As has become tradition, Insert Credit ranks the best games of all time, or at least 87% of them: the ones the industry won’t sell you anymore. Plus, the first ever spending of credits on Insert Credit Show. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: Round 1 - Frank’s First Nomination (08:13)

2: Round 1 - Ash’s First Nomination (13:08)

3: Round 1 - Brandon’s First Nomination (16:12)

4: Round 2 - Frank’s Second Nomination (19:34)

5: Round 2 - Ash’s Second Nomination (28:00)

6: Round 2 - Brandon’s Second Nomination (32:43)

7: Round 3 - Frank’s Third Nomination (36:50)

8: Round 3 - Ash’s Third Nomination (43:37)

9: Round 3 - Brandon’s Third Nomination (51:06)

10: Round 4 - Frank’s Final Nomination (01:02:04)

11: Round 4 - Ash’s Final Nomination (01:09:02)

12: Brandon’s Honorable Mentions (01:15:17)

12: Round 4 - Brandon’s Final Nomination (01:18:18)

13: Frank and Ash’s Honorable Mentions (01:20:19)

Why do games go out of print? (01:24:58)

Credit Report (01:37:58)

THE INSERT CREDIT ANNUAL #6

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The three finest minds in video games plumb the depths of our listener-submitted Question Hole, dredging up all manner of holiday cheer, the Floridafication of America, and the return of Seaman. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: Tradegood asks, what is the best video game to play on a first date? (03:04)

2: Kiko B asks, aside from jumping and running, what are the most important verbs in a platform game? Are there any that don’t get the attention they deserve? (06:28)

3: Breadytodie asks, which is the better racing game series: Initial D or Wangan Midnight? (07:34)

4: Goonbag asks, what’s the most shame you have ever experienced playing a video game? (08:48)

5: Hobart Painsborough asks, why do so many games lie to the player when they say “press any button to continue” when in reality “any button” does not, in fact, allow you to continue? (11:23)

6: A small rabite asks, is the Mana series the most mismanaged Square-Enix franchise? (12:43)

7: LeFish asks, who is the coolest videogame character whose design is family friendly or specifically aimed towards kids? (13:27)

8: Tom Arrow asks, I recently noticed while playing the Dreamcast that a bunch of these games feature an arcade-style race against the clock mechanic. What was the deal with that? (13:43)

9: Connrrr asks, can playing a video game be a form of puppeteering? (15:48)

10: Michael from Cyprus asks, it was Alain Badiou I think that said “ Most people resort to the certainty of misery than the misery of uncertainty.“ What two Video Games ultimately answer to the two paths? (16:27)

11: LowGuppy asks, what video game most needs a sequel subtitled “On the Beach?” (17:55)

12: Spencergifs asks, what is the best video game that is not played with a controller, mouse and keyboard, or arcade stick (19:19)

13: Rice_9 asks, when looking at a new game online, do you watch the video, read the copy, or look at screenshots first? (21:39)

14: Why Why asks, how do you make destructible items fun to destroy? (22:01)

15: Psinuxie asks, what are some later games that figured out design fundamentals? (23:29)

16: Dustin asks, what was a favorite multi-disc game for you? (26:36)

17: BluntForceMama asks, is GTA 6 late to the party regarding Florida culture? (29:18)

18: Anonymous asks, how do one’s actions in the human realm affect which video game world you go to when you die? (30:39)

19: Anders Matsen asks, what specific elements make up a “hang out game?”

20: Will Heydt Minor asks, is the world ready for Seaman 2? (35:36)

21: Kyle Karesh asks, what game series is better to play in chronological order rather than release order? (37:54)

22: Cara Esten asks, what video game would make the memory of a traumatic event worse? (38:49)

23: Dilson asks, what makes in-game lore compelling? (39:22)

Credit Report (52:00)

Recommendations and Outro (52:37):

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Composer, designer, and puzzler Chris Remo joins the panel to cover how specific instruments evoke moods in games, Mad Libs as branching path narrative, and VR’s Myst problem. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and Chris Remo. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: What’s the right way to modulate crossword puzzle difficulty? (06:04)

2: What particular moods or vibes in video game soundtracks are most closely associated with specific instruments? (12:24)

3: Did any of those Wordle clones have any merit? (16:41)

4: If I haven’t been convinced to get into VR by now, am I beyond reach? (22:53)

Insert Credit Quick Break: Charles Greenberg (33:27)

5: Death Strandicoot asks, what are some interesting company interactions or rivalries in gaming? (34:41)

6: What is the TCM documentary about the making of The Day the Clown Cried of video games? (41:16)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Burning Questions (47:51)

Recommendations and Outro (51:34):

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Frank, Ash and Brandon design games based on historical events, explain the plot of Earth Defense Force, and discover why women have hollow bones. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: What historical events would it be interesting to recreate in a video game? (06:03)

2: What video game do you like that you believe the greatest percentage of people who have played it do not like? (11:22)

Credit Report (14:58)

3: Has there ever been an unreleased video game that you were glad never came out? (15:16)

4: Explain the lore of Earth Defense Force in 6 minutes (19:51)

Insert Credit Quick Break: Puppycam! (25:50)

5: Rin asks, how often do you use button remapping? (26:32)

6: What’s the best prison or prison sequence in a video game? (34:32)

7: What is the Christopher Nolan’s TENET of video games? (40:27)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Famicom Feud - Past Game Awards Winners (44:26)

Recommendations and Outro (54:01):

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our Insert Credit Panel covers how a video game might be political, new games for dead consoles, and the Jaffe Cut of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: Are all video games inherently political? (04:58)

2: How do video game trailers lose you? (10:38)

3: Which game console has the best library of games released by third parties after its discontinuation? (15:37)

4: Design a new boot-up screen for the PlayStation 6 (21:00)

5: Captain asks, what makes a video game coin enjoyable to pick up? (27:17)

6: Frank, what can you tell us about the state of game preservation this year? (33:54)

LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - No Man’s Sky (39:25)

Credit Scores (42:51)

Recommendations and Outro (42:55):

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The full Insert Credit panel covers what Xboxes are, Fatal Fury movie casting, and dog football. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

Credit Report (04:06)

1: Is this podcast an Xbox? (04:48)

2: What is the most fortunate accident in video game history? (10:22)

3: Which video game genre on the whole compares best to its correspondent film genre on the whole? (15:29)

4: What class should be added in the next Dragon Quest 3 remake? (21:09)

Insert Credit Quick Break: The Storied Sword, available digitally and physically (26:57)

5: Pro Skater 4 asks, how would you cast a Fatal Fury movie? (28:36)

6: If you could instantly put any game on every iPhone, what would it be? (35:34)

7: What’s the Air Bud (1997) of video games? (41:02)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Bart Vs. The Simpsons (46:23)

Recommendations and Outro (54:09):

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by The Storied Sword, available digitally and physically, and patrons like you. Thank you.

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The finest panel in video games covers Sony buying Kadokawa, relitigates what counts as games versus DLC, and brings you the exclusive reveal of the Nintendo Listo. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: Brandon, two years ago when Microsoft bought Blizzard Activision, you proposed something that would be really funny that Sony could do to retaliate. Do you remember what it was? (05:35)

2: At what point is a game’s DLC worth judging as its own entity? (12:08)

3: What’s the biggest gulf in difference between a game’s singleplayer and multiplayer modes, and what’s the biggest golf in video games? (21:17)

4: What is the Nintendo Listo? (24:58)

Apology Corner: None of the Hansons from Hanson are dead (32:54)

5: Feral asks, what are your favorite completely missable areas in video games?

6: What is the Morbius of video games? (42:50)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Arcade of Our Own (48:37)

Recommendations and Outro (01:03:37):

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Author and journalist Kieron Gillen joins the panel to cover the golden age of games journalism, Squaresoft’s 1996 SNES licensed X-Men JRPG, and the mysterious Hat Man. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and Kieron Gillen. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: What’s the difference between game culture and comics culture? (04:44)

2: In tabletop game design, how do you make a game that allows players to do anything, while maintaining a unique identity? (10:03)

3: What’s the closest a video game has come to ruining your life? (17:19)

4: The year is 1996. Squaresoft wants you to design their final game for the SNES, a licensed X-Men RPG. What have you got? (27:22)

5: PersonalMatthew asks, how important is it that someone writing about videogames be “good” at videogames? (34:33)

6: What was the golden age of video game journalism? (40:53)

LIGHTNING ROUND: High Scoring (47:22)

Recommendations and Outro (57:22):

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Your new Insert Credit panel, now including Ash Parrish of The Verge, discusses Dragon Age fanfiction, the best video game music of the last ten years, and a Spice Girls nude code. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Ash Parrish. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:

The beginning of this episode features some words from Brandon Sheffield on personal loss, the election, and what we can do going forward. The usual intro begins at (09:01). Thank you.

1: Have video games completely realized the concept of importing your data from one game to the next? (20:59)

2: What do people really mean when they talk about learning curves? (27:46)

3: What’s up with video games having “Dragon” in the title and then not having very many dragons? (33:41)

4: Which video game character is tattooed on the most human bodies? (38:47)

The Insert Credit Quick Break: Puppy Cam! (44:34)

5: Esther Weinbach asks, what is the most important thing you’ve ever learned from a video game? (45:38)

6: Can you think of a single piece of memorable video game music from the past ten years? (54:37)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Celebrity Gamers (01:00:09)

Recommendations and Outro (01:09:00):

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Game designer and author Mathew Kumar joins a panel guest hosted by editor Esper Quinn to cover famous famiclones, the latest in Nintendo developments, and Tommy Tallarico’s unexpected ascent into backgammon legend. Hosted by Esper Quinn, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Mathew Kumar. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: merritt k asks, what are some of the more interesting bootleg or knockoff consoles? (06:50)

2: What The Hell Is Going On At Nintendo? Part II Chapter 2 - Online Network Test (20:16)

3: What The Hell Is Going On At Nintendo? Part III - Nintendo Music (26:50)

4: At this point in your life, what would it take to get you to play more video games? (32:34)

5: Is Tommy Tallarico a backgammon champion now? (40:37)

6: Alex Jaffe asks, what is the strongest emotion that video games can produce? (43:49)

7: If you, somehow, wrote an essay for every game you’ve finished, what would you do with those? (51:04)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Magic: the Gathering Cards (58:24)

Recommendations and Outro (01:10:45):

This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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