The Gamer Agenda Podcast

The Secret to Success for Pokémon GO’s Communtiy Days (Episode 15)

Today’s agenda: The Secret to Success for Pokémon GO’s Communtiy Days In the cusp of an ever-changing environment, Community Day is a stable pillar of hope for the Pokémon GO player base, offering veteran and newbie players alike a chance at easy shinies, extra candy, and exclusive moves. But it’s not just about shinies— It’s also a great way to get moving and spend time outside with your community! So how has Community Day managed to remain such an eagerly anticipated part of the game, while raids and battles have crashed and burned? Listen in as we discuss a brief history of Community Day events, our experiences with them, and what sorts of Pokémon we can expect (and want) to see in the future, as well as a brief discussion on how the similarly-structured Limited Research Day events offer opportunities where Community Day does not.

Is DLC Ruining Mario Sports Games? (Episode 14)

Today’s agenda: Is DLC Ruining Mario Sports? It’s not news to anyone that Mario boasts an impressive resume: plumbing, princess-rescuing, a doctorate, go-kart racing, the mustachioed marvel has even had his hand in a number of professional sports. Mario sports games (tennis, golf, etc.) have become an expected staple of nearly every new Nintendo console, just like with Mario Kart and Mario Party. However, the Mario sports titles have become subject to scrutiny in recent years, with common complaints including being “too repetitive” or not having a substantial enough single player mode. And with a rumored new baseball game in development, and several gamers dubious over its potential, many are quick to assume that DLC is to blame for the recent drop in quality. But is DLC really the problem? Listen in as we discuss and compare every installment of Mario Tennis, Golf, and Strikers to see just how much content Nintendo’s really putting up to bat.

Queerness in Kids Media: Gonzo-Rella (Episode 13)

Welcome to the first episode of a new TGAP mini-series called Queerness in Kids’ Media, where we discuss positive representations of queerness and LGBTQ themes in children’s TV and movies! Today, we talk about ‘Gonzo-Rella’ from ‘Muppet Babies’ (2018). The episode centers around Gonzo (a male character) wanting to wear a dress while attending the babies’ make-believe royal ball, and after being told that boys can only dress as knights, assumes the guise of “Gonzo-rella” and teaches his friends that it’s okay to go against the norm. While the episode’s message is primarily about how people should be able to dress and act however they want without having labels assigned to them, many have taken it to be “transgender propaganda” or “normalizing crossdressing”, going so far as to say the subject is too sexual for kids. Listen in as we discuss our LGBTQ views on ‘Gonzo-rella’, and why seeing a Muppet wearing a dress probably won’t cause the downfall of American heterosexuality.

SpongeBob QUEERPants? Silly Sea Sponge or LGBTQ Icon? (Ft. GodUsoppSHC) (Episode 12)

Today’s agenda: SpongeBob QUEERPants? Silly Sea Sponge or LGBT Icon? Whether or not you’ve seen the show, everyone knows SpongeBob SquarePants— most 90s & 2000s kids can’t go a week without quoting a SpongeBob episode or a SpongeBob meme. But beyond being a pop culture icon, SpongeBob has made a name for himself in more ways than one. While a lot of late 90s/early 2000s male cartoon protagonists were often crude, loud, mean, or struggled with typical “boy” problems like crushes or bullies, SpongeBob stood out from the crowd by being a lot more childish— more gentle and feminine, even, and that’s led some people to questioning the gender and sexual identity of this fictional sea sponge. Not to mention, tons of queer adults & teens grew up with SpongeBob and gladly welcome him as one of their own. So who better to discuss this concept than a couple of queer bitches who LOVE SpongeBob? Joining us today we have a HUGE SpongeBob fan, returning guest GodUsoppSHC!

Pokemon GO Hoenn Tour: The Good, The Bad, and the FUTURE! (Episode 11)

Today’s agenda: Hoenn Tour - The Good, the Bad, and the FUTURE! The Hoenn Tour is the third iteration of an event that Pokémon GO has done since 2021, celebrating each of the generations of Pokémon and giving players a chance to ‘catch ‘em all’, including rare and exclusive Pokémon they may not normally have access to, such as Mythical Legendaries and Regional Pokémon. 2021 celebrated the Kanto region, 2022 celebrated Johto, and this year celebrated the Hoenn region— introducing new additions such as Primal Kyogre and Groudon, and the long-awaited Kecleon. As the first version of the Tour events to be released in a post-pandemic world, tons of players were excited to get out there and revisit the Hoenn region, but this Tour was quite a ways different from the past ones, for better and worse. So, what changed? How did players feel about it? What did we feel worked? What did we not like? And what could these changes mean for the Sinnoh Tour next year? Let’s jump into it!