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Y'know, we all like to play games, right? At the end of the day, it's for one reason:

To have FUN!

But for some games, it takes a bit to get the ball rolling in that regard. So much so that you may find yourself dropping the game if it takes too long, is too hard, or frankly, some character keeps rubbing ya the wrong way!

This week, James & Ryan take a Devil's Advocate approach on analyzing these design choices and highlight the actual value they bring to the table! We also give advice on how to effectively recommend a game to your friend instead of defaulting to "it gets good after the 1st few hours I SWEAR" or "you just gotta play it".

Finally, following the hype of the Star Fox Remake (...th-the Switch 2 one), Ryan attempts to thwart James' veteran knowledge of the Lylat System residents! Let's Rock'n'Roll!

...we swear this is the last we'll spam Star Fox content (at least for a while).

Games Discussed

Banjo-Kazooie, Bioshock, Castlevania series, Crow Country, Dark Souls, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy XIII, Fire Emblem, It Takes Two, Kingdom Hearts series, League of Legends, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Mario 64, Mass Effect trilogy, Monster Hunter series (Monster Hunter Rise, Switch/PC), Persona 3 Reload, Pokémon, Resident Evil series, Star Fox 64, Star Fox (Switch 2 remake), Tales of Symphonia, Tales of the Abyss

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

Star Fox is back! Ryan and James settle into their Arwings and fly in to discuss the triumphant return of the Star Fox squad with the 2026 Switch 2 Remake!

Games Discussed

• Star Fox (2026)
• Persona 3: Reload
• Mario Kart Wii

Links Mentioned

The Story Lost in Translation in Starfox 64’s Route 24 (aka. the Miyamoto Route)

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

Welcome to the dog days of summer! Kick back, cool off, or take a dip in the pool! At the campfire, though, Ryan and James reminisce on some of their favorite summer break games! Ryan is also desperate to enjoy his summer vacation, but must face a daunting Super Mario Sunshine quiz to make it home.

Games Discussed

• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Final Fantasy VII
• Chrono Cross
• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
• Dead Island
• The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages / Seasons
• Golden Sun
• Pokemon Crystal 
• Donkey Kong 64
• Super Mario Sunshine

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

With Father's Day right around the corner, Ryan and James sit down and reflect on some of their fondest gaming memories shared with their dads. Ryan is thrust into a surprise shift as a tour guide for Timber's Island, assisting James on a walkthrough of Diddy Kong Racing.

Games Discussed

• The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion
• Mina the Hollower
• Diddy Kong Racing

Links Mentioned

@ella787 's Olimar Colossalcon cosplay

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

Ryan and James gush about the exciting announcements from this year's Summer Games Fest and surrounding directs in a surprise bonus episode! What were the games that evoked the most hype? What trailers were the most intriguing, or that won us over? We'd love to hear yours, too!

Games Discussed

• Crossfire
• Mr. Records
• Apple Crumble
• Magicians: The Devil's Deal
• Vivarium
• Final Fantasy Resonance
• Screenbound
• Halo: Campaign Evolved
• N+Infinity Times Two
• Spyro: A Realm Beyond
• Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
• Until Dawn 2
• Orbitals
• Big Walk
• Lazy River
• The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time (Remake)
• Threads of Time
• Assassin's Creed 4 Resynced 
• Shot One Fighters
• Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave
• Kingdom Hearts IV
• Street Fighter 6
• Xenoblade Genesis
• The Wolf Among Us 2
• Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis
• Final Fantasy 7 Revelation
• Virtua Fighter Crossroads
• Tenebris Somnia
• Fable
• Star Wars Galactic Racer
• Mighty Cuphead Adventure
• Star Wars Zero Company
• Signet City

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

What cozy stories and cherished memories are kept on the game shelf? Ryan and James explore some of their favorites, from Amiibo-chasing to hardware heartbreaks. James fights the inevitability of becoming hollow as he tackles a devious Dark Souls quiz.

Games Discussed

• Chrono Cross
• Dark Souls
• Phoenix Wright
• Super Smash Brothers
• Fire Emblem Shadows of Valentia
• Breath of the Wild
• Star Wars Episode One Podracer
• Shadows of the Empire
• Star Wars Battlefront (1 + 2)
• The Force Unleashed
• Lego Indiana Jones / Kung Fu Panda
• Spyro Reignited Trilogy
• Sly Cooper trilogy
• Skylanders
• Lego Dimensions
• Disney Infinity

Links Mentioned

Fox Amiibo Places 3rd in Smash Tournament Article

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

Remasters, Remakes, Reboots, and Reimaginings... oh my! 

Ryan and James sit down and discuss The Four Horsemen of "RE" type titles; What defines each of them, personal favorites, and teeter on the line of rebranding into a Resident Evil podcast. James has a very normal and calm reaction to Shigeru Miyamoto helping announce the shadow-dropped Star Fox 2026 Direct, and puts his detective skills to the test in a rapid-fire quiz of determining what "RE" title is being described from the back of the box.

Games Discussed

• Final Fantasy V
• Pragmata
• The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker HD
• Halo The Master Chief Collection
• Resident Evil (2002)
• Resident Evil 2-4 Remakes
• Final Fantasy VII Remake
• The Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening (2019)
• Ratchet and Clank (2016)
• Mortal Kombat (2009)
• Resident Evil 7 Biohazard
• Star Fox Zero
• Super Castlevania IV
• Super Mario All-Stars
• Star Fox (2026)
• The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion Remastered
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door (2024)
• Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
• Miitopia (2021)

Links Mentioned

The Star Fox Scale - @CottrelloVision

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

What actually makes a "comfort game" a comfort game?

This week around the campfire, Ryan and James talk about the games they can replay endlessly - from Metroid Prime and Resident Evil 4 to Pokémon, Fire Emblem, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, and even weird modded randomizers. Along the way, they dive into nostalgia, replayability, developer intent, childhood memories, and why some games just feel like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket after a long day. 

Also: James desperately tries to convince Ryan to finally play Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia.

Games Discussed

• Xenoblade Chronicles
• Resident Evil 4
• Skyrim
• Metroid Prime — main deep-dive, GameCube/Wii/Switch versions
• The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
• Halo CE
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
• Pikmin
• Pokémon
• Spider-Man 2 (2001)
• Red Faction: Guerrilla
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2
• Dark Souls
• Fire Emblem: Blazing Blade
• Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!

Send us Fan Mail! We'd love to hear from you <3

I see em' up ahead - Let's rock and roll!

Ryan and James look back throughout the vast depths of the Lylat system and reminisce of the Star Fox catalog! Talks of personal favorites, developer history, and looking to the future, capped off with an exciting quiz that will test your knowledge of Corneria - Star Fox 64's explosive intro level.

Hop in your Arwing and fly on over to the campfire for this new episode of galactic proportions!

Games Discussed

Star Fox (SNES), Star Fox 2 (NSO Online), Star Fox 64 (N64), Star Fox Adventures (GC), Star Fox Assault (GC), Star Fox Command (DS), Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

Special Thanks To

• Cover Art - @Falah
• Logo - @Psyonyx
• Music - Robotic Park by Kyon

 Wanna Reach Out?

• Check us out on our website!
• Send Us Fan Mail OR email directly to [email protected]
• Send us a BlueSky message @coopcampfire.bsky.social

Stay Cozy!!