We return to the Mario/Wario Land series as we take a look at Wario Land II for the Game Boy and Game Boy Color. Genius game design or unnecessarily annoying? You'll have to listen to find out!

Elsewhere, we answer the burning questions: What's up with that baby in Death Stranding? Can an Xbox controller mount a hacked Switch? How was the Mario Galaxy movie? How is ScreenBound 5-dimensional? Who buys a game from a streaming service anyway? And why were there so many dodgy catchphrase animations in Catchphrase?

Stay right 'til the end! Especially if you enjoy Ant and Dec's Wonky Donkey. No, that's not a euphemism.

Our FOUR (count 'em!) Incoming Indies:

- Pizzapocalypse 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4021890/Pizzapocalypse_2/

- ScreenBound: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2805070/Screenbound/

- Dracamar: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3306480/Dracamar/

- Data Center: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4170200/Data_Center/

In this episode we're playing a lovingly hand crafted treat for the eyes in the form of Harold Halibut for Steam, GOG, PS5 and Xbox, resulting in a very interesting discussion.

Elsewhere, we're picking fights with just about everyone and everything this month, from arcade ticket machines and (especially) AI, to pessimistic Panzer Dragoon fans, online fighting game fanatics and speed runners! We also find time to cover such important things as Steam Next fest, State of Play, Dead or Alive, SegaGAGA and we even drop in on our latest feature, Gardener's Corner (yes, really) to see how Tibbs is getting on with his rapidly expanding collection of spider plants!

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We look back fondly on the days where a company could release a fun arcade racer with a cool gimmick, without it being a boring racing sim that's bogged down with licensing agreements - it's Split/Second (aka Split/Second Velocity) in the book club, for PS3, 360 and Steam!

Meanwhile, Tibbs becomes embroiled in the latest argument to grip the Sonic community, and Ollie gets similarly angry at one of Nintendo's recently announced products. Plus more Metroid Prime 4, Dome Keeper, Bzzzt, musical rollercoasters and we reveal a new feature on Pod 'em Up; Gardening Corner!... Yes, really.

If you would like one of Tibbs' growing collection of spider plants, please get in touch. Also get in touch if you know how to look after a chilli plant, thanks.

Incoming Indie: Big Hops - https://www.luckshotgames.com/big-hops

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On this final episode of 2025, we look back at Future Cop: L.A.P.D. for the PS1 - the entry in the Strike series that was never to be. Still a great game though, but how will it fare in our annual Pod 'em Up Awards, which of course is also happening in this very episode!

Also in this bumper end-of-year episode, we're skirting around some sensitive issues in our analysis of those other game awards that usually happen to coincide with our own - though for some reason we also bundle into this our reviews of Animals of Farthing Wood and Babe: Pig in the City.

Plus, Metroid Prime 4, Journey to the Savage Planet, Parking Garage Rally Circuit, and the surprising reveal of quite possibly the catchiest theme tune to a cartoon based on a video game of all time.

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Just how strange is life, anyway? Very, apparently, if you're playing 2015's excellent time travelling, episodic, narrative-driven adventure game, Life is Strange.

I'll be honest, our anti-spoiler policy means that we can't fully delve into some of the more interesting aspects of this beautiful game during the normal discussion of this on the podcast. So for anyone who has already played the game in full, we've released a bonus chat, covering some of the plot twists and heart-breaking moments that we could only carefully hint at on the show. Please see this link for all the SPOILERS:

https://soundcloud.com/user-557762286/life-is-strange-extra-discussion-spoilers

We've got lots more lighter content too though, including a general discussion about the GTA series, Sonic Racing Crossworlds, Donkey Kong Bananza and Yooka-Replaylee. Plus, Tibbs brings us the Incoming Indie this month because Ollie is too busy ranting about skill trees again.

Goodnight, God bless, see you in the morning.

Incoming Indie: Carpark Capital - https://www.microprose.com/games/car-park-capital/

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This month we're playing one of our most obscure games yet, as Tibbs reaches down deep into his pile of childhood Amiga disks, and pulls out the rarely discussed Universal Warrior - a top down shoot 'em up with an interesting robot-building slant!

This episode is also packed with other trinkets to enjoy - including but not limited to: Nintendo Direct, Virtual Boy, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, Halo Reach and Mario Kart World! Plus, roll some cheese, dodge some sofas and find out what happens when a Clockwork Orange meets Space Jam!!

Incoming Indie: Denshattack! - https://store.steampowered.com/app/2524850/Denshattack/

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Tails is going on an Adventure in the book club this month, and he's bringing all his (game) gear with him! Find out more about this curious and rarely discussed foray into the metroidvania genre, where no other Sonic the Hedgehog game has been before, or since.

Plus, we do our usual Pod 'em Up appraisal of Gamescom (i.e. mostly just listing some boring new games that we're not that interested in), and we discuss Bombrush Cyberfunk, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance and Overcooked. If that weren't enough for you though, you're sure to enjoy Tibbs' cherry-loving mouse, Ollie's gaming game changer, and an online pun generator provides us with what is unquestionably the funniest tangent we have ever done on this podcast.

Incoming Indie: TANUKI: Pon's Summer - https://store.steampowered.com/app/3218570/TANUKI_Pons_Summer/

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It's another double whammy book club this month, as we discuss both the Mega Drive and arcade versions of the title that cemented Sega's love affair with the king of pop - Michael Jackson's Moonwalker!

We continue the movie theme, as Tibbs plays RoboCop: Rogue City, Ollie takes a trip to the cinema to see Jurassic World: Rebirth (not a game, granted, but still worth talking about), there's more Switch 2 shenanigans in the news, Tibbs makes some squash and Ollie pulls another Chrono Trigger on us.

Incoming Indie: Platypus Reclayed (https://store.steampowered.com/app/2912430/Platypus_Reclayed/)

BONUS! Listen to our full discussion about the ending to Cassette Beasts (spoilers included) on SoundCloud:

https://on.soundcloud.com/dhYDWQLcyKkSJhutsO

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