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Episode 695: The Years-In-Review Review - 1995 (Patreon)

Published:
2025-06-02 11:00:11
Imported:
2026-08
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Jeremy: Well, it happened. We finally made it to the end of our years-in-review revue for 2025. We're nearly halfway through the year now. But it happened!

Ironically, Chris Sims wasn't able to make it for this one due to scheduling conflicts. After all that time patiently waiting to talk about 1995's Spider-Man games. That's rough. But the rest of us (myself, Kevin Bunch, Jared Petty, Benj Edwards) talk about lots of other things from 1995, and maybe that's enough. I hope.

Edits: Greg LeahyArt: John Pading

05:28 - Alanis Morissette: "Ironic"

18:41 - Mario Clash: Top Score | Panzer Dragoon: Main Title

27:10 - Virtua Fighter (Saturn): Game Start

37:25 - Virtual On: Cyber Troopers (Arcade): Higher Ground

45:11 - DonPachi (Arcade): Eternal Shooter

52:18 - Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (Arcade): The Soul Chamber | Descent (PC): Level 2

1:06:54 - Van der Graaf Generator: "Scorched Earth"

1:19:23 - EarthBound: Onett Theme

1:26:39 - Chrono Trigger (SNES): Guardia Castle

1:39:19 - Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island: Underground

1:51:48 - Vectorman: Day 1

Closing - Toy Story (Motion Picture OST): Infinity and Beyond

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Comments

Craig

Despite its failings on the marketing side of things, getting a Saturn for Christmas of 95 was such a unique experience that I was lucky to have. Panzer Dragoon and Virtua Fighter 2 was truly the next step in gaming to a 13 year old looking at a CRT on Xmas morning in 1995.

Jason Anders

Did Benj say he’s from Gatlinburg?! That’s my hometown!

Kaelan Ramos

Gonna tell my kids 1995 was the year everyone threw away their Super Nintendo and moved on to the 32x.

Patrick McClafferty

I am always amazed that I was somehow one of the few people who bought Earthbound at least reasonably close to when it was new though to be honest I think Caldor (the store is bought it at) was already marking it down by mid July. I think it was down $20 in cost so I had saved just enough. I think the huge box i saw at Babbages and the unusual setting enticed me despite never really playing RPGs before that point. Been hooked ever since.

Joe Roth

An Angus Barn reference? I never expected Retronauts to feel so... Local

Carlos Hernandez

Love the Pumpkins reference in the cover art

Andrew O.

Virtual-On is one of my favorite games/series and it's sequel, Oratorio Tangram, is in my personal top ten. Virtual-On was also the first patron episode I funded. I'll never forget Jeremy's surprise when I shared my detailed notes for the episode with him after he'd lost his. I guess most patrons don't bother prepping, but I always felt that the knowledge and insight the hosts bring to the episodes is what sets Retronauts apart, and I have too much respect for the show to wing it.

littleterr0r

My friends and I call those jointed sprites in games "90s balls".

Justen Brown

If you like Beavis & Butthead search "the collection chamber: virtual stupidity" to experience like 4 hours of original Mike Judge lines.

CapNChris

I have to disagree with Jeremy on something. A 24-hour podcast only about games released in 1995 sounds like a fantastic idea. The ball is in your court now, Retronauts.

Rasheen Jordan

Golden Tee, from the people who brought you Time Killers and Bloodstorm.

Normallyretro

Benj never fails to crack me the hell up.

Shrunken Shrine

Benj's story about how he came to complete EarthBound after 10 years struck a chord. I, too, picked it up and fell off on it in my teens when I had my first PC. I didn't think RPGs were my thing for years. Then, one day, age 24, I played it on 3DS and not only "got it", but I suddenly liked the genre as a whole after a long period of not playing games at all. In fact, it allowed me to transition from action-based games to more cumulative, story and strategy based ones. That game changes people. https://www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/tag/earthbound

James Krusling

This was great and I have to go bullet points because I have stuff to say on four of the games that were mentioned but I’ll be brief! Chrono Trigger: a game so good I played through the terrible PS1 version with all the load times, the original SNES one, and finally the DS one which is the best version. The platonic ideal of RPGs and an absolutely killer soundtrack! Yoshi’s Island: loved it when it came out, loved the inferior GBA port, and loved finally owning the original version on the Mini SNES!! The color scheme is great and anybody of any age is into it, it was a cheat code for babysitting my cousins 20 years ago! Sidenote: the Yoshi ride at the new Universal Park in Florida is simple but replicates this art style to a tee! Vectorman: a game I really enjoyed at the time and it was so funny hearing the story about it being an intro to techno because I had a similar experience…but it was with Streets of Rage 2 a couple of years earlier. That system was made for house music! Phantasy Star IV: full disclosure, I enjoy the first one but never beat it, got all the way to the end of II but couldn’t finish it because I just never got a handle on the battle system…this is the only one I’ve ever made it all the way through and it really feels like a culmination, and also feels a little underrated now unlike Chrono Trigger which people still hold with greater reverence but this is worth playing! That’s all I got! Long comment but this pod was so good it needed it!

Tom James

Since it came up briefly in that list of 1995 games but that panel was understandably not capable of covering it, I'll add that in terms of Japan-exclusive releases, Linda Cube is a pretty seminal RPG release. Written and designed by Shouji Masuda, who was best known at that point for his involvement in some Hudson projects, particularly Tengai Makyo/Far East of Eden, it's an early, pre-Pokemon monster collecting game where you need to gather male and female specimens of various species to stash onto a galactic arc before your planet gets hit by an asteroid. The game is split into three different story scenarios, each with their own unique plotlines, monster collection quotas, and deadlines, which makes it feel like a short story collection in RPG form since no one scenario takes as long to complete as a conventional RPG. Couple that with some witty, down to earth dialogue that doesn't take itself too seriously and you have an auspicious start for Masuda's extended period helming a variety of Japan's more unorthodox (and unlocalized) RPGs throughout the 90s and early 2000s. Even in a post-Pokemon landscape, the mechanics are structure still feel fresh and engaging, having just played through two of the three scenarios to completion last year myself. In addition to the PC Engine CD original, it was also ported to the PS1 and Saturn. The PS1 version can now finally be played in English after many years of hard work from the team behind it. A lot of Masuda's games, which I'd describe as RPGs for RPG developers, remain untranslated, so if you want a good primer on what makes him an enduring influence on the genre, right now, it's hard to do much better than Linda Cube. Anyway, that's my overdue Import Game Comment Minute for one of these episodes! Carry on! 😌

takeshikitano3

OMG I just made the artwork connection, love it!!

Griffin Youngstrum

I was only 5 when my brother bought the playstation port of Descent and this took me BACK. That game was so wildly lonely and disorientating. Also whoa you guys like Earthbound and Chrono Trigger?

JJR

The question of a game prequel that was good (where narrative was at all important- so not counting fighting games) I’d say Metal Gear Solid 3- but you are playing as a different character in Kojima’s storytelling, there’s always crazy anyways