Shows / The Retro Breakdown
The Retro Breakdown
Every week, Dean (twitch.tv/timewanderer) and Tom discuss current gaming news, and then check out some old (or sometimes new) piece of gaming history to see how it holds up, and test the strength of nostalgia.
Episodes
The Retro BreakdownSutte Hakkun (SNES) and the Sega Reactivity Theory
It turns out the Sega Channel predates the Satellaview, but it feels like the type of thing where Sega would have copied it in a panic. Anyway, this game is…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man and Bass (GBA/SNES) and the Houses and Bedsheets Discussion
We are boring old adults and we show it fully in the first 5 minutes of this episode. We talk about art and I use an old remix as the outro theme! Here's a…
The Retro BreakdownCool Spot (SNES/Genesis) and the Animal Well Endorsement
Happy New Year everyone! We begin this year with some licensed trash! Also, Tom sort of recommends Animal Well, but also not. I don't know, it's really…
The Retro BreakdownThe Retro Breakdown 2024 Game Tier List
Happy New Year everyone! Our annual tier list is here, where we rank a bunch of Mega Man games and also some other things! It was a weird and fun year, and I…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man X4 (PS1) and the Nintendo Wrapped
We began the year with Mega Man 4 and we close it with Mega Man X4. Significantly different experiences. Also, I read my Nintendo Year in Review live on…
The Retro BreakdownHome Alone 2: Kevin's Dream (Game Boy) and the Bobby's World
We continue a holiday tradition with our fifth consecutive Home Alone game in December! This one is so good it was cancelled, turned into a Bobby's World game…
The Retro BreakdownDonkey Kong Land (Game Boy) and the Overpowered Handhelds
We're back after a long hiatus (Korea was great!) and impressed with Donkey Kong Land, a game that causes an out-of-nowhere callout to little-known Japanese…
The Retro BreakdownDouble Dragon 3 (Arcade) and the Worst Kind of Microtransactions
We finally got around to playing Double Dragon 3. It wasn't what I would call a "good" decision. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man 8 (PS1) and the GOAT Legend Cooking
TW rants about Party House and early check-in issues at hotels, Tom rants about letting 'em cook, and we both rant about the obscenely lavish amount of detail…
The Retro BreakdownMister Mosquito (PS2) and the Online Forum Ban
A bizarre game about being an evil mosquito deserves an equally bizarre conversation about Tom's struggles with internet people doing internet people things…
The Retro BreakdownKirby's Dream Land 2 (Game Boy) and the UFO 50 Lore
I've only played 7 games of UFO 50, and I already love all 50 of them. That compilation was made for me specifically. Also, apparently Goku is confirmed in a…
The Retro BreakdownKirby's Dream Land (Game Boy) and the Astro Bot References
It's a Covid-shortened episode this week for an especially short game! Also, Astro Bot, Mister Mosquito, Vib Ribbon, Sifu, and Tokyo Jungle. By the way, it was…
The Retro BreakdownIntelligent Qube (PS1) and the Miyamoto Rock Placement
"I DEMAND TO KNOW WHO PUT THIS ROCK IN THIS GAME!" - Shigeru Miyamoto, 2006 Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownJumping Flash (PS1) and the Naked Neighbors
This week's offering is a 3D platformer from the PS1's launch window that predates Mario 64. And it's... really, surprisingly quite good? We also talk about…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man X3 (SNES) and the Secret of Mana Hot Takes
Today's episode has us talk smack on Secret of Mana AND Super Metroid, so I'm sure nobody will be mad about that. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownSunset Riders (Arcade) and the Bean Eating Humiliation
TW is back from Ireland and wants to talk about hotel breakfast. Also, Xenoblade is the Dark Souls of something or other, complicated feelings on the Last of…
The Retro BreakdownStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (PC/Xbox) and the JRPG Completion Pain
This week, we talk about the most asinine requirements to "100%" a JRPG, and then we discuss one of our first CRPGs! Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownGhosthunter (PS2) and the Valkyria Chronicles 4 Review
A game we watched on YouTube and a game I should have played 5 years ago headline today's podcast! It's a weird one! Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man: The Power Battle/Fighters (Arcade) and the Dong Doom
This week, it's two games in one podcast, plus the version of Doom that nobody knew they wanted, and probably still don't want! Unless... Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownRadiant Silvergun (Saturn) and the Rockman Gold Empire
Yes, we will eventually play Mega Man Zero. No, we will probably not play the Rockman-themed, Taiwan-exclusive Monopoly-like board game from 1999. Send us…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man 7 (SNES) and the Wi-Fi Eyeball
The series playthrough continues! This week we try to quickly recap all the game shows we missed in weeks past and then talk about memories of Harvest Moon and…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man X2 (SNES) and the Anime Trash Revue
Remember, just because it's trash, doesn't mean it's bad. Except when it's both. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownSuper Mario Land (Game Boy) and the Manga "Final Arcs"
When a mangaka says their series is entering its "final arc," does that mean it's a few months from over, or like 10 years? Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownQuest for Camelot (GBC) and the Original Xbox Library
TW's dumb sports game obsession, running down original Xbox games, and one of the worst games we've played in a while. Apologies for the music at the end, but…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man Soccer (SNES) and the WE ARE ROCKMAN Commercial
Also, a console war retrospective, our grown-up perception of time, the Haikyuu movie, and Tom's unintended rap debut. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownBubble Ghost (Game Boy) and the Defense of Super Earth
After weeks of talking about it, we finally decided to muster up the courage to be free. Also, here's a thing I didn't realize about this game until I was…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man V (Game Boy) and the Penny's Big Breakaway Bump
We're back from a short break, did we miss much? Oh, basically every gaming company on the planet is trying to Ouroboros themselves out of existence? Cool…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man X (SNES) and the Nintendo Legal Backlog
Nintendo sucks, why can't we quit it? Also, more spam emails, the legal ruling that may spawn more indie games, and just so much love for Mega Man X. Send us…
The Retro BreakdownBattletoads in Battlemaniacs (SNES) and the Old Soda Habits
Spiced Coke, Korean soda habits, and horny Rareware throughout this episode! I'm pretty sure that Battletoads is deeply overrated as a franchise. This is the…
The Retro BreakdownRocket Ranger (NES) and the Idle Game Confession
TW makes Tom play another bad game for a silly reason and then tries to convince him it's kinda cool, actually. Tom, meanwhile, is playing Actual Good Game…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man The Wily Wars (Genesis) and the GTA IV Physics
Okay, we can't be the only ones, right? Lots of people have to remember that swing set. Probably more people than remember The Wily Wars. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownBöbl (NES) and the Civilization VI Achievement List
Everybody has that one game that just absorbs them for a couple weeks - or months - and they can't break out of it. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man 6 (NES) and the AI Girlfriend Research
For the record, the answer to the question is no, I am not. Send us mail! theretrobreakdown@gmail.com TW's Discord…
The Retro BreakdownMario Golf (Game Boy Color) and the Rapid Fire Topics
What are we even talking about this week? Everything! Nothing! Volleyball, golf, video games, Nintendo discovering Newgrounds in 2024. It's a crazy week…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man IV (Game Boy) and the Helldivers 2 Mechs
I'm not playing it yet, but I'm PERILOUSLY close to it. Also, the Mega Man march continues, and we both agree that while this Game Boy Mega Man is one of the…
The Retro BreakdownKick Master (NES) and the Trouble With Switch Names
It's a rapid-fire segment of games we're playing and not playing this week, including Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Persona 3 Reload, Unicorn Overlord, Monster…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man III (Game Boy) and the Super-On-Time Final Fantasy 7 Demo
This podcast is super recent and recorded super on time. It is about things that are happening now and definitely not things from two weeks ago, like the Final…
The Retro BreakdownTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Back From the Sewers (Game Boy) and the Hideo Kojima Human Loop
Tom has a tendency to be extra forgiving to games that feature characters that he enjoys. Tom really, REALLY likes TMNT. Tom does not like this game. That's…
The Retro BreakdownTrax (Game Boy) and the Flimsy Hammer Discovery
Like a Dragon, Sea of Stars endgame, and a funny little ball tank. We can't say for sure, but this game MAY have invented a bunch of Kirby explosions and…
- The Retro Breakdown
Mega Man 5 (NES) and the Dondoko Island Tycoon
Breaking news: New Like a Dragon game has very good and expansive minigame that is more than it initially appears. Shocking, I know. Almost like this happens…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man II (Game Boy) and the #JustWilyThings
In which Dr. Wily invents time travel in order to beat Mega Man and then uses it in the most nonsensical way imaginable and then does not, in fact, beat Mega…
The Retro BreakdownPerfect Dark (N64) and the Palworld Explanation
This week, we discuss the new Like a Dragon, driving lessons from Initial D, the games we would least like to see in a friend's Steam profile, and Tom…
The Retro BreakdownAlice's Mom's Rescue (Dreamcast) and the Jank Xbox 360 Repair feat. T of TKandM!
T of TKandM and the Metal Gear University podcast joins the podcast today for our first ever Dreamcast game on the podcast. Is it Sonic Adventure? Chu Chu…
The Retro BreakdownPokemon Trading Card Game (GBC) and the Lawyer Bait
In about 70 minutes' time, we manage to potentially draw the ire of Nintendo, Disney, and Netflix lawyers. I think we have a fighting chance. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man 4 (NES) and the Ham Cheeto Debuff
The new year begins with another Mega Man game! Also, chili with chocolate, Cheetos with ham, and excitement over a Pocket Circuit simulator standalone game…
The Retro BreakdownThe Retro Breakdown's 2023 Game Tier List
From TMNT 3: The Manhattan Project to Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, we recap every single game we covered in 2023 and put it on a tier list based on how much…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge (Game Boy) and the Age of Empires Cheats
Dr. Wily takes his revenge by changing up his homework a little bit so it doesn't look like he copied. Also 90's game cheats are legendary. Send us mail!…
The Retro BreakdownShinrei Jusatsushi Taroumaru (Saturn) and the Lame Airport Comparisons
On a whim, we check out the absurdly-rare Shinrei Jusatsushi Taroumaru, a Time Warner Interactive game by some former Treasure staffers, so basically THIS IS…
The Retro BreakdownHome Alone (NES) and the Indie Games(?)
A holiday tradition continues as Tom and TW play a Home Alone game in December for the fourth year in a row! And somehow they appear to have found the worst…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man 3 (NES) and the Windows 11 New Coke
The biggest problem with Windows 11 is that it does most of the same stuff as Windows 10 but requires extra steps for no discernible reason. Mega Man 3 is…
The Retro BreakdownCastlevania Legends (Game Boy) and the Hostess Ring Light Reflection
A below-average Castlevania game with an above-average soundtrack is today's topic, alongside the absolute celebration of the bizarre, parasocial relationships…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man 2 (NES) and the Giantess Ryza Thighs
Tom and TW have a discussion about artistic perspective and how a pair of thighs shot a franchise to new heights. No, we do not talk about Mega Man's thighs…
The Retro BreakdownLittle Nemo The Dream Master (NES) and the Last Time We Talk About Edelgard
We're in the midst of a Classic Capcom run as we roll on with Little Nemo this week! Also, what's up with that weird split-screen Nintendo Switch successor…
The Retro BreakdownSweet Home (Famicom) and the Next Step for Smash
Sure, we talked about some stuff, but nevermind that, play Sweet Home, this is one of the most fascinating and ambitious games of the 1980s. It's awesome…
The Retro BreakdownMega Man (NES) and the Wii Motion Control Debate
The beginning of a long-running series that we reserve the right to bail out from at any point, begins NOW! Also, TW maybe understands a bit better why he…
The Retro BreakdownD (3DO) and the Assassin's Creed Haptic Feedback Vest
Laura... Laura... Laura... LAURA! TW's Discord: https://discord.gg/dTrBruG Podcast games streamed live at…
The Retro BreakdownMarchen Maze (PC Engine) and the Manga-to-Anime Transition
A new season of Spy x Family has dropped and that sends us into a discussion about the changing ways manga has gotten adapted into anime over the years…
The Retro BreakdownAlone in the Dark: The New Nightmare (GBC) and the One Piece History
We're talking One Piece this week! Sort of! Tom is way behind in the manga, and TW watched a couple episodes of it back in 2006 or so, and also the whole thing…
The Retro BreakdownThe Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons (GBC) and the Monster Hunter Now Review
Turns out we both, independently, started playing Monster Hunter Now, the first Niantic game that has made any sense at all since they released Pokemon GO. You…
The Retro BreakdownBad Dudes vs. DragonNinja (NES) and the Dokapology
Dokapon Kingdom continues on a confluence of unusual events that end with hitting what amounts to a 20% critical hit and it's all TW's fault. At this point I…