Level Zero

After the sloppy launch of the Sega Saturn in 1995, Sega was struggling. The second half of the 90’s would prove to be a challenge for the company, but there was one more shot at success: The Dreamcast.  Would it be enough to save the company?

Journey back with us to second half of the 90’s to take a look at Sega’s internal struggles, the “most successful launch in entertainment history” with the Dreamcast, and what brought about the end of Sega in the console market. Greg dives into the details with the help of video game historian, Alexander Smith.

Episode Transcript! - https://levelzeropod.com/2021/11/11/the-history-of-sega-part-3/

Featuring:

Alexander Smith of “They Create Worlds”

Website: https://theycreateworlds.com/

Podcast: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/They-Create-Worlds-Companies-1971-1982/dp/1138389900?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=storypodca-20&linkId=2P4S6EY6B462X4AR

Twitter: @tcwpodcast - https://twitter.com/tcwpodcast

For more on the downfall of Sega, check out “Dreams of Sega” - http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/dreams-of-sega/

Ken Horowitz

Website: https://sega-16.com/

Books and Bio: https://www.amazon.com/Ken-Horowitz/e/B07BFY3D6L%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Special thanks to Alex Brinegar for the Logo!

Twitter - @clobberinthyme

Graphic Design - https://alexbrinegar.wordpress.com/

More from Level Zero:

Website: https://levelzeropod.com/

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiBUMAOUkjV5rz1v6qABt-A

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/levelzeropod

Drop a question or leave a suggestion here!

Email: [email protected]

Corrections and Feedback: [email protected]

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod - https://twitter.com/LevelZeroPod

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod - https://www.facebook.com/LevelZeroPod/

Come hang out with us on the Draft Punks discord!

https://discord.gg/hkxHc63x

By 1993, Sega was America’s leading video game company, but was everything as good as it seemed? This second part of our documentary-style series on the History of Sega explores the company's focus during the mid 90’s and the series of missteps that led to its troubled times.

Journey back with us to the mid 90’s to take a look at Sega's hardware from the MEGA CD and 32X, to the Sega Saturn and its launch at the very first Electronic Entertainment Expo. Greg dives into the details with the help of video game historian, Alexander Smith.

Episode Transcription - https://levelzeropod.com/2021/10/29/the-history-of-sega-part-2/

Featuring:

Alexander Smith of “They Create Worlds”

Website: https://theycreateworlds.com/

Podcast: http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/

Book: https://www.amazon.com/They-Create-Worlds-Companies-1971-1982/dp/1138389900?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=ur2&tag=storypodca-20&linkId=2P4S6EY6B462X4AR

Twitter: @tcwpodcast - https://twitter.com/tcwpodcast

Also featuring: 

Bob Buel of 99 Questions

99 Questions - https://anchor.fm/99questions

Twitter -  https://twitter.com/99questionspod

Special thanks to Alex Brinegar for the Logo!

Twitter - @clobberinthyme - https://twitter.com/clobberinthyme

Graphic Design - https://alexbrinegar.wordpress.com/

More from Level Zero:

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiBUMAOUkjV5rz1v6qABt-A

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/levelzeropod

Website: https://levelzeropod.com/

Drop a question or leave a suggestion here!

Email: [email protected]

Corrections and Feedback: [email protected]

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod - https://twitter.com/LevelZeroPod

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod

https://linktr.ee/levelzeropod

Come hang out with us on the Draft Punks discord!

https://discord.gg/mBDfbxRhMU

What are the best Sega games of all time? We assembled a panel of the biggest Sega fans and asked them to share their top 5 favorite Sega games. Spanning over 4 decades, Sega has created a lot of incredible video games, and these Sega experts are excited to talk about their favorite first party Sega produced games.

Featuring esteemed Sega researcher, Ken Horowitz, 99 Questions podcast host, Bob Buel, and America’s number 1 Sonic fan, Alex Brinegar.

Video Version - https://youtu.be/nqfTRbK8Ybk

Featuring:

Ken Horowitz - @Sega16

Site -  https://www.sega-16.com/

Books and bio- https://www.amazon.com/Ken-Horowitz/e/B07BFY3D6L

Bob Buel - @bobbbackwards

99 Questions - https://twitter.com/99questionspod - https://anchor.fm/99questions

Alex Brinegar - @clobberinthyme

Graphic Design - https://alexbrinegar.wordpress.com/

Werehog Review Club - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnsf4hbVP0BHCLuDm-5dFLQ

Drop a question or leave a suggestion here!

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LevelZeroPod

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Website: https://levelzeropod.com/

Check out Draft Punks and come hang out with us on the Draft punks Discord!

https://linktr.ee/draftpunks

From slot machines and photo booths, to arcades, to America’s leading video game company, this documentary-style episode explores Sega’s history with the help of Ken Horowitz.

Journey back with us to discover how an early 1930’s father-son shop became a 1990’s video game juggernaut that seemed too big to fail.

Featuring:

Ken Horowitz of Sega-16.com

https://www.amazon.com/Ken-Horowitz/e/B07BFY3D6L%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Bob Buel of 99 Questions

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/99-questions/id1504738284

Episode Transcript:

https://levelzeropod.com/2021/09/16/the-history-of-sega-part-1/ 

Email: [email protected]

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod

Website: https://levelzeropod.com/

Check out Draft Punks and come hang out with us on the Draft punks Discord!

This is the trailer for Level Zero, the video game podcast for you!

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/levelzeropod

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiBUMAOUkjV5rz1v6qABt-A

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LevelZeroPod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LevelZeroPod

It's that time of year again! The time for video game fans around the world to get excited. It's the Electronic Entertainment Expo! But how exactly did E3 begin and how did it become this gaming destination as we know it today? New host, Preston Willke, has the story.

Sources:

Email: [email protected]

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod

Website: LevelZeroPodcast.com

From the Phillips CDi games, to the 1989 TV Series, to Link's Crossbow Training, this episode explores the content from the Legend of Zelda series that has mostly been forgotten to time. This is the 4th and final part of The Legends Behind the Legend of Zelda series! This episode includes a detailed review of the entire Legend of Zelda TV series cartoon, covers the history and development of the three Philips CDi Zelda games (Zelda: Wand of Gamelon, Link: The Faces of Evil, AND Zelda's Adventure), as well as the other offshoot Zelda Games. Hyrule Warriors! Age of Calamity! Weird TV commercials! It's all here in this dive into Links somewhat troubled past.

What happens when Nintendo licensed out Zelda without any oversight? What happens when Link is given a voice? Listen and you will find out.

Episode Transcription

Hello Hyrule

Draft Punks

*New* SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/levelzeropod

Ask a question or leave a comment and have it featured on the next episode!

Email: [email protected]

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod

Website: LevelZeroPodcast.com

Sources and Other Links:

The Legends Behind the Legend of Zelda Series: Part 3! This episode covers the development of every mainline Zelda game from The Wind Waker to Breath of the Wild in order of release. It also gives details on game-play and shares music from all 12 of these great Zelda games. 

Why Toon Link? What’s up with those weird multiplayer Zelda games? Was there really a Zelda game with a train? 

This episode covers all these questions and a whole lot more. 

Episode Transcription

Timestamps:

02:37 - Nintendo Space World 2000 -

5:24 - Outsourcing to Flagship

9:35 - Oracle of Ages/Seasons

11:30 - Link to the Past / Four Swords

13:41 - Wind Waker

22:05 - Four Swords Adventures

23:40 - Minish Cap

25:53 - Wind Waker 2?

28:26 - Twilight Princess

38:07 - Phantom Hourglass

39:35 - Spirit Tracks

41:33 - Skyward Sword

50:31 - Link Between Worlds

54:28 - Triforce Heroes

55:20 - Breath of the Wild

Ask a question or leave a comment and have it featured on the next episode! 

Email: [email protected] 

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod 

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod 

*NEW* Website: LevelZeroPodcast.com 

The Legend of Zelda: Links to the Included Content 

Space World 2000 Show - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FEeECj8DqA&t=324s

Space World 2000 GameCube Highlight Reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Swpn8qYhFs&t=7s  

E3 2004 - Twilight Princess Reveal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BP1I9yz1bU 

The Legend of Zelda: Links to the Extra Content 

Eiji Aonuma Profile - Did You Know Gaming - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPGnmkL4Nbw 

From Pixel to Polygons - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwKJqPWLrUg

The Legends Behind the Legend of Zelda Series: Part 2! This "Audio Documentary" tells the story of Eiji Aonuma and how he created the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. From stress to nightmares to an impossible deadline, this episode explains how Eiji Aonuma and his team overcame all odds and managed to create the game in just one year. Changing the fate of the Zelda franchise in the princess. In addition to explaining the creation of Majora's Mask, this episode also provides a theory on the true meanings and intentions behind this bizarre game. 

Episode Transcript 

Ask a question or leave a comment and have it featured on the show! 

Email: [email protected] 

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod

Website: LevelZeroPodcast.com 

Text: 

Iawata Asks: Majora's Mask 3D 

Eiji Aonuma Interview Aonuma talks Majora’s Mask 

Videos: 

Did You Know Gaming: Eiji Aonuma Bio 

Did You Know Gaming: Majora's Mask 

Gaming Historian - N64DD 

Fun Video with Aonuma and Koizumi 

Majora's Mask Documentary 

"SWEET ELECTRIC GUITAR!"

The history of The Legend of Zelda series, and the Legends behind it: Part 1! As part of the celebration of the 35th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda franchise, this episode is Part 1 of a special Mini-Series on the "Legends" behind the Legend of Zelda franchise. This episodes dives into the origin of the original Legend of Zelda and the developers behind it. Focusing on the first two decades of Shigeru Miyamoto's career and how he created the action-adventure genre just one year after creating Super Mario Brothers.  But it wasn't just Miyamoto, two others were key in creating The Legend of Zelda. Takashi Tezuka and Koji Kondo played an instrumental role and Zelda could not have been made without them.

Email: [email protected] 

Merch Store - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/level-zero?ref_id=25344

Twitter: @LevelZeroPod

Facebook: @LevelZeroPod

Website: LevelZeroPodcast.com