Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Downloads

Content

Jeremy: The year two-thousand and twenty-six has begun in earnest now, because we have completed all of our decades-in-review episodes. You're welcome! This isn't one of those crummy years where you have to wait until mid-February to get the year rolling because we've lagged behind on the Revues.

This time around, Kevin and Jared and I spend a couple of hours remembering the magic that was 1996. Probably. I don't actually remember anything that we said this episode, because two of our intended guests were out sick (Benj and Chris), and I was in the process of coming down with something nasty myself. If I seem loopy or delirious here, it's because I'm about three hours from realizing I needed to go back to bed.

But hey! We've all built up our natural immunity for the year. Let the good times roll. And enjoy this podcast.

Edits by Greg Leahy, art by Greg Melo

13:13 - Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen: "Theme from Mission: Impossible" | Star Trek: First Contact: Red Alert

25:39 - Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire: Xizor's Theme

38:49 - Pocket Monsters Red/Green: Kuchiba City

48:02 - Super Marathon: Durandal Theme

56:22 - Quake: Theme

1:09:54 - David Bowie: "Telling Lies"

1:15:31 - Pilotwings 64: Hang Glider | Metal Slug: Stage 6

1:32:09 - Street Fighter Alpha 2: Sakura Stage

1:41:53 - Tomb Raider (1996): Main Theme

Closing - Pearl Jam: "Around the Bend"

Files

Comments

Dave Dalrymple

Since I was a later adopter of the N64 and Playstation, my 1996 consisted mainly of older SNES games (which were getting easy to pick up for cheap) and PC games. I think my most memorable 1996 games were "Civilization 2", "Pandora Directive" and "Star Control 3". I'm sure I wouldn't have liked SC3 as much as I did if I had played SC2 beforehand. But at the time, it was a really unique experience. Meanwhile, I still think that "Civ 2" and "Pandora Directive" remain pinnacles of their respective genres. "Pandora Directive", in particular, has a wonderfully elegant morality system where the story divergences arise as an indirect consequence of the choices you make, rather than from a Bioware-style direct choice.

Rasheen Jordan

A lot of time was spent at the arcade playing Die Hard, Killer Instinct 2 and SF Alpha 2 in ‘96 along with Resident Evil at home.

James Krusling

Only thing I wanted to add about 1996 (full disclosure I was 8) was that there were a couple banger SNES games that year even as Nintendo was moving on to 3D (I remember those kiosks quite well with Mario 64)! Super Mario RPG and Kirby Superstar both came out this year! The former taught me that Mario in RPG form is wonderful and taught me how to play RPGs! The latter taught me that Kirby’s Adventure was just the tip of the iceberg! Great stuff!

Andrew Webb

1996…. That was the year I started following video game news daily. Buying Next Gen. magazine with their Mario 64 issue and that having a blurb to check out N64.com, which would then turn into IGN.com… Also Jeremy you worked on the new Jaws LRG game? Cool, can’t wait.

Tikwid

As an autistic person myself, I can confirm that Pokémon was a BIG deal. For a lot of us, it gave us an opportunity to hyperfocus on something new and taught us what video games *could* be. I was 7 when Red and Blue came out and I still have my handwritten graph paper spreadsheets from back then in a memories box to this day. While I had friends who were into it, it was one of the first times I remember feeling that there was truly and actually something *different* about me, and for once it didn't feel "wrong". Pokémon made me feel understood and helped me understand myself. This is such a cool episode for us elder millennials, thank you for this!

Patrick McClafferty

1996 was an interesting time. Was the first time getting on the internet regularly via a long dead internet provider. Would check N64.com regularly along with some other Nintendo related sites. It was also the first time I got into internet arguments of course (it was some nonsense about being a little pride about then new Disney movies). It was also the birth year of two of my favorite franchises (Pokémon and Resident Evil though I didn't come to them later) and when I got really into RPGs via Super Mario RPG and my friend's copy of FF2.

PurpleComet

I appreciate all the love for SF Alpha 2, one of my all time favorite SF entries along with Alpha 3 and 3rd Strike. The SNES port is definitely impressive but it's kind of frustrating it never came to the N64 which desperately needed GOOD fighting games

louguzzo mtheory

Closing out with the last notes of the best album of 1996 (IMO) was just… 🤌