Bonus Episode #73 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle venture into Beast of Reincarnation, Game Freak's bold step beyond Pokémon into a somber, post-apocalyptic action RPG that pairs a cursed young outcast named Emma with her Blight-touched dog, Koo, on a journey across a ruined Japan in the year 4026.

Across the conversation, the duo digs into the game's parry-driven combat and its clever fusion of real-time swordplay with turn-based commands, the emotional bond at the heart of Emma and Koo's partnership, the haunting world and its comparisons, and the technical rough edges that split players and critics down the middle. The guys also weigh in on Game Freak proving there's far more to the studio than monster-catching, before wrapping things up with a deep appreciation for the game's stunning, dual-natured soundtrack.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

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Episode #436 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth wash up on the shores of the Spirhalite Islands for a Blind Listen through the soundtrack of Splatoon Raiders, the first-ever Splatoon spin-off.

This one trades the series' catchy, funky hooks for something stranger and saltier... an abrasive, atmospheric score credited to a fake label of sea creatures and salt puns, sounding at times like it was cobbled together by the fish themselves. It's divisive, it's an acquired taste, and it had Bryan wrestling with it the whole way through... right up until Deep Cut grab the mic and remind everyone why these games always stick the landing.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Episode #435 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth dust off two of gaming's most fascinating oddities: the FM Towns and the FM Towns Marty. If you've ever wanted to hear what happens when a Japanese computer decides it wants to be an arcade machine... well, today's your lucky day.

The guys dive into a library packed with enhanced ports, forgotten exclusives, gorgeous CD audio, and enough FM Towns weirdness to make you wonder why the rest of the world wasn't paying attention. They also inevitably spend way too much time talking about hardware that roughly seventeen people have actually seen in person. Whether you're a longtime FM Towns fanatic or just here because you thought "Marty" was someone's cousin, you're in for one wonderfully obscure ride!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Episode #434 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan wraps up the month of July 2026 with another eclectic mix in Radio Hour, Volume 89!

Another month, another grab bag of new releases, forgotten oddities, and picks I can't fully explain but absolutely stand by. We've got a couple of fresh soundtracks I've been sitting with, a listener submission so gloriously strange I can't stop thinking about it, a Mega Man opener that surprises exactly nobody, and a mini-spotlight doubling as a little review of a game I enjoyed and wanted to shake by the shoulders in equal measure.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Bonus Episode #72 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan reviews Denshattack!, the off-the-rails arcade platformer from Barcelona studio Undercoders and publisher Fireshine Games, out now on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Set in a near-future Japan flattened by climate disaster, the game follows Emi, a ramen delivery driver who trades her quiet route for the underground world of train tricking and ends up leading a rebellion against the Miraido corporation, one gravity-defying kickflip at a time.

This Musical Review digs into the combo-chaining trick system and medal-based progression, the sixty-plus stages that wind from the sun-washed tracks of Kyushu to the snowfields of Hokkaido, the wild boss encounters and set pieces that refuse to play it safe, and the cel-shaded pop-art presentation that gives the whole thing an identity you could spot from across a room. The episode also hands a full segment to the game's staggering all-star soundtrack, led by Tee Lopes alongside a lineup of more than twenty composers and vocalists including Sean Bialo, Andrew One, Richard Jacques, Ryo Nagamatsu, Shoji Meguro, Takenobu Mitsuyoshi, Harumi Fujita, Lotus Juice, Ironmouse, and many more, and how its blend of funk, synthwave, and vocal anthems drives every moment forward without ever losing its cohesive spirit.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

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Episode #433 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth put on their explorer hats and take a trip down to the Amazon. Grab your machete and bug spray!

From lost cities and hidden gold to survival horror where the jungle waits you out, the rainforest has never been one single thing. We'll go from a dinosaur-infested Amazon speedway to a Sierra cue that nobody heard for thirty years, through helicopter raids, a Rio street party, and one goodbye that tends to leave people misty-eyed. Don't get lost!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Episode #432 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth present the annual Randomizer episode, this year with a very special twist.

Bryan's best friend and beloved companion of the last 12+ years unfortunately suddenly passed away on July 2nd. Randomizer IV is completely dedicated to his life and memory. Run free and rest easy, Avenger.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Episode #431 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are back with the monthly Blind Listen, this time focusing on the recently released Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, Star Fox.

A remake of the Nintendo 64 version, which itself was a reboot of the Super Nintendo version, this latest entry tells the same tale of Fox all over again, now with updated visuals and an impressively redone soundtrack. As a special bonus for the Blind Listen this month, the guys decided to make this a comparison episode, so the Nintendo 64 and Switch 2 versions of the tracks are being featured!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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Bonus Episode #71 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Kyle explore The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, Square Enix's ambitious new HD-2D action RPG that blends real-time combat, exploration, and time-travel into an epic adventure spanning a thousand years.

Throughout the episode, the duo shares their thoughts on Elliot's journey across multiple eras, the satisfying blend of action and puzzle-solving, the memorable cast of characters, and the game's beautifully crafted world as it evolves through history. They also discuss how The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales expands the possibilities of the HD-2D style beyond traditional turn-based RPGs, before closing out the conversation with a celebration of the game's outstanding soundtrack.

Note: This episode was recorded before the news broke about physical discs and games going away in January 2028, so the discussion we have that stems off a side-conversation on Grand Theft Auto VI is purely coincidental, but very timely.

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff, & Mike.

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Episode #430 of BGMania: A Video Game Music Podcast. Today on the show, Bryan and Bedroth are taking a hard left turn away from the Mushroom Kingdom and diving headfirst into the wide, wonderful, and occasionally chaotic world of non-Mario Kart kart racers.

From Diddy Kong Racing to Crash Team Racing, from a Bloodborne-inspired gothic nightmare to a Muppet-filled trip to Fraggle Rock, we're celebrating the kart racing genre's rich history beyond Nintendo's juggernaut. Join us for some laps around the tracks!

Email the show at [email protected] with requests for upcoming episodes, questions, feedback, comments, concerns, or any other thoughts you'd like to share! Special thanks to our Executive Producers: Jexak, Xancu, Jeff & Mike.

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