Main Quest Podcast

Mario Is Missing!: Actually, Be Serious

This week I'm talking about off-brand Mario, Mario Is Missing! What began as an earnest attempt at broadening the Mario brand turns into a case study of confused design that has no interest in valuing your time. I break down why this game fails as both a learning tool and as a video game and how the marketing doomed it before it even hit store shelves. WARP ZONES NFS Most Wanted (4:16) Radiant Historia (6:19) Previous History (9:02) Development (13:29) Retro Recollections (22:31) Story (28:56) Gameplay (36:06) Presentation (48:08) Final Thoughts (52:36) THE SHOW NOTESMario Is Missing! List of Factual Errors The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen - Matt aka Stormageddon To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

Final Fight: The Cost of Ambition

One of the foundations of the "beat em up" genre, I'm tackling Capcom's Final Fight! Not the arcade but the ambitious yet deeply compromised Super Nintendo port. I breakdown its beginnings as a Street Fighter sequel, and whether or not flashy enemy AI and a punishing grind are all worth playing...single player?? WARP ZONES (2:54) Intro & Plugs (6:34) Games I'm Playing (13:00) Previous History (15:34) Development History (25:29) Retro Recollections (30:16) Story (38:32) Gameplay (45:22) Presentation (50:20) Final Thoughts THE SHOW NOTES He Is Coming Kerbal Space Program The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

The Games That Owned Me in 2025 (Game of the Year)

2025 comes to a close with my Top 10 Game of the Year breakdown. I revisit my mid year rankings and reflect on how my tastes shifted over the course of the year. From surprise indie standouts and retro revisits to one all consuming obsession, it is a year that certainly defined me as a "Gamer". I also look ahead at what's waiting in the backlog next and what's in store for the podcast in 2026! THE SHOW NOTES Episode 112 - Final Fantasy VIII A Review: Issue #12 Super Metroid: Recipe For A Classic Slice The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

Game Of The Year Symposium II

It's Game of the Year season once again, and the panel from last year's Symposium returns to finish what we started. Matt Storm, Eric Gess, Kade Call, and Phil Morgan join me for a 2.5 hour deep dive into how GOTY conversations have (or haven't) changed over the past year. We dig into the flood of new releases, the strange rules around what "counts," and the ongoing dominance of exclusives. It's a thoughtful, funny, and honest look at why we still care about celebrating the games we love. THE SHOW NOTES Catch Up With Last Year's Discussion Find & support my guests: Matt Storm | Fun & Games/ Reignite Kade Call | Gaming Memories Phil Morgan | Deleted Saves Eric Gess | The Unlockables The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More

Super Smash T.V.: When Life Gives You D-Pads...

BIG MONEY! BIG PRIZES! I LOVE IT! In this episode of The Main Quest, I team up once again with SeekYeWisdom to dive into Super Smash TV, Williams' hyper violent, game show inspired twin-stick shooter that set the tone for arcade excess in the early '90s. We unpack how Smash TV connects to the DNA of Mortal Kombat and Robotron 2084, and how its mix of satire, capitalism, and gore made it a cult classic. We compare it to the arcade original, and debate how well the console version translates without true twin sticks. WARP ZONES We're Playing Remnant 2/Space Marine 2 and Titan Souls (5:12) Development (26:26) Previous History's (53:15) Story & Gameplay (59:21) Presentation (1:35:40) Final Thoughts (1:44:13) THE SHOW NOTES Find & support my guest over on Twitch Smash T.V. cover performed by Medley Man The Main Quest is brought to you by the supporters on Patreon SeekYeWisdom - Chris Coplien - Eric Gess - XeroSam - LowFiveAlex - Vanfernal - Leathco - RyanPlayerOne - Poppy The Masked Keaton - Lars Uncle - B-Ross - Aiden Bisco - Raging Demon - Rob Worthen The intro and outro was supplied by the artist Adhesive Wombat from the 2016 album Sticky Tracks To easily submit your own Retro Recollections or hang out with other like-minded gamers, come join the Discord Subscribe: RSS | YouTube | Apple | Spotify | and More