Podcast
Podouken
A PODCAST FOR ARCADE LOVERS. From the owners of 100+ arcade and pinball cabinets, and the proprietors of a real-life arcade comes PODOUKEN, a brand new podcast that takes a deep dive into the world of video arcade games, and explores the history, story, strategy, art, music, restoration, preservation and fun of arcade games.
- Episodes
- 175
- Releases
- Every two weeks
- Typical length
- 1 hr 33 min
- On air since
- 2019
- Latest episode
- 1 week ago
Episodes
175 episodes, newest first
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1 hr 35 min
Fighting Mania: Fist of the North Star - Episode 172
Show notes
If you think you can punch your way out of this fight… then you're exactly right! We put our auditory fists to your physical ears with an exploration of everything that makes Konami's Fighting Mania: Fist of the North Star great (and not so great). How hard is this game (aka Punch Mania: Hokuta no Ken) to fix? Is the key to your success just a failed motocross manga away? What's your Tallahassee name? It's easy: pick your favorite fighting game or fighting game character and the shortest possible variation of your first name. Questions for this episode include: which game has the most staying power and which has dropped off the most; what is a gaming tip we learned that drastically improved our gameplay; what's our go-to game for spooky season; and what's our favorite joke or gag in the Podouken's history? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the Rankdouken episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 11 min
Cho Chabudai Gaeshi (Super Table Flip) - Episode 171
Show notes
Ever wanted to end a dinner conversation suddenly? Is the boy band's choreography not meeting the door fee charged? Did someone heat up tuna in the work microwave again?! All are valid scenarios where there's just one option - flip the table and leave. We talk about the arcade game that lets you live out this fantasy (without all the post-flip cleanup), Taito's Cho Chabudai Gaeshi! Reminisce with us as we recall how Flippin' Great Pinball came to be as we approach our 10th year in operation. We also answer if a blipped kid in the MCU can buy alcohol post-blip, who's the new spooky cereal mascot, and the arcade cab that's the biggest waste of space. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the Rankdouken episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 34 min
Prop Cycle - Episode 170
Show notes
If Hayao Miyazaki agreed to make an arcade game we doubt it would fit better in his world than this one. We continue the Peripherals Y'alls miniseries with Namco's exertainment calorie burner, Prop Cycle. Was Prop Cycle the first arcade game that tricked kids into healthy gaming? Is the Namco System Super 22 the heaviest arcade system ever made? Why is the story so good for a bicycle game? Did you know that NDAs expire? Well they do, so we tell our long unspoken FSU football arcade story about a nightmare night with B.Rad. We answer these humdingers: what is our favorite and least favorite game to play based on an existing property, who's the best MST3K host, what is the difference between the dead and undead, and will Sound Boy ever get resurrected? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the Rankdouken episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 33 min
The Typing Of The Dead - Episode 169
Show notes
Did you know that if you finish
Typing this entire block of lines
That you will be completely
Dateless for the rest of your life?
The Peripherals Y'alls miniseries starts with the best undead Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing simulator in the entire arcade - Sega's Typing of the Dead! Is the bullet mightier than the keyboard? How did Sega take The House of the Dead 2 and make it even campier? Is pineapple on pizza an indicator that you're in the Good Place or the Bad Place? Will Rob ever finish his Typing of the Dead candy cab? Listener questions for this episode include what animal would we want to be reincarnated as, what was the best Dolly Parton song, best Tim Curry role, best Peter Cullen voice, is anyone still making vector monitors, and a chunklet of Inside the Actor's Studio questions. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the Rankdouken episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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2 hr 8 min
Arcade Obscura (Vector Victor) - Episode 168
Show notes
Time to bring the Vector Victor miniseries in for a landing so please fasten your seatbelts and place your tray tables in the upright position as we descend into an Arcade Obscura. Rob brings us the first game to ever come out in the arcade after previously coming out on the home console. Jarrod brings us a tale of caution and woe with a game whose failure rate was legendary. Adam delivers on the mayhem with a major miss by a known brand. We might have set the record with the number of listener questions answered in an episode! We cover what our lottery dream cars would be, the oddest place we've seen a functional arcade or pinball cabinet, the theme that kills any love for a well-playing pinball, the older cartoon that we'd want to give the X-Men 97 treatment to, and what is that something we've held on for too long. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the all-new Rankdouken (officially the worst name for anything ever created): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 13 min
Star Wars - Episode 167
Show notes
Remember, the Force will be with you, always. The vector series continues with one of the best arcades to ever do it - Atari's Star Wars. What very Star Trek name did Star Wars originally go by before Atari gained the license from Lucasfilm? How did a focus group give us one of the top arcade grails ever? Did we discover a hidden and somewhat obscene new arcade cabinet format? How many parcels make up a parsec? Ready we are to answer questions like what is our "white whale" of a game, do we pause for refreshments when recording an episode, and which of the three of us are responsible for the most edits? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the new Rankdouken episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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45 min
Rankdouken - Episode 003 - Fruits
Show notes
Welcome to.....NOT Podouken, but Rankdouken. The internet's dumbest named ranking thing. In this episode, we take a listener request to rank......Fruits!
Rankdouken is normally a YouTube exclusive show, be sure to check out our channel for more video contant such as Listener questions, and occasional game play sessions.
Due to travel and life, Podouken missed an episode release, but will be back on our next scheduled upload date!
For now, enjoy our bonus show, Rankdouken!
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2 hr
Tempest - Episode 166
Show notes
Hell is empty, and all the devils are here. Any good miniseries must include the best game of that genre, so let's discuss Dave Theurer's gorgeous vector Atari game, Tempest. If Tempest was a steak what cut would it be? Why does this episode leave Rob breathless? Was the Cranberries Doors and Windows the best video game of 1995? Did Tempest birth the most popular arcade-based urban legend? We answer your most pressing questions like, have we played Arcade Paradise or similar arcade operator simulators, what's our advice on staying cool, and would we rather be paid $1 million or earn $1,000 for every hotdog we eat. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the new Rankdouken episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 31 min
Star Castle - Episode 165
Show notes
Have fun storming the castle! We circle back with Cinematronics to see what they cooked up to compete with Atari's Asteroids - the beautiful vector classic Star Castle. Did this game's life begin as a game about the beginning of life? How did Atari's failure to port this Star Castle lead to one of their biggest hits? If arcade games rose up to kill humans based on what the game was about, what would be the most terrifying game to die by? Why did Star Castle show up in so many films? Questions answered this episode include how we decide what games make the cut for our arcade, do we have any games that we'd never put in there, and what tips do we have for buying pinball games in today's market. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the new Rankdouken episodes (so far we've ranked burger places and Nintendo consoles. What could be next?): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 14 min
Battlezone - Episode 164
Show notes
Atari treads new ground with their first terrestrial vector arcade offering, Battlezone! Was this the first game with true military applications? How did constant complaining lead to getting credited in one of the best arcade games made? What genius idea did Pastblaster's wife have to witness the Gumball 3000 rally for free? Was Battlezone the original Virtual Boy (but better in every way)? This episode's listener questions include what animal behavior makes us question reality; and what fast food/arcade promotion would we like to see and what food would we like to see them sell? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the new Rankdouken episodes (what started as an April Fool's joke now is its own thing): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 33 min
Space Wars - Episode 163
Show notes
Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor? In 1977 arcades lit up with a new vibrant and high-resolution display that brought a dead video game publisher back to life. This was the vector monitor and it did more than just connect the dots, it dropped jaws and led to some of the most memorable arcade games ever created. We kick off our new miniseries with the first vector coin-op game, Space Wars by Cinematronics! Was Larry Rosenthal, the creator of Space Wars, the best business man in the arcade industry? What elements from this game were "borrowed" by some of its more popular successors? Who was Rob's arcade Yoda when he was starting out? Exactly how dangerous can malfunctioning cathode ray tubes be? Listener questions for this episode include do we have a console game we'd like to see get the arcade treatment, what arcade restoration project are we most proud of, and which do we prefer: coffee or tea? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the new Rankdouken episodes (what started as an April Fool's joke now is its own thing): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 59 min
Arcade Obscura (Three's Company) - Episode 162
Show notes
The Three's Company apartment lease is up and it's time to move out and move on in the only way we know how - with an Arcade Obscura on underrated or obscure three-player arcade games! The first pick is so undefineable that Jarrod had to create a new word for the genre. The next pick gives us gore and bad line deliveries to go with our beat 'em up. The last pick takes a famous character, gives them two new friends, and has you do things with them that have never been tried again. We also talk about the recent UFO dump, the new Mortal Kombat 2 movie, and answer what things from the arcade hobby scene would we like to transfer to our real jobs. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post content like the all-new Rankdouken (officially the worst name for anything ever created): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 45 min
Alien Vs. Predator - Episode 161
Show notes
Pastblaster finally gets his flowers as we cover one of his favorite games - Capcom's excellent three-player beat 'em up, Alien Vs. Predator. Where does Alien Vs. Predator rank on the list of all-time arcade beat 'em ups? Are you familiar with the Vela Incident of 1979? How did comics lead directly to this game (and a movie that we'd rather not mention)? Did Christmas come early for Jarrod with a Neo Geo miracle? And we got listener questions! What is an arcade or pinball game where if we changed one element it would be perfect for us? In what may be our favorite listener question ever… if The Muppets made a Street Fighter movie, which muppet would be cast in which part? And in the final, related question: what is our favorite Muppets movie? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 29 min
Rampage - Episode 160
Show notes
We return to our normally scheduled broadcast to tear into one of the best 3-player and 80s games ever made - Rampage by Bally Midway. Did Rampage lay out the landscape for future sandbox video games? Can you tell the difference between Ralph Wolf and Wile E. Coyote? What led to the long-standing partnership between game designers Brian Colin and Jeff Nauman? Did we really just go around the moon or is it just one more elaborate hoax as the YouTubers claim? (Editor's note: stop it. We definitely went around the moon.) We also answer these vital listener questions: which two fighting game characters from different fighting game franchises would you watch a Heated Rivalry-like TV series about, have we ever had a game that we didn't buy after being discouraged by the maintenance required to keep it running, and what was the animated movie we watched the most as children? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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2 hr 13 min
The Three Stooges - Episode 159
Show notes
While the episode title could be interpreted as a comment about the three knuckleheaded hosts, we're taking a very foolish look at the little known Mylstar arcade game The Three Stooges in Brides is Brides. Why is this game so intent on players wiggling men's joysticks? How does a game based on a property made 50 years before the game's release play 45 years after it came out? Did this game stay true to the Three Stooges spirit? What happens if we don't have a lot of content on a game and have to end an episode early? Pay no attention to the episode release date. Unrelated to that… hello everybody and welcome to Pindouken, Podoukenbayo, Pod-do-you-believe-ken, Gachapodouken, or Rankdouken (name still being workshopped). Join the Podouken Discord and tell us which subject the Podouken crew should tackle next. Is it something featured in this episode or something new: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 26 min
Armored Warriors - Episode 158
Show notes
In the world of three-player arcade beat 'em ups Capcom is king. But which of their games reign supreme? In this episode we're talking about the build-a-mech brawler Armored Warriors! Is Armored Warriors the closest we'll ever get to an Exo Squad arcade game? What is the quarter mile time of a Night Fury Nissan GTR and how much horsepower does it have? Did Rob turn traitor while watching Olympic hockey? How did this game spawn a popular fighting game character? Listener questions asked this week include what was our first arcade machine and when did we buy it, what raster arcade would make an excellent vector, and what arcade or pop culture possession would you save if you could save only one. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 21 min
Turbo Force
Episode 157
Show notes
In 1991 Video System released what is undeniably the best three-player vertical arcade shooter that retrofits Lamborghinis into flying vehicles that fight a giant Lexus in space - and 35 years later we're talking about it. Now get your butt in the Diablo(on) as we launch Turbo Force! With its blood selling for $60k per gallon is Turbo Force's giant horseshoe crab the most valuable boss in an arcade game? Does "C" stand for "Canada," "controversy," or "curling"? Did we have the opportunity to buy a famed arcade gaming IP and miss it? Is this the ultimate 90s Trapper Keeper game come to life? We get into the Olympics spirit by - in what may be a Podouken first - all picking the same winter sport to make into an arcade game. We also broadcast our favorite arcade announcers, explore our work ethic by answering if we just hang at the arcade business we own, and what rare games we would refuse to put out for public play. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 36 min
Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road
Episode 156
Show notes
Step right up and spin the wheels (all three of them) on the best stand-up racing game to feature a vague Marvel reference - Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road by the Leland Corporation. What is the true name of this game? Why does Rob sound like he gargled with razor blades? How many copies of Super Mario Advance can one person legally own? Was the Activator the worst gaming peripheral ever? Questions this week include which arcade PCBs have shot up in price and made us go, "huh, really, that game?"; and a three-parter: what is an arcade or pinball game that we love but don't recommend to others to play, that we would like to own but not play, and would like to play but don't want to own? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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1 hr 33 min
Battletoads
Episode 155
Show notes
It's the start of the Three's Company series but instead of Jack, Janet, and Chrissy (it's an old joke, look it up) we're talking about Pimple, Rash, and Zitz who star in one of the best, but woefully undersupported, beat 'em ups to hit the arcades - the Rare and Electronics Arts collab, Battletoads. What insane decisions did Rare make to keep this game fresh? Which collects more dust: a navel or Jaz drive slot? How much profanity was removed from Battletoads prior to it hitting arcades? What was the name of that kids game show where they would run through the maze at the end and velcro games to their vest and helmet? Answers to this episode's listener questions include our arcade pick to take on a rampaging kaiju destroying our town, which arcade character has the best hat, and what the heck do we do for our day jobs. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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2 hr 13 min
Half-Life 2: Survivor
Episode 154
Show notes
This episode is about a game you've definitely heard of but likely never knew was an arcade game. Lemony Vengeance joins the show to talk about his efforts to keep this Valve and Taito arcade collaboration alive. We're talking Gordon Freeman, airboats, gravity guns and headcrabs as we discuss the super rare Half-Life 2: Survivor. How did Lemony bring this Survivor back from its Street Fighter tomb? Is the GabeCube coming to save us? Will there ever be a Half-Life 3? What are some of our scariest game pickups? We also answer some deeply personal arcade collecting questions like how many storage units we own and cover the joys of operating arcade and pinball games for the public. Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2JzYou can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.
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