YEAR IN REVIEW!! As 2025 comes to an end, Cal & Murph can't help but look back on their year in gaming. Which games did they play that stuck with them the most? What were the highs and the lows? We discuss!

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There's few things in video games more memorable than a console's venerable boot up sound. We hear it ever time we start gaming and some have even entered larger cultural consciousness. On this one, Cal & Murph tier-list an arbitrary list of console boot ups. Join us.

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Cal & Murph love backwards compatible consoles. As the industry has changed and evolved, ability to play older games on your newer consoles has waxed and waned. On this one, we talk through how different manufacturer's obviously value it differently and which consoles do it the very best.

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On this one, Cal & Murph discuss the parts of great games that they don't like as much. Join us as we discuss common friction points from titles that we - other than a bit here and there - completely loved. Not trying to be negative, it was just a fun idea. :) Thanks for listening! 

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Cal & Murph love to collect video games. They also love to collect consoles! There ARE consoles they won't collect for though - what are they? It turns out, even the consoles they "won't" collect for, they're still interested in, but just can't get around to it. Listen to them discuss why these consoles just don't hit the mark for their interests! 

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0:00 - Intro

3:05 - Virtual Boy

8:50 - Atari 2600

14:30 - NES

22:05 - Playstation Vita

31:38 - Sega Dreamcast

39:44 - Atari Jaguar 

44:05 - Game Boy Micro / Sega Nomad

53:10 - Sega CD

1:00:00 - Recent Pickups

When you're buying a video game, you often have to make an immediate decision: do you want the game physically or digitally? Collecting makes the thought a little bit easier and some games are literally only available physically, but there are downsides to having to keep track of something. Cal & Murph discuss what they buy, how, and why. 

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0:00 - Intro

0:42 - Main Topic

1:35 - How do We Decide What We Buy?

6:00 - The Difficulty & Ease of Digital Games

16:40 - Lets Talk Nintendo

24:50 - Digital Media Induces Decision Paralysis

29:24 - The Intentionality of Physical Things

31:10 - Storing Any Game is Annoying

40:20 - Modern Physical Games Aren't Real

47:14 - Video Game Preservation (Or Lack Thereof)

55:45 - Recent Pickups

The Final Fantasy series can be daunting for a new player. 16 numbered games, tons of spinoffs, and more gameplay styles than you can shake a stick at is a lot to take in for any gamer. So where to start? In this special episode, Cal and Murph are joined by special guest and Final Fantasy aficionado Paige Smith, AKA TheMaverickGirl, to talk about the highs and lows of the series, what makes it special, and why it's something every fan of video games should at least try.

Episode #313

On this episode Cal is the star, because that's right, we're taking an in depth look at every single GameCube he owns! From a Panasonic Q to a dev kit to a 1 in 50 Heineken GameCube, Cal and Murph go over all of them, and because this is the internet, of course rank them in order from least to most cool. Grab your Wavebird and boot up that classic GameCube intro, cause this is a topic you won't want to miss!

Episode #30

00:00 - Intro

02:41 - DOL-101 Special Editions

08:32 - Stock DOL-001

11:38 - DOL-001 Special Editions

13:20 - Much Ado About Jewels

16:52 - Spice Orange

24:57 - Starlight Gold

27:46 - Pearl White

34:14 - HeineCube

40:38 - Char's Customized

47:38 - Teal Dev Console

50:39 - Hanshin Tigers

57:41 - Panasonic Q

01:07:13 - Tales of Symphonia

01:15:30 - What is Cal Missing?

01:21:29 - Recent Pickups

If you're looking to add more quality games to your collection without breaking the bank, we have the solution. With both must-play classics and enjoyable deep cuts available for under $15, we made a list of 15 games that you can get on the cheap!

Episode #29

00:00 - Intro

0:25 - Main Topic

4:50 - Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt

7:35 - Super Mario Galaxy

10:05 - Madworld

14:53 - Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + Kingdom Hearts 2.5

20:25 - F-Zero

23:09 - Need for Speed: Underground 2

28:30 - Aladdin 

30:57 - Sonic GT 2002/Jet Set Radio Future

34:08 - Sonic the Hedgehog 2

38:16 - Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

43:29 - Grand Turismo 1/2

46:35 - Mass Effect Trilogy

51:40 - Virtua Cop

54:38 - Lego Star Wars

57:50 - Just About Any Great PS2 & Xbox Game!

1:03:30 - Recent Pickups

Cal and Murph have both just finished playing through Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 by Sandfall Interactive, and boy, do they have thoughts. How do they feel about the gameplay? The plot? And how about that ending? Be warned, there are spoilers ahead, so proceed at your own risk!

Episode #28

00:00 - Intro

02:38 - What Piqued Our Interest?

07:33 - First Impressions

14:02 - Gameplay Thoughts

35:17 - End of Act 1

45:47 - Act 2

1:01:59 - End of Act 2

1:15:08 - Act 3

1:26:54 - The Ending

1:43:04 - The Music

1:47:49 - Closing Thoughts

1:48:49 - Recent Pickups