Unlockables: The Story of Video Games

Pokémon Legends Z-A and Wanting Pokémon To Grow Up

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0500

Pokémon Legends Z-A asked a question that I was genuinely interested in. So of course this sent me into an existential crisis. What do you do when that happens? Podcast about it of course. This episode is my attempt to make sense of my feelings towards Legends Z-A, the series in general and the unstoppable passage of time.

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The Unlockables is a video game podcast about people's stories and memories around the games that they play, as well as the story of the games themselves! The show consists of solo essay episodes, guest interviews, and collaborative episodes on some of the games that shaped us.

What's Next

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 22:00:00 -0600

A life update, and some news about 2026 and the future of the Unlockables.

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Video Games, AI, and the Moving Goal Posts of Unethical Consumption

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0600

I have never witnessed in my life such a rush to integrate something into the very fabric of everyday life as I've seen with AI. Within a short time, tech companies are rolling out AI tools into every conceivable service and software they offer. AI has found its way to video games too, and with the threat to art, artists and people who make games reaching existential levels, is there anything we can do to stop the rising tide of AI?

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Blades That Blaze | Fire Emblem (GBA)

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

The original Fire Emblem staring Marth would debut in 1990 for the Famicom and remain a Japan exclusive title for nearly a decade. But at the turn of the millenium, with the surprise success of Advance Wars and popularity of Marth and Roy in Smash Brothers Melee, Nintendo decided to bring its tactical JRPG series to an international audience for the first time. This is the story of Fire Emblem on the Game Boy Advance (also known as Fire Emblem 7 or Fire Emblem The Blazing Blade) and how it helped establish the series as a core franchise for Nintendo.

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Strawberry Mountains Forever | Celeste

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0600

Indie games have grown into an absolutely massive part of the video game industry over the years, and Celeste stands among them as one of the best. A story of self-doubt, mental health, and overcoming life's challenges is one of the best video game experiences you'll have, period.

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Romancing the Kingdoms | Dynasty Warriors Origins

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

As the Han Dynasty disintegrates and China's Golden Age collapses, heroes and villains rise up to unify the land under their ideals. It's a story that's been told in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Dynasty Warriors line of video games. After the sour reception of Dynasty Warriors 9, the series returned with a more modern and polished take on the musou formula, Dynasty Warriors Origins. Would this new entry get the series back on track? Or would it continue the trajectory into mediocrity?

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Guns, Demons, Hell, Oh My! | Doom (1993)

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Hell breaks loose on the Unlockables as today we're taking on hoards of demons in the landmark 1993 game, DOOM! What can Doom teach us about one of the most popular genres of video games?

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Time Is Egg Shaped | Chrono Trigger

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500

How do you even approach a game hailed as the greatest RPG ever made? How do you begin to talk about something that's had a bar set for it that's so high, nothing could possible live up to the expectations? Well, like this I guess. I played Chrono Trigger for the first time for its 30th anniversary and what I discovered still managed to surprise me. This is the story of my first playthrough of Chrono Trigger.

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Sad Little Trees | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Clair Obscur Expedition 33 is a phenomenal game that sparks some incredible reflection on the themes of grief, family, and perseverance. But these conversations quickly got drowned out by Game of the Year hype and AAA Industry bashing. What should the conversation be around this game, and how can we guide the course of the conversation to a better place that allows this game to stand on its own.

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What Does The Fox Say? | Star Fox (SNES)

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Compared to modern video games, Star Fox on the Super Nintendo looks rudimentary. One of the earliest examples of 3D on a Nintendo system, beneath this simplicity is a story of pushing against hardware limitations and fighting back against the advances of Sega.

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Thank you to everyone who recorded their thoughts and contributed to this episode!

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Born To Be Wild | Monster Hunter Wilds

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Any new entry in the Monster Hunter series is cause for celebration. With the smash hit Monster Hunter World, tons of new fans discovered the series for the first time. Now with a true successor to World, Capcom looks to continue Monster Hunter's momentum. But would the changes and concessions made in the pursuit of streamlining the experience cause Monster Hunter to lose a piece of its soul?

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Thank you to everyone who recorded their thoughts and contributed to this episode!

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An Oath to Return | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0500

The Guiding Keys min-series and the story of Kingdom Hearts comes to a close. For now.

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Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 22:45:00 -0500

The final game in the Kingdom Hearts series (for now) and the final episode of Guiding Keys is Melody of Memory, a rhythm game that celebrates the incredible music of Kingdom Hearts.

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Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Part 2 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 22:30:00 -0500

Our analysis of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road continues. As the plot with the upper classmen thickens, Xehanort finds himself on a road that will ultimately see him become the antagonist of the Kingdom Hearts series.

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Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Part 1 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 22:15:00 -0500

We've reached the next game in the Kingdom Hearts series and the penultimate game in our Guiding Keys adventures. Dark Road follows the story of a Young Xehanort training to be a Keyblade Master. What truths will be revealed to us about the Seeker of Darkness.

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2024 Round Up: Games Played, Game of the Year, and State of the Unlockables

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 22:00:00 -0500

As 2024 comes to a close, I take some time to reflect on the games I played this year, as well as the State of the show going into 2025. Thank you all again for another incredible year!

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Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus feat. Poppy the Masked Keaton

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 21:45:00 -0500

After wanting to play the Sly Cooper series for ages, I finally got some time to dive into the first game on the PS2. Luckily I had Unlockables community member Poppy the Masked Keaton to join me for this discussion!

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Pokémon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire Nuzlocke feat. Adam of The Good, The Bad and the Backlog

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 21:30:00 -0500

Adam from The Good, the Bad and the Backlog joins the show to discuss our experience doing a Pokémon Nuzlocke run for the first time. The rules we used for this Nuzlocke run are the base rules: one encounter per route, if a Pokémon faints you can't use it for the rest of the run, and you must nickname all Pokémon you catch.

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Kingdom Hearts Union X Part 2 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 21:15:00 -0500

Part 2 of our deep dive on Kingdom Hearts Union X where we discuss the aftermath of the Keyblade War, the fate of the Dandelions, and a crucial choice by our player character that changes the course of the series.

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Final Fantasy Tactics feat. Mick Davis

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 21:00:00 -0500

Friend of the show and fellow Dad Mick Davis stopped by the Unlockables to talk about the classic PS1 tactical RPG Final Fantasy Tactics!

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Kingdom Hearts 3 Part 6 - ReMind DLC & Finale | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 20:45:00 -0500

At long last we've arrived at the finale for Kingdom Hearts 3. In this episode we discuss the ReMind DLC, the Secret Reports, and some final thoughts on Kingdom Hearts 3 as a whole. What secrets lie ahead in Kingdom Hearts 4?

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Warhammer 40000: Space Marine 2 feat. Will and Nick of Friday Night Gamecast

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 20:30:00 -0500

Today's episode is dedicated to the GLORY OF THE EMPEROR. Fellow Space Marines Nick and Will of Friday Night Gamecast stop by the Unlockables to break down the insanity that is Warhammer 40000 and the hit new game from Saber Interactive, Space Marine 2!

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Kingdom Hearts 3 Part 5 - One Sky, One Destiny | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 20:15:00 -0500

The final confrontation with Xehanort and Organization XII is at hand, and our journey with the base game of Kingdom Hearts 3 comes to a close.

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Sonic Adventure 2 feat. Matt aka Stormageddon

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 20:00:00 -0500

On this episode of Unlockables, its time to LIVE AND LEARN. After foolishly beginning the Year of Shadow at the end of the story, I decided to right the wrongs by going back to the game where Shadow debuted; Sonic Adventure 2! Matt aka Stormageddon from "Fun" and Games Podcast and the Reignite Podcast stopped by the show to help me escape from the city.

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Kingdom Hearts 3 Part 4 - The Fated Place | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 17:30:00 -0500

After finishing our adventures in the Disney Worlds, we begin racing towards the conclusion of Kingdom Hearts 3. The fate of Aqua and Ven hang in the balance as the long awaited confrontation with Master Xehanort finally begins.

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Suikoden 2 (PS1): A Great RPG in a Changing Era

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 17:15:00 -0500

In the late 90s, the industry and gamers were looking forward to the future, and the future was 3D. But in the wake of the avalanche of 3D games there were some titles that got overlooked at the time. The Suikoden series on PS1 was good, but it just wasn't what people were looking for at the time. In recent years it's reputation has grown as not only one of the great RPGs of its time, but one of the greatest RPGs ever made.

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Kingdom Hearts 3 Part 3 - Disney Worlds Continued | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0500

Our adventures in the Diseny Worlds continue in part 3 of Kingdom Hearts 3!

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Kade of Gaming Memories: Podcasts, Emulation and Content Creation

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 16:45:00 -0500

The one true gaming prophet Kade Call stops by the Unlockables to talk about his experience creating his viral emulation videos, as well as a general discussion on content creation and emulation.

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Kingdom Hearts 3 Part 2 - Disney Worlds | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 16:30:00 -0500

Welcome back to part two of Kingdom Hearts 3. Today our adventures in the Disney worlds begin as Sora sets out to find the Power of Waking in order to save those who have been hurt by Xehanort.

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Shadow the Hedgehog feat. Keith Gasper of the Main Quest Podcast

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 16:15:00 -0500

To celebrate the announcement that 2024 would be the Year of Shadow, Keith stops by the show to help me analyze and break down the infamous 2005 video game Shadow the Hedgehog.

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Kingdom Hearts 3 Part 1 - Introduction | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 16:00:00 -0500

At long last, our Guiding Keys Journey brings us to the game that was the catalyst for this journey in the first place. Kingdom Hearts 3. You know the drill by now. A brief introduction featuring general information, first thoughts, gameplay and development history is followed by a dive into the story. The shadow of Xehanort looms large.

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State of the Industry 2024 feat. Kelvin and Rob of The Gaming Duo

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 13:45:00 -0500

The annual State of the Industry episode is here! Kelvin and Rob from the Gaming Duo stop by to talk about the Big 3, leaks, trailers, layoffs, and everything in-between with a postitive spin!

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Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 13:15:00 -0500

A light spoiler review of Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth!

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Kingdom Hearts Union X Part 1 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0500

Before we can move on to Kingdom Hearts 3, there is some foundational lore that we need to understand that is presented in the first part of the Kingdom Hearts mobile game, ultimately known as Kingdom Hearts Union X. This episode will cover the history of this game including its multiple transformations and movie adaptation known as X Back Cover. We also are introduced to the most mysterious and pivotal character in the series, the Master of Masters, alonside Luxu and the Foretellers.

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The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Greatness and Growing Up

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 12:45:00 -0500

I played Ocarina of Time for the first time in 2024. This game and Zelda had long eluded me, but I decided it was finally time to sit down and play it, once and for all.

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Helldivers 2 and the Evolving Live Service Experience

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 12:30:00 -0500

Like a lot of people, I was recently drawn into the galactic conflict featured in Helldivers 2 to spread freedom and managed democracy. In this episode I give my initial thoughts on my time with Helldivers 2 as well as some thoughts on the nature of live service games themselves.

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Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep - a fragmentary passage | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 12:15:00 -0500

Before moving on to Kingdom Hearts 3, a tech demo included in the HD2.8 collection allows us to spend a few hours with Master Aqua in the Realm of Darkness as she wanders endlessly without hope. Find out how her continuing story ties in to the end of the first game in the series, Kingdom Hearts 1 and sets the stage for Kingdom Hearts 3!

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Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0500

With the imminent threat of Master Xehanort's return looming, Yen Sid summons Sora and Riku to undergo the Mark of Mastery Exam. Their objective; enter the Realm of Sleep to unlock Seven Sleeping Keyholes to restore seven sleeping worlds to the realm of light and acquire the Power of Waking.

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Unlockables in 2023: Reflecting on the Show, Content Creation and More

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 11:45:00 -0500

As the year comes to a close, there was a lot to celebrate in terms of the Unlockables. In this episode I record some of my thoughts on the show in 2023, my changing attitudes towards creating in the space of video game discourse, and the future of the show once my first son is born. Thank you all for another incredible year!

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Kingdom Hearts Coded/Re:Coded | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0500

Kingdom Hearts Coded started as a mobile phone game in Japan before being remade for the Nintendo DS in the form of Kingdom hearts Re:Coded. Will the mysteries of Jiminy's blank journal finally be revealed? And what will Re:Coded tell us about the coming titles in the series?

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Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Part 4 - Where They Wait For Him | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 11:15:00 -0500

With Birth by Sleep completed, this episode is dedicated to tying up loose ends and setting the stage for the future games. We go over the Blank Points secret ending, Xehanort's secret reports, and one final scene that takes place after the credits roll that tie the whole series together.

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Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Part 3 - Aqua | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500

With Terra's and Ventus's stories now told, Aqua remains as the sole piece of the puzzle that we must fit into place to understand the origins of the Kingdom Hearts series. Having passed her Mark of Mastery exam and become a Keyblade master, Aqua is burdended with the task of discovering the mysteries of Master Xehanort, Vanitas, the Unversed, all while trying to hold her most important friendships together.

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Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Part 2 - Ventus | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:45:00 -0500

With Terra's fate unknown, we turn now to the story of Ventus for more answers. Who is the mysterious Vanitas? What is the true nature of the X-blade and what is Xehanort's ultimate plan?

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Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Part 1 - Terra | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:30:00 -0500

We've learned a lot through the first four Kingdom Hearts games, but everything you know is about to changed with Birth by Sleep. In part one we'll focus on the first of the game's three protagonists, Terra, whose struggles with darkness and his own flaws set the stage for spectacular tragedy. We'll also finally be introduced to the overarching antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga, Master Xehanort, whose careful plotting behind the scenes has been the catalyst for all of the games in the series so far.

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The Human Element of Video Games

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:15:00 -0500

We spend so much time talking about the games themselves, but as the industry has grown the practice of making them has become unsustainable. Long development cycles with crunch that chew people up and spit them out have become the norm, while most studios seem like they are one underperforming game away from failure. I share some of my thoughts on the human cost of making video games.

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The Fall of Overwatch?

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0500

From Game of the Year and critical acclaim in 2016 to the most negatively reviewed game on Steam in 2023. Overwatch's journey as a game is a fascinating story, inextricably linked with the turmoil at Activision Blizzard and industry trends overall. I talk a bit about my extensive time with Overwatch 1 and identify a few key points where I think it all started to go wrong.

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Super Mario RPG: Subverting Expectations While Remaining Mario

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 16:15:00 -0500

With a remake of Super Mario RPG due out in a few short months, I decided to revist the orginial for the first time in over 15 years to see what made Mario's swan song on the Super Nintendo something special.

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Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 16:00:00 -0500

Guiding Keys returns with the next game in the Kingdom Hearts series, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. We fill in the blank spaces in Roxas's story between Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 2. But...who is this girl? And why doesn't anyone remember her?

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Final Fantasy 16

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 15:45:00 -0500

For your consideration, the Unlockables review of Final Fantasy 16.

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Brock Matthews: Voice Actor

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 15:30:00 -0500

Good friend of the show Brock Matthews stops by the Unlockables today to talk about his aspirations as a voice actor. As someone who has been honing their craft for several years, Brock offers some intriguing insight into what it takes to make it in the voice acting industry.

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Summer Mail Bag 2023

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 15:15:00 -0500

As is tradition, the summer means another edition of the mail bag! Thanks to all who submitted questions to be read and answered on the show.

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Kingdom Hearts 2 Part 5 - Epilogue | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 15:00:00 -0500

With the plans of Organization XIII thwarted and Xemnas defeated, its time to tie up loose ends for Kingdom Hearts 2. We're diving into the Secret Ansem Reports and discovering how oversights by Ansem the Wise caused ripples throughout the Kingdom Hearts plot. We'll then cover some of the final extras in the game, as well as an appearance by the One Winged Angel himself! From here, we're moving on to Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.

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Kingdom Hearts 2 Part 4 - The World That Never Was | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 14:45:00 -0500

Sora, Donald, Goofy along with King Mickey have arrived in the home world of Orgainzation XIII to stop their plans once and for all. Can they stop the completion of Kingdom Hearts and rescue Kairi? And what of Ansem the Wise and Riku? The final showdown with Organization XIII and Xemans begins.

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Kingdom Hearts 2 Part 3 - Battle for Hollow Bastion | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 14:15:00 -0500

Our adventures in Kingdom Hearts 2 continue. Hollow Bastion finds itself under a full assault from Heartless and Nobodies during the mid game crescendo. Sora, Donald and Goofy revisit the worlds they had visited previously to try and find a way to the homeworld of Organization XIII and put a stop to Xemnas's plans once and for all!

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What is Final Fantasy? feat. Keith Gasper of Main Quest and Chris Coplien of Retro Hangover

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 14:00:00 -0500

Since the beginning of time, humans have pondered the great questions. Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? And what does it mean to be a Final Fantasy game? With the upcoming release of Final Fantasy 16, this question seems to be in the forefront now more than ever. To answer this question once and for all, I've assembled a crack team of the foremost experts of video game podcasts. Chris and Keith join the show for an epic discussion about the very heart and soul of Final Fantasy.

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Kingdom Hearts 2 Part 2 - Sora Awakens | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 13:45:00 -0500

Roxas's story has come to a close and Sora awakens into a world without his memories of the events of Chain of Memories. Sora, Donald and Goofy set off into the world with the only objective they remember; find Riku and King Mickey. But they soon discover they are up against far more than the Heartless as they encounter the mysterious Nobodies and the remaining members of Organization XIII.

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Aaron of Super Pod Saga

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 13:30:00 -0500

This week I am joined by Aaron of the legendary show Super Pod Saga.

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Kingdom Hearts 2 Part 1 - Roxas | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:45:00 -0500

Our journey through Kingdom Hearts continues with Kingdom Hearts 2. Widely considered by the fandom to be the best game in the series, Kingdom Hearts 2 begins with us playing not as Sora, but as Roxas. The intro to Kingdom Hearts 2 has received flak for being too long and confusing. But I'm here to tell you its one of the most impactful openings in all of video games.

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How Advance Wars Changed Nintendo

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:30:00 -0500

An essay episode on the importance of the release of Advance Wars in the early 2000s, and how it paved the way for other Japan exclusive games. Without the success of Advance Wars, it might have been a few more years before Fire Emblem finally arrived in the United States.

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What Happened to Scalebound?

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:15:00 -0500

Making video games is hard. Not every game gets released. Many get canceled before their time. Scalbound is one of these stories.O Originally in development by Platinum Games and set to be published by Microsoft in 2017, the game was canceled the same year it was set to release. This was a highly anticipated Xbox exclusive that seemed to fail after years of hype and anticipation, teaching us the ultimate lesson that in video games, nothing is ever certain.

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Fire Emblem Engage feat. Alejandro of A Random Gamer's Corner and Nick of Friday Night Gamecast

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Alejandro and Nick join Eric to talk about the latest entry in the Fire Emblem series, Fire Emblem Engage! Is the gameplay good enough to carry Engage to success, or will a subpar story and social aspect cause it to fall short?

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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet feat. Jared of Play Along and Tyler of Switch It Up

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0500

With the recent release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, I invited Pokémon Masters Tyler from Switch It Up and Jared from Play Along to talk about it. We discuss some of the performance issues with the game, analyze it as a mainline entry in the series, and speculate on the future of the most lucrative franchise in history.

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Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories Part 2 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 11:15:00 -0500

Welcome to part 2 of our deep dive on Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories and this time we're looking at Reverse/Rebirth, the surprising mode that lets you play a second story as Riku as the main character. After awakening in the basement of Castle Oblivion, Riku begins his own journey of self reflection, discovery and battling the darkenss inside of him. Will he conquer his inner demons or will the darkness claim him forever?

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Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories Part 1 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500

Guiding Keys continues with the next installment in the series; Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories. Sora, Donald and Goofy continue their search for King Mickey and Riku when they happen across a mysterious castle. Once inside they confront a group of individuals wearing black cloaks known only as the Organization. As they progress through the castle will they find themselves trapped in a false chain of memories? Or will they finally be reunited with their long lost friends?

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Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim feat. Andrew and Dylan, Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:30:00 -0500

2023 kicks off in spectacular fashion with an incredible guest episode. Andrew and Dylan of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers join me to talk about an obscure but beloved title from 2000; Majesty The Fantasy Kingdom Sim.

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The 40 Games Played In 2022

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:15:00 -0500

Welcome back to a new year of Unlockables in 2023! To kick things off, we're going to look back at all the games I played in 2022, and the mini-reviews I wrote about each and every one of them,

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Unlockables in 2022 and the Anxieties of a Podcaster

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0500

As 2022 comes to a close, I take some time to reflect on the show as a whole as well as some of my anxieties and self-doubts about content creation in general.

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Game of the Year 2022

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500

One final episosde closes out the 12 Games of Christmas. The Unlockables presents the 2022 Game of the Year.

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God of War Ragnarok | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:45:00 -0500

Fimbulwinter is here and we are braving the treachery of Norse Mythology for the final entry of the 12 Games of Christmas, God of War Ragnarok!

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Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak feat. Tyler of Switch It Up | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:30:00 -0500

Day 11 of the 12 Games of Christmas is upon us! Fellow veteran hunter Tyler of Switch It Up joins me to talk about the Sunbreak expansion for Monster Hunter Rise!

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TMNT: Shredder's Revenge feat. Rick Firestone | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:15:00 -0500

Day 10 of the 12 Games of Christmas has arrived! Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio stops by to talk about the newest entry in the Turtles Franchise, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge!

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Mega Man X feat. Chris Coplien | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Day 9 of the 12 Days of Christmas, Chris of Retro Hangover fame returns to the Unlockables to talk about one of the best games on the SNES, Mega Man X!

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Pokémon Legend Arceus feat. Jared of Play Along Podcast | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:45:00 -0500

It wouldn't be Christmas without Pokémon so Jared from Play Along Podcast joins me to talk about Pokémon Legends Arceus for Day 8 of the 12 Games of Christmas!

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Horizon Forbidden West feat. Andrew Kimball | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:30:00 -0500

Welcome to Day 7 of the 12 Games of Christmas. Andrew from Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers joins me to talk about the PlayStation hit Horizon Forbidden West!

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Vampire Survivors feat. Ryan of List Off | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:15:00 -0500

Day 6 of the 12 Games of Christmas is here! Half way through and Ryan of List Off stops by to talk about the most obsessive game of the year, Vampire Survivors!

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Kirby and the Forgotten Land feat. Josh Covel | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 09:00:00 -0500

Day 5 of the 12 Games of Christmas is here and Josh of Still Loading Podcast fame stops by the show to talk about the delightful Kirby and the Forgotten Land!

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Nobody Saves The World | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:45:00 -0500

The 12 Games of Christmas continue with Day 4 and Nobody Saves The World!

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Fire Emblem Three Houses feat. Kolby of Switch It Up | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:30:00 -0500

Day 3 of the 12 Games of Christmas is here and good friend of the show Kolby stops by to talk about the incredible Fire Emblem Three Houses.

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Super Mario World feat. Keith Gasper | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:15:00 -0500

Day 2 of the 12 Games of Christmas is here and the very first Unlockables guest ever has returned to spread the holiday cheer! Keith from the Main Quest stops by to talk about the legendary Super Mario World and how this game still holds up today as one of the best ever made.

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Stray feat. Dave Jackson | 12 Games of Christmas

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Welcome to the 12 Games of Christmas presented by the Unlockables! I'm looking back over the past year of gaming and picking some of my favorite experiences to talk about, as well as celebrating an incredible year of The Unlockables. For Day 1, Dave Jackson of Tales From the Backlog stops by to talk about the indie hit, Stray!

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Michael and Larry, Bits of Time

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 15:00:00 -0500

Michael and Larry of Bits of Time fame stop by the show to talk about their incredible podcast and all the work they do in content creation!

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Mikey of Big Drink Energy

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:45:00 -0500

Mikey from Big Drink Energy stops by the show to talk about the origins of his energy drink based podcast, and his deep ties to the Super Smash Bros. community!

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1st Annual Unlockables Music Festival and Jamboree

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:30:00 -0500

Today on Unlockables its all about the music! In this episode we're going to be talking about some great pieces of music in gaming with the help of the community! We asked friends and listeners for video game song suggestions from some of the best soundtracks of all time and we got tons of responses! Enjoy some of the great music featured on this episode!

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Chris and Tom of 1 Hour 1 Decision

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:15:00 -0500

Today, Tom and Chris of 1 Hour 1 Decision stop by the show to talk about their podcast, their history in radio and their experiences with Xbox Game Pass!

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To Remake or Not to Remake Video Games

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:00:00 -0500

After a week of from the Nomura madness, Unlockables returns to talk about the recent release of The Last of Us Part 1 remake, and to ramble off some thoughts as to what makes a good remake, what justifies a remake, and what this means for gaming overall.

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Kingdom Hearts Part 2 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 18:00:00 -0500

Part 2 of the our discussion on the first Kingdom Hearts is here! We finish up our journey through the worlds, face off against Ansem and ready the plot threads for the next game in the series.

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Kingdom Hearts Part 1 | Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:30:00 -0500

Welcome to the beginning of Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts! In this series I will break down the gameplay, story and themes of each and every Kingdom Hearts game. Today's episode will be the first part on the very first game in the series, Kingdom Hearts!

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Nave of Gaming Together

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:15:00 -0500

Today on the Unlockables I am joined by Nave of Gaming Together! We talk about the usual topics, our favorite games, and the origin of Nave's show, Gaming Together!

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Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak feat. Tyler of Switch It Up

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0500

Tyler of Switch It Up joins me on this episode of the Unlockables to talk about the recent expantion to Monster Hunter Rise, Sunbreak!

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Nick and Will of Friday Night Gamecast

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:30:00 -0500

This week, Nick and Will from Friday Night Gamecast stop by the show to talk about everything from content creation to their favorite video games of all time! Don't miss out on this epic trio!

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Kolby of Switch It Up

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:00:00 -0500

Kolby of Switch It Up Podcast stops by the show to talk with me about the epic origins of the show and his friendship with Tyler. We then dive into some of Kolby's favorite games including Fire Emblem, Breath of the Wild and Final Fantasy 7 Remake!

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Super Mario World

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0500

After a harrowing encounter with the Nostalgia Reaper, Eric is sent off on a wild adventure to re-experience the games that meant the most to him. First on the list is Super Mario World, the first game Eric ever played!

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2022 Summer Mail Bag

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 11:00:00 -0500

I caught Covid so what better time to do the 2022 Summer Mail Bag episode!

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State of the Industry 2022

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0500

It's the annual State of the Industry episode! Every year around events season I take some time to review the state of the video game industry and offer my opinions on where the future of games is headed and what the Big 3 need to do in order to differentiate themselves from one another.

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The Legacy of the Nintendo Wii

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:00:00 -0500

Nintendo's strange foray into motion controls has a monumental place in gaming history. With a bold new business strategy to create an entire new segment of gamers, Nintendo's Wii console became a cultural phenomenon. Here's how Nintendo changed the market once again by deciding to do their own thing and their use of a business tactic called "Blue Ocean Strategy".

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Events Season and You! How to Manage Expectations!

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:00:00 -0500

Events season is here and all the speculation and hype that comes with it. How to properly manage your expectations and not get caught up in the HYPE.

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Phil of Deleted Saves Podcast

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:00:00 -0500

Phil of Deleted Saves joins the Unlockables to talk about his show. Phil gives us a sneak peak behind the curtain about his unique form of podcasting and insights into how he critically analyzes the games he talks about. He also shares his plans for the future of the show.

Deleted Saves on Bluesky
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Kingdom Hearts Primer - Guiding Keys Episode 0

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 13:30:00 -0500

Welcome to episode 0 of Guiding Keys: The Story of Kingdom Hearts! This series will dive in-depth to the story, lore, themes and gameplay of the Kingdom Hearts franchise as I replay every single game in the series. This episode serves to introduce you into some of the general concepts of the lore. Get ready for an incredible journey through the mind of Tetsuya Nomura.

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Andrew Kimball and Dylan Wren: Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:15:00 -0500

Andrew and Dylan of Your Friendly Neighborhood Gamers stop by the show to talk about their previous experience in podcasting, their new show and of course video games.

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Chris Coplien of Retro Hangover

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0500

Chris Coplien, herald of the Dick Dragon himself, stops by the Unlockables to talk about the wildly successful Retro Hangover. I talk to Chris about the unique intro sequence of the show, building a community of people who support you, and the state of collecting retro games during the post-pandemic collecting boom.

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The Definitive Gen 1 Pokémon Tier List

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:45:00 -0500

Another solo episode for this week, and all of the Generation 1 Pokémon are getting ranked on a tier list from F to S. This surely won't cause any controversy at all.

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Josh Covel of Still Loading

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0500

Podcast Veteran Josh Covel joins me on the Unlockables to talk about his incredible show, Still Loading. I get a chance to pick Josh's brain about being in the podcast game for so long and ask his advice for would-be podcasters about balancing life with content creation and how to approach asking guests on your show!

Check out the Still Loading website to engage with the show and be sure to follow along on all social channels!

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Kingdom Hearts 4 Announced

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 11:15:00 -0500

For the 20th anniversary of Kingdom Hearts, we got a surprise early look (emphasis on early) at Kingdom Hearts 4! We break down all the exciting news surrounding the announcement as well as offer a little crash course in Kingdom Hearts history!

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Rick Firestone of Pixel Project Radio

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Friend of the show Rick Firestone stops by the Unlockables to talk about the inspiration behind Pixel Project Radio, Rick and Eric's shared love and adoration of Final Fantasy IX, some of their favorite works of music in the video game space and more!

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Jared of Play Along Podcast

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0500

Certified player of games and Pokemon Master Jared of the Play Along podcast stops by the show to talk about the story of how Play Along started, his co-hosts and Jared's personal history with games. The guys have a lengthy discussion about the legendary Pokemon franchise including Legends Arceus, the new announcement of Scarlet and Violet, what their personal six person Pokemon team would be, and the return of the listener favorite segment PokeDex please!

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Brian and Ryan of List Off

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 14:45:00 -0500

This week I was joined by the dynamic duo of Brian and Ryan from List Off! We dive into the history of List Off and the epic origin story of Brian and Ryan, as well as some video game talk about their personal favorite games of all time. Other topics include a certain Old Ring game, the current state of the gaming industry, Funky Kong's occupations and many more!

Check out all things List Off here!

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Dave Jackson of Tales from the Backlog

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 13:30:00 -0500

Friend of the show Dave Jackson stops by this week to talk about his show, Tales from the Backlog. Eric and Dave discuss his inspiration for the show, his other podcast A Top 3, our preferences for video games over movies and television, Dave's personal gaming history, his love of Fromsoft games, and of course a tiny bit of Elden Ring discussion.

Check out all things Tales from the Backlog related!

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The Unlockables is a video game podcast about people's stories and memories around the games taht they play, as well as the story of the games themselves! The show consists of solo essay episodes, guest interviews, and collaborative episodes on some of the games that shaped us.

Keith Gasper of the Main Quest Podcast

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 13:15:00 -0500

For the first official episode of the podcast, Eric is joined by the man, the myth, the legend himself; Keith of the Main Quest Podcast. Eric and Keith talk at length about Keith's journey to chronicle his gaming journey on his podcast, the state of the modern video game industry, Final Fantasy 7, and plenty of jokes and shenanigans along the way!

Linktree to all things Main Quest Podcast!

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Episode 0: Welcome to the Unlockables

unlockablespodcast@gmail.com (The Unlockables) — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 13:00:00 -0500

Welcome to The Unlockables! The story of video games, the people who play them, and the memories made along the way. My name is Eric, I will be your host and in this podcast project we will talk about the stories of video games, our memories connected to them and how they shaped us! Thanks for listening and there will be many more to come!

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