Nothing but sprites killing hordes of enemies this week, with Guardian Heroes and The Last Spell. Also hardware digressions with Saturn, RetroTink, and video switches.

What We're Playing

02:00 Mark: Rogue Loops (Fubu Games, 2025)

06:30 Mark: Capcom vs. SNK 2 (Capcom, 2001)

12:12 Caitlin: Look Outside (Francis Coulombe, 2025)

20:48 GOOF: Guardian Heroes (Treasure, 1996)

38:51 Feature Game: The Last Spell (Ishtar, 2023)

SHOUT

58:20 Caitlin: Scalable Video Switch

1:01:27 Mark: Revenge of the Savage Planet (Typhoon)

We solve murders at our patrons' behest in The Case of the Golden Idol, whereas

WE INTERRUPT THESE EPISODE NOTES FOR DYNOWARZ

Dynowarz: Destruction of Spondylus! Featuring the most bomb-ass box cover and stodgy gameplay, is Dynowarz one of the greatest games ever or one of the worst games ever? The answer: YES.

What We're Playing

01:17 Caitlin: Final Fantasy IV (Square, 1991)

05:29 Caitlin: The Last Meadow (Discord, 2025)

09:55 Caitlin: 33 Immortals (Thunder Lotus Games)

13:40 Mark: Rogue Loops (Fubu Games, 2025)

22:32 GOOF: Dynowarz: Destruction of Spondylus (ACC, 1990)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynowarz:_Destruction_of_Spondylus#/media/File:Dynowarz_-_Destruction_of_Spondylus_(game_box_art).png

36:08 Feature Game: The Case of the Golden Idol (Color Gray Games, 2022)

SHOUT

57:36 Caitlin (Shameless Hyping): Mario Kart World (Nintendo)

58:11 Mark (Serious Hesitation): Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves (SNK)

It's all sci-fi this week! We've got all your bases covered--speculative crossovers (Split Fiction), anthropomorphic animals (Laika, Starfox 64), and psychological horror (Returnal)! Just stick your arm into the spiky alien machine. It'll probably be fine.

What We're Playing

00:57 Mark: Avowed (Obsidian, 2025)

02:15 Mark: Monster Hunter Rise (Capcom, 2021)

10:13 Mark: Laika: Aged Through Blood (Brainwash Gang, 2023)

16:11 Caitlin: Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios, 2025)

22:57 GOOF: Star Fox 64 (Nintendo EAD, 1997)

42:02 Feature Game: Returnal (Housemarque, 2021)

SHOUT

1:07:41 Mark: Project Gemini (People Can Fly)

We keep things light, even though they could get grim with an NES game named after a dead baby (Astyanax) and some existential angst with The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa.

What We're Playing

02:28 Caitlin: Final Fantasy IV (Obsidian, 2025)

09:23 Mark: Metal Bringer (ALPHAWING, 2025)

21:24 GOOF: Astyanax (Aicom, 1989)

36:38 Feature Game: The Friends of Ringo Ishikawa (yeo, 2018)

Interview with the designer: https://www.theverge.com/2019/6/19/18691106/the-friends-of-ringo-ishikawa-review-interview-yeo

SHOUT

56:31 Caitlin: Paralives (Alex Massé and team)

58:04 Mark: 33 Immortals (Thunder Lotus)

Ecco the Dolphin is cute in Japan but swole in the US, much like the dramatic growth a mushroom provokes in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Question: would Caitlin try to make Ecco into a hat?

What We're Playing

01:06 Caitlin: Avowed (Obsidian, 2025)

02:53 Caitlin: Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom, 2025)

11:10 Mark: Mullet MadJack (Hammer 95 Studios, 2024)

22:23 GOOF: Ecco the Dolphin (Appaloosa Interactive, 1992)

Boris Vallejo's "macho" dolphin: https://www.borisjulie.com/product/ecco-the-dolphin/

Japan's "cute" dolphin: https://videogameartarchive.com/image/149804900443

38:42 Feature Game: Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Nintendo EPD, 2023)

SHOUT

55:35 Caitlin: South of Midnight (Compulsion Games)

56:15 Mark: Absolum (Dotemu)

How much ax could an Ax Battler battle if an Ax Battler could battle ax is a question Golden Axe fails to address, but it gets to be brilliant and foundational all the same. We then turn to Avowed, Obsidian's latest RPG.

What We're Playing

01:02 Mark: The Hidden Ones (Morefun Studios, 2025)

15:50 Caitlin: A Little to the Left (Max Inferno, 2022)

18:23 Caitlin: Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom, 2025)

27:20 GOOF: Golden Axe (Sega, 1999)

44:03 Feature Game: Avowed (Obsidian, 2025)

SHOUT

1:11:19 Caitlin: Dark Deity 2 (Sword & Axe LLC)

1:12:49 Mark: Neon Inferno (Zenovia Interactive)

It's all about swords, Aristotle, and romance this week, where we discuss Bushido Blade and Transistor.

What We're Playing

00:56 Caitlin: Final Fantasy III (Square, 1990)

10:11 Mark: Whisker Squadron Survivor (Flippfly, 2025)

18:35 GOOF: Bushido Blade (Square, 1997)

30:46 Feature Game: Transistor (Supergiant, 2014)

SHOUT

55:45 Caitlin: Suikoden I&II HD Remaster (Konami)

56:49 Mark: Retroid Pocket Flip 2 (Retroid)

We look back at Namco's other fighting game series, Soul Calibur. Also, in non-fighting games, the best horse game of all time, says Caitlin of Red Dead Redemption 2.

What We're Playing

00:59 Mark: Samurai Shodown, Samurai Shodown II, Samurai Shodown IV (SNK, 2019, 1994, 1996)

Matt McMuscles' excellent Samurai Shodown history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yQoCrZBfIo

13:11 Caitlin: Monster Hunter Wilds Beta (Capcom, 2025)

15:52 Caitlin: The Roottrees are Dead (Robin Ward, 2025)

23:26 GOOF: Soul Calibur II (Namco, 2002)

37:58 Feature Game: Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar, 2018)

SHOUT

1:09:57 Caitlin and Mark: Saros (Housemarque)