Homebrew Game Club
By Homebrew Game Club
Homebrew Game ClubFeb 07, 2022
Live at the 2024 Midwest Gaming Classic
In the first-ever live HBGC show, the gang interviews NES developers John Vanderhoef and Greg Caldwell. John is the Byte Off Award-winning creator of the Orebody series, including Hunt the Wampus, Orebody: Binder's Tale, and Oratorio. Greg Caldwell is a member of Retrotainment Games, developers of classic homebrew titles Full Quiet, Haunted Halloween '85 and '86, and Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum.
Find more about the Orebody series at its Twitter / X page.
For Retrotainment Games, check out their website.
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 17: Full Quiet
Special guest host Chris (aka Deadeye) joins Conor and Nick for a deep dive into Retrotainment Games’ brilliant but baffling Full Quiet for NES. Conor reveals his new game design concept (the F.A.R.T.W.A.L.K.), Nick dusts off his memories of Russian literature, and Chris… probably isn’t used to this amount of profanity in a homebrew podcast.
Still need to play Full Quiet? Find it on Steam, Nintendo e-Shop, or Xbox, or get the cartridge here.
Our next Game Club picks will be Flea! and Tapeworm Disco Puzzle for NES and Dreamcast. Find links to both at Lowtek Games’ website.
Check out Chris' Homebrews in Focus on YouTube.
You can find the Full Quiet wiki here (expect spoilers).
Join the Full Quiet speedrunning Discord server here.
Ron Gilbert on “The Monkey Island rubber chicken problem” and designing obscure puzzles in games.
Legacy of the Wizard (NES) game map.
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Answers Your Questions!
In this extra special bonus episode, Conor, Bart, and Nick scour the "Ask the Podcast" channel from the HBGC Discord server to catch up on unanswered questions over the last year. Questions like: How long should a homebrew game be? What's your favorite video game movie? Is Atari still Atari? And what's your desert island laundry detergent? The gang even employs artificial intelligence to answer the most pressing question of our day: What is the Frogger frog's job?
Nick also offers his extended take on Breath of the Wild. (It's long.)
Frogger Club music: "Dark Atmospheres 01" by dave_wheatley via Pixabay
Got your own questions for the podcast? Join our Discord server, find us on social media, or buy some merch at homebrewgameclub.com.
Courier for NES - Now on Kickstarter!
The Game Club whets their appetites for cyberpunk cool with the demo for Courier, a hackeriffic new adventure for NES from Khan Games.
Courier is available on Kickstarter until January 31, 2024. Grab your copy here.
Episode 16: Shmups!
The gang takes on three very short but action-packed shoot 'em ups: Omega Blast for the Mega Drive, Dangan GB2 for the Game Boy Color, and Flight of Pigarus for the Master System. We also reveal the winners of our 2023 shoot 'em ups high score competition!
Still need to play the games? All are available as free downloads here:
Our next game will be Full Quiet for the NES. Find it on Steam, Nintendo e-Shop, or Xbox, or get the cartridge here.
We got interviewed about our Discord channel for Full Quiet! Read about it here.
Reddit AMA by toggleswitch about First Press Games
***Please note: the deadline to submit games for the MAGfest Indie Retro Homebrew Showcase was December 15, 2023. You can find out more here.
Bleeper! Get one before they sell out.
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 15: Doodle World and Kubo 3
The Game Club takes on Doodle World and Kubo 3, two NESmaker games created with contributions from children. But are we the right audience for this type of game? We invite some guest experts on the show to discuss.
Still need to play the games? Find Doodle World here.
And here’s the link to Kubo 3.
Our next Game Club picks will be shoot ‘em ups Flight of Pigarus, Omega Blast, and Dangan GB2. Join the high score tournament on our Disc ord server to win one of two very cool prizes. Entries accepted through December 18, 2023. Discord link and more available at http://www.homebrewgameclub.com.
Get free ROMs for all three games at these links:
Omega Blast (Mega Drive)
Flight of Pigarus (Master System)
Dangan GB2 (GB Color)
R.I.P. Rani Baker, NES developer. Her itch.io page is here.
Episode 14: Anguna
The Game Club takes on three iterations of Nathan Tolbert's Zelda-inspired Anguna series on the Game Boy Advance, Atari 2600, and Nintendo Entertainment System. Conor attempts to define the "walkie-pokey" genre, Nick has a question about where those arrows are coming from, and Bart shares a wholesome story about George Clooney and a litter box.
Still need to play Anguna? Find links to all versions here: https://www.bitethechili.com/
The next Game Club picks will be Doodle World and Kubo 3 for NES. Get Doodle World here: https://natepeters.itch.io/doodle-world
And find Kubo 3 here: https://dale-coop.itch.io/kubo-3-nes-game-by-sj-games
AtariAge acquired by... Atari?! https://forums.atariage.com/topic/354609-atariage-atari/
Play all 82 Game Boy Competition 2023 entries here: https://itch.io/jam/gbcompo23/entries
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
With Twitter's Decline, What's Next for Indie Game Developers?
Twitter, now rebranded "X," has been an important avenue for homebrewers and other indie game developers to connect with each other and promote their work. Tech industry veterans Conor and Nick discuss the decline of the app under Elon Musk, the rise of alternative platforms, and what it might all mean for the homebrew community.
This is an update of a similar episode from December 2022. Find that one in our feed, or listen here.
You can find links to ALL of our social media accounts (regardless of where they are as you're listening to this) at homebrewgameclub.com.
HBGC Interview: Ben Jelter
Game Boy developer Ben Jelter joins the gang for a wide-ranging discussion on… Lots of things. Things like: Game design, GB Studio, his favorite homebrews, how to stay productive as a creative professional, hacker movies, the illusion of choice, Just World Theory, and what retro console he’s interested in developing for next (you won’t guess what it is). Oh, and we also talk about his excellent game The Machine, covered in depth on Episode 13 of our podcast. It’s a good time!
Find all of Ben Jelter’s games here: https://benjelter.itch.io/
Pocket Pixels on Mastodon: https://pocketpixels.club
Jeltron Games on Discord: https://discord.gg/uzZB2WuHY7
Still need to play The Machine? (Yeah, you do.) Get it here: https://incube8games.com/collections/boxed-games/products/the-machine-gbc
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 13: The Machine
The Game Club takes on The Machine, a dystopian sci-fi dark comedy for the Game Boy Color with surprising depth. Conor theorizes on how to keep hippies from turning into cannibals, Bart clarifies that we’re not watching a completely unrelated movie, and Nick embraces ethically compromised decision making.
Still need to play the game? Get it here: https://incube8games.com/collections/the-machine
Or check out a free demo here: https://www.themachinegame.com/
Our next game is Anguna for the Game Boy Advance, Atari 2600, and NES. Download the GBA and 2600 versions for free here: https://www.bitethechili.com/
Get the NES version here: https://the6502collective.itch.io/anguna-scourge-of-the-goblin-king
Note: This month’s game club pick has nothing to do with The Machine movie starring Bert Kreischer and Mark Hamill, coincidentally releasing on the same day as this podcast episode. Here is a link to that film’s official website, which we include here as a courtesy to our listeners and definitely not in a shameless attempt to improve our search engine results! https://www.themachine.movie/
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Interview: Kevin Hanley
Kevin Hanley, creator of NEScape! and co-host of the Assembly Line podcast, joins the Game Club to talk about his history as a developer, what he’s working on next, and why he thinks we’re in a “golden age” for NES homebrew.
Our NEScape! livestream from March 2022: https://youtu.be/xnHryQBMcyE
Kevin Hanley's website, where you can download many of his games for free: https://www.khangames.com/
Get NEScape! here (not the $999.99 version): https://khangames.itch.io/nescape
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 12: The Cursed Knight
The Game Club takes on The Cursed Knight, a well-made Mega Drive game that really wants to give you a wedgie and stuff you into a locker. Bart defends his Nintendo bias, Nick rages about passwords, and Conor tries to stay positive. Bonus topic: What's your favorite food item in a video game?
Here's our full livestream playthrough of the game: https://youtu.be/H8eVlIJ7A1g
Still need to play The Cursed Knight? Find it on Steam or get a physical copy here: https://www.brokestudio.fr/product/the-cursed-knight-md/
Our next game will be The Machine for Game Boy Color. Get it here: https://incube8games.com/products/the-machine-gbc
NESmaker Byte-Off III awards video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLxGiWOWRWQ
Flying Arrows 2 Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studioloading/flying-arrows-2-gameboy-game-save-bolognanerd
Harlequest Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ross-codes/harlequest-a-new-3d-dungeon-crawler-for-the-sega-dreamcast
"Every Modern Mega Drive Game Ranked" video by St1ka: https://youtu.be/IR9R01ksI7M
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Interview: Francesco Bacchelli (Studio Loading)
Nick talks to Francesco Bacchelli, the creative mind behind Game Boy developer Studio Loading. They discuss his inspirations, his approach to retro game development, and the positive aspects of working with a limited platform like the Game Boy. Hot on the heels of his first game Flying Arrows, Francesco is already moving forward with its sequel, Flying Arrows 2, and this time for a good cause: A portion of the funds raised for this game will go to help save Bologna Nerd, a retro gaming community center in Bologna, Italy.
Flying Arrows 2 Kickstarter (launching April 2023): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studioloading/flying-arrows-2-gameboy-game-save-bolognanerd
Crowdfunding campaign to save Bologna Nerd: https://ko-fi.com/bolognanerd
Seriously, check out this promotional video from Bologna Nerd, this place looks awesome: https://youtu.be/0pKpdmiCYng
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 11: What Remains
Grab your tweeter and channel your inner pirate radio broadcaster as the gang covers What Remains, a walkie-talkie* adventure game for the NES. Conor digs the 1980s vibes, Bart gets duped by a false ending, and Nick brings back the beeps... or, at least, one big one.
*Copyright 2023, Homebrew Game Club (yes we are owning this)
Still need to play the game? Get it here: https://iodinedynamics.itch.io/whatremains
Our next game will be The Cursed Knight for Mega Drive / Genesis. Get the Steam version here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2052540/The_Cursed_Knight/
The 5th Annual Atari Homebrew Awards: https://forums.atariage.com/forum/203-atari-homebrew-awards/
Doodle World Deluxe on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2250520/Doodle_World_Deluxe/
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
What Else We're Playing (2022 Recap)
Conor seizes control of the host mic to send the Game Club on a long, rambling, lightly edited conversation about several titles we played in 2022 that deserve more attention. Old games, new games, indie games, mobile games, AAA games – everything is up for discussion. (We even throw some homebrew games in there.) Other topics include game preservation, preorders, a debate about Patreon, online gaming with kids, and... lots of other stuff we'd usually cut.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Elden Ring
- Mushihimesama
- Itch.io homebrews
- The Machine
- No Man's Sky
- Puzzling Peaks
- Cyberpunk 2077
- Baba Is You
- Dawn of the Monsters
- Fortnite
- Atari 50
- Splatoon 3
- Hades
- Horizon: Forbidden West
- The Outer Wilds
- Sturmwind / Sturmwind EX
- Pine Creek
- Lonely Mountains: Downhill
- Gaiares
- Full Quiet
Question of the 'cast: Should we launch an HBGC Patreon?
Quote of the ‘cast: "That's the whole 50 year arc of Atari... They finally met the aspirations of their own box art."
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 10: L'Abbaye des Morts
Bart, Conor, and Nick head to 13th Century France in this deceptively compact tribute to ZX Spectrum platformers. We check out the original PC game as well as ports to the Spectrum, Mega Drive, NES, and Commodore 64. Sorry, Amiga and Ouya fans -- we tried.
Still need to play the game? Find the original (free) PC version and links to all ports here: https://locomalito.com/abbaye_des_morts.php
Our next game is What Remains for the NES. Get it here: https://iodinedynamics.itch.io/whatremains
Homebrew Publisher Survey by bbbbbr for GB Studio Central: https://gbstudiocentral.com/news/homebrew-publisher-survey/
Cocaine Bear for ZX Spectrum: https://azimov.itch.io/cocaine-bear
SkateCat available for preorders: https://twitter.com/dale_coop/status/1615788369270771712?s=20&t=dHWFV7Q9eOujVhrlzvC73g
NEScape! now available on Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/store/products/nescape-switch/
...and also on Xbox: https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/nescape/9nmvx15m755v
Full Quiet for NES: https://fullquiet.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders
Note: Nick mentions that Full Quiet was Kickstarted in 2018. It was actually 2017. He regrets the error.
The Storied Sword free demo: https://gauauu.itch.io/the-storied-sword
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Extra: We Played 67 NES Demos and Now We Are Tired
It’s a NES demo extravaganza as Nick, Conor, and Bart check out all sixty-seven 2022 NESDev and NESmaker Byte Off III competition entries. Assuming they were able to figure out the spreadsheet first.
NESDev Competition results (with links to demos): https://itch.io/jam/nesdev-2022/results
NESmaker Byte-Off III competition main page: https://www.thenew8bitheroes.com/byte-off-iii
Byte-Off III game demos: https://theretroverse.com/special-events/byte-off-2022/
Music break #1: Stage 1 theme from Tactus by zeta0134
Music break #2: Irritating Ship by Trirosmos
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Extra: A Rant About Twitter
Does Elon Musk have entrepreneurial brain worms? Tech industry veterans Conor and Nick discuss.
Episode 9: Traumatarium and Phobos Dere
The Game Club gets spooky with two GB Studio titles for Game Boy: bite-size dungeon-crawler Traumatarium and glitchtastic platformer Phobos Dere.
Still need to play the games? Get Traumatarium here: https://horatiunyc.itch.io/traumatarium
And here’s Phobos Dere: https://appsir.itch.io/phobos-dere-gb
Our next Game Club pick is L’Abbaye des Morts for ZX Spectrum and other platforms. Find out more about the game here: https://locomalito.com/abbaye_des_morts.php
Garbage Pail Kids: Mad Mike and the Quest for Stale Gum for NES: https://www.iam8bit.com/products/garbage-pail-kids-nes
Jane Austen’s 8-Bit Adventure: https://www.8bitjane.com/
Sneak Peek of GBScape, a Game Boy Color port of NEScape: https://twitter.com/gbs_central/status/1583502918183186432?s=20&t=fpvUT3qBXozRNpwISI5atA
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
We're Doing a Giveaway! (Two, Actually)
Episode 8: Dungeons & DoomKnights
Nick and Bart crush some undead 8-bit skulls in Dungeons & DoomKnights, a "Zeldavania" action adventure for the NES. There's also a conversation about barbecue on the menu, and Nick finally reveals the origins of his cryptic internet handle, Dvertov.
Still need to play the game? Grab it here: https://www.heromart.com/collections/dungeons-doomknights-collection
Our next games are Traumatarium and Phobos Dere.gb for Game Boy. Get 'em here:
Traumatarium: https://horatiunyc.itch.io/traumatarium
Phobos Dere.gb: https://appsir.itch.io/phobos-dere-gb
NESmaker Byte-Off III Demos: https://theretroverse.com/special-events/byte-off-2022/
Force Bot on Kickstarter (Ends Oct. 15, 2022): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ericschafer/force-bot-a-brand-new-nes-game
Man With A Movie Camera on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0019760/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Interview: Jordan “Raftronaut” Davis
Nick and Bart talk with Jordan Davis about adapting his NES game Space Raft for an arcade setting, and what it’s like to get a homebrew game published on the Nintendo Switch. This interview was recorded live at the Midwest Gaming Classic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on May 1, 2022.
Raftronaut on Twitter: https://twitter.com/0000jordan
Get Space Raft for NES: https://raftronaut.itch.io/space-raft-nes
Or play it for free in your browser here: http://nes.dustymedical.com
Keep an eye out for that Premium Edition Classic Series Volume One for Switch, featuring Space Raft (and a bunch of other original NES homebrews): https://premiumeditiongames.com
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 7: Alfonzo’s Arctic Adventure
Bart, Conor, and Nick head to the tundra with Alfonzo’s Arctic Adventure, a puzzle platformer for the NES. There’s also a lengthy debate about the ethics of using save states on emulated games, and an even longer, highly skippable (but hopefully entertaining) examination of the regional cuisine of Saint Louis, Missouri and its notoriously divisive pizza.
Haven’t played the game yet? Get it here: https://www.spoonybard.ca/nes-games/alfonzos-arctic-adventure
Our next game is Dungeons and Doomknights for the NES. Get the ROM or a cartridge version here: https://www.heromart.com/collections/dungeons-doomknights-collection
Video for Eskimo Bob 18: We’re Irish (the clip we watch around 5 minutes into the podcast): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWsMVGBsQyE
We’d love to hear your feedback on our save states debate. Sign up for our Discord server and tell us how wrong we are: https://discord.gg/MsaGY87kex
Photos of a few of the St. Louis foods mentioned: https://www.feastmagazine.com/restaurants/collection_d307488c-5164-11e9-b8e4-c71e92577f8c.html
Yes, provel cheese has its own Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Provel_cheese
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Extra: Ruby & Rusty Save the Crows
Conor and Nick discuss Ruby & Rusty Save the Crows, a charming platformer for the Game Boy Color that may or may not concern workplace discrimination and chronically traumatized birds (it doesn’t).
Get the full game here: https://www.bitmapsoft.co.uk/product/ruby-rusty-save-the-crows/
Play the demo here: https://maxoakland.itch.io/ruby-rusty-save-the-crows
Max Oakland on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WinkWinkerson
The next game club pick is Alfonzo’s Arctic Adventure. Get it here: https://www.spoonybard.ca/nes-games/alfonzos-arctic-adventure
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 6: Xeno Crisis
The Homebrew Game Club takes on Xeno Crisis, a twin-stick shooter for the Sega Mega Drive. And loses, spectacularly.
Get the game here, or on your platform of choice: https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/
The next game club pick is Alfonzo's Arctic Adventure for the NES. Get it here: https://www.spoonybard.ca/nes-games/alfonzos-arctic-adventure
Music break: "Nest (Area 4)" by Savaged Regime. Free Xeno Crisis OST download available via Bitmap Bureau here: https://twitter.com/BitmapBureau/status/1332448249819652098?s=20&t=DUdYSp0oZ3T9VjMnYYs8oA
Here's that Dunning-Kruger graph featuring the "Valley of Despair": https://www.dreamendstate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/DunningKrugar-1536x1103.jpg
Scrobins' State of Homebrew 2022: https://www.videogamesage.com/blogs/entry/753-special-episode-the-state-of-homebrew-2022/
HBGC Extra: Diamond Thieves
Conor returns to the podcast as the gang takes a look at Diamond Thieves, a new game for the Mega Drive and Genesis. Developed by Mangangá Team, Diamond Thieves is available through a joint collaboration between Mega Cat Studios and Video Game Sage.
View the Diamond Thieves Official Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sks9sfC5atQ
Order your copy of the game here: https://megacatstudios.com/collections/16-bit/products/diamond-thieves
Here's a deep dive on the game by Scrobins on VGS, with developer interviews: https://www.videogamesage.com/blogs/entry/714-episode-1-diamond-thieves/
Mangangá Team: https://www.mangangateam.com/
The next Game Club pick is Xeno Crisis for the Mega Drive. Find it on the modern console of your choice, or buy the ROM here: https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
***The podcast would like to preemptively apologize to all Portuguese speakers and Sean Connery fans for the content of this episode.***
Episode 5: Space Raft
Nick and Bart discuss Space Raft for NES and its remixed semi-sequel, Space Raft Arcade. Bart has no regrets about taking over the Discord with Atari 7800 talk, and Nick builds a badass flight simulator. Also: Hey, did those Beanie Baby collectors ever make money??
Still need to play Space Raft? Get it here: https://raftronaut.itch.io/space-raft-nes
The next game club pick is Xeno Crisis for the Sega Mega Drive. Get it here, among other places: https://shop.bitmapbureau.com/
Music break: "Tomorrow Today" (8-bit and original versions). Check out both on the Space Raft Bandcamp page: https://spaceraft.bandcamp.com/
In case you don't get the 8BitDo jokes... How do you pronounce this company? https://www.8bitdo.com/
The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Beanie-Baby-Bubble-Delusion/dp/B00RC545Z2/
As always, find links to our social media and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Midwest Gaming Classic 2022 Recap
The 2022 Midwest Gaming Classic is over, and Nick and Bart are tired.
For more on the Midwest Gaming Classic: https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/
Hair of the Dogcast: https://hairofthedogcast.libsyn.com/
Warren Davis' Q*Bert Book: https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Bert-Other-Classic-Arcade/dp/1595801057
Premium Edition Games Series 4 Direct (NES homebrew 10-in-1 announcement): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlA6m5zEDmg
Video Game Sage: https://www.videogamesage.com/forums/
Space Raft, the game: https://raftronaut.itch.io/space-raft-nes
Bite the Chili Productions (Anguna, Halcyon, and more): https://www.bitethechili.com/
Songbird Productions (Lynx and Jaguar homebrew): https://songbird-productions.com/
As always, find links to our Discord server and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 4: NEScape!
The Game Club talks NEScape!, an escape room game for the NES. Conor makes the point-and-click connection, Bart is happy he finally figured out Morse Code, and Nick's just glad to have had help on this one.
View the HBGC full livestream playthrough on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/xnHryQBMcyE
Still need to play NEScape? Get it here: https://khangames.itch.io/nescape
Music break: "Final Escape (Scene 4)" by Travis Nelson: https://famitrackerbits.bandcamp.com/album/nescape-original-soundtrack
The next game club pick is Space Raft for the NES. Get the game here: https://raftronaut.itch.io/space-raft-nes
Or try it out in your browser: http://nes.dustymedical.com/
The Homebrew Game Club will be attending the Midwest Gaming Classic April 30 - May 1. Get tickets and more here: https://www.midwestgamingclassic.com/
As always, find links to our social media, merch shop and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Interview: Matt Hughson
The Game Club talks with Matt Hughson, developer of NES homebrew games Witch n' Wiz and From Below, as well as the upcoming From Below Pocket for Game Boy. While the discussion focuses on previous Game Club pick Witch n' Wiz, this is a great conversation for anyone interested in creating and marketing homebrew games, regardless of console.
Matt Hughson's website: https://www.matthughson.com/
Matt Hughson's games: https://mhughson.itch.io/
Blog Post: How to Start Making NES Games: https://www.matthughson.com/2021/11/17/how-to-start-making-nes-games/
As always, find links to our social media, merch shop and more at: http://homebrewgameclub.com
Episode 3: Witch n' Wiz
The gang talks about Witch n' Wiz, a puzzle platformer for the NES. Nick tries in vain not to swear, Conor confesses to a terrible mistake, and Bart has a particular room in mind where he'd like to play this one. There's also a bit about Reddit movies. Finally, Nick has a cautionary tale about giving your childhood stuffed animals away to high school filmmakers.
Still need to play Witch n' Wiz? Get the full game here: https://mhughson.itch.io/witch-n-wiz
Or play it for free on Piepacker: https://piepacker.com/
Music break: "Gravity" by Tuï: https://twitter.com/Tui2A03
The next game club pick is NEScape! For the NES. Check our social media for the livestream date, and get the game here: https://khangames.itch.io/nescape
Mawthorne on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/crazygrouptrio/mawthorne-nes-game/
Skeller Boy on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/skelerboy/skeler-boy-part-ii-for-game-boy-cartridge-and-pc
The Great Gatsby for NES: https://greatgatsbygame.com/
Needle in a Timestack Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VfPClAsIpg
As always, find links to our social media, merch shop and more at homebrewgameclub.com.
HBGC Extra: Retro-Inspired Indie Games
Nick has a story about losing his car keys. It's long, sorry.
Eventually, Nick and Conor talk about some of their favorite retro-inspired indie games. Let us know which ones we missed by yelling at us on social media or emailing homebrewgameclub@gmail.com.
Games mentioned in this episode:
- Streets of Rage 4
- Fight'n Rage
- River City Girls
- Cave Story
- VVVVVV
- Super Hexagon
- Celeste
- Bionic Commando Rearmed
- Undertale
- GG Aleste 3 (Aleste Collection)
- Super Meat Boy
- Binding of Issac
- Shovel Knight
- Hollow Knight
- Sega Ages (Series)
- Limbo
- Braid
- Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 1 & 2
- Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero
- Shantae and the Pirate's Curse
- Super Hydorah
Episode 2: Deadeus
The Game Club takes on handheld homebrew horror with Deadeus for the Game Boy, a great Halloween title we're talking about in January for some reason. Warning: Spoilers abound. The guys wrap up with a discussion of their favorite non-homebrew games of 2021. Got a different take? Share your experience with us at homebrewgameclub (at) gmail.com.
Play Deadeus here if you haven't already: https://izma.itch.io/deadeus
Break music: Day 2 Overworld Theme by Stoo Busby: https://stoobusby.bandcamp.com/track/urizen-falls-day-two-overworld-2
Bart Elfrink's horror short film Innards: https://vimeo.com/101396406
The next game club pick is Witch n' Wiz for the NES. Get it here: https://mhughson.itch.io/witch-n-wiz
Find social media links and more at http://www.homebrewgameclub.com
HBGC Extra: The [Retracted] List of NES Homebrew Games
Seth Abramson's Top 100 NES Homebrews (archived version): archive.is/QCi8s
Response to the list from Sole Goose (Beau Holland): www.solegooseproductions.com/?page_id=816
Episode 1: Lizard
The Game Club kicks off with enigmatic platformer Lizard for the NES, and contentious takes abound. Conor is perplexed by the soundtrack, Bart is scared and confused, and Nick wonders if his favorite homebrew game is an existential crisis simulator in disguise. Got a different take? Share your experience with us at homebrewgameclub (at) gmail.com.
The next game club pick is Deadeus for Game Boy. Check it out here: https://izma.itch.io/deadeus
2A03 Puritans on Bandcamp: https://bitpuritans.bandcamp.com/album/2a03-puritans
N64 Homebrew Game Jam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuOEStdYg-8
Don’t forget about our Witch n’ Wiz giveaway: https://mhughson.itch.io/witch-n-wiz
RetroUSB’s 8-Bit Xmas 2021: https://tinyurl.com/y26w36ht
GB Dev on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gbdev0
HBGC Extra: Bart Elfrink on Drinksgiving
IMDB page for Drinksgiving (with poster art): www.imdb.com/title/tt4773854/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Drinksgiving on Prime Video: tinyurl.com/3rkjz3pv
Episode 0: Introductions
Meet your podcasters! The gang discusses what they mean by “homebrew games” and why they’re different from “hacks” before outlining plans for the podcast. Bart examines what he looks for in a game, Conor reminisces on video games in 1990s Ireland, and Nick reveals behind-the-scenes tales from a family-operated video rental chain. The conversation turns oddly philosophical before wrapping up with a reveal of the first Game Club pick. It's all downhill from here, folks.
Get Lizard here: http://lizardnes.com/
UK games market share from 1992: https://twitter.com/ChinnyVision/status/1431393686588428289
Jeremy Parish on Bio Miracle Bokkte Upa (the baby game; yes, it’s real): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_45uWffcY0
And here’s that excellent Micro Mages promotional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWQ0591PAxM
Play along with us on Discord: https://discord.gg/MsaGY87kex
Instagram, Twitter, and other links: https://linktr.ee/homebrewgameclub
Trailer: Homebrew Game Club Podcast
Welcome to the Homebrew Game Club podcast! Did you know that brand new, original games are still being made for retro video game consoles like the NES, Sega Genesis, Game Boy, Atari 2600 and more? Join us as we explore these games and the communities that make them.
Find links to show notes, our Discord server, and other social media at https://linktr.ee/homebrewgameclub