Tech-Gaming Technology, Gaming, and Culture
Since the podcast craze exploded over the past few years, a
number of video game related shows have been created for our listening
pleasure (and punishment). This week we examine four that range from side-splitting humor to
ear-melting amateurism:
Podcast: Cagcast
Hosts CheapyD and Wombat have a natural chemistry that creates a very compelling
and listenable weekly podcast. The duo intermix game discussions with hilarious,
insightful narratives of their day-to-day lives in a dialog that wouldn’t be out
of place in a Judd Apatow film. Unique to the Cagcast is a section devoted to ‘Shopping
News’; a discussion of retail discounts for the upcoming week.
Listen For: With host CheapyD living in Tokyo, he often has
access to the latest Japanese games , peripherals, and toys long before that
are accessible to most Western writers.
Podcast: Retroforce Go!
Destructiod’s Retroforce Go! Is a podcast of extremes- saccharin co-host Chad
seems eternally happy, rating games on a one to five-dolphin (or rainbow)
review scale. In stark contrast, Topher speaks in a monotone, seems
manic-depressive, and can’t create a sentence without an f-bomb. At least he
knows his stuff; host Dyson shows a minimal amount of retro savvy, while
periodically laughing moronically.
Listen For: The one thing Retroforce has going for them is
topic selection; unfortunately, you’ll have to listen to a lot of idle chatter
to reminisce about Contra.
Podcast: 1Up Yours
1Up Yours is a weekly roundtable discussion hosted by EGM previews editor
Garnett Lee and co-hosted by a rotating selection of Ziff-Davis personal. While
occasionally venturing into the esoteric, (and sounding like a boring college
lecture) the podcast is usually fueled by the hosts access and enthusiasm about
the latest games.
Listen For: James Mielke, who while discussing the torpedo trigonometry
involved in a WWII sub simulation said, “I will wreck your shit with math.”
While most of the other co-hosts seem to strive for professionalism, Mielke’s
exuberance and sense of fun is a welcome attribute.
Podcast: Retronauts
Host Jeremy Parish is the quintessential retro gaming podcast host- he knows
his stuff and clearly loves to discuss it. The show is peppered with a rotating
array of guests that often includes Game|Life’s Chris Kohler, another expert at
old school gaming. Retronauts one downfall- often they have guests who have
never played the games/consoles they are discussing.
Listen For: Jeremy Parish, whose encyclopedic wisdom of
gaming is unrivaled, even if he’s not exactly prolific- episodes trickle out of
the 1Up Network.
I’ve listened to the Cagcast before. That guy Cheapy tries way too hard to be Howard Stern. Someone should tell him to get his own shtick.
I’ve have to give a few a listen. Only one I heard was 1UP- I feel goofy listening to people talk about video games.
Man, who guys overrated retronauts- it’s so boring, and they play old video game music for three minutes at a time.
Uh, I heard the name ‘DesertEagle’ mentioned during the Cagcast a few times. No wonder why you like that show. If you are the same guy.
Retroforce sound awful. So bad It may be worth a listen. Most of the destructoid shit is well, shit.
Will be be hearing about more vg podcasts?
I can’t listen to any game podcast. Id rather play them then hear other people talk about them. Discussions/forums are better.
The Neogafers love 1up yours, it seems.
Want boring listen to the Shipwrecks on Cheapassgamer. I cant get through 5 min of that show.
1up>retronauts>retroforce go>cagcast
I miss John Davison from the 1up your podcasts
Brodeo FTW. Jeff Greene should be a stand-up comedian.
Thank god Ron Workman doesn’t do more podcasts; I hate that hick.
Yeah, CheapD tries to sound and talk like Stern, it’s annoying. I like Womabt he’s his own person and comfortable with his nerdiness.
Whenever I listen to 1up, they make a big deal about NPDs. Who cares what sold the most? Wal-mart sells a ton of shit, but I don’t care to read about it. They should talk about great games, not just how popular some games are.
Never listen to any of these. Might give cagcast a go.
Full Disclosure: Yes, I have been mentioned a few times on the Cagcast, and I did pick up the Podcast Award for Cheapy and Wombat in the fall. However, that doesn’t affect our ability to be critical about the Cagcast at Tech-Gaming.
Simply put, the Cagcast is one of the best gaming podcasts around. That Cheapy and Wombat manage to make an interesting show week after week is a minor miracle.
What about a tech-gaming podcast??