Still Loading #366: 1999 - The Year Low Culture Conquered America w/ Ross Benes

The Muppets are iconic and it has been long overdue since I discussed them on the podcast. Joining me today to help me talk about a childhood favorite of mine is... my brother Mike as well as Doug Lief from the Nostalgium Arcanum podcast! The game on this episode is Muppet Treasure Island, based on the movie of the same name. Mike, Doug and I break down this game in more detail than probably needed but who cares, this game rules. We talk about the gameplay, production value, green screen use and much more! Check Out Mike's show! https://www.mediatheatre.org/ Follow Nostalgium Arcanum on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/nostalgiumpod.bsky.social Shout-out Song: Treasure Island Composer: Hans Zimmer Album: Muppet Treasure Island Soundtrack https://archive.org/details/MuppetTreasureIsland_201805 End Song: He's a Pirate Composer: Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil Album: Muppet Treasure Island Soundtrack https://archive.org/details/MuppetTreasureIsland_201805 Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

Emulation is a polarizing subject in video games. While I personally feel its not a bad thing there are people who only associate with piracy. So I figured who better to talk about this topic than the founder of one of the earliest emulation websites, Zophar. Zophar founded Zophar's domain back in 1996 as a way to aggregate emulation information and it grew into something much more than that. Zophar and I chatted about how he started Zophar's domain, why he left, his feelings on emulation and much more! Check out Zophar on Twitch! https://www.twitch.tv/zophar1 Check out Zophar on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@zophar1 Checkout Zophar's Domain! https://www.zophar.net/ Follow Zophar on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/zophar.bsky.social Shout-out Song: Take some rest and eat some food! Artist: xDeviruchi  Album: 8-bit Fantasy & Adventure Music https://xdeviruchi.itch.io/8-bit-fantasy-adventure-music-pack End Song: He's a Pirate Artist: Jason Bernard arrangement of Klaus Badelt's original piece Album: N/A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7fGMH2b1Mc Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

A huge part of video game history is context. Context surrounding a game's development, context surrounding a game's release, context of the time and place the game was made during. Context informs how we interpret the past. This week on the show I am joined by author and journalist Ross Benes to talk about his book "1999: The Year Low Culutre Conquered America and Kickstarted Our Bizarre Times." We discuss what about the late 90's has informed so much of our present, how that culture affected the games that came out and how the games themselves were part of that percieved "low culture" at the time. There is so much more in his book worth diving into but I felt like this was a good introduction for ya'll to see what Ross has written. Follow Ross on Twitter! https://x.com/RossBenes Check out Ross' Website! https://www.rossbenes.com/ Check out Ross' Book! https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700638574/ Shout-out Song: BLUENOISE! Artist: Protodome Album: BLUESCREEN https://protodome.bandcamp.com/album/bluescreen End Song: Micromanagement Failure Artist: Ultrasyd Album: Chipsters EP Remix https://ultrasyd.bandcamp.com/album/chipsters-ep-remastered Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

We delve the depths of Tallon IV on this episode of Still Loading. I'm joined by returning guest to the podcast Chris (aka the British Bond Addict) to talk Metroid Prime. Metroid Prime is a game that has eluded me for a while. I first played it over a decade ago but never got around to beating it even though I made it over 90% through the game. That has been finally corrected and I couldn't be happier I got to experience it.... with a few complaints here and there. Chris and I discuss the music, the world, the story, why he's wrong about the story... I mean we just discuss the story. Anyway. Learn how to morph ball and roll on into this new episode! Follow Chris on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/britishbondaddict/ Shout-out Song: Samus Shuffle Artist: bLiNd Album: Chozo Legacy https://gamechops.com/chozo-legacy/ End Song: Chozo Legacy Artist: bLiNd Album: Chozo Legacy https://gamechops.com/chozo-legacy/ Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

More Zelda cartoons can't be a bad thing right? Joining me is my co-host with the mo-host Dexter Morrill to break down the 8th episode of the Zelda cartoon, Doppleganger. We talk about goth Zelda, Link's Kink's, uncomfortable kisses and Bob Ducca's list of bizarre ailments. As usual, what does that actually mean!? You will have to listen and find out! Follow Dexter on social media! Instagram BlueSky Shout-out Song: Fairy Fountain Artist: Mikel Album: Zelda & Chill https://gamechops.com/zelda-chill-complete/ End Song: Kokiri Forest (Ocarina of Time Remix) Artist: James Landino Album: Smooth McGroove Remixed https://gamechops.com/smooth-mcgroove-remixed/ Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

I love Nintendo. I still do. This company makes some of my favorite systems and games and has also given me some of my favorite memories. But even with my love of Nintendo its hard to overlook their negatives, even if those negatives are not Nintendo's fault. This week on the show I'm joined by Chris Coplien from Retro Hangover and St1ka from the YouTube channel St1ka to talk about the Nintendo Bump. We discuss how it seems the perception of game history at large is heavily skewed by Nintendo fandom, how that harms game preservation in other areas of gaming and where this bump seems to come from. Follow Retro Hangover on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/retrohangover.bsky.social Follow St1ka on Bluesky! https://bsky.app/profile/st1ka.bsky.social Check out St1ka on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@st1ka Shout-out Song: Hot Tea & Firmware Updates Artist: Dj CUTMAN Album: Wii U Grooves https://gamechops.com/wii-u-grooves/ End Song: Let's All Go To Nintendo Land! Artist: Dj CUTMAN Album: Wii U Grooves https://gamechops.com/wii-u-grooves/ Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

Video game history is more than just what is shown on YouTube and in podcasts. Joining me on this episode of Still Loading is Laine Nooney and they are the managing editor of ROMChip. ROMChip is an academic journal of game histories that's focus is to advance the critical work of games studies. In short, they publish peer reviewed articles, interviews and more all about video game history. I had a wonderful conversation with Laine about how ROMChip came to be, what their goal is at ROMChip, why it's important and much more. If you like video game history I HIGHLY recommend you check out this episode and also check out everything Laine and their team are doing over at ROMChip. See the links below to check it out all! Follow Laine on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/lainenooney.bsky.social Check out Laine's website https://www.lainenooney.com/ Follow ROMChip on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/romchip.bsky.social Check out ROMChip's website https://www.romchip.org/index.php/romchip-journal Shout-out Song: Maple Treeway Artist: Coffee Date Album: Wii Chill https://gamechops.com/wii-chill/ End Song: Talkbox Hues Artist: Sabrepulse Album: Paragon https://sabrepulse.bandcamp.com/album/paragon Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

This week we set sail for adventure here on the Still Loading Podcast. Joining me is new friend to the show Supertendo to talk about the originally maligned but now beloved Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Despite being more beloved now, Wind Waker had a very polarizing launch back in 2002 when it came out. This was not the Zelda most fans were looking for at the time, myself included. But a gutsy choice from Nintendo back then has proven it's staying power. Wind Waker is significantly more popular now than it was back when it released and I would like to feel like that is largely because it's intended audience grew up a bit and played the game on it's own merits and not based on their expectation. Supertendo and I discuss all of this on the episode along with how we feel the gameplay holds up, is sailing fun? Which is better the OG or the remake? Is the Triforce quest THAT bad? Listen and find out! Follow Supertendo on Instagram HERE https://www.instagram.com/supertendo_/ Shout-out Song: Windfall Island Artist: Helynt Album: Super Lofi World 2 https://gamechops.com/super-lofi-world-2/ End Song: Outset Island Artist: CG5 Album: Smooth McGroove Remixed 3 https://gamechops.com/smooth-mcgroove-remixed-3/ Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

You ain't nothin' but a groundhog! This month's cartoon episode is on the Super Mario Bros. Super Show Episode 8, "Love 'em and Leave 'em". Dexter is of course back and we had a lot of discuss on this one. We chat about the observational skills of our intrepid heroes, what hot pepper pistacio ice cream would taste like, why love potions are super problematic and much more! Follow Dexter on social media! Instagram BlueSky Shout-out Song: Fossil Falls Artist: Helynt Album: Mario & Chill 2 https://gamechops.com/mario-and-chill-2/ End Song: Mushroom Bounce Artist: bLiNd Album: NESteryears https://gamechops.com/nesteryears/ Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod

Whip sounds abound in this episode of Still Loading. I'm joined by TroytlePower of Geek to Geek Media and Thrak from the 3DO Experience to go on a rip-roaring adventure of punching some nazis. And no, this is not a continuation of Punch a Nazi month, but it is kind of a spiritual sequel to it. We are talking about Indiana Jones and the Great Circle this week. The three of us chat about our first experiences with the iconic archeologist, how this game surprised us in ways we weren't expecting, bizarre evangelical media and much more! **Please note this episode was recorded before Microsoft's announcement of massive layoffs so it was not brought up in this episode. Follow TroytlePower on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/troytlepower.bsky.social Follow Thrak on Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/thrak.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/gandcstudios.bsky.social Shout-out Song: Opening Theme Composers: Michael Z. Land, Peter McConnell and Clint Bajakian Album: Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis Sountrack https://retro.sx/music/301 End Song: And the Journey Begins Artist: xdeviruchi Album: 8-Bit Fantasy & Adventure https://xdeviruchi.itch.io/8-bit-fantasy-adventure-music-pack Get Still Loading Podcast merch! https://www.teepublic.com/user/still-loading-podcast Check out the Bit by Bit Foundation! https://www.bitbybitfoundation.org/ Support the Podcast! https://www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod