Blowing Cartridges

From "My uncle works at Nintendo" to the existence of the Dreamcast 2, video game rumours have captured the imagination of enthusiasts and fans alike. With the recent announcement of the Switch OLED, that dashed many dreams that people held surround the "Switch Pro" and rampant speculation over what Hideo Kojima is up to next, this is a topic that has never been more relevant. Zach and Brendan, joined by first-time special guest Dash, dissect this rumour-fueled cartridge and outline their respective beliefs regarding the role of rumours in the gaming media. 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Dan "Dash" Rizzo - @Dashgamer (Check out www.dashgamer.com) 

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

How long a game takes to complete is an indicator that occupies and important position in the gaming lexicon. With sites like howlongtobeat.com and common assertions that a game needs to be a particular length to be worth "$60" this poses a fascinating area of gaming culture to explore. 

In true Blowing Cartridges style, this particular cartridge represents our shortest regular episode yet. Does this diminish the value of our podcast? Do let us know!

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Zach and Brendan, with returning guest Luke, revisit a topic from an early episode of the podcast: E3. With the event being held online for the very first time due to the ongoing pandemic, the trio assess the successes and failings of E3 2021 and ponder the future of what many gaming enthusiasts have considered the premier event on the gaming industry calendar.

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Luke - @adeeelnv (Check out his N-Gage Collection: https://youtu.be/2KENSHIPWrw)

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Since the trainwreck that was the Super Mario Bros Film, movie adaptations of films have never quite emerged from the sea of mediocrity they find themselves mired in. Similarly, gaming culture itself have inspired a plethora of films, yet many of them too fall short. Why is this? The Blowing Cartridges co-hosts, Brendan and Zach, have been dispatched to investigate this phenomenon. 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

From demo CDs on the front covers of video game magazines to digital downloads from online storefronts, demos have been present in video games for decades. The rise of digital marketplaces have resulted in Betas and Early Access becoming viable options for video game developers. Tune in to hear Brendan and Zach discuss their respective experiences regarding these formats and their overall thoughts on the role they play in the gaming landscape. 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

As gamers, we frequently feel the nostalgic desire to play old games. These range from games we enjoyed in our childhoods, those that we never had the chance to play and games that are older than we are. 

Special guest Bryce Dewit joins Brendan and Zach to discuss the role of emulation in gaming, emulating games versus playing them on their original hardware, his struggles with learning Python to emulate the Phillips CDi and his recent tinkering with his Wii U, turning it into a pimped out emulation machine.

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Bryce - @ivRevin (@TheHouseofMario)

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Can you truly separate art from the artist? In light of a number of instances of boycotts stemming from situations ranging from poor working conditions at gaming companies to individual developers holding controversial political opinions, Brendan and Zach attempt to break down and assess the different aspects of this age-old question.

Most importantly, do not boycott this podcast! Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Turns out that 13 is truly a cursed number! Tune in and listen to the long-awaited episode 13, as Zach and Brendan kick of season 2 of Blowing Cartridges in style! The dynamic duo reminisce about 2020, the games they played and how a global pandemic affected the wider gaming landscape. 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia

Special guest and friend of the show John Dewis joins Zach & Brendan to discuss the important role video game music plays in game design. Each of the three brought three music tracks of their choice to discuss at length, dissecting the different forms that VGM can take and the qualities inherent to the medium.

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

John - @AuraPaladin

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Music Played:

Spill the Coffee - Necrobarista - Kevin Penkin & Jeremy Lim https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rztHfUussso 

Pursuit Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney - Masakazu Sugimori https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFcJmOs8DRQ 

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time: - Koji Kondo - https://youtu.be/InkKkTcw9_A 

FogBeast Battle - Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected (1) FogBeast Battle -Xenoblade Chronicles: Future Connected OST [06] - YouTube - Ace+

Taser - Age of Empires II  (1) Age of Empires II Soundtrack - Track #10 - Tazer - YouTube Stephen Rippy

Dam - Goldeneye 007 (1) Goldeneye 007 (Music) - Dam - YouTube - Grant Kirkshop, Graeme Norgate, Robin Beanland

To The Final Battle - 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim - Hitoshi Sakimoto

Sailing with the Coffee Pirates - Wandersong - A Shell in the Pit

The Elemental Stars - Golden Sun - Motoi Sakuraba

Brendan and Zach often discuss their (relatively) vast video game collections. However, is there something more to these collections than just blind hoarder-instinct? Tune in to listen to the duo discuss the growing phenomenon of video game preservation, the role of emulation vs original hardware and the uniqueness of video games as a medium in the context of preserving/displaying them in a museum setting. 

Have any comments? Feel free to drop us a line via twitter @blowcartpod or email at [email protected]

Brendan - @Tamazoid

Zach - @Eggerino

Intro music - '8 Bit Ditty' by FoolBoyMedia

Outro - 'Video Game Land' by FoolBoyMedia