Episode 057 – Emails Emails Emails Emails Emails (2016)

Episode 057 – Emails Emails Emails Emails Emails (2016)
This week in Your Parents Basement, we are just reading emails as we cope with the loss of Todd Brisket still! All of these asks are from 2016, as the sweet baby boys of Huell and Steve only answer the freshest, hottest asks.
You can manually download this week’s podcast full of hot takes here or subscribe to the show via the iTunes store. To manually subscribe, use this link in the device / podcast player of choice. You can also follow us on Twitter, or ‘like’ us on Facebook.
As always, if you like the show, support us by buying from Amazon! You can use this link to go to Amazon, and any purchase you make will kick a couple bucks to the show, with no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win!
Want to have an email or comment read on the air? Send us a message on the ole Twitter or Facebook, or, shoot that mail to parentsbasementpodcast@gmail.com. As you can hear from this show, we answer all asks, regardless of how mysterious they are. ❤ (#scootingbutt)
Episode 056 – Pitfall! and Moon Patrol (1982)

Episode 056 – Pitfall! and Moon Patrol (1982)
This week in Your Parents Basement, we are leaping over pits with vines, jumping on top of crocodile snouts and blasting alien spaceships while dodging craters! From 1982, we’re playing Pitfall! by Activision and Moon Patrol by Irem. Special guest, Cosmo!
You can manually download this week’s OLD SCHOOL podcast here or subscribe to the show via the iTunes store. To manually subscribe, use this link in the device / podcast player of choice. You can also follow us on Twitter, or ‘like’ us on Facebook.
As always, if you like the show, support us by buying from Amazon! You can use this link to go to Amazon, and any purchase you make will kick a couple bucks to the show, with no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win!
Want to have an email or comment read on the air? Send us a message on the ole Twitter or Facebook, or, shoot that mail to parentsbasementpodcast@gmail.com.
TIMESTAMPS
- 0:00 – Intro, which is the super catchy music to Moon Patrol.
- 42:00 – Emails! An exciting new contributor emails Cosmo, of all people! Plus, more dispatches from Todd Brisket because he’s a ramblin’ man, like other emailer Scooterbutt.
- 59:45 – Snifferoo. Next week, it’s going to be a show focused on email questions! So, be sure to write to parentsbasementpodcast@gmail.com.
SHOW NOTES
– According to Price Charting, Pitfall! is quite affordable, at $8.95 for a loose cart or $19.99 for the cart and box. Moon Patrol is even cheaper – about $6.72 for a loose cart, and $13.50 for a cart and box.
– Luke Plunkett of Kotaku has a good write-up on the history and development of Pitfall! Included in the article is the old YouTube commercial for the game featuring, of all people, Jack Black. A Kickstarter project for a follow-up by creator David Crane didn’t go well, though.
– The world record in the arcade for Moon Patrol is 1.4 million points. Good times! A highlights video is here.
Episode 055 – SimCity (1989)

Episode 055 – SimCity (1989)
This week in Your Parents Basement, we are building and bulldozing through municipalities! From 1989 and 1991, we’re playing SimCity by Maxis for the PC and SNES. Joining us is special guest Ryan Gibbs from The Young Folks!
You can manually download this week’s growth-focused podcast here or subscribe to the show via the iTunes store. To manually subscribe, use this link in the device / podcast player of choice. You can also follow us on Twitter, or ‘like’ us on Facebook.
As always, if you like the show, support us by buying from Amazon! You can use this link to go to Amazon, and any purchase you make will kick a couple bucks to the show, with no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win!
Want to have an email or comment read on the air? Send us a message on the ole Twitter or Facebook, or, shoot that mail to parentsbasementpodcast@gmail.com.
TIMESTAMPS
- 0:00 – Intro, which has the nifty menu music from the SNES version of the game! For a full music playlist, check out the YouTube playlist here.
- 55:30 – Emails! Cosmo writes in to apologize, and Brisket writes in about himself.
- 1:19:15 – Snifferoo. Next week, we’re play TWO classic vidya games for the ole Atari 2600!
SHOW NOTES
– According to Price Charting, most of the SimCity games available are affordable. The SNES version goes for $7.80 for the loose cart, $24.95 for box and manual, and $102 new. The PC versions are widely available on the Internet, typically for less than $10.
– Doug Bierend of Medium’s Reform had a long interview with developer Will Wright on the thought process going into SimCity.
– Will Wright’s daughter Cassidy was involved in BattleBots, running the rowebuts Chiabot and Misty the WonderBot.
– For more info on SimSafari, check out Wikipedia. And be sure to check out Gibbs’ work on The Young Folks!
Vidya Game News – May 12, 2016
– A copy of Stadium Events that a guy got at a yard sale for $2 just turned into a $7,500 sale for him. This site has the story. (Warning! Autoplaying video.)
– Someone has hacked an NES with a custom modem to read Twitter. Read about it on Motherboard!
– From Reddit, and copied to a bunch of other sites, a user has developed a Virtual Boy emulator for Google Cardboard.
ON THIS DAY IN VIDEO GAME HISTORY…
– Super Mario RPG, a collaboration between Square and Nintendo, came out May 13, 1996. It turns 20 on Friday! Holy hell!
– The Saturn was released on May 11, 1995. With its release came console versions of Clockwork Knight, Daytona USA, Panzer Dragoon and Virtua Fighter. For a good, long retrospective, check out this piece by Jeremy Parish on US Gamer.
– Six years ago on May 11, 3D Dot Game Heroes by Silicon Studio came out for the PS3. If you’re a fan of Zelda-like games, it’s pretty good, and available in plenty of bargain bins!
Video game history information comes from GameFAQs and Moby Games. And as always, if you’d like to support the show, do so via our Amazon link.
Episode 054 – The Guardian Legend (1989)

Episode 054 – The Guardian Legend (1989)
This week in Your Parents Basement, we are transforming into a rowe-butt and trying to conquer labyrinths! From 1989, we’re playing The Guardian Legend by Compile for the NES. And, tune it at the end for a shocking development that will shake YPB to its core!
You can manually download this week’s drama-filled podcast here or subscribe to the show via the iTunes store. To manually subscribe, use this link in the device / podcast player of choice. You can also follow us on Twitter, or ‘like’ us on Facebook.
As always, if you like the show, support us by buying from Amazon! You can use this link to go to Amazon, and any purchase you make will kick a couple bucks to the show, with no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win!
Want to have an email or comment read on the air? Send us a message on the ole Twitter or Facebook, or, shoot that mail to parentsbasementpodcast@gmail.com.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 – Intro, which is the title theme from the game. Check out this YouTube playlist for all of the game’s nifty music!
37:00 – Emails! We get to them earlier this week, because we care about you, the listener.
51:00 – It’s not a Snifferoo! But Huell and Steve have decided that the show must go on, and there will indeed be a show for May 16.
SHOW NOTES
– According to Price Charting, The Guardian Legend is still reasonably priced, despite its cult status. Loose carts go for about $13, with the box and manual swelling the price to $36.99.
– Funding Universe has a really good write-up on the rise and fall of Broderbund Software, which Steve only gets into briefly toward the end of the episode.
Vidya Game News – May 5, 2016
– Of all the things Sega could license… A movie adaption of Shinobi could be coming soon, per Variety. It’s a solid game, but when it comes to story-based ninja games, it’s no Ninja Gaiden.
– Also, Sega has allowed modding to its games on Steam. As you can imagine, this has led to all sorts of fun, like Kirby starring in Sonic The Hedgehog and difficulty hacks for Comix Zone. Zack Kotzer of Motherboard has a good summary article on some changes.
– From Carl Batchelor of Niche Gamer, NES dungeon crawl game Shadow Brain has gotten a translation patch.
– Ryan Shoptaw of Gaming Conviction says a prototype cart for DuckTales 2 is now for sale.
– Nolan Bushnell, the original vidya games guy for Atari, is now working on cell phone games.
– Over on Cinemassacre, Mike and Bootsy play the NES hack Luigi’s Chronicles 2, an ultra-tough remake of Super Mario Bros. 3.
ON THIS DAY IN VIDEO GAME HISTORY…
– In 1992, Wolfenstein 3D was released for the PC by id Software. You play as William “B.J.” Blazkowicz and shoot down a ton of Nazis, and it was as awesome as it sounded at the time. It was the FPS game that popularized the genre.
– On May 6, 2001, Mario Party 3 came out for the N64. Yes, there were three Mario Party games for the 64! It was also the last Mario game for the system.
– Konami released Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow in 2003 for the Gameboy Advance. It is one of the excellent Metroidvania games in the series. (And hey, check out our episodes on Castlevania and Super Metroid!)
Video game history information comes from GameFAQs and Moby Games. And as always, if you’d like to support the show, do so via our Amazon link.
Episode 053 – Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)

Episode 053 – Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988)
This week in Your Parents Basement, we are celebrating our anniversary! It’s time to go back to the Mario series, as we’re playing Super Mario Bros. 2 by Nintendo for the NES.
You can manually download this week’s glowing, jumping and vegetable-tossing podcast here or subscribe to the show via the iTunes store. To manually subscribe, use this link in the device / podcast player of choice. You can also follow us on Twitter, or ‘like’ us on Facebook.
As always, if you like the show, support us by buying from Amazon! You can use this link to go to Amazon, and any purchase you make will kick a couple bucks to the show, with no extra cost to you. It’s a win-win!
Want to have an email or comment read on the air? Send us a message on the ole Twitter or Facebook, or, shoot that mail to parentsbasementpodcast@gmail.com.
TIMESTAMPS
- 0:00 – Intro, which has the awesome title theme from the game.
- 38:00 – Steve may or may not have remembered to put in some tunes from the Minibosses.
- 46:15 – Emails! We hear from some of our favorite writers of the past year.
- 1:01:30 – Snifferoo. Todd Brisket has nominated a game that focuses on story, space-shooting and other fun stuff!
SHOW NOTES
– According to Price Charting, Super Mario Bros. 2 retains its value fairly well! The loose cart price is $20, and the box and manual bumps the price up to $37. New-condition copies go for $293. Super Mario Advance ranges from $9.50 to $41.50, since it’s much newer.
– The full Minibosses Super Mario Bros. 2 medley can be found here on YouTube.
– Chris Kohler of Wired has a good long read from 2011 on the secret history of the game.
Vidya Game News – April 28, 2016
– From Ryan Divish and Geoff Baker of The Seattle Times, Nintendo is selling its majority stake in the Seattle Mariners. The valuation is $1.4 billion, and a follow-up story on how the deal was struck is here. The initial purchase price? Around $100 million, according to a January 1992 New York Times article by Lawrence Malkin.
– Kotaku has an excerpt from Alyse Knorr’s book on the making of Super Mario Bros. 3, and it’s an awesome read! Check it out here.
– Now out: Sega 3D Classics Collection, for the Nintendo 3DS. Games include Power Drift, Puyo Puyo 2, Fantasy Zone II and II W, Sonic the Hedgehog, Thunder Blade, Galaxy Force II, Altered Beast and Maze Walker.
– Pretty much every site on the ole Internet had a piece about the new NES adapter that lets you use some modern controllers.
– Nintendo has a Humble Bundle available until May. Highlights include Retro City Rampage and Citizens of Earth.
ON THIS DAY IN VIDEO GAME HISTORY…
– Historically, nothing prominent has come out on April 28, so… On April 29, 1998, Tekken 3 came out for the PlayStation. Released by Namco, it’s considered one of the absolute best games for the system, and one of the best fighting games of all-time.
– A little game called Grand Theft Auto IV came out on April 29, 2008. It made a bazillion dollars for Rockstar.
– Similarly: Mario Kart Wii came out in 2008 as well. It was a pretty good day for games.
Video game history information comes from GameFAQs and Moby Games. And as always, if you’d like to support the show, do so via our Amazon link.
– The best read of the week, and one close to my heart, is
– As Kotaku’s Luke Plunkett 