🏆 The Burly Bantz Awards 2025 | Judge, Jury & Award Givers

It’s the most prestigious night in gaming*(*according to us).

Welcome to The Burly Bantz Awards 2025, where we act as judge, jury, and award givers for everything that defined our year — the best, the worst, and the most unhinged moments in gaming, Pokémon GO, memes, takeaways, and real life.

From accidental Master Ball disasters and Pokémon that personally victimised us, to the biggest Ws and Ls the gaming industry took this year — nothing is safe, and nobody is spared.

Expect hot takes, questionable opinions, fake sponsors, and an awards ceremony that absolutely would not be allowed on television.

🏅 Awards & Topics Include

Best & Worst Games of the Year

Most Fun Game of 2025

Biggest W & Biggest L in Gaming

Pokémon GO Awards (Events, Shinies & Trauma)

Meme of the Year

Takeaway of the Year

Content Creator & Podcast Awards

The takes that probably got us cancelled

🎙️ About Burly BantzBurly Bantz is a gaming podcast covering video games, mobile games (especially Pokémon GO), internet culture, memes, and whatever real-life chaos we’ve found ourselves in that week.

New episodes drop regularly at 12pm GMT on the first Wednesday of every month — subscribe so you don’t miss the next bad take.

📢 Join the Conversation on Discord- https://discord.com/invite/TsPvJxH7VQ

👉 Which award did we get completely wrong?

👉 What was your Game of the Year?

👉 And which Pokémon ruined your life in 2025?

Drop a comment — we will absolutely read it and argue.

🔔 Support the Podcast

👍 Like the video if you enjoyed the chaos

💬 Comment with your own awards

📺 Subscribe for more episodes, clips, and bad decisions

📱 Follow us: Instagram: https://instagram.com/burlybantzpodcastTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@burly.bantz.podcaTwitter/X: https://x.com/BurlyBantz

⏱️ Chapters & Awards Timestamps

00:00:00 – Awards Intro

00:01:08 – Fake Sponsors (Definitely Real)

🎮 General Gaming Awards

00:02:15 – Best Mobile Game

00:04:10 – Player Name of the Year

00:06:05 – Content Creator of the Year

00:08:20 – Clip of the Year (Most Views)

🔥 Game Section

00:10:05 – Hot Take of the Year (Gaming Edition)

00:13:55 – New Game of the Year

00:15:45 – Community Award for Services to Gamers

🎙️ Podcast & Media

00:18:40 – Podcast of the Year

00:20:10 – Best Gaming Adaptation🟡 Pokémon GO Awards

00:23:05 – Best Event / Update

00:26:40 – Shiny of the Year

00:29:50 – Pokémon That Personally Victimised Us

00:33:30 – “Why Is This Still in the Game?” Award

00:36:45 – Adam’s 2025 Pokémon GO Stats

🍔 IRL & Culture

00:40:30 – Takeaway of the Year

00:42:10 – Meme of the Year

📉📈 Industry Awards

00:44:50 – Biggest L of the Gaming Industry

00:48:10 – Biggest W of the Gaming Industry

🔮 Looking Ahead

00:50:35 – Most Anticipated Games of 2026

🏆 Final Awards

00:53:40 – Most Fun Game of the Year

00:56:20 – Biggest Disappointment

00:59:10 – Game of the Year

01:02:30 – Closing Chaos & Final Thoughts

📝 Mentions & Credits

Games, franchises, platforms, and media referenced in this episode plus various content creators, podcasts, and gaming communities discussed under fair commentary (but are not limited to): 

@chilli_pips   

@ben.m0v   

@Trenchingboys   

@LCSIGN   

@LastStand-Media  (Sacred Symbols)

@GameOlder2024 (Game Older Podcast) 

@ButtonBoysPodcast 

 @pokemongo   

@Accursed_Farms 

All trademarks and properties are the property of their respective owners

Pokémon GO: Wild Area Doncaster was something completely new for the UK.This wasn’t run by Niantic.There was no official GO Fest setup.This event was organised and delivered by community ambassadors themselves — and over 6,000 trainers showed up.In this episode, we break down the Wild Area event honestly:✅What worked (and what absolutely didn’t)💵Paid vs free experience✨Safari Balls, Mighty Pokémon & shiny rates🫂Queues, lag, crowds, and community spirit❓Whether this kind of community-run Pokémon GO event is the futureFrom casual players to hardcore grinders, we give our unfiltered verdict on whether Wild Area Doncaster was worth the hype — and what Niantic should learn from it.🎙️ No scripts. No filters. Just raw Wild Area testimony.⏱️ Chapters00:00:00 – Intro

00:02:14 - Saturday Event Gameplay (Wakefield)

00:20:22 - Forever Friends & memorial accounts

00:22:28 - Doncaster Community Ambassador Event

00:30:30 - What Made the event different to a normal CA meet-up?

00:42:00 - Feedback discussion

00:58:15 - Shoutouts

01:01:05 - Thanks & Outro 🎧 Listen / Watch MoreNew episodes drop monthly on the first Wednesday🎥 Full episodes on YouTube🎙️ Clips & chaos on socials📍 Mentions & CreditsGame: Pokémon GO (Niantic)Event: Pokémon GO – Wild AreaLocation: Doncaster, UKOrganisers: UK Pokémon GO Community AmbassadorsShout outs:  @j0beatsTTV  &  @IanWaterfall ​

We’re rebuilding Christmas using gaming characters only — drafting a brand new Santa, Mrs Claus, elves and reindeer in the most chaotic way possible.

Plus:

🎮 Pokémon Legends Z-A hate

🔥 Should Pokémon have weapons?

❄️ Monthly catch-up

😂 Meme of the Week - @officialdrpepperman Vs Mrry Crithmus

⭐ Chapters

00:00:00 Intro00:04:17 How Was Your Week00:33:15 What Have We Been Playing01:04:34 Why Pokemon Shouldn't hold human things01:11:39 Community Ambassador Corner01:21:42 Meme of the Week01:26:49 Takeaway Rating - Syhiba01:38:44 Our Gaming Santa Squad

✨ Join the Community!

💬 Discord: https://discord.com/invite/TsPvJxH7VQ

🌐 All links in one place: https://linktr.ee/burlybantzpodcast

📱 Follow us:Instagram: https://instagram.com/burlybantzpodcastTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@burly.bantz.podcaTwitter/X: https://x.com/BurlyBantz

🙌 Mentions & Credits

🧊 Creators shown:

@milestoneschicago

@christycoysh

@chilli_pips

@Rangsk

@ScheifferBates

@FlawlessandBeyond

@TrashTrek67

@Malte.Gottschalk

Comment YOUR Santa Squad below! 🎅💬

#GamingPodcast #ChristmasSpecial #PokemonLegendsZA #SantaSquad

🎙️ From UFO sightings in Crete to gamers losing their minds over The Last of Us, this episode of the Burly Bantz Podcast might just be our most chaotic yet.Adam dives into the world of review bombing — why it happens, how it’s breaking games, and why The Last of Us fans keep getting caught in the crossfire — while Joe brings tales of holiday madness in Crete, including wild t-shirts, mysterious lights on a mountain (definitely aliens 👽), and the infamous “no crocs on escalators” incident.Joe also interviews Adam about his role as a  @pokemongo  Community Ambassador for a behind-the-scenes chat about what the role’s really like, plus:🔥 What we’ve been up to IRL (we're old 💀)🎮 Gaming news, What we've been playing & unhinged opinions🖼️ Meme of the Week: Batman vs  @NATOAWACS  🍕 Takeaway Review: Pizza Pizza👉 If you’re into gaming, Pokémon Go, memes, or just want to laugh at our life choices — this one’s for you!🕒 Timestamps00:00:00 Intro00:03:43 How Was Your Week00:29:35 What Have You Been Playing 00:47:51 Pokémon Go Events Review 01:04:51 Italian Brainrot Trading Cards01:08:25 Off Topic: Crete Mad Shit01:22:18 Interview with a Pokémon Go Community Ambassador 02:08:12 Meme of the Week02:13:04 Takeaway Rating: Pizza Pizza02:23:50 Main discussion: Review Bombing🧾 Mentions & AttributionsInfographics from  @LeekDuck  (Thank you for all you do in the Pokémon Go Community!)PNGs from https://pngtree.com✨ Join the Community!💬 Discord: https://discord.com/invite/TsPvJxH7VQ🌐 All links in one place: https://linktr.ee/burlybantzpodcast📱 Follow us:Instagram: https://instagram.com/burlybantzpodcastTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@burly.bantz.podcaTwitter/X: https://x.com/BurlyBantz

🎙️ From Paris to Wakefield, it’s time for our most chaotic (and slightly sunburnt) review yet!

This episode of the Burly Bantz Podcast dives into the highs, lows, and wild stories from Pokémon Go Fest 2025 — Paris & Global.

Alongside our big GO Fest breakdown, we’ve also got:

🖼️ Meme of the Week

🎮 What video games we’ve been playing

🤯 A bizarre Christopher Walken YouTube encounter

🗣️ Our usual IRL catch-up stories

👉 If you’re into Pokémon Go, gaming banter, or just want to laugh at our misadventures, this one’s for you!

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:57 How was your week?

00:41:22 What have you been playing

1:02:05 Off topic: Epic Christopher Walken Tale & Super Powers

1:08:22 Meme of the Week: Velociraptor vs Free Shavocado

1:11:30 Takeaway Rating: Mr T's

1:24:08 Paris Go Fest Review

2:58:31 Global Go Fest Review

✨ Join the Community!💬

Hop into our Discord: https://discord.com/invite/TsPvJxH7VQ

🌐 All our links in one place: https://linktr.ee/burlybantzpodcast

📱 Follow us on socials:Instagram: https://instagram.com/burlybantzpodcastTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@burly.bantz.podcaTwitter/X: https://x.com/BurlyBantz

🎮 New Episode Just Dropped! 🚗🎤🧠

Your favourite chaotic gamer duo is BACK with a brand new episode where we catch up on life, games, and the weird corners of the internet.

This week we’re diving into:

🔥 What we’ve been up to IRL (spoiler: it’s unhinged)

🕹️ The games that have taken over our free time

🎶 Is Chappell Roan just Sheryl Crow in glitter — or something else entirely?

🌍 Our main topic: Are gamers the new backpackers? From Pokémon GO Fests in Madrid and Paris to Assassin’s Creed in Rome — we dive into the growing trend of video game tourism. Are theme parks, museums, and even cities cashing in on our love of pixels?

😂 Meme of the Week: Who found the funniest gem on the internet? We battle it out.

🔑 And finally… does putting your car key to your head actually boost range, or is Big Car pulling one over on us?

Tap in for hot takes, weird debates, and a whole lot of laughs. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe — or we’ll assume you side with Big Car.

#GamingPodcast #VideoGameTourism #PokemonGoFest #AssassinsCreed #ChappellRoan #SherylCrow #GamersIRL #MemeOfTheWeek #ConspiracyChat #BigCarConspiracy #PodcastEpisode #PopCulturePodcast #GamersWhoTravel

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:42 How was your week?

00:26:45 What have you been playing

00:38:59 Off topic

00:45:49 Conspiracy Corner

00:51:01 Meme of the Week

00:58:11 Takeaway Rating

01:11:35 Main discusion

Welcome back to another episode of the Burly Bantz Podcast, In this episode we have the usual chat about how our week has been and what we have been playing, We discuss our top Bo Burnham songs, Joe gets into a conspiracy theory and for our main topic we dive into full prep mode for Pokémon GO Fest Paris! We talk game plans, must-catch Pokémon, travel tips, and how we’re getting our inventories (and feet) ready for the big weekend.

Mentioned Links

Paris Discord https://discord.gg/zZxhgsdv86 - After Party https://t.co/lxc7KL7eup

Shoutout to the following for some awesome videos/websites used for research ;

@LesFrenchiesTravel 

 @destinationwellknown  https://www.parisaeroport.fr/en/passengers/transport-parking/public-transport-paris

Assets from - PNGTREE

Timecodes

00:00:00 Intro & Sponsor

00:06:40 How Was Your Week?

00:35:42 What Have You Been Playing?

00:54:02 Off Topic: Bo Burnham

01:08:49 Conspiracy Corner

01:13:31 Meme of the Week

01:19:27 Takeaway Rating

01:27:56 Go Fest Prep Intro

01:28:40 Before You Go

01:42:00 What to Pack

01:55:20 The Journey

01:57:13 CDG Airport to the City

02:01:22 Orly Airport to the City

02:04:46 Transport to the Park

02:08:42 Transport Tickets

02:13:46 Sight Seeing

02:25:10 Food & Drinks

02:30:34 Where to Play in Paris

02:40:29 Park Day Tips

02:50:43 Go Fest Bonuses & Features

03:06:49 After Party

03:09:36 Outro

Search Strings: Nundos - 0hp&0attack&0Defense

PVP - 0-1attack&3-4defense&3-4hp

Main Search - !legendary&!mythical&!Ultrabeast&!@special&!background&!shiny&!favorite&!3*

WE ARE BACK!This week we chat about Pokémon Knock offs, We let it Rip, get into some conspiracy's, catch up with what's been going on in our lives and as always rate a takeaway. Game Older Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYUcikuOegMSave the Pichu - https://www.instagram.com/ben.m0v/RuneScape Scale Model - https://www.youtube.com/@RuneLoreKeeper#BurlyBantz #gamers #Podcast #memes #takeaway #foodratings #comedy #funny #videogames #fakeads #conspiraciesTimecodes00:00:00 Intro & Sponsor 00:03:15 Our first mention00:06:16 How has our week been?00:22:23 Player name of the week00:23:07 What have we been playing?00:36:40 Off topic (Drinklets)00:44:11 Conspiracy Corner00:49:48 Meme of the week00:55:26 Scopely buying Pokémon go?01:06:32 Main Topic (Pokémon Ripoffs)01:48:09 Takeaway Rating02:02:10 Outro

WE ARE BACK!

This week we chat about Pokémon Knock offs, We let it Rip, get into some conspiracy's, catch up with what's been going on in our lives and as always rate a takeaway.

#BurlyBantz #gamers #Podcast #memes #takeaway #foodratings #comedy #funny #videogames #fakeads #conspiracies

Join us as we celebrate 2024 in our special awards episode!We discuss our favorite moments of the year and hand out awards to who we thought came out on top as well as what we are looking forward to in 2025!

00:00:00 Intro

00:01:31 Message from our Sponsor

00:03:38 Our Year

00:09:38 Podcast of the Year Award

00:12:42 DLC 'slash' Update of the Year Award

00:15:46 Content Creator of the Year Award

00:19:30 Adaptation of the Year Award

00:25:07 Meme of the Year Award

00:26:47 Adam's Pokémon Go Stats 2024

00:28:00 Best New Thing in Pokémon Go Award

00:34:56 Best Week Long Pokémon Go Event Award

00:38:20 Pokémon Go Bad Times Award

00:42:20 Takeaway of the Year Award

00:43:42 Message from our Sponsor

00:44:56 The Biggest Disappointment of the Year Award

00:47:10 Best New Game of the Year Award

00:53:30 Game of the Year Award

00:59:48 Our Most Anticipated Games of 2025

01:14:26 Outro