How Hollow Knight Became Such A Phenomenon

Maddy, Jason, and Kirk finally crack into the long-awaited Silksong, the sequel to Hollow Knight that was seven years in the making. They talk about how Silksong compares to its predecessor, the classic origin of its musical motif, and of course, why Hornet is such a badass.One More Thing:Kirk: The Cloud Roads (Martha Wells)Maddy: Elden Ring Nightreign’s four-player mod by YuiJason: The NFLLINKS:“Enter Pharloom,” “Moss Grotto,” “Title Theme” by Christopher Larkin from Hollow Knight: SilksongTwenty Thousand Hertz on Dies Irae: https://www.20k.org/episodes/diesiraeSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

On this, the day of Silksong's release, it's time to go back to where it all began: Hollow Knight! The Triple Click gang talks about Team Cherry's 2017 action-adventure game, what makes it so special, and how it became a cultural phenomenon. Plus: they revisit Kotaku Splitscreen's 2018 interview with the developers of Hollow Knight.One More Thing:Kirk: Split FictionMaddy: Deep Cover (2025)Jason: The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of AgesLINKS:“Hornet” and “City of Tears” by Chris Larkin from the Hollow Knight OSTKirk’s review of Hollow Knight: https://kotaku.com/hollow-knight-the-kotaku-review-1827367425A video of someone beating the Absolute Radiance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rg8UBKtt1oExcerpts from Kirk’s August 2018 Splitscreen interview with Team CherryJason’s 2025 interview with Team CherryFolding Ideas on Silkposting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSkbylysplISupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Jason, Kirk, and Maddy react to the news that Silksong will be out very soon, then talk about some of the games they've been playing, including Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Mafia: The Old Country, and more.One More Thing:Kirk: Alien: EarthMaddy: King of the Hill (2025)Jason: CrosscodeLINKS:Brett Douville’s podcast, Dev Game Club: https://www.devgameclub.com/Jason’s interview with Team CherrySupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

LINKS:Plante's video game podcasts The Besties and Post GamesSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Kirk, Jason, and Maddy open up the mailbag to answer some of your questions! What's the ideal skill level for a video game reviewer? What's the funniest made-up video game word? And where's the line when it comes to the use of generative AI in game development? One More Thing:Kirk: The Words of Radiance (Brandon Sanderson)Maddy: Enemy Feminisms: TERFs, Policewomen, and Girlbosses Against Liberation (Sophie Lewis)Jason: Six of Crows (Leigh Bardugo)LINKS:Kirk’s new Strong Songs episode about his dad: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s07-bonus-a-song-for-my-fatherBrian Merchant’s Blood In The Machine blog post: https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/how-ai-is-killing-jobs-in-the-tech-f39Kirk’s guest spot on A Grain of Sanderson talking about The Emperor’s Soul: https://agrainofsanderson.buzzsprout.com/2312274/episodes/17601676-the-emperor-s-soul-legion-episode-17-w-kirk-hamiltonSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Maddy, Jason, and Kirk whip out their ocarinas for a trip to the past in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the 1998 masterpiece that set a new bar for 3D video games. They talk about how it holds up in 2025, how it set a blueprint for Breath of the Wild, and how Link got adult clothes after seven years in cryostasis.One More Thing:Kirk: Process: A Novel (Matthew Seiji Burns)Maddy: KPop Demon Hunters (2025)Jason: Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)LINKS:Featuring soundtrack excerpts from Ocarina of Time composed by Koji KondoTriple Click’s Link to the Past Episode: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/triple-click/triple-click-classics-zelda-a-link-to-the-past/Kirk’s Strong Songs episodes about The Legend of Zelda: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/the-music-of-the-legend-of-zeldaAnd a Zelda bonus: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s05-bonus-a-little-extra-zeldaAnd Tears of the Kingdom: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s05e08-the-music-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdomSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

Before we play video games, it's important to get consent from relevant parties, such as Visa and Mastercard. This week, the Triple Click gang talks about payment processor censorship, Xbox layoffs, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's wild emails, and much more. Plus: the newfound relevance of South Park.One More Thing:Kirk: Star Trek: Lower DecksMaddy: PeakJason: South ParkLINKS:Tyler Foggott in the New Yorker on South Park’s premiere: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-lede/south-park-skewers-a-satire-proof-presidentBloomberg on Satya Nadella: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-05-15/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-on-his-ai-efforts-and-openai-partnership?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc0NzQ0MDExNywiZXhwIjoxNzQ4MDQ0OTE3LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJTV0JNQ1FUMEFGQjQwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCNjVFOTM5Mjc2NzA0M0QzODY0NDRDMDdBRDc0OTE2NiJ9.y7u-8QK7MCMqjKVlR5fO6u5JG1Iel4Hrm7YF3XE4u64Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

OH, BANANA! Kirk, Jason, and Maddy punch through some rocks for Donkey Kong Bananza, the first big single-player Switch 2 exclusive and the latest game from the team behind Super Mario Odyssey. They talk about its delightful design tricks, how much fun it is to smash up the world, and whether it's a worthy successor to Odyssey.One More Thing:Kirk: Children of Time (Adrien Tchaikovsky)Maddy: The DrifterJason: Nurikabe WorldLINKS:Maddy’s review of The Drifter: https://www.endlessmode.com/video-games/the-drifter/the-drifter-is-a-gripping-mystery-with-grating-charactersSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinAll-New Triple Click Merch!! https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

LIVE from Portland, it's Triple Click! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason reach into the Gamer hat and answer some audience questions. It gets a little off the rails.

Jason, Kirk, and Maddy open up the mailbag for some of your burning questions. Should a family that's never gotten a Switch before get a Switch 1 or Switch 2? Is it ethical to play online games on private servers? And can Outer Worlds 2 really critique capitalism while being made by one of the world's biggest corporations?One More Thing:Kirk: Birnam Wood (Eleanor Catton)Maddy: Gaming pillow from MechanismJason: Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals TimeLINKS:Kirk’s latest Strong Songs mailbag about the music of Blue Prince: https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s07e09-bluegrass-blue-prince-and-the-bluesTriple Click LIVE in Portland, July 11: https://albertarosetheatre.com/event/triple-click-live/alberta-rose-theatre/portland-oregon/Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinBuy Triple Click Merch: https://maxfunstore.com/search?q=triple+click&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/