Triple Click

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 KnightJason: Joyland (Stephen King)Links:“The problem with Bo Burnham’s Inside” by Lili Loofbourow for Slate: https://slate.com/culture/2021/06/problem-with-bo-burnham-inside.htmlSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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 S2Maddy: Sophie’s Safecracking SimulatorJason: The Great Ace AttorneyLinks:Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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: GloomhavenMaddy: The Blue Box conspiracyJason: The House in Fata Morgana Links:Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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 ApartMaddy: Bo BurnhamJason: 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-full-interview-summer-of-gamingNathan Grayson’s article on the terrible Twitch chats of E3: https://kotaku.com/e3-twitch-chat-has-been-miserable-1847092627Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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 ToothMaddy: DC Super Hero GirlsJason: Overboard!Links:Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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 ME2Maddy: FuserJason: Mare of EasttownLinks:Edgar Wright’s fake trailer for “Don’t”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lttrIPDFplUSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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 ZeroMaddy: Little Fires EverywhereJason:  World’s End ClubLinks:Kirk’s now-mangled Kotaku post about the hidden music in Mass Effect 3: https://kotaku.com/mass-effect-3s-musical-secret-5895616Support Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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 NeversMaddy: Lupin S1Jason:  The Plot by Jean Hanff KorelitzLinks:The Axios Video Game newsletter: https://www.axios.com/signup/gamingMicrosoft’s internal review of The Last of Us Part 2: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.364265/gov.uscourts.cand.364265.551.21.pdf?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter_axiosgaming&stream=topVice on Pokemon cards: https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kv9a9/pokemon-cards-psa-cgc-bgs-turnaround-timesSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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 8Maddy: Ma Rainey’s Black BottomJason: Later (Stephen King)Links:Press Reset: Ruin and Recovery in the Video Game Industry: https://bookshop.org/books/press-reset-ruin-and-recovery-in-the-video-game-industry/9781538735497Dan Sunshine’s call-in to explain the PS5’s advanced vibration: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/triple-click/triple-play-assassins-creed-valhalla/ The Strong Songs Q&A episode where Kirk explains what Miles meant by “it’s about the notes you don’t play.”: https://strongsongspodcast.com/episode/strung-beats-jazz-battles-the-notes-you-dont-playSupport Triple Click: http://maximumfun.org/joinJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/

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. It’s a wide-ranging discussion that goes from the specific (how can a helmet be so expressive?) to the broad (what are the most and least interesting things about Star Wars?), with plenty of detours along the way.LINKS:Become a Maximum Fun Member: https://maximumfun.org/joinA retrospective article about Joe Johnston, the art director who designed Boba Fett’s armor along with concept artist Ralph McQuarrie: https://www.starwars.com/news/empire-at-40-joe-johnston-boba-fett-interview#:~:text=MAY%2018%2C%202020-,Empire%20at%2040%20%7C%20Designing%20an%20Icon%3A%20Joe%20Johnston%20on%20the,Journey%20to%20Create%20Boba%20FettA very cool series on the groundbreaking visual production techniques used on The Mandalorian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUnxzVOs3rkJoin the Triple Click Discord: http://discord.gg/tripleclickpodTriple Click Ethics Policy: https://maximumfun.org/triple-click-ethics-policy/