Number 31 - Thumper, Octopath Traveler, Pokémon Emerald

THIS WEEK:
Minty has popped back to Skyrim's Tamriel as a man with magic mitts. 

Chris has popped Super Mario Maker into his 3DS, and found what is perhaps the only 'hidden gem' in the core Mario franchise. 

Jonathan has popped between Animal Crossing and the Last of Us, seesawing between glorious climes and azure waters, and bleak, post-apocalyptic ruins.  

ALSO THIS WEEK:
Chris goes biblical with his description of Thumper, a dreadful, visceral 'rhythm violence' game best experienced in VR. 

Jonathan recounts his time with Octopath Traveller, a sprawling RPG that follows an octet of lads and lasses in a tilt-shifted, pop-up book world.

Minty takes you to the cinema (remember the cinema?) to collect a special Pokémon in Emerald, one of the GBA's strongest entries in the Poké-pantheon.

What a love-er-ley bunch of video games!

Number 35 - Timesplitters 2, Doom 2, Mario Kart DS

Minty is in a hole - a GOLF hole! - in Team 17's Golf with Friends. Jonathan details his Reyn time in Xenoblade Chronicles, as well as a late night foray into the recently Chris-approved VVVVVV. Chris commits to collecting physical games for yet another console with the brand new portable retro-tech, Evercade!

FROTH AT THE MOUTH as Chris says that Timesplitters 2 is a better console first person shooter than Goldeneye!

DON THE SUIT OF THE DOOMSLAYER to fight through the gates of hell with Minty in Doom 2!

REMEMBER THE GLORY DAYS of Nintendo's early online multiplayer efforts as Jonathan talks up Mario Kart DS!

BOOOOOOSH!

Number 38 - 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Panzer Dragoon Saga

The games start coming, and they don't stop coming, eh?

Tetris Attack, a game in no way connected to Tetris entertains Mr Dow. Mr Booth continues to flit merrily through Labyrinth of Refrain, but also returns to Dead Cells. Mr Dunn brings a veritable cavalcade of games to the table as he continues to make progress in Lonely Mountains, New Horizons, as well as his magnum epic Super World opus in Super Mario Maker 2.

Then, our number 38s. 

Monsieur 'Egyptian Boat' gets tangled in his attempts to talk up the visual novel 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors, without, y'know, just explaining the novel itself. Good endings! Bad endings! Layered endings!

Monsieur 'Enclosed Seating at a 60s Diner' gets all fired up talking about the high point in flat Mario's role-playing offshoot Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Chapters! Consoles with handles! Battle towers!

Monsieur Completed Task relives Chris' agony at placing Panzer Dragoon Saga too low on the list after a modern replay, by placing it too low on his list after, you guessed it, a modern replay. Artistry! Scale! Parallels to Japanese anime! 

Bleedin' 'eck. How on EARTH are there still 37 games better than these?

Number 40 - Stardew Valley, Super Mario 3D World, Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Today is the start of the week, and therefore the start of another Our Three Cents ODYSSEY!

Can you believe we are now sixty games deep? There's been some crossover, sure, but still, we have now collectively delivered ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY monologues about our favourite games. 

'fore we raise this hallowed number to 183, listen out for: a mysterious creak on Minty's audio channel (a genuine prize for ANYONE who gets close to identifying its source - details on our Facebook page!); a deep discussion on secondary school discos; thoughts of Bravely Default 2's refreshing approach to game demos; Jonathan's multiplayer PC smorgasbord; thoughts on the recent Streets of Rage 4; Chris' apology to indie developers who find themselves at the behest of unscrupulous console porting houses; and… of course... some updates on the gang's progress in Animal Crossing. 

Jonathan tells of the bucolic delights of Stardew Valley.
Chris hazily remembers the Ghibli charm of Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch.
Minty is illuminated by the warm glow and feline embrace of Super Mario 3D World.

Every one of these games are worth your time and attention, and hopefully you'll agree that our 40 minute chat about these wonderful titles is an equally solid way to kill a commute, or a morning lie-in if you're currently furloughed. 

Stay safe. We love you all almost as much as we love video games!

Number 42 - Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, Super Mario Maker, Super Mario 64 DS

As April 2020, the longest month in recorded history, draws to a close, Our Three Cents is back to give your earholes a tickle with our sultry voices. 

Are we still playing Animal Crossing?
Has Jonathan really turned to the dark side and started playing on, deep breath, the Xbox One? 
Which VR games has Chris been using to escape from the reality of L O C K D O W N?

Then, hear us get excited about THREE distinct Mario games. Three! THREE!!

Mario… in a stomach! 
Mario 64… but not on the N64!
Mario… that you make yourselves?

Nintendo's mascot there; as equally comfortable in an RPG, a 3D platformer, or a sandbox creation toolbox. Doff your red cap in honour of his genre-hopping maleability.

Number 46 - Final Fantasy VII, Parodius: Fantastic Journey, Luigi’s Mansion 2

Hey, hey, kids! 

Have you ever played Final Fantasy VII, Parodius: The Fantastic Journey or Luigi's Mansion 2? 

If so, listen in and see what we thought of the games you may have loved or loathed. And if not so, maybe we can talk you into giving them a blast? 

We three cents place hands firmly on our hearts and suggest that this generation defining RPG, this cutesy, parody shoot 'em up, and this.. hoover simulator (?) are all very, very worthy of your time. 

Also this week: Jonathan finishes Outer Wilds, Minty doesn't finish Tales of Vesperia, and Chris gets someone else to finish Limbo.

Number 47 - Bastion, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Sonic R

Another episode? A whole one?
Fair enough. 

Is Minty still playing that Tales game? Is Jonathan likely to beat the 400 hour long Witcher 3 before Animal Crossing: New Horizons releases? Can Chris contain his excitement at winning his first Tetris Invictus Maximus?

Then the rankings. Ohhhh, the rankings. 

Three games that we felt were very good. Three games that we felt were SO very good, that we took the time to talk them up within the very podcast you hold digitally in your hand. 

The sumptuously narrated space-Western, Bastion.
The gorgeous, expansive collectathon masquerading as an action RPG, Xenoblade Chronicles X.
...and Sonic R?

We love games and we love you. 

(please wash your hands and take care of one another)

Number 49 - F-Zero GX, Thief: Deadly Shadows, Phantasy Star Online

Our very own menthol man details how Nintendo hits it out of the park with their 'coolest' racer F-Zero GX. Our host extroadinaire revisits the gloom of Thief's grubby dark-age world in Deadly Shadows. That hairy bloke talks about Arsenal Football Club and its weird connection to Sonic Team's online experiment Phantasy Star Online. 

Listen for Chris' thoughts on the Open Source Scanline Converter, Jonathan's thoughts on breaking the back of flagellation simulation Blasphemous, and Minty's thoughts on a selection of eShop demos.

PLUS: 
Where are we plonking our virtual homes? 
Are Minty's valiant efforts to fight a four point quiz defecit in vain? 
Why is Chris so shit at turn-based combat? 
How's Jonathan getting on in S N A C K W O R L D? 
Why are the boys going to Butlins in Bognor Regis? 

Number 50 - Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader, Portal 2

“Jeremy, are you insane?!”

We’re only halfway ruddy there! Come with us into our second season where we discuss, among other things, a video game licensing clusterf*ck, a 128-bit space opera specific graphics card, and the irrefutable truths of the internet!

Also this week, Chris goes subsurface in a circular fashion in Mike Bithell’s latest video game creation. Find out if Minty & Mrs Minty can escape their latest mobile room game in Nox. And what pics will Jonathan’s paths make in his latest mobile addiction, PathPix?

We have hit the ground running as we go into our Top 50, so grab hold of this podcast bus and come with us on a video game journey, a videogourney. 

Number 51 - Super Mario 3D Land, Pokémon Blue, Guardian Heroes

In our final numbered episode of season one you will hear:  a particularly weasely quiz question; Jonathan getting hot and heavy over a listener's question; some thoughts on our secret santa gifts; and Chris' thoughts on a classic.

Then more games. Three incredible games. A veritable triumvirate of bloody good games.

Jonathan talks up one of the best handheld Mario games of all time whilst simultaneously throwing swathes of depth-perception-based criticism at 1986’s Labyrinth. Minty reminisces about Pocket Monster themed ephemera present at the birth of a franchise and Chris bigs up a mostly forgotten brawling treasure from the back catalogue of the legendary Sega Saturn.

Perhaps these are games you loved? Or perhaps they're games you'll grow to love. 

We certainly love them. And we love you.

Number 52 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Wario Land 4, TxK

Would you, our dear listeners, consumers of our humble podcast, wish to listen to our thoughts and feelings on games of the video variety?

Allow Jonathan to describe the three stages of the Souls-like, and the violent combination of Hotline Miami and MasterChef Australia. Humour Chris' attempt to intellectualise not one, not two, but THREE indie-darlings. Let Minty sell you on the joys of Volition's Saints Row: The Third through its semi-recent release for Nintendo's hybrid console offering.

Then dive into extended discussion on a flagship Ninty franchise's tentpole release; a genre defining puzzle platformer; and an arcade shooter that no-one played.

HURRY UP!!

It's Ocarina of Time, Wario Land 4, and TxK.

And some other bits.

Number 55 - Mario Golf, Metal Gear Solid, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

This week on Our Three Cents we have another eclectic triptych of games including an Italian-plumber-based-handheld-sporting RPG, a 32-bit odyssey about a man’s obsession with hiding in a cardboard box, and an epic adventure involving a black knight in the darkness of the night whilst you try to forge some lightness into the world!

Elsewhere, Chris spends his week killing time with Suicide Guy, and we also have a full debrief on Pokémon Sword & Shield, complete with the presentation of the 1st ever annual Jonathan Andrew Dunn Pokémon Awards. Find out which lucky critters have been selected as the recipients of the coveted JADPAs! 

And, more importantly, find out whether Jonathan & Chris’ school English teacher, Mr Haywood, ever got round to playing Chris’ childhood gaming creation, Dunce Goes to Hollywood?

Only on Our Three Cents. What a bunch of absolute ridiculousness. Amen.

Number 56 - The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Time Crisis 2, Viewtiful Joe

Oh boy! In a bumper episode, hear the trio chop through a massive stack of games they've played recently, as well as their usual three listed all-time favourites!

Would you like to know our thoughts on The World Next Door, Metal Wolf Chaos, or Forager? How about Ni No Kuni and its sequel, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz, or Bloodstained? Maybe Ring Fit Adventure, Luigi's Mansion 3, or Pokémon Sword and / or Shield? Or even the varied entries in the Cube Escape series of mobile games? 

For this week's numbered entries, Minty goes for a splash with the Gamecube's legendary Wind Waker and regales its avian-come-oceanic story with the gusto of a Jackanory presenter; Chris shoots some baddies with a plastic pistol and a bulky cathode ray tube television in the fantastic home port of Time Crisis 2; and Jonathan goes deep on the late Clover Studio's ridiculously stylish whack-em-up Viewtiful Joe.

big deep breath 

So come along and enjoy some of O3C's most impressive expletive bleeping, some silly callbacks for long term fans, everyone's favourite Pokémon, 'Floopididoop', as well as a LOT of curry.

Number 57 - Super Mario World, Journey, Thomas Was Alone

On the menu this week - the further adventures of Minty questing after dragons, Jonathan grinding some stones and Chris racing a football (something like that I believe…)

In the rankings, a classic Nintendo game on a classic Nintendo system, a small fragment of AI experiencing isolation and “a big warm hug of a game.” Three really quite incredible games - real absolute bangers!

Also dogs. Well, more specifically requests for dogs. If it wasn’t implied in all our episodes previously, we now request dogs explicitly. 

Dogs are great. We don’t deserve them.

Number 59 - Mario Kart 8, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Plants vs. Zombies

After a brief, one-week hiatus to allow Jonathan to enjoy being newly married to his lovely lady wife, the boys are back in town (copyright Phil Lynott, lyrics used by permission of Vertigo Records) to once again celebrate their love of video games. 

Tackling their 59th favourite video games of all time, listen intently as Jonathan gives Mario Kart 8 a big thumbs up; Minty gives a huge A-OK hand gesture in the general direction of A Link Between Worlds; and Chris gives a standing ovation to Plants vs Zombies. 

Link visits a Mercedes Benz dealership on the outskirts of Hyrule Market! Dinosaurs duff each other up! Lands of both high and low topography fall into disrepair! Flooded literature! A shitty ouroborous! Plants inexplicably fighting zombies! 

All of that, and probably a bit more: it's Our Three Cents.

(I apologise for the moistness of this episode - I will never again eat chocolate raisins whilst recording. I am sorry for your ears. -JD)

Number 61 - Euro Truck Simulator 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Kingdom Hearts

Honk! This week on Our Three Cents, the chaps are all horrible. “What’s different from usual?” I hear you ask! Well, this time, they’re all horrible geese! Enabled by the sterling work of House House, Untitled Goose Game has captured all of our imaginations - find out what these three cents think of the game here. Will you be having a honkingly good time terrorising the neighbourhood?

Also, hear all about Nintendo’s latest mobile release in Mario Kart Tour - is it worth your time? 

Meanwhile a can of time worms is opened as Chris waxes lyrical about his time on the open road with the cult classic, Euro Truck Simulator 2; Jonathan wanes chordially about his titanic adventure in Xenoblade Chronicles 2; and Minty moons melodically about the hugely successful Final Fantasy & Disney chimera that is Kingdom Hearts!

Which of these 61st favourite video games of all time have you played?!

What’s with all of these rhetorical questions? You tell me… that’s not how rhetoric works… Sorry?

Number 63 - Mario Kart 8, SuperHot VR, Thumper

It’s another week at the Our Three Cents towers and the lads have hoisted their banners to celebrate their 63rd favourite video games of all time. In this week, we have a gravity-defying plumber, a time-defying gunslinger, a sanity-defying beetle, and a deep analysis of what is need to make virtual reality a virtue and a reality for current generation gaming.

Meanwhile, the gang conjure some veritable computer-game Chimeras thanks to a listener question about genre-bending classic game series; Jonathan’s Astral adventure is off the chain; Minty is pining for a horrible goose; and Chris has apparently started working as a part-time Samsung TV troubleshooting guru!

Behold.

Number 64 - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Gunstar Heroes, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds

Look, mate, we know it's hard being the only kid in the playground during Monday lunch not talking about the latest Our Three Cents episode. 

They'll all be talking up how Chris was banging on about the Mega Drive yet again whilst Jonathan and Minty had a bit of a Zelda love-in, and you'll be staring at your shoes thinking 'if only I were a centurion, if only I knew what the boys 64th favourite video games of all time were'.

Now you can. Now you can!

Embrace the cents. 

b e c o m e  t h e  c e n t

Number 65 - Mario & Rabbids Kingdom Battle, Um Jammer Lammy, Psychonauts

Mario guest stars alongside Ubisoft's Minion-esque abominations, Parappa the Rapper hands the spotlight to his guitar playing pal, and Tim Schafer goes all weird again. 

Three great games, talked up by three great guys!

Also, learn the answers to questions as varied as: Can Chris continue to engorge his quiz win tally on account of Minty's cross Atlantic phone delay? How many This War of Mine scenarios will Jonathan play through before he suffers a case of mental distress not too dissimilar to the games protagonists? How has Minty spent his tax rebate?

Number 69 - Street Racer, Rocket Knight Adventures, Sonic 3D Blast

Three more games. 
And good ones at that!

Punch your mates (or your AI mates if you find yourself riding solo) in an early competitor to Super Mario Kart with Minty, zip around as an Opossum who finds itself adorned recklessly with a rocket propulsion system atop its back with Chris, and look quizzical at Sonic's roughshod attempt at an isometric adventure game with Jonathan.

Additionally, enjoy a discussion on veritable hot potatoes: videogame violence, uncouth youth, and digital literacy; some extremely late to the party views on Playdead's Inside; the perils of Kickstarter funded independent games; and technobabble that fuelled the 16-bit console wars!

And all of that within a spritely 32 minutes?! YES!