Dear Negative World forum folks,

The past few days I've been listening to Nintendo World Report's latest podcast in their "Radio Free Nintendo" line. It's Episode 200 this past week and the guys wanted to do a big discussion. While they often do have thoughtful discussions, this week's about the DS is not only epic in size but epic in nature. I just really needed to remind people of why they are so great.

This week's episode is over two and a half hours long, which shows you the scope of their love for Nintendo and the scope of their discussion. It's so long I've been listening to it for multiple days. A little while mowing the lawn. Then more on my way to and from work. And I'm gonna finish it up today.

These guys have something that not all podcasts can handle... insight. It's great fun listening to these guys talk about Nintendo and the history of the DS. They touch upon the launch, the transition from GBA to DS, the games that really made the system become a must have, etc. It's so fascinating (considering I wasn't paying this kind of attention to the situation at the time) how the PSP was really a scare for Nintendo initially. The guys explain how Nintendo kept their share of the market and continued to grow it. There's some excellent insight and really, there's no fanboyism either. This is what I would consider a "mature" podcast because these are grown adults having adult conversations about Nintendo and it's interesting. Hell, this is NPR material but for the gaming world.

One of my favorite things too about this episode and the podcast in general is how much these guys get along and have genuine fun in their discussions. They tell jokes and enjoy each other's stories. I don't have a lot of gaming friends, less so as I get older even, but my Mario Kart Wiifing lately and listening to podcasts like these, it just keeps me around a small group of great gamers I can share my grandest hobby with.

I really urge you all to listen to this podcast if you like the DS, or Nintendo in general. They will not disappoint. I feel like I learn a lot every time I listen to a podcast and that makes it not just ambient noise like some podcasts, but it makes it media worth consuming.

That is all. There are 200 episodes to listen to, so get started somewhere!

Nintendo World Report
NWR Podcasts
Episode 200's Page (with download links)

Edit: Just got to the end of the epic podcast and the music they lead out on makes me so happy. It's probably my favorite 'credits' song in Nintendo history. I was always so affected by it in 1996 and through till today.

URL to share (right click and copy)

I'm a HUUUGE EarthBound fanboy. And yes, MOTHER 3 is even better than it.

@Zero
Those are pretty good, mostly. Some of them are available on PC. And Monkey Island is on almost everything (but PS3). Galaxies is probably the best Geometry Wars. I didn't even care for the retail games you listed, if that helps. Ace Combat 6 sucked, if that helps. (Haven't played Mass Effect.)

The best game was the one you guessed about! (In multiplayer, at least.)

Yeah I wasn't even going to put it on there but then I realized how mouth-frothing angry you would get if I didn't.

Not that I have anything against it, but with my brief playtime at your place it didn't grab me. Mind you, there is a reason I rarely play demos, brief playtimes of any game rarely grab me. I need to sit down and put some real time into a game before judging.

I am in love with this podcast. I don't even know if I have anything else to add.

@Zero
I totally would've frothed! I think you guys literally played for 10 seconds. Trust me, you did not get a good sampling of 'Splosion Man multiplayer madness.

It has more levels than NSMB Wii, you know...

Hey Anand, either there are two Anands who play video games (yeah right) or they picked your comment to discuss on their Yoshi's Story thingamajig...

Yeah, that was me! Yaaaayy!!

(And I think there are probably other Anands, although I doubt that they are as passionate about Yoshi's Story.)

RFN is a great podcast. I'm still working my way through their backlog. I'm in Feb. of 2009 right now, where they just finished doing a retrospective on Luigi's Mansion, which they didn't have too many good things to say about it didn't seem like. Jonathan Metts sounded like he pretty much hated it. He did nothing but whine about it through the whole thing.

I think I'll give it a listen. My favorite podcast is Weekend Confirmed but I need a Nintendo Exclusive podcast too. I stopped listening to IGN's NVC a few podcasts after Matt and Bozon left. The podcast was not the greatest thing in the world, but it started going downhill fast after their departure. As much as I love Craig, he can't rein in the new guys and he can't hold an intelligent conversation with them. I think I left immediately after they started spiking into the mikes.

@sirmastersephiroth

Well intelligent conversation that is fun and not uptight is what you'll find with RFN. Hope you enjoy. They occasionally discuss other consoles but only in their "what i'm playing" kind of segment.

NVC on its best day when Matt and Bozon were doing it can't hold a candle to RFN. It's a huge night and day difference, the most obvious being that the guys on RFN actually like the games and systems they talk about (Wii & DS).

@sirmastersephiroth

NVC has gotten a lot better. They do still talk about nothing, but it's not any worse than Matt and Bozon sounding like a broken record every week. "When will we get a storage solution? We don't know what happened to Factor 5! WHAT DARK GAME!?"

@sirmastersephiroth

Is Week-End Confirmed really that good? I remember Garnet just going into boring details about FPS games on 1up Yours, and that alone would have sufficed to convince me to stay away, but I also heard it's... not a great podcast for Nintendo fans?

Apparently, Garnet has said Sin &Punishment 2 would play better without the pointer, which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard?

What's up with that?

I love RFN but sometimes they talk a bit much about non-Nintendo games. It's nice to hear a Nintendo fan perspective on these non-Nintendo games, but on the other hand, I didn't really need to sit through like a half hour of Castlevania Lords of Shadow on a Nintendo podcast, even if they did come from a perspective I can relate to.

@Secret_Tunnel
Every time I listen to one of those (supposedly topical) podcasts where they just blather endlessly about random topics, I am forced to examine what I'm doing with my life. Like, more than usual.

@Pandareus
The guys on Weekend Confirmed have a pretty good rapport, but they do talk about a LOT about FPS games, sports games... just DUDE games, in general. The subject matter is pretty much anathema to a Nintendo fan. He retracted the pointer thing.

Pandareus said:

@sirmastersephiroth

Is Week-End Confirmed really that good? I remember Garnet just going into boring details about FPS games on 1up Yours, and that alone would have sufficed to convince me to stay away, but I also heard it's... not a great podcast for Nintendo fans?

Apparently, Garnet has said Sin &Punishment 2 would play better without the pointer, which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard?

What's up with that?

Garnet retracted his statement the following show after giving pointer controls a real chance in Sin and Punishment 2.

RFN is the best podcast on the net for Nintendo fans and one of the best gaming podcasts on the net in general. Weekend confirmed is also great but not a lot of Nintendo news is discussed. Somehow despite them mainly talking about the HD consoles 98% of the time and giving more mention to iphone gaming than Wii or DS it's still a great show for any gamer to listen to. I also love the Giant Bombcast which is not very good for Nintendo fans either. Gonintendo is good but they mostly stick to news. i prefer shows that give you honest opinions and have engaging discussions.

@anandxxx Well, apparently there is another Anand who loves video games...

Pandareus said:

@sirmastersephiroth

Is Week-End Confirmed really that good? I remember Garnet just going into boring details about FPS games on 1up Yours, and that alone would have sufficed to convince me to stay away, but I also heard it's... not a great podcast for Nintendo fans?

Apparently, Garnet has said Sin &Punishment 2 would play better without the pointer, which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard?

What's up with that?

I love this show. But it's very heavy on Non-Nintendo topics. They do love the 3DS. So once the 3DS comes out, you know they are going to be all over that.

@sirmastersephiroth

Hmm. I do need to pad my podcast selection now that At 1up and the Oddcast are probably over. Thanks.


BTW, has anyone listened to this week's RFN yet? Some douche named Andrew a.k.a. Zero wrote in with the stupidest letter ever.

What!? All I wrote about was the in-game cinematic feel of Starfox 64, did they talk about it?! It was a direct response to a comment they made two podcasts ago, didn't think they would bring it up now...