Ep 68 - Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword: A Tale of Two Titles

Ep 68 - Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword: A Tale of Two Titles

Author: Bill Tucker March 13, 2023 Duration: 57:27
Nintendo in the 2000's was a period of transition. Moving to the world of more "adult gaming" while keeping their core "fun over all" values led to strange experiments and commercial triumphs. Both The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Skyward Sword are examples of this shift in philosophy. Going from Wind Waker cute to Twilight dark and back to Skyward bright not only shines light on Nintendo as a company but gaming culture as a whole. Join myself and a team of Zelda fans as we compare,...

Hosted by Bill Tucker, A Gamer Looks At 40 is a personal and often nostalgic audio documentary that frames the evolution of video games through intimate, firsthand accounts. Instead of dry historical timelines, each episode unfolds like a conversation among friends, gathering personal recollections from a diverse group that includes family members, fellow enthusiasts, gaming journalists, and developers who were there. This podcast digs into the cultural and technological shifts of the last three decades, exploring how gaming intersected with everyday life, from the living room console to the arcade cabinet. You’ll hear specific, sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant stories that collectively paint a richer picture of this dominant leisure activity. The tone is reflective and grounded, focusing on the human experiences behind the pixels and soundtracks. By prioritizing these individual narratives, the series offers a unique lens on society and technology, making it more than just a history lesson. It’s about the memories formed around games, the communities they built, and the personal milestones they accompanied. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering a shared scrapbook, where each story adds another piece to understanding how interactive entertainment became woven into our collective culture.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

A Gamer Looks At 40
Podcast Episodes
Ep 102: Final Fantasy 4 (Part 2) - Moments and Characters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:41
Last week, we started the FF4 fire by documenting our initial impressions. On this week's episode, we go deeper into the big (and small) moments that left an impact along with the characters that made this SNES launch ti…
Tales From the Bargain Bin #20 - M.U.S.C.L.E. (NES) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:35
Wrestling and videogames. The two combined conjures up images of late night sleepovers hopped up on Jolt Cola, Pixie Sticks and sweaty man-beasts. But for two brothers in Northern New Jersey, our first blush with digitiz…
Ep 100: The Birth of Nintendo Power w/ Gail Tilden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:38
When Mario's Claymation visage first landed in my mailbox in the summer of 1988, I was a Nintendo fan. After tearing into that inaugural issue of Nintendo Power, I was a devotee. On this episode of A Gamer Looks at 40, I…
Tales From the Bargain Bin #19 - The Rocketeer (SNES) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:06
You think you know a guy. Podcast with him for almost 5 years, talk about Marvel movies, guest on almost 100 of his show's episodes. And then, in a time of need, when asked to suggest a game for a last minute Tales From…
Ep 99: Final Fantasy 2 and 3: The Forgotten 8-Bit Adventures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45:40
While we were stomping Goombas and hunting ducks, Japanese gamers were embarking on epic NES adventures. When the missing Final Fantasy 2 and 3 were finally released to the West, fans were excited. Finally, we could try…
Ep 98 - Final Fantasy 1: An Enduring Saga (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:08
On Part 1 of our two part exploration of the original Final Fantasy, we talked intros and first impressions. For Part 2, we start by talking about the game's many inspirations and the amazing moments that blew our 10 yea…
Ep 97 - Final Fantasy 1: An Enduring Saga (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35:37
When Final Fantasy hit North American shores in 1990, it sparked an RPG revolution in the West. Gamers like myself and many of my friends fell in love with the interesting mechanics, player expression, and overarching st…
Ep 96 - Final Fantasy Distant Worlds w/composer Arnie Roth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:05
Outside of The Legenda of Zelda, no videogame franchise is more closely tied to music than Final Fantasy. From emotional resonance to supporting gameplay to auditory storytelling, the themes of Final Fantasy are the stuf…
Tales From the Bargain Bin #18 - LJN Marvel NES Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:47
LJN The name alone brings shockwaves of terror to retro gamers everywhere. But what was it like back in the day? Join podcaster Michael Colby and I as we discuss three titles: The Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine, and Spider-Man…