Insert Credit nominates and ranks the fifteen best video games of the year 2025.

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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(Finalized list appears at the bottom of the show notes, don’t spoil yourself!)

SHOW NOTES:

1: Ash Parrish’s First Nominee (05:20)

2: Brandon Sheffield’s First Nominee (09:27)

3: Frank Cifaldi’s First Nominee (14:46)

4: Ash’s Second Nominee (20:34)

5: Brandon’s Second Nominee (24:50)

6: Frank’s Second Nominee (28:01)

7: Ash’s Third Nominee (32:37z)

8: Brandon’s Third Nominee (37:53)

9: Frank’s Third Nominee (43:24)

Frank’s Top 5 Albums of the Year (54:01)

10: Ash’s Fourth Nominee (59:31)

11: Brandon’s Fourth Nominee (01:05:41)

12: Frank’s Fourth Nominee (01:08:50)

13: Ash’s Fifth Nominee (01:14:37)

14: Brandon’s Fifth Nominee (01:22:01)

15: Frank’s Fifth Nomination (01:27:41)

16: Alex Jaffe’s First Nomination (01:33:29)

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The finest minds in video games discuss the evolution of turn-based combat, turning pixels into symphonies, and the devastating return of Violence Island.

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 tips you off that someone discussing video games has no idea what they’re talking about? (06:08)

2: How have turn-based battle systems evolved over 30 years? (11:58)

3: On what occasions have you wished a game was harder? (17:27)

4: If we were to re-establish an official video game seal of quality, what would be the qualifying criteria? (21:41)

5: Syswivv asks, what kind of video game would Andy Warhol have made? (28:08)

6: Describe Bubsy 3D: Bubsy Visits the James Turrell Retrospective to Ash (32:24)

7: What’s the best use a game has ever made of being able to click in the analog stick? (34:39)

8: Who is your favorite video game character to debut in the last ten years? (40:39)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island (46:02)

Recommendations and Outro (01:01:52):

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Our heroes confront video game movie adaptations, how controversy sells games, and Tom Cruise in Sonic 3 & Knuckles the Porn Parody the Official Game of the Movie.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank “Baseball” Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: What are some good games with built in breaks? (08:20)

2: Which character has suffered the biggest design downgrade in video game history? (15:50)

3: Who’s your Mario? (21:29)

4: Is the average video game based on a movie better than the average movie based on a video game? (25:42)

5: SaveaSaturn asks, what game that you’ve never played would you take to a desert island with you? (31:39)

6: What makes bad video games successful? (38:30)

7: What is the “Maybe it will happen today” of video games? (44:17)

LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Genshin Impact (49:54)

Recommendations and Outro (56:38):

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As has become tradition, Insert Credit ranks the best games of all time. 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: Frank’s Mom’s Favorite Game (08:56)

2: Ash’s Cousin Eric’s Favorite Game (14:07)

3: Brandon’s Partner Christina’s Favorite Game (19:45)

4: Frank’s Co-host Ash’s Favorite Game (25:08)

5: Ash’s Friend Nicki’s Favorite Game (34:34)

6: Brandon’s Dad’s Favorite Game (39:52)

7: Frank’s Best Friend and Editor Esper’s Favorite Game (45:31)

8: Ash’s Friend Will’s Favorite Game (55:34)

9: Brandon’s Friend Scott’s Favorite Game (01:04:38)

10: Frank’s Friend Lucy’s Favorite Game (01:11:42)

11: Ash’s Cousin Jason’s Favorite Game (01:24:29)

12: Brandon’s Former Coworker Christian’s Favorite Game (01:32:36)

13: Frank’s Wife Amanda’s Second Favorite Game (01:38:38)

14: Ash’s Husband Travis’s Favorite Game (01:42:33)

15: Brandon’s College Friend and Insert Credit Co-Founder Vincent’s Favorite Game (01:47:42)

16: Frank’s Pal Ian’s Favorite Game (01:52:31)

17: Ash’s Sister Alexis’s Favorite Game (01:59:53)

18: Brandon’s Friend Chaz’s Favorite Game (02:06:00)

19: Frank’s Other Friend Ian’s Favorite Game (02:10:48)

20: Ash’s Best Friend Abby’s Favorite Game (02:17:11)

21: Brandon’s Coworker Tara’s Favorite Game (02:28:43)

Final List (02:28:43)

View the finalized list right here!

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The panel reviews Mr. Bones, a Sega Saturn classic featuring frustrating design choices, a certain comedy level, and skeletism.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: How did we get here? (03:57)

2: What are the good versions of the ideas presented in this game? (27:20)

3: Brenton Woodrow asks, which Saturn or Dreamcast game that never had a sequel is best suited for a sequel in 2021? (37:02)

4: If not Mr. Bones, what’s the best skeleton in a video game? (42:04)

5: Let’s talk about this game’s comedy level (44:46)

6: What can we learn about the blues from this video game? (51:07)

7: Do you like Mr. Bones? (56:43)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Mr. Organs (01:02:31)

Credit Report (01:08:16)

Recommendations and Outro (01:13:08):

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Our heroes convene to discuss the Sega Game Gear, the most satisfying punch in video games, and sports MMOs.

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 kinds of video games do you think we’ll never see again? (07:27)

2: What’s the most satisfying punch you can throw in a video game? (12:15)

3: Which Game Gear games are most faithful to their source material? (17:07)

4: The Adaptation Game - Betty Boop (21:50)

5: littleboat asks, what is the word of the year in videogames? (27:42)

6: Are there sports MMOs where everybody is one player? (35:38)

7: Has making a video game gotten harder or easier over time? (39:42)

LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Baldur’s Gate III (45:15)

Recommendations and Outro (52:52):

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This week’s horrible buzzer was sent in by selib. Thanks! To submit your own horrible buzzer, send an original recording no longer than two seconds in mp3 or wav format to [email protected], and maybe we’ll use it on the show!

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Frank, Ash, and Brandon spend the end of the year clearing out the Question Hole, finding brainslop, Tommy Tallarico’s new alias Sammy Salazar, and the death of Sonic the Hedgehog. 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: MarkJ asks, what’s the most inappropriate time and place for a video game merchant to set up shop? (04:02)

2: Call Me By Your Name asks, which game would you play until eternity ends? (7:30)

3: David asks, what would it take to make a consistently funny game? (10:36)

4: Ryan asks, if you could be the best in the world at one video game what would it be? (12:37)

5: NVB asks, how would you bring back text adventure games? (13:56)

6: Gallander asks, do you have any game or experience that makes you reflect on how things that once were won’t ever be again, or makes you too sad? (14:58)

7: Horizontal Hold asks, what video game soundtrack is most analogous in its sound as it is to its gameplay? (16:56)

8: Billy asks, what modern non-arcade games would be improved if only available in arcades? (18:25)

9: Corey asks, what is the next phenomenon that will be predicted by a Hideo Kojima game? (19:18)

10: SvenserSblant asks, how has working in the game industry impacted your ability to enjoy games? (22:20)

11: Gaagaagiins asks, what would be the for a cool run? (23:58)

12: MDS asks, if you knew better in the past, what game or console would you have been super into? (27:20)

Online Multiplayer: Two Game Blister Pack Pairing (30:36)

13: FLCL Forever asks, If Sega had nigh-unlimited money, what could they have done to save the Saturn? (32:47)

14: Chin asks, what do you think of violence in video games? (39:31)

15: Dan Cantou asks is licensed crap inherently worse than original crap? (41:39)

16: Malcove asks, how do we make a Studio Ghibli game? (44:37)

17: Chopemon asks, what setting would you design for a Resident Evil-style one location video game? (45:52)

18: Devilsblush asks, who is your favorite developer of video games you aren’t interested in playing? (48:35)

19: TapeVulture asks, how can we describe Yuji Naka’s legacy? (49:39)

20: Dilson asks, how could loading screens be made better? (52:43)

21: Eric Hamilton Schneider asks, if you discovered a door into a video game world, what would would you be most happy is real? (54:17)

22: Garrett asks, how can or should pinball continue its evolution? (57:23)

23: BreadyToDie asks, which games do time travel the best? (01:00:01)

24: Katon asks, do you think Terry Basio could make a Donkey Konga game work? (01:02:06)

25: Spencer asks, do a majority of game players have an unhealthy relationship with games? (01:03:08)

Recommendations and Outro (01:04:24):

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

This week’s horrible buzzer was sent in by selib. Thanks! To submit your own horrible buzzer, send an original recording no longer than two seconds in mp3 or wav format to [email protected], and maybe we’ll use it on the show!

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DigitalFoundry’s John Linneman returns for what is seemingly becoming an annual event: sitting with Brandon Sheffield to discuss games purchased while in Japan. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman..

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SHOW NOTES:

1: Brandon’s F1 Triple Battle, F1 Circus Special: Pole to Win, and F1 Circus ’92

2: John’s Ridge Racer V demo and Japanese Ridge Racer 6

3: Brandon’s Out Live: Be Eliminate Yesterday

4: John’s Tengai Makyō: Daiyon no Mokushiroku - The Apocalypse IV

5: Brandon’s Knight Rider Special

6: John’s Virtua Fighter for PC

7: Brandon’s Volfied

8: John’s Namco History Vol. 4

9: Brandon’s Koudelka and Clock Tower II demos

10: John’s Hungry Ghosts

11: Brandon’s RayForce soundtrack

12: John’s Goemon: Shin Sedai Shūmei!

13: Brandon’s Anearth Fantasy Stories: The First Volume

14: John’s Gunparade Orchestra

15: Brandon’s Cardcaptor Sakura: Clow Card Magic

16: John’s Virtual Boy Wario Land

17: Brandon’s Macross VF-X2

18: Brandon’s The Note

19: Brandon’s Laplace no Ma

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Insert Credit Fighting Game Correspondent, author, and cannabis connoisseur Patrick Miller joins the panel to answer questions Jaffe wrote while stoned, and play another round of Smokey Bong Bluntry.

Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and Patrick Miller. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

0: How does smoking weed or other drugs affect playing video games? (07:05)

1: Are video games art? (13:16)

2: Apart from military or law enforcement, what are the most suitable professions for a video game character to have?(14:39)

3: How do you sell Densha de Go to Americans? (20:45)

4: Take a title of a Western Video Game, pretend it’s a Japanese Video Game, and then localize the title for a western audience. (24:06)

The Insert Credit Quick Break: Videolamer.com (31:32)

5: Moshworld asks, design a Yakuza side story about weed (32:54)

6: Has a game company or game series ever had more than just one good logo design? (38:19)

7: Who are the Phineas and Ferb of video games? (44:21)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Smokey Bong Bluntry - Hard Mode No Zeldas (49:43)

Recommendations and Outro (54:56):

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

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Guest host Esper Quinn asks Frank, Ash, and Brandon about Xbox’s Black Friday failure, The Game Awards, and creative uses for soy sauce. Hosted by Esper Quinn, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:

1: Vanessa B asks, what is the most ridiculous fighting game outfit you’ve seen and what about it irks your nerves? (04:51)

2: You guys see the Nex Cube outsold the Xbox on Black Friday? (09:29)

3: If you ran a video game history foundation, what would you do with an unreleased NES game? (18:30)

4: Given that we record this show on the Thursday before it’s released, recap what happened at The Game Awards (23:46)

5: Yeso asks, if video games had a currency, who would be on the $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100 bills? (30:05)

6: What age should a person play their first video game? (37:27)

7: What is the soy sauce of video games? (41:04)

LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Even More Magic the Gathering Cards (45:39)

Recommendations and Outro (52:47):

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

This week’s horrible buzzer was sent in by selib. Thanks! To submit your own horrible buzzer, send an original recording no longer than two seconds in mp3 or wav format to [email protected], and maybe we’ll use it on the show!

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