The VGM Jukebox

What happens when two excitable and mostly timeblind co-hosts journey to a distracting city together to attend an event with a strict no-late-entry policy? The answer is part Crazy Taxi, part random encounter, and part fish paste. So grab your tacklebox, jump in the elevator, and synchronize your beta waves with Josh and Emily as they describe the frantic but fun afternoon that proved even imperfect adventures can be pretty much be perfect, so long as there's an underlying sense of peace.

With but a fistful of recommendations, Josh and Emily continue their search for the motherlode amid the piles of debris that now inhabit the once buzzing bar. Fortunately, they have an alternate source to fuel the podcast, which is a never-ending string of errors which can only be corrected on subsequent episodes. So, join Emily as they take a break from the excavation stage of their clean-up to chat about ending screens on summer days, the relative hardness of ringside pickups, and how to prepare AI to replace humans in sacred rituals. Special appearances by Sonic the Hedgehog, Cool Spot, Megaman, and Xipe Totec.

Josh and Emily have decided it's finally time to get serious about cleaning up the bar, so come loiter around while they smash up the boulders and hack at the weeds that have been populating all over the place for the past eight years. Along the way you'll learn some Japanese vocabulary, contemplate Bruce Springsteen's great-great-great-grandchild's final bionic form, and witness a track/description mismatch error being rectified after (checks calendar) over a decade?! After all that's done, enjoy the easy ride of a couple contrasting karaokes and maybe think about sending in some new ones of your own, because we’ll be meeting back here soon and we’ve dusted off a shelf just for you. Happy Pretzel Anniversary, patrons! We might even have proper seats next time.

Chotto matte and wait a minute, what's this? Are there really lights on inside the ol' VGMJB bar tonight? Looks like Josh and Emily are marking the 10th anniversary of The VGM Jukebox by opening the doors again! Come snag your favorite chair and get transported places as they share tunes that capture the spirit of the old days, the newer days, and the wide range of everything in between. J&E will need your patience as they relearn the biorhythms of everything from publishing episodes to flipping coins properly, and a good handful of their tracks aren't even from video games. It's going to be an unusual evening, to say the least! But if you stay a while, let us know what you've been up to these past seven years, and what tunes and memories have stayed connected to your hearts.

Just in time for the Holidays, Josh and Emily get into the spirit and decorate the bar. But what would a bar be without patrons, and this time, they are joined by The Diad and Wicked Sephiroth to help consolidate the cheer with their own track selections and memories. But, you probably have some questions, such as: How did they get here? Where is the Devil's Course? What is up with that spooky Christmas tree? Is this song speeding up? Find out the answers to all this and more on this very special VGM Jukebox reunion episode!

In the wake of last week's festivities, Emily and Josh somehow find themselves back in the Spa Zone. That's right, it's one of those super chill credit levels where you can feel free to wander around, lay on the floor with the lights out, or whatever. So join them for one last hurrah (at least before the Christmas get together) as they watch Haju get a manicure, a Mech getting a massage, damsel flies in high resolution, and as they share all those feelings that have been a part of this beautiful show that you made possible. Stay tuned for the graduation ceremony for ALL of their recommending patrons and be reminded how much you mean to them, and always will.

Well everyone, it's the second-to-last episode of The VGM Jukebox. To be on the brink of such an ending is bittersweet, but that doesn't mean we're not gonna party it up tonight! After Josh and Emily get their extra-dimensional situation sorted out, listen in on a band of fellow patrons who've come together in the overworld and created a loving tribute to the entire VGMJB community. But that's not all: Josh and Emily are also keeping the bar open after hours for the Penultimate Podcast Patron Party, where even more surprises, laughs, karaokes, and stellar tunes will be had. To say this episode is brimming with magical moments doesn't even begin to cover it. Our story is happy ending, so let's celebrate ourselves and the cosmic connections between us all. You won't want to miss it!

Earlier this year Emily was in the throes of a particular difficult migraine situation when she put out a call to the VGM Jukebox community. "Please share some feel-good VGM medicine," she wrote -- and within minutes, the responses started pouring in. The deluge of musical affection did indeed have healing properties, and now Emily wants to reflect this potent magic back on you through the power of mixtapes. Whether you decide to save this dose for a difficult day or choose to rip open the packaging right away, here's hoping it works for you like it worked for her! And of course, thanks to all the patrons who sent their love in that thread: Jay, Spritz, Ed, Mike, Carlito, Daniel, Ben, Jordan, Ken, Calvin, Pernell, Alex, and John. Your kindness meant so much, and it always will.

The summery feelings continue as Josh and Emily wander into the Oceanic Rhythm Zone, but they have little time to enjoy the waves before they're pulled into their final boss rush adventure! Patron Atom Edge waits patiently at the end of the stage, supplying the heart-pumping tunes for the journey and revealing the details of his own backstory as they progress. Will Josh and Emily avoid the wrath of his Zantetsuken sword? Can the blade really split a person's soul on the dimensional level? And did Emily just get herself uninvited from Mega Man X's wedding? Jump into the impossible freeze frame image and reverse-blink your way through the episode to find out!

ATTENTION STUDENTS AND FACULTY: Whether you attended JT's dissertation last spring to provide moral support, expand your horizons, or take advantage of the free food, we all left the auditorium wishing we had a little more mahjong in our daily lives. To help satisfy this yearning, JT has compiled all the amazing mah-jams from his presentation into one uninterrupted mixtape. If you want to examine the pure beauty and flow of these compositions without commentary, drop by the office and pick up a copy! Essays on the resulting existential quests of mind and spirit are not required, but always encouraged. Comment below if the mahjong spirit moves you.