Game/Life Balance Australia

It's 2019, AC is back from Japan, so it's time to balance our games and life once more! This week we discuss de-heading, kids asking "Why?" all the time, ballet dancing to The Wiggles, throwing animals off cliffs,

AC's Japanese adventures, reminiscing on Rock Band, and the glamorous life of train drivers in Japan. All this and more, and with new co-host, Uncle Snap Snap along for the ride! ***** For other podcasts that are equally as good as this one (literally equally as good), please visit the Gonna Geek netwoik at www.gonnageek.com ***** If you love the intro and outro music to our show, it's made by two dudes called Me and My Shadow. You can find other sounds they have made at meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com ***** Make Cody Gough a happy boy by listening to the Curiosity Podcast, at curiosity.com/series/podcast ***** And speaking of Cody Gough, he makes a podcast with a wanted felon that is also somewhat confusingly called Game/Life Balance – it’s rather good and can be found at gamelifebalance.us or on your podcast app of choice. *****

This year for the holiday season, AC and Rob decided to remember the REAL meaning of Christmas - by playing a whole bunch of Bible games for the Gameboy! That's right, it's a Wisdom Tree Games special! Do these handheld games manage to entertain the lads as well as save their souls? Or are these games, like the Church Lady on SNL, ultimately repugnant and a bad advertisement for their religion? Tune in to find out! **** Also in this divine episode - on a more serious note, Rob discusses his recent divorce and his hopes for the new year, then the boys chat about their favourite games of 2018, and AC's lack of enthusiasm for the current Nintendo Switch library. Then we wrap it up with a fun Christmas quiz! **** If you like geeky podcasts then why not head on over to the Gonna Geek Network, the home of geeky podcasts everywhere!

www.gonnageek.com **** Christmas Chip-tunes supplied by the following geniuses: Frosty the Snowgram - by Ouch, Fire! --- Winter Wonderland - by Joedouken **** If you want to actually learn something and increase the girth of your brain muscles, there's a great podecrast called Curiosity Podcast or something which you can find at curiosity.com/series/podcast. It's hosted by our ally in the US, Cody Gough, so if you want to help him out go give it a listen and a lovely review please! **** Cody Gough is also a co-host of Game/Life Balance US, our sister show in America, alongside his his co-host the redblooded right-wing pick-up truck driving criminal Jonathan "Uncle Stabbo" Martin, who has had another child, just like God intended. So if you want to know how THAT whole situation is going, why not visit gamelifebalanceus.com or find Game/Life Balance U.S. on your podcast app of choice.

This week the boys discuss a game from one of their favourite franchises - Bubble Symphony! No surprises here as AC and Rob speak glowingly about a fun little arcade game about dragons that blow bubbles - what's not to like? **** Also in this outstanding episode - Rob is sick and his voice sounds gravelly and masculine for once, so enjoy that while it lasts; AC's tales of antique shopping adventures; Rob's parting thoughts on Red Dead Redemption 2 and AC's ongoing love affair with the PlayStation VR. And our quiz this week is about yesteryear's video game powerhouse, Taito! **** If you're a giant nerd (and let's face it if you're listening to this you almost certainly are) there's a website that has a lot more nerdy podcasts about all the nerdy crap you love, like comic books and pop culture and how to do a good podcast (we really should listen to that one). And what is the name of that website? The Gonna Geek network, www.gonnageek.com **** There are two Americans who stole our idea, who you can find at www.gamelifebalance.us **** Our intro and outro music was made by two lovely American boys who go by the name of Me and My Shadow. Check out their other shizz at meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com

This week we thought we'd do something out of character and review a game that was actually released within living memory - Tetris Effect for the PS4. So join the lads as they talk about this latest iteration of the famous Tetris franchise, and try to pinpoint what it is that makes this game so darn fun. Also in this riveting episode: AC is dead and has been replaced by a mouse with a soundboard, Rob is still alive but dead on the inside, and Peppers the Wonder Horse is somehow still alive, plus there's more Read Dead Redemption 2 talk, Rob's daughter's swimming lessons, AC's Christmas holiday plans, and scavenging laser disc players in 2018. Plus a fun quiz about the history of Tetris! **** For more geeky podcasts that are 100% certified "Geekerrific" (patent pending MFers) head on over to the Gonna Geek Network, at www.gonnageek.com ****

And speaking of things that aren't in any way bad or lame, you really should check out our sister show, Game/Life Balance US that has just made its triumphal return to podcastery after a lengthy hiatus. Believe it or not they are actually pretty good at podcasting, so if you'd like a useful comparator for how bad our show is, check out their audio stylings at www.gamelifebalance.us **** When music is needed, there's only once place to go - the Me and My Shadow bandcamp page DUH! Duhhhh. You idiot. They make music, just like the music you hear at the start and end of our show because, get this, THEY ACTUALLY MADE THE MUSICS! So while you're recovering from that shocking revelation, why not (WHY THE EFF NOT) head on down to meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com ****

Red Dead Redemption 2 is out and it's all that Rob can think about, but before the boys get into that whole thing they need to discuss the Vectrex, our featured console for this episode! So slap on your coloured overlay and don't worry about the difference between vectors and pixels, because it's too hard to explain and your lovable hosts are too dumb to grasp it anyway! **** Also in this episode: Red Dead Redemption 2, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Redemption 2. Also AC did some things too I think... **** If you love this podcast then for Pete's sake give us a good review or at the very least some stars, you know we need it! And if you'd like to check out similar podcasts, why not mosey on over to the Gonna Geek network, the literal home for geeky podcasts?! That's www.gonnageek.com **** And speaking of  massive geeks, you really should check out our sister show, Game/Life Balance US - they're currently on a bit of a hiatus as Uncle Stabbo and his wife had another kid (the fools!) but there's literally hundreds of hours of back episodes for you to enjoy in the meantime. So if you'd like to give those lovely boys a lovely listen, head on down to www.gamelifebalance.us **** Our musics was made by two musicalicious music-making boys from the good ol' U.S. of A by the name of Me and My Shadow. For more of their audio treats check out their Bandcamp tunes at meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com ****

It's Stream of Nonsense time once more - oh how the time flies! So join your hosts AC and Rob as we discuss Professor Corona's lemon cartel, Super Mario Brothers power-ups, Japanese animal cruelty circuses, the entire history of Rob's experiences with the Mario franchise, handheld nostalgia, free Nintendo DS games, Astro Boy's butt gun, 8-bit Muttley, the joy of being stuck in a hospital with a toddler for 48 hours, and the even greater joy of trying to learn braille. AND MANY MORE FUN TOPICS TOO. **** If it be a golderne trasure of Podecastes ye seeke, 'ere be a podcast network that's full to the mizzen with Spanish dubloons and Irish ha'pennys of piratey podcastery goodness! So smash ye fiste on twixt of yar mobile device on yonder link until thine hand until ye be requirin' hospitalisation: www.gonnageek.com **** Hark ye lubbers it's a Yankee duo off the port bow what be makin' the sea shanties for this 'ere podcast: meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com **** For the wisenin' up of ye brainal fluids, set sail for the Curiosity Podcast at curiosity.com/series/podcast ye scurvy dogs! **** And if'n ye like what ye here... hear... I here's there be another podcast at Pirate Island A.K.A. the United States, what flies the same flag as ours! So thar be no excuses now to smash yer face onto this link with such mortal vigor that ye nosebone stabs ye in the brain: gamelifebalance.us ****

To celebrate the sexiest of all episode numbers, this week the lads review the sexiest video game of all time, which is of course Playboy: The Mansion for the OG Xbox. Did the lads have a titillating good time expanding Hef's empire, or did they drown in a sea of badly-rendered polygonal boobies? The only way to find out is to listen to this episode and find out for yourself! **** Also in this fine episode: Rob did something very uncharacteristic and joined a gym, while AC has decided to do something VERY characteristic by digging into some classic Namco games on the Famicom. And as befits Episode 69, this week's quiz is about sexy video game characters - turns out Rob's "waifu" is the ball from Breakout. Who knew?! **** For other great podcasts that equally as good as this one (literally equally as good), please visit the Gonna Geek netwoik at www.gonnageek.com **** Music happens at the start bit and end bit of our show, which was made by people called Me and My Shadow (that's not their real names, which are in fact Malechai Zoot and Promfus McSwordbutt). So if you like fun names or even more fun music, why not (WHY NOT) head on over to meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com **** When the weight of the world has got me down, I always find that learning something new usually helps tremendously. That, and narcotics. But learning is good too kids! So if you'd like to learn a new thing or two (or even three sometimes), check out the Curiosity podcast at curiosity.com/series/podcast which is hosted by our ally in the US, Cody Gough. **** And speaking of Cody Gough, he and a criminal mastermind make a podcast that is also somewhat confusingly called Game/Life Balance - it's rather good and can be found at gamelifebalance.us or on your podcast app of choice. ****

There are at least two moments in this episode where we propose names for the podcast, but I definitely don't want to listen to the whole thing to find them. You however I will heartily encourage to listen to this week's euphoric episode, wherein we discuss the exemplary beat 'em up, the 1989 arcade game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Also in this carcinogenic extravaganza - AC has been crying into his Thieving Welshman over the departure of his wife and child back to Godzilla Island, while Rob nearly killed a toddler at a children's birthday party. It's okay folks, he used the Dark Souls defense. **** Don't you hate it when those murderous thoughts bubble up in your brain at inappropriate times? So whether you're standing in line at the bank, waiting for your email inbox to refresh or enjoying a children's birthday party, you can drown out all of the voices in your head urging you to commit heinous acts with other, better voices in your head - in PODCAST FORM! Just head on over won't you please to the Gonna Geek netwoik which is 100% literally your home for geeky podcrasters and enjoy the peace of mind that only a podcast can bring. Here is an helpful link you wino! www.gonnageek.com **** Some people enjoy music. Not me though, I'm more into spoken word. But for those of you who do like music, it may please your little brains to know that the music you hear at the beginning bit and end bit of our podcast was made by two actual humans that make other music too! I know, crazy right? So for more similar musics just mosey on over to meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com **** They say curiosity killed the cat, but actually it was Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with a candlestick. So don't worry, you're safe to listen to the OUTSTANDING Curiosity podcast, which is at least in part the responsibility of our dear friend, Professor Anime Hair. Go check it out, won't ye? curiosity.com/series/podcast ****

This fortnight Rob tries his best to talk about the massive influence that D&D had on video games, while AC does his best to derail him and make as many snarky remarks about role playing games as he can. In other words it's a fairly typical episode of this trash fire of a podcast! **** Also in this week's mellifluous offering: Rob has been playing Call of Duty: World at War (yes, that's not a typo), AC has been dicking around with his Professional Video Monitor, and both of these chumps got together to play some Bubble Symphony which is rather dope.  **** Also there's no quiz this week because we hate you and everything you stand for.  **** If you like podcasts then you may be interested to know that there is a website that has podcasts on it, some of them even of middling quality! So why not head on over to your home for geeky podcasts at www.gonnageek.com **** Our fabulous theme music was loving handcrafted by two underpaid sweatshop workers in downtown Bangkok by the name of Me and My Shadow. If you'd like to listen to other music from these two tragic Dickensian orphans, smash your finger so hard on this link that your finger goes through the screen and out the other side: meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com **** And last but definitely least, you can make our pal Cody Gough a very happy boy by subscribing to The Curiosity Podcast, which is his actual day job that he needs to feed his 14 starving children. So look up The Curiosity Podcast on your favourite podcast app, or pound your fist on this link so violently that you break your hand in multiple places: curiosity.com/series/podcast ****

This week our featured game is the Breakout clone WizOrb! Mainly because Rob wanted to talk about Breakout, but that game is hard to emulate properly. So grab a firm hold of your paddles and balls because it's going to get bouncy! And if you think that last line was dripping with sexual innuendo, just wait until you listen to the rest of this podcast, wherein our hosts discuss Rob's Breakout fetish, the surprisingly good PS2 game, The Simpsons: Road Rage, hacked hand-held consoles, how Rob spends time with his daughter, and the impending time-travel related murder of someone called Gary Gygock. Also there's a quiz as usual. ***** For other podcasts that suck considerably less than our sucky podcast, check out all the wonderful shows at the Gonna Geek Network, which is literally your home for geeky podcasts. It's also literally your home generally. What's wrong ball, are you too good for your home?!?! So go home dagnabbit by visiting www.gonnageek.com  ***** Also there is musicians called Me And My Shadow who are maybe still alive or maybe dead, who can say in these crazy times? Regardless of their mortal status, their music lives on eternally in digital form at meandmyshadow.bandcamp.com  ***** Finally, if you love Cody Gough (sexually or the boring kind) you can make him a happy little boy by checking out the podcast he makes for a living at Curiosity.com, The Curiosity Podcast. Just google "Curiosity Podcast" or click on this link that will  maybe work depending on many factors including how much of a shit I could give: curiosity.com/series/podcast  *****