This Is Rad!

To close out Varch/Garch/Smarch, Kyle, Matthew, Natalie and Laura bring you a special bonus episode which takes you back to their roots. That's right, they're finally releasing two episodes they recorded way back in the very beginning of the podcast (circa 2014) but had to hold back due to Burnside's work NDAs. In the first episode, they talk to comedian/podcaster Jordan Morris (from "Jordan, Jesse, Go!") about fighting games. Streetfighter is discussed. Water is spilled. Then they talk to their friend Aldrin Cornejo in their original Legend of Zelda episode, which serves as a good primer and overview of the series and why it's rad. Also, they make (now outdated) E3 predictions and talk Nintendo, and Natalie plays the ocarina. Two episodes for the price of one? It's a Garch miracle!

Direct download: 151_Lost_Episodes_-_This_Is_Rad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:30am PDT

It's This Is Rad!'s 150th episode radtacular! Two years and 100 episodes later, the rad crew saddles up for another game of Dungeons & Dragons. Kyle, Matthew, Natalie and Laura are joined on their quest by podcast friend Ben Dunn and podcast frenemy Adam Murray to play some 5th edition D&D. Together, their eclectic party ventures to the land of Maw to retrieve the stone of King Obouldwith kenku attacks, pan flute playing and Escape from New York-esque consequences along the way. Adam returns as their Dungeon Master, Kyle plays as Rad'amet, a chill druid, Natalie reprises her role as half-orc barbarian Deb the Destroyer, Ben is the foppish and acrobatic half-elf bard Poncifer de Cruise, and Matthew and Laura join forces as a two-headed tiefling named Tiefli-Amber Thiessen (and Mutt). Also, Cutesy the controversial miniature donkey is along for the ride. Hee haw! We would like to thank all our radsters for making our 150th episode possible. Here's to 150 more! This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription.

Weekly Rads: Humble Bundle, Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends, RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9 premiere, Natalie's staged reading of her screenplay "Perfect Failure" at the NerdMelt Showroom April 1st at 1pm, Adele getting attacked by a beetle onstage, Gundam Thunderbolt Season 2, and our special guest Hawk!

Direct download: 150_Dungeons__Dragons_II_-_This_Is_Rad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:33am PDT

You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you? This week Kyle, Matthew and Natalie celebrate Varch/Garch/Smarch by welcoming back Aldrin Cornejo ("Aldrintendo Power" podcast) and talking about the long-running Legend of Zelda series. (They first discussed the series 3 years ago in a soon-to-be-released lost episode but had to shelve it for various reasons.) They discuss the brilliance of the N64 controller, the drawbacks to the Wiimote and Skyward Sword and debate backwards compatibility. They also talk about their first Zelda gaming experiences, why Zelda II: Adventure of Link might not be terrible, and unpack the awesomeness of Breath of the Wild and how it breaks from Zelda tradition. At one point, they have a fight over stylus storage, in which Nat and Laura think putting it back in the DS is optional, while Kyle and Matthew think they are monsters (Moblins, Tektites, Bokoblins... you choose). So sit back and enjoy the episode, but first, remember to go into the cave and grab your sword. After all, it's dangerous to go alone! This episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon. Enter the promo code RAD at mackweldon.com for 20% off your next order.

Weekly Rads: The Belko Experiment, Man About Cake, Season 2 of Self-Obsessed with Sina Grace, American Movie, and our special guest Aristotle Acevedo!

Raddendums: Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time, Zelda I and II, NES Remix, Shovel Knight, Horizon, Mario 64, Mighty Max, Dark Tower, No More Heroes, Suda51, Saint's Row, Mad World, Wind Waker, Fantasia, Duck Hunt, Bust a Groove I & II, Dead or Alive, Soul Calibur II, Left for Dead

Direct download: 149_Legend_of_Zelda_-_This_Is_Rad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00pm PDT

Snake! Your mission this week on This Is Rad! is to talk about the visionary video game auteur Hideo Kojima with special guests Garrett Ross and Alexis Quasarano. Kojima is one of those beautiful people who makes the world extra special. From his legacy as one of video games' greatest directors to his insane yet brilliant Twitter feed, the gang celebrates the man, the myth and the legend behind Policenauts, Zone of the Enders, and of course, the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Thrill as Kyle and Garrett try to explain the madness of the Metal Gear continuity. Kojima deftly combines military history, science fiction and pervy anime weirdness into a web of classic games that has spread over numerous console generations. From the mind bending hardware tricks in the PSOne Classic to the bold narrative choices in Metal Gear Solid 2, Kojima's distinct voice is analyzed. If you've been a Kojima fan for years, you'll love the celebration of his weirdness. If you are new, this is a fun primer for where you might want to start. Either way, it's pretty rad. So put down that temperature-sensitive keycard and strap into your favorite nuclear-powered mech suit as we break down the delightfully weird world of Hideo Kojima. This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription.

Weekly Rads: Horizon, Matt built a computer, Marijuana Deathsquads' Oh My Sexy Lord, At the Drive In's in.ter a.li.a, Feud: Bette & Joan


Raddendums: X-Play on G4, Twin Snakes, Zone of the Enders, Yakuza Zero, Metal Gear Solid, PT, anime body pillows, Steven Universe, Quiet, Shin Godzilla

Direct download: 148_Hideo_Kojima_-_This_Is_Rad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:48pm PDT

Take me down to the Raccoon City where the zombies are green and the tank controls are shitty! Our all-gaming month Varch (Garch? Smarch?) kicks off with one of our most-requested episodes: Resident Evil! To help discuss the long-running franchise, Kyle and Matthew are joined by Jacob Davison and Ken Carr, Kyle's teammates from Dead Right Horror Trivia and lifelong fans of the series. They begin by breaking down the world of survival horror games before RE, including some talk about the NES gem Sweet Home, which heavily influenced the first game. They talk tank controls. They talk fixed camera angles. They ponder what product or service the evil Umbrella Corporation actually sold that made them so much money. They work their way through the series, talking about which games made the most impact on them. They chat about their favorite monsters in the series. Plus, they break down the shift in gameplay style between the classic RE games and Resident Evil 4. RE4 might be a masterpiece, but it also led to some dark times for the franchise. However, there is hope as the gang gushes over how great Resident Evil 7 is. Put down that Jill Sandwich and go listen! This episode is sponsored by Mack Weldon. Enter the promo code RAD at mackweldon.com for 20% off your next order.

Weekly Rads: Logan, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, Birdcloud

Raddendums: Shinji Mikami, Sweet Home

Direct download: 147_Resident_Evil_-_This_Is_Rad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:27pm PDT

This week Kyle and Matthew sit down with comedian, actress, musician and Chipotle-lover Zara Mizrahi to talk about the crazy life she's lived… and a bunch of other topics. Zara talks about her love of Disney trivia and how she dropped out of school at age 16 to become an actress and live her current, cool hippie lifestyle. The gang shares prom stories, drug stories and tattoo stories, and Natalie rambles about Forensic Files. It's like a fun "get to know the people on your freshman dorm floor" sesh. This episode is sponsored by Loot Crate. Give yourself a geeky gift this month! Visit www.lootcrate/thisisrad and enter the promo code thisisrad for $3 off on any new subscription.

Weekly Rads: The latest episode of The Flash, "My Brother, My Brother And Me" on Seeso, I Am Not Your Negro, Fire Emblem Heroes, the LA City Zoo, the 12th season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

Direct download: 146_Independent_Studies_-_This_Is_Rad.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:46am PDT

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