We're all about visual novels here at Triple Click. What's that, you ask? What's a visual novel? Well, allow Kirk, Maddy, and Jason to tell you: it's kind of like a book... but better! Join us to talk about the stellar new game The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, the horniness of Fire Emblem and Persona, and why sometimes gameplay just isn't all that great. Games Discussed: The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Danganronpa Steins;Gate The House on Fata Morgana Fire Emblem: Three Houses Persona 4 and ...
Aug 05, 2021•55 min•Ep. 65
Kirk, Maddy, and Jason dive into Skyward Sword HD, the new Zelda remake for Nintendo Switch. Does it hold up today? How does it feel after Breath of the Wild? And what's up with those controls? Then they talk about the harrowing Activision Blizzard lawsuit that's shaken up the video game industry over the past week. One More Thing: Kirk: Death’s Door Maddy: Activision Blizzard discrimination lawsuit Jason: The Great Ace Attorney Correction: Kirk initially said that Death's Door was on Game Pass,...
Jul 29, 2021•59 min•Ep. 64
There sure are a lot of games this summer. It's time for Kirk, Jason, and Maddy to talk about them! And then maybe we'll go out for some sloppy steaks. Games discussed: Chicory, Overboard, Mario Golf, Scarlet Nexus, Ender Lilies, Astalon: Tears of the Earth, Before Your Eyes One More Thing: Kirk: Six of Crows Maddy: Billions Jason: I Think You Should Leave Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Join the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpod Triple Click Ethics P...
Jul 15, 2021•59 min•Ep. 63
With Skyward Sword coming to Nintendo Switch, the Triple Click gang asks the question you've all been asking: What's the deal with Zelda? Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about the origins of the series, how it's evolved over the years, the stagnant Zelda formula, the delights of exploration, the unexpected creativity in limitations, and much, much more. One More Thing: Kirk: Inside (The Songs) Maddy: Hollow Knight Jason: Joyland (Stephen King) Links: “The problem with Bo Burnham’s Inside” by Lili Lo...
Jul 08, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 62
Jason, Maddy, and Kirk open up the mailbag and take YOUR listener questions on all sorts of things. What makes people good at video games? Why do AAA games seem so bad at "editing"? What's the best book-game pairing? And much more! One More Thing: Kirk: Mythic Quest S2 Maddy: Sophie’s Safecracking Simulator Jason: The Great Ace Attorney Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Join the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpod Triple Click Ethics Policy: https://maxim...
Jul 01, 2021•59 min•Ep. 61
Maddy, Kirk, and Jason jump into the ridiculously titled Final Fantasy VII Remake: Episode INTERmission, diving into Yuffie's adventures in Midgar. They talk about the combat system, the big story teases, and whether the next DLC will be called InterMISSION. Plus: what's up with the whole Hideo Kojima conspiracy? One More Thing: Kirk: Gloomhaven Maddy: The Blue Box conspiracy Jason: The House in Fata Morgana Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Join the Triple Click Discord: h...
Jun 24, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 60
NEW METROID!!! And also other things. But first, NEW METROID!!! After Maddy's done hyperventilating, the gang talks about everything we saw at this year's bizarre, online-only E3. From Elden Ring to Avatar to Breath of the Wild 2, let's go through it all. One More Thing: Kirk: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart Maddy: Bo Burnham Jason: The House in Fata Morgana Links: MItchell Saltzman’s interview with Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki: https://www.ign.com/articles/elden-ring-miyazaki-hidetaka-...
Jun 17, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 59
E3 2021 is almost here, which means it's time for HOPES, EXPECTATIONS, RUMORS, and VIDEO GAMES. This week, Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about what it's been like preparing for a virtual E3 (blech), what they hope to see from each conference, and all of the hot gossip they've been hearing behind-the-scenes, from Assassin's Creed to Guardians of the Galaxy. One More Thing: Kirk: Sweet Tooth Maddy: DC Super Hero Girls Jason: Overboard! Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Join the...
Jun 10, 2021•58 min•Ep. 58
Why do some games get demos while others don't? How did video game demos get started? And what's up with that weird game PT? This week, Maddy, Jason, and Kirk answer the question that's been on everyone's minds: What's the DEAL with video game demos? One More Thing: Kirk: Probing in ME2 Maddy: Fuser Jason: Mare of Easttown Links: Edgar Wright’s fake trailer for “Don’t”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lttrIPDFplU Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Join the Triple Click Discord: htt...
Jun 03, 2021•58 min•Ep. 57
It's Mass Effect time! Maddy, Jason, and Kirk are all playing the remastered version of BioWare's sci-fi trilogy, and really, who needs an excuse to talk Mass Effect? The gang talks about what it's like to revisit Mass Effect all these years later, what has or hasn't aged well, and of course, who they'd all like to smooch. One More Thing: Kirk: Subnautica: Below Zero Maddy: Little Fires Everywhere Jason: World’s End Club Links: Kirk’s now-mangled Kotaku post about the hidden music in Mass Effect...
May 27, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 56
It's time for news! This week, the Triple Click clique dives into some of the spring's big gaming news, from the Epic vs. Apple trial to Ubisoft's decision to embrace free-to-play games and much, much more. Plus: Maddy explains why Pokemon cards are back and bigger than ever! One More Thing: Kirk: The Nevers Maddy: Lupin S1 Jason: The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz Links: The Axios Video Game newsletter: https://www.axios.com/signup/gaming Microsoft’s internal review of The Last of Us Part 2: https...
May 20, 2021•59 min•Ep. 55
The Triple Click gang dives into Returnal, the latest PlayStation 5 exclusive from Housemarque. Is it too challenging or just challenging enough? Should it have been released in Early Access? And just how good is that PS5 controller? Dodge your way through bullet hell to listen to this episode. One More Thing: Kirk: Resident Evil 8 Maddy: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Jason: Later (Stephen King) Links: Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry: https://bookshop.org/books/press-reset-r...
May 13, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 54
In honor of MaxFunDrive 2021, we decided to put a beanscast from earlier this year in the main feed! This episode originally aired in the bonus feed on February 21, 2021. If you'd like more bonus episodes (and to get some extra MaxFunDrive swag), sign up to become a member today at https://maximumfun.org/join . ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES: For this month’s bonus episode, Jason, Maddy and Kirk put on their beskar helmets and jetpack straight into the rough and tumble world of Star Wars: The Mandalorian. ...
May 10, 2021•1 hr 8 min
The video game industry is broken. Perhaps it's time to... Press Reset? On this week's first-ever LIVE episode of Triple Click, the gang discusses Jason's latest book about the video game industry. They talk about the closures of game companies like Irrational Games and 38 Studios, the industry's sustainability problems, and lots more. Plus: find out how to win a free copy of Press Reset! One More Thing: Kirk: For All Mankind Maddy: The Mitchells vs. The Machines Jason: Killing Eve Links: Buy Pr...
May 06, 2021•58 min•Ep. 53
Which is more recognizable: the video game Undertale or NFL quarterback Josh Allen? This week, Maddy, Jason, and Kirk open up the mailbag and answer your questions on all sorts of things, including video game addiction, ethics in AAA game development, and rejected names for the Triple Click podcast. One More Thing: Kirk: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo Maddy: This Is A Robbery Jason: Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion Links: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/tripleclickpod Support Triple Click: http://...
Apr 29, 2021•55 min•Ep. 52
It's the one-year anniversary of Triple Click - happy birthday, Triple Click! Jason, Maddy, and Kirk update the Triple Click Picks with some special new games and then take some time to reminisce on the past year and what this show has meant to them. Thank you all for supporting the show! One More Thing: Kirk: Subnautica Maddy: Emily Is Away 1-3 Jason: StarCraft II Links: Kirk’s 2018 article about video games and guns: https://kotaku.com/real-guns-virtual-guns-and-me-1824159338 Our Twitch: https...
Apr 22, 2021•59 min•Ep. 51
Kirk, Jason, and Maddy dive back into their ongoing playthrough of Final Fantasy VI, picking up where they left off last time (the Opera House) and going until the end of the Floating Continent. Do Maddy and Kirk like it more now? What's the deal with that flake Shadow? Why is Edgar such a creeper? And whoa, did Kefka really just do THAT? One More Thing: Kirk: Monster Hunter Rise (Finishing/Friction) Maddy: The Content Mines podcast Jason: Saga Frontier Remastered Links: What did Edgar really sa...
Apr 15, 2021•58 min•Ep. 50
Just what is the deal with indie games? When did they become financially viable? How did they become so popular? And what is "indie" anyway??? This week, Jason, Maddy, and Kirk look at the modern history of indie games, from Braid and Castle Crashers to the Nintendo Switch's big bumps. They talk about the rise of digital distribution, some misguided old comments from former Nintendo boss Reggie Fils-Aime, and whether "indie" even means anything anymore. One More Thing: Kirk : Monster Hunter Rise...
Apr 08, 2021•58 min•Ep. 49
Here's the only true thing you will read on the internet today: This episode is not a prank. Instead of trying to fool everyone, Maddy, Jason, and Kirk are going back in time to look at the history of video game April Fool's jokes: the good, the bad, and the very, very ugly. From fake Zelda movies to Assassin's Creed Kinect, there's a lot to laugh at this week. Correction 4/1/2021: We initially thought the Assassin's Creed Kinect joke video was made by Ubisoft, but it actually wasn't. That part ...
Apr 01, 2021•58 min•Ep. 48
Jason, Maddy, and Kirk dive into the latest big indie game hit, Loop Hero. They talk about its strengths, its weaknesses, the nature of addiction, opacity, and repetition. Plus: the best cookbook ever? One More Thing: Kirk: RE ViIIage Maiden Demo (and demos like this) Maddy: How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy (Jenny Odell) Jason: The Food Lab (J Kenji Lopez) Links: Jenny Odell’s Bureau of Suspended Objects: https://www.jennyodell.com/bso.html Odell’s interview on the Ezra Klein s...
Mar 25, 2021•59 min•Ep. 47
Maddy, Jason, and Kirk open up the mailbag to answer listener questions about all sorts of things, from game company secrecy to the pros and cons of digital gaming. Plus: How do you know when a game just isn't working for you? One More Thing: Kirk: Progression and Inconvenience Maddy: Wandavision Jason: Gnosia Links: Maddy’s X-Men podcast The Mutant Ages: https://mutantages.com Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Join the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpod Triple...
Mar 18, 2021•58 min•Ep. 46
What's an Assassin's Creed? Who's an Assassin's Creed? Allow the Triple Click gang to explain. Kirk, Jason, and Maddy dive into Ubisoft's action-adventure-RPG franchise, talking about how the series has evolved over the past decade, their favorite games, and just what the heck is up with all those aliens. One More Thing: Kirk: Hollow Knight Maddy: Learning to parry in Dark Souls Jason: Loop Hero Links: Kirk’s Hollow Knight arrangement: https://youtu.be/eIVtGlcpZS0 Support Triple Click: http://ma...
Mar 11, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 45
It's time for some news!!! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason pick some of the biggest stories in gaming this year, from Covid's effect on game production to the Harry Potter controversy, and break them all down. The gang also talks Google Stadia's woes, EA canceling Anthem Next, and all the hot Mario and Zelda news from the most recent Nintendo Direct. One More Thing: Kirk: Spider Man: Miles Morales Maddy: “ Britney Spears Was Never In Control ” by Tavi Gevinson Jason: Bravely Default 2 and video game chal...
Mar 04, 2021•59 min•Ep. 44
It's finally time! Per Jason's orders, Kirk and Maddy are playing through Final Fantasy VI. This week: they get up to the Opera House. What has aged well? What hasn't? Will the grind and tedium break Maddy's brain? Will Kirk fall in love with Celes and crew? Find out on this week's Triple Click! One More Thing: Kirk: Demon’s Souls Maddy: You’re Wrong About podcast Jason: Bravely Default 2 Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Join the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tri...
Feb 25, 2021•56 min•Ep. 43
Let's play Super Mario 3D World... plus Bowser's Fury! Jason, Maddy, and Kirk break down the Switch's newest Mario adventures, dive into the differences between linear and non-linear Mario games, and discuss whether or not they are all cats. Plus: Demon's Souls and much more. One More Thing: Kirk: The PS5 Experience Maddy: Judas and the Black Messiah Jason: Murder mysteries (Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz, The Eighth Detective by Alex Pavesi) Links: Allegra Frank’s interview with Lakeith...
Feb 18, 2021•59 min•Ep. 42
Maddy, Jason, and Kirk take a trip down memory lane, crossing nostalgia with frustration as they try to figure out why so many old games are so hard to play (legally). What do you do with your old consoles? Why do Nintendo and Sony make it so difficult to buy their old games? What's the deal with video game preservation??? Plus: Kirk got a PS5! One More Thing: Kirk: Got a PS5!!! Maddy: Hunt a Killer: Death at the Dive Bar Jason: Wandavision Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join...
Feb 11, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 41
What makes a Souls game a Souls game? Why do we love'em so much? And how many things have we learned from Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and the rest of the gang over the years? This week, the Triple Click crew dives into From Software's classic series and tries to figure out what the deal is. One More Thing: Kirk: Playing Hitman from the beginning Maddy: Maiden (2018) Jason: The Last Dance Links: Chris Dahlen on Dark Souls: https://kotaku.com/what-dark-souls-is-really-all-about-5874599 Support Triple ...
Feb 04, 2021•58 min•Ep. 40
This week the gang jumps into Hitman 3, a game that's far less bleak that it sounds. Kirk, Maddy, and Jason talk about the latest entry in the longrunning stealth-puzzle series. Maddy shares the story of how she learned how to play, Jason talks about the Knives Out-inspired murder mystery, and Kirk raves about how amazing Hitman games truly are. Plus: the GameStop phenomenon explained! One More Thing: Kirk: The Expanse S3 Maddy: Ted Lasso Jason: GameStop Links: Hitman Speedrun: https://kotaku.co...
Jan 28, 2021•58 min•Ep. 39
Jason, Maddy, and Kirk open up the listener mailbag and answer some of YOUR questions about all sorts of things. What does it mean when an E3 demo is fake? What's our video game comfort food? And why do video game sequels always make you lose all your powers? One More Thing: Kirk: Gloomhaven Maddy: Dark Souls Jason: NFL playoff update Links: Jason on Cyberpunk 2077: https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1350322423170797568 Kirk’s article about preorder culture: https://kotaku.com/the-witcher-...
Jan 21, 2021•58 min•Ep. 38
In the wake of Cyberpunk 2077, a game with a rocky launch that will now try to find redemption, Jason, Maddy, and Kirk take a look at some other video game redemption stories. They talk about No Man's Sky, Destiny, Final Fantasy XIV, and other games that got better over time. What does a successful turnaround look like? And what are the ethical questions involved? All that and lots more. One More Thing: Kirk: Lupin Maddy: Dark Souls Jason: Fargo Links: Kirk reviews No Man's Sky: https://kotaku.c...
Jan 14, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 37
