Retrovaniacs

Episode 96 : Rygar (NES)

This time we take a look at Tecmo's Rygar for the NES!  Based loosely on the 1986 arcade game of the same name, on the NES they completely redesigned the tale of The Legendary Warrior from a side-scrolling action arcade game into an early "Metroidvania", that existed before the 'vania part of that portmanteau was even a thing.  Did they succeed, or was this another case of a solid idea that just wasn't developed enough?
We also discuss our thoughts on Mario Maker 2, the sequel to the Wii U Mario Maker, which we covered in full WAY back in Episode 10.
Want to skip to Rygar?  Grab your Diskarmor and head to the 9:15 mark!
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If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333
If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

Episode 95 : Earthbound (SNES)

We try to cover a full-length 16-bit RPG as we take a look at Earthbound!  A sequel to Mother, a game not released in the US, when Mother 2 arrived in the states with a new name change and a questionable advertising strategy, it did not get received well... however, it has developed a dedicated cult following over the years, and so we took our time and played this fully to determine if this cult hit is deserving of its reputation as an underappreciated hit.
We also answer some listener questions on Burgertime, the upcoming TG-16 mini console, and... Enya?
Want to skip to Ness and his friends?  Start at the 8:15 mark!
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If you would like additional bonus episodes of Retrovaniacs, our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333
If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.
 
 

BONUS SHOW : Burgertime Deluxe (Game Boy)

What?  An unexpected show?  Our next full-length regular show will be out next week as usual, but this is the first Retrovaniacs Mini-Episode.  What are those?  Well, listen and find out.  This one is free, but all future mini-shows are going to be only for our Patreon backers.  Listen to the show for details.
We hope you are interested in backing us, and if so our Patreon is located here : https://www.patreon.com/user?u=21041333
If not, no pressure-- the regular twice-a-month shows will continue regardless.  Thank you for listening, and we hope you'll at least consider joining the Patreon!

Episode 94 : Kid Dracula (NES)

Now that we have access to this 1990 Famicom game outside Japan via the newly released Konami Castlevania Anniversary Collection, we finally get a chance to play Kid Dracula-- a game in the Castlevania timeline where you play Dracula's son (or maybe just a kid Dracula) as he attempts to regain his father's kingdom after a 10,000 year nap.   Does this belong in the same collection with some of the best games of the NES / SNES / and Genesis eras, or was this game better left as an odd footnote to a highly regarded series of games?  We let you know what we think.
We also answer a fairly large pile of listener mail, and discuss odd peripherals, answer questions about this podcast itself, and of course more Taco Bell related questions.
Want to skip right to Lil' Drac? Start at the 7:00 mark!
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If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

Episode 93 : Grim Fandango (PC)

Our first PC title (although it's been re-released on pretty much everything), we take a look at Grim Fandango, a later graphic adventure game from the folks who brought us Monkey Island and Full Throttle.  Is this as notoriously obtuse as some of the earlier games in the genre, or is this more of a case of technology and experience allowing some improvements to an old PC staple?
Also discussed, possible guest hosts, some listener recommendations, and pre-NES / Master System era games, and if we would cover any.
Want to skip right to Manny?   Start at the 8:00 mark!
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If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

Episode 92 : Shinobi 3 - Return of the Ninja Master (Genesis)

This episode we visit a past Sega franchise that has been relatively quiet of late, the Shinobi series and master ninja Joe Musashi in what may be the best game in the series -- Shinobi 3 for the Genesis.  How does this one stack up to other 16-bit era platformers, and the rest of the series in general?  Listen to see!
We also share our thoughts on several topics such as the Final Fantasy series, new retro consoles, sports titles, and other non-Shinobi topics when we answer several listener questions at the end of the show!
Want to get right to the game? Skip to that 9:00 mark!
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If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

Episode 91 : Super Mario World 2 - Yoshi's Island (SNES)

The sequel to Super Mario World, but featuring Mario's sidekick Yoshi as the main character, Yoshi's Island kicked off the Yoshi series of games.  Did his first solo outing solidify Yoshi as more than a glorified mount for Mario?  We played it again now, and share our thoughts on this beautiful looking 2d title, with some notable flaws.
Also discussed what Billy thought about Skate or Die 2, answered some listener questions, and avoided talking too much about Sekiro.
Want to get right to the game? Skip to that 8:45 mark!
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If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

Episode 90 : Skate or Die 2 - The Search for Double Trouble (NES)

We take a look at a sequel to the skateboarding game that everyone owned, Skate or Die 2: The Search for Double Trouble.  Where the original was more of a collection of skating games, this sequel is a single player skateboarding adventure game.  Does this game end up being a totally radical experience, or a completely bogus waste of time?
We also talk about Sekiro way too much, answer a handful of listener questions about classic gaming, and we talk about systems we haven't covered much and why.
Don't want to hear any of that gnarly Sekiro talk?  Skip right to the game at the 10:00 mark!
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If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

Episode 89 : Rocket Knight Adventures (Genesis)

After being told we constantly nag on the Sega Genesis system for it's... interesting sound, we picked a game this week that at the very least has a very solid soundtrack, Rocket Knight Adventures!  This was one of Konami's Genesis exclusives, and it led to several sequels that were on multiple platforms, but how well does does Sparkster's initial journey hold up?  We played through the game to find out.
Also discussed, some new Switch downloadable titles, the just announced Konami classic collections, and most importantly -- Taco Bell orders.
Want to get right to the game?  Then charge up your attack, and rocket over to the 11 minute mark!
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If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.

Episode 88 : Zelda II The Adventure of Link (NES)

Maybe our most divisive episode yet, we dive into the sequel to one of the undisputed NES classic games (the Legend of Zelda) as we cover the side-scrolling follow-up Zelda II : The Adventure of Link.   Many people swear this game is the worst in the series, while many others love the fact that it's so different while still maintaining many staples of the Zelda series.  Even just the three of us have different opinions on what did and didn't work on Link's sophomore adventure.
If you are one of those that love this, or someone that hated it, we try to back up our opinions here carefully, but we are sure to step on some toes with this one.
As always, we cover a few listener questions, and take a criticism of our slights on the unique Sega Genesis sound.
Want to get right to the adventure (of Link)?  Start at the 11:00 mark.
__________________________
If you enjoy this podcast, why not write a review wherever you download it from? It's easy, and helps people find us by accident. Find everything Retrovaniacs at http://www.retrovania.net
Intro song is "8-Bitter" by Subtastics, and is used with permission, mainly because Jeremy P is in that band.