8-4 Play

Every other week, tune into 8-4 Play for talk about Japan, video games, and Japanese video games, straight from the 8-4 offices in beautiful downtown Tokyo.

8-4 Play 8/22/2025: NEODUDES 08/22/2025

8-4 Play 8/22/2025: NEODUDES UFO 50 (buy it!), Mina the Hollower demo (try it!), Neorude (look it up!), Phantasy Star IV (dust it off!), Off (turn it on!), and a whole messa news (listen to it!) Time – Topic Discussed 01:14 – Nicknames 08:36 – Mina the Hollower impressions 16:11 – UFO 50 31:00 – Neorude The Leading RPG 33:51 – Phantasy Star IV 38:37 – OFF 44:16 – News: Opening Night Live, Kirby Air Riders Direct, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/37919665

8-4 Play 8/8/2025: MOUSIN' AROUND 08/08/2025

8-4 Play 8/8/2025: MOUSIN' AROUND Oops, all games! The Adventures of Elliot, Rematch, Mario Paint, Lunar 2, Earthion, Shin-Chan Summer Vacation, Shinobi, Ninja Gaiden, Dyson Sphere Program (the game, not the vacuum), and news! Time – Topic Discussed 00:57 – Nicknames 10:33 – Mario Paint 12:57 – Earthion 14:56 – Donkey Kong Bananza 16:09 – Shin-chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation 19:24 – Rematch 25:05 – Dyson Sphere Program 28:16 – Aliens: Fireteam Elite 29:56 – Lunar 2 Remastered 31:02 – SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance Demo impressions 35:04 – The Adventures of Elliot: The Millenium Tales Demo 40:23 – News: The Nintendo Partner Direct, EVO, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/37728195

8-4 Play 7/25/2025: BANANZA REPUBLIC 07/25/2025

8-4 Play 7/25/2025: BANANZA REPUBLIC Roy joins to peel back Donkey Kong Bananza, go crazy on Monster Hunter Wilds DLC, and...talk about...Death Stranding 2; also Zelda movie casting, Xbox retreating from $80 games, Switch 2 sales and more! Time — Topic Discussed 02:04 — Nicknames 09:50 — Donkey Kong Bananza 23:42 — Death Stranding 2 34:31 — Sweet Home 44:22 — News /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/37544725

8-4 Play 7/11/2025: SWEET HOME AUSTRALIA 07/11/2025

8-4 Play 7/11/2025: SWEET HOME AUSTRALIA Mark returns to hawk Lumines Arise and talk about 'Jima's latest, Death Stranding 2; also, Blue Prince bingo speed runs, all that :gestures: Xbox stuff, and obscure Famicom and PC Engine games (because JP) Time — Topic Discussed 01:41 — PC Engine Talk 16:04 — Death Stranding 2 29:20 — Sweet Home 45:01 — News /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/37372010

8-4 Play 6/27/2025: SUMMER REVUE 06/27/2025

8-4 Play 6/27/2025: SUMMER REVUE Summer is the time for love, Takarazuka, and Death Stranding 2 early access. Plus the latest Switch 2 impressions, Japan life updates, and thoughts on the DK Direct. 00:58 – Nicknames 12:36 – Death Stranding 2: On the Beach 27:30 – Grandia 33:54 – Mario Kart World 54:09 – News: Donkey Kong Bananza Direct, Marathon delayed, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/37175000

8-4 Play 6/13/2025: ROCKET START 06/13/2025

8-4 Play 6/13/2025: ROCKET START One week and three and a half million units later, tune in to hear the crew's first hands-on impressions of Switch 2 and all the excitement surrounding the launch in Japan, plus the latest news out of Summer Game Fest, State of Play, the Xbox Games Showcase, and more! Time — Topic Discussed 00:52 – Nicknames 05:38 – Nintendo Switch 2 13:04 – Mario Kart World 27:20 – Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour 34:28.– The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 46:25 – News: Splatoon Raiders announced, Switch 2 sales, Summer Game Fest, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/36996250

8-4 Play 5/30/2025: SWITCH 2 COMETH 05/30/2025

8-4 Play 5/30/2025: SWITCH 2 COMETH With The Second Coming upon us, Digital Foundry’s John Linneman joins us for an exhaustive chat through the tech driving Nintendo’s new hardware, including a few key lingering questions… Time — Topic Discussed 00:46 – Nicknames 18:56 – Switch 2 Talk 1:04:16 – FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time 1:13:08 – Luigi’s Mansion 3 1:14:33 – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 1:16:27 – Blue Prince 1:21:34 – Doom: The Dark Ages /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/36784845

8-4 Play 5/16/2025: MEET ME IN THE RUMPUS ROOM 05/16/2025

8-4 Play 5/16/2025: MEET ME IN THE RUMPUS ROOM Tide yourself over this dry spell before the Summer Game Fest feast with (still tasty!) leftovers of Clair Obscur and Blue Prince, plus morsels on gaming media woes and EVO Japan bits in news. Time — Topic Discussed 01:21 – Nicknames 09:30 – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 15:34 – Blue Prince 19:20 – Blue Prince Spoilers Start 23:41 – Blue Prince Spoilers End 27:34 – News: Giant Bomb, the latest in Switch 2, EVO Japan and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/36589720

8-4 Play 5/2/2025: GOLDEN OBSCUR: EXPEDITION 84 05/02/2025

8-4 Play 5/2/2025: GOLDEN OBSCUR: EXPEDITION 84 Golden Week? This year it's more of a Golden Weekend, sadly, but that hasn't stopped us from putting our vacations on pause to share impressions of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Mario Kart World, and our Switch 2 preorder experiences. Plus news! Time — Topic Discussed 01:00 – Nicknames 05:54 – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 28:39 – Mario Kart World 39:25 – News: Switch 2 pre-orders, 8bitdo cancels US shipments, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/36407765

8-4 Play 4/18/2025: ROYAL BLUE 04/18/2025

8-4 Play 4/18/2025: ROYAL BLUE Grab your journal and get ready to scribble extensive notes on Blue Prince, the new Vampire Survivors DLC, the latest Switch 2 news, and Gabe’s turf burns in this very special pre-Golden Week Tight 55™︎ episode! Time — Topic Discussed 00:54 – Nicknames 08:50 – Blue Prince 25:24 – Vampire Survivors: Emerald Diorama 27:22 – News: Switch 2, PS5 prices, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/36218140

8-4 Play 4/4/2025: JUNE THE FIFTH 04/04/2025

8-4 Play 4/4/2025: JUNE THE FIFTH SMAAAAAAASH that C-Button and join our chat all about (what else) Switch 2. Mario Kart! Donkey Kong! The Duskbloods! Pricing! Region-locking! Jorts! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/36002225

8-4 Play 3/28/2025: DIRECT MISS 03/28/2025

8-4 Play 3/28/2025: DIRECT MISS Sure, we may have recorded before yesterday's Nintendo Direct, but that just means we had more time to talk Xenoblade Chronicles X: DE, read up on the latest Monster Hunter Wilds news, and get a 10-minute two-minute history lesson on the origins of the Metal Max franchise. Time — Topic Discussed 01:57 — Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition 35:12 — Metal Max 42:20 — News: Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update, Game Informer returns, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/35902300

8-4 Play 3/14/2025: PUMP 'N' DUMP 03/14/2025

8-4 Play 3/14/2025: PUMP 'N' DUMP Pull up a slab of cheese nan and dig in to a full episode of (what else?) Monster Hunter Wilds, as the team Gears-of-War-slow-walks you through our first few days with the game. Time — Topic Discussed 01:50 — Nicknames 04:33 — Monster Hunter Wilds 58:05 — News: Monster Hunter Wilds breaks records, Clovers, and Death Stranding 2 /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/35683355

8-4 Play 2/28/2025: THE STUFF OF NIRGENDS 02/28/2025

8-4 Play 2/28/2025: THE STUFF OF NIRGENDS Enjoy the final pod before we go Wild on the new Monster Hunter with…well, MHW review talk! Also solid chatter on some older and / or semi-obscure Japanese gems because, hey, it’s us. Time — Topic Discussed 01:00 — Nicknames 10:08 — Monster Hunter Wilds Review Recap 23:25 — Resident Evil Remastered 32:05 — Grandia 37:24 — Stray Children 44:00 — News: Shuhei Yoshida, NetEase, Monolith closing, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/35478340

8-4 Play 2/14/2025: STATE OF YAY 02/14/2025

8-4 Play 2/14/2025: STATE OF YAY The gang runs down PlayStation’s latest State of Play showcase, including Housemarque’s Saros, Monster Hunter Wilds, Shinobi, Sonic Racing, and (dramatic music)…Digimon? Time — Topic Discussed 01:07 – Nicknames 02:40 – Sony State of Play (and News) 41:24 – Ender Lilies 45:53 – The Legend of Dragoon 49:38 – Cyberpunk 2077 50:54 – Pikmin 4 /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/35282615

8-4 Play 1/31/2025: IS MONSTER HUNTER OUT YET? 01/31/2025

8-4 Play 1/31/2025: IS MONSTER HUNTER OUT YET? You'll jump outta yo seat for the Dynasty Warriors: Origins impressions and Ninja Gaiden 2 Black / 4 news, but sit back down and buckle the f up for live - that's right, LIVE - (and already outdated) Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket pack openings. 00:51 – Nicknames 12:11 – Dynasty Warriors: Origins 19:56 – Pokémon TCG Pocket 22:59 – The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom 32:27 – News /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/35094665

8-4 Play 1/17/2025: SWITCH, TOO 01/17/2025

8-4 Play 1/17/2025: SWITCH, TOO We did it We finally outsmarted Nintendo And all it cost us was…everything Time — Topic Discussed 02:20 – Switch 2!! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/34891910

8-4 Play 1/3/2025: NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' Q&A SPECIAL 01/03/2025

8-4 Play 1/3/2025: NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' Q&A SPECIAL We've barely recovered from our New Year's hangovers, but we're already back and hard at work for you, dear listener, with a brand new ep, recorded live and in person in the year of our lord 202—what’s that? We're out of space? Uh...special Q&A ep—enjoy! Time — Topic Discussed 03:36 – Listener Questions /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/34707295

8-4 Play 12/20/2024: OH HO HO HOLI-DAZE 12/20/2024

8-4 Play 12/20/2024: OH HO HO HOLI-DAZE 'Tis the season for a loosey-goosey-boozy run-down of all the announcements and winners and everything from The Game Awards, including the-one-with-the-guy-who-climbs-on-the-robot-then-the-head-flies-off. Happy holidays!! Time — Topic Discussed 01:27 – Nicknames 15:16 – Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake 21:10 – DQ3 SPOILERS START! 23:42 – DQ3 SPOILERS END! 23:48 – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle 29:24 – Pokemon TGC Pocket 34:16 – News: The Game Awards Recap! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/34544075

8-4 Play 12/6/2024: PODCAST DE GOZARRE 12/06/2024

8-4 Play 12/6/2024: PODCAST DE GOZARRE Lunar 2: Eternal Blue (localization CONTROVERSY!), PC Engine obscurities (the BEST game you NEVER HEARD OF!!), and checking in on Dragon Quest III HD-2D (Gabe's take will SHOCK you!!!) #smashlike #subscribe #hitthebell Time — Topic Discussed 00:55 – Nicknames 14:57 – PC-FX Talk 22:35 – Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake 27:56 – Lunar 2: Eternal Blue 35:37 – Alarmo Minute 40:54 – News: Alarmo stock, Shuhei Yoshida leaves PlayStation, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/34312960

8-4 Play 11/22/2024: PARAGON QUEST 11/22/2024

8-4 Play 11/22/2024: PARAGON QUEST Join us as we journey to Aliahan (DQ3 HD-2D Remake), the Soviet Union (Tetris Forever), Hokkaido (To the North), Geoff Keighley’s basement (Game Awards Nominations), and deep Kyoto for more tales from the Nintendo Museum! Time — Topic Discussed 01:15 – Nicknames 15:26 – Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake 38:00 – Tetris Forever 55:27 – News: FF14 mobile announced, Game Awards nominees, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/34104351

8-4 Play 11/8/2024: BREADTH OF THE WILDS 11/08/2024

8-4 Play 11/8/2024: BREADTH OF THE WILDS All killa no filla: Metaphor, Monster Hunter Wilds, Nintendo Music app, Vampire Survivors' Castlevania DLC, Pokémon TCG Pocket, Switch 2 news and more! 00:57 – Nicknames 04:32 – Pokémon TCG Pocket 17:56 – Monster Hunter Wilds 44:38 – Vampire Survivors: Ode to Castlevania 49:58 – Metaphor: ReFantazio 56:10 – News: Switch 2 backwards compatibility, Xenoblade Chronicles X, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/33846007

8-4 Play 10/25/2024: RING THE ALARMO 10/25/2024

8-4 Play 10/25/2024: RING THE ALARMO Rise and shine, kids—Halloween’s on the way, but not before we dabble in first impressions of Silent Hill 2, last (?) impressions of Echoes of Wisdom, and the start of our ongoing coverage of Nintendo’s hot new hardware! (Alarmo, duh.) Time — Topic Discussed 01:06 – Nicknames 14:46 – Silent Hill 2 remake 24:12 – The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom 42:10 – Lunar: Silver Star Story 49:42 – World of Warcraft 56:30 – Nintendo Alarmo 1:20:37 – News: Sakurai’s Creating Games concludes, an EGM Kickstarter, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/33610147

8-4 Play 10/11/2024: ECHOES OF SCIENCE 10/11/2024

8-4 Play 10/11/2024: ECHOES OF SCIENCE The TGS dust has settled and it's back to normal over here—normal as in, Nintendo announcing stuff mere hours after we record. We'll have to hit snooze on the alarm clock chatter, but we can try and keep you awake with thoughts on Echoes of Wisdom, Until Dawn, Metaphor: ReFantazio, and some news instead?? Time — Topic Discussed 00:52 — Nicknames 12:16 — The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom 26:12 — Metaphor ReFantazio impressions 28:18 — Until Dawn impressions 35:03 — News: Halo, UBISOFT, 8-4's birthday and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/33416377

8-4 Play 9/27/2024: TOKYO GAME SHOW 2024 09/27/2024

8-4 Play 9/27/2024: TOKYO GAME SHOW 2024 Tokyo Game Show! State of Play! Monster Hunter Wilds! Pirates in Hawaii! Metal Gear Delta! Tons of special guests! Exclamation Points! Time — Topic Discussed 01:49 — Nicknames 06:05 — Show Floor Impressions 12:38 — Neva 15:56 — Demonschool 20:23 — Love Eternal & Nightmare Operator 24:16 — Professor Layton & Inazuma Eleven 29:30 — Monster Hunter Wilds 41:21 — Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, Space Marine 2, Dome-King Cabbage & Sonic Rumble 59:22 — Clock Tower: Rewind 1:01:37 — Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake & Monster Hunter Wilds 1:15:03 — Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater 1:23:54 — News: State of Play, Assassin’s Creed Shadows delayed, and more! 2:04:53 — TGS Merch Hauls /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/33230252

8-4 Play 9/20/2024: THE SHIBUYA BIWEEKLY PODCAST CASE: THE SHINKANSEN COMETH ~MEMORIES IN CHIBA, TEARFUL TIGHT 60~ 09/20/2024

8-4 Play 9/20/2024: THE SHIBUYA BIWEEKLY PODCAST CASE: THE SHINKANSEN COMETH ~MEMORIES IN CHIBA, TEARFUL TIGHT 60~ You take the old (Dragon Slayer, Aria of Sorrow), you take the new (Astro Bot, UFO 50), you speculate and talk some news (PS5 Pro, Palworld litigation, new Switch rumors, etc.)--the podcast life. (repeat) The podcast life~ ♪ 01:11 — Nicknames 06:00 — Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow 16:20 — ASTRO BOT 26:36 — The Hokkaido Serial Murder Case: The Okhotsk Disappearance ~Memories in Ice, Tearful Figurine~ 35:04 — UFO 50 38:38 — Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes 41:56 — News: PS5 Pro, Switch 2 rumors, Nintendo sues Pocket Pair, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/33135172

8-4 Play 9/6/2024: ARIA OF SAVINGS 09/06/2024

8-4 Play 9/6/2024: ARIA OF SAVINGS Castlevanias! Eldens Rings! Some random Dragon Ball game! Nintendo stuff, oh yes! Concord stoppage, oh no! Hey! Listen!! Time — Topic Discussed 01:46 — Nicknames 10:57 — Castlevania Dominus Collection 20:14 — Elden Ring 32:50 — DRAGON BALL PROJECT: Multi 34:19 — News: Nintendo Indie World/Partner Direct recap, Sony price hike, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/32940307

8-4 Play 8/23/2024: IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM 08/23/2024

8-4 Play 8/23/2024: IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM A news-heavy episode on all the happenings out of Gamescom (ok mostly just Monster Hunter Wilds, 'cause hey, it's us) and extended thoughts on the Nintendo Museum (again, what did you expect?). 01:15 – Nicknames 08:47 – News: Gamescom, the Nintendo Museum, and more! /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/32709532

8-4 Play 8/9/2024: I DREAM OF DEMONS 08/09/2024

8-4 Play 8/9/2024: I DREAM OF DEMONS Pour a tall glass of lemonade and join us on the porch for lazy summer ramblings re: Monster Hunter Wilds, the new season of Apex Legends, and various other bits of "trash talk." Time — Topic Discussed 01:06 – Nicknames 16:46 – Apex Legends 26:55 – Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree 35:00 – Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked 50:03 – News: Bungie, Game Informer, and some Monster Hunter Wilds /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/32510302

8-4 Play 7/26/2024: SUMMER SUMMIT 07/26/2024

8-4 Play 7/26/2024: SUMMER SUMMIT A bit of BitSummit, more Erdtree gab, Power Pros baseball banter, Nintendo World Championships chat, and (most importantly!) Garigari-kun and other tips on how to beat the Tokyo summer heat. Time — Topic Discussed 00:46 — Nicknames 17:10 — Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree 34:10 — Powerful Pro Baseball 2024-2025 38:12 — News: EVO, Emio revealed, Halo TV show cancelled, and more! 53:07 — Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition (and more news!) /episode/index/show/eightfour/id/32301912

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