Mama Mia, look at that episode length! We got everything you could ever want, from Doom to Switch 2 talk!
We start things out with Alex's PAX East report, featuring brief thoughts on the show floor as well as his first impressions demoing Bravely Default on Switch 2! We then kick things over to Perry, who chatted with our bud Kynan Pearson about Donkey Kong (a topic he is VERY qualified to speak on) as well as Switch 2.
In the back half of the show, we chat Doom: The Dark Ages, Who's That Pokemon Card, and...Madea??? What'll they think of next?
On the Nintendo Switch 2’s launch day, they’re putting out the original Bravely Default out in HD, aptly titled “Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster.” This was a 3DS game originally released in 2012 before coming out in the West a year later via a slightly reworked, slightly expanded format.
There’s a whole historical context behind this game and how it originally started as a Final Fantasy spin-off before becoming its own franchise, but I’ll mostly skip that. Wikipedia exists for a reason, and I’m guessing an NWR alum wrote that article and/or video better than I ever could about 47 years ago.
What I will say is that the original Bravely Default is a turn-based JRPG – and a damn good one I hear – that started the whole “Brave/Default” mechanic utilized in several Square Enix RPGs since (such as the Octopath Travelers). While your party fights monsters, you can choose to “Default,” in which you don’t attack and save up a move for a future turn, or “Brave,” which allows you to spend up to three banked turns (four including your current one) to do a bunch of damage against enemies all at once.
There are other intricacies, but all you need to know is that it’s a really cool system that differentiates itself from the meat-and-potatoes aspects of many contemporaries.
I’m interested in this release in part because I’ve played Bravely Default II and Octopath Traveler II but not this predecessor. I hear Bravely Default is a really good time (we have reviews attesting to this) – one of those 70-hour RPGs that evokes SNES-era Final Fantasy while offering its own modern twists. It helps that Flying Fairy HD Remaster is coming out well below “full price” – $40 MSRP in the States – which feels smart and sensible against $70 and $80 first-party releases.
I played Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster during a brief appointment demo during PAX East 2025. I played with Joy-Con 2s in the new grip for the RPG parts, and I played the two new minigames with mouse controls. We weren’t able to play on handheld (only TV), and I’ll note that what I played was a development kit so technically I can’t speak to the Switch 2 final retail experience. Joysticks seem real good though!
I played the first 10 or so minutes of Bravely Default (up through a few random encounters in that first cave) and hey, it looks good. You can tell it’s a remaster of the 3DS game rather than a full on remake (which is totally fine), but it looked sharp and ran great. Because of preview limitations, we weren’t able to take direct or even indirect gameplay to check things out on our end, but it felt like it was running at 60fps (at least). Special shout out to the hand-drawn backgrounds from the original game, which look extra pretty with the enhanced resolution.
Flying Fairy HD Remaster also includes two new minigames that utilize the Switch 2’s mouse controls: Luxencheer Rhythm Catch and Ringabel’s Panic Cruise.
My initial impression of the Switch 2’s mouse functionality is that it seems like every other thing like this Nintendo has done in the last 20 years; on one hand it obviously didn’t feel nearly as good as a standard computer mouse, but on the other, some kids are probably going to get into the Civilization franchise through this control scheme and that’s pretty cool.
Luxencheer plays almost like a take on Theatrhythm where you move the left and right Joy-Con 2s as cheering apparatuses to the rhythm of a few songs, pressing the shoulder buttons once in a while for specific beats. Although it was awkwardly fun and kinetic moving the left and right controllers around a coffee table to catch notes, I can’t really say I felt the “rhythm” piece. I did play on an easier difficulty (I love rhythm games but wanted to be efficient with limited preview time) so maybe harder difficulties will feel better.
Ringabel was more up my alley because it played into the fundamental awkwardness of this control scheme. You pilot an airship in first-person and fly through rings at different elevations while using your mice as hands to control the airship dashboard. The point is to juggle turning the wheel while managing an elevation lever, the occasional valve you need to fix, and various buttons that the game occasionally instructs you to check. It’s silly and overwhelming, and I think this is the one of the two that has party game potential.
These are both fairly small bonuses that act as a nice application of Switch 2 functionality on launch day. It’s not the selling point, but rather a cute little thing. The new release also includes a single-screen UI, the StreetPass mode redesigned with network functionality, and quality of life upgrades such as fast-forwarding.
Here’s all you need to know: on June 5, Square Enix is selling an HD version of a huge, well-received JRPG from the early 3DS era. It’s launching at a pretty good price, and it seems like they did a pretty good job with it. There are still questions about whether every feature from the original game comes back (the spokesperson I spoke with mentioned that there’s more to share RE: some of the early questions folks had), but it seems pretty good!
With Casey out, the boys are all over the joint. We're talking a few Xenoblade Chronicles games, more Switch 2 hype, Ghost Trick, Pokemon cards... you name it.
We ended up with another episode where Alex was on but Casey wasn't (has nothing to do with a restraining order or anything#) but do not fret, Alex and Perry are back for another Classic Episode(tm).
It's so loosey goosey there's not much to timestamp, but we go back and forth between Switch launch stuff, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed, Ghost Trick, Pokemon cards, and a bunch of other junk. Also, HUGE stinger this week (like a third of the show???) so don't miss that.
With Casey out, the boys are all over the joint. We're talking a few Xenoblade Chronicles games, more Switch 2 hype, Ghost Trick, Pokemon cards... you name it.https://t.co/XlfmTZJ7b0pic.twitter.com/hcly8q6MOU
— Talk Nintendo Podcast (@TalkNintendoPod) May 10, 2025
We got ourselves an OG cast this week with Balex out on a work trip. But we're talking about the Switch 2 and how fast it's coming. Plus more XCX as the boys keep chippin' away.
The Switch 2 hype is building, so luckily we have a juicy game like XCX to play in the meantime. Unless you're an animal and beat it in a week like Balex.
Perry and Bal convene to cover a wide range of topics on this week’s show. We got some Mystery History, some Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, some Pokemon TCG Pocket, and moooooooore!!!
Nintendo's finally pulled back the curtains on the Switch 2 and we're talking all about it... 120 fps Metroid?! Plus Perry has a cool interview about the dev of Which Way Up: Galaxy Games.
Oooowwweeeeeee! Nintendo Switch 2 is looking cool and we got some awesome games coming our way soon! We're breaking down the Direct and all the Switch 2 goodness. Plus Perry is sitting down with the developer of Which Way Up: Galaxy Games.
Finally, something other than cards to talk about. Whew!
Jordan “Michael Justin” Rudek joins us this week to do a nice two-parter of a show. Part one, we go into Xenoblade Chronicles X’s latest release on Switch, and go into how much we really like its wabi-sabiness. Then in the back half, we go into our predictions RE: the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct next week. Who will win? Also, thanks to Jordan for coming on this week. He’s real good people.
P.S. We know there was a Direct this week but we're just going to include a couple top headlines in our Switch 2 Direct ep next week. Hope that's okay!!!
Loosey goosey but no less juicy, it's time for TNP!
Kind of a continuation of last week, but we were pretty chill on the mic so it's probably a decent listen. We got more Monster Hunter Wilds, some more Pokemon Shield, some figuring out what's going on with Xenoblade Chronicles X on Switch, some Who's That Pokemon Card?, and maybe a bit more? Iunno.
It's almost funny at this point how hard Alex has to fight to get something other than Pokemon on the podcast. I'm so exhausted.
JUST KIDDING HAHAHA I'VE MADE THEM BOTH INTO POKEFIENDS LIKE MYSELF HAHAHA WELCOME TO THE LOSER'S CLUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This week! We got a bunch of stuff on the docket including Monster Hunter Wilds, the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection, Pokemon Sword and Shield, a rip and ship, and more...maybe? I forget, I'm writing this at 6 p.m. on Thursday haha.
OOey boys and girls, we got a big 'ol episode for you today.
Where to start, where to start. We got food talk! We got ripping and shipping! We got Baby Boy Balex giving some quick thoughts on the Pokemon Presents (the boys'll weigh in next week)! And we got gaaaames. Snake Pass, boom. Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, boom. Pokemon Sword and Shield whaaaaaaaat??? Also, our stingers are getting so substantial I'm starting to prefer we call them "encores."
We're talking Pokemon... surprising I know. But that isn't everything, we got some Like A Dragon Pirate talk plus an oldie but a goodie, Snake Pass!https://t.co/X3CDQvMRsapic.twitter.com/5ssJKM8Noq
— Talk Nintendo Podcast (@TalkNintendoPod) March 1, 2025
We're not just a show about Pokemon anymore! We got Monster Hunter Wilds demo impressions, Cult of the Lamb talk and of course talking about the end of Gold Coins!
The boys are all together, and hey, we're trying REALLY hard not to talk about Pokemon.
Did we succeed? No! But we have a much more balanced show this week. After some food chat, we go into game chat including the Monster Hunter Wilds beta and Cult of the Lamb. In the middle of all that (and another Rip & Ship LOL) we talk some news. No more Gold Points, eh?
We're not just a show about Pokemon anymore! We got Monster Hunter Wilds demo impressions, Cult of the Lamb talk and of course talking about the end of Gold Coins!https://t.co/UbrQrTs8c0pic.twitter.com/WZ04XIJwUV
What, a new episode and no new business? You must be crazy!
Instead, the boys convene for a few fun segments. First: Listener Mail! Second: Mystery History! Third: Who’s That Pokemon Card?(!) Then, after the outro, we spend more time talking about our increasingly-insane Pokemon card hobbies. Oh yeah, and Perry sells Casey a pack of Pokemon cards live on the air. Wut?
Big focus on Donkey Kong Country as we talk about the latest release of Returns HD, but also looking back at the game that started it all and it's sequel. But if big apes aren't your thing, we also are talking more Pokemon (shocker I know).
The OG bois are back at it again with Alex out, but that doesn't mean we're not gonna talk more Scarlet/Violet. However that's not before we dive into Casey's final thoughts on Silent Hill 2.
That's right gang, we're back with the most hotly anticipated episode of the year (by us, not you): our annual gift exchange! Can you believe no one got a single pack of Pokemon cards this year? Oh, but before that, we got a few listener mails for ya. Thanks to everyone who wrote in!
This week, a calmer episode as we ramp up to our holiday episode next week.
Alex and Casey start the episode themselves because SOMEONE didn’t receive a critical text message, so they talk a bit about late night TV and the new Pokemon TCG Pocket expansion. Perry joins so we talk a bit more about ANTONBLAST, a cool Wario Land 4/Crash Bandicoot/Donkey Kong/Yoshi(?)-style platformer we introduced last week. Finally, Casey glows on Silent Hill 2.
Listener mail and presents next week baybeeeeeee!!!
This week, no Casey but have no fear, Alex and Perry are here! We talk about all sorts of stuff, like Pokemon cards, non-Pokemon cards, Mario & Luigi Brothership, Antonblast, Princess Peach: Showtime!, Psychonauts 2, and more! No, that's probably really about it. Fun lil show though, hope you enjoy. Send us some mail!
I don't know, it's a video game podcast. Take it or leave it!
We got a brisk-yet-packed episode for you this week. On the early part of the show we go over some of what we've been playing, including Mario & Luigi: Brothership, Tetris Forever, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next, and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance. Then we got some listener mail. What about a Donkey Kong game made by the 3D Mario team?
Happy Turkey Day, ya turkeyheads! Chill show this week, hang out awhile.
After some intro chat about Pokemon cards and Alex/Casey’s spiral into madness, Perry pulls us back in with a new game show based on Match Game: The Game of Matching! Thanks to all the listeners who helped out!
We got some listener mail reading coming up post-haste, so send some emails, won’t ya?
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but have no fear, Alex and Perry are here! We talk about all sorts of stuff, like Pokemon cards, non-Pokemon cards, Mario & Luigi Brothership, Antonblast, Princess Peach: Showtime!, Psychonauts 2, and more! No, that's probably really about it. Fun lil show though, hope you enjoy. Send us some mail!
