The panel you just can’t get enough of covers immediate pick-up-and-play-right-now games, Charles Marinet’s departure as Mario, and the stunning return of Violence Island. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Tim Rogers, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman. Questions this week: Tim Rogers asks: what’s the deal with people thinking you need to have played earlier games in a triple-A franchise’s newest release? (04:56) Brandon Sheffield asks: What are five games you could play any time? (14:04) What does a Mario Ambassador do? (23:00) Seth asks: If you could replace one of your arms with the arm of a video game character, whose arm would you pick? (34:36) If you could only judge real world animals by the way they were presented in video games, how would your opinions on animals be different? (39:07) What was the most significant “sliding doors” moment in video game history? (42:27) What happens when a player reports a bug in a video game? (47:28) What are the Mario and Sonic of food? (49:15) Tim Rogers asks: What if Charles Martinet just starts his own video game company, and like he makes a new character named Charlieo? (53:36) LIGHTNING ROUND: Violence Island Season 3 (55:13) Recommendations and Outro (01:15:26) Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums A SMALL SELECTION OF THINGS REFERENCED: Diablo IV Baldur’s Gate III Final Fantasy XVI Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Street Fighter 6 87% Missing: the Disappearance of Classic Video Games Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary Collection Resident Evil series Legend of Zelda series Dragon Quest series Kingdom Hearts series Metal Gear series Final Fantasy VII: Remake Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Gunstar Heroes Ys series Sonic the Hedgehog series Battle Garegga Donkey Kong Country H.E.R.O. Shark! Shark!