episode 140
Podouken
ACTION! We put the pedal to the metal in our light gun miniseries with Namco’s Time Crisis. Seek cover as we explore the entire series starting with V.S.S.E. agent Richard Miller and ending with whatever Time Crisis 5 was. Did Namco’s attempt to top Sega’s Virtua Cop succeed? Is Time Crisis 2 the most complete light gun game experience? What are the most addictive roguelikes? Does Wild Dog, leader of Wild Dog, own a wild dog? With the Krispy Kreme/Pac-Man donut partnership it seems like a good time for us to identify which arcade character we think would make the best flavor for a...
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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...
info_outlineStep 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