Episode 198: The Buddy System

Not everything has to be a competition. In this episode of the Random Nintendo Podcast, we explore the cooperative side of gaming with a discussion of our favorite co-op experiences, along with impressions of a new co-op shooter for Switch, RICO. We also examine what Nintendo is doing right and wrong with the new Labo VR Kit, discuss the growing problem of crunch in the games industry, and yes, call out that strange Fire Emblem: Three Houses box art.

What’s your favorite co-op gaming memory? Tell us in a comment below. If you enjoyed the show, be sure to subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play Music, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app. You can also follow us on Twitter @RandomNintendo.

As always, we’ve included links below for more information on the news and games discussed in this episode. Each link also lists a time stamp to easily find the segments that most interest you. Enjoy!

News

• [0:01] Discussion: Co-Op Games
• [0:26] Second Zelda game rumored to release in 2019 (Shacknews)
• [0:28] Japan: Game Freak And Nintendo Trademark Armored Mewtwo (My Nintendo News)
• [0:36] Nintendo Announces Labo VR Kit For Switch (Kotaku)
• [0:51] Nintendo to Smartphone Gamers: Don’t Spend Too Much on Us (Wall Street Journal)
• [0:55] Fire Emblem: Three Houses Box Art Revealed, Fans Have Concerns (TheGamer)
• [1:00] Masahiro Sakurai’s dedication causes him to use an IV drip when he gets sick to continue his work as normal (EventHubs)
• [1:05] Activision Blizzard cuts nearly 800 jobs amid ‘record results in 2018 (The Verge)
• [1:09] We Asked Nintendo, Microsoft, and 12 Other Devs How They Deal With Crunch (Waypoint)
• [1:36] Fortnite No Longer Matches Switch With PS4 And Xbox One For Cross-Play (GameSpot)

Games

• [0:04] Goof Troop (Giant Bomb Game Page)
• [0:06] Resident Evil (Series)
• [0:17] Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (IGN Game Page)
• [0:22] Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (Gamepedia Page)
• [0:28] Pokemon Sword and Shield (Official Site)
• [0:30] Tetris 99 (Official Site)
• [0:36] Nintendo Labo (Official Site)
• [0:55] Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Nintendo.com Game Page)
• [1:12] RICO (Official Site)
• [1:36] Fortnite (Official Site)