A Gamer Looks At 40

Six months ago, The Well Red Mage asked me if Chrono Trigger is a Final Fantasy. From that innocent question grew a six month quest to mine the patience of my guests and test the temperance of my listening audience. On this episode, I ask a bunch of people if this episode should exist and through those questions, learn about the connective tissue between these two games. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Chrono Katie (@ChronoKatie) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found (@mom_found) Moses aka @TheWellRedMage Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) Tim Knowles of The Leetist Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the show

Whew! After two long months of scouring Final Fantasy 6, we've reached the final episode. On this culminating edition, a wide variety of my FF6 friends share random thoughts, stories, and opinions that didn't make it into the main episodes. An Emperor Gesthal's banquet of content, if you will. Enjoy this last foray into the game! STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Aiden Moher (@adribbleofink) Chrono Katie (@ChronoKatie) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) The Lets Play Princess (@TheLPPrincess) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike of the Distorted Illuminations YouTube channel (@MadMonarch_DI) @Mustin Nate McLellan (@natedoescomedy79 on TikTok) Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) Seth Sturgill (@twodollarhero) from @allnpodcast Tim Knowles of The Leetist Trey of the NintenDomain Podcast (@Ninten_Domain) Xerxex Yurik (@YurikArkady on TikTok) SONG COVERS Kefka's Theme - Final Fantasy VI - Mandolin and Guitar Cover (Feat. Chalmers Croft) by Tommy Norris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5d8-cZu0go Epitaph (Final Fantasy VI) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gltRvu-Zd8U My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

On the second half of our Final Fantasy 6 character discussion, we explore the stories and connections of Edgar, Sabin, Shadow, Gau and more. Seven episodes, one more to go in our exhaustive dissection of this legendary classic. Enjoy! STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) James and JJ of RetroFits on YouTube (@FitsRetro) J.R. Sommerfeldt (@sommerfeldt_r) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) @Mustin Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) The Lets Play Princess (@TheLPPrincess) Tim Knowles of The Leetist Yurik (@YurikArkady on TikTok) Xerxex SONG COVERS Relm's Theme (Final Fantasy VI) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRremDsqmHg Terra's Theme Classical Guitar Cover | FFVI | Ottawa Guitar Trio by Ottawa Guitar Trio - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTQuEzxE8GM My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

Any discussion of Final Fantasy 6 would be incomplete without a thorough deep dive into the cast. From rakish rouges to magic infused generals to a loyal solider, the characters in FF 6 are as varied as they are intriguing. In this first part of our character exploration, we discuss Terra, Locke, Celes, and Cyan along with some general thoughts on the cast itself. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Aiden Moher (@adribbleofink) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) James and JJ of RetroFits on YouTube (@FitsRetro) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) @Mustin Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) Seth Sturgill (@twodollarhero) from @allnpodcast Tim Knowles of The Leetist Trey of the NintenDomain Podcast (@Ninten_Domain) Yurik (@YurikArkady on TikTok) SONG COVERS 'Forever Rachel' (FINAL FANTASY VI) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnOIuRSSPzs Phantom Forest & Phantom Train (Final Fantasy VI) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj4fYb1yZLU My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

In the midst of my nearly 20 interviews for this Final Fantasy 6 series, one conversation stood out as unique. And sometimes, those chats need to exist on their own. On this episode of A Gamer Looks at 40, we meet Mama Terra, an FF6 cosplayer whose story is so deeply interwoven with that of the game's green haired protagonist, the connection is undeniable and irreversible. Join us! STARRING: Mama Terra (.mama.terra on TikTok) SONG COVERS Terra's Theme Classical Guitar Cover | FFVI | Ottawa Guitar Trio by Ottawa Guitar Trio - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTQuEzxE8GM Terra's Theme (Final Fantasy VI Piano Collections)(Nobuo Uematsu) by Kara Comparetto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o25_6i4jS2k FINAL FANTASY VI: 'Terra's Theme' | Classical Guitar | John Oeth by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY7mJvYNLYE My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

If you were to build a Mount Rushmore of Final Fantasy antagonists, Kefka Palazzo would have to be included. A mastermind of nihilism, this clown prince grows from general to deity in the space of Final Fantasy 6's runtime and through that growth, terrifies the world with his all encompassing power. And he's a hoot as well! Time to unravel the maniac in this episode of A Gamer Looks at 40! STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) The Lets Play Princess (@TheLPPrincess) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) @Mustin Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) Seth Sturgill (@twodollarhero) from @allnpodcast Tim Knowles of The Leetist Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) Xerxex Yurik (@YurikArkady on TikTok) SONG COVERS Kefka's Theme - Final Fantasy VI - Mandolin and Guitar Cover (Feat. Chalmers Croft) by Tommy Norris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5d8-cZu0go The Black Mages - Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI) HQ by The Black Mages - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APbF8f9gEw0 Dancing Mad Tier 4 cover ( Final Fantasy 6 - Nobuo Uematsu) by Farouque Raja - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mey5J9dmLag My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

If Final Fantasy 6's World of Balance is an action movie of moving castles, flying airships and magical creatures, the World of Ruin is an anthology of indie character dramas. Focused more on finding the motivation to do right thing as opposed to the right thing itself, the back half of FF6 is a contemplative reflection of growth through tragedy. So, let's talk about it! On this week's episode, we discuss the major and minor moments of the World of Ruin and how they shaped our 16 bit experience. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Aiden Moher (@adribbleofink) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) James and JJ of RetroFits on YouTube (@FitsRetro) John Trenbeath (@crazyjohnt) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) The Lets Play Princess (@TheLPPrincess) Mike aka MageORage on Twitch and YouTube (@mageorage) @Mustin Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) Seth Sturgill (@twodollarhero) from @allnpodcast Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) Yurik (@YurikArkady on TikTok) SONG COVERS FINAL FANTASY VI: 'Searching for Friends' | Classical Guitar | John Oeth by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDWYdnPphPs Dancing Mad Tier 4 cover ( Final Fantasy 6 - Nobuo Uematsu) by Farouque Raja - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mey5J9dmLag My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

Final Fantasy 6 is a tale of two stories. In this episode of A Gamer Looks at 40, we look at the first half of this epic tale, The World of Balance. Starting as a traditional rebellion vs the Empire story, the tale quickly morphs into a character study worthy of books, poems and film. Join a cast of friends and I as we explore the world before the fall. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Aiden Moher (@adribbleofink) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) James and JJ of RetroFits on YouTube (@FitsRetro) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) The Lets Play Princess (@TheLPPrincess) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) @Mustin Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) Tim Knowles of The Leetist Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) Trey of the NintenDomain Podcast (@Ninten_Domain) Xerxex SONG COVERS Terra's Theme (Final Fantasy VI Piano Collections)(Nobuo Uematsu) by Kara Comparetto - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o25_6i4jS2k FINAL FANTASY VI: 'Searching for Friends' | Classical Guitar | John Oeth by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDWYdnPphPs My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

From the second the title faded from my 19 inch Zenith CRT and the opening montage began, I was an insta-fan of Fina Fantasy 3/6. Nothing could have prepared me for the epic adventure that awaited me. An experience rich with high drama, interesting characters, engrossing gameplay and a story for the ages, FF3/6 remains one of my Top 5 games of all time. Anyone who's played this world class RPG has a similar story. So, let's hear them! On Part 1 of our multi part exploration of Final Fantasy 3/6, over a dozen guests share their unique first impressions and why this game stuck with them for the days, weeks and in some cases, years to come. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Aiden Moher (@adribbleofink) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) James and JJ of RetroFits on YouTube (@FitsRetro) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) The Lets Play Princess (@TheLPPrincess) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike of the Distorted Illuminations YouTube channel (@MadMonarch_DI) Mike aka MageORage on Twitch and YouTube (@mageorage) @Mustin Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (@THERyanLindsay) Seth Sturgill (@twodollarhero) from @allnpodcast Tim Knowles of The Leetist Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) Trey of the NintenDomain Podcast (@Ninten_Domain) Wade aka (@ProfNoctis) Xerxex Yurik (@YurikArkady on TikTok) SONG COVERS FINAL FANTASY VI: 'Terra's Theme' | Classical Guitar by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aY7mJvYNLYE Kids Run Through the City Corner (Final Fantasy VI) by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxnKF7geWwg My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

Before I spend the next month and a half speaking all sorts of sugar about Final Fantasy 6, I figured I'd fill in the time with a quick pod update and AMA session. Silly questions get answered seriously, life mistakes are shared, and somehow I end up blathering about Cheez-Its. Questions Provided By: My Discord Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found Phillip Cipherxzero The Let's Play Princess Distorted_Illumination Kev Gamer's Week Patron Only Discord EMOesque wrytersview Zach Hugethanks Sir Coffee of House Blend terrybacca Games My Mom Found Discord Kenneth Sanity My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

When I asked Justin Hamm of The Stage Select Podcast which game he would like to do for Tales From the Bargain Bin, he immediately responded, "NBA All Star Challenge on the SNES". Almost too quickly. Turns out, Justin was trying to exorcise some 16-bit demons 'cause this is - whew - this is a game. Join Justin and I as we play "Guess the Team", bemoan the dunk button and spend an hour working through trauma, one feature at a time. STARRING: Justin Hamm of the The Stage Select Podcast (@TheStageSelect on Twitter) My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

While North American gamers dined on Mystic Quest, our pals in the East were chowing down on Final Fantasy 5. Full of customization, intrigue and a killer soundtrack, this game was often considered unattainable aside from emulation and a handful of re-releases. Is this game worthy of celebration or did Square do us Western fans a huge favor? Find out in this week's episode! STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Aiden Moher (@adribbleofink) Barry Carenza of Premium Edition Games (@HawkHellfire) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike aka MageORage on Twitch and YouTube (@mageorage) Ryan aka @GameswCoffee Xerxex SONG COVERS 'The Day Will Come' (Final Fantasy V) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVR32UbyOfg FFVII SOUNDFONT: Battle On The Big Bridge - FFV by Neo-Midgar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_mr8YEJWlI My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

While Final Fantasy was already a Japanese phenomenon, things here in the states were slower to gather steam. FF4 did well in stores, but nowhere near the numbers overseas. So, what to do with Final Fantasy 5? Release this complex, job heavy dungeon crawler to a market not ready for it or maybe soften the blow. Just a bit. That lighter game became Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest, a stripped down version of the Final Fantasy formula made accessible to everyone. By combining the bare bones of an RPG with the kinetic fun of platforming, this oft maligned game remains a fascinating artifact, if nothing else. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Carson Clark (@DesireeKorrupt) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) Ian aka @teacherbloke85 J.R. Sommerfeldt (@sommerfeldt_r) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found Podcast (@mom_found) Tim Knowles of The Leetist. Xerxex SONG COVERS Final Fantasy Mystic Quest : Beautiful Forest Acoustic Cover by Steven Morris - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Oyv3PQwdCs FINAL FANTASY MYSTIC QUEST "Boss Battle" Metal Cover by Ferdk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1da5k2Hpyw My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

As we put a bow on our virtual round table regarding Final Fantasy 4, there's still so much to discuss. In this, the third and final installment on FF4, we take a shotgun approach to the stories by sharing - well - all the things we didn't on the previous episodes. We talk themes, story, logos, sound effects, and one particularly nasty wall in this omnibus episode. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Barry Carenza of Premium Edition Games (@HawkHellfire) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) John Trenbeath (@crazyjohnt) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike of the Distorted Illuminations YouTube channel (@MadMonarch_DI) Mike aka MageORage on Twitch and YouTube (@mageorage) Moses aka @thewellredmage of the-pixels.com and Gamelogica on YouTube Mustin, music producer (@Mustin) Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (THERyanLindsay) Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) SONG COVERS Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV (Piano Cover) by Animalisa Keys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUFeCJ7T5c Final Fantasy 4 / IV Guitar Cover - Theme of Love by Sam Griffin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-79Ntl3pyHc My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

Last week, we started the FF4 fire by documenting our initial impressions. On this week's episode, we go deeper into the big (and small) moments that left an impact along with the characters that made this SNES launch title a game to remember. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Barry Carenza of Premium Edition Games (@HawkHellfire) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) John Trenbeath (@crazyjohnt) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike of the Distorted Illuminations YouTube channel (@MadMonarch_DI) Mike aka MageORage on Twitch and YouTube (@mageorage) Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found Podcast (@mom_found) Moses aka @thewellredmage of the-pixels.com and Gamelogica on YouTube Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (THERyanLindsay) Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) SONG COVERS Final Fantasy IV - Overworld Main Theme - Classical Guitar Cover by Atomix - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hux9iMPdYkQ Final Fantasy 4 Celtic Moon Track 5 Main Theme by Ozzylifeson Soundtracks - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX2vIjZgxuY&list=PLBCFB68C388EC836D&index=5 FINAL FANTASY IV: 'Rydia's Theme' | Classical Guitar | John Oeth by John Oeth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgsyimjKsxk My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

In the winter of 1991, Final Fantasy 2 stormed onto North American shores as an SNES launch title and was met with middling enthusiasm. US gamers were too busy stomping Goombas and driving hovercrafts to worry about turn based combat and wandering in circles. But for those who took the plunge, they discovered not only a love for the series but a new genre to adore. Join myself and a host of fans as we share our earliest recollections and memories of Final Fantasy 2 - I mean, 4. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Barry Carenza of Premium Edition Games (@HawkHellfire) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) John Trenbeath (@crazyjohnt) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike of the Distorted Illuminations YouTube channel (@MadMonarch_DI) Mike aka MageORage on Twitch and YouTube (@mageorage) Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found Podcast (@mom_found) Moses aka @thewellredmage of the-pixels.com and Gamelogica on YouTube Mustin, music producer (@Mustin) Ryan Lindsay of KISS 105.3 in Ottawa (THERyanLindsay) Wade aka (@ProfNoctis) SONG COVERS Final Fantasy IV - Welcome to Our Town (Harp Solo) by Harpsibored - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvnWlk5OyO0 Main Theme of FINAL FANTASY IV (Piano Cover) by Animalisa Keys - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlUFeCJ7T5c FINAL FANTASY IV: 'Rydia's Theme' | Classical Guitar | John Oeth by John Oeth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgsyimjKsxk My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

Wrestling and videogames. The two combined conjures up images of late night sleepovers hopped up on Jolt Cola, Pixie Sticks and sweaty man-beasts. But for two brothers in Northern New Jersey, our first blush with digitized pugilism was M.US.C.L.E. on the NES. Join Bobby and I as we explore old wrestling games, Fallout, obscure manga, and diminutive plastic collect-em-all figurines from the late 80's. Play M.U.S.C.L.E. in browser here: https://www.retrogames.cz/play_059-NES.php My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

When Mario's Claymation visage first landed in my mailbox in the summer of 1988, I was a Nintendo fan. After tearing into that inaugural issue of Nintendo Power, I was a devotee. On this episode of A Gamer Looks at 40, I chat with the architect of this incredible periodical, Gail Tilden. During our conversation, we discuss her beginnings in the industry, the creation / curation of the magazine, and the unique culture that allowed Nintendo Power to become a window to a world of games I'd never experience otherwise. SONG COVERS: Super Mario Bros. Main Theme - Can I play ALL the parts on 1 guitar?? by TV on Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWqD-bjjR14 MARIO 2 on CLASSICAL GUITAR - Basically the hardest thing I've ever played by Sam Griffin Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hASvFH3w1Ik Super Mario Bros Theme - Overworld (Nintendo New Acoustic Classical Fingerstyle Guitar Cover) by Jonas Lefvert - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33uaug_BV7g Final Fantasy 1 - Town Theme (Nes Acoustic Classical Guitar Fingerstyle Music Tabs Cover) by Jonas Lefvert - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpJ7j8M6dtw My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

You think you know a guy. Podcast with him for almost 5 years, talk about Marvel movies, guest on almost 100 of his show's episodes. And then, in a time of need, when asked to suggest a game for a last minute Tales From the Bargain Bin, he foists this piece of junk upon me. That man is Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found, the game is the Rocketeer for the SNES and if you know this strange shoot-em-up, you're already feeling my pain. Join Mike and I as we fail to talk about the movie, discuss World War 2 museums and bemoan the strange, strange experiment that is The Rocketeer video game. My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.

While we were stomping Goombas and hunting ducks, Japanese gamers were embarking on epic NES adventures. When the missing Final Fantasy 2 and 3 were finally released to the West, fans were excited. Finally, we could try those missing 8-bit epics without downloading sketchy emulators and learning Japanese. While the reality never lived up to the hype, the NES sequels earned the respect of the community, even if they didn't quite live up to the loft standards of 1 and 4. On this edition of A Gamer Looks at 40, we explore this JRPG two-some and do some memory mining of our very own. STARRING (All handles from Twitter) Aiden Moher (@adribbleofink) Barry Carenza of Premium Edition Games (@HawkHellfire) @Dancarnate Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) John Trenbeath (@crazyjohnt) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Mike of the Distorted Illuminations YouTube channel (@MadMonarch_DI) Moses aka @thewellredmage of the-pixels.com and Gamelogica on YouTube Nate McLellan (@natedoescomedy79 on TikTok) Ryan aka @GameswCoffee SONG COVERS FINAL FANTASY II: 'Town' | Classical Guitar by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZwJ-Ap82Fo Final Fantasy II - Tower of the Magi (Harp Solo) by Harpsibored - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdMwNDcl1Bs My Website: agamerlooksat40.com My Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SdaE4atGjC My Twitter: @agamerlooksat40 My TikTok: @agamerlooksat40 My Facebook: facebook.com/agamerlooksat40 My Insta: @agamerlooksat40 My Patreon: patreon.com/agamerlooksat40 My Email: agamerlooksat40@gmail.com My Phone Number: Ehhhhh, not gonna happen. :-D Support the Show.