Get Played Donkey Kong Bananza, Fantastic 4 Games + Twisted Metal with Mike Mitchell
Jul 21, 2025
This week, comedian Mike Mitchell, known for his role on the Doughboys podcast and starring in Twisted Metal, shares his insights on gaming. He and the host dive into the engaging mechanics of Donkey Kong Bonanza, comparing it to classics like Mario Odyssey. They reflect on the rollercoaster journey of game development, sharing funny anecdotes from his chaotic early days at Activision. Mike also discusses the balance of humor and themes in video game adaptations, offering a peek behind the curtain of the upcoming Twisted Metal series.
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Nick's Early QA Experience
- Nick Wiger worked graveyard shift QA at Activision in a basement filled with consoles and gamers. - Customer support calls helped him improve calming frustrated gamers despite technical issues.
Harsh Game Design Audition
- Nick passed a design test and was hired mid-development for Fantastic Four 2005. - He faced harsh competition with a two-week audition replacing a fired team member.
Game Engine Skill Transfer Issues
- Back then, custom engines made skill transfer between studios hard for developers. - Modern common engines like Unreal and Unity improve job portability and ease onboarding.