Gamer Era

Episode 031 - Down the Rabbid Hole

Somebody call for an exterminator? Once upon a time, colourful cartoon mascots were the video game industry’s lingua franca, and yet only one has a history as colourful as Ubisoft’s very own pal in purple - Rayman! In advance of the big guy’s 30th anniversary, Sam and David welcome Pitch Please’s [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pitch-please/id1759885770] very own Alexander Gaither to the fray, cross-examining a seemingly ‘armless individual with quite the array of skeletons in his closet. There’s also our preserved-in-amber Nintendo Switch 2 Direct predictions, and a surprisingly spirited discussion on Netflix games (of all things!), all while we skirt closer and closer to the line for what counts as an acceptable French accent. YAHOO! Find us at: http://gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] Topics discussed: Rayman, Rayman 2: The Great Escape, Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc; “Rayman 4” / Rayman Raving Rabbids, Rabbids Go Home, Rabbids Invasion: The Interactive TV Show, “Killer Freaks From Outer Space” (ZombiU); Rayman Origins, Rayman Legends, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle / Sparks of Hope Also mentioned: Powerwash Simulator, Gangs of London; The Behemoth (studio), Bloons Tower Defence, Netflix Games; The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf, UFO 50 (Caramel Caramel); Ubisoft Montpelier, Atari Jaguar, Tonic Trouble, Gameloft; Beyond Good and Evil 2, UbiArt Framework, Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I; Google Stadia, Ouya, Captain Laserhawk, Connie and the Essence of Chaos Music used: * Opening / World Map / The Band Awakens [from “Rayman”] - Rémi Gazel, VA * The Walk of Life (Reprise) [from “Rayman 2: The Great Escape”] - Eric Chevalier * The Hunt is On! [from “Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc”] - Plume, Fred Leonard, Laurent Parisi * Phantom Returns (Act 1 Overture) [from “Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope”] - Augustin Chemelle, Grant Kirkhope * World Map ~ Sea of Serendipity [from “Rayman Origins”] - Christophe Héral, Billy Martin * Making Fun (Of Everyday Life) - The Raving Rabbids Further reading: * “Rayman (SNES)” - The Cutting Room Floor: https://tcrf.net/Rayman_(SNES) [https://tcrf.net/Rayman_(SNES)] * “Rayman 4 - Unseen 64” (Liam Robertson, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CvVT8cWWUY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CvVT8cWWUY] * “Rayman 4's Prototype was COMPLETELY Different” (FrameRater, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_X5iKoz6Bk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_X5iKoz6Bk] * “Freaks and tweaks: ZombiU’s winding path to launch” - Polygon (Andrew Hayward, 2012): https://web.archive.org/web/20121116061603/http://www.polygon.com/2012/11/13/3592140/zombiu-path-to-wii-U-launch [https://web.archive.org/web/20121116061603/http://www.polygon.com/2012/11/13/3592140/zombiu-path-to-wii-U-launch]

Episode 030 - The Mobile Invasion of Earth (ft. Podtor Whocast)

Feels different this time… Freshly bi-generated and ready for Round 2, those fine folks from Podtor Whocast RETURN to restore the deeply cursed timeline of modern Doctor Who games. After a catch-up with Michel over yet more Fallout London talk (Atomfall who?), it’s right back into action on a conversation that’s as much about Who as it is a lamentation on the state of mobile gaming in general. And tangents? Oh, we got ‘em. Bada-boom-ba! Missed Part One? Click here for “A Brief History of Time and Space”! [https://friendlymush.com/podcast/gamer-era-episode-018-a-brief-history-of-time-and-space/] Find us at http://gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] Bluesky: @ [https://bsky.app/profile/gamertime.online]gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] (@sammycrow [https://bsky.app/profile/sammycrow.bsky.social], @fewbat [https://bsky.app/profile/fewbat.bsky.social]) Backloggd: @GamerEraPodcast [https://www.backloggd.com/u/GamerEraPodcast] (@sammycrow [https://backloggd.com/u/Sammycrow/], @fewbat [https://backloggd.com/u/fewbat]) Topics discussed: Doctor Who: The Mazes of Time, Torchwood: Miracle Day - Web of Lies, Doctor Who: The Adventure Games - The Gunpowder Plot, Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock, Doctor Who Legacy / Infinity; LEGO Dimensions, The Saviour of Time (Skype), Doctor Who: The Runaway, “Thirteen” (2048 clone), Doctor Who: The Edge of Time / Reality, Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins; Doctor Who: Lost in Time Also mentioned: PowerWash Simulator, House Flipper 2, While Waiting, Freerunning (PS2); Fallout: London, Infinity Nikki, The Unholy Return of Acclaim; Balatro, Michel gets back into the Steam Deck, The Sims 2 Legacy Collection; Quantum Break, the PS Vita, “The Power of Three”, Family Guy Online; Ghostbusters, Star Trek: Lower Decks - The Badgey Directive, Back to the Future: The Game Music used: * “Dr. Who Disco” - Mankind * The Shepherd’s Boy / Breaking the Wall [from “Heaven Sent”] - Murray Gold, BBC National Orchestra of Wales * Ol’ Blighty (Cinematic Mix) [from “Fallout: London”] - Daniel Morrison Neil, Team FOLON * Westminster Bridge [from “Rose”] - Murray Gold, BBC National Orchestra of Wales * Cassandra’s Waltz [from “The End of the World”] - Murray Gold, BBC National Orchestra of Wales * A Noble Girl About Town [from “Partners in Crime”] - Murray Gold, BBC National Orchestra of Wales * “Whorhythmics” [based on “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” - Eurythmics] - JeX Further reading: * “The Balatro Timeline” [Developer Diary] - LocalThunk, 2025: https://localthunk.com/blog/balatro-timeline-3aarh [https://localthunk.com/blog/balatro-timeline-3aarh] * “Granada The Program - Celebrities” [Jon Pertwee plays Star Wars Dark Forces, 1995]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia463EOvZxk&t=375s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia463EOvZxk&t=375s]

Episode 029 - Puppetry in the Space Age

Thunderbirds are GO! It’s all hands on deck and action stations in a series of tales so tall that not even the Mole could get to the bottom of it. Prepare for launch with Sam and David, as they bash their mighty vinyl craniums together in the name of stringing up just what pulled the venerable Anderson puppets along through trials across screens big and small. Oh, and I suppose we’ll talk about some "computer games" too. F.A.B.! Find us at: http://gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] Bluesky: @ [https://bsky.app/profile/gamertime.online]gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] (@sammycrow [https://bsky.app/profile/sammycrow.bsky.social], @fewbat [https://bsky.app/profile/fewbat.bsky.social]) Backloggd: @GamerEraPodcast [https://www.backloggd.com/u/GamerEraPodcast] (@sammycrow [https://backloggd.com/u/Sammycrow/], @fewbat [https://backloggd.com/u/fewbat]) Topics discussed: Thunderbirds (1965 - 1966), Thunderbirds (2004 film), various “Thunderbirds” tie-in games (1985 - 2004) Also mentioned: Cruis’n USA (and other N64 racers), PowerWash Simulator, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (PS2), Grand Theft Hamlet, You Are Peter Shorts, Nordic FuzzCon, Magical Cat Adventure, Kurinu E-Pets [https://www.kurinuepets.com/]; “Supermarionation” shows (The Adventures of Twizzle, Torchy the Battery Boy, Four Feather Falls, Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, Secret Service); Firebird Software, “Don't Buy This: Five of the Worst Games Ever”, Pack-In Video, “Scientific Rescue Team Technoboyger” (Thunderbirds 2086), Carlton; Pukka Games (Cool Bricks, Digital Road, Hot Potato), SCi Interactive, Vivendi, Saffire Full show notes at: https://friendlymush.com/podcast/gamer-era-episode-029-puppetry-in-the-space-age/ [https://friendlymush.com/podcast/gamer-era-episode-029-puppetry-in-the-space-age/]

Episode 028 - Virtues of Monster-Keeping (ft. Kitenby)

It all comes back to the egg… In honour of Pokémon Day, we’re once again taking an askew look at the biggest franchise in games, this time by showcasing two properties that are often (and perhaps unfairly) compared against it. Sam leaps from your keychain and beeps aggressively to give an essential timeline on Tamagotchi, explaining the lore and dispelling the myths, while Kit (@kitenby [https://bsky.app/profile/kitenby.bsky.social]) wrangles with the wild history of Digimon and its wealth of spin-off media. There’s also plenty discussed on the key link with their parent company, and the wider bubble of the virtual pet craze of the late 90s. Tight! Find us at: http://gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] Bluesky: @ [https://bsky.app/profile/gamertime.online]gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] (@sammycrow [https://bsky.app/profile/sammycrow.bsky.social], @fewbat [https://bsky.app/profile/fewbat.bsky.social]) Backloggd: @GamerEraPodcast [https://www.backloggd.com/u/GamerEraPodcast] (@sammycrow [https://backloggd.com/u/Sammycrow/], @fewbat [https://backloggd.com/u/fewbat]) Topics discussed: Bandai, Tamagotchi, the Sega Dreamcast VMU, Pokémon Pocket Pikachu, the Pokémon Mini,; Digimon V-Pets, Digimon Adventure, Digimon World, Digimon: The Movie, Digimon Survive Also mentioned: Metaphor: ReFantazio, Like a Dragon: Yakuza, Donkey Kong Country (TV series), Anbernic handhelds; the Apple Pippin Atmark, vTech v.Smile [http://v.Smile], Osutchi & Mesutchi, Santaclautch; NiGHTS into Dreams, Chao Garden, Seaman, the Sony PocketStation, Hey You! Pikachu, the Pokéwalker, Skillz (UK magazine), Professor Sherry Turkle; the WonderSwan, 4-Kids, Saban Productions, Angela Anaconda, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth Full show notes at: https://friendlymush.com/podcast/gamer-era-episode-028-virtues-of-monster-keeping/ [https://friendlymush.com/podcast/gamer-era-episode-028-virtues-of-monster-keeping/]

Episode 027 - No Country for Old Kongs

We’re over a barrel now… Beat your suspiciously smooth chest and descend from the canopy, because it’s time to talk about one of gaming’s oldest icons! David and Sam zoom in on two time periods that distinctly represent the “mid-point” of DK’s life from today: the Country-seasoned heyday of a life in the Rare barnyard, and Nintendo’s subsequent attempts to re-bottle that lightning in a post-buyout vacuum. No need for an Expansion Pak, because there’s plenty of developer deep-dives, Kiddy Kong cross-sections, and more tangents than you can shake an ostrich at. Bananaaa slamma! Find us at: http://gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] Bluesky: @ [https://bsky.app/profile/gamertime.online]gamertime.online [http://gamertime.online] Backloggd: @GamerEraPodcast [https://www.backloggd.com/u/GamerEraPodcast] Special thanks to Jammin’ Sam Miller [https://www.youtube.com/@JamminSamMiller] for their Donkey Kong Country soundtrack restorations as used throughout the ep! Topics discussed: Ultimate Play the Game, Rare, Ltd., Donkey Kong Country 1-3, Donkey Kong Land 1-3, Donkey Kong 64; Nintendo vs. Namco, the DK Bongos, Donkey Konga 1-3, Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat, DK: King of Swing / Jungle Climber, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series Also mentioned: House Flipper, “Groverhaus”, Control, the Nintendo Switch 2, Balatro, The Zachtronics Solitaire Collection, Mindwave; E3 2010, the ZX Spectrum, Slalom, Donkey Kong Jr. Math, Popeye no Eigo Asobi, Donkey Kong ‘94, Donkey Kong Country (GBC/GBA), Yooka-Laylee; It’s Mr. Pants, Donkey Kong Racing, Banjo-Pilot, Taiko no Tatsujin, Ele-Conga, Odama, Plesschen Twist & Paint; the New Play Control! Series, “Bull Beat” (UE5 tech demo), Beat Nebula, Squat Bot; Paon, Clu-Clu Land, Heave-Ho, Turnip Mountain, Nintendo Software Technology Full show notes at: https://friendlymush.com/podcast/gamer-era-episode-027-no-country-for-old-kongs/ [https://friendlymush.com/podcast/gamer-era-episode-027-no-country-for-old-kongs/]