It's time to follow Maddy's wishes and play Perfect Dark, the 2000 Nintendo 64 shooter (remastered for Xbox in 2010) developed by Rare. We put on our Joanna Dark night-vision goggles and shoot our way through office buildings and alien labyrinths. How does it feel to play Perfect Dark today? Is the lack of checkpoints too much of a challenge? And just what is up with Elvis? One More Thing: Kirk: De-Inverting my Brain Maddy: Clue: Treachery at Tudor Mansion Jason: Paul T. Goldman Links: Featuring...
Mar 16, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 146
Zelda! Diablo! Baldur's Gate! Final Fantasy! Maddy, Jason, and Kirk pull out the calendar and get overwhelmed by the number of massive games that are coming in the next few months. They talk about what to expect from the rest of 2023, some of the news that has happened so far, and whether or not this new console generation has been a disappointment so far. One More Thing: Kirk: Slow Horses Maddy: Total Recall Jason: The Poppy War (R.F. Kuang) Links: Tell us why you like Triple Click! Email membe...
Mar 09, 2023•58 min•Ep. 145
Octopath Traveler II has gotten Jason thinking of a brand new taxonomy... the two types of video game. This week, the gang talks about flow vs. thought, JRPG story-telling, the brilliance of Octopath Traveler II (and how it out-classes the first game), and mysteries in Metroid Prime, Elden Ring, and so much more. One More Thing: Kirk: Cocaine Bear Maddy: Robocop Jason: Tracers in the Dark by Andy Greenberg Links: Tell us why you like Triple Click! Email [email protected] or leave us a...
Mar 02, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 144
Hogwarts Legacy is a brand new video game set in the Harry Potter universe, which would have been a lot more exciting five years ago! Today, however, we have to reckon with the fact that Harry Potter's creator is a bigot. So let's reckon with it, shall we? Jason, Maddy, and Kirk talk about their personal relationships with Harry Potter, their thoughts on the new game, and whether this franchise can ever really be saved. One More Thing: Kirk: Ultra Widescreen Gaming Maddy: Below Deck Jason: Octop...
Feb 23, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 143
Nintendo surprised us all last week with a remake of Metroid Prime, so it's time for Triple Click to drop everything and play it. Maddy, Jason, and Kirk talk about Retro's classic first-person shooter: how influential it's been, what it does well, and where it goes wrong. One More Thing: Kirk: South Side Maddy: Tár (2022) Jason: Psychonauts 2 documentary Links: The Psychonauts 2 documentary: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIhLvue17Sd70y34zh2erWWpMyOnh4UN_ Triple Click LIVE IN BROOKLYN, M...
Feb 16, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 142
Maddy, Kirk, and Jason board the USG Ishimura and figure out that not all is as it seems. And the Dead Space remake is pretty damn good. One More Thing: Kirk: Hitman Freelancer Maddy: Animorphs #1 - The Invasion Jason: All Good People Here (by Ashley Flowers) Links: https://www.polygon.com/guides/23585108/is-dead-space-scary-remake-jump-scares https://www.polygon.com/23588490/animorphs-book-pdf-audiobook-graphic-novel-movie-k-a-applegate Triple Click LIVE IN BROOKLYN, May 18th: https://www.event...
Feb 09, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 141
Jason, Maddy, and Kirk put on their Emblem rings and take a trip to the land of anime for Fire Emblem Engage, the latest entry in Nintendo's strategy-RPG series. They talk about the game's insipid dialogue, the terrible character art, and the pros and cons of grid-based combat. One More Thing: Kirk: Hi-Fi Rush Maddy: Women Talking (2022) Jason: Poker Face Links: Triple Click LIVE IN BROOKLYN, May 18th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/triple-click-live-tickets-513213584647 Support Triple Click: http...
Feb 02, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 140
And now for a subject near and dear to our hearts: Romance! Maddy, Kirk, and Jason talk about video game love stories and which games do them right (and wrong), from Mass Effect to Uncharted to Hatoful Boyfriend. Can a video game romance ever really work if it's based on dialogue options? Plus: impressions of the new Square Enix game Forspoken! One More Thing: Kirk: Star Wars Imperial Assault: Legends of the Alliance (2017) Maddy: Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris Jason: Forspoken Links: ...
Jan 26, 2023•59 min•Ep. 139
How can free-to-play games be fixed? What are the small details in games that annoy you? And is it censorship for a video game to have a gore filter? This week, Jason, Maddy, and Kirk crack open the mailbag and take some of YOUR questions on all sorts of things. Plus: the rise of the CASUAL WIFE. One More Thing: Kirk: Avatar: The Way of Water Maddy: The Fabelmans Jason: New Simpsons Links: Triple Click LIVE IN BROOKLYN, May 18th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/triple-click-live-tickets-51321358464...
Jan 19, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 138
There's nothing funnier than dissecting comedy, right? This week, Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about humor in video games, from Monkey Island to Dark Souls. They talk about what kind of games are funny, why they're funny, and the role that social media plays in the grand comedy equation. Plus: why "YOU DIED" is such a good punchline. One More Thing: Kirk: Detectorists Maddy: Hey Arnold! Jason: The Menu Links: Triple Click Live at the Bellhouse!!! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/triple-click-live-tic...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 137
What will the year bring? Time for some guesses! It's the episode you've all been waiting for... Jason, Kirk, and Maddy go through their predictions from 2022 to see who won the annual bet and whose game we'll all play. Then, the gang whips out some hot new predictions for 2023. One More Thing: Kirk: Defunctland’s “Disney Channel’s Theme: A History Mystery” Maddy: Metroid Prime on Steam Deck Jason: The Man Who Died Twice (Richard Osman) Links: Disney Channel’s Theme: A History Mystery https://ww...
Jan 05, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 136
It is time to see off 2022, as the Triple Click gang gathers to discuss the year's best games. Jason, Maddy, and Kirk each discuss their 10 favorite games of the year, plus an 11th bonus game that didn't come out this year. Which games took the top spots? Which made all three of our lists? And what are the biggest snubs? You'll have to listen to find out. One More Thing: Kirk: White Lotus Maddy: Redefining Realness by Janet Mock Jason: Glass Onion Links: Richard Clark’s podcast “Videogame Feelin...
Dec 29, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 135
Happy holidays! To celebrate, we got you an Elden Ring beanscast. Three Consorts to the Lunar Princess gather ‘round the table and talk about their adventures in the Lands Between. If you like this bonus episode, become a Maximum Fun member and get access to 30+ more of em! https://maximumfun.org/join LINKS AND REFERENCES VaatiVidya on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/VaatiVidya The Elden Ring Wiki (Fandom): https://eldenring.fandom.com/wiki/Elden_Ring_Wiki Join the Triple Click Discord: ht...
Dec 22, 2022•1 hr 7 min
Sometimes you've just gotta play video games with Iron Man to unlock new cards that let you destroy Hydra, you know? This week, the TC gang dives into Marvel's Midnight Suns, a new game from XCOM developers Firaxis that could have also been called Marvel's Three Houses. Kirk, Maddy, and Jason talk about the elaborate combat system, the wide-ranging cast of superheroes, and whether or not you can smooch Wolverine. (You cannot.) One More Thing: Kirk: Interview With The Vampire Maddy: White Lotus s...
Dec 15, 2022•58 min•Ep. 134
Put on your gAMER hats and get ready for Gaming's Biggest Night, presented by Video Games. This week marks the 2022 Game Awards, which means it's time for a barrage of advertisements and trailers. Kirk, Jason, and Maddy talk about what to expect this week, what they're hoping to see, and the absurdity of some of this year's nominations. One More Thing: Kirk: The 67th Academy Awards (1995) Maddy: The Steam Room call-in show with Ben Mora and Hesse Jason: Twitter Links: Support Triple Click: http:...
Dec 08, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 133
MYSTERIES: what are they? Who are they? WHO DID THEM??? This week, the Triple Click gang talks about mysteries in video games, from Return of the Obra Dinn to Elden Ring. What makes a good detective mechanic? What kind of mysteries can only be explored in games? And why is The Case of the Golden Idol so damn good? One More Thing: Kirk: Signalis Maddy: Interview with the Vampire (2022 AMC+ TV series) Jason: The Legend of Mike White Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Buy Tripl...
Dec 01, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 132
Happy Thanksgiving, hooray hooray hooray -- aren't you glad you got a new Triple Click on this Thanksgiving day? Jason, Maddy, and Kirk open up the mailbag and take listener questions on all sorts of things. Has the PS5's controller lived up to expectations? Which is the best pantheon of gods? And which games do we regret not finishing? One More Thing: Kirk: Escape Academy Maddy: The Case of the Golden Idol Jason: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Links: Kotaku emulation article: https://kotaku.com...
Nov 24, 2022•59 min•Ep. 131
Forget about that deadly meteor that's coming to kill us all — it's time to raise some farm animals! Inspired by God of War Ragnarok's plethora of optional content, this week the Triple Click gang talks side quests. What makes a good side quest? What are our favorites? And have we really come up with another taxonomy? Yes, yes we have. One More Thing: Kirk: Reservation Dogs S2 Maddy: New TV (LG OLED C1 Series 48” 4k Smart TV) Jason: Tactics Ogre Reborn Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximum...
Nov 17, 2022•57 min•Ep. 130
It's got gods! It's got war! It's even got an umlaut. But how is God of War Ragnarök , as a game? Jason, Kirk and Maddy discuss. One More Thing: Maddy: Marvel Snap Kirk: Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope Jason: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story Links: Kirk’s Strong Songs episode on Weird Al’s “The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota”: https://strongsongspodcast.com/episode/the-biggest-ball-of-twine-in-minnesota-by-weird-al-yankovic Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Buy a Triple Click t-sh...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 129
It's time for Triple Click Picks! Kirk, Maddy, and Jason go through the podcast's irregularly updated list of games that they love and think everyone should play. Which games will be removed? What will be added? SUSPENSE!!! You'll have to listen to find out (or just read the full list in the episode notes). One More Thing: Kirk: Physical Therapy Maddy: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith Jason: Tactics Ogre Reborn Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Buy a Triple Cli...
Nov 03, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 128
This week, Triple Click planned to do a Triple Play on Gotham Knights... but it's just such a bummer. So instead, the gang talks about all the games they've been playing this fall, from the big (God of War Ragnarok) to the small (The Case of the Golden Idol) and everything in between. Games discussed: Gotham Knights, God of War Ragnarok, Star Ocean The Divine Force, The Case of the Golden Idol, Persona 5, Bayonetta 3, The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Mario & Rabbid...
Oct 27, 2022•56 min•Ep. 127
Let's summon our shadows and take a deep dive into Persona, the wonderful series about high school students fighting their inner demons — literally. With Persona 5 coming to multiple platforms this week and Personas 3 and 4 on the way, the Triple Click gang talks about what makes the series so special, teenage drama and all. Plus: Jason discovers a surprise Game of the Year contender! One More Thing: Kirk: Star Wars: Andor Maddy: Hocus Pocus 1 + 2 Jason: The Case of the Golden Idol Links: Featur...
Oct 20, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 126
What is it about cancelled games that make them so intriguing? What are the most heartbreaking video game cancellations? And what the heck just happened to Google Stadia? Jason, Maddy, and Kirk take a trip into the world of cancelled games, from Star Wars 1313 to Bully 2. One More Thing: Kirk: The Tommyknockers Maddy: Street Fighter 6 beta Jason: Cabin Fever (Michael Smith, Jonathan Franklin) Links: Kirk’s 2015 story about No One Lives Forever: https://kotaku.com/the-sad-story-behind-a-dead-pc-g...
Oct 13, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 125
Jason, Kirk, and Maddy grab their rubber chickens with pulleys in the middle and jump into Return to Monkey Island, the lovely new game from the original creators of the classic adventure game series. They talk about the game's charming humor, how it modernizes the point-and-click interface, and what it's like to play a "legasequel" with so much baggage. Really: this game is wonderful! One More Thing: Kirk: The Big Chill (1983) Maddy: Bayonetta (2009) Jason: Fairy Tale (Stephen King) Links: Supp...
Oct 06, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 124
Kirk, Maddy, and Jason have an obsession: handheld gaming. This week, the gang talks about the Steam Deck, the Nintendo Switch, and how portable machines change the way games are played. From "together alone" gaming with significant others to late-night Switch sessions while feeding a baby, handheld game systems are just the best. One More Thing: Kirk: Trombone Champ (Holy Wow Studios) Maddy: Rap Sh!t (HBO Max TV show) Jason: The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero Links: Support Triple Click: ht...
Sep 29, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 123
It's one of the biggest leaks in video game history: Over the weekend, a hacker released dozens of video clips from Rockstar's unreleased (and technically unannounced) game Grand Theft Auto VI. Jason, Maddy, and Kirk talk about the leak, the nature of reporting on situations like this, and the morality of leaks in general. Plus: the story of TheRealInsider, an insider who was not, in fact, real. One More Thing: Kirk: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Maddy: The Zachtronics Solitaire Collection Jason:...
Sep 22, 2022•58 min•Ep. 122
Kirk, Maddy, and Jason grab their passports and get ready for a trip to Arztotska, the setting of Lucas Pope's brilliant 2013 game Papers, Please, which just came out for phones. They talk about the game's brilliant design, the moral questions it poses, and what it's ultimately trying to say. Who would've thought that being a border inspector could be so fun? One More Thing: Kirk: The Rehearsal Maddy: Not Okay (2022) Jason: Long snappers Links: The famous “Aaron Burr” Milk commercial from 1993: ...
Sep 15, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 121
Jason, Maddy, and Kirk pull out their reading glasses for the very first Triple Read! This week, they discuss the brilliant novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, a decades-sprawling book about the epic journey of a boy and a girl from childhood friends to hit video game developers. The gang dives into the book's themes, its twists and turns, and all the fictional video games that make Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow such a joy to read. Plus: a tribute to our dear fr...
Sep 08, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 120
Who would our dream interview be? What's a "game as a service"? And have you ever played a video game at the wrong time? This week we open up the listener mailbag and take some of YOUR questions on all sorts of topics. Plus: why Kirk and Maddy are replaying the same games over and over and over and... One More Thing: Kirk: Persona 5 Royal Maddy: Assassin’s Creed Origins Jason: The Rehearsal Links: Featuring excerpts from “Crossing the Hill” by Hitoshi Sakimoto from FF Tactics A2: Grimoire of the...
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 119
Kirk, Maddy, and Jason put on their Lamb Pope hats and check out Cult of the Lamb, a new video game that's part Hades, part Animal Crossing, and 100% gruesome animal cult. They talk about scooping up poop, sacrificing their followers and why Cult of the Lamb should've maybe been a little more like a real cult. One More Thing: Kirk: Paper Girls Maddy: A League of Their Own (TV series) Jason: Daredevil (2015 show) Links: Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/join Buy a Triple Click t-shirt: ...
Aug 25, 2022•59 min•Ep. 118
