RPGFan's Retro Encounter

Pokey Minch is a major villain both Earthbound and Mother 3, and somehow reminds you of every kid you ever hated in grade school as well as billionaire fascists of both fiction and history.  In this episode we dive deep into Pokey Minch's journey, motivations, and unusual traits.  This is RPG Villains.  Does Pokey Minch bear some resemblance to modern world leaders?  Maybe!  Listen to the episode!  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Hilary Andreff, Jo PadillaGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancom

Our panel has reached the end of Yakuza 0, and with it comes new beginnings for Dragon of Dojima and the Mad Dog of Shimano.  Four panelists discuss Yakuza 0 for another full episode, and there is enough drama for two games and foreshadowing for six more in the crime story's dramatic conclusion.  What metaphor is represented on your gangster back tattoo?  All of this and more on the latest Retro Encounter!  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Jo Padilla, Rob SteinmanGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomRelated Links: RPGFan Yakuza 0 review

Yakuza 0 is a game about violence. And honor. And... real estate? Yakuza 0 tells a compelling crime drama about the intertwining tales of series hero Kazuma Kiryu and fan favorite villain Goro Majima in 1988, 17 years before the story of the first Yakuza game, but you're forgiven if you can't be bothered to complete more story missions with all the distractions that 1980s Kamurocho and Sotenbori have to offer.  Four Retro Encounter panelists discuss the wealth of content and absurd tone of Yakuza 0 to the best of their ability, but only get so far.  It's real estate moguls, cabaret club kings, and shy dominatrices in the latest episode of Retro Encounter!  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Jonathan Logan, Jo Padilla, Rob SteinmanGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomRelated Links: RPGFan Yakuza 0 review

Retro Encounter's Tournament of Consoles continues, whittling down a list of eight to a single champion.  Three PlayStations, three Nintendo handhelds, one Super 90s machine, and whatever the hell you're supposed to call the Switch are our final eight gladiators in our console colosseum, but only one outlives and outlasts this cast of celebrated consoles.  Listen to the end to discover Retro Encounter's official Favorite Console to Play RPGs!  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Nicholas Whaley, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancom

Retro Encounter's host misses being able to watch sporting events while playing RPGs on a 3DS or Vita, so he gathered a panel of five panelists to hold a replacement tournament.  Seventeen video game consoles are considered for the title of Retro Encounter's Favorite Console On Which to Play RPGs, but only one wins.  In part 1 of 2, the panelists condense the Starting Seventeen to an Essential Eight.  What consoles reign supreme in round 1?  Listen and find out!  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Stephanie Sybydlo, Nicholas Whaley, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancom

Our panelists experienced Mother 3 to its dramatic conclusion, and in doing so dug an egg out of the trash, frolicked through a field of sunflowers, and located seven golden needles.  It's Earthbound callbacks, theories about razors and bananas, and a lot of shed tears in part 2 of our Mother 3 episodes!  If you've ever fantasized about kissing a mer-man, dream no longer.  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancom

Mother 3, a Japan-only Game Boy Advance RPG, the final game in Shigesato Itoi's trilogy, the subject of many direct questions to Reggie Fils-Aime. We won't say exactly how, but four Retro Encounter panelists played Mother 3 over the month of May and have a lot to talk about, including (but not limited to) grief, capitalism, and snakes.  Explore Mother 3 and avoid bad crime shows from the early 2010s in the latest Retro Encounter! Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancom

The Game Boy Advance was a huge success for Nintendo in the early 2000s, giving the world five Pokemon games, three Fire Emblem games, the first Mario & Luigi RPG, and so much more.  Four Retro Encounter panelists gab GBA on today's episode of Retro Encounter! Listen to us discuss all the Game Boy Advance games under the sun, especially because Boktai needs to be played in sunlight.  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Pete Leavitt, Leona McCallum, Tina OlahGet in Touch: RPGFan.comEmail us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomInstagram: @rpgfancomFacebook: rpgfancomTwitch: rpgfancomThis Episode's Related Links: RPGFan's Game Boy Advance Reviews

Is Final Fantasy VII Remake the most-anticipated RPG in history?  Are the character portrayals up to high fan expectations? Was the combat too opaque? Why is it called Final Fantasy VII Remake without clarifying that the game is releasing in multiple parts? All of these questions and more, asked and anwered by a mostly-positive somewhat-frustrated team of Retro Encounter panelists.  Spoilers abound in a very special Remake Retro Encounter!   Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Alana Hagues, Jo Padilla, Peter Triezenberg, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.comFinal Fantasy VII Remake ReviewFeature: Memories of Midgar: Our Favorite Moments from the Mechanical Metropolis of Final Fantasy VII

The panelists of Retro Encounter are stuck at home, and at least four of them decided to watch the Castlevania animated series available on Netflix.  The cartoon is loosely based on the events of Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, and our podcast is loosely based on the concept of discussing video games and related topics that interest us.  This counts.  Is the Castlevania animated series bloody awesome or does it pale in comparison to the games that inspired it?  Featuring: Michael Sollosi, Patrick Gann, Alana Hagues, Zach WilkersonGet in Touch:Email us: retro@rpgfan.comTwitter: @rpgfancomRelated Links:RPGFan.com