Nintendo's never truly embraced Blue Ocean the J&J DreamFactory way. Brand expansion is a constant goal, but Nintendo just doesn't have the same energy as Jon and James unbound by lawyers, analysts, and brand managers. Liberated, unburdened, truly free - our minds create ideas that will result in tens of sales.

Nintendo recently in-housing WARPSTAR - the marketing machine behind Kirby - as Nintendo Stars seems to already be paying dividends. But while Nintendo is finding a way to sell wooden blocks to full-grown adults, J&J is finding ways to target the real sickos.

LEGO knock-offs, despite a lucrative LEGO contract? I fear my imagination was not sufficiently broad. My colleague, the canonical first J in J&J, returns to the show with the business idea equivalent of a top-rope moonsault. He's not here often, and he rarely talks, but when he does it is always staggeringly ill-conceived.

If you had not deduced, Jon is back this week but Greg is out.

Since he couldn't make our Direct conversations, we had Jon give his thoughts - and dunk on the Virtual Boy. James gives impressions of Donkey Kong Bananza's DK Island and Emerald Rush DLC. Gui is still itching for ninja action and found a way to claim the otherwise unavailable SEGA Ages Shinobi as well as Revenge of Shinobi. He's also spent time with a cat janitor doomed to clean-up a Metroidvania afterlife in Crypt Custodian.

After a break we tackle two of your questions. First, if Nintendo is giving us Virtual Boy and talking flower Talking Flower™, what ideas are they scrapping? Lastly, we pontificate on what we'd be doing if not for video games.

Emails, send them!

This episode was edited by Guillaume Veillette. The "Men of Leisure" theme song was produced exclusively for Radio Free Nintendo by Perry Burkum. Hear more at Perry's SoundCloud. The Radio Free Nintendo logo was produced by Connor Strickland. See what he's up to at his website.

This episode's ending music is "Stopper" from Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes II for PC-Engine CD. Composition by Falcom Sound Team J.D.K.. It was requested by Connor. All rights reserved by Nihon Falcom Corporation.