The Secret Lives of Games

Rob and Zach chat with Joonas Turner (Downwell, Noita, Cult of the Lamb), Jukio Kallio (Fall Guys, Minit, Dave the Diver), and Jan Willem "JW" Nijman (Super Crate Box, Ridiculous Fishing, Minit) about their landmark twin-stick wasteland shooter, Nuclear Throne, and its recent blowout 10th anniversary update. They discuss reopening a project after a decade, balancing through play, the decision to not implement traditional invincibility frames, the shifting culture of what makes a design "engaging," and more! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Nuclear Throne https://nuclearthrone.com/ Controls You Can Feel: Putting Tactility Back Into Touch Controls https://youtu.be/OIOitNx9RHI?si=vcV3GCcsiy1W4Efr Spelunky https://www.spelunkyworld.com/ Shoot First https://www.indiedb.com/games/shoot-first Crimsonland https://www.crimsonland.com/ Downwell https://downwellgame.com/ Tormentor x Punisher https://tormentorxpunisher.com/ PAPERHEAD https://store.steampowered.com/app/2680280/PAPERHEAD/ Jukio's Bandcamp https://jukiokallio.bandcamp.com/ https://secretlives.games https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're joined by droqen (The End of Gameplay, Starseed Pilgrim), Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), and Harry Lee Shang Lun (Earthrise One) for the third title in our year of All Systems Brough, a year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough: Kompendium. This episode: Kompendium Next Month: Zaga-33 Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Kompendium https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/kompendium.html 868-BACK (Next Fest demo on February 23rd, 2026!) https://store.steampowered.com/app/3304110/868BACK/ Michael Brough's Website https://www.smestorp.com/ Liz's talk at boshi's place (Brooklyn, NYC | February 19th, 2026) https://boshis.place/events/26-02-20-boshi-s-lecture-series-presents-liz-ryerson https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2702430653 Harry's work https://hellothisismy.website/work/ Kompendium IGF judge feedback https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/04/kompendium-igf-feedback.html Mutual learning blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/04/mutual-learning-aesthetic-for.html Metagaming: Playing, Competing, Spectating, Cheating, Trading, Making, and Breaking Videogames by Stephanie Boluk and Patrick LeMieux https://www.upress.umn.edu/9780816687169/metagaming/ Multicolor Alien Olympic https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/2970 Glitch Tank https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2011/12/glitch-tank.html Being good at Glitch Tank blog post https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2013/05/being-good-at-glitch-tank.html At a Distance by Terry Cavanagh https://distractionware.com/atadistance/ Brough on iOS sale numbers https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/ios-sale-numbers.html Garbage In, Garbage Out https://jonathanwhiting.com/games/garbagein/press.html Exuberant Struggle http://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2011/02/exuberant-struggle.html Brough writing on zero sum nature of 1v1 games https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2011/10/two-player-lessons.html TIGSource Versus Competition https://www.tigsource.com/versus-competition/ TIGSource Versus Competition Rules https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=17083.0 TIGSource Versus Competition 2011 Voting https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=18424.0 TIGSource Versus Competition 2011 Winner (0space by Beau) https://www.tigsource.com/2011/03/31/tigcompo-winner-0space/ 0space itch download https://teknopants.itch.io/0space Jesus vs Dinosaurs https://grapefrukt.itch.io/jesus-vs-dinosaurs The Impossible Reversal by Peter McDonald https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517916220/the-impossible-reversal/ Run and Jump: The Meaning of the 2D Platformer https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262547390/run-and-jump/ A Is To B As B Is To C https://bocpages.org/wiki/A_Is_To_B_As_B_Is_To_C Chesh https://www.damiansgames.com/chesh Brough's blog post about O https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/10/o.html Brough on the new year (circa 2012) https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year-cleansing.html Side By Side S1 E3: Kompendium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWScEl_DbpM Earthrise One https://www.earthrise.one/ Miscellaneous Two Player iPad Games https://eriksvedang.wordpress.com/shoot/ https://rustymoyher.com/press/bloop/ https://secretlives.games/ https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow

Rob, Doug, Andy, and Sarah chat with Gabe Cuzzillo (Ape Out, Despelote) and Bennett Foddy (Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy, QWOP) about their (with Maxi Boch) latest game, the multi-IGF-nominated open-world hard-walking manchild simulator Baby Steps. We discuss the game's in-house approach to voice acting, balancing challenge with humor, creating (and hiding) a looping environment, telling an honest story about masculinity, including explicit content without getting banned from Steam, rock curation, secrets, and so much more! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Discussed in this episode: Baby Steps https://www.babystepsgame.com/ Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111942/ My Summer Car https://store.steampowered.com/app/516750/My_Summer_Car/ zk map (for stranger) https://www.glorioustrainwrecks.com/node/11388 La belle noiseuse (1991) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101428/ Kelly Reichardt https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0716980/ Perfect Days (2023) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27503384/ The Taste of Things (2023) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19760052/ NYU Game Center Lecture Series Presents Jane Ng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yWIoRuwpm0 DESPELOTE: FIFTH TRAILER (now on nintendo switch) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MXKlgMZ3Jc The Love That Remains (2025) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33381401/ Solo (Australian ad) 1983 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCkz0JsaU8k Solo Man ad, Australia 1986 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T3RS78Tp58 Solo (Australian ad) 1984 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_1nZZrv8aU Frog Detective 3 https://store.steampowered.com/app/1171320/Frog_Detective_3_Corruption_at_Cowboy_County/ https://secretlives.games https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog

We're joined by droqen (The End of Gameplay, Starseed Pilgrim), Darius Kazemi (Tiny Subversions, Harvard Applied Social Media Lab), and Tara Macalister (mathematician, composer) to discuss Vertex Dispenser, the second game in our year-long exploration of the work of Michael Brough. Next Month: Kompendium Audio edited by Dylan Shumway. Discussed in this episode: Vertex Dispenser https://store.steampowered.com/app/102400/Vertex_Dispenser/ Michael Brough's Website https://www.smestorp.com/ Four color theorem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_color_theorem Graph coloring https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_coloring Starcraft II https://starcraft2.blizzard.com/en-us/ Splatoon https://splatoon.nintendo.com/ Dota 2 https://www.dota2.com/home Droqen's rare color graph/explanation https://discord.com/channels/690388280767807518/1442554518092120186/1465039921147412510 lots of michael brough games https://smestorp.itch.io/lots-of-michael-brough-games The Sense of Connectedness https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=16151.0 Kompendium https://mightyvision.blogspot.com/2012/06/kompendium.html The End of Gameplay https://droqen.itch.io/the-end-of-gameplay Utopia Clicker https://tinysubversions.com/game/utopia/ A Jackpot of Skulls https://brainfruit.studio/games/jackpot _update() Jam https://adamatomic.itch.io/update-jam https://secretlives.games/ https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog https://www.youtube.com/eggplantshow

The gang's all here to count down our favorite "games" of "2025", alongside a bevvy of great picks from previous guests and listeners. Happy new year! Audio edited by Dylan Shumway Our GOTY Picks (SPOILERS!): ~~~~~~~~~ Rob 5. Many Nights a Whisper - Deconstructeam, Selkie Harbour 4. Blue Prince - Dogubomb 3. Skat - German Trick Taking Game 2. UFO 50 - Mossmouth 1. Caves of Qud - Freehold Games Zach Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry Pokemon Legends: Z-A - Game Freak Dragon Warrior IV - Chunsoft (Bonus: CorgiSpace - Adam Saltsman) Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (N64) - Lucasarts 1. Kirby and the Forgotten Land - HAL Laboratory Doug 5. Don't Rank Cuomo - Robert Yang 4. Harold Holt Video Series (first episode) (YouTube uploads) - James Ward 3. Baby Steps - Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy 2. Dr. Robotnik's Ring Racers - Kart Krew 1. Slice & Dice - Tann Nick Tall Trails - Brady Soglin Magical Athlete - Takashi Ishida - updated design by Richard Garfield The Attraction - Palace Games San Francisco Hot Streak - Jon Perry 1. Öoo - NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus studio, Tsuyomi Sarah 5. Consume Me - Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, et al. 4. Blue Prince - Dogubomb 3. Slice & Dice - Tann 2. Tiny Bookshop - neoludic games 1. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes - Simogo Laura The Roottrees are Dead - Evil Trout Inc. Type Help - William Rous Monkey Around: the Wiggle and Giggle Game - Peaceable Kingdom despelote - Julián Cordero, Sebastian Valbuena Death Wears White - Guillaume Montiage/Asmodee Andy The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Nintendo Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry Hot Streak - Jon Perry Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - Kojima Productions The Old King's Crown - Pablo Clark Other picks from guests and listeners: UFO 50 - Mossmouth Consume Me - Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, et al. Öoo - NamaTakahashi, tiny cactus studio, Tsuyomi Hollow Knight: Silksong - Team Cherry Blue Prince - Dogubomb Clues By Sam - Ad Artis Oy Magical Athlete - Takashi Ishida - updated design by Richard Garfield Complex 629 - Lillex Studios Donkey Kong Bananza - Nintendo Final Fantasy V - Square Enix Baby Steps - Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy Puzzmo Crosswords - Puzzmo Team & Collaborators Numberblocks RPG (developed in Izzy Kestrels mind) Lost Cities - Reiner Knizia Deadlock - Valve Hexadecipad NES Tetris Tournament - Patrick LeMieux and Stephanie Boluk Star Waspir (from UFO 50) - Mossmouth Lumines Arise - Enhance, Monstars Outer Wilds - Mobius Digital Zexion - Gallant Leaf PEAK - Landfall Writing essays Elden Ring Nightreign - FromSoftware Unfair Flips - HEATHER FLOWERS DISCOPUP - Parry Mechanics OVER/UNDER - Sam Sorenson Type Help - William Rous Rain World - Videocult Snekburd - Werxzy 2025 Pico-8 Advent Calendar - organized by Kevin Thompson and bikibird Mol Hunt for 2025 Season of De Mol - TSLOG Discord Q-UP - Everybody House Games Many Nights a Whisper - Deconstructeam, Selkie Harbour Vantage - Stonemaier Games The Old King's Crown - Pablo Clark Hot Streak - Jon Perry Cave Noire - Konami Judo (martial art) Retro handheld hobby Clair Obscur | Expedition 33 - Sandfall Interactive Skin Deep - Blendo Games Peekaboo The Séance of Blake Manor - Spooky Doorway Minni & Max (from UFO 50) - Mossmouth Patapon - Pyramid, Japan Studio Promise Mascot Agency - Kaizen Game Works 10S Forever - owch Miscellaneous Honorable Mentions: Perfect Dark (N64) - Rare ACTION BUTTON REVIEWS Cyberpunk 2077 Party House of the Day (mod of UFO 50) - Mossmouth Cairn - The Game Bakers Other topics discussed this episode: Why We're Boycotting Xbox (and Maybe You Should Too) - People Make Games Cosmic Encounter - Fantasy Flight Games Upcoming games packed with hidden secrets! – FuryForged Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective - Space Cowboys Klaverjas - Dutch Trick-taking Game 129: Reinforcing Worldbuilding through Gameplay with Spoils despelote - Official Nintendo Switch Trailer Immersipedia https://eggplant.show/ https://discord.gg/tslog https://www.patreon.com/tslog