Thumbstick Athletes

We're coming fairly close to our "Best of X" console episode with a only a few systems left to cover.  Though now that I'm thinking about it....I don't believe we're covered any handheld systems.  YAY! More episode ideas!  This generation more than any others had TONS of multiplatform games, and console exclusives that also made their way to PC, so we took care to mention that when applicable.

In nibbllebits we cover Nintendo's surprise Paper Mario Origami King announcement and the Ghosts of Tsushima gameplay released by Sony today.  Also Assassin's Creed Odyssey is great!

Xbox revealed some of the games coming the Xbox Series X in a "Nintendo Direct-esque" presentation earlier today, and I've got to say...it was nice to see some new stuff there.  It wasn't much X-game 3 or 4 but some new IPs like Medium and Bright Memory.  (Which I just realized is on Steam) 

Later on Will played some Final Fantasy 7 remake, Dan played Fortnite and we discuss the Last of Us 2 leaks again.

Will completed Persona 5 Royal earlier this week and wanted to do a Spoilercast for this week's episode.  So if you haven't played and don't want it spoiled, skip ahead to 32 minutes where we start our nibblebits segment talking about Assassin's Creed Valhalla.

Later on we also talk about The Last of Us II leaks (no spoilers) and more Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Continuing along in our "Best of" console games series, we hit the XBOX 360 and some of the absolute bangers on that system.  Going back and seeing all the colossal franchises that got their start in this console generation was eye opening to say the least.  There's some games you'd expect from us, like Mass Effect and BioShock, but we also throw in a few surprises. 

It's also shocking that the Thumbstick Athletes Podcast began during the XBOX 360, PS3 console generation.  We've been around the block!

During news we talk about the Nintendo ID hack, free games, and some Horizon Zero Dawn 2 rumors; while "What We Played" has us covering more Persona 5 Royal and Animal Crossing New Horizons.

We welcome Tito back to talk about the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, especially since he kind of, sort of beat it already!  Fear not though, this is a spoiler free discussion of the game since Dan and Will haven't played any yet and plan to do so.

Later on we talk about more Animal Crossing: New Horizons, discuss cooking, and get into some of the (limited) gaming news.

Joining us this week to discuss some more Animal Crossing New Horizons are Eric, Corey and Tito.  We get into some of the criticisms of Animal Crossing, like some of the weird online stuff that comes with most of Nintendo's games.  Then we toss around some ideas for a project we've discussed in the past, which is having some sort of gaming olympics.  Early stages yet, but now is the time do something like this!

We also share our thoughts on the odd new PS5 controller, the DualSense, and get caught up on the games everyone has been playing, and movies and TV we've been watching.

After having played Persona 5 not too long ago, Will was once again ready to dive into the Royal version of Persona 5 since we're all stuck at home.  In other news, The Last of Us 2 is delayed and Nintendo drops some much-needed good news.  We also talk more Animal Crossing New Horizons.

The new Animal Crossing game could not have possibly come out at a better time...with millions of people across the world shut in their homes for months.  Dan, Will and Will's friend and roommate Evan (all newcomers to the series) talk about Animal Crossing New: Horizons...having been thoroughly drawn in by the new entry.

Later in the episode we talk about the Nintendo Switch shortage, our lives in quarantine, DOOM Eternal and some Two Point Hospital!

As the coronavirus pandemic sets in the TSA Pod offers up some ideas for gamers to make the most of their isolation time.  Not everyone has 600 Steam games they haven't played yet, so make use of the library you already have or play some new games that'll cost you next to nothing.

During "What We Played" Dan and Will BOTH played some CoD Warzone!

Sorry again about missing an episode last week, but we explain why in the "Our Weeks" segment.  This week we cover the Final Fantasy 7 Remake demo like we had initially planned to, along with our progress for More in March.  Which leads to some discussion about Ori and the Blind Forest and the newly released Ori and The Will of the Wisps.

After the outro we talk about the Golder Deer storyline from Fire Emblem: Three Houses.