Main Quest Podcast

After six years, hundreds of episodes, and more conversations about retro games than anyone asked for, the Main Quest has hit another milestone!

On this Side Quest episode I take a step back to reflect on my journey from the early days of the program, its return, to the incredible year of growth, guest, and community support that followed.

But I'm not only looking back...I'm also looking ahead. My journey is far from over.

THE SHOW NOTES

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Matt aka Stormageddon - Storm Beagle

Come join the Discord

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

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The Final Fantasy everyone forgot takes center stage! This week I'm joined by Chris Coplien and Marc "Try4ce" Duddleson to dive into the experimental, often overlooked, Final Fantasy V!

We break down the mechanics, do a deep dive on the story, and why this one is often overshadowed by its SNES siblings. Is this really the best Final Fantasy of the 16-bit era??

THE SHOW NOTES

Find & support my guest over at: Retro Hangover | RH Twitch My Life In Gaming | MLiG Twitch | Backloggery

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen - Matt aka Stormageddon - Storm Beagle

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

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Do you remember Super Adventure Island?

Maybe I'm the only one...

This week I'm joined by Ashton Ruby to revisit one of Hudson Soft's most successful franchises. Are flashy graphics and a bumpin' soundtrack enough to carry cookie cutter game play? It might be a good game but "Super" doesn't always guarantee a classic.

WARP ZONES

(0:22) Intro (2:50) Ashton & Gaming (13:54) Previous Histories (19:38) Development History (32:24) Retro Recollections (38:04) Story (43:08) Gameplay (1:08:08) Protagonist Paradise (1:23:47) Presentation (1:30:21) Final Thoughts

THE SHOW NOTES

Find & support my guest over at Podcurious

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen - Matt aka Stormageddon

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

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This week we are talking about one of the most striking and divisive games of the early 90's, Out of This World!

Coury Carlson and I dive into the cinematic presentation, trial and error game design, and the challenges of porting the game to the Super Nintendo. Whether you consider the game a masterpiece or a miserable experience, we certainly hammer down why it remains unforgettable.

WARP ZONES (0:26) Intro (2:55) Coury In The House (20:07) Previous History (29:47) Development History (59:08) Retro Recollections (1:08:43) Story (1:14:12) Gameplay (1:28:21) Come Again? (1:37:17) Presentation (1:45:50) Final Thoughts

THE SHOW NOTES

Find & support my guest over at My Life in Gaming | Twitch | DF Retro Super Show

Porting Another World to The SNES

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen - Matt aka Stormageddon

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

Original Air Date January 16th, 2026 for Patrons

With Resident Evil Requiem just a week away, I'm returning to Capcom's survival horror juggernaut for a predictions episode!

I reflect on where Resident Evil has been since Village, what I hope the next mainline entry prioritizes, and why atmosphere, restraint, and identity matter more than spectacle or fan service. I also touch on the series' shifting eras, Capcom's modern renaissance, and the lingering shadow of the main story arc.

A spoiler light, opinion heavy lead in to the next chapter of Resident Evil...

THE SHOW NOTES

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen - Matt aka Stormageddon

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

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This week I'm talking about off-brand Mario, Mario Is Missing!

What began as an earnest attempt at broadening the Mario brand turns into a case study of confused design that has no interest in valuing your time. I break down why this game fails as both a learning tool and as a video game and how the marketing doomed it before it even hit store shelves.

WARP ZONES

NFS Most Wanted (4:16) Radiant Historia (6:19) Previous History (9:02) Development (13:29) Retro Recollections (22:31) Story (28:56) Gameplay (36:06) Presentation (48:08) Final Thoughts (52:36)

THE SHOW NOTESMario Is Missing! List of Factual Errors

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen - Matt aka Stormageddon

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

One of the foundations of the "beat em up" genre, I'm tackling Capcom's Final Fight! Not the arcade but the ambitious yet deeply compromised Super Nintendo port. I breakdown its beginnings as a Street Fighter sequel, and whether or not flashy enemy AI and a punishing grind are all worth playing...single player??

WARP ZONES (2:54) Intro & Plugs (6:34) Games I'm Playing (13:00) Previous History (15:34) Development History (25:29) Retro Recollections (30:16) Story (38:32) Gameplay (45:22) Presentation (50:20) Final Thoughts

THE SHOW NOTES

He Is Coming

Kerbal Space Program The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

2025 comes to a close with my Top 10 Game of the Year breakdown. I revisit my mid year rankings and reflect on how my tastes shifted over the course of the year. From surprise indie standouts and retro revisits to one all consuming obsession, it is a year that certainly defined me as a "Gamer". I also look ahead at what's waiting in the backlog next and what's in store for the podcast in 2026!

THE SHOW NOTES

Episode 112 - Final Fantasy VIII

A Review: Issue #12

Super Metroid: Recipe For A Classic Slice

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

It's Game of the Year season once again, and the panel from last year's Symposium returns to finish what we started.

Matt Storm, Eric Gess, Kade Call, and Phil Morgan join me for a 2.5 hour deep dive into how GOTY conversations have (or haven't) changed over the past year. We dig into the flood of new releases, the strange rules around what "counts," and the ongoing dominance of exclusives. It's a thoughtful, funny, and honest look at why we still care about celebrating the games we love.

THE SHOW NOTES

Catch Up With Last Year's Discussion

Find & support my guests: Matt Storm | Fun & Games/ Reignite Kade Call | Gaming Memories Phil Morgan | Deleted Saves Eric Gess | The Unlockables

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

BIG MONEY! BIG PRIZES! I LOVE IT!

In this episode of The Main Quest, I team up once again with SeekYeWisdom to dive into Super Smash TV, Williams' hyper violent, game show inspired twin-stick shooter that set the tone for arcade excess in the early '90s. We unpack how Smash TV connects to the DNA of Mortal Kombat and Robotron 2084, and how its mix of satire, capitalism, and gore made it a cult classic. We compare it to the arcade original, and debate how well the console version translates without true twin sticks.

WARP ZONES

We're Playing Remnant 2/Space Marine 2 and Titan Souls (5:12) Development (26:26) Previous History's (53:15) Story & Gameplay (59:21) Presentation (1:35:40) Final Thoughts (1:44:13)

THE SHOW NOTES

Find & support my guest over on Twitch

Smash T.V. cover performed by Medley Man

The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen

The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks

To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord

Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More