With the recent release of the Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, another game looms large in the background: The original Legend of Zelda, the 1986 title that started it all and taught us all that it's dangerous to go alone. Nintendo's open world adventure forced players to think beyond the limitations of previous console games, forced Nintendo to change how it made games, almost single-handedly created the Nintendo Power magazine, and became both a cultural and game design touchstone.

Does The Legend of Zelda, with all of its 1986 technical limitations, still hold up over 30 years later?   

Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 'The Imprisoning War' by smartpoetic (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03308)

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In the mid 90s Nintendo partnered with UK developer Rare to develop a game based on their Donkey Kong character. The resulting game, Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo, temporarily catapulted the animated gorilla into wide popularity. The resulting creative freedom this allowed Rare in potential sequels led to the release of Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest in 1995 and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble in 1996. Debate over which of the two sequels reigned supreme raged for years. We've invited podcaster and graphic designer Dean Stephenson on the show to help settle the question once and for all in our second versus episode.

You can follow Dean on Twitter @deanrobot - ask about his podcast and shirts (he likes being the middleman for his own stuff!)

Outro music: Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest 'Sinfonía del Sabio' by Leandro Abreu (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02805)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
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Released in 2004, Half-Life 2 ushered PC games into a new generation. It brought with it the highly flexible Source Engine (a game engine so versatile that highly modified versions of it are still used for modern AAA games like Titanfall), and necessitated PC users to install Steam (at the time a highly controversial move that helped launch the platform into ubiquity). The shooter focused on the adventures of scientist-turned-hero Gordan Freeman and his attempts to stay alive in a strange future in which humanity has been conquered by an alien race known as the Combine. 

Rise and shine, listeners. Rise and... shine... and let us know if you think Half-Life 2 remains one of the best games period well over a decade after release.

Outro music: Half-Life 2 'I Tried' by Redg (https://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02931)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod

Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod

A 2004 release from Project Aces, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War attempted to bridge the gap between arcade flight sim and wartime drama. The result was an incredibly engaging, beautiful experience that ruminates on the modern incarnation of war. Combining stellar in-game voice acting with tense aerial action set pieces and gorgeously crafted pre-rendered CGI cutscenes, Ace Combat 5 holds up as the best the series has offered to date.

From what little we've seen of Ace Combat 7, they seem to be tapping into the same themes and methods of storytelling that made The Unsung War so fantastic - and that can only be a good thing.  

Outro music: Super Smash Bros. Wii U 'Got My Mind on My Money Match' by DarkeSword (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03074)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod

Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod

Perhaps the quintessential cult classic, Beyond Good & Evil released in 2003 to some critical acclaim and lackluster sales. Directed by Michel Ancel, the creator of Rayman who yearned for more creative freedom at Ubisoft, the multiplatform release tackled very early 2000s themes of propaganda and murky government motivations as seen through the eyes of a young photojournalist who finds herself torn between the government who says it is keeping her safe and the resistance who tells her everything she knows is a lie. Combining themes that resonate to this day with an art style that has aged well and characters that ring true, is Beyond Good & Evil one of the best games period?

Outro music: Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars 'Super Mega Ultra Pipe House' by DDRKirby(ISQ) (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03487)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod

Support us on Patreon! - https://www.patreon.com/bestgamesperiod

We've covered a lot of games after fifty episodes of this podcast (and a number of fun honorable mentions and extra mini-sodes). Since we are hitting a podcasting milestone, we figured it would be a good opportunity to look back and re-evaluate some of the games we once praised and choose one to kick out of our arbitrary, growing video game canon. Kick back, relax, and enjoy the first of our deathmatch episodes! MUAHAHAHA!

Outro music: Donkey Kong Country 'High Tide' by FoxyPanda (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03327)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod

A small, independent game released on Windows PC back in 2012. It was the indiest of indies, a title developed largely by one person using RPG Maker software. Many people outside the RPG Maker development community would never hear of Star Stealing Prince, but the community itself showered it with praise and awards. Years later, Ronove's independent game stands tall among larger turn-based RPGs with gorgeous art, an engaging combat system, and a captivating, unique story. Buckle in and listen to why you should check out a largely unknown, free, indie RPG.

You can download Star Stealing Prince for free from its Wordpress site.

Outro music: Wild Arms 'Godspeed' by audio fidelity and Theophany (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02351)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod

With new details of the Switch released, Jeremy and Daniel take a special episode to discuss what we know about Nintendo's next console, its launch line-up, and the potential future of the device. It's not every day that a company launches a new console against two firmly entrenched competitors. 

Outro music: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker 'Ballad on the Sea' by MasterGi (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03304)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod

Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod

2016 was a mind-blowing year in the world of games. VR, massive Kickstarter successes and failures, games that pushed the boundaries of what games can be, 2016 had it all. Jeremy, Daniel, and Jack bring their number one game of the year along with one honorable mention apiece. What game will be remembered as one of the best games period in several years? 

Outro music: Undertale 'Sunny Day Drive' by Just Coffee (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR03474)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod

The second part of our holiday break focuses on answering a question that we've heard a lot over the years: How do you even start podcasting? At first glance the equipment, software, and even the recording space can all seem like insurmountable barriers to entry, but with some perseverance and tenacity, anyone can start a great show! Jack goes in solo to answer a lot of the burning questions surrounding podcasting and how to make your own.

Next week we will return with our best games of 2016 podcast, so stay tuned for us to resume our normal format.

Outro music: Pokémon Diamond Version 'Home Is Where the Luvdisc Is...' by PROTO·DOME (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR02199)

You can follow the show on Twitter: @BestGamesPeriod
Or download the podcast from Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebestgamesperiod