Runtime: 76 Minutes
Dave and Rob introduce themselves and their podcast before sharing a found memory about 1992's Super Mario Kart, which leads to a discussion about random acts of kindness. Another found memory on 1993's Illusion of Gaia sparks discussion on gaming as an art medium, which leads them to 2013's Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, which culminates in a discussion on our emotional investment in gaming as a community.
Segment Notes:
Super Mario Kart Cover Art:
Nintendo.Co.Uk - Super Mario KartSuper Mario Kart Amazon Reviews:
Amazon.com - Super Mario KartReddit comment by /u/manderifffic:
/r/nostalgia - Super Mario KartI have the fondest memories of this game. My grandparents had a snes in the basement for the grandkids and we would always play this.
Reddit comment by /u/mr_plopsy:
/r/retrogaming - Super Mario KartI'll always remember Super Mario Kart, because it was one of the few games that my parents bought for us for no real reason. It wasn't for a birthday or Christmas or anything, they just tossed it to us out of the blue, which is clearly the random act of kindness that a kid remembers decades later. It was also one of the last games I remember my brother being really into before he lost interest in video games. We did donuts on the infield of Mario Circuit for hours.
Dark Souls comment by Meltwithyou:
Massively OverpoweredNot an MMO but wayyy back when Dark Souls came out, I was slowly working my way through my first play through, I was sooo very close to the next camp fire and someone popped into my game…I was like f***cckkk. As I was mentally prepping for an ambush, I slowly creeped around a corner and there he/she (?) was, standing there in the middle of the path, completely decked out in high end gear (way better than mine at least), I thought to my self ‘this is it, an hour or two wasted, I’m going to get my ass kicked’ so I just stood there, staring, they stood there, staring back…like a samurai showdown.
After 20-30 seconds, they waved at me. Surprised, I waved back. Then we started emoting back and fourth to each other for a minute or two, I was laughing my ass off…then they bowed and gave me a set of high end armor, waved, then vanished.
It was really cool, I kept that armor in my inventory, planning on paying it forward…but ive never been the type to invade someones game so that set is still sitting in my inventory, still to this day.
Random Acts of Gaming Subreddit
/r/RandomActsOfGamingSegment Notes:
Illusion of Gaia Art:
TBT Review: Illusion of GaiaIllusion of Gaia Reddit Post by /u/ElementCuatro:
/r/snes - Illusion of Gaia, A Forgotten Gem, Was My ChildhoodWhen I was a kid, my family wasn't the most well off in the world, but my parents both worked their asses off to make sure my sister and I had happy childhoods. I got my SNES near the end of it's lifespan, and with it, a little game called "Illusion of Gaia". Before I played this game, I had no idea that video games could have stories beyond "Go from left to right, and save the princess". But this game, while it had a few translation errors that created plotholes, blew my 10 year old mind. It had everything I had seen in the movies and read in books: Action, adventure, relatable characters, a story that I wanted to see to it's end, young romance, etc. Hell, this was the first video game that legit made me cry, and that was when Hamlet, the sweet little pig died.
This is the game. This is when I truly became a gamer, and could appreciate the medium as an art form. Hell, this was the first game I ever streamed on Twitch, and put up on YouTube. If you want to watch it, I'll link to it, but, honestly, I think you should play it yourself. If you're a fan of SNES RPGs, then it's an experience that you don't want to rob yourself of. It's truly meant to be played, not watched.
ElementCuatro's YouTube Channel:
ElementCuatro - YouTube.ComSegment Notes:
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Cover Art:
Nintendo.Co.UK -- Brothers: A Tale of Two SonsSteam Review by RyuugaHideki:
Steam Review - Brothers: A Tale of Two SonsBreathtakingly beautiful backgrounds, simple-enough puzzles that are still satisfying to solve, and a truly touching story that not only uses no words to tell it but makes the controls an integral part, adding extra gravitas at just the right moments.
And yes, I did shed a few tears.
Video games can be art when they're made to be and when it's done right. This game is definitive proof, and worth every penny despite the fairly short ~3 hour playtime.
Steam Review by Dr. Hotdog Bitchface
Steam Review - Brothers: A Tale of Two SonsIn case it wasn’t obvious, I loved Brothers. There is very little about the game that I can fault. With that said, I’ll admit it’s not for everybody. The game is very narrative-driven and requires a heavy emotional investment – something that not every gamer is prepared to, capable, or willing to do. It’s worth noting that this game could very well have been another To The Moon, or Gone Home – games which I personally loved, and are very story/emotionally-driven, but lack any real gameplay, closely flirting with the definition of what a “Game” truly is. No one played either of those two games and said “Wow, that was fun”, because plain and simple, the gameplay in those two games are complete garbage. Brothers, however, manages to capture the same kind of narrative and emotion (and arguably exceeds them both) without compromising on the gameplay. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is, in fact, a game. That is the true magic of Brothers.
Opening Music:
Podcast Intro Music:
Applause Sound: