Welcome to our extra special, mega-sexy, fully oiled Valentine's Day episode. The crew doesn't quite discuss 100 cupids dropping into your heart but they do honor this most romantic and festive day. Rocky's already found love in the form of Monster Hunter World. Tegan's true love might be The Big Bang Theory. And of course, as Brian slouches toward death, finds love in games as old as he is. *kiss noise goes here*

There are some central drivers or 'themes' to this week's content. Rocky's relationship with Monster Hunter is somewhere between love affair and obsession. The gang realizes that best names for creatures in Monster Hunter are the ones in your heart. We speculate on the possibility that maybe someone should lead EA to a river and have it look at the rabbits. Things get deep when Nolan Bushnell is unpacked. The prospect of an all bard D&D game is discussed all your best erotic video game tweets. THEY ARE EROTIC.

All kinds of business pops off in this episode. Joe Spiro stops by to attempt to fill the Tegan shaped hole in our hearts. Instead he and Brian carry on about old games. There is grim discussion about the Xbox Game Pass service. Various hirings are discussed and we pour one for that one guy who liked Paragon. We hope he likes Smite. Brian discovers that he is an asshole, we get a whole kiwi into a glass and Hoyt Axton stars in a forgotten GBA classic. And the god damn pandas are back.

Look, this episode is a day late but it should be noted that even with the episode being a day late that no member of Impossible Coin is worse than or equal to a panda in awfulness. What we are saying is that pandas are garbage. The team digs into Nintendo Labo and the Q1 shuffle at various studios and David Cage knows Ellen Page. For realsies. Tegan has difficulty planning a diet and the crew pines for sponsorship.

This episode may have everything; motivated shepherd dogs, ASMR NPR, Tegan's hacked washing machine, a plethora of accidental romances, some discussion of Princess Zelda's mom butt in the Hyrule Warriors re-release, a Nintendo mini Direct and the hottest fighting game based on Mad Men. Buckle up kids.

Tegan shares a personal revelation regarding her perceived weakness for gambling. There is talk of a Splatfest or clam bake or whatever those Splatoon 2 things are called. Brian got real close to buying Panzer Dragoon Saga and was able to barely avoid it. Rocky is digging on Good Place theories and the team discusses Smug Fuck Castles in Los Angeles.

So Tegan may be dying. There's that. But our game master, Rocky is hunting for nat twenties to save her. Brian and Rocky talk Monster Hunter World, Tegan tempts Brian with stories of how profoundly busted Elex is and we find out what is mixed in with Rocky's regular porn. We also meet two unscrupulous charlatans, Jimmy Gamestop and Michael Transaction. At least they don't like clopping.

Well, it all comes down to this. Rocky, Tegan and Brian gather to hash out The Big One. What will come of Brian's battle against Splatoon 2? Will Tegan's assertion that What Remains of Edith Finch kill it as dead as the characters in that game? Can Rocky's raw passion for Persona 5 power it onto the list? How much more Hellblade can Rocky and Tegan stand? Where will the twin titans of Nintendo land on the list?

zOMG ALL TEH DRAMA.

It's time for the tough calls. It's time for hurt feelings. Listen as your heroes, Tegan, Rocky and Brian begin to shore up their shady deals for next weeks battle for all the marbles. This week the hills they die on are:

Most Reprehensible Business Practice

Best Story

Most Satisfying Challenge

Best Moment

It's time to talk audio y'all. And some other stuff. Tegan, Rocky and Brian are back in the trench for Game of the Year. This week they hit:

Best Audio

Best Girl

Best Boy

Best Art