We venture into the dusty dungeons of the Zelda series’ history, discussing how it evolved from The Legend of Zelda through Link’s Awakening, then comparing it with the most recent entry Echoes of Wisdom. Plus State of Play announcements, adventure game books and more.

Topics Discussed

IFComp, Adventure Game Books, No ICE in Minnesota Bundle, Kena: Scars of Kosmoro, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, Legacy of Kain: Ascendence, The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II - The Adventure of Link, A Link to the Past, Link’s Awakening, Echoes of Wisdom, The Great Race, Songlines magazine, Qobuz.

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizer 1, IFComp: 0:02:39
• Appetizer 2, Adventure Game Books: 0:05:21
• Appetizer 3, No ICE in Minnesota Bundle: 0:08:13
• Appetizer 4, Sony State of Play: 0:11:06
• Main 1, The Legend of Zelda Series Intro: 0:17:05
• Main 2, Zelda 1: 0:20:31
• Main 3, Zelda 2: 0:26:24
• Main 4, A Link to the Past: 0:30:20
• Main 5, Link's Awakening: 0:37:45
• Main 6, Echoes of Wisdom: 0:54:11
• Dessert 1, The Great Race (Movie): 1:11:32
• Dessert 2, Songlines magazine, Qobuz (Music Resourcest): 1:15:27
• Outro: 1:23:55

Links

IFComp Bans AI

https://www.tumblr.com/ifcomp/807273791356010496/ifcomp-2026-generative-ai-policy-update

LLM Slop Will Make Us Antisocial - Ruminations on IFComp 2025

https://mimidoshima.neocities.org/main/posts/2026/llm/

No ICE in Minnesota

https://itch.io/b/3484/no-ice-in-minnesota

Filtering the No ICE Bundle

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dUcIzgk8FRYqIGcq9652MkO-QomGFNHRi9tJw0gyB9w/edit?usp=drivesdk

Watch the podcast on Youtube

https://youtu.be/pX1abyR-L7s

Get updates on Bluesky

https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social

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omnigamersclub@gmail.com.

Mark interrogates the time-travelling hijinks of visual novel Steins Gate; Daniel takes tricks for a husband in board game Brian Boru: High King of Ireland; Plus shining a lamp on classic text adventures and more.

Topics Discussed

Orbitals, Get Lamp, Text Adventures, Stein’s Gate, Brian Boru: High King of Ireland, West Side Story, Star Trek

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizer: 0:02:41
• Main 1, Steins;Gate: 0:17:51
• Main 2, Brian Boru: 0:33:40
• Dessert 1, West Side Story (2021): 0:46:52
• Dessert 2, Star Trek (Inner Light): 0:55:56
• Outro: 1:01:22

Links

Get Lamp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRhbcDzbGSU

Escape This Podcast

https://www.escapethispodcast.com/
Watch the podcast on Youtube

https://youtu.be/3JHklA-qbjw

Follow Daniel

https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamefeast.bsky.social

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https://bsky.app/profile/markyuasa.bsky.social

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omnigamersclub@gmail.com

We’re jumping into 2026 with our first new game of the year, both comparing our thoughts on 3D platformer Big Hops and how it mixes up the genre by tools and tongue. Plus reading recommendations of game blogs and more.

Topics Discussed

Board Game Beat, games media as marketing, Outer Wilds as anti-nihilism, Big Hops, Blame, The Works of Vermin

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizer 1: 0:01:45
• Appetizer 2: 0:10:03
• Appetizer 3: 0:11:51
• Main, Big Hops: 0:13:27
• Dessert 1, Blame (manga): 0:54:35
• Dessert 2, The Works of Vermin (novel): 1:01:09
• Outro: 1:04:19

Links

W. Eric Martin’s Board Game Beat

⁠https://www.wericmartin.com/

⁠Critical Distance

⁠https://www.critical-distance.com/

⁠If You Ask Nicely

⁠https://autumn-wright.com/if-you-ask-nicely/⁠

Rocket Science and Marshmallows

⁠https://lia-sae.net/articles/2026/01/rocket-science-and-marshmallows.html ⁠

Kimimi the Game-Eating She-Monster⁠

https://kimimithegameeatingshemonster.com/⁠

Daniel’s review of The Talos Principle 2

⁠https://backloggd.com/u/Seryn/review/4060182/⁠

Get updates on Bluesky

https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social

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https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamefeast.bsky.social

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https://bsky.app/profile/markyuasa.bsky.social

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omnigamersclub@gmail.com.

Watch the podcast on Youtube

Mark traces the tactical trickery of Fire Emblem back to its beginning; Daniel spends a winter night winding through Wyrm; Plus the latest in gaming news, music recommendations and more.

Topics Discussed

Call of Cthulhu Humble Bundle, Rascal Reading Club, Buried Giant Studios, Nintendo Switch repair, AAA vs indie games, Fire Emblem, Wyrm

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizer 1: 0:01:45
• Appetizer 2: 0:04:16
• Appetizer 3: 0:05:33
• Appetizer 4: 0:06:39
• Appetizer 5: 0:10:31
• Main 1, Fire Emblem: 0:13:42
• Main 2, Wyrm : 0:34:42
• Dessert 1, Mark’s Music Picks: 0:45:52
• Dessert 2, Daniel’s Music Dessert: 0:51:09
• Outro: 0:57:21

Links

Call of Cthulhu Humble Bundle

⁠https://www.humblebundle.com/books/so-you-wanna-try-out-call-cthulhu-chaosium-inc-books⁠

Rascal Reading Club

⁠https://www.rascal.news/we-just-launched-a-new-podcast/⁠

Buried Giant Studios

⁠https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2026/01/14/root-and-arcs-designer-cole-wehrle-style-defining-artist-kyle-ferrin-lead-staff-exodus-from-leder-games-to-form-new-board-game-studio/⁠

Wyrm

⁠https://gilarpgs.itch.io/wyrm⁠

Daniel’s review of Bionic Bay

⁠https://backloggd.com/games/bionic-bay/⁠

Watch the podcast on Youtubehttps://youtu.be/ky5odwyCTFA

Get updates on Bluesky

https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social

Follow Daniel

https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamefeast.bsky.social

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omnigamersclub@gmail.com.

Description

Daniel explores the dusty digital castles of Metroid and Castlevania’s origins before they were Metroidvanias; Mark looks at a different breed of gothic vampire action in the remaster of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver; plus game blog recommendations, dedicated audio devices and more.

Topics Discussed

Layoffs at Inverse and The Verge, Mothership, Unwinnable, dedicated audio devices, Metroid, Metroid 2: Return of Samus, Castlevania, Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest, Castlevania 3: Dracula’s Curse, Castlevania: The Adventure, Castlevania 2: Belmont’s Revenge, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, A Magical Girl Retires, Royal Hotel

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizer 1: 0:00:53
• Appetizer 2: 0:05:38
• Main 1, Metroid Games: 0:14:56
• Main 2, Castlevania Games: 0:32:03
• Main 3, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Remastered 1: 0:48:16
• Dessert 1, A Magical Girl Retires: 1:09:19
• Dessert 2, Royal Hotel: 1:15:19
• Outro: 1:17:26

Links

Mothership

https://www.mothership.blog/board-the-mothership/

Unwinnable

https://unwinnable.com/

Watch the podcast on Youtube

https://youtu.be/4yWuWTctYdI

Get updates on Bluesky

https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social

Follow Daniel

https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamefeast.bsky.social

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https://bsky.app/profile/markyuasa.bsky.social

Send your questions, feedback and comments to

omnigamersclub@gmail.com.

Description

We venture into the tall grass to discuss the Pokemon TCG, it’s evolutions both physical and digital as it approaches its 30th anniversary. Plus our holiday gaming, games preservation and more.

Topics Discussed

Holiday gaming, Video Game History Foundation, Sega TV, Pokemon TCG, Wake Up Dead Man, The Kamogawa Food Detectives

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizers: 0:04:57
• Main 1, Intro: 0:14:44
• Main 2, Mechanisms: 0:23:59
• Main 3, Versions: 0:54:36
• Dessert 1, Wake Up Dead Man: 1:18:52
• Dessert 2, The Kamogawa Food Detectives: 1:21:32
• Outro: 1:26:42

Links

Don't Just Watch TV: The Secrets of Sega Channel

https://youtu.be/CWCUmTTVjMY

Preserving Game History: It's Just Us

https://youtu.be/_00AjQNjgDk

The Untold Story of the Nintendo Entertainment System

https://youtu.be/uJvpRGibFhg

The Complete History of Pokémon Red/Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQCJ_LyQAcU

Get updates on Bluesky

⁠https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social⁠

Follow Daniel

⁠https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamefeast.bsky.social⁠

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⁠https://bsky.app/profile/markyuasa.bsky.social⁠

Send your questions, feedback and comments to

⁠omnigamersclub@gmail.com⁠.

Denis Ryan joins us once again to look back at 2025, some gaming highlights and trends that have defined the year.

Topics Discussed

Industry trends in 2025, Fliptunes, Faraway, Mooki Island, Pokemon TCG, Toy Battle, Paperback Adventures, The Gang, Courtisans, Hot Streak, Call of Cthulhu, Castle Crashers, Metroid Prime Remastered, Phantasy Star, Spider-Man (2018), Metaphor Refantazio, Returnal, Cosmic Invasion, Blue Prince, Hollow Knight: Silksong

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizer 1: 0:02:24
• Appetizer 2: 0:05:28
• Appetizer 3: 0:09:19
• Appetizer 4: 0:17:44
• Main 1, Tabletop Games: 0:24:59
• Main 2, Video Games: 0:57:48
• Outro: 1:23:24

Links

Watch on Youtube
https://youtu.be/TsuSuq3kERg

Get updates on Bluesky

https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social

Follow Denis

https://bsky.app/profile/quaidrayn.bsky.social

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omnigamersclub@gmail.com.

Mark wards spells in the cozy action RPG Silent Hope and Daniel spells words in the deck-builder Paperback Adventures. Plus Phantasy Star IV, the latest game announcements, demos and more.

Topics Discussed

PS Vita repairs, Nintendo Online, CorgiSpace, Beastro, Pragmata, Orbitals, Video Game History Foundation, Phantasy Star IV, Silent Hope, Paperback Adventures, Battletech: Decision at Thunder Rift, Star Trek Next Generation

Timestamps

• Start: 0:00:00
• Appetizer 1: 0:01:44
• Appetizer 2: 0:07:19
• Appetizer 3: 0:14:59
• Appetizer 4: 0:16:24
• Main 1, Phantasy Star IV: 0:19:07
• Main 2, Silent Hope: 0:30:21
• Main 3, Paperback Adventures: 0:53:38
• Dessert 1, Battletech: Decision at Thunder Rift: 1:05:43
• Dessert 2, Star Trek Next Generation: 1:14:41
• Outro: 1:21:05

Links

Xcavator 2025

https://www.iam8bit.com/products/xcavator-2025

Watch on Youtube

https://youtu.be/TT2ad303eHw

Get updates on Bluesky

https://bsky.app/profile/omnigamers.bsky.social

Follow Daniel

https://bsky.app/profile/boardgamefeast.bsky.social

Follow Mark

https://bsky.app/profile/markyuasa.bsky.social

Send your questions, feedback and comments to

omnigamersclub@gmail.com.