The Insert Credit Show

The Insert Credit Show

Brandon Sheffield

A relentlessly on topic smorgasbord of hard hitting video game questions as addressed by a panel of experts. Featuring Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and a rotating group of special guests. Hosted by Alex Jaffe. Edited by Esper Quinn. Original music by Kurt Feldman.

59 minutes 11 seconds

Ep. 375 - Like a Destiny, with Ed Zitron
Journalist, podcaster, and PR person Ed Zitron joins the panel for the reveal of the Video Game History Museum Library, how to tell when a PR person is lying, and a precise rundown of how fucked video games are. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Brandon Sheffield, and Ed Zitron. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:
Credit Report (05:01)

1: Aaron Stewart-Ahn asks, have you ever gotten in serious trouble playing a multiplayer game? (05:12)
2: Frank, tell us about the newly online Video Game History Museum Library (11:01)
3: Who do you think has the best PR team in video games? (19:52)
4: How fucked are video games? (27:31)
5: LeFish asks, rank from best to worst: 1080 Snowboarding, Excitebike, F-Zero, Mario Kart, and Wave Race. (34:13)
6: What is exactly as satisfying in real life as it is to do in a video game? (37:49)
- Ace Attorney series
7: What is the Queens of the Stone Age of Video Games? (40:45)
LIGHTNING ROUND: 21 Questions (43:41)

Recommendations and Outro (55:11):
- Ed: Better Offline
- Frank: John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando
- Brandon: Whatever you gotta do to feel better about things you have Brandon’s permission, Star Trek: Lower Decks
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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3 February 2025, 6:17 am
1 hour 9 minutes

Ep. 374 - Cage Rage Gauge, with Aaron Stewart-Ahn
Screenwriter Aaron Stewart-Ahn joins a panel guest hosted by Esper to cover the current definition of “good graphics,” Nicholas Cage’s sublime beauty, and seeing Attack of the Clones on acid.

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SHOW NOTES:
1: Where are your favorite places to hang out in open world video games? (06:20)
2: When is it most obvious that zero research went into a particular video game scene? (15:15)
3: Design a video game where the main hero is played by Nicolas Cage. (20:54)
4: Design a video game where the main villain is played by Nicolas Cage. (25:16)
5: Spencer asks, what are games biggest strengths as a medium? (30:56)
6: What do “good graphics” mean in 2025? (38:11)
7: What is the Decemberists of video games? (44:46)
LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design – Czech New Wave Classics (49:37)

Credit Report (57:01)

Recommendations and Outro (57:24):
- Ash: Dynasty Warriors: Origins, Three Kingdoms
- Brandon: And Give My Love to the Swallows (1972), Kin-dza-dza! (1986), exercise
- Aaron: Rejection
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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27 January 2025, 10:33 am
56 minutes 58 seconds

Ep. 373 - Switch Boy Advance
Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield assemble to cover the Switch 2, video game console Marxism, and the shocking return of our most controversial segment. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:
1: merritt k asks, which 90s platformer mascots do you think will never get a cash-in nostalgia-baiting revival? (03:31)
2: How bout that Switch 2? (09:37)
3: What are the characteristics of a Nintendo video game? (16:55)
4: Improv Zone - MMO Raid (22:48)
- Isekai
- Elon Musk
- Grimes
5: BluntForceMama asks, what is the optimal point in a game’s life cycle (ie, how long after release) to play it? (28:17)
6: Which video game fandom has the highest barrier of entry? (34:10)
7: What’s the ratio of great 2D games to great 3D games? (37:29)
- Ray tracing
- Return of the Obra Dinn
LIGHTNING ROUND: Quester’s Fest (41:00)

Recommendations and Outro (44:12):
- Brandon: Lowrider, California Fire Relief Bundle on itch.io
- Ash: History of Rome podcast
- Frank: don’t be a dumb bad guy, get your cat one of those cat hamster wheels
- Jaffe: Mulholland Drive (2001)
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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20 January 2025, 4:21 am
1 hour 2 minutes

Ep. 372 - Dracula Jerky, with merritt k
Writer, game designer, and friend of the show merritt k joins the panel to discuss GDQ runs, the Radiohead of video games, and skeleton bone boobs. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and merritt k. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:
1: If you had to design and perform a gimmicky GDQ speedrun, what would it be? (05:13)
2: What are the popular games within the monsterfucking community? (12:03)
3: What tricks do video games do to convince players that they’re much bigger than they actually are? (18:39)
4: The Annual Public Domain Adaptation Game - Popeye (24:57)
5: a small rabite’s mom asks, why are there so many deserts in video games? Every time I see you playing one of these things you’re in a desert. (31:22)
- Gulf War
- Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty
6: What is the Radiohead of video games? (35:26)
LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - Draskula (39:31)

Credit Report (44:57)

Recommendations and Outro (45:30):
- merritt: Fledgling Manor
- Frank: Drac’s Night Out
- Brandon: Send recommendations for movies about killin nazis, listen to Malice Mizer if you want to feel like a dracula
- Ash: Interview with the Vampire, make more games about killing klan members
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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13 January 2025, 8:37 am
1 hour 42 minutes

Ep. 371 - Insert Credit Annual #6
As has become tradition, Insert Credit ranks the best games of all time, or at least 87% of them: the ones the industry won’t sell you anymore. Plus, the first ever spending of credits on Insert Credit Show. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:
1: Round 1 - Frank’s First Nomination (08:13)
2: Round 1 - Ash’s First Nomination (13:08)
3: Round 1 - Brandon’s First Nomination (16:12)
4: Round 2 - Frank’s Second Nomination (19:34)
5: Round 2 - Ash’s Second Nomination (28:00)
6: Round 2 - Brandon’s Second Nomination (32:43)
7: Round 3 - Frank’s Third Nomination (36:50)
8: Round 3 - Ash’s Third Nomination (43:37)
9: Round 3 - Brandon’s Third Nomination (51:06)
10: Round 4 - Frank’s Final Nomination (01:02:04)
11: Round 4 - Ash’s Final Nomination (01:09:02)
12: Brandon’s Honorable Mentions (01:15:17)
12: Round 4 - Brandon’s Final Nomination (01:18:18)
13: Frank and Ash’s Honorable Mentions (01:20:19)
Why do games go out of print? (01:24:58)

Credit Report (01:37:58)

THE INSERT CREDIT ANNUAL #6
1. Silent Hill
2. Raw Danger!
3. Panzer Dragoon Saga
4. Crazy Taxi
5. NBA Jam
6. Tekken 3
7. Rock Band
8. Animal Crossing (GCN)
9. Virtua Cop 2
10. Puyo Puyo~n
11. Mr. Bones
12. Concord
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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6 January 2025, 9:44 am
1 hour 6 minutes

Ep. 370 - Holiday Question Hole Special
The three finest minds in video games plumb the depths of our listener-submitted Question Hole, dredging up all manner of holiday cheer, the Floridafication of America, and the return of Seaman. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:
- Barbara Walters
- 20/20
1: Tradegood asks, what is the best video game to play on a first date? (03:04)
2: Kiko B asks, aside from jumping and running, what are the most important verbs in a platform game? Are there any that don’t get the attention they deserve? (06:28)

3: Breadytodie asks, which is the better racing game series: Initial D or Wangan Midnight? (07:34)
4: Goonbag asks, what’s the most shame you have ever experienced playing a video game? (08:48)
- Duke Nukem Forever
- Call of Duty series
5: Hobart Painsborough asks, why do so many games lie to the player when they say “press any button to continue” when in reality “any button” does not, in fact, allow you to continue? (11:23)

6: A small rabite asks, is the Mana series the most mismanaged Square-Enix franchise? (12:43)
7: LeFish asks, who is the coolest videogame character whose design is family friendly or specifically aimed towards kids? (13:27)
- Sonic the Hedgehog
8: Tom Arrow asks, I recently noticed while playing the Dreamcast that a bunch of these games feature an arcade-style race against the clock mechanic. What was the deal with that? (13:43)
9: Connrrr asks, can playing a video game be a form of puppeteering? (15:48)

10: Michael from Cyprus asks, it was Alain Badiou I think that said “ Most people resort to the certainty of misery than the misery of uncertainty.“ What two Video Games ultimately answer to the two paths? (16:27)
- Alain Badiou
- Harvestella
11: LowGuppy asks, what video game most needs a sequel subtitled “On the Beach?” (17:55)
12: Spencergifs asks, what is the best video game that is not played with a controller, mouse and keyboard, or arcade stick (19:19)
13: Rice_9 asks, when looking at a new game online, do you watch the video, read the copy, or look at screenshots first? (21:39)

14: Why Why asks, how do you make destructible items fun to destroy? (22:01)
15: Psinuxie asks, what are some later games that figured out design fundamentals? (23:29)
16: Dustin asks, what was a favorite multi-disc game for you? (26:36)
17: BluntForceMama asks, is GTA 6 late to the party regarding Florida culture? (29:18)
- Grand Theft Auto VI
- Florida Man
18: Anonymous asks, how do one’s actions in the human realm affect which video game world you go to when you die? (30:39)
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- One Piece
19: Anders Matsen asks, what specific elements make up a “hang out game?”
20: Will Heydt Minor asks, is the world ready for Seaman 2? (35:36)
21: Kyle Karesh asks, what game series is better to play in chronological order rather than release order? (37:54)
22: Cara Esten asks, what video game would make the memory of a traumatic event worse? (38:49)
- Tetris
- Hideo Kojima
23: Dilson asks, what makes in-game lore compelling? (39:22)
Credit Report (52:00)

Recommendations and Outro (52:37):
- Brandon: Do what you can
- Frank: Help those around you
- Ash: Keep hope alive
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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30 December 2024, 1:07 am
57 minutes 39 seconds

Ep. 369 - Wednesday Difficulty, with Chris Remo
Composer, designer, and puzzler Chris Remo joins the panel to cover how specific instruments evoke moods in games, Mad Libs as branching path narrative, and VR’s Myst problem. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, Brandon Sheffield, and Chris Remo. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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SHOW NOTES:
1: What’s the right way to modulate crossword puzzle difficulty? (06:04)
- The New York Times crossword puzzle
- Will Shortz
2: What particular moods or vibes in video game soundtracks are most closely associated with specific instruments? (12:24)
3: Did any of those Wordle clones have any merit? (16:41)
4: If I haven’t been convinced to get into VR by now, am I beyond reach? (22:53)
Insert Credit Quick Break: Charles Greenberg (33:27)

5: Death Strandicoot asks, what are some interesting company interactions or rivalries in gaming? (34:41)
6: What is the TCM documentary about the making of The Day the Clown Cried of video games? (41:16)
LIGHTNING ROUND: Burning Questions (47:51)

Recommendations and Outro (51:34):
- Brandon: Play Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams…
- Frank: Play Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit with curious kittens if you have the chance
- Ash: Mouthwashing
- Chris: youtube.com/chrisremo, The Brutalist (2024)
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by Charles Greenberg and patrons like you. Thank you.

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23 December 2024, 5:48 am
1 hour 1 minute

Ep. 368 - Are You There, God? It's Me, The Witcher
Frank, Ash and Brandon design games based on historical events, explain the plot of Earth Defense Force, and discover why women have hollow bones. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:
1: What historical events would it be interesting to recreate in a video game? (06:03)
2: What video game do you like that you believe the greatest percentage of people who have played it do not like? (11:22)
Credit Report (14:58)

3: Has there ever been an unreleased video game that you were glad never came out? (15:16)
4: Explain the lore of Earth Defense Force in 6 minutes (19:51)
Insert Credit Quick Break: Puppycam! (25:50)

5: Rin asks, how often do you use button remapping? (26:32)
6: What’s the best prison or prison sequence in a video game? (34:32)
7: What is the Christopher Nolan’s TENET of video games? (40:27)
LIGHTNING ROUND: Famicom Feud - Past Game Awards Winners (44:26)

Recommendations and Outro (54:01):
- Brandon: Subway (1985), Miho Nakayama’s albums Mind Game, Catch the Night, Angel Hearts and Hide ‘N’ Seek
- Ash: The Verge’s premium subscription
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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16 December 2024, 6:31 am
53 minutes 39 seconds

Ep. 367 - Rings Aren't Coins
our Insert Credit Panel covers how a video game might be political, new games for dead consoles, and the Jaffe Cut of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:
1: Are all video games inherently political? (04:58)
2: How do video game trailers lose you? (10:38)
3: Which game console has the best library of games released by third parties after its discontinuation? (15:37)
4: Design a new boot-up screen for the PlayStation 6 (21:00)
5: Captain asks, what makes a video game coin enjoyable to pick up? (27:17)
6: Frank, what can you tell us about the state of game preservation this year? (33:54)
LIGHTNING ROUND: GameFAQ&As - No Man’s Sky (39:25)

Credit Scores (42:51)

Recommendations and Outro (42:55):
- Brandon:
  - Do stretches before you go to bed and after you wake up
  - if you have a dog that won’t pee on dirt when it’s wet or cold try getting some mulch
  - Wicked (2024)
- Jaffe:
  - The Marvelous Land of Oz: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman
- Ash:
  - Only see Gladiator II (2024) for Denzel chewing scenery
  - The Verge’s premium subscription
- Frank:
  - The return of The Video Game History Hour
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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9 December 2024, 2:01 am
1 hour 7 minutes

Ep. 366 - Xboxen
The full Insert Credit panel covers what Xboxes are, Fatal Fury movie casting, and dog football. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:
Credit Report (04:06)

1: Is this podcast an Xbox? (04:48)
2: What is the most fortunate accident in video game history? (10:22)
3: Which video game genre on the whole compares best to its correspondent film genre on the whole? (15:29)
4: What class should be added in the next Dragon Quest 3 remake? (21:09)
- Dragon Quest III (Super Famicom remake)
- Thief
- Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake
- Beastmaster
- Pictomancer
- Arithmetician
- Adeline
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- Dragon Quest series
- Cartographer
- Dragon Quest V
- Dragon Quest Monsters
- EarthBound
- Ness
- Dracky
- Final Fantasy XV
- Ignis
- Gladiolus
- Prompto
- Quina
- Final Fantasy IX
Insert Credit Quick Break: The Storied Sword, available digitally and physically (26:57)

5: Pro Skater 4 asks, how would you cast a Fatal Fury movie? (28:36)
6: If you could instantly put any game on every iPhone, what would it be? (35:34)
7: What’s the Air Bud (1997) of video games? (41:02)
LIGHTNING ROUND: Name Design - Bart Vs. The Simpsons (46:23)

Recommendations and Outro (54:09):
- Frank: Please donate to the Video Game History Foundation this Giving Tuesday
- Brandon: more of a review than a recommendation, but The Beekeeper (2024) is like John Wick but not very good and doesn’t make any sense and doesn’t have stakes, “dune scene” from untitled louise weard castration movie, Shangri-La Frontier if you like anime with leveling up
- Ash: Stream Not Like Us as much as possible
- Jaffe: One Piece
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by The Storied Sword, available digitally and physically, and patrons like you. Thank you.

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2 December 2024, 6:07 am
1 hour 15 minutes

Ep. 365 - Post-Crisis Sonic 2
The finest panel in video games covers Sony buying Kadokawa, relitigates what counts as games versus DLC, and brings you the exclusive reveal of the Nintendo Listo. Hosted by Alex Jaffe, with Frank Cifaldi, Ash Parrish, and Brandon Sheffield. Edited by Esper Quinn, original music by Kurt Feldman.

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Discuss this episode in the Insert Credit Forums

SHOW NOTES:
1: Brandon, two years ago when Microsoft bought Blizzard Activision, you proposed something that would be really funny that Sony could do to retaliate. Do you remember what it was? (05:35)
2: At what point is a game’s DLC worth judging as its own entity? (12:08)
3: What’s the biggest gulf in difference between a game’s singleplayer and multiplayer modes, and what’s the biggest golf in video games? (21:17)
4: What is the Nintendo Listo? (24:58)
Apology Corner: None of the Hansons from Hanson are dead (32:54)
- Hanson
- The Hanson Brothers
5: Feral asks, what are your favorite completely missable areas in video games?
6: What is the Morbius of video games? (42:50)
LIGHTNING ROUND: Arcade of Our Own (48:37)

Recommendations and Outro (01:03:37):
- Frank: Maybe play Dragon Quest XI, but more specifically, just lean into being comfortable right now
- Brandon: Dark Crystal - Minako Yoshida, The Ballad of Sacco and Vanzetti, know that the Hakkaider blu-ray is a bad quality transfer
- Ash: (For Geoff Keighley specifically) Get the Flute Guy and ReFantazio Chanting Monk on the same stage to heal the world
This week’s Insert Credit Show is brought to you by patrons like you. Thank you.

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25 November 2024, 1:44 am
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