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 36 - Super Smash Bros. Melee, Resident Evil 4, VVVVVV

…oh, hello! Didn't see you there. I was just listening to the latest episode of Our Three Cents here.

You won't believe it, but in this podcast, these three little boys tell stories about their favourite games of all time, and in this very episode they're talking up the games they proclaim to be their 36th favourite games ever made. 

In addition, they talk about some of the current games they've been playing. Fancy that, eh? This fella called Chris has been playing some weird title called Ace of Seafood that he reckons is worth a go despite 'defying classification', as well as a title called Adam's Venture which sounds pretty dreadful. Then a wee lad named Jonathan said he's been enjoying a recent remaster of Xenoblade Chronicles as well as an indie title called Hyper Light Drifter on the Nintendo Switch. The final member of the cast, Minty, says he's returned to playing the ludicrously named Tales of Vesperia, alongside a handful of other strangely titled Japanese role playing games. 

Then they all get quite excited about some game about Animals? But to be honest I just glazed over for a bit then. 

Aren't they all busy boys? 

Then the lists! Oh heavens, the lists!

Master Minty tells a story about learning of the Nintendo franchises at the edges of the multiverse in Super Smash Bros Melee.

Master Jonathan talks about the horror game Resident Evil 4, waxing lyrical about its atmosphere, and optional chainsaw controller.

Master Chris praises the simplicity of a game called VVVVVV by a lone developer named Terry that was apparently inspired by the old ZX Spectrum.

What a strange show?! Right, back to it.

Ta-ra!

Number 39 - The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, New Super Mario Bros, Panzer Dragoon Saga

It's a week of - q u e s t i o n s -

ROUND ONE
Will Minty continue his meteoric quiz comeback?
How is Minty doing with the big bees of Labyrinth of Refrain, a dungeon crawler he hasn't picked up since the beginning of the podcast? 
How many games has Jonathan beaten during a fallow period of self-employment due to lockdown? 
Can you count the number of racing games the boys lavish praise upon in the first fifteen minutes of the episode? 
Why is Streets of Rage 4 so, so good?
Which VR game made Chris feel like he was truly 'in space'?

ROUND TWO
What is Minty's excuse for playing Skyrim for eleventy billion hours and not 100-percenting the main game?
Is Skyrim worth playing in virtual reality?
Just how 'new' was New Super Mario Bros? 
Why does Jonathan 'not accept' Super Mario Advance as a legitimate 2D Mario title?
Does Minty ever get bored when Chris and Jonathan get all toasty about the Sega Saturn?
And why is Chris simultaneously incredibly excited and dreadfully upset to talk about Panzer Dragoon Saga?

Phew!!
Answers on a postcard, team!

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 44 - Worms Armageddon, Banjo-Tooie, Donkey Kong Country

We are reliably informed that it's... Monday? In the absence of any real societal markers of time and date, why not use this weekly episode of Our Three Cents as a reminder that yes, time is passing, and yes, video games still exist.

There's more Animal Crossing chat, naturally, as well as opinions on Doom 64, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, some eShop bargains, and… TETRIS. 

Chris adds Worms Armageddon to the list of games revered by all three cents alongside Fantasy Life. Minty makes the extreeemely controversial statement (can you tell it's one of the other Centurions who writes these blurbs?) that Banjo-Tooie is the best game on the Nintendo 64. Finally, Jonathan swells with joy talking about Rare's pre-rendered sprite classic, Donkey Kong Country.

WORMS
BEAR AND BACKPACK BIRD
MONKEYS

Oh, we do spoil you!

Number 45 - Diddy Kong Racing, Pokémon Black 2, Fallout 3

The boys are playing Animal Crossing, of course, but what else is floating our collective boats?

Are Chris and Jonathan going to be able to keep up their Ring Fit regimes? Why has the Panzer Dragoon remake rankled the J-man? Which eShop games are worth your pocket change? Which Gameboy exclusive sequel has Chris's heart all afloat? 

Then, after the dust has settled on our April Fools fake out, what are our ACTUAL 45th favourite games of all time? 

Chris gets a bit over excited talking about Diddy Kong Racing, the 'best racing game on the N64'; Minty explains why the weird animals and cultural pastiche of Pokémon Black 2 beats out much of its franchise competition; and Jonathan emerges from the depths of vault 101 to explain why the post-nuclear wasteland in Fallout 3 stands head and shoulders above its sequels. 

If you'd like to argue with us about any of this week's opinions, feel free to use the following sentence pro formas:

• "CHRIS is wrong about Diddy Kong! Mario Kart 64 is truly the best kart racer on the Nintendo 64 BECAUSE..."

• "MINTY is wrong about Black 2! Generation 1/2/3/4/6/7 (delete as appropriate) is much stronger BECAUSE..."

• "JONATHAN is wrong about Fallout 3! 4 was a true evolution of the series BECAUSE..."

Be safe, stay home.

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 48 - Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, Firewatch, Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap

As the weekend crumbles to dust, sweep away the Monday blues and listen as the boys tell meandering stories about their 48th favourite video games of ALL. TIME.

TUROK 2 and its BULLETS and GUNS
FIREWATCH and its WALKIE TALKIES
WONDER BOY 3 and its TRANSFORMATIONS

...but before we do that, perhaps you'll appreciate the long awaited return of the quiz pun? Or enjoy mulling over the thought of Ralph Fiennes hypothetically voicing the mammalian face of capitalism? Or share in Jonathan's disappointment in the relative calorific deficit of Level-5's Snack World, Chris's off-hand lamentations on The Simpson's gradual decline, or Minty's travel log through the impossibly named factions and cities of Tales of Vesperia?

PLUS: Chris does a -LOT- of laughing. 

Come and have fun with us. 

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 58 - Celeste, Earth Defence Force 2017, Chrono Trigger

Do you like videogames? Do you?!

Join an uncharacteristically excitable trio in their ongoing mission to talk up the videogames which make them happiest.

Can Chris keep up his commanding quiz lead? Is The Witcher 3's recent Switch port any cop? A few months in, how is Jonathan getting on with Mario Kart Tour's layered economy? How is Minty progressing in his personal Dragon Quest?

Onto the rankings: What makes artsy platformer Celeste so good? How long can Chris talk about Earth Defense Force, a series that no-one in the world knows of or cares about? Is Chrono Trigger worth downloading on your mobular telephone or personal computer? 

(we like videogames)

Bonus Level - Wellbeing Special

Thursday the 10th of October marks World Mental Health Awareness day. In recognition of this, our trio tell personal stories of how videogames can be a force for good in managing mental health and periods of distress or low mood.

Clone Hero, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, A Link to the Past, Alto's Adventure, Tetris, and Super Mario Bros 3. Disparate games linked here by their ability to make our triumvirate slow down, refocus, and calm.

Videogames may not be the solution for everyone, but we at Our Three Cents firmly believe in their value as tools for offering escapism, structure, or soothing nostalgia when the world seems a difficult place.

Much love to all listening. Be kind to one another.

Number 68 - Castle of Illusion starring Mickey Mouse, The End is Nigh, Pokémon FireRed

This week on Our Three Cents, the chaps tackle another eclectic tryptic of games in the form of a significantly-formative childhood gaming experience featuring a mouse; an expectation-subverting modern platformer featuring a tumour; and an abbreviation-smattered classic RPG remake featuring some running shoes!

Also on the docket for discussion are Chris’ veritable summer-holiday-gaming stampede of activity; Jonathan’s veritable summer-holiday-gaming descent into pure unadulterated wartime bleakness; and Minty’s veritable summer-holiday-gaming instigation of Chris’ robo-dino-phobic beliefs!

More hyphenations than you can shake a stickily-sticky stick at!

Deal with it.

Bonus Level - Summer Special

Take shelter from the UK's unseasonably warm start to the summer, by allowing the cool, soothing tones of three doofi (doofus; plural) talk sunny, bright weather and sunny, bright games.

Find a comfy spot in the garden, crack open a fizzy pop, then injure your neck as you twist to best utilise the sun's searing rays to illuminate your Gameboy's monochrome screen, sharing all the while in the summer gaming memories of three young men who could probably do with getting outside a bit more.

Football! Progressive rock! Balance boards! Family holidays! It's all here. As well as, of course, the usual nerdy discussion on games past, present and future that we assume you all harbour an insatiable taste for.

BLUE SKIES FOREVER

Number 76 - WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter, Fantasy Life

In the most punctuated episode of Our Three Cents yet, Chris becomes an accountant, Jonathan becomes an anarchist and Minty becomes an antagonist!

Also, slammed own on the Our Three Cents round table of discussion by a Twitter fan is the matter of video game movies. Coming hot on the heels of our thoughts on Detective Pikachu, we dive into a deep dissection of literally EVERY video game cinematic adaptation ever made and those to come! 

Bonus Level - Easter Special

At Our Three Cents we understand the profound importance that the innumerable faith systems play in the lives of all people across the globe. Therefore, on this most holy (and importantly, four day) weekend, we offer to you a solemn and reflective Easter special episode, which we hope will help you fully comprehend not only the gravity, but also the jubilation of this observed holiday. Contains excessively silly stuff about Romans, a very sexy Wario and dollops of fresh rabbit! All topped off with lashings of hot egg!

Number 83 - Final Fantasy X, Robotron: 2084, Lego Harry Potter

This week on Our Three Cents the chaps discuss their favourite Disney games, Jonathan embraces his inner Shinobi, Chris takes us on a retro arcade trip back to before any of us were born, and Minty forgets how to sit on a chair!

Number 84 - Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, New Super Mario Bros U, Portal

It’s coming up monkeys this week on Our Three Cents, with apes out everywhere in Jonathan’s abode, Minty monkeying about with some bread and butter, and Chris is just dropping some simian faux pas all over the shop!

Number 85 - Excite Truck, The Wonderful 101, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

This week on Our Three Cents, sickness (rotten colds) abound with Minty and Jonathan delivering the episode from their respective death beds (not actually dying). Thankfully, Chris is on hand to bring the energy and enthusiasm, divulging some deeply personal pudding-related predilections, revealing some fascinatingly pedantic trivial tidbits, and mourning the untamed spirit of Kurt Cobain. All the while in their paracetamol-induced hazes, the chaps concoct the concept for a Super Crash Bros racing compilation! Bon.

Number 86 - Angry Birds Trilogy, Dragon Age Origins, Counter Strike: Condition Zero

In a real trip down memory lane, this week the chaps recount all manner of recollections from hungover poolside birds, astrally-projected book clouds, and shouting incendiary warnings during vintage old-school threesomes! Plus Chris embarks on a new RPG to try and finish in the next 10 years, find out what’s hiding in Minty’s chest, and witness Jonathan suffering with a severe case of Dead Cells! It’s classic Our Three Cents.