EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Campanella 3

EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Campanella 3

Author: The Secret Lives of Games August 29, 2025 Duration: 1:45:12

We're joined by Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), Adam Conover (Adam Ruins Everything), and Steve Gillham (OzymandiasAV) to discuss Campanella 3, the 49th game in the UFO 50 collection.

"It's time for Pilot to return to what he does best -- flying the Campanella through deep space!"


Next week: Cyber Owls

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway

 

Discussed in this episode:

Eggplant Merch!

https://cottonbureau.com/people/eggplant-the-secret-lives-of-games-podcast 

Adam Conover Tickets

https://www.adamconover.net/ 

Wing Commander 1+2

https://www.gog.com/en/game/wing_commander_1_2 

Wild Blue

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1921490/Wild_Blue/ 

Thumper

https://thumpergame.com/ 

The Virtual Museum of Dead Wifery

https://lilithzone.itch.io/the-virtual-museum-of-dead-wifery 

Abnormal Mapping

https://www.abnormalmapping.com/ 

doseone

https://www.doseone.xyz/ 

The Unearthed Treasure Room: An Alternative Showcase of Overlooked Games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNPPJohxAk4 

Anodyne 2

https://store.steampowered.com/app/877810/Anodyne_2_Return_to_Dust/ 

Great Art 

https://www.mostancient.com/shop/great-art 

Wood Teeth (doseone EP with Height Keech)

https://doseone.bandcamp.com/album/wood-teeth?from=embed 




https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow 

http://discord.gg/eggplant

https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow


Ever wonder what really happens between the initial spark of an idea and the final product you play? The Secret Lives of Games pulls back the curtain, offering a rare, unvarnished look at the creative journey. Each episode is built around a candid conversation with a game creator, moving far beyond simple promotion to explore the messy, beautiful, and often surprising realities of their work. You’ll hear about the late-night breakthroughs, the frustrating dead ends, and the personal philosophies that shape the games we love. This podcast is less about reviews or news and more about understanding the human effort behind the pixels and code. It’s for anyone who’s curious about the art and craft of game development, whether you’re a seasoned player, an aspiring designer, or simply fascinated by creative processes. Listen in for genuine stories about problem-solving, narrative design, artistic choices, and the intricate process of building interactive worlds. These are the detailed, behind-the-scenes discussions that reveal how games truly come to life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Secret Lives of Games
Podcast Episodes
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Golfaria [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:36
We're joined by John Axon (Capybara Games) and Ben Wilson (Die Gute Fabrik) to discuss Golfaria, the 18th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Deep beneath the fairway, a golf ball awakens. Where did it come from? What is its…
144: Keeping it Queer with Mo Cohen and Hagen Deloss (Queer Quest) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:55
We chat with Mo Cohen (Queermo Games) and Hagen Deloss about Queer Quest, a point-and-click adventure that's best described as "gay Monkey Island meets feminist Leisure Suit Larry". Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Show no…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Campanella [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:06
We're joined by Carolyn Petit (Kotaku) and Russ Frushtick (Polygon) to discuss Campanella, the 17th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Fly the Campanella through five challenging worlds! And don't forget to stop for coffee!…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Camouflage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:14
We're joined by Adam Saltsman (Finji) and Izzy Kestrel (Funomena, No Goblin) to discuss Camouflage, the 16th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Blend in with your surroundings to evade predators and fulfill your destiny." N…
143: Games of the Year 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:15:18
The whole crew assembles to share our personal five favorite games of 2024, alongside picks from previous show guests and our listeners. Happy 2025! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Our GOTY picks (SPOILERS): Doug: Xenosph…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Block Koala [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:25
We're joined by Patrick Traynor (Patrick's Parabox) and Frank Lantz (Universal Paperclips, NYU Game Center) to discuss Block Koala, the 15th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Flamingus has stolen all the water! Solve puzzl…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Bushido Ball [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:57
We're joined by Casey Yano (Mega Crit), Trent Kusters (League of Geeks), and Alfredo Barraza (Riot) to discuss Bushido Ball, the 14th game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's the annual Bushido Ball tournament. Choose from 6…
Into the Depths: Caves of Qud (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02:07
In the 2nd installment of our current Into the Depths series, we dive into Caves of Qud. This sprawling open-world roguelike has been in development since 2007 and Early Access since 2015, and in this episode we celebrat…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Mooncat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:07
We're joined by Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It), Kenny Sun (Mr. Sun's Hatbox), and Zach Aikman (Chuhai Labs) to discuss Mooncat, the 13th game in the UFO 50 collection. "Jump and dash through forests, caves and mountains…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - SPECIAL - Developer Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:23:22
We're joined by UFO 50 developers Derek Yu, Jon Perry, and Eirik Suhrke to discuss the first 12 (?) games in the collection. http://discord.gg/eggplant https://www.patreon.com/eggplantshow