The NXpress Nintendo Podcast
Nintendo Podcast
Episodes
Saturday Oct 29, 2022
Saturday Oct 29, 2022
Persona 5 Royal Review
It’s been years in the making, but did you ever see it coming? This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill are joined by Goomba Stomp contributing writer James Cook to discuss one of the most long-awaited, fan-requested titles to ever grace a Nintendo platform: Persona 5 Royal on Switch. Fans have clamored for Atlus’s magnum opus to come to Switch for nearly as long as the console has been around, but now it’s finally happened–and the best part is that the game is just as stylish, compelling, and addictive as ever.
Get ready to have your heart stolen in this wide-ranging conversation about everything that makes Persona 5 Royal tick. From its incredibly stylish presentation, remarkable soundtrack, lovable characters, engaging story, and intuitive yet deep combat system, Persona 5 Royal has just about everything that a JRPG could ever hope for. Most importantly, it all holds up perfectly on Switch–if anything, the hybrid nature of the console makes this one of the best versions of the game yet. The hosts all agree on one thing: if you’ve not yet experienced it, there’s never been a better time to wake up, get up, and get out there than with Persona 5 Royal on Switch.
This episode also marks a major milestone for NXpress: this is the 100th episode since Marc, Cameron, and Campbell took over the show from the original hosts. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all our listeners for continuing to support the show over the past two years!
Don’t forget: If you want to suggest a discussion topic, share your thoughts on a recent episode, or simply chat with the NXpress crew, feel free to email us at videogameseditor@goombastomp.com!
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:39 – Main Event: Persona 5 Royal Switch Review“River in the Desert” – Persona 5 Royal
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 306: Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Review
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Get ready for an NXpress of galactic proportions! This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill review the most anticipated RPG to hit the Switch this month (well, one of them at least). Before Marc reviews Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, though, the gang responds to an urgent question from an NXpress listener: what’s the best Andross fight in the Star Fox series? The hosts compare the mad scientist’s appearances throughout Star Fox on the SNES, Star Fox 64, and Star Fox Adventures to assess which game has the best showdown.
After that, it’s on to the main event: Marc’s all-encompassing review of Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, the sequel to one of 2017’s most surprisingly delightful Switch exclusives. This follow-up takes Mario and the Rabbids crew to the stars with an adventure that adds new dimensions to the original’s already solid strategic gameplay loop. It might be lacking in the writing and music departments, but Sparks of Hope succeeds where it matters most with creative and satisfying tactical gameplay that makes the game one of the best representatives of its genre on Switch. Tune in for Marc’s all-encompassing thoughts!
Don’t forget: If you want to suggest a discussion topic, share your thoughts on a recent episode, or simply chat with the NXpress crew, feel free to email us at videogameseditor@goombastomp.com!
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Saturday Oct 15, 2022
Mushroom kingdom, here we come! This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill share their thoughts on the first official trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie and review a delightfully wholesome indie game. Starting things out strong, the gang dives headfirst into analyzing asking the age-old question: how will it compare to the infamous 1992 live-action Mario movie? Chris Pratt might not be everyone’s first choice to voice Nintendo’s mascot on the silver screen, but the gang comes to a consensus: how about we give him a chance? Cautious optimism is the name of the game for Illumination and Nintendo’s feature film collaboration.
Next up, Marc and Campbell shine an indie spotlight on The Spirit and the Mouse, a charming 3D adventure collectathon that shows what life must be like as a little mouse solving problems in a beautiful French village. This little adventure is short but incredibly sweet: without even a damage system, the game lets its laidback puzzles shine, offering up a serene and relaxing experience that players shouldn’t miss.
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:39 – Main Event: The Super Mario Bros. Movie Debut Trailer Discussion“New Donk City” – Super Mario Odyssey26:00 – Indie Spotlight: The Spirit and the Mouse Review“Opening Theme” – The Super Mario Bros. Super Show
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 304: Shovel Knight Dig and Taiko no Tatsujin Review!
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
Saturday Oct 01, 2022
Never too late to dig in. This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill grab their shovels and don their horned helmets to dive into Yacht Club Games and Nitrome’s latest concoction with an in-depth review of Shovel Knight Dig on Switch! The latest in a long line of Shovel Knight games, Dig takes the platformer in a new direction–namely, down. The hosts gush about this roguelike platformer, which takes all the charm and platforming mastery of the mainline games and successfully translates it to an addictive roguelike formula. Perhaps it doesn’t add as much to the wider Shovel Knight lore as some might hope, but for what it is, the gang agrees: Shovel Knight Dig unearths an excellent new direction for this beloved indie series.
Next up, Marc offers a musical breakdown with a review of Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival, the most recent of Bandai Namco’s long-running series of percussive perfection. This game might not reinvent the taiko wheel, but it does double down on everything that has made this series of percussion games so fun: addictive gameplay with a ridiculous amount of crazy songs to play. It even manages to make a subscription model work!
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:43 – Indie Spotlight: Shovel Knight Dig Review“Spore Judgement” – Shovel Knight Dig47:00 – Main Event: Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Review“TSUNAGARE! HINOGARE! UCHIAGARE!” – Taiko no Tatsujin
Friday Sep 23, 2022
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 303: The Splatoon 3 Extravaganza!
Friday Sep 23, 2022
Friday Sep 23, 2022
This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill are joined by Splatoon expert, maker of stuff, and longtime friend of the show, Marty Allen! Join Marc and Marty as they splat headfirst into a deepdive discussion of Splatoon 3, the latest and genuinely greatest entry in Nintendo’s standout cartoon shooter series. From the revamped online play to the expanded single-player campaign, Marty and Marc gush about nearly every aspect of the game in this in-depth conversation. Of course, it’s not long before they get to the most important question of all: who’s the Big Man on the podcast?
After that, the gang hops into a discussion of the latest courses released in the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass, and receives some insight from the most authoritative of game critics–Marty’s four-year-old cousin, Joe. After racing through all the tracks that this DLC had to offer, the gang closes with an indie spotlight on the adorable Tinykin and delivers the final verdict on Haiku the Robot, a surprisingly atmospheric metroidvania that every fan of the genre deserves to experience during the agonizing wait for Silksong.
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:50 – Main Event: Splatoon 3 Review“Goldenrod City” – Qumu17:00 – Talking Point: Joe’s Thoughts on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course“Poké Mart” – Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver39:10 – Indie Spotlight: Tinykin and Haiku the Robot“Pokémon Center” – Pokemon Black & White
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Friday Sep 16, 2022
Folks, it’s that time of year again. This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill react to the long-awaited full Nintendo Direct of September 2022. After weeks of rumors about HD Zelda ports and Metroid remasters, did the latest big Direct live up to the hype? Of course not, but there was still plenty to love–especially if you’re a fan of farming sims.
From the opening announcement of Fire Emblem Engage to the surprise return of Pikmin 4 up to the climactic reveal of Breath of the Wild 2’s name and release date, this Direct was bursting at the seams with highlights. Fans of Square Enix’s absurd names were also eating well, between Octopath Traveler II, Various Daylife, and oh so many more.
Was every announcement a winner? Certainly not, and many headlines were almost comically biased towards life sims. But Cameron, Marc, and Campbell are here to guide you through the highs, the lows, and the farming sims of the Direct–and there’s plenty to unpack, so buckle in for a freewheeling discussion of everything you need to know about the September Direct!
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 301: Yacht Club Games’ Celia Schilling Talks Shovel Knight Dig
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Shovels at the ready, it’s time to dig in! This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill are joined by longtime friend of the show, Celia Schilling, for a sweeping discussion of Shovel Knight Dig! The gang picks Celia’s brain about everything there is to now ahead of the launch of this much-anticipated new entry in the Shovel Knight series.
As a roguelike platformer, Shovel Knight Dig is certainly a notable departure from other Shovel Knight games. Celia discusses Yacht Club’s partnership with famed browser game developer Nitrome, Dig’s place in the wider Shovel Knight pantheon, and what it takes to launch a successful spinoff. Shovel Knight fans will want to tune in for plenty of spoiler-free info about Dig ahead of its launch on September 23rd!
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:50 – Main Event: Shovel Knight Dig Interview“Goldenrod City” – Qumu“Halls of the Usuper” – Shovel Knight
Saturday Sep 03, 2022
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 299: WayForward’s Tomm Hulett Talks Spidersaurs
Saturday Sep 03, 2022
Saturday Sep 03, 2022
Spidersaurs Director Interview
Bet you were looking (way)forward to this one. This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill are joined by a very special guest–WayForward’s own Tomm Hulett, director of the inventive run-and-gun Spidersaurs, which recently saw its debut on Switch. In this wide-ranging interview, the gang picks Tomm’s about all things spiders, dinosaurs, and everything in-between.
Spidersaurs is a tribute to the classic run’n’guns of yesteryear, taking place in a dystopian future where spiders and dinosaurs have been fused together for disastrous effect. Tomm reveals how the project came to be, describes what it’s like to revisit the game for its console release, and hints at what the future of the run’n’gun genre might hold.
Along the way, the gang also digs into Tomm’s previous game development experience, spanning industry figureheads like Konami and Atlus–and how much of that background culminated in Spidersaurs. All this and more in this interview of Jurassic proportions!
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:50 – Main Event: Interview with Tomm Hulett pt. 1“Intro Movie” – Spidersaurs32:20 – Tomm Hulett Interview pt. 2“Laboratory” – Spidersaurs
Friday Aug 26, 2022
NXpress 298: Cursed to Golf Review + What’s the Point of Treehouse Live?
Friday Aug 26, 2022
Friday Aug 26, 2022
Ready to tee up? This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill hit the golf course for a review of the charming indie Cursed to Golf, yet another emotionally charged Sonic Frontiers discussion, and a discussion of a truly existential question: what’s the point of a Treehouse Live presentation these days, anyway?
The gang starts off by reacting to the objectively single biggest piece of news from this year’s Gamescom: Sonic Frontiers might actually be good? Sega has unveiled a new story trailer that gives some reason for hope that the blue blur’s next quest won’t be another letdown. Not like we’ve been let down before…
This week the Indie Spotlight takes the main event, as Marc and Campbell hit the greens and review Cursed to Golf –an inventive rogulike twist on the golf game formula. Following a golfing champion who meets with an untimely demise, players will have to golf their way through fiendish obstacle courses to get out of Golf Purgatory. This title is wildly inventive and charming, but does its roguelike gameplay structure do it any favors, or is it just an arbitrary way to pad the game? Heated debate ensues!
Lastly, the hosts close the show by reacting to the news that Nintendo will host a new Treehouse Live this week by asking a simple question: why? What’s the future of Treehouse Lives, and why does this presentation formula feel so stale?
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:50 – Opening Topic: Sonic Frontiers Release Date Discussion“Seaside Hill” – Sonic Heroes19:20 – Main Event: Cursed to Golf Review“Scottsman Theme” – Cursed to Golf40:20 – Talking Point: What’s the Point of Treehouse Live?“Scramble With Scotty” – Cursed to Golf
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 297: Kirby’s Dream Buffet Extravaganza!
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
Saturday Aug 20, 2022
It’s time to talk about Kirby, so you know what that means: sweet treats, cute characters, and threats of physical violence. This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill are joined by that wonderful force of chaos, Eliza from Kirby Informer, to discuss all things Kirby’s Dream Buffet! Everyone’s favorite pink puff keeps his 30th anniversary celebration rolling with a brand-new spinoff, but can it really follow up on the magnificence of Forgotten Land?
The short answer is yes, yes it can–Kirby’s Dream Buffet is not only an addictive multiplayer bash, but it’s intense enough to send the whole NXpress crew into absolute insanity. Eliza and Marc share their in-depth Kirby expertise to analyze exactly what makes this latest spinoff work so well–although, at the end of the day, the real key to Dream Buffet’s success is to have a chonky Kirby. Competitive, accessible, strategic, and adorable–Dream Buffet is all these and more! Could this even be the successor to Kirby Air Ride we’ve been waiting for? The hosts discuss all this, and more–so, so much more.
Between all the Kirby excitement, Cameron also squeezes in an indie spotlight on the physical-only Demon Throttle, a quirky arcade title held back by its somewhat bizarre limited release. And what better way to cap off this unhinged episode than by duking it out in a Dream Buffet battle to end them all–all caught live in the recording, a first for the show! Don’t miss this piece of groundbreaking NXpress history!
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro0:50 – Main Event: Kirby’s Dream Buffet Review“Gourmet Race” – Kirby’s Dream Buffet48:20 – Indie Spotlight: Demon Throttle“Opening Movie” – Kirby’s Dream Buffet1:01:30 – Finale: Kirby’s Dream Buffet Ultimate NXpress Showdown“Revenge of Steel Wings” – Kirby’s Dream Buffet