Podouken

It's our 37th episode (in a row) and we're crashing the net with our most requested sports game - NBA Jam. We break down all the boomshakala basics and dig deep to uncover some little known facts with the help of author Reyan Ali - who literally wrote the book on NBA Jam! How did a vid kid go from a Pong console to making the most iconic basketball game ever? What are the origins of "Boomshakala!"? Is the NBA Jam arcade game haunted? What Midway secrets are still out there? All that plus we grab our Sneakers and make a Beer Run, explore the promise of Pleasure Domes, talk about bad first impressions, and praise the savior of pinball (and arcades).

It's time to hit the links with maybe the best arcade golf game, but definitely the best Neo Geo golf game - Neo Turf Masters! We put skin in the game by exploring the Major Titles that led up to Turf Masters by its developer Nazca. Is a camel a vehicle? Can Mr. SNK settle on what Neo Geo carts will fill his six-slot? What part did Jimbo Fisher play in an arcade horror story? How many people actually watched Val Kilmer's movie, The Saint? Why is music this good in a golf game? So join us as we play the full course and discuss Metal Slug, getting a virtual hole in one, Golden Tee, and Steve the Japanese game designer.

It's (somehow) our first Nintendo episode! And just like real life we wait until our mid-thirties to get into Nintendo games. We talk about a sports game way before it's time - Punch-Out!! How did a company directive to use more hardware lead to this game? Does arcade Punch-Out!! cross the line with racial stereotypes? Is "Body Blow" the first waaaaay overused sound bite in video games? How much does a Punch-Out!! arcade cost? What game could it never top in Japanese arcades? We also talk about the Mandela Effect between the arcade and console versions of the game, offer a limited edition giveaway, explore the history of Nintendo's first game designer, reveal tattoos, and discuss Mario's papa.

A new miniseries kicks off with "the dumbest, simplest game ever made" - Pong! You'll want to sit in on this history lesson as we recount the origin of video arcade games which includes hippy candles, Nolan Bushnell, celestial bodies, Al Alcorn, and all the *bleeps* and *bloops* that built Atari. Exactly how many Pong clones were there? Which came first: the home video console or the video arcade game? How did a lie lead to the fastest-growing company in U.S. history at the time? Who really came up with the idea for Pong? Along the way we get sidetracked with memories of Videotopia, entertain the thought of a Street Fighter/Computer Space conversion, discuss the Pong RPG, and Pastblaster gets triggered by an eclipse (or was it an ellipse?).

Insert Coin is a new Documentary released by Director Joshua Tsui and Writer Andrew Hayward that discusses the history of the Midway arcade teams responsible for several smash hits of the 90's. The Podouken Crew watched this together and provided a short review of the film!

Please support this awesome documentary by renting/buying via Alamo Draft House direct, or watch it on Amazon Prime! "The oral history of a team of geeks and misfits in the back of a Chicago factory creating the biggest video games (Mortal Kombat, NBA JAM, and others) of all time."

We hit the Pac-pot of obscure Pac-Man games as we cover the Pac arcade games from 1984 to current: Pac smuggles fairies across borders in Pac-Land, enters the isometric 3D world in Pac-Mania, goes virtual in Pac-Man VR, fights to the death in Pac-Man Battle Royale, gets ticket rabies in Pac-Man Chomp Mania, and goes big before going home in World's Largest Pac-Man. So join us as we send Pac-Man off right for his 40th anniversary with an important answer provided by Doug Macrae, settle on the best Pac-Man game, and get to know the new ghosts Funky, Spunky, and Kinky. That and we talk about our favorite frozen treats, pitch the perfect game to HAL Labs, listen to Napster dance mixes, and review futuristic kitchen design.