Brandon Sheffield reports from various locales around Tokyo, answering forum questions and reviewing non-alcoholic beers. Hosted by Brandon Sheffield, introduced by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.
Segments:

rejj asks: What’s it like being vegetarian in Japan? (00:31)
Review: Kirin Zero Ichi (05:45)
Review: Asahi Dry Zero (08:06)
rejj asks: Where do you get your recommendations? (10:31)
rearnakedwindow asks: Is anybody out playing PSPs/3DSes and such? (13:18)
DaveedNoo asks: When was your first trip to Japan and what did you do? (14:31)
Review: Kirin Greens Free (17:45)
Review: Suntory All-Free (19:50)
ninjapresident asks: How is the used game market right now? (21:27)
Review: Yoinai Lemon Sour (30:37)
Review: Suntory Karada Wo Amou All-Free (32:08)

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums
A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:


HappyCow


Kirin Zero Ichi


Asahi Dry Zero


FM Towns Marty


Kirin Greens Free


Suntory ALL-FREE


Shinrei Jusatsushi Tarōmaru


Super Potato


Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection


2064: Read Only Memories


Vincent Diamante


Yoinai Lemon Sour


San Pellegrino Limonata


Suntory Karada Wo Amou All-Free


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Insert Credit Gaiden #1 - Smadori

A relentlessly on topic smorgasbord of hard hitting video game questions as addressed by a panel of experts. Featuring Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, Brandon Sheffield, and a rotating group of special guests. Hosted by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original music by Kurt Feldman.

Video Games

Games & Hobbies

Leisure

Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield develop a new video game show, up our Tallarico quota, and return to Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.
Questions this week:

Let’s try to develop the first episode of Frank’s show with recipes for playing video games (05:30)
When have you fallen out of love with a video game you once liked all the way through playing the first time? (18:05)
What will the eight episode season one arc be for Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Tomb Raider? (24:43)
Luis asks: Was Tetris inevitable? (31:17)
Rank these actions from best to worst: sliding, spinning, flipping. (39:10)
What is the guy outside of an airport pretending he’s an Uber driver of video games? (43:00)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (51:39)
Recommendations and Outro (01:09:10)
Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums
A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:


Elden Ring


Family Guy


MiSTer FPGA


Open Broadcaster Software


EarthBound


Dragon Quest V: Tenkū no Hanayome


Final Fantasy VI


Elevator Action Returns


Soulslike


Super Mario Bros.


Rolling Thunder


Metal Slug


Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age


Jerry Lewis


Freakazoid!


Mike Allred


Madman


Good Eats


Passage


Jason Rohrer


God of War: Ragnarök


Ape Escape


Valis III


Landstalker


Phoebe Waller-Bridge


‘Tomb Raider’ Series From Phoebe Waller-Bridge Greenlit at Amazon


Tomb Raider series


Fallout


Killing Eve


Fleabag


No Time to Die (2021)


Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)


Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)


The Hardy Boys


Star Wars


Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)


Marx Brothers


Ripley


Jodie Comer


Assassin’s Creed series


Tetris


Alexey Pajitnov


Shigeru Miyamoto


Pac-Land


Yu Suzuki


Marvel Spider-Man 2


Super Mario Odyssey


Yars’ Revenge


Tetris 2


Tetris (2023)


Ted Lasso


Severance


Zach Cherry


Tetromino


Puyo Puyo


iPhone


TurboExpress


Sonic the Hedgehog series


Bonk series


Crash Bandicoot


Tasmanian Devil


Link


Castlevania: Circle of the Moon


Andy Bogard


Mega Man series


Yakuza 4


Tommy Tallarico


David Cage


Ep. 338 - The Speed of Speed


Secret of Evermore


Final Fantasy Tactics Advance


Inuyasha


Forspoken


Puggsy


Bubsy


Lemming


Pikmin


Kid Dracula


Child of Light


Frey Holland


Ada Wong


Recommendations:
Brandon: Read Only Memories: Neurodiver, Animal Well, Crow Country, Conan the Barbarian (1982) soundtrack
Frank: info@gamehistory.org if you have a bunch of old video game magazines you don’t want anymore, or buy “Mystery Box” Vintage Video Game Magazines
Tim: Connor O’Malley - Stand Up Solutions
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.
Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Ep. 339 - How to Like Video Games

The panel decides on a strict definition of “isekai,” finds hope for the future of video games, and writes a woke, political Big Bang Theory script. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.
Questions this week:

Brandon asks: Are there any video game sequels like Dino Crisis 2? (06:18)
Apart from the racing genre, when is velocity most important in video games? (12:43)
What’s the best video game to fit the definition of an Isekai? (17:18)
Who is the unluckiest person in video games? (23:57)
Insert Credit Quick Break: Meal-Morial Madness 2024 (28:44)
Owen from NYC asks: Come up with achievements for the arcade game Asteroids. (30:45)
With new reports of massive video game industry layoffs, is the party over? (36:30)
Punch up a scene involving video games for The Big Bang Theory (41:06)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Team Sonic vs. Team Mario at the Olympic Games (47:41)
Recommendations and Outro (01:04:13)
Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums
A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:


Home Improvement


Tim Allen


Buzz Lightyear


Bergamot


Cymbopogon


Lavandula


Earl Grey tea


Shang Tsung


Mortal Kombat series


Dino Crisis series


Final Fantasy XII


Final Fantasy XIII


Onimusha series


BloodRayne series


Max Payne series


Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse


Super Mario Bros. 3


The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past


Final Fantasy X


Zelda II: The Adventure of Link


Dark Souls series


Sonic the Hedgehog series


Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series


Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)


Super Smash Brothers series


Space Invaders


Faster Than Speed


.hack series


Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard


Magic Knight Rayearth


Star Ocean series


Moon: Remix RPG Adventure


Another World


Inuyasha


Persona series


Futurama


Ufouria: The Saga


Outlander


Game Developer


Tekken 8


Bobby Kotick


Asteroids


Hyper Gunsport


Asteroids: Recharged


Among Us


videogamedunkey


Animal Well


Cryptmaster


Devolver Digital


The Big Bang Theory


Fortnite


Young Sheldon


Boba Fett


Data


The Rocketeer


Darkman (1990)


Chewbacca


Spider-Man


Hudson Hawk


Din Djarin


Princess Leia


Recommendations:
Frank: Cryptmaster
Brandon: Do general maintenance, Iron Butterfly - Scorching Beauty, Irish Wish (2024)
Tim: Unfrosted (2024) if you want to watch a movie that has “too punchy” of writing
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Meal-Morial Madness 2024, and patrons like you. Thank you.
Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Ep. 338 - The Speed of Speed

Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers and Brandon Sheffield divine the difference between spite and guilt, develop a cool season pass, and steal the International Prototype of the Kilogram. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.
Questions this week:

When did you first start to feel out of touch with the modern gamer? (06:14)
What role does spite play in video game development? (11:03)
How can developers make the best of it when forced to build a “Season Pass” of post-launch content? (16:47)
What’s the most vindicated you’ve ever felt by a video game? (22:17)
Insert Credit Quick Break: Amazing Grace available 6/6 at 6:66 PM (27:27)
Gaagaagiins asks: What studios best at naming games? (28:52)
How do you make stealth good? (36:18)
What is the opposite of video games? (41:23)
Make a video game about the unit that establishes the pound (43:32)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Guess the User Review (47:13)
Recommendations and Outro (56:33)
Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums
A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:


Witch


Knuckles the Echidna


MLA Handbook


The Chicago Manual of Style


Alex Jaffe


Cursed Problems in Game Design


Ep. 186 - Dirtbag Strikes Back, with Alex Jaffe and Mathew Kumar


SimCity


Ep. 324 - Bocket Tinesters


Stellar Blade


Rami Ismail


Zach Gage


Nintendo Power


Electronic Gaming Monthly


Fear Street


Goosebumps


EA FIFA series


Call of Duty series


Hall & Oates


Michelangelo


The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild


Uncharted: The Lost Legacy


Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End


Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales


The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom


God of War: Ragnarök


Vindicators


Bonk series


Shigeru Miyamoto


BioShock


Yoshiki Okamoto


Street Fighter series


Brave Prove


Brave Story: New Traveler


Namco


Galaga


Galaxian


Bosconian


Pac-Man


Mappy


Rally-X


Wonder Momo


Lucky & Wild


Xevious


Taito


Landmaker


Puchi Carat


Growl


Puzzle Bobble


Cleopatra’s Fortune


Bubble Bobble


Libble Rabble


Transcendental Meditation


The Tower of Druaga


Baraduke series


Sky Kid


Grobda


Activision


River Raid


Beam Rider


The Dreadnaught Factor


Mindshadow


Panic Park


The Outfoxies


Tinkle Pit


Rolling Thunder


Pitfall!


Dirt Dash


Time Crisis


Rodney’s Funscreen


Ninja Princess


After Burner


Rodney Alan Greenblat


PaRappa the Rapper


Hitman series


Deadly Premonition


Metal Gear


Metal Gear Solid


Watch_Dogs


Radiolab


≤ kg


International Prototype of the Kilogram


National Treasure (2004)


Goldfinger (1964)


Assassin’s Creed series


Recommendations:
Brandon: BelGioso Parmesan Snacking Cheese, pick your battles
Frank: Get an air popper
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Amazing Grace available 6/6 at 6:66 PM, and patrons like you. Thank you.
Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Ep. 337 - Holland Oats

Our most supportive patrons have filled our dirtbag with questions, and only console modification expert Christa Lee can guide our panel through. Hosted by Christa Lee, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by MoxBagel, original music by Kurt Feldman.
Questions this week:

Footfoot asks: Is there a single player game particularly suited to group settings? (06:34)
Spencers Gifts asks: What are your favorite moments seeing a video game developer’s fingerprints? (13:05)
Brindo asks: What are your thoughts on missable items in RPGs? (20:02)
Crumar Bones asks: What game series should IO Interactive integrate into a “Hitman Warriors” style game? (27:12)
Sneaking Mission asks: If you were to donate a fraudulent piece of video game history to a museum to confuse future historians, what would it be? (34:46)
Honky Tonk Tom asks: What are some real world businesses that have GTA-style business names? (41:07)
Kiko B asks: What job advice would you give to someone who wants to be an “idea guy?” (50:46)
Yeso asks: What would be the gamer version of Gift of the Magi? (57:38)

LIGHTNING ROUND: The ___ of Video Games Questions (01:04:26)
Recommendations and Outro (01:12:00)
Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums
A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:


Umihara Kawase series


Final Fantasy series


E-Prime


Remnant II


The Last Remnant


Johann Sebastian Bach


Ludwig van Beethoven


King of Dragon Pass


Universal Studios Theme Parks Adventure


Shenmue


Xenogears / Xenosaga universe


Mark J. Ferrari


Loom


MAME


Shrek (2001)


Psycho Fox


Magical Hat no Buttobi Turbo! Daibōken


Pokémon universe


Tetsuya Nomura


Bonk series


Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime


Demonschool


The Tower of Druaga


Dark Souls


Sonic the Hedgehog


Sam & Max


Project 007


GoldenEye 007


Hitman series


Kane & Lynch: Dead Men


The Prisoner


Batman: Arkham series


Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain


Far Cry 2


Fallout games


Indiana Jones and the Great Circle


Wolfenstein Series


Ace Attorney series


Yeah Yeah Beebiss II


Mother 3


Astal


Geist


Grand Theft Auto series


Conker’s Bad Fur Day


The Gift of the Magi


Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games


Mushihimesama Futari


Under Defeat


Mamorokun Curse!


Balan Wonderworld


Rodea the Sky Soldier


Lost Odyssey


Recommendations:
Brandon: Space Rangers, The Ulysses Cut of Waterworld (1995)
Frank: Viva New Vegas for Fallout: New Vegas setup
Christa: Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still, learn Japanese
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.
Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Ep. 336 - Defeating the Dirtbag, with Christa Lee

Our beloved panelists guide you through new developments in CRT photo taking, an all-clown Fallout vault, and Keanu Reeves as Shadow. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.
Questions this week:

What’s a feature you appreciate in text-heavy games? (00:42)
Frank, how do you achieve the perfect visual representation of what a video game looks like on a CRT? (09:32)
Can we nail down a definition for “easter egg?” (15:29)
Design a Fallout vault. (21:30)
Insert Credit Quick Break: Project 9452, a Texas State trans gaming research study (29:05)
Isaac asks: What video game character would you most want to carry around as a Tamagotchi-style virtual pet, and what would their on-device mini games be like? (31:26)
When should one consider or avoid early access? (37:52)
Keanu Reeves is gonna be Shadow, isn’t that cool? (46:46)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Unpopular Demand (52:28)
Recommendations and Outro (01:06:48)
Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums
A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED:


Metal Gear series


Landstalker


Phantasy Star


Final Fantasy VII


Samurai Shodown V Special


Tokimeki Memorial


Citizen Sleeper


Sonic the Hedgehog 2


Technicolor


Easter egg


Superman


Jimmy Olsen


J.J. Abrams


Star Trek (2009)


R2-D2


The Avengers (2012)


Galaga


Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg


Legend of Zelda series


Halo 2


Halo: Combat Evolved


Super Mario 64


Bethesda Softworks


Fallout games


Fallout (American TV series)


Liam Neeson


The Lottery


The Day the Clown Cried (1972)


Rage 2


Borderlands series


Memento (2000)


50 First Dates (2004)


Mario series


Scooby-Doo


Marmaduke


Batman


Atomic Robo-Kid


Ranger X


Bonk series


Dragon Quest universe


Pac-Man


Minecraft


Baldur’s Gate III


Oh, Deer!


Oh Deer


Alan Wake


Oh Deer Diner


Geoff Keighley


Keanu Reeves


Shadow the Hedgehog


Keanu Reeves to voice Shadow in Sonic 3 movie


Cyberpunk 2077


Knuckles the Echidna


Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty


Idris Elba


James Bond


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)


Jean-Ralphio Saperstein


Parks and Recreation


Sonic Adventure 2


John Wick


Kazaam (1996)


Martin Scorsese


Recommendations:
Frank: That Fallout show is pretty good
Brandon: Go to events curated for old people, Bob James - Jazz Hands
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Project 9452, a Texas State trans gaming research study, and patrons like you. Thank you.
Subscribe: RSS, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!

Insert Credit Gaiden #1 - Smadori

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