Podcasts by Famicom Dojo Video Game Podcast
Sean and Vinnk take to their microphones about the latest video game news, review Future Retro titles, and lament their growing Pile of Shame. Produced by That's Orange, LLC. Updated Fridays.
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Denshimail 174: Our Favorite Podcasts from 2022-02-04T21:00
We answer your lingering, burning questions. What are our favorite podcasts? Well, we break them down for you. And more!Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson: Listen
174: Twenty Twenty Also from 2022-01-14T21:00
The video game market can be unpredictable, and the last year has proven that even well-founded leaks are unreliable in the face of global chip shortages. Even so, we try to read the tea leav...
Denshimail 173: Christmas Memories 2021 from 2021-12-31T02:00
We share our favorite Christmas memories past and present, and answer whether we'll ever get tired of gaming... or if modern gaming will just forsake us first.Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by...
Zenspath 4 Button Podcast - Extra Quarter 23: Wii U from 2021-12-28T14:00
Originally Broadcast 2021/12/17: Sean was invited to this show to share his thoughts on the Wii U, as someone who actually liked the console!
Its the Zenspat...
173: Getting SWOLED from 2021-12-17T02:00
We predicted earlier this year that we would never be getting a Switch Pro, despite persistent rumors to the contrary. Then the Switch OLED dropped and we were... sort of right. Unfortunatel...
Denshimail 172: On the Value of Remakes from 2021-12-03T02:00
This week we're following up the main episode by answering your questions about the value of remakes, how Nintendo's marketing practices, hobbled the TubroGrafx-16 library in the US, among oth...
172: The Risible Cost of Retro from 2021-11-19T02:00
Vinnk and Sean talk about the insane auction prices of some not-very-rare (but sealed) physical retro games, and the value of remakes. In Future Retro, Sean shares his spoiler-free thoughts o...
Denshimail 171: 10th Anniversary Podcast Edition from 2021-11-05T22:00
We celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Famicom Dojo Video Game Podcast by answering your questions!"One More Continue" and "RPG" theme songs by the Imari Tones: Listen
Two Boobs Watch the Tube Episode 1: See - Season 1 (2019) from 2021-10-29T02:00
Originally Broadcast 2021/10/22: Check out the first episode of our SECRET PODCAST!
After a war that nearly wipes out humanity, anyone born with the curse of...
Two Boobs Watch the Tube - Season 1 Trailer from 2021-10-28T11:54
Instead of interrupting our video game podcast to talk about TV, we've made a TV podcast we can interrupt to talk about video games. Join us as review a different show (or subsequent season of...
171: Digital Post-Apocalypse from 2021-10-15T02:00
The bad news keeps compounding for Sony. First came the announcement that the PS3, PSP, and Vita online stores would be shutting down this July. Then some intrepid investigators discovered t...
170: Video Game Crunch from 2021-05-28T02:00
Most games are made with some kind of crunch to meet sales targets and match up with buying patterns, but sometimes the motives of publishers (and it's almost always the publishers) can be mor...
169: Incredibly Disappointing Sequels from 2021-04-09T07:00
Video game sequels weren't like movie sequels. Technical improvements and customer feedback almost always mean better games, and more money to make them. But sometimes it doesn't work out th...
168: The Price of Gaming from 2021-02-05T02:00
New console games have a standard price point every generation. With the introduction of the 9th generation, will that price eventually go up? What does that mean in a world of DLC, special e...
167: Genres That Won't Be Myst from 2020-11-20T02:00
Why do some video game genres endure, when others fizzle out? What happens when one of the genres that dies is one that you really happen to love? Graphic adventure games gave us a scare for a...
166: More Different With Age from 2020-08-28T07:00
Gone are the days that shipping a game meant it was "done", and the development team would move on to a new project. In the 2020s, like other software, distributing games over the internet can...
Nerd & Tie Episode 157: The Best of the Secret Podcasts from 2020-08-21T06:00
Originally Broadcast 2020/07/28: Vinnk and Sean lead off this compilation with a visit Vinnk made back to the states with his family in 2017, making it a real-live Vinnk-Con 2017!
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165: Nine Generations of Triangles from 2020-07-24T07:00
Another new generation of gaming is nearly upon us, but what value does it bring? What does it mean? And how the heck do you remember the progression of Xbox names?
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164: Video Game Ratings Are Good, Actually from 2020-06-19T07:00
When we last talked about the various video game ratings systems, we concluded that they were useless. Now that we're older and wiser, our perspective has evolved accordingly. What if video ...
88: Video Game Ratings Are Useless from 2020-06-12T07:00
Originally Broadcast 2014/03/07: When a podcast has been around for years, sometimes we repeat topics, but often with a new perspective. Next week we'll discuss video game ratings as...
163: Death of (Gaming) Retail from 2020-05-22T02:00
We're still stuck at home (well, some of us are), wondering how the closure of non-essential businesses is will affect not just giant video game retailers, but our home-grown favorite reseller...
Audio Bonus 162: Favorite Quarantine Shows from 2020-05-08T02:00
Vinnks catches up Sean on all the TV shows he's been watching with his kids, plus some shows he's been interested in since Quarantine
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Ll...
162: Quarantine Games from 2020-04-17T02:00
Wisconsin has been on lockdown for about five weeks now, with at least five more to go. What do do in the meantime? Play video games and reduce our pile of shame, of course!
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Audio Bonus 161: Mythic Quest from 2020-04-03T02:00
Mythic Quest is Vinnk's new favorite show (after The Good Place ended), which he was suddenly reminded of when talking about Mystic Quest's origins as a Final Fantasy spinoff. We cut out these...
161: Relocalization from 2020-03-20T02:00
Some of the most interesting deviations between US retro games and their Japanese originals are the decisions made when they were localized to non-Japanese countries, the politics of the time,...
160: Switch Pro No Go? from 2020-03-06T02:00
Console life cycles are fairly predicable, especial for Nintendo consoles. Right now we're about halfway through the wildly-successful Switch, but the only hardware revision we have to show fo...
159: Twenty-ish Years of Sega Dreamcast from 2020-01-31T02:00
Usually console anniversaries are celebrated events, but when the Dreamcast turned 20 years old it seemed like an afterthought -- assuming anyone thought about it at all. What happened?
<...
158: Super NES and Super Famicom Online from 2019-10-25T02:00
Nintendo buried the lede in its latest Nintendo Direct with the announcement of its 16-bit offerings on the anniversary of its Nintendo Switch Online service. North America got Super NES, and...
157: The First Import Game You Beat from 2019-10-04T02:00
When we asked our Patreon supporters what they wanted us to podcast about, the answer was pretty unilaterally a topic about our first import games we beat. So, for helping us meet our first P...
Denshimail 156: Spring Into Action 2019 from 2019-09-13T02:00
Sean and Vinnk take to YouTube to chat with viewers and listeners like you about the state of Famicom Dojo, our plans for future videos and podcasts, and what we'll do to finally get that Seas...
156: My Body Isn't Reggie from 2019-09-06T02:00
Reggie Fils-Aime has retired as President of Nintendo of America, but is leaving someone who is more than capable in the post. Someone who will probably build an airship as soon as the stockh...
153: All the Pokemon I Know in 2018 from 2019-08-30T02:00
Sometimes we record a podcast and sort of forget to release it. Even if it's really really good. And then we don't release it after a little while because it's no longer topical. But it's r...
152: Sega Does What Nintendoes Also from 2019-08-23T02:00
Sega announced via a Nintendo-Direct-like video that they were bringing 15 classic Sega Genesis retro games to the Nintendo Switch, along with a mysterious countdown that ended up being the r...
155: Nintendo PlayStation 2019 from 2019-04-05T02:00
Nintendo's hitting 2019 hard and fast, making the case for the Switch as it enters it third year of break-neck sales.
Vinnk and Sean go over each game to decide Play or Pa...
154: The Price of Nintendo Switch Online from 2018-12-07T02:00
Nintendo's online service for the Switch was free for longer than they said it would be, but the paywall still took us a bit by surprise. Had Nintendo earned the money?
S...
Denshimail 152: LIVE! @ No Brand Con 2018 Preview from 2018-05-04T02:00
We're doing a live streaming video podcast at No Brand Con 2018! So Sean and Vinnk hopped online to work out the kinks, and answer viewer questions in our first Denshimail podcast of the year...
151: Shelf Candy from 2018-03-30T02:00
It's not every game, and not every company, but every once in a while a title will come out that is so badly tested, has a day one patch for a game-breaking bug, or isn't even on the disc or c...
150: Happy Nintendo Switch-iversary from 2018-03-09T02:00
It's been a whirlwind year for the Switch as Nintendo struggles to keep up with higher-than-expected demand, and publishers scramble to find titles to release. Meanwhile, indie developers are...
149: A Sense of Adventure from 2018-02-23T02:00
When the adventure game genre died off, fans though we'd never see its like again. In an era where action games dominated and AAA titles push the boundaries of budgets and the senses, who wou...
148: Clean Out Your Fridge from 2018-02-02T02:00
By the end of March 2018, Wii owners will no longer be able to add Wii Points to the Wii Shop. By the end of January 2019, no new purchases, or downloads of existing purchases, will no longer...
147: Forecast 2018 from 2018-01-05T02:00
Nintendo dominated 2017 with the launch of the Switch console. What will this mean for 2018? How will third parties respond? Will competition heat up with Sony and Microsoft?
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146: Fool Me Twice from 2017-04-01T02:00
You may remember a few years ago when we switched up our podcast with No Topic Required. Well, we're at it again, this time with Nerd and Tie!
Trae, Nick, and Gen discuss...
145: Gimmick or Greatness from 2017-02-17T02:00
Sometimes decisions made by console manufacturers seems completely crazy, and will never take off. Other times they seem like a natural evolution, but go nowhere. Is it possible to predict w...
Denshimail 143: Predictions Bingo Review (2016) from 2017-02-03T02:00
We review our predictions for 2016... with bingo cards!
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson: https://loui...
144: Merry Switchmas from 2017-01-27T02:00
Barely two weeks into 2017, and already some of our predictions have been proven true! (Or false...)
Vinnk and Sean dissect the Nintendo Switch presentation video, share ...
142: Value from 2017-01-06T02:00
Have you noticed that retro games cartridges are becoming more expensive, while digital versions on various platform are becoming more prolific? What makes a popular game go up in price, whil...
143: Super 2017 Run from 2016-12-30T02:00
Everyone who survived 2016 is happy it's gone, gone, gone, so we look forward to the new year with predictions of what's to come (mostly for the Nintendo Switch) in this episode that was TOTAL...
Denshimail 141: Deep Space 1999 from 2016-12-12T02:00
We discuss Famicom Dojo fan art, Vinnk's introduction to '90s Star Trek, and your questions!
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson: Listen
141: Twenty-Six Hundred from 2016-12-05T02:00
When Vinnk visited the US recently, he encouraged Sean to buy an Atari 2600... perhaps for less than altruistic reasons.
Sean and Vinnk discuss the capabilities of the Ata...
Denshimail 140: After the Steak Bet from 2016-11-21T02:00
Vinnk made his quasi-annual visit to the US to see through the oft-promised steak bet! We discuss the trip, the video we shot while in the same place, and we get through a backlog of voicemai...
140: Make the Switch from 2016-11-04T02:00
The Nintendo NX is officially the Nintendo Switch! Will the console/handheld hybrid be revolutionary, or another good idea with poor execution?
Vinnk and Sean delve into ...
139: Pokemon GO Home, You're Drunk from 2016-10-28T02:00
Live at Nerd & Tie Expo 2016!
Sean and Vinnk share their favorite Pokemon GO tips and tricks, defend No Man's Sky, review Holy Diver for Famicom, and take audience questio...
Denshimail 138: Summer Dojo 2016 from 2016-10-21T02:00
We talk about the 17 videos we released over the summer, answer your questions, and talk about a new video game console that has controllers too small for human hands.
Vin...
138: Nintendo's First Mobile Game from 2016-10-14T02:00
We're back after the Summer Dojo!
Vinnk and Sean review Miitomo, and Future Retro is about a 3DS game you can't buy any more, and a Famicom game that you still can! Proba...
137: March to 2017 from 2016-06-03T02:00
There will be no Nintendo NX at E3 2016, but they will be showing up the new Zelda Wii U game. Which will now also be an NX game.
Sean and Vinnk wonder what this means fo...
Denshimail 135: Midwest Gaming Classic 2016 from 2016-04-22T02:00
The Nintendo PlayStation, the rising price of retro games, the merits of Patreon, a new haiku, and your questions!
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson:
135: Fanservice (with Satoshi Matrix) from 2016-04-15T02:00
Aside from the obvious genre implications, there are all kinds of references and in-jokes that developers make tweak the noses of their customers, and get them fired up for their games.
Denshimail 134: Miitomorphosis from 2016-04-08T02:00
Our intial Miitomo thoughts, the secret origin of Sean and Vinnk, and another haiku!
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson: Listen
134: Rumors from 2016-04-01T02:00
With not one but two Nintendo NX hoaxes just before April Fools' Day, several Nintendo hoaxes of years past come to mind.
Sean and Vinnk reminisce about tricks played on t...
Denshimail 133: Waiting for the Joe from 2016-03-11T02:00
We answer a few questions while we wait to interview Joe Grisaffi for Episode 133 (just so you understand where this sits chronologically). Get some Kickstarter updates, learn how to import J...
133: Never Complete (with Joe Grisaffi) from 2016-03-11T02:00
Forty years after Atari helped rocket home video gaming into the stratosphere (and nearly 35 years after they helped to almost completely crater it), hobbyists have banded together across the ...
Denshimail 132: Vinnk-Con Panel Submissions from 2016-02-26T23:00
What's up with Vinnk-Con this year? What are some non-gaming uses for a Famicom? We answer these questions, take a voicemail, read a haiku, and more!
Vinnk and SeanOrange ...
132: To the Beat from 2016-02-19T02:00
Rhythm in video games has been around since before there was even the technical capabilities for decent music. The last decade saw a surge in this genre, followed by a precipitous crash.
...
Denshimail 131: The Kefka Theory of Villany from 2016-02-12T02:00
We find out there's a Back to the Future game on a very interesting console, and answer your questions!
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson: Listen
131: Episodic Gaming from 2016-02-05T02:00
Episodic gaming has really taken off in the last few years, despite a troubling start. We share what we enjoy about this format, but also what sometimes isn't so great about it, and which gam...
Denshimail 130: Part of the Problem from 2016-01-29T02:00
Famicom Dojo and shows like it have been driving up demand for Japanese retro games. Unfortunately, these exports also drive up prices for the copies still in the country. We answer these qu...
130: Still Gathering Herbs from 2016-01-22T02:00
After a few false starts, Vinnk is starting to play Mass Effect, which brings to mind the difference between such BioWare games, and the Japanese RPGs of our youth. How have RPGs changed? Is...
Denshimail 129: Pile of Shame Fest 2016 from 2016-01-08T02:00
It's a new year, and our shame is greater than ever before. Since we didn't have any Future Retro or Pile of Shame as part of our predictions episode for 2016, we decided to take a look back ...
129: Predictions Bingo (2016) from 2016-01-01T02:00
It's a new year, so time to make wild guesses about the future, and see if we're right in a year's time!
Vinnk and Sesn take their considerable video game knowledge to bea...
Denshimail 128: Your Favorite Video Games are Dying from 2015-12-25T02:00
Sean returns to DaishoCon, this time not for a live podcast, but a live panel where we begin to unravel the mysteries of battery backup cartridges.. and their eventual demise.
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128: Physical DLC from 2015-12-18T02:00
Once upon a time games came on physical media. Well, you still can, but now you can download them too. And if that's not enough, you can download MORE game! Well, not any more. Now you nee...
Denshimail 127: #NES30 from 2015-12-11T02:00
We talk about our Nintendo Entertainment System video, celebrating the one month anniversary of the 30 year anniversary of the release of the NES, and answer your questions
127: Consoles of a Generation from 2015-12-04T02:00
Even if you own multiples, everyone has a favorite console for each generation. But how does one choose which to support, when multi-platform releases are a certainty? And can you choose poo...
126: Toys to Life from 2015-11-27T02:00
The hiatus is over, and we've played a bunch more games! With titles like LEGO Dimensions jumping on the Toys to Life bandwagon, we start taking a look at some of these games, and take a look...
Denshimail 126: Nintendo Direct to Your Heart from 2015-11-20T02:00
We review highlights of the Nintendo Direct for 2015/11/12, and take your questions!
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson: Listen
Denshimail 125: The 16-bit Wars from 2015-10-02T02:00
We announce the details of our upcoming Kickstarter, and take your questions about how the campaign will be conducted.
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Judson...
125: Play Old Games from 2015-08-21T02:00
We really can't say this enough or more clearly: play old games. Don't be discouraged because they might look funny, or require text inputs, or don't have voice acting. Play old games. Ther...
Denshimail 124: Smells Like the Nineties from 2015-08-14T02:00
Did you know that we're old? You will after we answer these questions about our favorite anime. But we also talk about our latest video previewing the Kunio-kun series.
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124: Retro VGS from 2015-08-07T02:00
What if a video game system didn't need to connect to the internet for constant software and firmware updates? What if there was no hard drive, and the games were on cartridges? That mi...
Denshimail 123: Eight Years of Famicom Dojo from 2015-07-31T02:00
Has it already been eight years? Doesn't feel like a day past five! We answer your questions from Twitter and Facebook about the Famicom Modem, virtual reality, the e-Reader, and more!
<...
123: Shooters from 2015-07-24T02:00
Vinnk was never really one for shooters. But that's before he played Splatoon.
Vinnk and Sean discuss the history of shooters, how Nintendo was able to put its own...
122: Please Understand from 2015-07-17T02:00
Satoru Iwata, President and CEO of Nintendo Co. Ltd., died last Saturday at the age of 55. We recorded this mere hours after hearing the news, and it shows. Please understand.
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Denshimail 121: Stuff Vinnk Sent Me from 2015-07-10T02:00
After our Stuff Vinnk Sent Me video about showing off an A/V mod of a Famicom, we got a lot of feedback for why the quality isn't better, and renewed calls to try RGB mods. Also, despite...
121: Everything We Weren't Right About (E3 2015) from 2015-07-03T02:00
What do we do now? Every game since Duke Nukem Forever that we were sure would never come out is now coming out. Mother? Shenmue III? Final Fantasy VII Remake? The Last Guardian? Check, ...
Denshimail 120: Text Adventures // Mother 3 // Time Paradoxes from 2015-06-12T02:00
We take your questions from our Facebook page, and find some surprisingly deep answers! Yeah, even for the kind of silly ones. Somehow. We just hope we don't change our minds later, an...
120: Don't Let it End from 2015-06-05T02:00
The Wii U was and continues to be a great system. Unfortunately, third parties don't seem to see it that way, and even more unfortunately that's backed by sales numbers. Console gaming in ge...
Denshimail 119: The End of Winter Dojo from 2015-05-29T02:00
We answer questions asked during the 11 weeks of Winter Dojo 2015, track down some promising leads for new videos, talk about our behind-the-scenes experiences, and tease what's coming up...
119: Konami Kollapse from 2015-05-22T02:00
It's a strange thing that's been happening at Konami, not least of which is the public, ugly divorce between the company and Hideo Kojima. But what is happening to them can happen to any AAA ...
Denshimail 118: No Brand Con 2015 from 2015-05-01T02:00
Sean (in person) and Vinnk (via Skype) crash the ball pit of the No Mercy Room at No Brand Con to answer your burning questions, and meet up with old college friends. Maybe more of the l...
118: Misakocast from 2015-04-24T02:00
Sean is gone this week, but Vinnk found someone even better to step in and talk video games: his wife!
Vinnk and Misako discuss her gamer past, and -- in a stunning r...
Denshimail 117: Five More Weeks of Winter Dojo // Midwest Gaming Classic 2015 from 2015-04-17T02:00
We talk about the six episode of the Famicom Dojo Winter Dojo we've released, and Midwest Gaming Classic 2015. Plus, answer several listener questions in between!
Vinnk a...
117: Game Boy is Awesome from 2015-04-10T02:00
It may be difficult to explain, because Game Boy wasn't the best from a technical standpoint, and not all of the games were the best, but somehow the Game Boy was just the best.
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Denshimail 116: How to Watch Famicom Dojo from 2015-04-03T02:00
Sean explains where new episodes of the Winter Dojo are being published, and where you can go to be the first to see them.
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel art by Louis Lloyd-Ju...
116: Nintendo NeXt from 2015-03-27T02:00
Nintendo announced a historic deal with Japanese mobile developer DeNA to create a new device-agnostic ecosystem for its unified account system, an ecosystem that will now also include mobile ...
Denshimail 115: Gaming Holy Grail // User Engagement // Media Entropy from 2015-03-20T02:00
Sean and Vinnk share their holy grails of gaming, why retro consoles and their media have been skyrocketing in price (related to the first topic), and have... a proposal for you.
115: Sega is Dead, Long Live Sega from 2015-03-13T02:00
Sega will go where no Nintendo has gone before, and only release games on mobile from now on. How is it possible a once-great power in the gaming industry has fallen so far (without being res...
Denshimail 114: Konami Code // Winter Dojo // Picross from 2015-03-06T02:00
We talk about why the Konami code exists, answer some other questions from Facebook, and tease what's to come with the Winter Dojo 2015 videos.
Vinnk and SeanOrange pixel ...
114: The PC Engine That Could from 2015-02-27T02:00
The PC Engine was big in Japan, but not so big in the US as the TurboGrafx-16. In the years since the demise of Hudson Soft, the love for one of the smallest consoles on the market is still g...
Denshimail 113: Famicom AV Modding // Vinnk-Con // JewWario from 2015-02-20T02:00
For our first new Denshimail installment, we answer questions about whether AV modding an original Famicom is sacrilege, what we've been doing since we last released regular videos in 2013, an...
113: We Just Want Nice Things from 2015-02-13T02:00
GameCube Adapters and Amiibo are still sold out everywhere. Club Nintendo in North America, whose physical rewards never equaled those of other territories, is about to shut down worldwide. ...
Famicom Dojo Video Game Podcast Intro (2015) from 2015-02-06T02:00
It's year five of the podcast, and we're looking to make a fresh start! New format, new segments, new podcast network, and a new logo, but the same old banter about contemporary video games a...
112: The Osborne Effect (Live at DaishoCon 2014) from 2014-11-29T02:00
There are problems with announcing new hardware that's not available everywhere, such as the New 3DS coming out in Japan but not the US, including features that the regular 3DS does not have, ...
111: First World Problems from 2014-11-14T02:00
Problems with video games are already something of a first-world issue, but some of the specifics can be so much worse. Which controller to get for Smash Bros. Wii U? GameCube or a GameCube-...
110: RETRO Magazine from 2014-11-04T02:00
Magazines have themselves become a retro medium, but what if someone could use that to their advantage in a dying industry? Double-win if you can tie it to retro video games. That's exactly ...
109: The Horror from 2014-10-31T02:00
What are your favorite scary games? How about just ones that remind you of Halloween, or are about traditional "scary" critters, but are just too darn cute to be scary themselves? Or, depend...
108: 10 Minutes About Your Favorite Video Game from 2014-10-17T02:00
Rob Matsushita is a Madison, WI based filmmaker and playright. More importantly for our purposes he is also host of the 10 Minutes About Your Favorite Movie podcast on the Little Podcast Netw...
107: Shelf Life from 2014-10-10T02:00
Some of our favorite Famicom and NES games are nearing the end of their respective lifespans. Famicom Disk System games degrade, no matter how well you take care of them. Cartridge games wit...
106: Denshimailbag from 2014-10-03T02:00
Way back when we ended Season 1 of the video series, we announced our new Denshimail segment. While we've answered many of your questions in video forms, we've only been getting more and more...
105: Tokyo Game Show 2014 from 2014-09-26T02:00
We haven't been to Tokyo Game Show in person, but that doesn't mean we haven't been to Tokyo Game Show! Famicom Dojo has had an official presence covering the show in 2013 and 2014. This year ...
104: Den of Shame from 2014-09-19T02:00
Is it wonderful or worrying that two grown men need a place to store all of their stuff from a childhood that in some ways never ended? Or is doing a podcast and video series about classic vi...
103: 3DS The Third from 2014-09-12T02:00
It's a bit later than expected, but the 3DS has finally gotten the second stick (well, a nub really), and enough buttons to make it nearly feature complete with a Wii U GamePad. A herald of th...
102: Play It Again, Samus from 2014-09-05T02:00
After the y cant metroid crawl meme sprang into being upon the release of Super Metroid on the Wii U Virtual Console, Sean recorded a bunch of footage performing tricks in the game, but it's b...
101: Take Your Knight and Shovel It from 2014-08-29T02:00
Shovel Knight is more than a retro-styled game made to make you wistful of a bygone era -- it makes you wish that era had never ended, and gives a glimpse of what it may have been like if it h...
100: Growing Up Gamer from 2014-08-15T02:00
When we were kids, someone introduced each of us to the world of video games. Maybe it was a parent, or a friend who had the latest and greatest. Or maybe that love developed in arcades and ...
99: PapaCast and Ferb from 2014-06-27T02:00
The thing about being a gainfully-employed adult and parent is that time becomes your most precious commodity. So any time you use for games can only be used on the good ones -- if you can fi...
98: Nintendo Wins E3 (2014) from 2014-06-18T02:00
It's amazing how things looked a year ago, with Nintendo all but left for dead by the gaming press. Now, with a much-needed lift by Mario Kart 8 and a killer showing at E3, Nintendo looks lik...
97: Nintendo Adapts from 2014-06-06T02:00
Nintendo appeases the hardcore Super Smash Bros. tournament crowd with a wired adapter for GameCube controls, playable at the Smash Bros Invitational. The newest Mario Kart was released
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96: DisKinect from 2014-05-23T02:00
We've long been wary of digital services on consoles at Famicom Dojo, because every time one shuts down there's the inevitable pain that follows, and features that can never be recaptured. Th...
95: The Price of DLC from 2014-05-16T02:00
Physical game releases, and increasingly their digital versions as well, often get a hefty price cut as the game ages, but the price of the DLC never goes down. Should it?
94: Sequelitis from 2014-05-09T02:00
NES Remix 2 is chock full of sequels to games from NES Remix 1, and of course NES followups to other games not seen in the series before. Conventional wisdom dictates that sequels are mere ca...
93: Crossovers and Cameos from 2014-05-02T02:00
Recent installments of the Super Smash Bros. series have included characters from third party companies as fighters joining the Nintendo menagerie. Game developers often hide references to th...
92: The (PlayStation) Death of Consoles from 2014-04-15T02:00
While the rest of the world is picking up the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at an admirable pace (sorry, Wii U), the former was only just released earlier this year in Japan, and the latter is no...
91: Needs More Polys from 2014-04-08T02:05
We're four generations deep into reasonably realistic 3D graphics based on nothing more than colored triangles, but if you go back to the first fully 3D console graphics the picture isn't so p...
90: Your Friend's House from 2014-04-01T02:00
We take a trip over to our friend's house where everything sounds different. Er, where you play the games that you didn't play at your house because you didn't own the system, didn't own the g...
89: Audio Bonus from 2014-03-14T02:00
Sometimes the show runs a little long, or goes completely off-topic. That's when we create an audio bonus, exclusively for the website! When we first started the podcast, we fully intended t...
87: Every Game is Terrible (Except the One You Like) from 2014-02-28T02:00
In the ever-shifting landscape of video game development, there are major players and the scrappy underdogs. Kickstarter has given smaller studios a bigger voice, but back in the day before t...
86: Rad Sports Games from 2014-02-21T02:00
Before EA, official sports titles were more spread out, and used in all kind of ways. Games like NBA Jam are hard to come by these days (barring updates to NBA Jam). Before annual installmen...
85: Remakes vs. Reboots from 2014-02-14T02:00
Sometimes a game gets a second life on a new platform or console, typically with upgraded graphics, additional sound effects and/or voices,
and additional Internet-enabled features only a...
84: Free 2 Play from 2014-02-07T02:00
Phil Bond on the subject of f2p gaming: "When you make a game where paying any money whatsoever feels like cheating, that has to be a mistake -- right?" Or, as Vinnk puts it, you can pay to pl...
83: Broken Age of Adventure Gaming from 2014-01-24T02:00
Spearheading the revival of adventure games,
Broken Age Act 1 was released last week on Steam for the Kickstarter backers (and press reviewers). A decision to black out reviews until late...
82: Game of the Year of Luigi from 2014-01-17T02:00
It can be difficult choosing a top game for 2013 when you've only played a fraction of the ones
released during the year, but we're sure gonna try!
Vinnk and Sea...
81: NES Remix from 2014-01-10T02:00
With the latest Nintendo Direct, a very interesting title was released Wii U eShop. Nintendo has gone all ROM hacker on us, and created a challenge game based on a dozen titles from the NES la...
80: Kickstarter Retro from 2013-09-13T02:00
Ever since Double Fine Adventure (a.k.a. Broken Age), Kickstarter has been the go-to place to fund games in genres long-thought dead (e.g. Adventure Games), by creators long thought dead (e.g....
79: Wii U vs. 3DS from 2013-09-06T02:00
Vinnk was in the US for a few weeks, and came back to Japan with a new Wii U and a bunch of games! Then just last week Nintendo announced the $50 price drop and the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker...
78: The Secret Origin of Famicom Dojo from 2013-07-19T02:00
Did you know that there was an episode of Famicom Dojo before there was a Famicom Dojo? Not just the one released on Zac Shipley's channel, but one we never released for public consumption? ...
77: To E3 or Not to E3 (2013) from 2013-06-28T02:00
E3 is over, but did anything of substance happen aside from Sony stabbing Microsoft in the side and twisting the knife? Everything of substance occurred before or after E3, including Microsoft...
76: Digital Apocalypse Now from 2013-06-07T02:00
When we first started this podcast, we thought the DLC Apocalypse would be a generation or two off, but if Microsoft has its way (and Sony decides to follow suit next week at E3), it'll be a l...
75: Xbox One from 2013-05-31T02:00
Last week, Microsoft unveiled their next-generation gaming console, controller, and name. While the "XBONE" jokes are already flying, more is being made of what Microsoft didn't say at this e...
74: An Unprecedented Partnership from 2013-05-24T02:00
EA has thrown its stake in the ground, and determined that it does not need or care to support Nintendo on the Wii U. No Frosbite engine, no current development on Wii U, and a senior develop...
73: The Next Xbox from 2013-05-03T02:00
The Wii U might seem like it's in trouble, but even if the least bad of the "always on" rumors for the next Xbox prove true, will Microsoft be the worse one off this generation? Is ...
72: It's About Time from 2013-03-29T02:00
Even in the 8-bit days, the theme of time travel in video games was all around us. For some, it was a story excuse to visit
historical landmarks and offer. Other explored idea of what i...
71: PlayStation Death from 2013-03-15T02:00
One of the many interesting things about the PS4 is the name itself, since one of the Japanese words for "Four" is also the word for "death". Prophetic, given the state of...
70: Zombi Wii U from 2013-02-22T02:00
Rayman Legends is ready to ship for Wii U, but now won't be released until multi-platform versions are ready. Wii U sales are down, but if games aren't coming out that people want to buy, who...
69: Region Free America from 2013-02-08T02:00
There's a White House petition going around to make region locking a thing of the past -- at least in the United States of America. Does such a law have any chance of passing, and can it even ...
68: Destructoid Stole My Beer from 2013-02-01T02:00
Be careful about bringing your beer to a Destructoid room party! They might claim
they don't know you, and then keep your beer!
Sean tells Vinnk about his time ...
67: Play as the Villain from 2012-12-28T02:05
Rarely do games place you in the role of the villain. Either it's too difficult, tongue-in-cheek and therefore not serious, or being a villain is ultimately too unpalatable to pull off except ...
66: Timed Exclusives from 2012-12-21T02:00
"RPG" theme song by the Imari Tones: http://imaritones.net
This podcast is brought to you by the Famicom Dojo Video Ser...
65: Wii U Be Mine from 2012-12-07T02:00
For as long as the Wii has been around, fans and critics alike maligned it for not supporting the HD or hardcore gaming crowd. There's no way it can be a success! Now that the Wii U is out, ...
64: LucasArts and Crafts from 2012-11-09T02:00
George Lucas recently sold all of LucasFilm to Disnet for $4 billion.
Not only does that mean there will be a new Star Wars movie in 2015, but all of
LucasFilm's ancillary businesses...
63: Failed Console Treasures from 2012-10-26T02:00
There are so many consoles on the market that it's easy to forget that there used to be so many more. Not only have big players like Sega come and gone, but Atari has gotten out of the hardwa...
62: The Next Generation from 2012-09-21T02:00
With the unveiling of the iPhone 5 and the Wii U within a day of each other, last week was a next-gen extravaganza for two of the biggest juggernauts in their
industry. Oh, and Vinnk had...
61: Nintendo Power Down from 2012-09-07T02:00
Nintendo Power is going away, although the Nintendo Power that we knew and loved went away years ago. How can a monthly, paper publication hope to compete in the realm of up-to-the-minute onl...
60: This Famicom Life from 2012-08-31T02:00
This week we have something very different. SeanOrange did not have the time to record a podcast with Vinnk this week, and asled Vinnk to see what we could come up with on short notice.
<...
59: Neo Geo X from 2012-08-17T02:00
It costs more than a 3DS XL and just as much as a Wii, contains (at least a few) games available more cheaply on either the eShop or Wii Virtual Console, and comes with a dock that looks like ...
58: Now Streaming On Your Yogurt App from 2012-08-10T02:00
It's hard being a gamer! Or maybe it's just hard being an aging gamer. Why buy new games when there are so many old ones, and so many of them are just SO good? Why add to one's pile of shame w...
56: Oh Yeah Ouya from 2012-07-27T02:00
The Ouya is making waves in the console world. Not many get a chance to be a part of history and fund a new console that could change the way we look at console gaming. But will it? Can it ev...
55: Video Game Videos from 2012-07-20T02:00
Do you watch video game videos to find out which game to play next? Or do you watch the videos so you don't have to play those games? Or, GASP, do you not watch video game videos at all?
<...
54: Rent It Now From Your Grocery Store from 2012-07-13T02:00
Things were very different before Game Fly, Netflix, and Red Box. Heck, even before the now-mostly-defunct Blockbuster, the best place to rent video games was from the local grocery store. Do...
53: It's All About the Cheevos from 2012-07-06T02:00
It's nice to feel like you've accomplished something in a game, but rather than bragging about your accomplishments, doesn't comparing achievements instead make you judge your friends for not ...
57: Video Game Soul Food from 2012-07-06T02:00
New games come out every year, and we tend to play them now and again. But there are also those games that you come back to year after year, when
something new and fancy just won't cut it...
52: Extra Large from 2012-06-29T02:00
Granted, it was announced since recording this episode that the 3DS XL is going to have its own circle pad, but that didn't stop us from wondering a couple of things: a) Why it wasn't built in...
51: Added Content from 2012-06-22T01:00
Added Content is not something you find much in video games any more. Long gone are the days of Infocom's "feelies", but great text adventure classics like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy had...
50: E3 2012 from 2012-06-15T10:00
Did Nintendo try to steal the show, only to stumble? Is the Wii U just an expansion for the Wii, with only enough extra horsepower to run the GamePad screen? Did Sony and Microsoft play it too...
49: System Fragmentation from 2012-06-08T10:00
The Wii U Pro Controller presents two problems: 1) It's just like the Wii Classic or Wii Classic Pro Controllers: the adoption rate is poor, nothing that works on it NEEDS to work on it, and w...
48: Gamer and Developer Entitlement from 2012-06-01T02:00
In the waning years of the 20th century, secret codes were a common feature in games that would unlock secret content or make the challenge a bit less difficult.
But now if you want those...
47: Developer Worship from 2012-05-25T02:00
What companies or individuals make games that you will buy just because their name is on it?
Vinnk and Sean examine the perils and the pitfalls of Developer Worship, ...
46: Matrimony from 2012-05-18T02:00
The idea and practical applications of marriage barely come up in video games.
Sure, there's not much of a place for it in Angry Birds, and it theoretically might be
the ultimate goa...
45: Only Mostly Dead from 2012-04-27T08:00
Injuries in video games tend to be minor annoyances rather than the game-stopping events they should be. But wouldn't having to heal from actual injuries be a sure way to kill gaming fun?
Listen
44: Don't Believe the Hype from 2012-04-06T08:00
Hype is great... until your game comes out. Quite different from development hell, these are games that come out, but when they do they don't quite live up to the promises made by the marketin...
43: Consoles Versus PC from 2012-03-23T01:00
Could the console and PC wars have been snuffed out in the early '80s if NES hadn't been released? Or was Nintendo's intervention in the market overblown?
Vinnk and ...
42: Development Hell from 2012-03-09T08:00
There's something to be said for a game missing its release to make it more awesome, but after a while there's the law of diminishing returns. Then there's also the trap of trying to make eve...
41: Video Game Babies from 2012-02-24T08:00
Kids get a bad rap in video games. Sometimes they're beat up to pull emotional heartstrings, but mostly they're just annoying. Is there a way for kids to be used or portrayed in games that is...
40: Romance In Video Games from 2012-02-17T10:00
There are a lot of couples in video games, but is there romance? Mario and Peach,
Luigi and Daisy, Link and Zelda, The Brooding Loner and the Star-crossed Japanese Flower Girl Who Loves H...
39: Games of the Mundane from 2012-02-10T10:00
Video games aren't just about blowing up bad guys, pretending to be a secret agent, or saving galactic civilization from moon-sized cuttlefish. Sometimes they're about everyday, ordinary thing...
38: Rampant Speculation from 2012-02-03T09:00
The Wii U is set to launch by the end of 2012... but is it really? We've been seeing the same
tech demo since E3 2011, but no actual titles running on Wii U hardware. Will Nintendo make ...
37: HudsonSoft 16-Shot Salute from 2012-01-27T02:00
What is the amazing truth behind the Bungeling Empire, Sim City, Bomberman, and Choplifter?
You'll be surprised! No, really! It's pretty surprising! But you'll have to listen to the
...
36: Played to Death from 2012-01-20T08:00
Gaming can be deadly. Oh, we're not preaching about violence in games becoming violence
in real life. More about self-inflicted injury -- like playing Starcraft in an internet
cafe f...
35: User-generated Content from 2012-01-13T11:00
Does allowing gamers to create their own worlds within a game make that game better, or does it just excuse the developers from having to create any content themselves?
34: We Can't Breathe from 2012-01-06T11:00
It seems like it's getting harder to play video games all the time: an especially embarrassing realization when you've
gone halfway across the country to attend the tenth annual Music and...
33: Can't Wait for 2012 from 2011-12-30T17:00
What a year! 2011 brought its share of good games, bad weather (including a tsunami that devastated parts of Japan),
and lots of changes for Famicom Dojo.
Sean a...
32: Why Christmas Games Are Terrible from 2011-12-23T08:00
The Christmas season, in the video game industry, is more about big sales of blockbuster titles, console launches,
and a bit of rubbing-it-in-the-face for people who perennially spell Nin...
31: Used Games Are Not Evil from 2011-12-16T03:00
With a slow shift to digital-only content, and the inability to share such content like you would lend a book or a disc,
and publishers deliberately devaluing their game content through t...
30: Tales of Same Plot from 2011-12-09T02:00
Operation Rainfall is so far one third successful, but the only way we'll be getting Xenoblade Chronicles is through GameStop or the Nintendo online store.
Sean and V...
29: iOS Ascendant from 2011-12-02T23:00
Should Nintendo be scared? Since the launch of the iPhone -- which encouraged the rise of the Android platform --
smartphone gaming is set to become a majority of the handheld market, ecl...
28: A Touching Tale of Touchscreens from 2011-11-25T10:00
Is the Wii U touch controller a naked attempt to try and compete with the iPad, and if so does it stand a chance
to succeed?
Sean and Vinnk go through a brief hi...
27: How Young is Too Young? from 2011-11-18T02:00
Is there a right way to introduce your child to the world of video gaming? It might be a more difficult proposition
for the children of adult gamers, whose boundaries are a bit less clear...
26: Chiptunes and Totaka's Song from 2011-11-11T08:00
After a recent performance of Video Games Live, Sean and Vinnk talk about the merits of bleeps and bloops,
the chiptunes musicians who still love them, hidden music in Nintendo's titles (...
25: The Fanwank Episode from 2011-11-04T02:00
Six months on, how is the Famicom Dojo Podcast doing? Vinnk and Sean take some time out to answer listener mail,
reflect on some of their past episodes, and give updates on some of the in...
24: Hale to the Spectre from 2011-10-28T02:00
Women in gaming have made tremendous strides, both onscreen and off, behind the scenes,
or playing the games. Fans of the Female Shepard in the Mass Effect series: male and
female al...
23: Apples to Apples from 2011-10-21T12:00
The recent passing of Steve Jobs has left us to reflect on how he and his business ventures
have affected our lives and the rest of the world. For us retro gamers (at least our age), that...
22: Nostalgia Goggles from 2011-10-14T09:00
It's difficult to admit, but we all wear them. Maybe it's because something made an impression on us at a young age. Maybe it's because we just can't admit flaws in the things that we love. It...
21: Get N or Get Out from 2011-10-07T08:00
"RPG" theme song by the Imari Tones: http://imaritones.net
This podcast is brought to you by the Famicom Dojo Video Ser...
20: Learning Japanese Through Gaming from 2011-09-30T07:00
Japanese retro games can't help you learn a new language, but if you're a motivate collector you might
find it's a good way to keep your skill sharp if you don't follow Vinnk's recommenda...
19: TGS 2011 - 3DS vs PS Vita from 2011-09-23T00:00
While the 3DS was cleaning up at Tokyo Game Show, Sony announced that the PS Vita would be region-free -- unlike its Nintendo competitor.
The war is heating up! Who will win the holiday se...
18: TGS 2011 - You Might Get a T-shirt from 2011-09-16T11:00
Instead of being productive these last few days, all we did was play video games. Well, that’s not entirely (or even slightly) true. Find out all about our first 2 (of 4) days at the Tokyo G...
17: Rocking Playing Game at TGS from 2011-09-09T02:00
Vinnk and SeanOrange preview their trip to Tokyo Game Show 2011, reminisce about their previous coverage in 2007,
and discuss what wonderful things can be done with their new theme song!<...
16: A World Without Mega Man from 2011-09-02T00:00
Retro games may be beloved (if not exceedingly difficult), but do their descendants still have a place
in the modern gaming world? When the original creator of a franchise moves on, is i...
15: Should Nintendo Go Third Party? from 2011-08-26T23:00
In a word, no, but don't worry: we'll totally qualify that position.
Nintendo's financial troubles in 2011, and initially slow sales of the 3DS, followed by its
...
14: Too Much of a Good Thing from 2011-08-19T10:00
In our younger days, we couldn't have all the games we wanted. We had to play what we were given (or could afford),
and we often played those games to death. Now? It's incredibly easy f...
13: Welcome to Die from 2011-08-12T01:00
When did video games start using "lives"? More importantly, when and why did they stop? With this changing,
what does it mean to die in a game?
Vinnk and Se...
12: 3DS Price Drop? We Called It from 2011-08-05T08:00
Nintendo's steep price cut of the 3DS may have taken some news outlets by surprise last week, but we called it way back during E3. When Sony introduced the PSVita at the same price point as Ni...
11: Movies About Video Games from 2011-07-29T00:00
It's one thing to try to translate a video game plot and characters into a movie, but movies that are about
the culture of video gaming, the people who play them, and what it's like to be...
10: Never Played Pokemon from 2011-07-22T00:00
It's hard for the average gamer to play absolutely EVERYTHING, even everything that's good. But is that any excuse? Should gamers be shamed for failure to expose themselves to certain kinds of...
9: A History of Console Region Locking from 2011-07-15T02:00:25
Region locking is nothing new. Though it has taken many different forms, it wasn't always deliberate. Many handhelds were exempt from this scheme (including the Game Boy and DS series), but al...
8: Operation Rainfall from 2011-07-08T02:00
Xenoblade, Pandora's Tower, and The Last Story have been released in Japan and Europe, but the US has been passed over. That's where Operation Rainfall comes in: to urge Nintendo of America to...
7: Video Game Movies from 2011-07-01T01:00
Can a movie based on a video game ever be any good?
If their Rotten Tomatoes scores are to be believed, these films are never critical darlings.
Some find fans in nic...
6: Bleak Games of the Cold War from 2011-06-24T05:00
Did the Cold War make early video games unintentionally bleak? Or was the "kobiyashi maru" style of gaming in the 1970s and '80s more a function of limited memory space and the need for arcade...
5: Dreamcast Final Days from 2011-06-17T00:00
If Sega were still making consoles today, what would they have brought to E3?
When we last left off, SeanOrange had quasi-seriously prophesied that the Wii U might be the ...
4: Ooh! Wii U from 2011-06-10T04:00
The Wii HD rumors are true! (For once...)
At this year's E3, Nintendo announced its next console: Wii U.
The system's major innovation is its new cont...
3: Retro HD Gaming from 2011-06-03T01:00
How good do retro games look on your HDTV set?
SeanOrange and Vinnk talk about the perils of interfacing 8-bit systems with current technology,
...
2: OUTATIME from 2011-05-27T01:00:05
Despite an infamous history of poor titles to overcome,
TellTale Games has pulled Back to the Future out of the movie tie-in gaming doldrums to create a worthy addition to the mythos.
1: The DLC Apocalypse from 2011-05-20T01:00:15
Sean's bad experience trying to reauthorize downloadable content for his new Xbox 360 turns into
a horrifying realization that games modern downloadable games will not leave behind any ar...
Famicom Dojo Podcast Intro from 2011-05-17T01:00:05
SeanOrange and Vinnk introduce the new, weekly audio netcast from Famicom Dojo!
This podcast is brought to you by the Famicom Dojo Video Series. Train Your Game at
Listen