Ultra 64

We've got a quadruple-dose of cartoon-based games this week, and like those sexist Happy Meal two-packs, we've got options for boys and options for girls, although really the best option might be neither. First, we're playing two games based on the Cartoon Network action series BEN 10 OMNIVERSE, about a young boy who can transform into 10 different alien warriors. Then, we're enrolling in MONSTER HIGH, two games based on the hit fashion doll-turned-multimedia franchise, starring a clique of fashion-forward monster girls.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Bayonetta / Bayonetta 2 

The XENOBLADE series has been kicking around in some form or another since the late 90s, but it's only recently that it has ascended to a Nintendo-blessed blockbuster franchise. This week, we're playing the Wii U-exclusive entry in the series, XENOBLADE CHRONICLES X, which takes on more of a spacefaring sci-fi aesthetic with faster combat and big honkin' mechs to drive around. We're digging deep into the origins of the series, and seeing how this one compares to the rest of the highly-acclaimed RPG series.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Ben 10 Omniverse / Ben 10 Omniverse 2 / Monster High: Ghoul School / Monster High: 13 Wishes 

Sharpen your blades and join us as we play what may be the goriest game on the entire system! NINJA GAIDEN is one of the rare series to innovate the action genre in two completely different eras, on the NES and on the original Xbox, but Ryu Hayabusa's star has dimmed a bit in recent years. Today, we're playing his one and only entry on the Wii U, a remastered and expanded version of NINJA GAIDEN 3 called RAZOR'S EDGE! While NG3 was considered a disappointment, RAZOR'S EDGE tries to reverse the game's fortunes with refined controls, new touch screen abilities, and lots of cost-of-living improvements.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod Next week's episode: Xenoblade Chronicles X   

How are we gonna do an episode about a game we already did an episode about? It's easy when it's MARIO KART 8. The biggest game on the Wii U (and on the Switch, for that matter!), there's always something new to discover. But at it's core, MARIO KART is all about getting together with your good buddies and having a race, and we've brought two of our favorites to dodge our shells: Rosie Crow and Lynsey Pennington!  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge 

This week, we're putting away childish things... after we're done playing with them, of course, because we're knocking out the last of our toys-to-life games! After the wild success of SKYLANDERS, everyone wanted in on the plastic-figurine-as-game-pieces craze, and these two games are the most prominent rivals to Activision's pioneering series. Firstly, we're playing DISNEY INFINITY, which has the benefit of Disney's massive backlog of Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars characters to play with. Then, we're playing LEGO DIMENSIONS, which plumbs the multiverse for a wild array of characters and items that you'll actually build in real-life.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod Next week's episode: Mario Kart 8 

It's time for us to cut a rug with Ubisoft's mammoth dancing series JUST DANCE!  We're playing through more games than we've ever attempted in one episode, a whopping NINE games in the venerable series that span the entire lifecycle of the Wii U! It's a lot for two clumsy boys to tackle on our own; luckily, we're joined by dancer, teacher, and owner of Evolution Dance Company, Emma Obukowicz, who can give us some context and let us see just how good of a dancing simulator this series is.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Disney Infinity / Lego Dimensions 

It's party time... for the last time. We're playing the last round of generic party games, and we're looking at arguably the high point and the low point of the genre on Wii U. Of course, it's not a proper party without Dan Reese, and he joins us as we sort through some inscrutable minigame collections. First up, it's the bafflingly-titled, hilariously cheap collection FAMILY PARTY 30 GREAT GAMES OBSTACLE ARCADE SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM; then, we're playing the Nintendo-sanctioned version WII PARTY U, featuring much more competent gameplay and the terror that is Party Phil.   Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Just Dance 

Prepare to get splatted, because this week we're playing SPLATOON, the most successful original IP on the Wii U! We're talking all about the history of this squid-filled delight, and how Nintendo brought their own unique spin to the arena shooter genre!  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Family Party 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade / Wii Party U 

This is it! The very last batch of sports games we will ever play on this show! We're delving into a wide range of sports today, but luckily we've got our old favorite Josiah Coolidge back in the studio to provide his expert insight! We're closing out sports by revisiting the MADDEN franchise with MADDEN NFL 13; then we're hitting the lanes with BRUNSWICK PRO BOWLING; finally, Mario and the gang are facing off for a game of MARIO TENNIS: ULTRA SMASH! Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song" "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com) ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Splatoon  

This week, we're looking at game adaptations of a couple of Disney TV favorites! Bad game aficionado Ailish Collins returns to help us play PHINEAS AND FERB: THE QUEST FOR COOL STUFF, based on the hit show about two inventive brothers and their summertime adventures. Then, we're heading back to the 80s with the remastered version of DUCKTALES from WayForward and Capcom. This remake of the classic NES game retains a lot of the music and gameplay from the original, with a vibrant new visual overhaul.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com) ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Madden NFL 13 / Brunswick Pro Bowling / Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash 

The brothers are back! This week, we're playing two of the premier games for the Wii U: the side scrolling throwback NEW SUPER MARIO BROS. U and it's standalone spin-off NEW SUPER LUIGI U! We're gonna dive deep into some of Mario's most successful and beloved games of all time, plus take a look back at that most iconic of times, the Year of Luigi! This episode earns a full Steve-chievement.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: DuckTales: Remastered / Phineas and Ferb: The Quest for Cool Stuff

This week, we're busting out a couple more minigame collections, with a couple of revitalized classics in the mix. WII SPORTS CLUB is an HD remake of the original pack-in game WII SPORTS, which had the benefit of online play but the detriment of an odd release model. RABBIDS LAND sees the RAYMAN enemies taking the limelight with a MARIO PARTY-style minigame collection that actually makes some pretty clever use of the GamePad!  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowksi  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: New Super Mario Bros. U / New Super Luigi U 

This week, our top-tier Patreon supporter CJ Baker returns to talk about the excellent 2017 remake WONDER BOY: THE DRAGON'S TRAP! The WONDER BOY series was the flagship franchise of the Sega Master System, and despite never being a bit hit in the U.S., it has grown a huge following around the world. We look back at the fractured history of the series as it went from simple arcade platformer to innovative open-world action RPG, and look towards the future as we chart the surprisingly successful recent reboot of the series!  To join us on air to play a game of your choice, check out the Wonder Red tier at Patreon.com/ultra64pod! 

Can you dig it? This week, we're playing two hit indie games that center all around the moving of dirt! Firstly, we're playing TERRARIA, a 2D MINECRAFT clone that is one of the 10 best-selling games of all time! Then, we're playing STEAMWORLD COLLECTION, a compilation of two games, STEAMWORLD DIG and STEAMWORLD HEIST, that might just become your new small-scale favorites.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com) ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod Next week's episode: Wii Sports Club / Rabbids Land 

We've played a lot of LEGO games on this series, and today we're fitting the final bricks into place! Neal Crow returns to the show to help us talk about a random roundup of LEGO games. First, we're playing the fast and funny cop comedy LEGO CITY UNDERCOVER. Then, we're playing three movie adaptations, one based on Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT trilogy, another based on STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, and finally we're closing it out in-house with the adaptation of THE LEGO MOVIE!  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com) ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Terraria / Steamworld Collection 

This week, we're checking back in with the MARIO PARTY series, and making an appearance at an amiibo Festival as well! Corinne Kempen joins us as we play MARIO PARTY 10 and ANIMAL CROSSING: AMIIBO FESTIVAL, two board game-style adaptations of Nintendo characters that take very different approaches to the genre.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com) ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Lego City Undercover / Lego The Hobbit / Lego The Lego Movie Videogame / Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

This week, we're embracing our inner hackermen as we play Ubisoft's ambitious, expensive spectacle WATCH DOGS. This open-world game lets you take control of the city of Chicago from your smart phone, allowing you to hack everything from ATMs to security cameras to traffic lights. There's an impressive amount of game here, but does this high-profile event game hold up nearly a decade later?  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Mario Part 10 / Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival 

We're back on our fitness grind, and this time we chose NOT to play them on the hottest day of the year! First, we're getting tone with Ubisoft's YOURSHAPE: FITNESS EVOLVED 2013, and then we're dancing around the globe with ZUMBA FITNESS WORLD PARTY! Listen now to lose a guaranteed* five pounds! (*not a guarantee) Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Watch Dogs 

This week we're gathering up a few odd little games that don't quite fit in anywhere else, but darn it they'll always have a home with us! First, we're playing the bare-bones arcade port TANK! TANK! TANK!, which promises three times the tanks of the average game. Then, we're playing RUNBOW, a fast-paced, stylish platformer/racer which supports up to nine players for wild local multiplayer. Finally, we're talking about TUMBLESTONE, a small but addictive indie match-3 puzzle game.  Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod Next week's episode: YourShape: Fitness Evolved 2013 / Zumba Fitness World Party 

The MONSTER HUNTER games are some of the most popular in the world, but the learning curve can be intimidating for new players. Luckily, we've brought in a ringer to help us explain the many working pieces of hunting monsters! Garrit Manker from the Co-Hops podcast comes by to help us parse through the complex and beautiful world of Capcom's multiplayer RPG, in all it's bone-busting, cat-befriending, egg-waddling splendor! Hosted by Steve Guntli and Woody Ciskowski  Logo by Corinne Kempen  Theme song: "Truck" by The Octopus Project (theoctopusproject.com)  ultra64podcast.com  Twitter: @ultra64podcast  Email: ultra64podcast@gmail.com  Instagram: @ultra64podcast  Patreon: patreon.com/ultra64pod  Next week's episode: Tank! Tank! Tank! / Runbow / Tumblestone