EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Star Waspir

EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Star Waspir

Author: The Secret Lives of Games June 20, 2025 Duration: 1:44:01

We're joined by Jay Ma (Into the Breach), Steve Gillham (OzymandiasAV), Adam Dolin (God of War: Ragnarok), and Zatoichi (Juggler/UFO 50 Enthusiast) to discuss Star Waspir, the 39th game in the UFO 50 collection.

"You are an elite member of the Star Wasps. Pilot your ship and battle the incoming swarm!"

Next week: Grimstone

Audio edited by Dylan Shumway

Discussed in this episode:

ZeroRanger https://se-made.com/ (steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/809020/ZeroRanger/)

Ikaruga (Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/253750/Ikaruga/) (Switch https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/ikaruga-switch/

Stephen's Sausage Roll https://www.stephenssausageroll.com/ 

Jay Ma on bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/jarmustard.bsky.social 

Fulcrum Defender (Jay Ma's new game on PlayDate) https://play.date/games/fulcrum-defender/ 

Abnormal Mapping https://www.abnormalmapping.com/ 

Canonfire.net piece on ZeroRanger https://canonfire.net/post/743721139224838144/041-zeroranger 

The Alters https://altersthegame.com/ 

Zatoichi's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@Zatoichi1962-m6v 

Ikaruga video essay (not discussed on the episode but recommended by Dylan!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbfZoDQhK_8



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 - Ninpek [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:11
We're joined by Adam Robinson-Yu (A Short Hike) to discuss Ninpek, the third game in the UFO 50 collection. "It's ninja time! Run and jump to reach the end of the world." Next week: Paint Chase, with guest co-host Caroly…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Bug Hunter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:48
We're joined by Frank Lantz (Universal Paperclips), Jack Schlesinger (Knotwords), and John Axon (Battle Vision Network) to discuss Bug Hunter, the second game in the UFO 50 collection. "The moon quarry has a bug problem…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Barbuta [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:58
We're joined by Xalavier Nelson Jr. (I Am Your Beast), Sylvie (Sylvie Lime), and Gabe Cuzzillo (Ape Out) to discuss Barbuta, the first game in the UFO 50 collection. "Explore the castle but watch out for traps!" Next wee…
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Introduction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:45
We introduce Eggplant Presents: A Year of UFO 50 - our new 1-year weekly show covering every game in the UFO 50 collection. Join us! Next week: Barbuta, with guest co-hosts Xalavier Nelson Jr. and Gabe Cuzzillo.
Into the Depths: Slice & Dice - Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:00:59
In this 3rd and final installment of our latest deep-dive miniseries, the crew continue to discuss "yahtzee roguelike" Slice & Dice, a host favorite that has made our GOTY list for two years running. We're joined once ag…
An otherworldly Eggplant announcement! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:38
Sorry for the lack of new episodes! We have some big stuff brewing though, tune into this announcement for the details.
141: Challenging Orthodoxy with sylvie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:28
Doug and Zach talk to prolific game maker sylvie (love game), together with guest co-host Raigan Burns (Metanet Software). We talk about sylvie's design process, freeware games, subverting traditional orthodoxies around…
140: Minding Your Manors with Botany Manor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:32
We're joined by Laure De Mey and Kitt Byrne of Balloon Studios to chat about their Victorian first-person puzzler Botany Manor. We discuss building a space that feels the right amount of "real," letting history guide you…

«1...678910