The Secret Lives of Games

153: Returning to the Wasteland with Jan Willem Nijman, Joonas Turner, and Jukio Kallio (Nuclear Throne)

Rob and Zach chat with Joonas Turner (Downwell, Noita, Cult of the Lamb), Jukio Kallio (Fall Guys, Minit, Dave the Diver), and Jan Willem "JW" Nijman (Super Crate Box, Ridiculous Fishing, Minit) about their landmark twin-stick wasteland shooter, Nuclear Throne, and its recent blowout 10th anniversary update. They discuss reopening a project after a decade, balancing through play, the decision to not implement traditional invincibility frames, the shifting culture of what makes a design "engaging," and more! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Nuclear Throne https://nuclearthrone.com/ Controls You Can Feel: Putting Tactility Back Into Touch Controls https://youtu.be/OIOitNx9RHI?si=vcV3GCcsiy1W4Efr Spelunky https://www.spelunkyworld.com/  Shoot First https://www.indiedb.com/games/shoot-first Crimsonland https://www.crimsonland.com/ Downwell https://downwellgame.com/  Tormentor x Punisher https://tormentorxpunisher.com/ PAPERHEAD https://store.steampowered.com/app/2680280/PAPERHEAD/  Jukio's Bandcamp https://jukiokallio.bandcamp.com/   https://secretlives.games  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

All Systems Brough - Kompendium

We're joined by droqen (The End of Gameplay, Starseed Pilgrim), Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), and Harry Lee Shang Lun (Earthrise One) for the third title in our year of All Systems Brough, a year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough: Kompendium.  This episode: Kompendium Next Month: Zaga-33 Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Kompendium https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/kompendium.html  868-BACK (Next Fest demo on February 23rd, 2026!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/  Michael Brough's Website https://www.smestorp.com/  Liz's talk at boshi's place (Brooklyn, NYC | February 19th, 2026) https://boshis.place/events/26-02-20-boshi-s-lecture-series-presents-liz-ryerson https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2702430653 Harry's work https://hellothisismy.website/work/  Kompendium IGF judge feedback https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/04/kompendium-igf-feedback.html Mutual learning blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/04/mutual-learning-aesthetic-for.html  Metagaming: Playing, Competing, Spectating, Cheating, Trading, Making, and Breaking Videogames by Stephanie Boluk and Patrick LeMieux https://www.upress.umn.edu/9780816687169/metagaming/ Multicolor Alien Olympic https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/2970  Glitch Tank https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2011/12/glitch-tank.html  Being good at Glitch Tank blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2013/05/being-good-at-glitch-tank.html  At a Distance by Terry Cavanagh https://distractionware.com/atadistance/ Brough on iOS sale numbers https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/ios-sale-numbers.html  Garbage In, Garbage Out https://jonathanwhiting.com/games/garbagein/press.html  Exuberant Struggle http://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2011/02/exuberant-struggle.html  Brough writing on zero sum nature of 1v1 games https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2011/10/two-player-lessons.html  TIGSource Versus Competition  https://www.tigsource.com/versus-competition/  TIGSource Versus Competition Rules https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=17083.0  TIGSource Versus Competition 2011 Voting https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=18424.0  TIGSource Versus Competition 2011 Winner (0space by Beau) https://www.tigsource.com/2011/03/31/tigcompo-winner-0space/  0space itch download https://teknopants.itch.io/0space  Jesus vs Dinosaurs https://grapefrukt.itch.io/jesus-vs-dinosaurs  The Impossible Reversal by Peter McDonald https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517916220/the-impossible-reversal/  Run and Jump: The Meaning of the 2D Platformer https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262547390/run-and-jump/  A Is To B As B Is To C https://bocpages.org/wiki/A_Is_To_B_As_B_Is_To_C Chesh https://www.damiansgames.com/chesh  Brough's blog post about O https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/10/o.html  Brough on the new year (circa 2012) https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year-cleansing.html  Side By Side S1 E3: Kompendium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWScEl_DbpM  Earthrise One https://www.earthrise.one/  Miscellaneous Two Player iPad Games https://eriksvedang.wordpress.com/shoot/  https://rustymoyher.com/press/bloop/    https://secretlives.games/  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow 

152: Walking Over It with Gabe Cuzzillo and Bennett Foddy (Baby Steps)

Rob, Doug, Andy, and Sarah chat with Gabe Cuzzillo (Ape Out, Despelote) and Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy, QWOP) about their (with Maxi Boch) latest game, the multi-IGF-nominated open-world hard-walking manchild simulator Baby Steps. We discuss the game's in-house approach to voice acting, balancing challenge with humor, creating (and hiding) a looping environment, telling an honest story about masculinity, including explicit content without getting banned from Steam, rock curation, secrets, and so much more! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Baby Steps https://www.babystepsgame.com/ Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111942/ My Summer Car https://store.steampowered.com/app/516750/My_Summer_Car/ zk map (for stranger) https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/11388  La belle noiseuse (1991) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101428/ Kelly Reichardt https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0716980/ Perfect Days (2023) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27503384/ The Taste of Things (2023) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19760052/ NYU Game Center Lecture Series Presents Jane Ng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yWIoRuwpm0  DESPELOTE: FIFTH TRAILER (now on nintendo switch) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MXKlgMZ3Jc The Love That Remains (2025) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33381401/ Solo (Australian ad) 1983 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCkz0JsaU8k Solo Man ad, Australia 1986 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T3RS78Tp58 Solo (Australian ad) 1984 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_1nZZrv8aU  Frog Detective 3 https://store.steampowered.com/app/1171320/Frog_Detective_3_Corruption_at_Cowboy_County/  https://secretlives.games  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

All Systems Brough - Vertex Dispenser

We're joined by droqen (The End of Gameplay, Starseed Pilgrim), Darius Kazemi (Tiny Subversions, Harvard Applied Social Media Lab), and Tara Macalister (mathematician, composer) to discuss Vertex Dispenser, the second game in our year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough. Next Month: Kompendium Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Vertex Dispenser https://store.steampowered.com/app/102400/Vertex_Dispenser/ Michael Brough's Website https://www.smestorp.com/ Four color theorem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_color_theorem Graph coloring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_coloring  Starcraft II https://starcraft2.blizzard.com/en-us/ Splatoon https://splatoon.nintendo.com/  Dota 2 https://www.dota2.com/home  Droqen's rare color graph/explanation https://discord.com/channels/690388280767807518/1442554518092120186/1465039921147412510  lots of michael brough games https://smestorp.itch.io/lots-of-michael-brough-games  The Sense of Connectedness https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=16151.0  Kompendium https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/kompendium.html The End of Gameplay https://droqen.itch.io/the-end-of-gameplay Utopia Clicker https://tinysubversions.com/game/utopia/ A Jackpot of Skulls https://brainfruit.studio/games/jackpot _update() Jam https://adamatomic.itch.io/update-jam   https://secretlives.games/  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow

151: Games of the Year 2025

The gang's all here to count down our favorite "games" of "2025", alongside a bevvy of great picks from previous guests and listeners. Happy new year! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway  Our GOTY Picks (SPOILERS!):   ~~~~~~~~~   Rob 5. Many Nights a Whisper - Deconstructeam, Selkie Harbour 4. Blue Prince - Dogubomb 3. Skat - German Trick Taking Game 2. UFO 50 - Mossmouth 1. Caves of Qud - Freehold Games   Zach Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry Pokemon Legends: Z-A - Game Freak Dragon Warrior IV - Chunsoft (Bonus: CorgiSpace - Adam Saltsman) Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (N64) - Lucasarts 1. Kirby and the Forgotten Land - HAL Laboratory   Doug 5. Don't Rank Cuomo - Robert Yang 4. Harold Holt Video Series (first episode) (YouTube uploads)  - James Ward 3. Baby Steps - Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy 2. Dr. Robotnik's Ring Racers - Kart Krew 1. Slice & Dice - Tann   Nick Tall Trails - Brady Soglin Magical Athlete - Takashi Ishida - updated design by Richard Garfield The Attraction - Palace Games San Francisco Hot Streak - Jon Perry 1. Öoo - NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus studio, Tsuyomi   Sarah 5. Consume Me - Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, et al. 4. Blue Prince - Dogubomb 3. Slice & Dice - Tann 2. Tiny Bookshop - neoludic games 1. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes - Simogo   Laura The Roottrees are Dead - Evil Trout Inc. Type Help - William Rous Monkey Around: the Wiggle and Giggle Game - Peaceable Kingdom despelote - Julián Cordero, Sebastian Valbuena Death Wears White - Guillaume Montiage/Asmodee   Andy The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Nintendo Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry Hot Streak - Jon Perry Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - Kojima Productions The Old King's Crown - Pablo Clark   Other picks from guests and listeners: UFO 50 - Mossmouth Consume Me - Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, et al. Öoo - NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus studio, Tsuyomi Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry Blue Prince - Dogubomb Clues By Sam - Ad Artis Oy Magical Athlete - Takashi Ishida - updated design by Richard Garfield Complex 629 - Lillex Studios Donkey Kong Bananza - Nintendo Final Fantasy V - Square Enix Baby Steps - Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy Puzzmo Crosswords - Puzzmo Team & Collaborators Numberblocks RPG (developed in Izzy Kestrels mind) Lost Cities - Reiner Knizia Deadlock - Valve Hexadecipad NES Tetris Tournament - Patrick LeMieux and Stephanie Boluk Star Waspir (from UFO 50) - Mossmouth Lumines Arise - Enhance, Monstars Outer Wilds - Mobius Digital Zexion - Gallant Leaf PEAK - Landfall  Writing essays  Elden Ring Nightreign - FromSoftware Unfair Flips - HEATHER FLOWERS DISCOPUP - Parry Mechanics OVER/UNDER - Sam Sorenson Type Help - William Rous Rain World - Videocult Snekburd - Werxzy 2025 Pico-8 Advent Calendar - organized by Kevin Thompson and bikibird Mol Hunt for 2025 Season of De Mol - TSLOG Discord Q-UP - Everybody House Games Many Nights a Whisper - Deconstructeam, Selkie Harbour Vantage - Stonemaier Games The Old King's Crown - Pablo Clark Hot Streak - Jon Perry Cave Noire - Konami Judo (martial art) Retro handheld hobby Clair Obscur | Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive Skin Deep - Blendo Games Peekaboo The Séance of Blake Manor - Spooky Doorway Minni & Max (from UFO 50) - Mossmouth Patapon - Pyramid, Japan Studio Promise Mascot Agency - Kaizen Game Works 10S Forever - owch   Miscellaneous Honorable Mentions: Perfect Dark (N64) - Rare ACTION BUTTON REVIEWS Cyberpunk 2077 Party House of the Day (mod of UFO 50) - Mossmouth Cairn - The Game Bakers   Other topics discussed this episode: Why We're Boycotting Xbox (and Maybe You Should Too) - People Make Games Cosmic Encounter - Fantasy Flight Games Upcoming games packed with hidden secrets! – FuryForged Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective - Space Cowboys Klaverjas - Dutch Trick-taking Game 129: Reinforcing Worldbuilding through Gameplay with Spoils despelote - Official Nintendo Switch Trailer Immersipedia https://eggplant.show/  https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog