Support NeoGAF

[Crimm]

I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT! You are correct to be disappointed in me.

 

[Ondore]

After last's week Kutarpocalypse, it gets even more punchy this week.
https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44150/episode-511-wordplay-ahead

Switch still isn't out, and nobody on RFN has a press unit, so we're still Switch-less. Making this show has become increasingly harrowing in its absence.

We start out with New Business, which has increasingly become a misnomer. James has a look at Tank Troopers, and if it seems like Steel Diver: Sub Wars with tanks, it should; Vitei made both of them. James finds this tank rather light on fuel. Jon returns to a classic moment in RFN history, reliving his Wii fridge-cleaning on Wii U. Gui has a good game: Noitu Love: Devolution. This action-platformer is inspired by many different classic games, but builds something all its own. Greg has the newest business, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past on 3DS Virtual Console. If only there was some Zelda content coming to scratch his Zelda itch.

After the break, it's Listener Mail. Topics this week: concern about Switch VC, rate my backlog, favorite "hidden features" in a console, and Greg's Gamez for Babiez. You can send us your backlog for review, via our inbox.

Next week it's time for our RetroActive on Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. We'll be recording Thursday evening, mere hours before the launch of Switch. If you hurry, there's still time to get your thoughts to us via the RetroActive thread. Need to be inspired? Here's James trying to play this weird adventure game.

Time: 1'55"47
Outro: Wind Waker - Staff Credits
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Deck: "All it takes is one comment about treads, and the entire segment is ruined."

 

[Boogiepop]

So I posted in here a couple times in the past mentioning this, but I'm currently moving through the entire backlog of podcast episodes still (up to 422, from mid March 2015, so I'm getting there).

And I was planning on sending some discussion questions in for Listener Mail, but I was waiting till I'm "caught up" to prevent overlap with stuff that's been discussed but I just didn't know it yet. So that would potentially be a big old list of multiple things that came to mind over the course of all this listening (not "gotcha" atyle call outs on old stuff that was said or anything, of course, as that would be silly. Just general topics for discussion and whatnot).

But would it be preferable to just not worry about that and instead send things separately when I think of them, to better spread stuff out?

 

[OMG Aero]

Oh hey, look what's on sale on the European eShop this week

Nintendo eShop (3DS)
Special offers
Kutar Concert Staff (CIRCLE Ent.) - €0.69/£0.69 (Ends March 16, normally €0.99/£0.99)
Kutar Jump Rope (CIRCLE Ent.) - €0.69/£0.69 (Ends March 16, normally €0.99/£0.99)
Kutar Magic Ball (CIRCLE Ent.) - €0.69/£0.69 (Ends March 16, normally €0.99/£0.99)
Kutar Quiz (CIRCLE Ent.) - €0.69/£0.69 (Ends March 16, normally €0.99/£0.99)
Kutar Tube Rider (CIRCLE Ent.) - €0.69/£0.69 (Ends March 16, normally €0.99/£0.99)

 

[Makonero]

Oh hey, look what's on sale on the European eShop this week

I think if there was Kutar in the Salad Kingdom I would buy it

 

[Zonic]

I feel rather late with my email considering the game I mentioned which lead me to ask about the topic, but at least the main question should still be interesting to discuss.

 

[Brianimaniac]

I had a scare with the same eShop maintenance that Jon did. I just bought a 2DS that same day after not having a system for a while, and I called Nintendo to transfer my NNID and purchases to the new system. The guy put me on hold, then came back and said he wasn't able to do it at that time and to try back in about two hours. I was thinking "oh great, this is going to end up not working, and my library is going to be gone", but then I went online and saw tweets about the maintenance. Everything ended up working out fine, and my library is intact.

 

[Crimm]

And I was planning on sending some discussion questions in for Listener Mail, but I was waiting till I'm "caught up" to prevent overlap with stuff that's been discussed but I just didn't know it yet. So that would potentially be a big old list of multiple things that came to mind over the course of all this listening (not "gotcha" atyle call outs on old stuff that was said or anything, of course, as that would be silly. Just general topics for discussion and whatnot).

Send what you got. Call-outs might get us ornery, but that's part of the charm. If we've done a topic before we may still revisit it. Don't sweat sending us retread emails, they happen all the time. I'd much rather that than risk not getting a really good email.

We get the favorite game email once a month I'd guess. We revisit it frequently. I still can't answer it.

Disaster: Day of Crisis.

Zonic, that's was a good one. I'm going to spend some time thinking about it. We're doing RetroActive this week and next week will probably be an absurd amount of Zelda, so we'll get to it. I have some time to think. Right now? Probably...

 

[Cindro]

Zelda hype is giving me insomnia, so I'm listening to the episode covering the Nintendo Direct where it was announced... 1,497 days ago (episode 323, the same episode with the Majora's Mask retroactive).

This is a really wonderful little time capsule, and there was a Lords of Thunder reference out of nowhere (spoken in the deep gravelly voice, of course) - which Jon just brought up in the most recent episode! Quite the coincidence.

Unfortunately, this podcast isn't making the wait for Friday go any faster. Time is still advancing at the rate of one minute per minute -_-

 

[Ondore]

#FuckPercy
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44250/episode-512-percy-the-liar

Switch has been released into the wild, but when we recorded this episode it was still just a breath away.

As usual we start with New Business. James leads off with reflections of streaming Princess Tomato (more to come), and then a look at former RetroActive title Ys Book I and II from the TurboGrafix-16 via the Wii Virtual Console. He also looked at Fighting Streets and series favorite Lords of Thunder from the same. Jon continues his struggles with the Virtual Console before...no, you know what. We're renaming this Old Business. Jon continues Old Business with yet another struggle against the Virtual Console. He also has time with Super Punch Out, Blazing Lasers, M.U.S.H.A., and Axelay. Guillaume has real New Business with Bomberman '94 for the Wii U Virtual Console...oh, it's the Wii version. He also has impressions of fun party game Overcooked! A newer version of which is headed to Switch. Greg has ACTUAL New Business, leading a discussion of last week's Nintendo Indies event - we don't use that word on this show.

After a RetroActive segment disguising itself as New Business, we finally get around to our actual RetroActive for NES adventure game Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom. We discuss its weird logic, its weirder writing, its weirdest concept, and the plague that is Percy. Normally we thank those of you who played along with us, but in this case we're apologizing. Regardless, we had a lot to discuss.

Next week we will be going wall-to-wall with Zelda and Switch discussions. You can send us your emails here. We do ask that, just like we'll respect your spoiler concerns, you try to do the same for us.

Time: 2'20"26
Outro: Credits - Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Make the eShop cheap again: Mexican eShop account

 

[Cindro]

Two days early?! Guillaume must be looking for every excuse he can to not play Zelda.

Spoiler

Having just re-listened to the Majora's Mask retroactive, I'm predicting Gui will have the most tepid reactions of the group

 

[Cindro]

That was a very good, level-headed discussion of Zelda. I can't wait for the inevitable spoilercast in a few months.

And I'm with James - it's so nice that the pre-release NX speculation/anticipation/insanity is behind us.

Also - another retroactive is in the works! For as awful as Salad Princess and the Tomato Kingdom sounded, I still think there can be a lot of value in playing these quirky, historical footnote-type games.

To that end, I had no problem with Gui's unorthodox choice. And in fact, it got me thinking: it would be really cool if the four of you all could occasionally choose a retroactive game. I know Gui just chose this one out of convenience, but I think there's a real opportunity here for each member to occasionally choose a personal hidden gem they'd like to revisit/expose more people to. I know the community/voting aspect is important to RFN as well, but I think a lot of people would be okay if one in, say, every four retroactives was a game chosen by one of you four instead of the larger RFN community.

Or, to get the best of both worlds, you could each choose a nominee for retroactive, and then let the community vote amongst the four games all of you have chosen.

Either way, I'll still continue to love the feature! I'm really glad another one is coming so soon.

 

[Makonero]

The day we let Lindemann pick a game is the day we all Enjoy Our Massage. Or join the Muscle March.

Or play Cho Aniki.

 

[Crimm]

I think we're all going to pick one at some point. I'd rather alternate with polls because then my clean hands bare no fault for Barabbas' return to the streets.

I think I know my choice - and it will be a bit of a surprise.

 

[Tripon]

I think we're all going to pick one at some point. I'd rather alternate with polls because then my clean hands bare no fault for Barabbas' return to the streets.

I think I know my choice - and it will be a bit of a surprise.

Lufia 1?

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

I think we're all going to pick one at some point. I'd rather alternate with polls because then my clean hands bare no fault for Barabbas' return to the streets.

I think I know my choice - and it will be a bit of a surprise.

I see what you did there

 

[Makonero]

I think we're all going to pick one at some point. I'd rather alternate with polls because then my clean hands bare no fault for Barabbas' return to the streets.

I think I know my choice - and it will be a bit of a surprise.

It's "bear no fault."

Unless that's a hint...are you gonna pick Mario Teaches Typing?

 

[Zonic]

To celebrate Breath of the Wild, a retrospective on Zelda: Wand of Gamelon & Link: Faces of Evil!!!

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

I had a legitimately good time with China Warrior back in the day. Those huge sprites combined with an unnatural love of kung fu movies gave me the patience to learn all those enemy patterns. It was an alright entry in the genre that Data East's kung fu/Vigilante pioneered before it.

I was playing BotW running around the Zora realm cleaning up side quests while listening to this episode. When the music kicked in at the end of the podcast, it couldn't have been any more perfect. I don't think I really got much done in all that time (did find the Zora Helm though) so I can 100% identify with James' talk about running around for hours accomplishing nothing and being perfectly happy with that.

 

[Ondore]

Posting delayed due to PAX East travel.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44284/episode-513-qbby-in-the-wild

Since we recorded last week, Nintendo released both the Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Jon, James, and Greg all have the new console, and the entire RFN panel has the new game. We devote our first segment to the former, and our second segment to the latter (and we try to be as spoiler-free as possible, but be advised if you're going complete Zelda media blackout).

Meanwhile, it's time for RetroActive! Again! James declared us due for a second helping of retro gaming for some strange reason, and now here we are! You can send us your suggestions for a theme, or questions and comments, to our mailbag.

Time: 2'20"12
Outro: Zora's Domain - Night
Downloads; MP3 | AAC
Random: Perry Burkum (who wrote the opening theme) is now on staff. He also voluntarily polished off cow stomach in Boston.

 

[Negator]

Lufia 1?

There is no way Gui will play that for more than like 6 hours.

Lufia 1 is an old school RPG in a bad way.

 

[Makonero]

You all know James is going to pick Legend of the River King

 

[Crimm]

There is no way Gui will play that for more than like 6 hours.

Lufia 1 is an old school RPG in a bad way.

Lufia 1 is great!

Unless you played Lufia 2, and have context for how old it is.

You all know James is going to pick Legend of the River King

I need an emoticon to convey "curious boy opens drum of nuclear waste."

I guess that's just a video of someone licking a Switch cart.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Catching up on previous episodes -

Fighter's History was the wacky Street Fighter clone that Capcom sued Data East over. You may have been thinking of that when trying to name ripoffs.

Alien Crush is indeed a perfect portable game. It's on PSN so I have it for the Vita. It's awesome there.

I had no idea that Ninja Spirit had entered the bad game category. It was always spoken of fondly, it was even a pack-in for a while

Spoiler

let's pretend Keith Courage wasn't a thing.

It sounds like lately this show is turning into Radio Free Turbografx. That's okay by me.

 

[Jonnyboy117]

I recall being the strongest proponent for Ninja Spirit when we played it for an early RetroActive. It felt like a faster, looser Ghosts 'n Goblins.

 

[OMG Aero]

Looking through the list in the OP, has there really never been a Milon's Secret Castle retroactive? I swear I remember some group discussion on it in the past that wasn't just someone's new business.
In any case, there's Jon's pick.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

I recall being the strongest proponent for Ninja Spirit when we played it for an early RetroActive. It felt like a faster, looser Ghosts 'n Goblins.

I always thought it shared a lot of dna with NES Ninja Gaiden II.

 

[Jonnyboy117]

Looking through the list in the OP, has there really never been a Milon's Secret Castle retroactive? I swear I remember some group discussion on it in the past that wasn't just someone's new business.
In any case, there's Jon's pick.

I never got any traction with the team, but I did inflict MSC upon Back in My Play (and was never invited back on).

 

[Negator]

I never got any traction with the team, but I did inflict MSC upon Back in My Play (and was never invited back on).

You scarred Kevin for life. RIP

 

[Crimm]

You all have my pledge that as long as I am the host - the closest we will get to Milon' Secret Castle Retroactive is me declaring there will be no Milon's Secret Castle Retroactive.

I'll be getting the poll up for the next RetroActive in the next few days, now that Zelda isn't completely dominating my life (avg 5.5 hours a day). I have some time to do the necessary research.

 

[Ondore]

A weird rotation in which all of the hosts are never present at once.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44333/episode-514-g-radio-feat-kayzee-and-lil-burk

Due to a series of foreseeable but unfortunate events, Guillaume finds himself manning the fort this episode. Fret not: Talk Nintendo has sent for reinforcements in the form of Perry Burkum and Casey Gibson. We quickly move on from Guillaume's crusty old 3D Out Run "New Business" and talk about their PAX East experiences and the exciting upcoming Switch games they've seen there. Greg makes a late entrance in order to quickly touch on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and we close the segment with Perry's impressions of Blaster Master Zero, which he reviewed for Nintendo World Report.

Perry bows out for Listener Mail, but James decides to make an appearance, so we discuss learning all of Super Mario Bros. 3's secrets almost by osmosis; the expectation of backwards compatibility; Capcom's recently announced collection of NES Disney games and how it snubs the Switch; the weight of My Nintendo rewards when choosing to buy a physical or digital version of a game; and we recommend a few 500 Wii Points VC games. You can send us your suggestions for a theme, or questions and comments, to our mailbag.

Time: 2'06"41
Outro: Tumbler - World of Goo
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Mega Man Legacy Collection: Came out eight months later on a Nintendo platform.

 

[Crimm]

Big thanks to Casey and Perry for helping us this week. If you want more Talk Nintendo, you can check out their show here. And thanks to Gui for managing to string it together in one of the most difficult hosting situations in a while - Jon out, James out for at least half, Greg unaware that North America entered DST.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Just finished this week's episode. The Talk Nintendo guys filled in admirably.

Gui, don't feel bad, you're not alone on the no-Switch front. As a Wii U owner I honestly don't feel the pull of the Switch yet; I can play Zelda, I have no desire to unlock everything in Mario Kart again, much less pay to go online with it, and I'm not a Splatoon guy. Which means I'm more than happy to stick with the Wii U for a while, and I'm sure I'm far from the only listener in that boat. So I look forward to more Wii U impressions in future episodes.

Also, I'm not near my system now but are Shadowgate, Deja Vu or Tombs & Treasure on the Wii shop? If the listener liked Princess Tomato, those are 8-bit adventure games that are actually, y'know, good.

 

[Ondore]

Funny thing, I've got about 40 friends on Switch and I've entered exactly one friend code.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44365/episode-515-the-22-billion-yen-friend-code

We're back with nary a Zelda reference in sight! That wasn't the plan, but with so many new titles to talk about, Link's adventure didn't make the cut. James starts off with a look at Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, the newest entry in the Shovel Knight series. He also has thoughts on replaying the other two Shovel Knight campaigns using the Switch and its non-D-Pad. Jon and Greg are both playing Blaster Master Zero. Greg has thoughts on the limitations imposed on the 3DS version, while Jon is playing it on Switch and having Pro Controller problems. Guillaume wraps up New Business with one of James' favorite games of last year (and recent addition to the Switch library), the Wii U version of the programming simulator Human Resource Machine.

After a break it's Listener Mail. Topics this week include: the future of Zelda, Retro's meat choices, and how to Nintendo your decision making process. You can send us your email via the inbox, but unlike Nintendo please ensure you enclose all required components.

Time: 2'08"34
Outro: Radiant Historia (Piano Selections) - -HISTORIA-
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Switch: Already a retro haven and it's been out for a month.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

If I had to guess where Zelda goes from here, a Four Swords/Triforce Heroes style game that leverages the joycons for local multi seems like a slam dunk.

I'm also expecting Breath of the Wild to find its Majora's Mask - a game that uses the same engine but produces a visually distinct world & atmosphere, maybe a smaller, more narrative driven world for a faster turnaround.

 

[silks]

You all have my pledge that as long as I am the host - the closest we will get to Milon' Secret Castle Retroactive is me declaring there will be no Milon's Secret Castle Retroactive.

I hosted before and I'll host again. Milon's will have its day in the sun.

 

[Ondore]

So here's how to drown out... ok, a tenth of... Wrestlemania Rainbow.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44400/episode-516-texas-brisket-challenge

Last week's all-new New Business gives way this week to a collection of older titles, and more Zelda chatter. The sole exception to that trend kicks off New Business with the Splatoon 2 Global Testfire. Both Greg and James got time with the ink-splattering server test, and have thoughts based on an hour of gameplay. Guillaume did some reverse-fridge cleaning, getting his DSiWare safely to his 3DS, just before the DSiWare Shop closes forever. Much like any other experience in a Nintendo digital store, it was nightmarish. He also has some fairly early thoughts on Pokémon Moon. Jon kicks off another round of Zelda chatter, this time with a bit less restraint on spoilers, but not full-blown spoilercast territory, as Gui still is working though the game. James wraps up New Business with a brief mention of convenience-fueled impulse purchase Stella Glow. Succinctly, it's an anime strategy game on 3DS that's not doing anything special for him.

Listener Mail is limited to two questions this week, but both spur some lengthy discussions. First up, RFN is asked to summon our strangest cross-overs and spin-offs in gaming. Our second email asks our opinion of Nintendo's revised 16 million Switch forecast. We start on that topic, but end up returning to the delicious topic of brisket. You can cut your own slice of chest meat by sending us an email.

Time: 2'14"05
Outro: Kid Icarus Uprising - Mysterious Invaders
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Persona 5: notbad.gif

 

[Zonic]

Oh sweet, my question about crossovers/spin-offs made it.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

Those spin off games were some of my favourites. I never really 'got' Metal Gear until I played Metal Gear Ac!d. It was an srpg with card-based attacks. The cards would play scenes from various games, which meant it was just a highlight reel of insane things happening in the middle of a story about psychic puppet kids on crazy drugs. It was very James.

Metroid Prime Pinball was super addictive too, the built in vibration really added a lot. I played that every day on my commute for a good long while, if it weren't for 999 it might well be my favourite DS game.

 

[Ondore]

Tubtime with Jon has been delayed for a week. Please understand.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44419/episode-517-survey-says

Jon is at sea this week, and in his stead Syrenne fills in to talk Bravely Default: Fairy Effect, Graceful Explosion Machine, and the Switch port of LEGO City Undercover. One is a depressingly standard MOBAGE, the second an attractive score-attack shooter, and the third a waiting game. She also attempts to talk Kingdom Hearts, but James is having none of it. Guillaume is practicing the dark arts, summoning Yoshi into what must now be called Sonic 2 and Yoshi! He also has thoughts on Double Fine's Broken Age, and why he likes Tim Schafer games. James punts on his New Business, having instead spent the week still watching baseball while still nominally playing Stella Glow. Greg finally brings us to the promised land of Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D. It's been a long time since we first mentioned this game, but at long last we are here.

After the break we crack open a couple of Listener Mail questions. First, we examine what video game content we define as "objectionable", and if societal pressures or our own shame dampen our enjoyment. Of all the groups to answer this question, this is probably the most questionable. We then pivot to naming our personal retro-trilogy of desire, inspired by the recently-announced Seiken Densetsu Collection. You can lead introspective discussions about the shapliness of our legs by sending us an email.

Time: 2'13"42
Outro: Paper Mario Thousand Year Door - Doopliss Battle
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
In a glorious alternate universe: We can use Blooming Villian as an outro (MAY CONTAIN P5 SPOILER SCREENS)

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

1.If you want a Nintendo knockoff, I can recommend Neutopia on TG-16 (because this is now an unofficial TG-16 podcast). There are two of them - both on Wii VC, the first game was just released for Wii U - they're knockoffs of the first Zelda that improve on it a lot, I quite like them.

Another fun candidate is Konami Krazy Racers, which is up on Wii U. It's the Konami Mario Kart knockoff featuring Pyramid Head, Silent Hill's evil mannequin-rapist.

2. SNES Star Wars was mind blowing in its time for its audio & visuals, it was crazy how close they got to the theme music on that hardware. This was in a world that was not saturated by Star Wars merchandise (it had been years since Return of the Jedi, and the internet hadn't yet come along to spark the crazy fandom into overdrive), so seeing the opening crawl in mode 7 was mind blowing. But none of that stuff would come across as special anymore, and the actual gameplay wasn't that hot.

3. I've been put off any number of games by over-sexualized themes. Bayonetta being exhibit A, despite how well done it is. There was this weird period of late 90s PC gaming where every ad involved a dominatrix and/or pissed off looking woman. It was really gross. I almost passed on Nier:Automata because early screens all seemed to be hacked panty shots, luckily the demo set back on it.

4. I agree that Earthbound is kind of bad. You have to really like the kid theme to enjoy those games. I keep trying because of how good everybody says it is, and I can never force myself to get past the first town.

5. Panzer Dragoon trilogy would be a perfect candidate for a re-release but...it would also require Saturn emulation, which is something nobody seems to want to do. AFAIK Sega's never touched any of that stuff again on anything. The dream would be an HD remake of Saga.

6. Mega Juju Nonsense Ball 2: Revelations was much better than the first game, even though the maid costume DLC sucked.

 

[Zonic]

Just wanna comment on the whole "objectionable" discussion & how well it was handled. I think for the most part, I have to agree & Senran Kagura is the perfect example of a game that doesn't take itself seriously & is aiming for over-the-top, especially with how honest the main producer is....& the fact he's actually married, yet he's able to make such a series.

I use SK as the example of what I find "tolerable" when it comes to that kind of content. If I had a "limit", I would say DoA Xtreme 2 & 3 (& stuff like Monster Monpiece where the age of the girls are.....possibly in the single digits) since there's so little actual gameplay or....character in the characters. When it's the main DoA games, I don't mind, but in the spinoffs, it's basically "grind playing these unfun or uninvolved games until you have enough money & your favorite female accepts your gift of the skimpiest bikini ever", which just doesn't sound like fun. Why would I want to "play" the game when your "reward" is just something I can just search for on YouTube. SK, on the other hand, at the very least attempts to have a story, character development, etc. Hell, I reach a point playing those games where I'll see each of the scenes once, then go "okay, I'll just skip most of them for now on so they don't interrupt the flow of the gameplay" because I want to go back to playing the actual game. I fully understand the games themselves vary in quality & the gameplay itself might be lacking for others, but it still wants to try & be more than just eye candy, even if I can understand why some people don't think the games are good.

Your violence comparison as well, I completely agree. I fully embrace over-the-top stuff like Bayonetta or No More Heroes, but just can't bring myself to want to play God of War, Mortal Kombat, GTA, because it aims for realistic violence or gore, but I also don't care for games that try to aim for realism in the first place. The tone as well plays a role, as mentioned in the episode.

I couldn't help but think of my best friend when it came to parents who restricted what their kid could play, where he had SUPER strict gaming rules because his parents were very religious to the point he wasn't allowed to play Pokemon (because it promoted evolution or something), the N64 Goemon games (cuz ninjas = against the bible....or something), & almost couldn't play Luigi's Mansion (ghosts = NOT ALLOWED), but somehow got lucky with that one. Now, many years later and being married, he pretty much has no restrictions & his wife is very understanding of what he plays (my friend told me she's fine with him playing the Senran Kagura titles). I think she understands the games he & I play are over the top and we're able to separate fantasy & reality, i.e. we obviously know this isn't what women act/look like in real life.

Sorry for the long response, but I'm very glad you guys discussed the manner in a rather mature way.

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

The objectionable content email was mine. Guillaume, I apologise for misstating who was responsible for the SMT talk on the show - when you mentioned it, I slapped myself right on the forehead. I might as well have made a crack aimed at Greg related to Enjoy Your Massage. The other person who talked about the SMT series a lot was Syrenne, one of my favourite regular guests, so it's fortuitous that she was the one that read the email.

In my defence (and it's not much of a defence), I was talking about the series as a whole.

I did quite enjoy the discussion you guys had. It went in some directions I didn't expect. I too have seen some of the schlocky Italian 70s horror movies that James mentioned. They're exactly as terrible as he described. Fellow Australians will remember SBS's late night movie showcases. It was how I was introduced to these, Hungarian movies that were mostly about farming and gems like The Weatherwoman. They had a host who would wink at you knowingly while explaining what madness you were about to see, like a cool uncle who let you have a beer while your parents weren't looking.

I never stopped to think about it at the time (I was a teenager furtively watching these movies after everybody in the house had gone to bed, terrified that I would be caught watching filth, so I had other things on my mind), but the cultural context is absolutely key to what I was seeing. The fact that European and Asian audiences didn't regard sexuality with the same abject horror as Anglophone countries seem to, but reacted the same way when it came to violence never occurred to me. A lot of those movies make sense to me now from that perspective.

Also, I don't know that a video game is necessarily the best medium through which a lively discussion about the themes of sexual agency and exploitation as viewed through a feminist lens can be had, at least not in the same way as a movie might provoke the discussion. Sadly, my wife is still very much of the opinion that "computer games are for boys and are also kind of stupid". That barrier needs to be breached first before I try getting her to play Persona and we have a debate about whether Yosuke's homophobia was acceptable as a product of its time or if it's too on the nose.

James' suggestion of playing these games in a closet isn't too far off the mark either, even if it was made in jest. Handhelds allow you to play with something approaching privacy and this is where the majority of my time with games that might actually embarrass me is spent. It's not even something I did consciously- it's just that when you have a family, you watch what you put up on the family TV. If Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE had been a handheld game, I likely would have already beaten it multiple times and unlocked all the endings.

 

[silks]

The irony here is that as soon as I skip an episode, the topic goes straight to perversion.

 

[Crimm]

If only we had this conversation a week later!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs_qbf4Nnzw

In all seriousness, this video delights me. The moment the pudding dropped into the tray I laughed until I coughed.

 

[Zonic]

brb asking xseed when they're localizing that

But seriously, hahahahahahaha. The fact that was on a Nintendo Direct is amazing.

Will be interesting to hear the reaction to the Direct on the next podcast

 

[jay]

The objectionable content discussion was almost exclusively focused on 1990s era fighting with the right about prudishness. The discussion of this century is from the left on the topics of sexism, exploitation, etc.

Also, Shining Force 3 is three separate scenarios sold as three separate games, two of which were never localized officially.

 

[Crimm]

The objectionable content discussion was almost exclusively focused on 1990s era fighting with the right about prudishness. The discussion of this century is from the left on the topics of sexism, exploitation, etc.

Also, Shining Force 3 is three separate scenarios sold as three separate games, two of which were never localized officially.

This is a fair observation, I think we defaulted to the "90s" problems, because that's when we grew up. I'm a 31 year old single guy who lives on his own, what I play has zero impact on anyone else - so in my head I go back to when I wasn't those things.

Things like the -isms are more often open to interpretation. It's going to be a product of what you're personal feelings above all else. Obviously, there are exceptions - if the Klan had made a video game then yes it's almost certainly racist (unless they've turned a dramatic new leaf). But it's tough to find that kind of black and white.

A minority-nationalist militant movement seeking their own state (Armenians in Azerbaijan, Kurds in Iraq/Turkey/Syria/Iran, Uyghurs in China, etc) creates their own game avowing armed resistance to achieve independence. Is it racist? It's going to GREATLY depend on who you ask.

That's an extreme case, but it's going to apply to any label. Deciding to apply such terms is a product of your experiences. Someone who has experienced significant sexism may be more likely to call something on the fringe sexist, but at the same time they may also see controversy over the legginess and bust size in a game where you punch god in the face as stupid. Everyone is going to have their own calculus and you're not going to be able to move many people - so I don't bother worrying what others think.

If I encounter something that makes ME decidedly uncomfortable then they've gone pretty far. I can see and recognize something is trading in these kinds of ideas far sooner than I find them making me uncomfortable. If I've got all the way to discomfort then it would be a case by case basis if I continue to play the game.

But back to my first point, I don't need to worry what others think.

 

[Ondore]

Zelda spoilers later but for now, have some HAWT TAKES brought Directly to you.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44495/episode-518-part-1-come-hither-pikmin

Once again we prove that RFN is part of a larger worldwide conspiracy by having a Nintendo Direct "coincidentally" line up with our recording day. And while we usually dislike providing the unwashed masses with anything but disinformation, half-truths, and propaganda, we went against our worst intentions and sprung into action to get this podcast up the next night. Now excuse us as we return to our manipulation of the world economy.

Speaking of manipulation, Nintendo played us all like a fiddle and got us to tune in to their broadcast yet again. Fortunately this one was jam-packed with information provided at breakneck speed, and we go through it all with our usual rancor. We touch on what games stood out to us, our feelings on Splatoon 2 and ARMS, our frothing demand for Monopoly increasing, Kirby, Pikmin,and Payday 2. We also breathe a collective sigh of relief at Switch docks coming into stock, banana Joy-Cons, and finally having a place to store your AA batteries. You can store your batteries with us by sending us a friendly email.

Stay tuned for our Legend of Zelda Spoiler-Cast, later this week.

Time: 58'42
Outro: Kirby and the Rainbow Curse - Yogurt Yard
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Due to recording time: The NES/Famicom Mini discontinuation and the Switch selling like chocolate covered crack are not included in the takes.

 

[Ondore]

And part the second, which contains gigantic Zelda spoilers so, uh, yeah. Have fun.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/44500/episode-518-part-2-the-last-breath-of-the-puns

We've been exploded, murdered by Dr. Who enemies, electrocuted, threatened by gods, burned alive, frozen solid, stranded at sea, crushed, smashed, bashed, and stomped. It's the absolute best. All four of us Studs of Studwork loved The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, despite the litany of disasters we've experienced.

It's finally time for the Breath of the Wild spoilercast, as we spend two full hours discussing its design, world, characters, and our own stories of heroism and failure. Enjoy.

If you want to hear our hot takes on last week's Nintendo Direct, you can hear them here.

As always, you can drop your own hot takes in our inbox.

Time: 2'08"25
Outro: One of the many Breath of the Wild tracks listed in the post
Downloads: MP3 | AAC
Why the poster is only five hours in: Chased the Gerudo costume to do a crossdress run, PAX East, roommate got all 120 shrines, Persona 5 (in that order).