Podouken
A PODCAST FOR ARCADE LOVERS. From the owners of 100+ arcade and pinball cabinets, and the proprietors of a real-life arcade comes PODOUKEN, a brand new podcast that takes a deep dive into the world of video arcade games, and explores the history, story, strategy, art, music, restoration, preservation and fun of arcade games.
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Revolution X - Episode 096
05/31/2023
Revolution X - Episode 096
We’re back in the saddle again with another Midway mounted gun game that’s not the same old song and dance. So if you don’t want to miss a thing then walk this way as we cover this amazing and crazy game. Let’s get back in the saddle with Revolution X: Music is the Weapon. Featuring: Aerosmith - Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, Joey Kramer. Why should this game really have Featuring: Kerri Hoskins instead of Aerosmith? Who is responsible for this game not becoming Boot Shootin’ Boogie: Featuring: Brooks & Dunn? Would that have been a better game? On a serious note, this episode contains discussion about gun violence in public settings. All discussion is specifically about the game, the actions within the game, and should not be interpreted as commentary on real-world events.
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Silent Scope - Episode 095
05/18/2023
Silent Scope - Episode 095
Konami trains an entire generation to become snipers as they task you with saving the model 90s American First Family, but not their secretary. In this episode we’re taking a long, focused look at the biggest gun in the arcade, Silent Scope. Why are there so many “wow” moments in this game? Will Jarrod ever reclaim the Mr. SNK title from Rob? Is this the only video game where you can shoot Tom and Jerry in the head or are they in Fortnite? Which version of Silent Scope 2 had the best subtitled name? Finally we answer some Discord questions like what game show would we like to participate in, how far have we traveled to get a game, and was it worth it? Now die and go to heaven!
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Terminator 2 : Judgement Day - Episode 094
05/03/2023
Terminator 2 : Judgement Day - Episode 094
Midway hits all their targets when they make THE mounted gun game of the 90s, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (and it was all thanks to Narc). What actors gave it their all to bring the arcade game to life? Which host hasn’t seen the prequel to this movie (and how is that not at all surprising)? Who recorded more dialogue for the game than they did for the movie? How does one gameplay tip make this game so much easier? We also answer Discord questions that take us into the legal gray area that is routing emulated arcades and give away the secret origins of how the podcast started and why we picked a name that no one could spell.
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Operation Wolf - Episode 093
04/19/2023
Operation Wolf - Episode 093
Let’s play the 80s version of Operation! It has a lot of changes over the popular board game like the tweezers being replaced with an Uzi and instead of Cavity Sam we’re operating on unspecified enemy troops to rescue hostages… actually these games don’t seem to be related at all. In this episode we’re talking about THE mounted gun game of the 80s, Taito’s Operation Wolf (and the sequels that followed it). What was the name of that kids game show where winners ran through the maze and stuck NES games to their velcro vest? Did Tomohiro Nishikado, the famous creator of Space Invaders, really design Operation Wolf? What movie has Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best one-liner? Why does Jarrod feel the need to insult our arcade? We happily answer a listener question in this episode which asks what arcade experience from our past do we think is unreproducible today. And remember, if world peace and lasting freedom doesn’t work, grenade ‘em.
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Crossbow / Cheyenne / Chiller - Episode 092
04/05/2023
Crossbow / Cheyenne / Chiller - Episode 092
It’s time to explore the way of the light gun with one important condition - it’s mounted to the arcade control panel. Our first episode of this new miniseries explores the transition from electromechanical to video with the Exidy light gun games that brought multiple C’s to the arcade with Crossbow, Cheyenne, and Chiller. Is the Chiller controversy valid? What is the best way to describe the gameplay of Crossbow? How shameful is it to be a former fan of Friends? Which Cheyenne gang has the best name and best members? And, as has been our habit, we answer some listener questions like the viability of modern-day fighting games being released in the arcades and what not great arcade games do we still love wholeheartedly?
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Samurai Shodown - Episode 091
03/22/2023
Samurai Shodown - Episode 091
Iza Jinjou ni Shoubu! Let’s have a good clean fight in this final episode of the Neo Geo 4 Slot miniseries (for now). The board has been repaired and we’re dedicating an entire episode to cover our last selection of 1993 - Samurai Shodown! Is SamSho the most underrated fighting game of the 90s? How does the Edo period heavily influence this game and make the inclusion of some characters impossible? What blade-handed character is responsible for the creation of Samurai Shodown? Will Mr. SNK ever be this pumped for another miniseries ever again? We answer some very personal listener questions like have we ever had a first or early date at an arcade and are there any games we played as youngsters that we forgot about and then rediscovered later on. Also, Jarrod shares a truly shocking fact that we still can’t believe!
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Neo Geo 1993 - Episode 090
03/08/2023
Neo Geo 1993 - Episode 090
Travel with us back to 1993 when Bill Clinton became the 42nd President of the United States, your mom and grandmother’s favorite collectible was released, Samuel L. Jackson implored people to hold onto their butts, and a Dolly Parton song takes off again. Sadly it appears our Neo Geo 4-slot has a slight malfunction so we’ll only fill it with three of our four picks this episode with Sengoku 2, 3 Count Bout, and Spin Master. How was PastBlaster’s visit to the Fun Dungeon and why is he so fascinated with tush tags now? Are yo-yos weapons now? When an ancient princess transports you through time to WW2 how important is it to know who you’re fighting against? Why wasn’t Fire Suplex used as the worldwide release title instead of the generic 3 Count Bout? Plus we answer some listener questions like what console game warrants the full arcade treatment and which arcade game blew our minds the most when we first saw it.
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Neo Geo 1992 - Episode 089
02/22/2023
Neo Geo 1992 - Episode 089
It’s the year 1992 - the public witnesses the first televised presidential threeway debate, eating liver with a nice Chianti is all the rage, and the Cartoon Network debut helps mold the tastes of a generation. Join us as we compose our 1992 Neo Geo 4 slot with Mutation Nation, Last Resort, King of the Monsters 2, and Viewpoint. What game gives us some Nautiboys, Thornygirls, and a viking crusader straight out of Mad Max? How do you beat the real-world Gravitron? Why do we have concerns about the new Tron ride at Disney? How do you get the toilet port of Doom? Hear us answer some of the latest listener questions like what arcade has the most delicious and most disgusting food item, and what previously featured Podouken arcade would we most like to receive the modern remake treatment.
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Neo Geo 1991 - Episode 088
02/08/2023
Neo Geo 1991 - Episode 088
Welcome to the year 1991 where war is the hottest collectible, geography tests just got a whole lot harder, and arguably the best movie sequel ever came out. In this very sick episode we’ll be assembling the Podouken 4 slot with Ghost Pilots, Eight Man, Crossed Swords, and Thrash Rally. Why are we recording this episode remotely? Can you still hire pontoon plane pilots on Fiver? Will we make Jarrod’s childhood dreams come true? Did we stumble upon the original RoboCop? Where can we buy a Mitsuboshi Thunderjet? This episode’s Q&A includes our most expensive (and depressing) arcade-related mistakes, the arcade exclusive we’d most like to see ported to console, and what movie-based pinball has the biggest quality difference between it and the movie it is based on.
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Neo Geo 1990 - Episode 087
01/25/2023
Neo Geo 1990 - Episode 087
It’s 1990 - the year of the Berlin Wall coming down, the Hubble Space Telescope going up, and Wilson Phillips asking us to hold on for one more day. In this episode we’ll fill the Podouken 4 Slot Neo Geo with Ninja Combat, Cyber-Lip, The Super Spy, and Blue’s Journey.Does this episode have our worst bit ever? Why is Debra a fat man holding an ax? How are we disappointing the futurists from the 90s? Did SNK make a game about the worst spy ever?We also answer some listener questions (posted on the Podouken Discord) like if we’ve ever encountered haunted games, how we tune game difficulty in the arcade, what games we hate but keep around because the public loves them, and our choices for holy grail games.
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Neo Geo Launch Titles - Episode 086
01/11/2023
Neo Geo Launch Titles - Episode 086
New 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.
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Arcade Obscura (Hollywood) - Episode 085
12/28/2022
Arcade Obscura (Hollywood) - Episode 085
We’re closing off the Hollywood miniseries with our first Arcade Obscura in over a year! And it’s been so long that some of us have forgotten how it works (and how much content to prepare for the episode). So get ready to hear a whole lot about one game (and a little bit about two others) as we bring our picks for obscure or underrated arcade games based on movies.Are we going to cover a Star Wars game in this series? Why are we talking about giving “yutes” drugs? Did we just unlock some of PastBlaster’s repressed memories? I’m sorry, you said “peanuts”?Thanks to all our listeners for a fantastic year! We wish you all a happy new year and hope you have an even better time with us in the next one.
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Die Hard - Episode 084
12/14/2022
Die Hard - Episode 084
Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho. On this special holiday episode of Podouken we take an in-depth look at not just a Christmas movie, but THE Christmas movie - Die Hard (and the very literal arcade game by Sega).How did this film based on a book that was written as a sequel to a Frank Sinatra film turn into a holiday classic? What led Golden Axe’s creator to use Die Hard to revive the beat ‘em up genre? Is it true one of the hosts had never seen this movie before this episode? How did a defector ballet dancer turn into one of the biggest badasses in cinema? So listen, bubbe, as we talk about a dynamite detective, try to buy some Star Wars laser dicks, uncover the true love story in Die Hard, give really bad Alan Rickman impersonations, and try to stifle a raging Wolf Hongo.
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Willow - Episode 083
11/30/2022
Willow - Episode 083
Sorry X-Men, there’s a new longest episode in town. It’s time to talk about George Lucas’s totally-not-inspired-by-Lord-of-the-Rings fantasy epic (and Capcom arcade game) Willow, which coincidentally (or not) has a new TV series coming out… today!Why are all the names in this movie so awful? Does Val Kilmer make the perfect Madmartigan or would John Cusak have done it better? Did we talk about this movie for almost twice its running time? How does the arcade game reward frugal shopping?Not to miss in this episode: Jarrod references an anime all on his own, we dream up the Forrest Gump video game, discuss the benefits of owning a bone urn, and recap Willow so you can be ready for the new Disney+ series.
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Jurassic Park - Episode 082
11/16/2022
Jurassic Park - Episode 082
Hold on to your butts as we explore a Steven Spielberg directed film that was a #1 top grossing box office movie and spawned a video game. No, not Jaws. No, not E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Welcome to Jurassic Park (cue the kazoos).How did one Spaz lead to the extinction of a special effects technology and the supremacy of another? Which Jurassic Park arcade game is the best? Who is the Gatekeeper and is there a Keymaster? Are Timmy’s dinosaur jokes better than Rob’s?Observe the many species of Jurassic Park games placed into the arcades by Sega, Konami, and Raw Thrills. And while we wait on the goat bait to work, listen to conversations about King Kong, going overboard for Halloween, hurricanes, kids ruining theater experiences, and a lot of talk about Orlando.
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Robocop - Episode 081
11/02/2022
Robocop - Episode 081
Dead or alive, you’re coming with me to hear the Podouken gang explore RoboCop the movie… and the arcade game!How did a home video game company play the Uno Reverse card on an arcade maker? Why are there so many dicks in this movie? What movie set gave inspiration for the creation of RoboCop? What makes this movie and Starship Troopers so similar? Would you like to know more?Fun fact enough: RoboCop originally received an X rating. We talk about missing out on young emo nostalgia, mime coaches, the horrible 80s affliction of boneitus, Mr. Deco Man, and go Robo!
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Street Fighter: The Movie - Episode 080
10/19/2022
Street Fighter: The Movie - Episode 080
After 80 episodes we’re not going home. We’re going to get on our boat, and we’re going up river, and we’re going to kick that son-of-a-bitch Bison’s ass so hard that the next Bison wannabe is gonna feel it. Now who wants to go home, and who wants to listen to a Street Fighter: The Movie podcast?!Why have we been watching this movie all wrong? How did breaking the Seven Dwarfs rule ultimately doom this film? What led to this movie getting an ‘R’ rating? Who was responsible for creating the official Street Fighter song featuring sports legend Deon Sanders? What is the most outrageous quote from this movie?So bite into a Lay’s Wavy Funyuns Onion Flavored Funyuns Onion Flavored Rings potato chip and listen to our exploration of Capcom’s cinematic classic, plus discussion on Incredible Technologies, colons, Super Mario Bros., JCVD, and the production cost differences between “later” and “ladder”.
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Tron - Episode 079
10/05/2022
Tron - Episode 079
After three years of podcasting, nearly 80 episodes, and covering 200 arcade games, it’s time to switch our focus to something with more audience potential. So we’re going full Hollywood and rebranding as a video arcade game… movie podcast! To start we’re covering the live-action Walt Disney classic, Tron.How was this movie inspired by Pong? What convinced Tron’s creator to move away from traditional animation and incorporate CGI for the first time? Is Flynn’s Arcade the best golden age arcade representation ever shown on the silver screen? Does Tron include an example of the Mandela Effect?As we analyze this movie we’ll also talk about jai alai, PastBlaster’s recent trip to Galloping Ghost Arcade, the best movie soundtrack ever composed, Robin Williams, using Miyagi-Do as an insecticide, and a follow-up discussion on T-MEK.
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T-MEK - Episode 078
09/21/2022
T-MEK - Episode 078
The Listeners’ Choice miniseries wraps up with a game that won’t give you power and wealth by punching hard, or knowing economics, or looking good. Nope, you have to blow up a bunch of hover tanks in T-MEK released by Atari Games.What popular games was T-MEK inspired by? How did this game make Rob thousands of dollars? Is there a secret Atari meetup that we’re blacklisted from? Why is there so little information out there about this arcade game?Thankfully the Game Designer of T-MEK, Matthew Ford, joins us to shed some light on the inspirations and development history of T-MEK plus what it was like working for Atari Games in the 1990s, and his life after Atari! Special thanks to JC (@specialcases on Twitter) for nominating this game for the Listeners’ Choice series.
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Growl - Episode 077
09/07/2022
Growl - Episode 077
Time to go SHBROOM-ing with the bros as we fight to protect all animal life - except bats - ef them bats. Come experience the EXCITE, ACTION, THRILL, EXCITE, and FIGHT of Taito’s Growl.What is the secret twist that may have you feeling sympathy for the bad guys? How many characters were lifted from Indiana Jones? How did some popular Konami beat ‘em ups end Growl’s time in arcades before it even got started? Who wins in a battle between an elephant and a tank?Sound Boy is back from a long vacation and supplies plenty of clips along with our discussion of bat houses, Lamborghini Countach posters, growing up near lions, overpowered whips, and the latest trends in fashion! Special thanks to Trevofour for nominating this game for the Listeners’ Choice series.
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Cannon Spike - Episode 076
08/24/2022
Cannon Spike - Episode 076
It’s the year 20XX and the economy sucks, warfare is spreading, and terrorism is rampant. No, we’re not doom scrolling, we’re talking about the Psikyo/Capcom collaboration Cannon Spike!How long can we talk about a game that takes 15 minutes to play? Is Cannon Spike primarily a shmup or a beat ‘em up? What’s the correct way to describe a single ski? Is the Dreamcast version better than the arcade?So strap on your motor boots and get ready to hear the tale of ARS-Force along with discussion about middle aged boys and their toys, screaming over a Naomi fan, very muscular dolphins, ruining Blitz, and supporting your local arcade. Special thanks to YouOldSoAndSo for nominating this game for the Listeners’ Choice series.
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BurgerTime - Episode 075
08/10/2022
BurgerTime - Episode 075
We hope you saved room for the final course in our Blue Collar series because it’s a whopper. We’re talking about the deliciously classic food service game by Data East - BurgerTime!Peter Pepper packs a lot of peppered pickles in his burgers, but how many peppered pickles can Peter Pepper pack? How did PastBlaster score a free BurgerTime? What are the hosts’ picks for their favorite burger chain? Does Mr. SNK have any new moves to add to his repertoire of bun bounces and weiner wiggles?So join us for a very filling episode about cassette tapes, making hamburgers with your feet, a new subreddit, how beer can open long closed doors, BOB SUX, and a recollection of some of our favorite arcade and pinball game buying stories.
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Paperboy - Episode 074
07/27/2022
Paperboy - Episode 074
We grab the Blue Collar miniseries by the handlebars and cover the game that seems to be the talk of the town, Atari’s Paperboy.How did this game deliver something fresh and newsworthy to the mid-80s arcade? What makes the technical descriptions in Atari manuals so delectable? Will you choose to play Paperboy as a Paragon or Renegade? How did Paperboy’s evolution into Atari System 2 sacrifice some of its identity?Thanks to the nasty ‘rona we’re recording remotely this episode which poses some interesting challenges for one of us. We explore breaking and entering (but for good reasons), describe what a newspaper is, and how bad we are at this game. There’s one more episode left in this miniseries before we cover our next Listeners’ Choice so get your nominations in now on Discord or Twitter!
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Zoo Keeper - Episode 073
07/13/2022
Zoo Keeper - Episode 073
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: a crazy monkey has kidnapped a girl and it’s up to our hero to get her back. And the girl is Zelda. But we’re not talking about a Nintendo property here. We’re talking about Taito’s Zoo Keeper.Who was the Zoo Keeper co-creator that drastically altered the face of arcade history in the U.S.? What non-video arcade game released just before this is a Podouken favorite? How did crabs and tadpoles lead to a breakout for Taito? We count all of our Florida Man fingers and make sure they’re still intact after July 4th, think of other Z names (and fail), create some new band names, experience some arcade amnesia, and dream up some new miniseries. Psst, no one tell Pastblaster that turtles are reptiles because he’s really keen on this Amphibian miniseries.
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Tapper - Episode 072
06/29/2022
Tapper - Episode 072
Pull a stool up to the bar and prepare to be overpoured as we talk about Bally Midway’s ode to the service industry, Tapper. Who was actually behind this strategic bartending simulator? How did a marketing opportunity lead to a lot of bad PR? Exactly who is this overworked bartender? How did Yakity-Yak Talking Teeth lead to Wacko, Timber, and Journey (and even to Golden Tee and Street Fighter: The Movie)? Plus plenty of chit-chat like a cautionary tale about clearing your Game Boy camera’s memory before selling it, rocking out to some Clown Core, reminiscing about being tricked into learning stuff when playing Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, and discussing the love letter to 90s beat ‘em ups that is TMNT Shredder’s Revenge.
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Dig Dug - Episode 071
06/15/2022
Dig Dug - Episode 071
Welcome to the beginning of the Blue Collar miniseries that explores the ordinary and dependable workers who somehow become the hero of their own arcade game. So it’s time to pop some Pookas, fry some Fygars, and eat some dirt with everyone’s favorite divorcé, Dig Dug.Is it ethical to euthanize nuisance animals from your garden by any means necessary? What did Namco’s writers have against Taizo Hori? How much did Atari bank by licensing this strategic digging game?We also perform at 23andMe on Grimace, peddle some bootleg medical equipment, explore Jarrod’s love for vicious ladybugs, and let the hate flow through us while discussing the Obi-Wan Kenobi series (caution: may contain minor spoilers).
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Killer Instinct - Episode 070
06/01/2022
Killer Instinct - Episode 070
We’re out of continues on the Nintendo Life miniseries so let’s end with a C-C-C-COMBO BREAKER! What happens when some of the top 90s arcade companies come together to make a game through brute force? We get the Killer Instinct.How did Jurassic Park lead into Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Country? What role did a small English village with a population of 850 people play in giving us some arcade classics? Why are there attempts at throat singing in this episode? How did MIPS lead to MIRT and give Mario an even bigger head?We trace the origins of overpromising with a project that sees reality, but not quite in the way it was promised. Also a big thanks to our corporate sponsor UltraTech who promises to teach PastBlaster how to beat the orange car in R.C. Pro-Am in exchange for an ad read.
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R-Type - Episode 069
05/18/2022
R-Type - Episode 069
In this very nice episode we discuss the classic Irem shooter that became known as the last dedicated Nintendo arcade released in the States all thanks to Kung Fu - the tubular R-Type.How did a dung beetle become the main inspiration for this STG? Is this the last episode of our Nintendo Life miniseries? Why did Irem design a level specifically to get the player to give up? Is a hotdog a sandwich?So follow along with ya boyz by smashing that subscribe button and ringing that bell as we talk about childhood memories of Mr. Goodburger, Rob not knowing the difference between Metal Slug and Metal Gear Solid, the best breakfast cereal, Adam getting upset about hitboxes, and discovering the meaning of a Tokyo phone book.
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PlayChoice-10 / Nintendo Super System - Episode 068
05/04/2022
PlayChoice-10 / Nintendo Super System - Episode 068
Unlike the PlayChoice-10 we won’t charge you a quarter for every 300 seconds that you listen (which would be about $11.00 for this episode) but we sure will talk about it and the SNES counterpart - the Nintendo Super System.What was the best PlayChoice-10 game released each year? Was the Super System the perfect arcade to be featured in Bayside High’s The Max? Why does Jarrod hate Nintendo arcades? How did the 1989 Fred Savage star vehicle, The Wizard, lie to us?We unravel the maybe mythical mystery of David Crane and his amazing tennis game, pick which Disney ride to die on, define the differences between the California and Florida versions of Sunny D, and talk the most annoying callouts in pinball.
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Nintendo Vs. System - Episode 067
04/20/2022
Nintendo Vs. System - Episode 067
It’s our unrequited love letter to one of the best arcade cabinets ever made in an episode that doesn’t focus just on a game or a series, but an entire system - the Nintendo Vs. System. How did Nintendo find success in the worst possible time to sell video games? Why did American audiences have to pay a quarter for the first taste of the Famicom? How did stupid sexy Flanders blaze a trail for Goldeneye, Killer Instinct, and Battletoads? What are our top three Nintendo Vs. games and what are yours?We attempt to set the Guinness Book World Record for the number of times “PPU” is said in a podcast, finally get to shoot the dog in Duck Hunt, describe why hoarding is a good thing, and talk about 37 Vs. games… in a row.
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