A Gamer Looks At 40

Before FF7, our first impressions of a game were generally in a home. Huddled around a CRT TV in a friends basement or stuffed on the family couch, experiencing games for the first time was an intimate experience. But with Final Fantasy 7, we had options. Store kiosks, demo discs, and even the occasional TV commercial. And as a result, our expectations were set accordingly. On this episode, we discuss the myriad of ways we first experienced the world of Cloud, Barret and Tifa and how those first impressions lived up to our lofty expectations. STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Eddie Varnell (@thatretrocode) of the Boss Rush Network (@BossRushNetwork) Kyle VonKubick (@obeykube) Josh of the Still Loading Podcast (@StillLoadingPod) Matt (@dj_stormageddon) and Geoff (@geoffmakesnoise) of the "Fun" & Games Podcast (@funandgamespod) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Michael K Hughes (@KaidanXain) of the Capes and Junk Podcast (@GamesAndJunk) Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found Podcast (@mom_found) Nate McLellan SONG COVERS Final Fantasy VII: Aeris's Theme (Violin & Piano Cover Duet) Taylor Davis & Lara de Wit by Taylor Davis - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI7Wcl5y5Qs&t=29s Hollow (Final Fantasy VII Remake) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ny8vJcv3CQ 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 7 wasn't just a game release. It was the changing of an era. The moment when the franchise grew from fun games to media events. As a result, the marketing for FF7 reached unheard of levels for videogames at the time. And with the marketing came, unprecedented hype. On this episode of A Gamer Looks at 40, we share stories of what it was like to be knee deep in the late 90's media barrage and how this full court press shaped our perceptions of the game before we even hit the first loading screen. Eddie Varnell (@thatretrocode) of the Boss Rush Network (@BossRushNetwork) Greg Sewart of the Player One Podcast and Generation 16 (@sewart) Ian (@teacherbloke 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) Mekel Kasanova (@MekelKasanova) Michael K Hughes (@KaidanXain) of the Capes and Junk Podcast (@GamesAndJunk) Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found Podcast (@mom_found) @Mustin Ryan aka @GameswCoffee SONG COVERS Flowers Blooming in the Church (Final Fantasy VII) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBnoqDVg_To Tifa's Theme (Final Fantasy VII) | Classical Guitar Cover by John Oeth Guitar - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulsS27OC5KQ 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

BOOO! A few years back, I did a Halloween retrospective with my brother. Two years later, why not revisit this nostalgia well with my best friend Joey of Perfect Storm Gaming and Chase Brogan's YouTube channel. On this episode, we discuss terrible 80's costumes, the Trunk or Treat phenomenon, TV specials, UNICEF boxes, Halloween rituals, and traversing the New York City subway system. Enjoy and Happy Holidays! STARRING (all handles on Twitter): Joe Coiro of @PStormGaming and @RealChaseBrogan HANDY LINKS: Me talking about Creepshow on Games My Mom Found: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-f9c34-1572ca5 Halloween Episode with my Brother: https://agamerlooksat40.com/episode/ep-54-halloween-2022-a-brotherly-retrospective 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 I conduct hours upon hours in interviews for this show, occasionally a few clips get left by the wayside. Either they don't fit into a main episode or they're so random, there's simply no place for them to live. Enter Side Quests, an ongoing series where I take all those discarded comments and clumsily mush them together into a weird, wild episode. Enjoy! STARRING (all handles from Twitter) Carson Clark (@DesireeKorrupt) James and JJ of RetroFits on YouTube (@FitsRetro) Josh of Still Loading Podcast (@StillLoadingPod) Julian Titus (@julian_titus) of The Stage Select Podcast (@StageSelectPod) Kyle of the The RPG Podcast (@TheRPGPodcast) Matt and Geoff of the "Fun" & Games Podcast (@funandgamespod) Mike Albertin of Games My Mom Found Podcast (@mom_found) Moses aka @thewellredmage of the-pixels.com and Gamelogica on YouTube Nate McLellan (@natedoescomedy79 on TikTok) Trevor and Jeff of New Dad Gaming Podcast (@NewDadGaming) Wade aka (@ProfNoctis) 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 continue our extended breather from the monster Final Fantasy series, let meet Chase aka Retro Gaming Guy on YouTube. On this week's episode, Chase and I discuss the joy of arcades, his work in becoming a content creator and the power of community. Check out Chase's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@OfficialChaseBrogan 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

A veteran of both the videogame journalism and podcasting space, Ben Magnet's seen it all. Join us as we chat about the early days of PC gaming, Pokemon, Sonic the Hedgehog and anything other than Final Fantasy. Enjoy! STARRING: Ben Magnet (@BenMagnet27) of @FakeNerdPodcast, @BAPAuseMenu, @FusionGameMag and @GoNintendoTweet. 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 Joe Coiro suggested Frogger II for a Tales From the Bargain Bin episode, I thought, "Great. An Atari 2600 game. How are we going to do a tight 30 minutes on Frogger?" Turns out that after over three decades of friendship, we can blather on about anything for any length of time. Join us as we discuss the early days of gaming, the expansive Frogger franchise, and other random tidbits of audio gobbledygook. STARRING Joe Coiro aka JoeCade of Perfect Storm Gaming and Retro Game Guy on YouTube. 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

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