Topics

26

Nintendo Gaming / Switch Friend Code Thread

« on: March 03, 2017, 11:52:01 AM »

This thread is for posting your online ID for the Switch so people can add you as friends for online gaming. Only post your ID here; other discussion or matchmaking should be done in the relevant forum threads or personal messages.

Other methods for finding friends will be available "soon".

Yes, this is copy-pasted from the NNID thread.

27

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 89: Square Root Of Minus Predictions

« on: February 06, 2017, 10:43:44 PM »

In other math news, Stephen = (Donald + Austen)
Download (Time: 3'25"18)

Despite a technical hiccup in the recording booth, Nintendo Free Radio 89 is here for your eventual mockery. But first is a brief New Business as Stephen finally finished the first chapter of Dragon Quest Builders. Yes, it took that long. Donald jumps in with bar-filling and recipe discovery as among his brief mentions is the return of Final Fantasy XV (its last appearance until roughly April). Austen has some quick hits as well, including the finest use of a circular saw since Donald's shop class, Resident Evil 7.

Whatcha Watchin' is also brief, as Stephen is celebrating an anniversary with Luther while Donald double-dips on game show controversey with Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal and Major Fraud. See if you can spot which one was done by the production company. Austen remains in England as he talks both of the famous Holmes shows, Elementary and Sherlock.

The Feature is most of the show, so much that the recording jumped ahead three days in the middle. We look back at our ill-fated 2016 predictions, and make some new ones. Stephen is apparently trying to win on sheer volume, while Donald and Austen try to stick with things that will be proven right. Also, the Scorpio makes its first Price is Right appearance. Brief Mushrooms include a request for a disproval of Rule 34, hatred of Irwin R. Schyster, and a great voice actor possibly returning to work after telling cancer to sod off.

NEXT EPISODE IS GAME OF THE YEAR 2017 - and 2016's will post first. If you'd like to submit a top 5 list, please hit us up with the usual methods.

This podcast was recorded on January 29/February 1 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

28

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 88: Thanks, Uncle Danny

« on: January 21, 2017, 10:53:12 PM »

EVERYBODY, RUN... oh, it's just some fat slob with a Dualshock 4.
Download (Time: 3:49:04)
Following a longer than expected holiday break, Nintendo Free Radio has reconvened for your listening enjoyment. Off the top of New Business, Donald has bad news for the PS4: he has one, which based on the last four platforms he's bought can only mean one thing... the first game he bought for it after getting it, Doom (2016). Also, we may need a judge's ruling on episode 89. After some quick hits - literally, in one instance - Stephen finds our lack of faith in Star Wars: Battlefront disturbing. (Rest in power, Carrie Fisher.) Stephen then answers the most common EVO question (when's mahvel) with Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, before wrapping with the impossible as Final Fantasy XV actually launched. Austen grabs the miracle torch with The Last Guardian before trying to wrap up stuff for Game of the Year with Uncharted 4 and Stardew Valley (PS4) headlining.

After a returning champion and a very... interesting intro, Donald opens Whatcha Watchin' wiith a last celebration of Pokémon's 20th anniversay before Stephen smells what The Rock is cookin' in Moana. And then of course, the contractually obligated Doctor Who Christmas special. Austen's twin bill is a brief Star Wars Rebels update before thinking more about the Assassin's Creed movie than anyone in history.

The feature, of course, is Switchmas. A system that is constantly in flux, we break it down based on the information known as of recording time. Who's in, who's out, and who's waiting for a price drop? (And yes, we know we are derelict in our duty as it pertains to Xenoblade 2.) The Mushrooms include a farewell to Donald's system buying after Switchmas, Stephen's own difficult switch, and words of praise for punching holidays.

Now that the December NPDs are out and we have been able to wrap the predictions for 2016, we will hit them next time AND step out on the ledge for 2017. Want a piece of the action? Send it to us by email, Twitter, or leave them here. We're also planning to do the annual Game of the Year show in early February, and we've received a top 5 list already so if you want to send us yours, don't be afraid to drop them in as well!

This podcast was recorded on January 14 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

29

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 87: Revenge of the Schick

« on: December 13, 2016, 11:14:34 PM »

For sale: One person's dignity. Please contact Easy Allies, attention K. Bosman
Download (Time: 2:39:27)
In an attempt to keep new content flowing through the holidays, the Nintendo Free Radio team has assembled to talk sellouts and other game news. Donald starts out New Business with a quick look at DS Virtual Console on the Wii U (it's still weird) by way of an inexpensive Kirby Mass Attack before providing a Pokémon Sun and Moon update. The Pokédex is finished, by the by. Stephen transitions into the world of mecha with Titanfall 2, while Austen is less than impressed with Dishonored 2 so he settled into a couple of adventure games with King's Quest (2014 - 16) and Telltale's Batman.

Stephen picks up the baton for Whatcha Watchin' with a report on the CW's great superhero show crossover, while Donald has been feeling a fair bit of despair lately so he settled down with a Funimation trial and watched Danganronpa 3. Austen gets Final Fantasy XV out of his system with Kingsglaive, before finding something soothing with Kubo and the Two Strings.

It's a weekend double Feature as the crew covers the lows and... well, lows (unless you count the That Dragon, Cancer speech or Nolan North encouraging game developers to unionize) with the Game Awards before the question of "where's mahvel" is FINALLY answered at the PlayStation Experience. Also, it's kind of hard to tell Ys games apart. The Mushrooms hit on fading glory, hums, incentives not to preorder and some exciting announcements.

Although circumstances may conspire to prevent it, we are going to try and squeeze in one more regulation recording before Christmas. If there's anything you wish to send us, you can do it by the usual methods.

This podcast was recorded on December 5 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

30

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 86: Thanksgiving Mega Hard

« on: November 24, 2016, 10:21:52 PM »

Although a couple of us agree with John Oliver.

Download (Time: 2'17"56)

Despite an illness, we still managed to get this one out for the second half of the football game on Dishonored Thanksgiving night. Stephen's New Business reprises a bit of what had to be removed from Episode 85 due to audio issues with Monster Hunter Generations before seguing into Dishonored 1. Donald has a Wii U puzzle game that did go on sale despite his prediction in Tumblestone, before wrapping up Fire Emblem Fates with the Revelations run and heading off to Haw... Alola with Pokémon Sun. Austen has some brief updates before tackling PS4 indie game Silence (contains spoilers) and a couple of decidedly not-indie games in Titanfall 2 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

A brief Whatcha Watchin' segment covers the modern remake of Jonny Quest (season 2) and Marvel's Doctor Strange, with some terrible bears saved for next time. The Feature discussion involves the crew finding some positive things to be thankful for in 2016. Then the Mushrooms go negative again with bad remasters and stupid bans, but words of praise come down for Battleborn Day and the return of a much-needed 3DS feature.

Next time will likely record immediately following the weekend doubleshot of The Game Awards 2016 and PlayStation Experience, so if you have any comments on them or questions (that don't involve having to call lawyers) hit us up by email, Twitter or in the comments below,

This episode was recorded on November 20 and edited by Donald "Let's Use Four Teams For Shiggles In Sun" Theriault.

31

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 85: Tales Of The Bandwidth Impaired

« on: November 16, 2016, 10:38:44 PM »

Just watch out for a stray episode of This Week In Baseball.
Download (Time: 2:57:53)
(Note: Due to a mishap possibly involving the Large Hadron Collider, Stephen's audio was not salvageable for New Business. We do apologize for the inconvenience.)

It's been another wacky few weeks for the Nintendo Free Radio crew, but they're back to lay down gaming and pop culture jocularity. Donald ended up opening New Business with Exist Archive, the Fogarty-class self-plagarism of Valkyrie Profile, before getting his stylus on in Severed (Wii U) and some review games. Plus a game we'd really not rather talk about. Austen pulled in some recent indie darlings of the PlayStation 4 with Seraph and Aragami, and following the latest sordid tales of the shooter realm finishes with the long awaited Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter.

Stephen enters for Whatcha Watchin' with the newly relocated Supergirl, and following the superhero discussion Donald interjects with British comedy panel show Mock the Week and a very rare dub of a mid-90s Fire Emblem anime. And since it was before any of the games got localized or Smash Bros. made them famous, there's some interesting naming going on. (The full show can be viewed on Youtube.) Austen pays off a Kickstarter from early in the year as he provides a counterbalancing view of Vision of Escaflowne.

The Feature discussion is a breakdown of the officially known information about the Nintendo Switch. Who's in? Will storage be a concern? Why the bloody hell do companies use .wav on shipping product? In the Mushrooms, we slam PSN and Xbox Live while celebrating the removal of a milstone and facepalming heavily about onesies with pockets for melee weapons and Doritos.

The next episode might be 86, but it's also going to be recorded around the US Thanksgiving. And with that, we'd like to know what YOU'RE thankful for in a year that some people on the show have wanted to declare non-canon. Email, tweet or hit us up below and we'll make sure to enter it into the record for the next show!

This podcast was recorded on November 6 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

32

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 84: The Dolby Apocalypse

« on: October 18, 2016, 11:11:20 PM »

The argument against using Skype is five minutes of using Skype.

Download (Time: 2:21:33)

The planning for this episode was weird - there was a telethon segment to plan (coming soon to a feed near you), Austen had a fight with the one hit of The Scorpions, and Stephen's mid-move. Still, we soldier on. In New Business, Donald opens with a 3DS RPG - stop me if that sounds familiar - in Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse, then transitions to a couple of adventure titles with Paper Mario: Color Splash (touchscreen mostly not included) and Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness. Stephen leads a discussion of the Dragon Quest Builders demo, and two panelists ended up grabbing the full version. One's obvious, but one will *shock* you. Stephen has also been trying out future free-to-play shooter Paladins, while Austen grabs some quick hits and finishes with Bioshock 1, 2 and Minvera's Den.

After a brief Whatcha Watchin' - Stephen grabbed Luke Cage, while Donald and Austen tag-teamed the fabric-challenged brawler Kill la Kill - we head straight to the Mushrooms. On the menu: Randy Pitchford is probably nuts, the Xbox One sucks at firmware update, we're losing a chat program, Stephen needs to check his boots, Donald is saving money, and despite the Golden State Warriors blowing a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals we may still find out if God hates Cleveland.

Keep an eye out for our special segment from the NWR Live Podcast Telethon for Child's Play - and if you haven't gotten in on the giving, you've got a couple of days to fix that. Also, be sure to send us a tweet, a comment here or an email if there's something you'd like us to talk about.

This podcast was recorded on October 13 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

33

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 83: Time To Slime

« on: September 26, 2016, 09:40:33 PM »

Big Block of Cheese Day is Andrew Jackson's sole contribution to society.
Download (Time: 2'31"58)
(Apologies in advance, but Donald's microphone had an issue until the end of New Business. It was dealt with from there, and the persons responsible were promptly sacked.)

A quick episode gets a quick turnaround on Nintendo Free Radio, as we keep it all about the games. Donald takes the lead in New Business with the biggest game of the day, Dragon Quest VII. Will it win Best Remake by default, or is an hour and a half too long to wait for a slime to approach? Donald has also acquired a Xbox 360, so we hammer through some game library suggestions for those who are a decade late to the party, before ending on Noitu Love: Devolution. Stephen has been playing SteamWorld Tower Defense to get ready for the upcoming Wii U version of Heist, and he finds it a tad irritating. As a result, he jumps to join Austen in a massive post-update round of Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (100% K-Log free). Austen has a quick collection of smaller downloads and disc games including Bioshock Even More HD, a game that will probably get someone sued when it hits the Vita, and PacMan Championship Edition 2.

A brief Whatcha Watchin' covers a couple of chron-gaming projects and Star Wars Rebels before we dip into the West Wing for the Feature. Yep, it's the return of the two-ton block of cheese, with nutball groups including TGS, the lack of an NX announcement, and a company apparently interested in killing itself. The Mushrooms are heavy on the Poison side, but we do come up with a 1up at the end.

If there's anything you've wanted to know or want us to cover, leave a comment below, hit us up on the Twitters or drop us an email!

This podcast was recorded on September 18 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

34

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 82: Puppies And Ponies

« on: September 16, 2016, 08:38:43 PM »

Not the kind Stephen watches, though.
(Time: 2'57"23) (Download)

Because there's absolutely no RPGs coming out right now, we recommend a dose of Nintendo Free Radio. New Business is a largely two-man affair following a brief Monster Hunter Generations update from Stephen. Donald spent the ideal amount for Skylanders SuperChargers but may have been screwed by his choice of platform, but he's OK with it since he got a hold of the consensus 2016 Game of the Year. Yes, Metroid Prime Federation Force is out and Donald brings the praise in his usual understated fashion. Since Austen never asked for this, he's playing a recent Deus Ex game... in Deus Ex Go. Following an update on his progress in a console version (Human Revolution), he finishes with PS4 indie game Valley. Despite comparisons to Metroid Prime (the original), it might actually be good.

Whatcha Watchin' has Stephen exploring the life of Sinbad in Magi: Sinbad, before Donald talks commercial tie-ins again with Persona 5: Daybreakers. Thankfully, this OVA doesn't spoil. As a follow-up from last episode, Austen tuned into some animated busting in The Real Ghostbusters and Extreme Ghostbusters, as well as a cautionary tale on executive meddling.

For the Feature, the team re-assembled following a long week of presentations to talk the Nintendo Direct, the Sony conference (and various things surrounding it) and the first and last time we'll cover an Apple dog and pony show unless they bring back the iPod Classic. (With a 3.5mm headphone jack, kthnx.) The pb[Mushrooms hit a price increase and other problems with Sony, but also folders. Finally.

If you have something you want us to hit, be sure to hit us up by email, Twitter or drop it below!

Links:
- Donald's Power Disc Slam and Market Crashers reviews
- Daan Koopman presents The Worst of Skunk Software: Piano Teacher, The Skunk Bundle, Games for Toddlers, Super Hero Math
- NintendoLife: Exploring the Licensed Content in RCMADIAX Games on the Wii U and New 3DS eShop

This podcast was recorded on September 5/8 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

35

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 81: Of Balls And Battleborn

« on: August 23, 2016, 11:01:51 PM »

Seriously, this might be the longest discussion of Battleborn ever.
Time: 3'10"29 (Download)
Well muchachos, you asked for it: another Nintendo Free Radio has taken the air. Stephen's moving precluded him from much New Business, though he did give a brief overview of his Monster Hunter Generations progress. Donald tries to wrangle the team through discussions of 7th Dragon III Code: VfD, a couple of review games (Ambition of the Slimes, Tadpole Treble), the Blast Ball part of 2016 Game of the Year Metroid Prime Federation Force and... Minecraft. Yes, Minecraft. Like the game itself, it didn't last long. Austen has some brief mentions including Yooka-Laylee's Toybox demo, but his main event is Battleborn. 115 hours worth of non-whiny penguins, insane AI and stupid leveling systems.

Whatcha Watchin' opens with Stephen talking Beat Bugs (Netflix) before engaging in a 4x100 relay with Donald on the Olympics (we recorded on Day 9). Donald wanted to keep his conversations short... and failed miserably since he made the mistake of dredging up The Force Awakens for another beating before going to the one movie more controversial than that: Ghostbusters (2016). The end result: One new crush, one whipping.

The Feature discussion is normally related to our anniversary, as we dust off the first episode's feature and discuss games we're hyped for for the rest of the year. Note that at time of recording, Deus Ex: I Never Asked For This and Federation Force weren't out yet. The Mushrooms include the Final Fantasy XV delay that was all over but the shouting, Donald never darkening a doorstep again, and Stephen getting free surround sound equipment.

You've got a little time to get your feedback to us for the next show, so drop it to the usual places or leave it below!

This podcast was edited on August 14 and was edited by Donald Theriault, as the last thing he did as a 31 year old.

36

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 80: Monster Setsuna Sessions

« on: August 02, 2016, 08:54:04 PM »

The reasons for the long delay are... complex.
(Time: 3'32"11) (Download)
Following an unexpected summer hiatus due to various moving related concerns, Nintendo Free Radio has returned. And as befitting the first episode following E3, it's a massive New Business segment. Stephen's visiting arcades, then cursing the lack of Farfetch'd outside of Asia in Pokémon Go. (This is all prior to the update that made the game LITERALLY UNPLAYABLE, by the way.) Following a long session of Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, Stephen brings it home with Monster Hunter Generations. Donald grabs the portable baton and tries (badly) to talk Austen off the ledge over Zero Time Dilemma (if you want spoilers, we have that covered), then settles into a three week Fire Emblem Fates bender that covers all three paths. But the main event is the Non-Spite Game of the Year, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. Austen tries to stay cool in the Florida heat with I Am Setsuna, but he did play Mighty No 9 as well. Find out if it's better than nothing. New Business wraps with extended impressions of a shooter that released in May... we're talking about Battleborn, of course. What did you think he played? Oh, that one. It comes up too.

Whatcha Watchin' sees Stephen investigate CBS drama in Person of Interest, before Austen checks out a couple of movies that made a lot of bloody money in China: Warcraft and Batman v Superman before swearing fealty to an Empire of Corpses. Donald lost his damn fool mind sometime around Canada Day, and the result is his contribution to WW: Yuri Kuma Arashi. All you need to know is the localized title would be "Lesbian Bear Storm". The crew then forgoes the feature and hits the Mushrooms which include moving, court proceedings and a pointed rant about a Canadian shipping company.

Next time - whenever that is, for reasons that will become clear at the end of the episode - we will try to handle the top 5 games we're excited for the rest of the year. If you have a list, send it to us by the usual methods (Twitter, email, or leave it below).

This podcast was recorded on July 24 and edited by Donald Theriault.

37

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 79: 444 - 4 Hours, 4 Persons, 4 Doors

« on: June 10, 2016, 02:11:44 PM »

The deceased will deliver the eulogy, and those in attendance will have a couple of hours for rebuttal.

Time: 3'38"50 (Download)

The last show before E3 sees RPGamer co-owner / RPGCast regular Anna Marie Privitere return after an appearance on Episode 34 to talk games and the state of E3. Donald opens New Business with a brief NES mention before hitting his main event of Zero Escape: 999 and Virtue's Last Reward (including a Platinum trophy that will likely be his last). Anna then brings the maiden RPG love with Omega Quintet, which appears to be the result of sticking Disgaea, Stella Glow and a PS4 in a blender on puree. After that, we break down everything coming out in June for the role-playing fans (spoilers: A LOT). Stephen gets the dreaded montage as he played some, um, interesting things with his new fight stick, while Austen has been hitting the sauce in The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine before hitting the links for a little Dangerous Golf. It's golf made by the team who did Burnout 3. Need we say more?

A brief Whatcha Watchin' ensues following the golf trip with Anna trying out "Diplomacy and Chill" with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Following a superhero block (including Captain America: Civil War) Donald keeps his streak alive with early impressions of Archer Season 6 - or should we say, Archer: Other M.

But you're here for the big E3 preview and the crew does not disappoint. We make some predictions for the conferences - and like last year, some of them haven't been proven wrong yet. As well, we look at the state of E3 in an increasingly video-obsessed world. The Mushrooms prove one of Donald's predictions wrong while at the same time discuss the state of online conversation about localization, the joys of game collecting and... THAT trailer. Jon Stewart guest stars.

The next show for us is the E3 recap, so please look forward to it, and send us things to talk about if the show's just going to get spoiled beforehand! You can find Anna on Twitter @amprivitere, on the RPGCast most weeks at rpgamer.com or twitch.tv/rpgamer - where you'll also find the archive of Omega Quintet streams.

This podcast was recorded on June 5 and was edited by a hay-fever afflicted Donald Theriault.

38

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 78: Buck Frighthouse

« on: June 01, 2016, 11:07:53 PM »

This recording was meant to be a tribute to Alan Young, but connection issues made it out to Chuck Barris.

Time: 2'50"10 (Download)
Bonus segment: 51"20 (Download)

Let's not mince words: This episode went poorly. The night of saw rampant internet issues, and the editor's come down with some sort of whooping cough, but we still want to get this out before the E3 preview show records. Stephen passed on New Business, so Donald tackles a couple of Vita hits of late 2015 with returning champion Superbeat Xonic and 2016 GOTY candidate (by virtue of a December 22/15 release date) Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel. Austen's big games were another Vita RPG in Ray Gigant (not recommended except for Kairon) and Valkyria Chronicles now on PS4. Also mentioned: Pocket Card Jockey, Project X Zone 2, Dark Souls The Third and Uncharted 4.

Most of Whatcha Watchin was taken up by a nearly 50 minute look at RahXephon (which you can get here), but Donald knocked an item off the anime bucket list with Persona 4: The Animation while Austen braved Hideki Anno on the good drugs to watch Evangelion 3.33. On two hours sleep. The poor sod.

The Feature discussion gives props to some of the under-appreciated games of 2016 that probably won't come back around, before swinging into a quick temperature check of where console gaming is going this year. Common complaint: Not enough time. In the Mushrooms, we bid farewell to a Disney icon, Disney Infinity, and Disney taking any risks.

The next episode is the inevitable - and possibly the last? - E3 preview show, so if you have any bets you want the crew to take, send them to us by the usual methods. The next record date is this coming Sunday, June 5, so think real fast.

This podcast was recorded on May 22 and was edited by Donald Theriault. For the record, that was the night Draymond Green hoofed a guy in the nuts.

39

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 77: The E3 Snake Eyes

« on: May 09, 2016, 11:12:07 PM »

On the plus side, Donald can put his LA money into a new podcasting setup.
Download (Time: 3:21:31)
Following a very rough couple of weeks, it takes a nice, long episode of Nintendo Free Radio to let the crew decompress. Donald, having run out of fks to give about Langrisser Re:Incarnation -TENSEI- (his review runs down the crimes) in New Business, hits the Sega 3D Classics Collection in search of a good title and actually succeeded. Stephen has some brief mentions including Overwatch's beta, but his big hits are Ratchet and Clank plus Star Fox Zero (+a little bit of Guard from Donald). Austen, nonplussed, completes a long-standing objective before hitting the latest Vita exclusive (for now) Severed and dives into The Magic Circle... with interesting results.

Whatcha Watchin opens with a look at life as number 2 with HBO's political comedy Veep, while Stephen takes the law into his own hands with Daredevil (S2). Austen ends up completing a rare tri(de)fecta before running into Tokyo Ghoul and taking in the Ratchet and Clank movie (based on the game based on the movie) and based on box office receipts, he's about the only one.

The Feature discussion was going to talk Zelda, but then Nintendo went and lost their damn minds again. Telling E3 where to go (aside from Zelda)? Launching the NX in 2017? Putting Fire Emblem on mobile? A gobsmacked team tries to break it all down. The Mushrooms include the return of the popular "Fun with Preorders" segment, a word about fetishizing crunch, and words of praise for sales.

We'll have more to talk about in a couple of weeks, but send us some questions, comments, complaints, etc by responding below, tweeting @nfrpodcast or shooting us an email!

This podcast was recorded on May 1 and edited by Donald Theriault.

40

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 76: Swords And Stupidity

« on: April 30, 2016, 10:21:16 PM »

Contains the longest Mushroom ever

Download (Time: 3:33:42)

Before we begin, a warning: With one exception, we have left the explicit tag on for this one as there are some issues that we need to talk about that definitely aren't family friendly.

In New Business, Donald brushes off Miitomo in order to talk about a trio of Legend of Zelda games: Hyrule Warriors Legends, the de facto New 3DS exclusive, a surprising over-performer in Twilight Princess HD, and a brief pitstop in Link to the Past as an actual New 3DS exclusive. Stephen played the Platinum demo of Final Fantasy XV since that didn't take long, then decided to go fishing with Big the Cat for some crazy reason. Austen's menu includes gun-toting roguelikes with insane progression requirements (Enter the Gungeon), a blatant marketing attempt that will do better than its co-production (Ratchet and Clank 2016), a game that is the last gasp of TVTVSportsTV Microsoft (Quantum Break) and a game that don't give a f**k (Plants v Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, which shouts out to K-Log).

Whatcha Watchin' includes a superhero run, followed by Stephen getting all up in the Zach Miller department with The Good Dinosaur. Donald counters the superheroes with... wrestlers emerging from cereal boxes devoted to a certain body part in the Shaymin Sports-Ent Minute, before getting thrown out of the show as he's Expelled from Paradise. Austen blasted through Psycho-Pass season 2, but follows that with the long-awaited extended breakdown of The Force Awakens. If you're trying to stay spoiler-pure, you'll need to jump ahead about 25 minutes.

Because Whatcha Watchin' went long, we had to forego the feature which would have ran through the state of the Legend of Zelda series - and that's not going to be on 77 either. Instead, it's straight to the Mushrooms which Austen and Stephen tackle quickly, but Donald has the longest Mushroom in history as they break down everything known (at the time) about the Alison Rapp affair. Thankfully, SquareEnix is always around to provide a nice antidote.

Our next show will record shortly and is going to break down some recent changes to a host's travel plans, but be sure to get in your comments and questions. Also, the show ran a little late as Donald is editing NWR's Connectivity after an injury, so go check out episode 202 to see his handiwork.

This podcast was recorded on April 15 and edited by Donald Theriault.

41

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 75: Podcastmania

« on: April 07, 2016, 12:28:01 AM »

One day, we'll get to the pay windah if you weeeeeel.
Download (Time: 2:27:50)
Donald was a little under the weather the night of recording, so this is a slightly abbreviated episode 75 - no Whatcha Watchin', for one thing. Instead, Donald fires up New Business with a look at the dark side of Fire Emblem Fates in Conquest, after a big fat wedding in Birthright. Following some quick hits, Donald and Stephen form North American Alpha to tackle the two-man job that is Pokkén Tournament. Stephen gets the hot tag and tackles the original demo for Final Fantasy XV before hitting something quite unusual: A Telltale game that doesn't crash, and a Minecraft game that's only a slight affront to game programming (Minecraft Story Mode). Austen's brief mentions lead into a game that can be easily confused with the internet in Salt and Sanctuary before addressing the PlayStation 3/Vita/some other thing strategy game Aegis of Earth - with its flagrant ripping off of music.

Since there's no Whatcha Watchin', it's straight into a bunch of quick hits including PlayStation VR, the PS4k, rumor cat ownage and a legal case that may never get off the ground involving a game critic. (Disclaimer: Donald started backing Jim effing Sterling SON because of the threat of legal action.) The Mushrooms cover FLCL's apparent return, a rough season in the gastrointestinal area, and the continued heel turn of a noted racist, jack.

We're almost caught up on the backlog, with just a GOTY show to go, so drop us a line if you want us to cover something on Interstate '76!

This podcast was recorded on March 25 and was edited by Donald Theriault. We need more Brock Lesnar bearhugs in our lives.

42

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 74: Hoshidan Alpha

« on: March 30, 2016, 10:50:44 PM »

We don't get hype or stay hype.
Download (Time: 3:16:04)
As the race to catch up before the fiscal year ends continues, we've got quite a bit to cover in this episode. Stephen's New Business is light with just a little bit of co-op Starcraft 2, as his birth in the world championships slips away. Donald has the biggest game of the episode in the form of Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, including the sudden realization that this is probably going to be his answer to Final Fantasy X for Austen a couple of years ago (though there are a few brief mentions thrown in). Austen is still telling his Digimon Story, but the Cyber Sleuth is upstaged by a rather stacked Prince of Darkness. (Surpisingly, he's not weak to wind, but he is stacked.) Austen has also been wrangling Paper Toads in Mario and Luigi Paper Jam, but has an understated aquatic racer Riptide GP2 as a tribute to the then-unemployed Kyke Bosman.

Whatcha Watchin' has the usual round of superhero tomfoolery, followed by Stephen coming up with the unpronouncable and as-of-yet undubbed Concrete Revoluio (knock it off, spellcheck). Donald got around to watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shambala, which seems to have forgotten something small - like a functioning atomic bomb. In other unexpected bursts of energy, Austen punched through the Angelic Layer and found some pretty illogical things waiting on the other side.

It's another Big Block o' Cheese Day in the Feature, as Microsoft's console plans, Sony firmwares and a discussion of potential Japan/US relations serve as the warmup for a rapid-fire breakdown of this month's Nintendo Direct that Donald's still not sure he saw everything in. The Mushrooms are so extreme Austen's main recorder broke as we debut the Weird Mushroom and Donald's giving a Poison to a mainline Pokémon game.

Episode 75 will be a hair shorter, but we want to know what's after that, so drop us an email or tweet @nfrpodcast to let us know anything we should cover.

This podcast was recorded on March 5 and was edited by Donald Theriault. The editor would also like to congratulate friend/former financier of the show Ryan M on his impending nuptuals.

43

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 73: Social Dysfunction

« on: March 27, 2016, 05:03:04 PM »

On the 6th week, GameTrailers was revived.
Download (Time: 2:16:05)
A combination of new work, reviews and other fun stuff has kept this off the feeds, but we're going to get caught up - and the timing couldn't work out any better for us. Stephen takes the lead in New Business with a quick Final Fantasy Explorers update, but Donald quickly moves the discussion to another crossover with the then-new Super Smash Bros DLC. After that, the crossovers continue with Mario, Paper Mario and Green Mario's latest misadventures with Mario and Luigi Paper Jam, before Donald ends out with then-recent GBA Virtual Console release Kuru Kuru Kururin. Austen put most of his time into a monster raising RPG - Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth. (His Pokémon turn will come.) We draw to a close for New Business with Gravity Rush Remastered and the other yarn-based platformer, Unravel.

Whatcha Watchin' is mostly Stephen as he has the musical fun of Galavant, the latest from Syfy in Dark Matter, and the record breaking superheroics of Deadpool just in time for a certain DC flick to lose to it. Donald updates on season 1 of Better Call Saul. so cue up "Smoke On The Water" for the end of that segment.

The Feature discussion came as Defy Media slammed the hammer down on GameTrailers, in the middle of Dan Bloodworth's honeymoon no less. We look at what that means for the state of internet video, aside from Donald's weekly Nintendo News Report/NWR @ Nite appearances. The Mushrooms go heavy on problems with certain social media platforms and also takes a gratuitous cheapshot at the Ice Capades, but has words of praise for investigative felines.

Although we have our issues with Twitter, we're still using it - hit us up @nfrpodcast or grab the personal attention of the hosts @donaldmick, @cericme or @broodwars64 - we haven't given up yet.

This podcast was recorded on February 14, and was edited by Donald Theriault. Welcome back, Easy Allies.

44

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 72: Podcast All-Stars To The Rescue

« on: February 24, 2016, 11:38:55 PM »

We know how Donald opened Saints Row IV now!
Download (Time: 3:23:38)
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the episodes of Nintendo Free Radio. Following a three week recording break, Stephen kicks off New Business with a couple of 71 follow-ups: Groove Coaster 2 and the further misadventures of Meg Ryan in Final Fantasy X HD(er). Donald then moves to follow up with a game he no longer owns as of publishing time, but he cedes to Stephen for most of a long Final Fantasy Explorers discussion. Donald picks up with his first GBA game on Wii U that he actually played, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3. Long name, but the e-Reader levels make it worth buying. After that, it's the return of the otome as we rewrite history with Code;Realize. Austen deals with a superstitious, cowardly lot in Assassin's Creed Syndicate - the last one of those we'll see for a while, sadly it means Watch Dogs 2 - before grabbing a couple of titles off PSN in The Deadly Tower of Monsters and Saturday Morning RPG. Also, we have our use of "The Touch" for 2016.

Whatcha Watchin' comes out of the break with Donald dealing with a couple of murderous psychos in future Vita visual novel Psycho;Pass and a wrapup on Death Note. Stephen then gets a little investigation in with Rosewood and Elementary. Austen keeps the Baker Street express rolling with Sherlock: The Abominable Bride, before hitting every superhero show in the business.

The first of a two-part Feature deals with something we didn't cover off last time; our personal 2016 hype trains. Some will get delayed, some may not work at all, and Donald makes the obvious pick for his #1. Then it's a news lightning round with EA out of E3, GameStop as game publisher and a Sony reorganization. In the Mushrooms, Stephen's Mushrooms get wildly hijacked while Donald casually invites a biological stain to commit a biologically impossible act. (Note that the second half is un-Pokemoned for a very particular reason.)

We'll join you again shortly for a much shorter episode, but if there's something you want us to talk about when we record again, shoot us an email or leave it below. Also, keep an eye on our Twitter feed @nfrpodcast to find out when that next recording will be.

This podcast was recorded on January 31 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

45

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 71: Are You My Mummy

« on: February 17, 2016, 10:32:51 PM »

We'll get into it later as to why there's no GOTY show yet.
Download (Time: 3:43:00)

Giving new meaning to the concept of the New Year's hangover, this is the first of a few episodes to come out over the next few days for reasons we'll get into on the show. But we're back, and the GOTY will be out when the editor isn't engaged with the business end of power sanding.

The first New Business of 2016 opens with Donald's take on The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Hell of a way to start the year. Donald finds himself longing for a return to Lorule while simultaneously cursing motion controls. Stephen had a bang-up holiday with some amiibo gifts, but also got the lump of coal known as Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival. Just how bad is the game that if it wasn't free to play, Amazon's sure as hell trying to make it that way? Stephen then gives his co-hosts the quality bends with SteamWorld Heist (3DS) and Final Fantasy X (PS4, and now Donald has to complete the tridefecta). Austen has a few brief mentions, including a non-crap phone game, before being heavily disappointed by Trine 3, somewhat impressed with Assassin's Creed Syndicate (even if Unity was made by les incompetents) and somewhat nervous about Harmonix's Kickstarter-fueled Hail Mary, Amplitude.

The first Whatcha Watchin' segment of 2016 gets off to a rather shocking start before Stephen brings a touch of class to the proceedings with the Great British Bake-Off. Austen keeps it decidedly British with some more visits to Doctor Who, before Donald completely snaps and goes all megalomanical (more than usual) with Death Note. Watch as we take a podcast... AND EDIT IT.

The Feature discussion rang long - hell, the whole show did - but we have the "beloved" prediction segments. How many of Donald's already came true, and how badly were they proven wrong? Does Austen still think the NX is a hybrid for some reason? Why does Stephen want an oven that can play Doom? Plus, special bonus predictions from friend of the show and Listener Mail regular Jason Friedman. In the Mushrooms, we have warnings about house renovations, laments over lost dinosaurs, and Donald's summer travel plans. Hint: It involves a potential visit to The Price is Right (assuming they're taping on his day off).

Be sure to drop us a comment below, email us or Tweet us (@nfrpodcast) if you want to mock our predictions, Stephen's amiibo Festival, or anything else!

This podcast was recorded on January 10 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

46

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 70: An Open World RPG That Works

« on: December 15, 2015, 12:00:52 AM »

Offer not guaranteed if your hard drive is screwed
Download (Time: 3:22:04)
Judging from the title, you can probably guess one of the main topics of conversation in this episode, but we've got some important warmup acts. Austen opens New Business with the fourth most important game to release on November 10 - noted bomba and reason for executive canning Rise of the Tomb Raider. He didn't pay full price, but Austen's none too thrilled with his purchase. In terms of things he did enjoyed, there's the follow up to March's masochism simulator Bloodborne with the Old Hunters expansion. Stephen got a little FF Type-0 HD in - for $20, so Donald can put it on the board - and then got ready for adventure with Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Finally, Donald drops sixty five hours of perspective on Xenoblade Chronicles X, though that conversation will probably come back around next episode.

Whatcha Watchin has a brief bit of Angelic Layer from Austen, then a mutual discussion of Doctor Who, the superhero show segment headed up by the dreaded Netflix queue's Jessica Jones, before Stephen finds the Seven Deadly Sins are missing at least two of those features. Donald has a brief mention here in between Xeno-sessions.

The Feature was fortuitously provided by a week's delay in recording, as we cover The Game Awards and PlayStation Experience. Also, we didn't bother providing the Pokémon in this episode as, well, things got a little salty after a PR statement was read into the record. The Mushrooms cover a case of Konami not being preceded by an F-word, the joys of home construction and more Valkyria Chronicles. Now, if the PS3 version would just come out digitally...

Next episode is the end of the year spectacular, and we want to hear from you! Send your top 5 games (all platforms eligible) or any awards you'd like us to hand out to the usual spots, or just drop them below. Also, if you missed our performance on the NWR Live Telethon for Child's Play, check it out - unfortunately, you've given Donald a get out of jail free card on Skyward Sword should he choose to use it. Until next time, Genei Ibunroku did it right.

This podcast was recorded on December 6 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

47

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 69: The Most Dangerous Game

« on: December 03, 2015, 10:25:26 PM »

Might as well get the jokes out of your system.
Download (Time: 3:07:35)
Apologies for the late show, but something came up for the editor. The fun begins in this funny-numbered episode with New Business that has a heavy November 10 focus. Stephen has Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void as the trilogy in five parts continues, and also discusses the (now funded) Indivisible, back when that sort of thing was in doubt. Donald got in some Yo-Kai Watch and a quick Stella Glow update, but the main game(s) are the various versions of Rodea the Sky Soldier from the November 10 brigade. Austen talks the odd RPGs in the form of Ar No Surge+, and finishes with the last November 10 title with Superbeat Xonic.

Whatcha Watchin' opens with a Parasyte and superhero updates (Supergirl, Flash... and the BluRay of Justice League Unlimited), then Austen brings it home with Constantine - which isn't a superhero show - the Peanuts Movie, and Danganronpa: The Animation.

A special double Feature deals first with a bunch of Activision news, including another frickin' cinematic universe before we play the most lethal game of all: Skylander or King Game? Then, Donald tries to defend the indefensible (which he also did in written form) by way of Cloud hitting Smash in the last Nintendo Direct... but who cares, THERE'S TWO DRAGON QUESTS COMING!!! Finally, the Mushrooms wrap it up with a callout of hypocrisy, a deal gone awry and Stephen's beating an important goal.

We'll be talking about Xenoblade Chronicles X among other things on the next show, but you can read Donald's NWR review or check out his video discussion with NWR director Neal Ronaghan. But we need a favor from you - the 6th annual NWR telethon for Child's Play is coming up, and we're later than usual this year. If you want to hear us talking about Splatoon and what could come up with Nintendo's future IPs, get to donating! It's for the kids! And if we break the NWR telethon record ($7250), Donald will play one of the most controversial games in Nintendo history to completion. He didn't suffer Majora's Mask last year, so how about some Skyward Sword?

This podcast was recorded on November 15 and was edited by Donald Theriault.

48

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 68: Stylish Ghostery

« on: November 08, 2015, 10:32:08 PM »

Dinosaurs, spooky cameras and gho... phan... Yo-Kai. I thought Hallowe'en was in October?
Download (Time: 2:55:45)
Here's the scariest part about this episode: It's nearly an hour before we live up to our name. In New Business, Stephen begins the Nintendo parade with The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes - a tight little game that really believes in the rule of 3. Donald picks up the baton with Yoshi's Woolly World, which might have displaced dancing atop his GOTY list, then the musical SRPG Stella Glow (if you know where the CEO of Imageepoch is, we'd like to hear it) and talks Level 5 Game with Yo-Kai Watch (demo) impressions. The spoooooooky parade continues as Austen hits Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, before attending a somewhat dead Corpse Party and hitting three Platinum trophies along the way.

For Whatcha Watchin', Stephen opens the bidding at Parasyte, which really got under his skin. Donald attempts to make a philosopher's stone with his own viewing of Fullmetal Alchemist (the good one), before snagging a few episodes of Yo-Kai Watch the TV show - which is more Teen Titans Go than Pokemon. Austen realizes that anime was a mistake, so he catches up on a couple of pilots in Ash v Evil Dead and Supergirl.

The news round hits Paris Games Week (with enough VR to choke a horse), Nintendo's financials and mobile ambitions, and Microsoft wimping out on reporting Xbox numbers. Again. In the Mushrooms, it's morning again in Canada, but Stephen can't see it because of various updates.

Be sure to save Saturday, December 5 on your calendar as we're going to be doing it live one more time (for the kids, y'know). And this year we might be going later than ever. In the meantime, drop us a line below, email or tweet us if there's something you want us to cover on the show!

This episode was recorded on November 1 and edited by Donald Theriault. All music and clips provided for commentary purposes. Pray for Donald, who will be trying to edit the next shows while under November review pressure.

49

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 67: Negotiating In Bad Faith

« on: October 27, 2015, 08:52:49 PM »

Nice little store of money you got there. Pray we don't alter it any further.

Time: 3'09:00 (Download)

As the game season winds up - or in some cases, down - Nintendo Free Radio brings a bit of calm in a sea of insanity. Stephen kicks off New Business with Planetary Annihilation, a 2014 real time strategy game in which the end game only involves blowing up planets sometimes, before providing a look at Star Wars Battlefront's beta and yet another frickin' Hoth stage. Donald is next with a beta of his own for The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, which went... poorly. Following a quick trip to the diamond with MLB 15 The Show's Vita version that you can actually take out to the ball game, the team hunts down snacks of various kinds in Chibi-Robo: Zip Lash. Austen has a quick preview of Yoshi's Woolly World before hammering down on Transformers Devestation, the most expensive bargain game in the history of man, and 2014 indie puzzler (now on PS4) The Talos Principle.

Whatcha Watchin' is a return to the superhero brigade with updates on The Flash, Arrow and Agents of Shield, then it gets into the oddball anime territory. Stephen watched the eternally long-named Is It OK To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon, and Austen has the combative Selector Infector Wixoss and the... unusual Outbreak Company.

The Feature actually was recorded separately in the event of a potential Direct before everyone forgot about quiet periods – but there was still some news to talk about. A potential hostile takeover of Ubisoft by a company who's even worse, microtransactions in $60+ games and a now somewhat out-of-date set of Paris Games Week predictions for Sony hit the board. Then comes the Mushrooms, in which people suffer for charity, customer service works and something Austen and Sony related breaks. Take a drink.

Be sure to drop us a comment below, Tweet us or send us an email if there's something you want to see on the next show!

This podcast was recorded on October 18, with a portion on October 22, and was edited by Donald Theriault. The podcast also contains a live posterization: see if you can find it!

50

General Chat / Nintendo Free Radio 66: Revenge Of The Scoobies

« on: October 12, 2015, 10:46:39 PM »

We're dancing, swinging, and raging at Inafune.
Download (Time: 3:15:14)
Donald makes no apologies for the intro to episode 66, nor any of the many games contained within. He kicks off a nearly all-September New Business with the demo for The Legend of Legacy, a game that somehow got localized along with its spiritual predecessor where eight Dragon Quest 3DS games wouldn't. A rapid fire discussion ends with one half of his NWR comparison feature, Hatsune Miku Project Mirai DX. But then he and Austen get down with the bear in Persona 4: Dancing All Night, which taught them the joy of bonds and the horror of "cubstep". After a couple of quick games on the PS4, the crew migrates to the PC to try out the demo for Mighty No 9 - and it went BADLY. For some more than others. Stephen provides actual Mega Man with recent PlayStation Network release Mega Man Legends before finishing a few weeks of old school with Pac Man Championship Edition DX+.

Whatcha Watchin' has a few returning guests from Stephen with Doctor Who's latest series, a followup from last episode with The Awesomes and a quick hit of Elementary. The main event is Austen's look at the recent BluRay release of Fullmetal Alchemist - which Donald did start watching, but only 1-2 episodes at a shot so his impressions will be delayed. Donald *did* finish Vision of Escaflowne, and finds it needs more psychopath.

Three weeks is a long time to go without News, so following an examination of Tokyo Game Show including the Persona 5 delay (LOVE IS OVER~), the joys of Star Citizen, other game delays and the return of the Jill Sandwich possibly coming sometime in the future. (The union voted 96% in favour of a second vote to strike if talks break down again.) In the Mushrooms, we avoid the Wheel of Morality on a technicality and Activision gets raked over the coals, while Donald's 1up has stayed alive for another day.

Why not give us an email if there's something you want us to look into? You can drop it here, tweet @nfrpodcast or send us an email!

This podcast was recorded on October 4 and edited by Donald Theriault. Music and clips provided under fair use news and analysis exemptions.