Join Brendan and Zach, together with a rotating special guest as they dive into in-depth conversations about video game culture and the games themselves. Each episode features a new ’cartridge’ to be interrogated as the duo seek to provide a unique Australian perspective to a range of topics.
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On this episode we’re joined by a very special guest - Zach's mum Monica. Recorded just before Mother's Day 2026, we dive deep and discuss 25 years of Animal Crossing, a game which Zach and his mom share a special bond over. We discuss each entry in the series and our respective experiences, highlighting what makes Animal Crossing a unique game with a wide cross generational appeal. We end the…
On this episode we’re joined by Marcus O’Neill from Tiny Game Chronicles. We kick things off by getting Marcus to break down his shows before diving headfirst into the big question: what actually is a short game? Is it a couple of hours? A single sitting? Or just anything that doesn’t demand a lifestyle change? From there, we get into what makes shorter games compelling, how retro titles managed…
Having recently had the opportunity to visit the Pokémon x Natural History Museum experience in London, Brendan is grilled by self-professed Pokémon fanatic Zach on the experience. Tune in to hear all about the Pokémon pop-up store, alongside a discussion of the recent 'Game Worlds' exhibition which just finished its run at ACMI in Melbourne, Australia. Consider this episode a time capsule of our…
With Pokémon celebrating its 30th anniversary, we decided to mark this auspicious occasion by inviting Zach's friend Cam onto the podcast. Cam, who has experience playing both Pokémon video game and Pokémon TCG competitively, having previously attended a Pokémon Worlds in San Francisco, shares his experiences and memories of playing Pokémon competitively and the broader Australian scene.…
On the latest episode of Blowing Cartridges, we were joined by Jon from Hype Factor: A Fantasy Critic Podcast for our second Fantasy Critic inspired podcast episode. Do indie games automatically receive lower aggregate review scores than major triple A games? Are there definitive truths and maxims when trying to predict the future aggregate score for a video game? Are genre, publisher or developer…
2025 was a year of highs and troubling lows for the gaming industry. Join us as with returning guest and friend of the show Mario (not that one) we break down everything that defined gaming this past year—from the fastest console launch in Nintendo history to the biggest leveraged takeover Wall Street has ever seen. We explore the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 (3.5 million units in its first…
To start 2026 off with a topical bang, we dive into a topic close to the heart of every Nintendo fan. Is it possible to predict that airing of Nintendo Directs? Is there truly a pattern that Nintendo follows? Joining us for this episode is Josh from Nintendo Maniacs and the House of Mario. Spreadsheet in hand, we briefly discuss the history of Nintendo Directs, how they have changed over the past…
As an early Christmas present for all our listeners, our annual Video Game Music (VGM) episode returns once again! As is the tradition, we are thrilled to have John back to join us as we dive into discussing and celebrating the nuances of VGM. This year, Zach has challenged us with the theme of his choice - loading screen/waiting music. From heartwarming finales to epic outros with equally epic…
With the Xbox 360 celebrating its 20th birthday this year (and the original Xbox celebrating its 25th birthday next year), Microsoft's console endeavours appear at a crossroads. Whether they will continue producing dedicated console hardware remains an open question given their pivot towards a subscription model couple with publishing their games on non-Microsoft platforms. Joined by returning…
Taking a trip down memory lane, we are joined by friend of the show Justin, who over a 15-year period collected every Nintendo 64 game released in Australia. We dive deep into the highs, lows, surprises, and holy grails - as Justin shares what it really takes to track down the entire N64 library. Grab your favourite three-pronged controller and blow the dust out of that cartridge. This one is for…
