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A Game Changer

Every time I play Xevious on one of Namco’s "museum" compilations, I can’t help but reminisce about the time when I first discovered the game in 1992 on the Atari 7800 (a system which also familiarized me with other Namco classics outside of Pac-Man). Back then, our family couldn’t afford the Super NES or Sega Genesis. So, in a move of what I think was out of pity, a friend of ours gave us her 7800 with a huge bag full of games. While rummaging through the cartridges, I came across the little oddity known as Xevious. It was probably the first game I had heard of that started with an “X”, and the name intrigued me. I quickly fell in love with the unique enemy designs and mysterious land structures peppered throughout the game.

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Two games enter, one game leaves!

Welcome, to a very special episode of Nerds Without Pants! Wait, wasn’t last episode special because we began the Great Game Giveaway? Yes, yes it was, but this time we’re unveiling our new third segment: Video Game Cage Match! We have a banger of an opening bout for you, too, as Sonic 2 squares off against Mega Man 2 in the Battle of the Blue Boys!

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Money tight? Why not play an amazing game from yesteryear for cheap?

Hello again and welcome back - it's time to look at February. February seems to be a bit hit or miss this gen. If not for a pretty strong year in 2017, February may be the weakest month of the year. Though it seems like we could be making a sharp turn this year. Heavy hitters like Anthem and Metro: Exodus are out. We have the return of Crackdown and Ace Combat. Also new entries in the Far Cry and God Eater series to top it off. Past years may have seemed slower than other months but there were still games worth playing.

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Listen and win!

Welcome, friends and lovers, to the next episode of Nerds Without Pants! This week, we are very excited to kick off the Great Game Giveaway! Somewhere in this episode is a secret code phrase. Listen for it, and DM Julian (don’t expose it publicly please) for a chance to win a digital copy of Kingdom Hearts 3 or Resident Evil 2 remake! Follow us on Twitter and retweet the episode post for another entry, and you can share the show on Facebook for yet another chance to win! Good luck, and now, on to the show!

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This RPG is a real grind. No dragon your feet here.

If there’s one thing I absolutely adore about Dragon Warrior (aka Dragon Quest), it’s how much its subtle charms have influenced each sequel to come after it. There’s just something special about playing the latest game in the series (currently Dragon Quest XI) and still hearing the familiar sound cues of attacking an enemy, taking a hit, or the brief but satisfying victory chime and level-up fanfare. Additionally, the character designs by Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball creator and illustrator) give a visual continuity throughout each game. Without question, the Dragon Quest series has laid down some deep roots that all started here. But although it's a beloved first entry for nostalgic fans of the series, newcomers might not warm up to certain gameplay elements that would not be refined until much later.

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