This Month In Retronauts: May 2025 edition

Last month an unprecedented amount of breaking news resulted in our longest community podcast ever. Today, without anything on par with a new console reveal, I present our second-longest community podcast ever. How did this happen? Don't ask me, I just work here.

Me, of course, is Diamond Feit and I am joined by Stuart Gipp (Google him). Thank you for indulging me in an unorthodox monthly question in April; I promise I came up with something more specific this time, possibly a headscratcher even!

Specific items mentioned in this episode include:

• Doom: The Dark Ages

• Pepsi in Japan, like Coke, has Pepsi Zero

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

  • the "baguette outfits" are so real, there's even cosplayers wearing 'em

• Jedi Survivor

• 巨影都市 (full playthrough on YouTube)

  • officially a spinoff of Zettai Zetsumei Toshi (Disaster Report et al)

  • Stu asks about Robot Alchemic Drive (from the makers of EDF btw)

• Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3

• Skin Deep

  • Blendo Games have since announced a "mod museum"

• looks like one of New Hampshire's largest liquor stores is in Nashua!

• Breath of Fire IV on GOG based on 2003 PC release

  • Toaplan has a dedicated developer page on Steam

  • my column on Eschatos: still good

  • the two-game Cho Aniki "collection" remains Switch exclusive

• Sakura Wars 2 English translation for Saturn

  • Waku Waku Puyo Puyo Dungeon was also recently translated

    • developed by Compile, not Chunsoft

• Mega Drive Metal Gear!?

  • see also h0ffman's previously released Amiga port

• Dinosaur Planet: Recompiled

  • unreleased game now playable via N64 Recompiled project

• Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link has been cancelled

  • Dragon Quest Walk launched in 2019 and continues to earn yen

  • fans cooked up Kingdom Hearts Melon Mix to play the DS games on PC

• new inductees in the World Video Game Hall of Fame!

  • Defender

  • GoldenEye 007

  • Quake

  • Tamagotchi

    • take a look at the latest model coming this July

  • talk of Rochester prompts a sidebar about Buffalo, NY

    • I remain confident I ate lunch with Mako at the Anchor Bar in 2007

• OutRun movie starring/produced by Sydney Sweeney?

  • directed by Michael Bay? sure why not

  • I maintain that AmbuLAnce is worth watching

• speaking of movies: next Mario picture is called Super Mario World

  • or is it!? title since REMOVED from the announcement

• Satellaview+

  • fan-made "broadcasts" for the long-defunct Satellaview platform

• Epic WINS suit against Apple taking cut of all sales on in-app purchases

  • obviously Apple will appeal

  • since this recording Apple actually relented, allowed Fortnite back on App Store

  • also breaking news: unions are suing over the Darth Vader chatbot

• support ending for the 3DS Louvre audio guide in September

  • important distinction: Near vs Nier

• Ecco the Dolphin countdown clock on official website

• Gears of War: Reloaded coming August 26 (PS5, Steam, free on Game Pass)

  • Gears of War: Ultimate Edition owners get a free upgrade

• Xbox saw Sony raise prices and called

  • Series S/X up by 20% or so in the US, less so elsewhere

  • accessories like controllers are also going up

  • games will be $80 in the US. This is now normal.

• Polygon sold to "click-farm powerhouse" Valnet

• Giant Bomb survives shakeup to go independent

  • I recommend Aftermath if you're looking for a gaming/tech blog to read

  • did you know I've written for IGN? I have, and hope to again!

• watch Justin Wong go ham with a CvS2 boss team

  • or with Level 4 Dan?

• https://antifandom.com/

• Stu calls it Atmosfear but most Americans know it as Nightmare

• Matt McMuscles' Iron & Blood video in his Worst Fighting Game series

  • he has indeed covered Rise of the Robots & its sequel

• YES, the next Metroidvania Book Club game is on PS+

• Ranma ½ Hard Battle

• Tom and Jerry: The Movie for the Master System

• according to JP Wikipedia PlayStation sales have steadily declined post-PS2

  • compare 6.5 million PS5s with 37 million Switches

• Speedy Eggbert? Speedy Eggbert 2??

• I am once again asking you to watch Akiba Maid War (singular)

• "I think Alfred Chicken is marvelous" quote this on a box, Mindscape

• Brian Clark's take on Double Dragon 3 (arcade)

  • my own take on Double Dragon 3 (arcade)

• cannot find evidence of DLC getting my name wrong in the MK podcast…

• Chris Evans, not Chris Evans

• criminally under-nominated Challengers

• I apologize for multiple f-bombs when praising Katy O’Brian & Panos Cosmatos

• My Neighbor Totoro となりのトトロ

• Millennium Actress 千年女優 / Perfect Blue

  • really all of Satoshi Kon's work is worth viewing, RIP

  • Studio Ghibli likewise has a great batting average

• I wonder if you can see me in this video? I sure can't!

  • I used the audio from this moment back in June 2023

• Eric Cantona's infamous kick from 1995

• Peterborough United does have an official LGBTQ+ Supporters Group

• please write in with your thoughts on enigmatic British man Mick George because I want this jersey

Art & edits by Diamond (photo source). Music heard in this episode:

• 12:33 audio from Pepsiman (1999)

• 20:53 comedy highlight from my 巨影都市 playthrough

• 30:52 "Nina Pasadena (Skin Deep)" by Priscilla Snow

• 40:10 Gradius VRC6 cover by Shimoine

• 51:15 "Theme of Tara" from h0ffman's Metal Gear Amiga port

• 57:03 "Simple and Clean" cover by Gates Of Ivory

• 1:07:08 "Mario! Stay Alert!" by Mario Club Band

• 1:18:21 "Open Ocean" (Ecco the Dolphin for Sega CD)

• 1:31:10 impromptu acapella musical performance from Giant Bomb in 2011

• 1:41:29 "Mahna, Mahna" by CAKE

• 1:50:33 "dataDyne Central Extraction" (Perfect Dark)

• 2:00:52 music from Alfred Chicken for PS1

• 2:11:31 "Run" by Susumu Hirasawa

• 2:22:31 "Osaka Lover" by Dreams Come True

• Finale: music to disappear to by John Ottman