The NXpress Nintendo Podcast
The Legend of Zelda
Episodes
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
Thursday Jun 01, 2023
This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill return from a brief hiatus with some bittersweet news: Goomba Stomp is coming to a close, and with it, the NXpress Nintendo Podcast is ending as well. It’s been an amazing run, but after a few hundred episodes and years of reviews, discussions, interviews, and impressions, NXpress is about to sign off for good. Don’t worry, though–the NXpress crew isn’t done yet! Stay tuned for an official farewell episode and for information about what the gang will get up to next.
Before we call it quits though, we have unfinished business: namely, impressions of some of the year’s biggest Switch games! Campbell has finally rolled credits on Octopath Traveler 2, and shockingly, his impressions are just as enthusiastic as ever! An improvement on the first game in every conceivable way, Octopath Traveler 2 delivers one of the Switch’s best RPG experiences to date. And speaking of brilliant RPGs, Marc has plenty to praise about Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s ambitious DLC expansion, Future Redeemed! While the original Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was already a great sendoff to the Xenoblade trilogy, this DLC manages to deliver an even more fitting conclusion. Cameron rounds off these quickfire reviews with some impressions on West of Loathing, a hilarious indie adventure that might have fallen under the radar, but is absolutely worth checking out.
And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the gang reviews the long-awaited sequel to Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Ladies and gentlemen, it might be hard to believe, but the NXpress crew is here to confirm that Tears of the Kingdom is indeed better than its predecessor: it’s more ambitious, more expansive, and somehow, even more fun than the game before it. The hosts go around the room sharing their impressions of the game so far in this spoiler-free discussion, exchanging notes about all that they’ve discovered in this latest adventure in Hyrule, the skies above, and the depths below. Is this the greatest game of all time? As dramatic as that question might seem, the hosts think it might not be so far-fetched. All this and more in the penultimate episode of NXpress!
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 – Catch Up: Octopath Traveler II, Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed, and West of Loathing“Colgera” – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom25:00 – Main Event: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Review“Main Theme” – The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 313: Wind Waker Turns 20!
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Thursday Dec 08, 2022
Deck the halls with Triforce shards! This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill ring in the holiday season with the help of Nintendo’s green-capped hero. All three hosts have holiday memories with the Zelda series, so the gang shares their favorite Christmas and Hanukkah moments with the series, from A Link to the Past on the Super Nintendo up to the Switch’s own Breath of the Wild.
After that, the gang keeps the Zelda love coming as the beloved once-controversial The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker turns the big 2-0! For The Wind Waker’s 20th anniversary, the hosts celebrate this innovative title for its timeless visuals, inventive design, and surprisingly impactful story. It may not have been what audiences wanted in 2002, but twenty years later, it stands strong as one of the franchise’s most memorable entries. (Dear Nintendo, what better way to celebrate the occasion than a Switch port? Pretty please?)
Lastly, Marc closes things out with hands-on impressions of all the multiplayer titles on the N64 Nintendo Switch Online collection. Not all titles in the lineup may have aged gracefully, but between Mario Party, F-Zero, and even Star Fox 64, the console still shines as a multiplayer destination–and it’ll only get better whenever we finally get GoldenEye 007 on the service.
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: Zelda Memories and The Wind Waker’s 20th“Title” – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker35:00 – What We Have Been Playing: N64 Expansion Pak“White Land” – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Wednesday Jan 12, 2022
Wednesday Jan 12, 2022
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Review
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link was an incredibly assured attempt to rewrite the rules of the entire series. Unfortunately, most people just don’t like change and because it was different and harder than the original, many fans of the series hated the entry. Fast forward more than two decades and we decided to revisit the black sheep of the Zelda family. What follows is a segment from episode 46 of the NXpress Nintendo Podcast in which Ricky, Patrick, Tim, and Arron got into a heated argument about the merits of Zelda II. Enjoy!
You can also listen to our show on Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio| Player FM | Amazon Audible
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
Wednesday Nov 17, 2021
This week, the next generation of the NXpress Nintendo Podcast turns one year old! A whole year has passed since Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill first took the reins of NXpress, so this episode starts out with a fitting birthday bash. Once the champagne runs out, Cameron starts the show in earnest and shares his impressions of the Zelda Game & Watch device, a charming novelty that provides an endearing way to play some of the greatest games ever made. Before long, the discussion shifts to a broader celebration of the Zelda franchise, including Marc’s regular progress reports through Ocarina of Time on N64 Online, the differences between 3D and 2D Zelda games, and Campbell’s relentless enthusiasm for Skyward Sword.
Marc puts the focus on an all-time classic in the next segment with a review of Bioware’s iconic Stars Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. You don’t even have to be a Star Wars fan to enjoy this inventive RPG: with an engaging plot, brilliant musical score, and a compelling combat system, this roleplaying adventure holds up even today, nearly 20 years since its first release. Closing out the show, Campbell spotlights WayForward’s delightful remaster of A Boy and His Blob, an endearing little game that first released back on the Wii but finds a perfect home in this Switch port.
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro00:41 – Opening Topic: Zelda Game & Watch Impressions“Song of Storms” – Zelda & Chill30:30 – Talking Point: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Review“Zelda’s Lullaby” – Zelda & Chill II46:07 – Indie Spotlight: A Boy and His Blob“Outset Island” – Zelda & Chill II
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
NXpress Nintendo Podcast 241: Skyward Sword HD Review
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
Thursday Jul 22, 2021
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review
This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill take flight on their loftwings as they review Skyward Sword HD. Long regarded as the black sheep of the Zelda franchise, Skyward Sword has seen a bevy of quality-of-life enhancements and improvements that aim to relieve the tedium of the experience. But do those changes manage to remove the frustration of the motion controls or excessive tutorials? Perhaps Skyward Sword doesn’t provide the same grand adventure as Breath of the Wild, but in terms of its story, dungeons, and world, there’s nothing quite like it in the series–and there’s never been a better way to play it!
Next up, the gang switches gears to speculate one of the most surprisingly exciting announcements in recent years–Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. This crossover fighter looks to be no mere licensed cash grab and instead shows potential to be a genuinely viable fighting game and a love letter to classic toons. With that in mind, the hosts take turns predicting who will make it into the roster. Which icon of kids’ TV will find a spot in the upcoming brawler? Maybe one of the hosts has the answer!
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro00:40 – Main Event: Skyward Sword HD Review“Ballad of The Goddess” from Zelda & Chill – Mikel & GameChops43:00 – Talking point: Nickelodeon All-star Brawl Roster Predictions“Title Theme” – The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Friday Mar 05, 2021
Friday Mar 05, 2021
Nintendo YouTuber Yoshiller Joins the Show!
This week on the NXpress Nintendo Podcast, the next generation of hosts, Cameron Daxon, Marc Kaliroff, and Campbell Gill are joined by longtime Nintendo YouTuber and mega Pokémon fan Yoshiller to discuss a handful of major anniversaries in the world of the Big N. First up, the gang reflects on four years of the Nintendo Switch, celebrating the incredible lineup of generation-defining first-party games as well as plenty of unforgettable indies and big-budget third-party titles. Whether you’ve been with the console since it launched on March 3, 2017 (or even a little before that) or picked it up later down the line, the hosts highlight the many features and games that make the Switch a platform that’s perfect for just about any kind of player.
For the main event, the boys continue the anniversary party by diving into the recent Pokémon Presents showcase commemorating 25 years of everyone’s favorite pocket monsters. What ensues is a discussion packed with controversial opinions and reactions, as every member of the gang seems to have a different reaction to the reveals of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Will the remakes live up to their source material? Will Legends Arceus repeat the mistakes of Sword and Shield, or will it successfully push the series in new directions? At the very least, everyone can agree that New Pokémon Snap is already a Game of the Year contender. The gang closes out the show by spotlighting the delightfully cozy indie platformer Sir Lovelot and gushing yet again about Hal Laboratory’s Part Time UFO.
You can listen to our show on YouTube | Stitcher | iTunes | Podbean | Spotify | Listen Notes | iHeartRadio | Player FM | Amazon Audible
Playlist:LFXIV – NXpress Intro00:40 – Nintendosage: 4 Years of Nintendo SwitchYoshi’s Tale – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate23:00 – Main Event: Pokemon Presents ReactionsRoute 209 – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate54:30 – Indie Games Spotlight – Sir LovelotBattle! (Dialga/Palkia) / Spear Pillar – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Friday Apr 28, 2017
Friday Apr 28, 2017
Now that our time with Breath of the Wild is finally coming to a close, this week Tim and Patrick are joined by Game Boys podcast co-host Ryan Kapioski to talk about our favorite characters, weapons, shrines, and a whole lot more. What costumes did we run around in and freak out villagers with? Who was Hyrule's weirdest resident? And why did Tim have a secret pining for a certain Sheikah? Tune in to find out!
Before that, however, with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe releasing this week, the guys discuss if the additional modes and the Switch's portability are enough to warrant a full-price purchase of a game we all (mostly) loved on our late Wii U's. What do you think? Will you be racing at a rooftop party with your joy-cons? Let us know in the comments below, and thanks for listening!
Thursday Dec 29, 2016
Thursday Dec 29, 2016
The end of 2016 is upon us, and so the Nxpress Year of Zelda is officially coming to a close. This week Tim and Patrick are joined by Goomba Stomp Features Editor and Random Encounters cohost Mike Worby to debate the Wii’s swan song, The Legend of Zelda:Skyward Sword, and whether or not the motion-controlled puzzle solving action upon and below Skyloft belongs in the discussion of the greatest Zelda adventures of all time. Afterward, we tackle the tough task of picking our favorite entries in the hallowed franchise, and perhaps even more interestingly, we also offer our choices for Link’s worst outings. All this and more…
Have a listen, and let us know what game tops your Zelda list, and which sits smack at the bottom!
Playlist
00:00: Intro01:00: Main Event: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword review40:00: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword commercial41:00: Bonus Content: Favourite and least favourite Zelda games80:00: Skyward Sword Soundtrack