That Game Rules!

Disney, let’s talk. You already broke our hearts in the theater with The Lion King movie. Then, you release a game that will make an entire generation cry for totally different reasons. At what point does a hard game become just plain...unfair? The claws come out today, as we try to find the good in this beautiful looking game. But, looks can be deceiving. Set your controllers to stun, grab some juicy bugs to munch on, and let’s see if The Lion King ends up in the litter box once and for all on That Game Rules!  Stopping by 1994 and you know we’re gonna talk about the Lion King movie. Did you know 6 lions died while being shipped over for the artists to reference during the making of the movie? Well, that’s not true, but I do have other fun facts! Plus, an old school look at TV shows and more video games as we wander that Blockbuster aisle...  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

Grab your favorite color N64 controller (green), we’re talking Paper Mario today. A game that took those fancy 3D polygons and made them sit in the back row. Paper Mario and his 2D sprites may look beautiful, but even they aren’t the stars of this game. It’s the story and the charm, the world building of the Mushroom Kingdom, and of course, the friends we made along the way. Peach has the cake in the oven, let’s head off to Toad Town to get this RPG party started!  But first, we timewarp back to 2000 for a trash-talking good time. Lame toys, bad movies, and underwhelming technology will always manage to infiltrate our childhoods. Let’s riff on some old Disney straight-to-VHS and breakdown the paperweight known as the Nintendo 64DD (spelled with two “D”s).  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

Wario’s games are...unique. For me, Warioland 4 is like Zombie Warrior, it slipped through the cracks. So, while I never got to enjoy the GBA during its prime (being stuck in a parenting time loop), I’m here to make up for lost time. Warioland 4 shouldn’t be this good, but Wario’s gross little self has managed to make the jump from the garbage dump right into our hearts. Grab some garlic, skip the shower, and let’s answer the question: “If Warioland 4 was a booger, would I pick it?”  Plus, a tour of the past. We managed to survive Y2K and land ourselves in the middle of 2001. The 90s console wars are over, as we discuss the fall of Sega and the rise of PlayStation and Xbox. A new age of gaming is upon us, making Nintendo rethink the home and portable market. Plus, toy talk – Pogo stick vs. Razor Scooter. Oh yeah, Wario is here too, stinking up the place...  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

Leo, Donnie, Mikey, and Raph take the spotlight once more as we travel to the sewers to kick foot and eat pizza. This was it, this was the big moment. The arcades had finally come to our living room. Save those quarters for another day, because we’re taking a dive into TMNT II: The Arcade game for the NES. Gather around with those personal pan pizzas and let’s talk about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Cowabunga!  It’s the 80’s and Turtlemania is here! We’re jamming the old intro while eating our TMNT cereal with pizza-shaped marshmallows. Turtles, pizza, and the 80’s are what made me into the man child I am today. We also fondly talk about Saturday Morning Cartoons and the non stop toy commercials they came with.  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com       

Time to ruffle those feathers... We’re talking Quackshot today because Disney, ducks, and the 90s just go together so well. Firing up the BLAST processing on the Sega today, grabbing that big, black controller and firing off plunger after plunger. Castle of Illusion, Ducktales, Aladdin, Lion King, there were lots of Disney games out there... So where does Donald land in that colorful lists of games? Well, it’s back to Duckberg again, time to let Donald shoot his shot on another terrible episode of That Game Rules!  Things we’re weird in the 90s...today we go over PEZ, collectibles, Disney VHS Clamshells, and a whole mini breakdown of the Disney Afternoon cartoons. More Sega talk, more Nintendo talk, finished off with a Quackshot walkthrough full of rambling and incomplete thoughts! Cheers!  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

Your mission this week: Star Fox for the Super Nintendo. Suit up and hop in that Arwing, because we’re blasting off to the Lylat system. A game so advanced, it required the use of a brand new Super FX chip built right into the cartridge. We’ve got an episode packed with trivia, bonus facts, and more puppet talk than is usual even for this show. Let’s join Fox McCloud and his team to take down Andross in a polygon filled episode of That Game Rules!  This week I hope you brought your brains to class, because it’s an educational filled timewarp. Featuring hard hitting stories from the Weekly World News as well as cameos from Beakman and Mrs. Fritz. Come and listen to what knowledge was getting dropped on us back in 1993.  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

Don’t have a cow man, I just can’t help talking about The Simpsons constantly. This episode we take a look at the first home release game: Bart vs. the Space Mutants... and what a game it is. This thing is notoriously tough, hard to control, the sound is repetitive and... I kinda like it. Let’s put on those X-RAY specs and see through the painful playthroughs of our childhood. It’s time to take another trip to Springfield, in whatever mystery state they live in.   More Simpsons talk in our timewarp back to the 90s. Butterfingers, BK kids meal toys, and even their own music CDs, everybody was doin’ the Bartman back then. We also talk about the old contests of the 90s, M and Ms, Fruity Pebbles (for some reason), and the infamous Simpsons House Contest. D’oh!  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

Metroid II: Return of Samus is a sequel that was released exclusively on the Gameboy, 5 years after the original. A direct sequel to Metroid, we see our favorite bad ass bounty hunter Samus Aran getting right back into the alien blasting action. Featuring a mazelike world in the Gameboy’s glorious green color scheme, we blast our way through Metroids, aliens, and our own sanity. Is this game worth a shot today, and how does it hold up in the Metroid series? Let’s talk space balls this week!  We talk more about the 90s and send some love over to the Gameboy’s accessories. The Gameboy Camera and her partner, the Gameboy Printer, gave us 90’s kids an early look into selfies and Snapchat filters. Plus, more movie talk, tv sitcoms, and the Gameboy games in competition for our attention that year.   As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com    

Racing out from behind Mario Kart 64’s shadow is none other than Diddy Kong Racing, the best kart game on the N64 without Mario in the title. More courses, more vehicles, upgradeable weapons, boss fights, and on and on... So why is this game not talked about? N64 and Rareware gave us some of the best games of our childhood, and then they split up to the heartbreak of us all. So, hop on that hovercraft, let’s take a spin and see where things went wrong and where things went very right, with a breakdown of Diddy Kong Racing!  Before we get bananas, we have to talk about the 1900s. We sure were excited about space disaster movies in the 90s, and we take a side trip to talk about Space Jam. I have some fun talking about Christmas mornings and trying to pick that perfect game. I also vent about Lego and the lack of creativity when it comes to being a boring adult.  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com

Holy podcast episode description, Batman! We’re talking about Batman: The Video Game for the original Nintendo. A certified NES Tough game, mixing hardcore platforming with a fun, new wall-jumping mechanic. It’s time to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight, so let’s break down this game, gadgets, and levels so tough you’ll want to turn your controller into a batarang as it soars across the living room...  Of course, we’ll discuss Batman ‘89 as we dive deep into the Batcave. We also talk about the original crime busting gangster himself, McGruff the crime dog. Who would win a fight between Batman and Inspector Gadget? What about the Dark Knight versus Samus?  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com

Let’s crack this egg open. How do you follow a game like Super Mario World? Do you play it easy and just ship a new game with some new levels? Surely, any Mario game is going to sell and make the company money... But that’s where Nintendo and the people behind it differ. Nintendo likes to take chances and has a great track record of those chances working out in the best way. Yoshi’s Island stands as one of the best video games of all time and let me tell you all the reasons why...  We’ll talk about the history behind Yoshi’s Island and take a trip back to the 90s. We were spoiled as kids with some of the best movies and Saturday morning cartoons. I talk about old technology, video stores, and shine a spotlight on the Disney classic, A Goofy Movie.  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

DOOOOOOOM! A dark, scary game for a dark, scary January. Grab the BFG and let’s talk about everything that makes Doom what it is. The enemies, secrets, and the demon slaying weapons all combine to give us a Doom experience from a new perspective. Did Doom live up to the hype on the N64? What would that Doom 64 multiplayer look like?  Fire up that chainsaw and get the Hell in here!  We travel along Doom’s timeline to talk about history. We discuss the OG Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, and the 2005 Doom movie. Plus, the infamous summer of “Who shot Mr. Burns?”  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok  thatgamerules.com 

Let’s solve a mystery, let’s re-write history. Ducktales! WHOOOhOOOO! Another killer combo from the studio that brought you Mega Man. Ducktales is a game that showed a whole generation of kids what licensed games could be....actually fun. We had been burned before by crap games featuring logos of our favorite movies and shows, but no more. This duck brings it to the table with great gameplay, beautiful artwork, and a soundtrack that slaps harder than a duck pun I can’t think of right now.  What the duck was going on in the 80s? A whole bunch of nonsense, we remember the glory days of Monster Jam, the dark times of Saved by the Bell, and the confusing and arousing antics of Howard the Duck. I say the phrase “duck boobs” more than should be acceptable today.   As is required, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!”

Move over MCU, this is the original crossover event. Worlds collide in Super Smash Bros. for the N64. A brawling good time rocking those one of a kind N64 controllers. We’ve got Mario, DK, Link, Samus, and many more of the best properties Nintendo has to offer. Get ready to punch, kick, throw, stomp, and generally just smash your opponent around. Podcast Puuuunch!  Where were you on the eve of the new millennium? 1999 was a crazy time. Tech was getting bigger and scarier, fueled by the Y2K scare and a score of great science fiction films. Plus, the console wars evolve to include Nintendo and Sony, pushing Sega and their Dreamcast into a dark corner...  And of course, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok  Sign Up for the Newsletter:  thatgamerules.com 

Sonic had some big shoes to fill with this sequel, and he raced past that finish line in style. The introduction of Tails, the spin dash, and Super Sonic himself add to an already impressive game. You don’t make Nintendo sweat in the 90s and not gain some respect. So, grab yourself a chili dog and let’s talk about our favorite blue hedgehog as we see if Sega really can do what Nintendon’t.  We jump back to 1992 and head right into the trenches of the Console Wars. Better yet, throw on some Moonshoes and faceplant instead. We talk Sega, Nintendo and sprinkle in some Home Alone 2 and Batman Returns for good measure.  And of course, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook and YouTube  Sign Up for the Newsletter:  thatgamerules.com    

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past deserves all its praise and more. Dust off your boomerang, sharpen up your Master Sword, and hit up that hookshot with a little WD-40. We’ll explore all of Hyrule, Dark World, and maybe my mom’s basement in another dumb, retro episode of That Game Rules!  Well, excuuuuuusse me, listeners. But I have to talk about 1991. The Boglins make an appearance, Nintendo and Sega kick off the console wars, and we talk about the glorious masterpiece that is the Zelda cartoon.   And of course, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook and YouTube  Sign Up for the Newsletter:  thatgamerules.com 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Ninjas, brothers, and as the great philosopher Vin Diesel would say, “something something family.” Can a game be great in 1989, but be terrible in 2025? People are all over the place on this one. We break this NES classic down and talk about our favorite heroes in a half shell, Cowabunga Dudes and Dudettes!  HEY YOU GUUUUYYYYSSS! Stopping by 1989 this week, we talk about Goonies, GI Joe, and video game movie The Wizard. Fred Savage was having a year. More turtle fun with our sponsor, TMNT Turtle Pies, and more crazy 80s nonsense!  And of course, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook and YouTube  Sign Up for the Newsletter:  thatgamerules.com 

Enter that Konami Code and let’s get to the runnin’ and gunnin’. Contra is a top tier tough NES game. Sometimes referred to as one of the hardest games on the Nintendo, a title well deserved. Also referred to as one of the best games ever released for the Nintendo, another title well deserved. Let’s talk about weapons, cheats, and more as we GET TO THA CHOPPA in this week’s episode of That Game Rules!  There’s somethin in them trees... stopping by 1987 we check out the movie Predator and other 80’s icons. If it bleeds, we can kill it. We check out a creepy McDonald’s mascot that wasn’t a clown, talk about some Saturday morning cartoons, and try to answer the ages old question of what to do with the 3 seashells...  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook and YouTube  Sign Up for the Newsletter:  thatgamerules.com 

I see your Schwartz is as big as mine...Now let’s see how well you handle it. It's a galactic good time and we’re ready for Part 2 of Super Mario Galaxy!   We break down galaxies, power ups, music and more. Plus, a mini dive on the Nintendo Wii itself. Let's-a-go!  As always, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook and YouTube  Sign Up for the Newsletter:  thatgamerules.com 

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for an Italian plumber.”  Neil Armstrong (probably)    Mama Mia! Finally, a chance to redeem myself for that terrible Mario 64 episode. The episode, not the game, I’m only slightly less terrible now. Super Mario Galaxy debuted on the Wii back in 2007. I should have played it more back then, but I’ll make up for it now. This game has it all: the levels, the music, the goombas and the Lumas. Let’s all head to the Star Festival and celebrate, cuz it’s-a Mario time!  Oh boy, what else did 2007 have in store for us? Classic shows like Dora, Diego, Phineas and Ferb, and iCarly are dominating the TV, Live action cartoons are making their way the theaters, and we talk a toy with an amputation story. Neat!  Per usual, I can't keep the thoughts straight and talk about a whole bunch of other nonsense too...    Let's waste some more time this week on the worst gaming podcast on the internet!  Thanks again for giving this podcast a chance:  Send me messages at thatgamerules@gmail.com  Search for “That Game Rules!” on Facebook and YouTube  Sign Up for the Newsletter:  thatgamerules.com