They might seem silly now (they're not silly at all, by the way) but in the mid 90's, the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers were in control of every kid on the planet. Who didn't love the "teenagers with attitude"?? TV show(s), movies, actions figures, comic books, the Rangers were everywhere. Video games were inevitable. I remember wanting to get my hands on every Mighty Morphin' thing I could during my phase a Ranger junkie. Especially the video games. But the only one I ever owned - and played for that matter - was the self titled game on the Super Nintendo. And when I was young I thought it was incredible, albeit a little easy. As a jaded, grumpy old man now, I can see it for what it is. Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers on the SNES was a half-assed, cookie cutter beat 'em up.  On a console that boasted incredible beat 'em ups like Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, Maximum Carnage, Final Fight 3 and (insert your favourite game that I missed here), not to mention the undisputed king of beat 'em up - TMNT IV: Turtles In Time, Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers came up short in every possible way. It snuck by on the back of the franchise itself, and while many of us played and loved it as kids, it's aged terribly.  I could beat this game as a kid without breaking a sweat. I'm not great at games now, but man did I suck back then. You just ran left to right, punching generic putties over and over again. Being able to pick from Jason, Trini, Zack, Kimberly and Billy before each level was cool, but they all pretty well controlled identically. And once they morphed from their teenage selves into their Power Ranger counterparts, they were simple palette swaps of one another. Some of the boss fights were kind of cool, but the two minutes it took to beat them didn't make up for the ten minute slog you went through to get there. The game ends with a couple Street Fighter style battles between Megazord and some villain, and they're only slightly more fun than the countless putty fights before them. Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers isn't a great game. But it's based on a great franchise, and it kicks my nostalgia sensors into overdrive. My buddy Andre is back this week, and we're talking about the video game and the Rangers themselves, and we had a hell of a time doing it.  Plus, I snuck the theme song into the beginning of the episode :) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows that most video games based on The Simpsons, sucked.  But, everyone played video games based on The Simpsons.   I know I did. I think I've played every Simpsons video game ever made, except for The Simpsons Skateboarding and The Simpsons Wrestling. It didn't matter how big of fan you were, one look at the back of those CD cases was enough to realize these games were real life versions of Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge. But I played the rest of them. I owned a lot of them, too. Including The Simpsons: Bart's Nightmare.    For the record, I loves me some Simpsons. Admittedly, I'm one of the old school fans that doesn't care for the last fifteen years of the show. But in it's glory days, I was flat-out obsessed with the show. I watched a couple hours of it every day. My parents knew it, too. And they knew that Santa would look like a hero if he could combine my love of The Simpsons with my love of video games. Christmas morning, a Simpsons game found it's way into our house more often than not.    I'm sure we'll do episodes of this show about some of those other games down the road. Today, we're talking Bart's Nightmare. I had it for the SNES, and I actually really liked it. I think the plot of the game isn't terrible. Bart falls asleep doing his homework, and you have to go through his dreams/nightmares to get the 8 pages of his homework back before he wakes up, which happens when you get a game over. The more pages you collect, the better grade Bart gets on his paper.   OK. Maybe it is terrible. But I liked it. I still do. It has issues, and they're the same issues that plague almost every Simpsons video game. The controls (at times), are awful. It's hard as balls. Frankly, it's a stupid game. But they nail some of the cameos and references to the show, and that's why I liked playing these games as a kid.    I never beat it, but I didn't care. I have great memories of fighting Homer Kong, flying through the sky as Bartman, and popping bubblegum on Principal Skinner's head. I like this game. My buddy Darren does too. He joins me on the podcast this week, and we finally dive into the urine-soaked hellhole that is the world of Simpsons video games on Remember The Game?   And I know, I could have said peepee-soaked heck hole.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There may not be another game in my "illustrious" gaming career that I have fonder memories of after a single play-through than The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. I played through it one time, on my GameCube back in the day, and never turned it on again. Not because I didn't like it, but because I just ended the game feeling....satisfied.  I've seen the criticisms of Wind Waker. Too much time is sent just floating around on the boat. The art style looks too childish. I was going to list a third one, but honestly, that's all I can really remember ever seeing anyone bitch about when it comes to this game. The "too much time on the water" complaint is slightly justified. I never felt it was a chore, but I guess I could see where someone is coming from. Anyone that complains about the art style is straight up crazy.    For my money, this is the best looking game in the Zelda series (and yes, I'm including Breath of the Wild). I'm infatuated with the way this game looks. From the first time I saw it, I thought it was gorgeous. I think it's aged incredibly well, and I'd love to see another entry done in the same style. It's like playing one of the best looking cartoons ever. The bright colours helped make the time drifting around on a boat seem light and enjoyable. I'm not a graphics guy in the least, but I'd play this game again just to get another look at it.    I'm a pretty fair weather Zelda fan. Mario has always been my guy, and while I've played a nice chunk of Link's games, few of them would be on the short list for my favourite games ever. Link To The Past, Link Between Worlds, and The Wind Waker would be the exceptions to that rule. I absolutely adore this game, and I pray the HD Wii U port we got a few years ago finds it's way onto the Switch soon.    My buddy Mark is back this week. We've talked about a few Zelda games already, and we were both hella excited to add The Wind Waker to that list. Kick back, relax, and let's go on a boat ride! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The whole concept behind this podcast was to talk about the games we played as kids and to stir up those feelings of nostalgia, and that's exactly what A Boy and His Blob does for me. My brother and I played the hell out of this game as kids.  We never owned it, but we rented it. Over and over and over. Everyone remembers doing that with a game or two back in the day, right? By the time you stopped renting it, you could have just bought the damned game with all the money you spent! We never came anywhere close to beating it, either. And honestly, without the internet, I doubt we ever would have. But we didn't care. This game was built to be played alongside the internet. Tons of trial and error, and hard to solve puzzles. You play as "boy" - I don't remember them actually saying what his name was - and this blob thing follows you around. I didn't know it back in the day, but apparently the object of the game was to collect treasure (that was in caves under the ground) to buy vitamins to feed bad guys back on Blob's home planet. Oh yeah, and you had a ton of different jellybeans to feed blob, and when you did, he turned into different things like a ladder, a bubble, and a blowtorch. Yeah... It didn't tell you what each flavour of jellybean did to blob, either. You had to feed him different kinds of beans, and see what happened. We kept a handwritten list of what bean did what. And then once you knew you could make blob into, you had to figure out where to use him to stay alive. Because everything killed you. Falling, enemies, spikes, water, falling rocks, ugh.  This game had a ton of flaws, but I still have a soft spot for it. My buddy and fellow comedian Ty does too. He's my guest this week, and we look back at our adventures dying alongside Blob as kids. Grab a bag of ketchup jellybeans, put your feet up, and go for a ride back in time with us, won't you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super Metroid turned 25 a couple weeks ago! A better podcast host would have caught that and ran with it, but what can you do? I don't think it cared that we missed it.  One of the greatest games - not only on the Super Nintendo, but of all-time - Super Metroid is an absolute gem. A perfect combination of action, exploration, challenge, and atmosphere (which in the 16-bit era is no small feat), it takes you on a ride. Super Metroid is so good, it served as a primary inspiration in the formation of an entire new genre of video game; the Metroid-Vania. When you look at any list of the "greatest SNES games of all-time", Samus's Super Nintendo adventure is a lock for a spot in the top 5. Considering the insane library of games those lists contain, that's a pretty incredible feather in it's cap.  I missed this one as a kid, but luckily, I caught up to it as an adult. I've probably played through it half a dozen times in the last 10 years, and it's one of those titles I keep going back to. When I think of video games, it's one of the titles that comes to mind. I love the graphical style of it so much, and when you add in the action, power-ups, and exploration that comes with it, it's everything a video game should be. I've tried playing Metroid on the NES in recent years, and while I respect the role it played in paving the way for Super Metroid, it just hasn't stood the test of time like it's 16-bit counterpart has. And while there are a lot of franchises that made massive improvements during their transition from the 8-bit generation to the 16-bit one, I don't think there's an IP that levelled up as hard as Samus and friends did.  Super Metroid is a hall of fame worthy video game. Two of my childhood friends, Daniel and Rob, joined me this week to explain why. This was a fun episode, I hope you like it.  And for the love of video games, if you haven't played Super Metroid, get your shit together.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NES had Super Mario Bros. The Genesis had Sonic The Hedgehog. And Microsoft's Xbox? It had Halo. And Halo is awesome.  I was skeptical of the Xbox. I remember reading a great article in a gaming magazine (remember those?) about how there just wasn't room in the gaming industry for four home consoles. At least one of the Nintendo Gamecube, Playstation 2, Sega Dreamcast and Microsoft's Xbox wasn't going to survive. In hindsight, we all know the - unfortunate - victim of the crowd selves was the Dreamcast, but I would have bet money it would be the Xbox. But, I didn't know that Microsoft had Bungie and a little someone named Master Chief in their back pocket.  When you think of the Xbox, it's hard not to think of Halo: Combat Evolved. I guess you could think of Halo 2, but whatever. It's the system Master Chief built. I vividly remember playing Halo with my friend Chris and just being blown away by the graphics and the gameplay. Until then, all I knew of first person shooters was Goldeneye, Perfect Dark and DOOM. Halo was incredible. It was like playing a movie. It raised the bar. A lot.  Some of my best memories of Halo are playing the campaign on Legendary difficulty. Getting my ass handed to me over and over and not caring. The music got you so fired up. Ripping around in Warthogs. The multi-player!! Grunts are one of my favourite villains in a video game to this day. Halo: Combat Evolved is the best.  My buddy and fellow comedian Ty joined me this week, and we took a long look back at the debut of Master Chief, the arrival of the Xbox, and the gem that is Halo: Combat Evolved. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I say it almost every episode, but I'm really excited to talk about this week's game. Donkey Kong Country is easily on  "10 favourite games of all-time" list. It's a masterpiece.   Donkey Kong Country is just one of those games that everybody has played. It's one of the best selling video games in history, and at one point it was even been packaged with the Super Nintendo itself. At a time when people were looking at the Sega Genesis and it's graphical capabilities, this game was the SNES's way of pushing back. It's absolutely gorgeous, and as far as I'm concerned it looks as good today as it did twenty-five years ago.    I've said it a million times, but Super Mario World is my favourite game ever. I think it's literally the perfect video game. Donkey Kong Country is just as good. Frankly, it looks better and it has better music than Mario does. The 16-bit era of video games is still the golden age in this old timer's mind, and this game is one of the crown jewels of that generation. I don't even know what to say about, I just love it that much.    I've beaten this game a million times, and I find myself going back to it again and again. The gameplay is tight, it's fun to play, it's perfect. It introduced us to Diddy Kong, and it showed the world why Cranky Kong (who's the original Donkey Kong, FYI) is the best character in gaming history.    And we got Funky Kong. And Donkey Kong is a boss. King K Rool is a dope villain. The mine cart levels! Shooting from barrel to barrel! In a blizzard!! You can ride a swordfish! So damned good.   Games like Donkey Kong Country are why I started this podcast in the first place. I have so many great memories of playing it as a kid. And this week, my buddy Henry came by to listen to me talk about some of them. He had a few of his own too. Great game, great guest, great episode. Check it out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spider-Man is my favourite superhero. Even if you ignore all of the "he's a normal guy trying to do the right thing/with great power comes great responsibility" stuff and just focus on superpowers, the guy is sick. Climbing walls, super strength, agility, and of course, web-slinging. He seems like he'd be perfect for video games. And unfortunately, that wasn't really the case for a long time. Then came Spider-Man for the PlayStation. Developed by Neversoft, Spider-Man initially released on the PlayStation in the summer of 2000. It later found it's way onto the Nintendo 64 and Sega Dreamcast, but for me and most my friends, this game's practically a PlayStation exclusive. It's one of the games I most wanted to see on the PS Classic last year - although I didn't expect it because of licensing and the fact that the PS Classic is garbage - and aside from Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, and the Tony Hawk series, it's one of the titles I most associate with Sony's first foray into the console world.  (On a side note, Neversoft developed the Tony Hawk games along with Spider-Man. That's a pretty sick track record) You (obviously) play the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. You fight bad guys, climb walls, and yep, web-sling around New York. Kind of. Doctor Octopus and Carnage release a fog across the city, and it blocks out the lower half of New York for the duration of the game. Obviously a way to work within the limitations of the PlayStation's hardware capabilities (I assume anyway), you web-sling along the skyline of the city without ever seeing the streets, traffic, and people. It actually works really well, and doesn't take away from the game. Where this game truly shines, in my opinion, is it's story. It absolutely captures the feel of the modern Marvel movies, and the roster of characters that make appearances in Spider-Man is INSANE! Spider-Man, Venom (my other favourite. And they team up, which is the best!), Punisher, Captain America, Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Carnage, Human Torch, Daredevil, Rhino; the list goes on and on. Stan Lee even shows up! I say it during the podcast this week, but nothing makes me happier than when I see a game developer truly cares, and it's obvious while playing this game that Neversoft set out to make something special. And they succeeded.  An original story, incredible gameplay and graphics, and a little TLC, Spider-Man has it all. My buddy Tyler and I had a great time talking about one of the stand out (and occasionally forgotten) gems on the PlayStation. It's all about Spider-Man this week on 'Remember The Game?'! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's WrestleMania week! This is like the Stanley Cup Finals/World Series/Super Bowl for wrestling fans, so I figured it was the right time to jump back into the world of wrasslin' video games. We've already covered the iconic WWF: No Mercy, and it's dimwitted cousin WWF Attitude. This week, we leaping forward to the Playstation 2 and another of the most beloved wrestling games of all-time; WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain...   Featuring the cover athlete BROOOOOCCKKKK.....LESSSSSSNAAAAARRRRRR! (That's for you current WWE fans)   I won't lie, my heart belongs to the Nintendo 64 when it comes to wrestling games. Not just No Mercy, either. All the THQ games from that system (going back as far as WCW World Tour), stole countless hours from my childhood. They may not have had the deepest career modes of all-time, but the controls were perfect, and the multiplayer was legendary. I loved those games. I bought the first couple SmackDown! titles when they released on the original PlayStation, but they didn't hook me in the same way. Once the SmackDown series made it's leap to the PlayStation 2, it really hit it's stride. Shut Your Mouth was pretty good, but Here Comes the Pain is - in my opinion - the definitive title of the PS2, the SmackDown series, and early 2000's pro wrestling.   It really played a big role in shifting the wrestling video game genre toward a more simulation style game, being able to work on specific body parts during a match and seeing the damage that has been done to each leg, arm, etc. It pumped steroids into the THQ grapple engine everyone knew and loved.  It really took the gameplay to the next level, and aside from the obvious graphical enhancements, I remember this feeling like the first game that was taking full advantage of a more powerful console (the PS2 as opposed to the original PlayStation).    I love the career mode in this game, too. I like the tight menu, no walking around. You pick what you want to do between matches, and it happens. Its the KISS method - Keep It Simple, Stupid. It also introduced the Elimination Chamber to video games, and I found that as fun as I did ladder matches when they were first introduced back in WWF No Mercy. It was the first time bra and panties matches were playable too, but, yeah...   It has a great roster, plucked from a great time in pro wrestling. Tight controls, great graphics, fun career mode, Here Comes The Pain checks all the right boxes. I haven't played it in a long time, but doing a little homework for this episode brought back a lot of great memories. This is unquestionably one of the crown jewels of the wrestling video game library, and my buddy Andre joined me this week to help explain why.    Enjoy the podcast, and enjoy WrestleMania, fellow nerds. It's still real to me dammit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What can I possibly say about The Legend of Zelda that hasn't already been said? It's one of the most influential and iconic games of all-time. It launched one of the greatest franchises in the history of the industry. It's an absolutely masterpiece that - for my money - is as enjoyable today as it was over THIRTY years ago. It might even be better now, because the internet is around to help you.    I didn't play this much as a kid. It wasn't until A Link to the Past that I really discovered the greatness that is The Legend of Zelda franchise. I finally went back and played through it from beginning to end earlier this year, and I've been jonesing to talk about it ever since. I think it says a ton about this game when literally every thing it did has been improved upon in different games over the years, but it's still a blast to play. It's legendary.   This might be the shortest podcast post I've written so far, but I just don't know what else to say. My buddy David Rae is my guest this week, and we spend almost 50 minutes talking about gaming royalty. It's all about The Legend of Zelda this time around. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

StarTropics is the little game that almost could. Developed by Nintendo of America and released exclusively in North America and Europe (most NES games made their way to North America after being released in Japan), this game gets an awful lot right. And the stuff is gets wrong can be overlooked or chalked up to system limitations and industry standards in the late 80's.   The game stars some guy named Mike, and he travels from tropical island to tropical island (and eventually to spaceship, because video games) in search of his missing Uncle. Each "level" is a cave/temple that you have to find your way out of, battling enemies with yo-yos and baseball equipment. The strict "grid" movement (left/right/up/down one space at a time) can be frustrating, but the puzzle solving and exploration in the caves make up for it. Most of the time, anyway. It starts off pretty simple, but by the third or fourth level, this game gets viciously difficult. And a little cheap. It's still hella fun, though.   This is one of those games I never owned as a kid, but I have fond memories of playing anyways. I had a friend that lived across the street from me, and he owned it. I'd go over to play games with him and we'd spend hours dying on the same boss (that God damned fire guy). But we kept coming back for more. Something about this game just hooks you. As frustrating as it can be, it really is fun to play.    It also shipped with a letter (an actual physical, piece of paper letter), that had to be dipped in water to reveal a secret code necessary to finish the game. It might sound hokey in 2019, but in the early 90's, that was some crazy innovation! My friend and I never had that paper, but luckily for us we never got that far in the game, so it didn't matter.    StarTropics is a beauty, and it just released on Nintendo's Switch Online Service. If you haven't played it, I strongly recommend giving it a shot. But not until after you listen to my buddy Chris and I talk about it for half an hour on this week's podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In early 2001, the Nintendo 64 was running out of gas. The Playstation was in full swing, and Nintendo was looking vulnerable for the first time. Their new console, the Gamecube, was only months away. The 64 was about to be left behind. But before that happened, it had one last hurrah. And that hurrah was a gorgeous RPG called Paper Mario.    Not officially a "sequel" to the beloved Super Mario RPG on the SNES, Paper Mario was our favourite plumbers second foray into the world of role-playing game. Borrowing some elements from it's 16-bit cousin - timed hits/defending in combat and top shelf writing, to name a couple - Paper Mario managed to hold onto the Nintendo charm and approachability, while still remaining a deep, competitive RPG.   The combat system isn't simply a matter of tapping "A" and coasting through battles. Attacking in this game requires some form of action if you want to cause maximum damage. Little things like tapping a button at the right time or pulling the joystick to the left and then swinging it to the right help break up the monotony of combat that a lot of RPGS struggle with. Each battle feel fresh and fun.   Your attacks do various types of damage to your opponents, too. In a standard Mario game, you have to jump on a Koopa Troopa before you can pick it up and use it. They managed to transition that style of gameplay into RPG combat with Paper Mario. It's an RPG that still feels a lot like a platformer/action game. There's also NO RANDOM ENCOUNTERS!!!!! How all RPGS haven't adapted that approach by now is a frustrating mystery that may never be solved. Ugh.   This game is charming, gorgeous, and it's a blast to play. The writing is clever and funny. The paper art style looks great, even by today's standards. I feel that games from the 64-bit era haven't aged well cosmetically, but this game looks as good today as it did eighteen years ago. And the most important thing, in my opinion, is that it's just as fun now as it was when it launched. If Nintendo ever does release a Nintendo 64 Classic, I'd buy one just to play this game again. It's that good.    My buddy Mark McCue agrees. He's my guest on the podcast this week, and damned if we didn't have a hell of a time revisiting Paper Mario. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we did.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think of platformers, Super Mario Bros jumps to mind as the most influential to the genre. First Person Shooters, that nod might go to Wolfenstein or Doom. And when you get into the world of horror video games, the undisputed king is the Playstation classic, Resident Evil.    Admittedly, I'm a wuss when it comes to horror and scary things. I don't watch a lot of the movies, and I haven't played many of the video games. My first experience with the Resident Evil franchise was Resident Evil 4 on the Gamecube. I adored it. And it made me want to go back and try some of it's predecessors. When I finally got a chance to play the game that started it all, I was....underwhelmed.    However, in retrospect, Resident Evil deserves a lot of credit. You can certainly criticize the control scheme and the God awful voice acting (although I think the cheesy voice acting adds to the game, like a bad 80's horror movie), but what you can't deny is that this game defined a genre. Capcom did something new with Resident Evil. They tried to take a horror movie that you'd see in a theatre, and make it into a video game. The Playstation had the technical capabilities to do what the 16-bit era consoles couldn't, and the end result is a game that may be laughable today, but was revolutionary and down-right scary in it's prime. The franchise has gone on to become one of the most famous in gaming, spawning countless video games and several films, and horror games like Outlast, The Evil Within, and (my personal favourite) Dead Space, owe a great debt to Resident Evil.    Like I said, the horror genre in gaming isn't my forte. But my buddy Tyler knows this game like the back of his hand. He's my guest this week, and we had a blast remembering the crazy, campy, crappy controlling world of Resident Evil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For my money, there may not be a game in the NES library (at least, not without "Mario" in the title) that has aged better than the masterpiece that is Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! Punch Out!! was one of the first sports video games to really nail it. The controls are snare drum tight, the graphics are still gorgeous today, and the gameplay mechanics strike a perfect balance between "simulation-y" and "arcade-ish". Aspects like stamina that depletes as you get punched and have your strikes blocked makes it feel like you're in a real boxing match, but at the same time the idea of your opponent teleporting around the ring while he throws punches at you reminds you that this is still a video game. It's a magical combination that works splendidly. And it makes it's insane difficulty tolerable. Because make no mistake - this game is hard. Like, really hard. Mike Tyson is considered one of the most difficult "final bosses" in the history of gaming, and that's assuming you can even get to him. I never have. In classic Nintendo style, the first few levels (opponents) are pretty easy, slowly introducing new game mechanics and teaching you everything you need to know. But once the difficulty starts to ramp up, it punches you right in the face. Because it's a boxing game, you get it?  I've always preferred the Super Nintendo sequel to this game, but after spending some serious time with Mike Tyson's Punch Out!! in preparation for this podcast, I've remembered what an absolute classic it is. It's as fun to play in 2019 as it was in 1987, and it deserves it's spot alongside the Mario Bros, Castlevanias and Mega Mans on the list of the greatest games in the NES's legendary library.  My pal and fellow NES junkie David Rae returns to the show this week, and damned if we didn't spend almost hour talking about how we couldn't beat Mike Tyson. Enjoy the podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pro wrestling is probably the only thing on the planet on par with retro video games when it comes to making me feel nostalgic. Being a teenager during the Monday Night Wars and the Attitude Era was something special. If you liked wrestling in those days (and who didn't?), you know what I'm saying. Combine the Attitude Era with the Playstation and the Nintendo 64, and you have nostalgia overload.  Enter WWF Attitude. When people talk wrestling games from the 90's and early 2000's, the instant focus falls on THQ. WCW/nWo Revenge, Wrestlemania 2000, and of course, WWF No Mercy are all absolutely incredible. But before the WWF got in bed with THQ, Akklaim was in charge of bringing Stone Cold and friends into the world of video games. And while WWF Attitude doesn't have anything close to the legacy WWF No Mercy (or even SmackDown does), it doesn't deserve to be overlooked like it usually is. A lot of features that are common place in wrestling games today began with WWF Attitude. Things like super deep rosters, in depth create a wrestler, and even the ability to create an event all started with this game. While the THQ titles were taking the game in an "easy to approach and simple to control" direction, Akklaim focused on trying to make their wrestling games a more complicated, simulation type of experience. And while it's easy to look back on some of their decisions and laugh - and believe me, we do on the podcast this week - I think the powers that be behind this game deserve a little bit of credit for trying something different. It may not have worked all that well, but they helped lay the groundwork for what wrestling games would become.  My guest this week is fellow wrestling nerd and podcast host Kyle Shaw, and we had a great time sharing stories about not only playing video games, but watching wrestling as well. Enjoy the podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an era filled with weird animal heroes like the Battletoads, Samurai Pizza Cats, Bucky O'Hare and Biker Mice from Mars, Earthworm Jim still managed to stand out. His video games are hilarious, and the original game launched a franchise that went on to produce an animated series, comic books, and action figures, along with several video game sequels, as well.    Whenever I hear the word "groovy", I can't help but think of Earthworm Jim. It's funny, because I don't remember when I discovered the franchise, just like I can't remember when it all disappeared. But there was definitely a time in the 90's where Earthworm Jim could do no wrong. his entire universe was fantastic, propelled by an insane cast of characters that included Queen-Slug-For-A-Butt, a Killer Goldfish named Bob, and of course, Peter Puppy. The characters transitioned perfectly between television and video game. Possibly more than any game before it, Earthworm Jim felt like you were playing a Saturday morning cartoon.   A very difficult Saturday morning cartoon. These games are vicious. I replayed this one quite a bit in preparation for this podcast, and hardly got anywhere. I think some criticism of the controls is warranted, but I still myself wanting to play some more. This game is from the era of "practice makes perfect". If you wanted to beat it, all you had to do was play it enough to get good. It didn't hold hands, and it rewarded skill.    Did I mention it was funny? I did? Well, I'll say it again. This game is hilarious. There's a level where you go to Hell and the bad guys consist of lawyers. Evil crows try to pull Jim out of his suit, reminding you that at the end of the day, he's just an earthworm. You're trying to save Princess What's Her Name? Really, that's what she's called.    Jim steals the show. He uses his own body as weapon, a hand while he hangs from clotheslines, and a jump rope when he's bored. This game is one of the first I can remember playing that legitimately made me laugh while I stared at the screen. This game is a beauty. It's too bad the franchise doesn't get more love today.    My buddy Patrick is back on the show this week, and we had a great time remembering the Grooviest hero in gaming; Earthworm Jim. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special Friday edition of Remember The Game! For this episode, we're jumping forward in time. Instead of looking at a game that took over our lives in the 80's or 90's, we're talking about a game that is taking over our lives right now. Today I'm talking Fortnite and Super Smash Bros Ultimate with my nephew, Ben.   Ben is a returning guest to the podcast (we talked about the Mario Party franchise way back in episode 8), and I love talking games with him. He's twelve years old, and every bit as passionate (addicted) to video games as I am. I like talking to younger gamers today, and seeing what fires them up about the industry. Not only do Ben and I dip into two of the biggest franchises on the planet, but we talk a little about game streaming, Youtube, and the politics that come with it.   Not only is Ben a gaming junkie, but he's incredibly well spoken and intelligent. He's big into creating on Youtube, etc, and he's a natural behind a microphone. He was a great guest, and I had a really good time recording this episode with him. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did. Thanks Ben! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is for all you "PC Master Race" nerds. Outside of Oregon Trail and some shareware games, there's really only one PC game I played growing up, and holy hell did I play a lot of it. I loved building roller coasters, charging people $5 to use the bathroom, and of course, picking people up with tweezers and dropping them in the middle of nowhere. This week, we're talking RollerCoaster Tycoon.  I don't remember where I first saw this game, but I remember being excited for it before it even released. I probably read about it in a gaming magazine leading up to March '99, and I vividly remember going to the store after work and buying it one day. I didn't even know if our computer was powerful enough to play it, but I figured it was worth the risk. And it was. Partially because my computer could play the game, and partially because this game is awesome.  It's sad that this franchise has lost it's way as hard as it has in recent years, because when it launched, it was incredible. I didn't know a ton of people that played it in my circle, but my brother and I played it non-stop. The various challenge levels got old fast, but that's not why anybody played this game. It was all about building the greatest amusement park in the world. Sitting there, studying your customers and watching the money roll in was as addictive as anything I had experienced in gaming up to that point. I bought it years later for my Xbox, and I have it installed on my iPad and my phone now, too. I'll never stop giving this game my money. RollerCoaster Tycoon is a phenomenal game, and it's still my favourite simulation style game of all-time. My buddy Mark McCue loves it, too. He's my guest this week, and we're going to take you to the official Remember The Game theme park. Admission is free, and good times are guaranteed.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does anyone else hear the chorus to I Ran (So Far Away) and instantly think of Vice City? Oh, all of you? At least it isn't just me then.... Everyone played Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I know there had been the original top-down style GTA games, and GTA 3 had been out for a little while, but this seemed like the one that really kick-started the Grand Theft Auto phenomenon. I know personally, this one the first one I played. I never actually finished the story, but I'd spend hours just driving around causing chaos and running away from the police. I'd never played a game like this before, it felt so....real (for lack of a better word). The soundtrack for this game is absolutely iconic. Just driving around listening to the radio was so much fun. The amount of time Rockstar spent on the radio DJ's conversations was incredible for the time. As someone that would usually turn the sound off on my video games and listen to a CD instead (fuck I'm old), this game really grabbed my attention from an audio perspective. It was so good.  I'm sure kids that grew up on GTA V would take one look at Vice City and laugh, but for us old folks, this game was the cat's ass. I've been looking forward to uploading this episode for a while, because I know every gamer from my generation remembers ripping around, seeing if they could max out their stars and still get away from the cops. This game was like playing a movie. It's unquestionably one of the most iconic games of it's generation, and I had a great time chatting about it with my buddy Andre. I hope you guys have as much fun with this episode as we did. Find us on Twitter and Instagram - @memberthegame And check out our website! https://www.rememberthegamepodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Battletoads is one of those franchises that has always had a strong cult following, but nobody really  knows why. They're blatant Ninja Turtle ripoffs. The games are ridiculously difficult. The characters have some of the grossest names in gaming history (Zitz, Pimple, and Rash). Nothing about the franchise makes sense whatsoever.    But people really like them. Myself included.    Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is, for my money, the best game in the series. At times it almost plays like a 16-bit remake of the NES original. The levels, enemies, and attack animations are similar, but they all look much, much better. While criticisms of it's controls, collision detection and difficulty are valid, nobody can say this game doesn't look gorgeous. It's like playing a really bad-ass cartoon. After recording this episode of the podcast and reflecting on the series, I think it's art style and "edginess" (for lack of a better word) are the primary reasons the series developed a following in the first place. It just feels like a cool video game.    Battlemaniacs is also home to undoubtably one of the best soundtracks of the 16-bit era. When I edit these podcasts, one of the highlights for me is going back and listening to the music from games I played growing up. The music from this game is so good that I actually downloaded some of it's songs to my phone, and plan to keep them there. Maybe that's part of the reason players keep coming back, despite knowing they can't win; that music makes you feel like a badass.    My buddy Patrick makes his podcast debut this week, and we had a great time looking at Battletoads in Battlemaniacs through a very critical lens. This game has it's faults, no question. But at the end of the day, it's just fun to play. Except maybe those fucking speed bikes....   We have a website! https://www.rememberthegamepodcast.com   And we're on Twitter and Instagram (we follow back, too!) @memberthegame   Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I vividly remember getting this game for my birthday the year it came out. And despite the fact that I had a house full of my friends over for a party, and this was a single player game, it was all I did for the rest of the day. No regrets.   The first thing that stands out about this game are the graphics. It's simply gorgeous. It was released less than a year before the Nintendo 64 launch, and the advancement Nintendo made between the original Super Mario World that debuted alongside the SNES and this game are undeniable. Clearly, the powers that be had a firm handle on what the Super Nintendo was capable of at this point. I consider this game to be the SNES's swan song. It's a hell of a way to go out.   Everyone had fallen in love with Yoshi after his appearance in Super Mario World a few years earlier, and we were excited for the opportunity to play as him some more. It took one game (if you don't count spinoff appearances and the awful Super Scope game) for the dinosaur/sacrificial lamb to leap into a starring role. It took poor Luigi like 20 years to do that! (Again, no spinoffs. Looking at YOU, Mario Is Missing.....)   This game featured some new gameplay mechanics, like launching eggs and the debut of Yoshi's "flutter" jump. The levels are deep and lengthy, and I *think* this was the first "Mario" game to feature collectibles in each level that you had to seek out if you wanted to 100% the game. And 100%ing this game was hard. I haven't done it to this day, although it's something I intend to do at some point. It gave you a ton of bang for your buck, and while it isn't really a sequel to the original Super Mario World per say, it lives up to the name sake from a quality perspective.   I'd be curious to know how it would've sold it they had simply called it "Yoshi's Island", without slapping Super Mario World 2 on the cover. I have to assume it would have hurt sales somewhat, especially after Yoshi's Safari was such a disappointment a couple years prior. And without the success of this game, Yoshi might not be as big of character in the Nintendo universe as he is today. People forget that Yoshi didn't appear as a "power up" in a Mario game again until Super Mario Galaxy 2 15 years later.   It doesn't really matter in the end, I suppose. Yoshi is awesome, and so is this game. My buddy Kyle and I had a great time explaining why on this week's podcast. Enjoy.   You can find everything 'Remember The Game?' at our new website; rememberthegamepodcast.com!   We're on the social media, too! Instagram & Twitter @memberthegame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If Mario was the video game Heavyweight Champion in the 90's, Sonic The Hedgehog was the #1 contender. I didn't own a Sega Genesis growing up, but I played all the Sonic games. I watched the cartoon. I read the comic books. Sonic was everywhere! He was fast, he was cool, and he was the face of SEGA. But, were his games fun to play?  My buddy Andre was a Sega kid, and he returns to the podcast this week to help me remember not one, but TWO Sega Genesis games that are attached at the hip (thanks to "cutting edge, lock on technology"); Sonic The Hedgehog 3, and Sonic & Knuckles. Enjoy! 'Remember The Game?' is on Facebook! facebook.com/rememberthegame AND Twitter! @memberthegame AND NOW Instagram! @memberthegame Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy new year! I hope you had a great holiday season, and the "January Blues" aren't hitting you too hard. And if they are, hopefully a new podcast will help snap you out of it! We're going with a bit of a black sheep this week (there are only so many Chrono Triggers and Tony Hawk games out there!). My buddy and fellow comic Dave Rae returns to the show, and we decided to have a chat about the Cousin Oliver of the NES Mario family; the REAL Super Mario Bros 2. You may know it as Super Mario Bros - The Lost Levels.  Originally finding it's way over to North America in the Super Mario All Stars compilation on the SNES, the original version has popped up on Virtual Consoles over the years as well. It's unquestionably the most difficult core Mario Bros game, and I like it a lot. If you've played it, you know just how brutally challenging it is. If you haven't, this probably won't sell you on it, but it should. Give it a shot! We've seen a crazy spike in downloads the last couple weeks, which I can only chalk up to people discovering the podcast for the first time, and exploring the back catalogue. So THANK YOU to all of you for listening to, supporting, and sharing the podcast with your friends. I really do appreciate it, and I can't wait to see where we end up in 2019! We're also on Twitter! @memberthegame AND facebook! facebook.com/memberthegame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Boxing Day! I have a late Christmas present for all you nerds. An episode of Remember The Game about the single most requested game we've had since we launched the podcast earlier this year; Chrono Trigger!! My pal Tyler is a Chrono Trigger junkie, and we spent a good 45 minutes looking back at one of the most celebrated and beloved RPGs of all time. I hope this episode helps you kill some time while you're standing in a Boxing Day sale line. Maybe it just provides an escape from the in-laws for an hour. Regardless of how you're spending your holidays, I hope they're going well, Santa came through for ya, and I really appreciate you spending an hour of them geeking out with us. I'm really excited to see where this podcast goes in 2019, and thank all of you so much for supporting it like you have. And hey, we're on Twitter! @memberthegame AND Facebook! facebook.com/memberthegame Happy New Year!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Playstation vs Nintendo 64. PS3 vs Xbox 360. Virtual Boy vs sanity. All among the greatest rivalries in video game history. But none of them can touch the blood feud that was Nintendo vs Sega in the 90's. This week, my buddy Miklos joins me, and we take a look back at what it was like growing up during the premier Console Wars. Miklos was a Sega Genesis kid, I had my Super Nintendo. We probably would have fought as kids. As adults, the wounds have healed. Enough time has passed. We were finally able to sit in the same room, shake hands, and talk about what it was like on the other side of the fence. I really enjoyed this episode, it was one we've kicked around for quite a while. I hope you all enjoy it, too. And hey, we're on twitter! @memberthegame And hey, we're on Facebook! facebook.com/memberthegame And hey, thanks for listening. Merry Christmas! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you still have your SNES mouse??? That big, boring grey mousepad?? Is there any reason to play Mario Paint in 2018??  Of course there is; the fly swatter game! My fellow gaming nerd Mark McCue is back this week, and we took a trip down memory lane and remember Mario Paint for the SNES. In a time before iPads, smart phones, and even home computers, we had Mario Paint. Colour pictures, make stupid songs, create comics, and yep, swat flies. Everyone played with this game in the '90s. I really feel this was the launching pad for some of Nintendo's "outside of the box" ideas that would come down the road.  If you're enjoying the podcast, follow us on Twitter! @memberthegame OR/AND join our Facebook group! facebook.com/memberthegame Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

*NOTE: We recorded this episode several weeks ago. We do talk a little Smash Bros Ultimate, and address some rumours floating around at the time that turned out not to be true. Please don't email us to tell us we're dumb. At least, not because of that* With Super Smash Bros Ultimate releasing this week, we thought it would be a great week to remember one of the best fighting/party games of the last 25 years; Super Smash Bros Melee! My pal Mark McCue is back this week, and we took a trip down memory lane and reminisced about the premier Smash Bros game. This game still has an insanely active competitive scene almost 20 years after it's initial release! Nintendo has released Gamecube controllers and adapters for the Wii U AND the Switch specifically for the franchise, and more importantly, because of this game.  I love Smash Bros. Melee, and so should you. If you don't, hopefully this week's episode changes your mind! If you're a Facebooker, join us! facebook.com/memberthegame If you're a Twitterer, follow us! @memberthegame And thank you for listening. You guys are the best!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there a video game series from the late 90's/early 2000's that stole more hours of our lives than the Tony Hawk series?? EVERYONE played these games! The wicked soundtracks, the tight controls, the insanely addictive gameplay; this series had it all. My buddy Tyler is back this week, and we take a trip down memory lane and look back at the legendary Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2. Enjoy! Find 'Remember The Game?' on Twitter! @memberthegame AND join our Facebook group! facebook.com/memberthegame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For my money, this isn't just the best Final Fantasy on the original Playstation, it might be the best Final Fantasy game, period. My buddy Andre returns to the show this week, and we look back at the masterpiece that is Final Fantasy 9. I don't know if it's possible to describe a Final Fantasy game as "overlooked", but I think if there's one core title in the series that might be, it's this one. I love this game, and you should, too. Did you know this podcast has a twitter account?? @memberthegame AND it has a Facebook page!? facebook.com/memberthegame Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"SAY FUZZY PICKLES!" When it was originally released, Earthbound was an absolutely criminally overlooked game on the SNES. Years later, it became one of the most expensive and sought after cartridges on the console in the eyes of collectors. These days (fortunately), it's available everywhere; Wii U Virtual Console, the SNES classic, it's even on the new 3DS.  My buddy Chris returns to the show this week, and we spend some time explaining why you HAVE to play this masterpiece, if you haven't already.  Find 'Remember The Game?' on Twitter! @memberthegame And on our Facebook group! facebook.com/memberthegame Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find us on Twitter @memberthegame And on our new Facebook page; facebook.com/memberthegame Possibly the most beloved "bad" game of all-time, this week my friend David Rae returns to the podcast and we look back at the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the NES. This game was ridiculously tough, didn't control great, the graphics were "meh", but I loved it. Everyone that grew up in the era played it. Remember the f&$%ing seaweed!? If anything, it deserves an episode of this podcast for one reason; it proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Donatello is the best Ninja Turtle. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember The Game is on Twitter! @memberthegame And we have a Facebook page now! facebook.com/memberthegame We're trying something a little different this week. Regular guest Mark McCue returns to the podcast, and instead of looking at a particular game, we take a look at the possibility of a Nintendo 64 Classic. Would you buy one? What games would go on it? Would it work at all? Nintendo could announce an N64 Classic at any moment, so I'm glad we got this episode out there beforehand. I'm really happy with how this episode turned out, and I'd like to try a couple more episodes in this style moving forward. I hope you enjoy it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Find 'Remember The Game' on Twitter! @memberthegame Remember The Game Facebook Page! facebook.com/memberthegame This week, my buddy Miklos returns to the podcast, and we take a look back at what is absolutely, unquestionably, one of the greatest video games of all-time; Super Mario Bros 3 for the NES. This game had of the most insane marketing campaigns ever (it had a MOVIE made about it!!), and it lived up to all the hype and then some. Who HASN'T played Mario 3?! I love this game. Enjoy the podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, my buddy Mark is back, and we delve back into the world of AA batteries, puke green screens, and playing video games on road trips. Of course we're talking the Game Boy, and more specifically; The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.  To this day, I think Nintendo deserves a tip of your cap for making a game this good run on a system like the Game Boy. If you've never played it, you're crazy! Check it out, but only after you check out this week's podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diggity Dog! This week, my friend Andre and I sat down and remembered the greatest wrestling video game of all time; WWF No Mercy for the Nintendo 64. This game comfortably fits into my list of favourite video games of all time. It was the perfect package; tight controls, great graphics (at the time), and it was at the peak of the Attitude Era. It was video game perfection. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Think back to a simpler time. Before bills, jobs, car repairs. When your biggest worry was that your Mom wouldn't have 4 more AA batteries stashed somewhere and you'd have to take them out of the TV remote to keep playing Pokemon. Good times..... This week, my friend Mark McCue returns to the podcast, and we nerd out over three of the most legendary and successful titles in gaming history, the start of a phenomenon; Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow for the Game Boy. If you're on twitter, toss us a follow @Memberthegame, and thank you so much for listening. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm a little concerned that nobody has heard of this week's game, but they can't all be classics.  My friend Tyler and I spent almost an hour nerding out over of the most talked about video game of all time; Final Fantasy VII. Is it the greatest Final Fantasy ever? Maybe the greatest RPG? Is it maybe a little.....overrated? Well, you'll have to listen to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knew that kid that insisted on playing as Oddjob, and they're probably in jail for tax fraud or something now.  This week, my friend Kevin and I sit down and talk one of the most beloved games in the Nintendo 64 library, GoldenEye 007. The single player was great, but the multiplayer was legendary. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mega Man franchise is one of my all-time favourites, and for my money the debut of X is the best of all of them. My old friend Tyler comes by this week, and we catch up by reminiscing about one of the best games on the SNES; Mega Man X. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fact that Geno has yet to get his own game is one of the biggest fails in the history of gaming.  This week on Remember the Game, my friend Kevin comes by, and we talk about one of the many RPG masterpieces that call the SNES home; Super Mario RPG.  Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn't have fond memories of sitting on the couch, laughing and arguing with your friends playing Mario Party? At one point, this franchise was the pinnacle of multi-player gaming, and this week I'm joined by my nephew, Ben, as we break down the highs and lows of the Mario Party franchise. Ben is 12, incredibly well spoken, and a video gaming junkie much like the rest of us. I really had a lot of fun recording this episode, and I hope you enjoy it, too. And if you do enjoy it, please leave a positive review and tell a friend. I really appreciate your support. You can follow Remember The Game on Twitter @memberthegame And find all my podcasts and info at abcomedy.net Lets-a-go!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Final Fantasy VI! Or, Final Fantasy III?! Or, whatever...Call it whatever you want, this is one of the greatest RPGs ever made. My friend (and fellow geek) Miklos Blackshaw sat down with me this week, and we spent almost an hour nerding out about the game many consider to the best entry into the legendary Final Fantasy series. This episode features a little more music than most, because I just couldn't decide what song to use. I hope you guys like it! You can find Mik on Instagram @comedianmiklos And you can find me on Instagram @adamblank17 Remember the Game is on Twitter @memberthegame And as always, check out my website; abcomedy.net Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I have no idea how or why someone decided to have Mario and friends spend a day go karting, but I'm so glad they did! This week, David Rae and I reminisce about the game that kicked off one of the most beloved franchises in Nintendo's storied history; Super Mario Kart. This is back before the days of blue shells and golden mushrooms, kids. Battle mode, Rainbow Road, Stupid Toad.....this game is an absolute gem. Thanks for listening! If you like what we're doing, please leave us a good review, and tell a friend! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you get when you combine some of the greatest music in gaming history with some of the worst box art in gaming history? Mega Man!!  My buddy David Rae came by this week, and we talked about the first original NES game in Remember the Game history, Mega Man 2. I LOVE the Mega Man series, and MM2 was when the secret sauce was perfected. This is one of the greatest games of all time, and it was a lot of fun nerding out about it with David.  Enjoy the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey! Listen! *?$#&$& Navi.... This week, my pal Mark and I remember the game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. We both have some critical views of this entry into the Zelda series. Often considered one of the greateat games of all time, Mark and I spend 40 minutes talking about what we liked, and didn't like, about Link's transition into 3D.  Thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Remember the Game, I'm joined by my good buddy and fellow comedian, Mark McCue. Mark is the biggest Zelda junkie I know, and we recorded a couple Hyrule-centric episodes back to back. First up, my vote for the greatest Legend of Zelda game ever; Link to the Past. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices