Maximum Utcast

By Zoey, Jonathan and DanielLeisure Games

Maximum Utcast episodes

May 26 Talking to My Boy About Videogames - 23 - Helicopter Parents
Talking to My Boy About Videogames (and Sometimes Movies) is back with a review of the hottest new kids movie of the summer, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. Following that, Jonathan gets us back on track with a bit of chat about the newest game in the Yoshi series, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book that takes players back to Yoshi's Island. This episode has minor spoilers for the Mandalorian and Grogu as well as hint-style spoilers for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. And by the end of the show, will we ever learn what is and is not cute?

0:00:00 - Scanning Your Brain
0:03:10 - The Rise of Skywalker is the Wii U of Star Wars Movies
0:05:00 - The Mandalorian and Grogu Review
0:09:42 - Spoilers for the Mandalorian and Grogu
0:12:25 - Spoilers "End" Here
0:14:53 - Yoshi is a Dinosaur Frog
0:17:14 - Ryan's Podcast Takeover
0:20:14 - How Much Do You Like Yoshi and the Mysterious Book?
0:26:31 - Ribbit
0:29:14 - Nintendo Didn't Have Much Faith in Panel De Pon
0:31:04 - The Continuing Legacy of "Talking to My Boy..."
0:31:40 - The Cute Manipulation
0:35:12 - Podcast Recap/Analysis of the Hutts
0:39:08 - Anyway, Bye Now!
Follow Jonathan on Bluesky
Follow the Show on Bluesky
Read Jonathan’s articles in Nintendo Force Magazine
41 min
May 18 Maximum Utcast - 22 - Cosmic Stakes vs. Bloody Death Fights
What is real? Are the memories you make attending a summer camp real or are they implanted in your mind by a Hollywood movie? Did you write the news or did the news write you? Have you ever been in a fight, only to find out that you were alone in your Batcave? Is a light gun a joystick, or was it the Mandela Effect all along? These questions and more will be answered as answers will be questioned on this week's episode of the Maximum Utcast. James Interactive stops by to talk with Jonathan about their upcoming game Screaming Savage Blood Death (watch the video!) and elsewhere, we pontificate on the cosmic nature of media.

0:00:00 - Batman's Private Browser
0:11:41 - Feedback on Writing the News
0:20:35 - Correction: Operation Wolf is a Light Gun Game
0:25:42 - You Ever Been in a Fight?
0:26:58 - A Good Editor Can Save You From Your Worst Impulses
0:32:22 - Screaming Savage Blood Death and the Real New Jersey with James Interactive
1:11:50 - Horror Game Lore is So Popular
1:13:45 - Zoey's Local Lore
1:18:24 - Mailbag: Have You Seen "True Stories?"
1:28:20 - Wrap Up/Plugs/Thanks Patrons!
1:50:05 - Batman
James Interactive on Bluesky
Zoey on Bluesky
Jonathan on Bluesky
The podcast’s Bluesky
Daniel on Bluesky
Written articles at: https://maxutmost.com/
Support Zoey’s Ko-Fi
1 hr 53 min
May 12 Currently Playing - 23 - Pragmata with Xzyliac
Forum fixture Xyliac joins Daniel to talk about video games and Texas and where the two intersect. From forming community podcasts to starting online disinformation campaigns, Xzyliac has been woven into the fabric of the internet and has her pulse on the beating heart of video game news for some time now. We get into Pragmata, but only after really getting to know her passion for space and exploration games like Starfield and No Man's Sky. There's also a divergence to Spider-Man 2, which we kind of spoil a bit from the ending of, so watch out for that if you haven't played Spider-Man 2 yet. And then we wrap with a bit of X-Men chat. It's a fun time!

0:00:00 - Welcome to the Show, Xzyliac!
0:30:56 - Spider-Man 2 Spoilers
0:32:18 - Safe to Resume and Avoid Spider-Man 2 Spoilers
0:34:26 - What Are You Playing? Pragmata
0:53:06 - Top 3 X-Men
0:58:15 - Wrap Up/Plugs
Follow Xzyliac on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/xzyliac.bsky.social
Follow Daniel on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/douibyorthst.bsky.social
Follow the show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ttwav.bsky.social
https://open.spotify.com/album/4L6eQUJ07JMsKBnQ5btGAj?si=c624s1Q0Qv6HSQYmbdBxEw⁠
1 hr 4 min
May 08 Maximum Utcast - 21 - Is the Weirdness Gone?
On this freeform episode of the Maximum Utcast, our hosts are joined by no guests but we weave through run and gun games like Metal Slug, beat 'em ups like Double Dragon, and driving games like Cool Riders. Along the way, we get whispers of games like Absolum, Kunio-kun, Anthology of the Killer, and Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World. The Power Team also stops by to help us deal with some surf (blank) who must die, and we lament the passing of Yoshihisa Kishimoto, creator of Double Dragon, River City Girls, and many more games.

0:00:00 - Surf (blank) Must Die
0:06:09 - Constant Effusive Praise for Metal Slug
0:21:47 - Too Man/Not Enough Beat 'Em Ups
0:23:18 - Death of a Dragon (RIP Yoshihisa Kishimoto)
0:34:46 - A 10 Year Old's Guide to Gender Politics
0:37:25 - Out Run --> Out Runners --> Cool Riders
0:45:38 - Truck-kun is Supporting Me From Another World
0:47:24 - The Weirdness is Gone
0:48:55 - Video Power/Power Team
0:51:22 - Wrap Up/Plugs/Thanks Patrons!

Zoey on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/adzuken.bsky.social
Jonathan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tronknotts.bsky.social
The podcast’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ttwav.bsky.social
Daniel on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/douibyorthst.bsky.social
Written articles at: https://maxutmost.com/
Support Zoey’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/adzuken
1 hr 3 min
April 30 Talking to My Boy about Videogames - 22 - A Super Hero and Sidekick Podcast Team
The dynamic duo are back to talk all things videogames (and a few movies). We learn what Jonathan really thinks about Supergiant Games and what Ryan thinks of the latest pretender to their throne, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Along the way Ryan gives us his two cents on Anaconda (2025) and Jaws, plus makes up impromptu lyrics to a song about Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. The pair of heroes also give us thoughts on Pokemon Champions, Drawquarium, Bubsy 4D, Splatoon Raiders, and a whole lot more.
0:00:00 - Do You Need Me to Scratch Your Back?
0:00:51 - The Plane Taking Off Episode
0:03:45 - TMNT Splintered Fate Opening Thoughts
0:04:58 - Uneven Power Dynamics
0:06:47 - TMNT Splintered Fate More Thoughts
0:08:56 - Anaconda (2025) and Jaws Reviews
0:11:27 - TMNT Splintered Fate Score
0:12:23 - Surprise Yoshi Song
0:14:21 - Pokemon Champions - Doing Work to Help You Do Work
0:15:22 - Drawquarium...A Parody on Office Culture?
0:17:12 - Quick Takes: Plants vs. Zombies, Mini Motorways, Bubsy 4D
0:18:15 - Who is Bubsy?
0:19:24 - A Terrible YouTuber Inspired Us to Play N64
0:22:49 - Bubsy 4D...Who is it For?
0:25:09 - Spreading Misinformation about Splatoon Raiders
0:26:40 - What's Going On in the News?
0:28:40 - Analyzing Trump's Brain via Roblox
0:29:40 - More Splatoon Raiders Thoughts
0:31:29 - Full of Zingers
0:32:30 - Class Dismissed
Follow Jonathan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tronknotts.bsky.social
Follow the Show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ttwav.bsky.social
Read Jonathan’s articles in Nintendo Force Magazine: https://www.nintendoforcemagazine.com/
34 min
April 23 Maximum Utcast - 20 - Weird Freaks, Plenty of Leaks, Edmund McMillen Speaks
It's the longest episode of Maximum Utcast ever! Zoey regales us with tales of spooky video games that enrapture dogs before we talk about Mewgenics. Then one of the developers of Mewgenics, Edmund McMillen, stops by to catch up with his pal Jonathan about his career in the games industry working on games like Super Meat Boy, the Binding of Isaac, the End is Nigh, and more recently Mewgenics. Following that, our hosts get into a discussion about how ethical consumption can be a minefield to navigate. By the end of the show, Jonathan discusses his green slime secretions.
0:00:00 - Practicing Ghouls N Ghosts
0:09:22 - The Benevolent Queen and the Smelly Freak
0:11:17 - Have You Played That Mewgenics?
0:15:07 - Accepting Our Weird Genes in Mewgenics with Edmund McMillen
1:45:30 - The Meows Are Not Endorsements
1:53:45 - Plenty of Twenty
1:57:59 - Leaks, It's What I Live By
2:01:07 - Wrap Up/Plugs/Thanks Patrons!
2:08:45 - Eat Ass
Zoey on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/adzuken.bsky.social
Jonathan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tronknotts.bsky.social
The podcast’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ttwav.bsky.social
Daniel on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/douibyorthst.bsky.social
Written articles at: https://maxutmost.com/
Support Zoey’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/adzuken
Support the Patreon to get episodes a few days early and also read the Maximum Utcomic!: https://patreon.com/ttwav
2 hr 11 min
April 17 Currently Playing - 22 - Not Playing Much with Dr. Glen Hood
Currently Playing is back with the first ever returning guest, Dr. Glen Hood (environmental biologist, professional bug counter) who has been living with Daniel for the last 4 months. It's another rare in-person chat where we get into why Glen hasn't been playing very many video games lately. The bulk of the episode is devoted to discussing the Super Mario Galaxy Movie, a film neither Glen nor Daniel have seen.
0:00:00 - Welcome Back to the Show, Glen!
0:01:57 - What Are You Playing? Not Too Much
0:09:08 - Two Old Men Talk About a Movie They Haven't Seen
0:45:04 - Top 3 Mexican Restaurants in Central Texas
0:48:58 - Wrap Up/PlugsFollow Daniel on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/douibyorthst.bsky.social
Follow the show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ttwav.bsky.social
Daniel’s review of Tacitcal Breach Wizards: https://maxutmost.com/review-tactical-breach-wizards/
53 min
April 08 Maximum Utcast - 19 - The Objectifying, Vectifying, 'Dead Man'-ifying, Street Fighting Special!
On this thrilling! (is it love?) episode of the Maximum Utcast, Zoey performs a cunning stunt in the form of a live videogame unboxing before Jonathan regales us with tales of being bombarded with requests for pics despite no one understanding his cosplay. We go deep on Street Fighter lore because something's up with Alex. Later, Jonathan chats with Cherrybombrs and Bbbbbbeatle about their experiences with Romeo is a Dead Man (also available as a video on our YouTube channel). Finally, we round out the chat in the usual way by having a freewheeling discussion of videogames past, present, and future (Super Meat Boy 3D, Moves of the Diamond Hand, Pokemon, Cadash, and more).
0:00:00 - The One Hundred Dollar Cold Open
0:08:48 - A Big Fart Machine
0:11:19 - Objectifying Jonathan Holmes' Bald Be-speckled Visage at PAX
0:14:55 - Mixing Up My Tecmos and My Taitos
0:18:39 - Do You Care About Alex in Street Fighter 6?
0:28:33 - Somehow Sagat Returned
0:30:58 - Is "Romeo is a Dead Man" Suda51's MCU? w/ Cherrybombrs and Bbbbbbeatle
1:05:38 - What is It About the D-Ness in Super Meat Boy 3D?
1:07:36 - Zoey's Gaming Queue
1:11:31 - What's the Longest Arcade Game?
1:15:00 - We Worry About Everyone
1:18:49 - We Forgot to Do the Homework
1:20:27 - Teaching the Pokemon Professors
1:23:28 - Wrap Up/Plugs/Thanks Patrons!
1:30:19 - That D-Ness
1:31:56 - Gesundheit
Bbbbbbeatle on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bbbbbeatle.bsky.social
Cherrybombrs on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cherrybombrs.bsky.social
Zoey on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/adzuken.bsky.social
Jonathan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tronknotts.bsky.social
The podcast’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ttwav.bsky.social
Daniel on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/douibyorthst.bsky.social
Written articles at: https://maxutmost.com/
Support Zoey’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/adzuken
Support the Patreon to get episodes a few days early and also read the Maximum Utcomic! https://patreon.com/ttwav
1 hr 34 min
April 03 Talking to My Boy About Videogames - 21 - It Was the Best of PAX, It Was the Worst of PAX
Jonathan and Ryan return from PAX East 2026 with mostly positive opinions about the show. They talk about some of the games they demoed, the merch they got, the people they met, and the cosplay they saw (and participated in!). Later, they talk a bit about Tomodachi Life, Pokopia, cats, and Food Related Entertainment Intelligent Non-Dorky Super good guys.
0:00:00 - Ryan and Jonathan Returning from PAX!
0:01:18 - Another Episode of "Fidgety Ryan"
0:02:01 - The Least Videogame-y PAX Ever
0:03:09 - The Best PAX I've Ever Had
0:04:06 - PAX Gamera (Gamer Peace)
0:05:43 - Why Would There Be Jerks at PAX?
0:07:52 - Aniimo: Fake Pokemon
0:09:13 - Actually Important Part: Pokemon Champions
0:13:16 - Not Much to Say About PAX
0:14:17 - An Ugly Tomodachi Life with Adodo
0:15:10 - Grinding: The Greatest Thing Ever
0:17:09 - Cat Morphology Report
0:19:15 - Digital F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
0:22:45 - We Live in a Society, The Game
0:25:37 - Double Crackers, Double Crappers
0:26:53 - Pokopia: Becoming Friends with Your Computer Generated Videogame Consoles
0:30:02 - Jonathan and Tanya's Rhythm Heaven Cosplay Experience
0:32:51 - Ryan's Cosplay Idea for Next Year
0:33:49 - Final Scores
0:35:00 - Wrap Up/Plugs
38 min
March 28 Maximum Utcast - 18 - The Sommeliers of Video Games
The Maximum Utcast is back with the hottest Vectorman and Shinobi news available! In a show that's too hot for Canada, we learn about a pushy sommelier, Jonathan's thoughts on Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, and what the heck is going on with AI upscaling filters. Later, our old pal Tanya stops by to tell us about her new favorite game Mini Motorways and there's a tiny bit of Resident Evil 9 discussion. All that and some anal beads?!?!
0:00:00 - The Wine Guy of New York
0:06:04 - Dead Bat
0:07:13 - Censored in Canada
0:12:19 - Vectorman Report
0:23:12 - Supplemental Information about Weather Factory
0:27:50 - Planning for Traffic in Mini Motorways with Tanya
0:59:01 - A Disturbance in Chateau Holmes
1:00:53 - AI Filters, Who Needs 'Em?
1:06:59 - Next Time on Maximum Utcast?!?
1:09:14 - Wrap Up...
1:10:03 - Shinobi's On First
1:13:45 - Wrap Up/Plugs/Thanks Patrons!
1:21:11 - Anal Beads
1:23:04 - Storing Up Trauma
Zoey on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/adzuken.bsky.social
Jonathan on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tronknotts.bsky.social
The podcast’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ttwav.bsky.social
Daniel on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/douibyorthst.bsky.social
Written articles at: https://maxutmost.com/
Support Zoey’s Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/adzuken
Support the Patreon to get episodes a few days early and also read the Maximum Utcomic! https://patreon.com/ttwav
1 hr 29 min

About Maximum Utcast

From the publisher's feed

The official podcast of Maximum Utmost, the video game website that does it like no other! Hosted by Zoey Handley and Jonathan Holmes, with bonus shows starring Jonathan's son, the show's producer…