Bucky O' Hare

This week the Dudes sit down to talk some Bucky O'Hare. Made from the slightly darker comic book series and early 90's television show, Konami released this NES classic that came to be popular due to it's many levels and Mega Man-esque fun.

The Dudes discuss their favorite planets, characters and bosses from this classic and currently valuable NES game.

The Dudes as usual go on to discuss several tangents including nomenclature for male and female rabbits, type of rabbits and how the name Bucky O'Hare relates.

If you are a fan of the short lived early 90's television show or only came across this character through the classic NES game you will enjoy this week's edition of 2 Dudes and a NES.

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Maniac Mansion

Certainly one of the more bizarre and beloved games the Dudes have discussed, is this 1987 Lucasfilms Games classic. Maniac Mansion was ported to the NES in 1990 with a few infamous changes.

The Dudes dive into the history of this game including the changes Nintendo forced upon the designers in order to get the game published (and one that made it through at first).

This game infuses comedy and B grade horror film themes in the game that the Dudes certainly appreciate and sure the listeners do as well.

While the game had an almost cult like following, not unlike a possible B grade horror inspiration to this game, Rocky Horror Picture Show, the game holds a place in the hearts of many retro gamers.

Happy Listening

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Bad Dudes

Are the Dudes bad enough Dudes to talk about a game featuring a couple of Bad Dudes? You Bet!!

This week the Dudes talk about the quintessential 80's game Bad Dudes. And they promise to not make too many burger references.

While the game Bad Dudes may not win an awards for being one of the best games of all time, it holds a special place in the hearts of those remember the glory days of the 80's. Really there is nothing more 80's than a couple bad dudes in sleeveless shirts kicking some ninja tail to save the President of the United States. Plus, who wouldnt answer this call of duty?! Certainly not a couple of bad dudes.

The NES Dudes really had a great time discussing Bad Dudes. We hope you will as well.

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Short Order / Eggsplode

The Dudes not only talk about TWO games this week but also throw in an accessory as well. Well, the game was technically two games in one cart but hey it's all the same, right?

The Power Pad is quite possibly the most under utilized accessory for the NES. While the premise of the Power Pad was awesome and worked great there were not a lot of games that were developed for it. The Dudes discuss this justice to the much cooler Grandfather to the Dance Dance Revolution pad.

One of the few games that was developed for the Power Pad was the combo arcade style games from the only company to develop such a game outside of Bandai, Tose (Not Toast). This game was a lot of fun and served as a great party game.

This was a fun play and talk for the Dudes and we hope you enjoy it as well.

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Deadly Towers

When the Dudes said they intended on playing the good, the bad and the ugly on the NES, they were not kidding. This game comes from the gallows of the bad game repertoire.

Deadly Towers was brought to the NES from Japan by the company made more famous by their edutainment games, Broderbund. Perhaps they should have stuck to what they did best. As an action adventure game this one just did not stand up to the quality of other games of the times like Zelda and Wizards and Warriors.

While the Dudes may not have preferred this game to the many other great games that the NES has to offer, they had a great time discussing it.

Happy listening.

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Raid On Bungeling Bay

Man, that box art sure is creepy……

The dudes reach into obscurity this week to pull out a little known or talked about game out of the NES vault. While most, (sans one sporting a ginger colored beard that may be awesome) have not heard of this game, the dudes hope to bring it into your NES experience.

The game has an awesome premise, being that you are a lone fighter against an empire that is trying to build up and take over the world. Oh, and these folks happen to go by the name bungeling…… whatever that means.

The dudes had a great time playing and reviewing this game. While the game itself might not have seen a lot of fame,the game franchise that was formed from the creator, in part inspired by the creation of this game, was one of the most popular gaming franchises of all time. The dudes hope you enjoy listening to this episode and maybe you become inspired to play this little known title.

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Jaws

Jaws… the one NES game that has consumed more of the dudes’ collective time than any other game. Why didn’t they spend their wonder years playing co-op Contra? Why didn’t they compete in some intense high score competitions with Donkey Kong? Who knows. Maybe if they knew what they were doing they would have spent less time on it.

However, Jaws holds a place in the dudes’ legacy whether it is a good game or not. Be sure and listen to this week’s episode as Justin and Michael discuss their praises and complaints with Jaws.

Also, be sure and stick around as they try and defend themselves against a 2-star review on iTunes, talk Facebook feedback, and reveal the winners of the review contest.

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Contra

Hold on the dudes are pumping some iron getting ready to bust out of their shirts to talk about the quintessential ’80′s game Contra.

Joining the dudes to talk about one of the most famous and loved games for the NES is Nick Stephens from the NES Podcast on the Retro Junkies Network. Nick was chomping at the bit to talk about this game mainly because he is a dude proclaimed expert for Contra.(I mean he beat it without the Contra Code for crying out loud)

The dudes talk about all things Contra in this bandana wearing, shirtless run and gun episode of 2 Dudes and a NES. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did recording it.

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Metroid

The Dudes were delighted this week to have yet another real life guest on our show! They talk about one of the best NES games to come out on the system… Metroid!

This one was requested by a listener, but the Dudes have been itching to talk about it since the inception of this show. Metroid has one of the most storied histories of all the NES games. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun to play. The music is so creepy that some might call it a survivor horror game. Inspired by Alien, it is easy to see some of the similarities between them.

Metroid is an incredible game that set the standard for a lot of games to follow it. It makes you wonder why so few Metroid games have been made while Samus is such a loved character. Guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Anyway, enjoy this episode. We know the Dudes did!

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A Boy and His Blob

The 2 Dudes really out do themselves on this one. They actually have a real live guest who is very accommodating, unlike that nutty Mario. David Crane sits down with the Dudes for an exclusive interview about his days as a video game programmer in the early days and his experience creating and designing A Boy and His Blob. If you listen to any 2 Dudes show, this would be the one to catch. But you should pr0bably listen to all of them.

After the interview with David Crane the 2 Dudes try to salvage a show, but due to the excitement get a little side tracked at times. The Dudes also award themselves a pretty prestigious award for a great podcast.

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Secrets/Easter Eggs

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Kabuki Quantum Fighter

This looks like a weird game. And what is a kabuki anyway?

Join the 2 Dudes as they discuss by far the weirdest game to be discussed on the show. If you like futuristic games where ancient Japanese dance art is a vital component to success, you will like this game. Plus how many games can you use hair as a weapon?

Despite an interruption by a surprise guest the 2 Dudes discuss the awesome and down right hilarious parts of this game and go off on several tangents in the process. (Ahem....Justin) From the graphics, design and certainly original story, the Dudes discuss it all. Plus toward the end they tease about a special project that is in the works in the laboratory of the 2 dudes.

In a show that both Dudes feel may be their best yet, you will find plenty of laughs, information and down right fun. Listen and Enjoy

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Metal Gear

Be sneaky... very very sneaky...

The dudes try and sneak into your subconscious and talk about some Metal Gear this week. If you're listening via ear buds, you better watch out.

Metal Gear is a very unique experience on the NES. There isn't another game on the system quite like it. Does that mean that it's amazing and one of the best games to ever grace the system? Vladimir Putin might say yes, but the dudes... well they might think otherwise. Listen to find out what the NES dudes think about this game and why they are making references to Vladimir Putin in addition to Tom Arnold.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Wow..... what a ride!

Just came back from dimension X where we had a great time talking to two other dudes. Those Turtle Flakes guys really know how to have a good time.

While hanging in the balance of Dimension X, we decided to spend some time talking about the game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and who else is better to talk to about this game than a couple of dudes who pride themselves on turtleology. While TMNT certainly added some frustrating times during our childhood, it added many enjoyable times (except the child labor some had to endure to get the game).

Overall the game is a great play that while sometimes criticized is well remembered and accepted by many in the gaming community.

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Wizards and Warriors

The moment you hit the power button, Wizards and Warriors' epic score lets you know exactly what this game is all about. Knights... magic... swords... demons... gems... gigantic hollow trees...exploding eggs... alarm clocks? Yes, David Wise really knows how to score a game and Rare really knew how to develop them.

That's right. Rare. The same Rare that many of you listeners will remember from the likes of Goldeneye 64, Battletoads, Killer Instinct, Donkey Kong Country, or Conker's Bad Fur Day! The list of awesome Rare developed games goes on and on. Whole podcasts have been dedicated to them. The game at hand here, however, is Wizards and Warriors. Did Rare hit another home run?

WARNING: Contents of this episode may contain Fabio.

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Duck Hunt

Have you ever been duck hunting? Have you ever owned a dog that laughs at your inadequacies? Chances are, if you owned a Nintendo entertainment system (and who didn't) you have. Sure you didn't have to get decked out in camo and sit in the outdoors but you got the experience, right? Duck Hunt holds a place near and dear to the hearts of NES lovers out there. For most it was the first and maybe only game that you got the experience of using the zapper.

Has there ever been a more innovative and all around more awesome attachment for a video game system than the Zapper? Uh, no. Most NES players used this attachment at some point in their playing days. Whether you used it to hunt ducks, shoot skeet, or any of the other games that utilized this gem the Zapper was an integral part in your childhood. You also can't deny the innovative nature of this attachment, which the 2 dudes discuss (we're technical gurus you know). Listen to the podcast as we talk about the history and all things Zapper related.

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Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy. Every dungeon master's dream. Reportedly under the threat of bankruptcy and out of the shadow of Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy burst on the scene as Square's swan song. A last ditch effort to remain in the game industry.

Not only did it save Square, but it started arguably the greatest RPG franchise in video game history. It is regarded as one of the most influential and successful role-playing games on the NES and it played a major role in the popularization of the entire Role Playing Game genre. But how well does it actually play now that we have all experienced a plethora of varied RPGs?

The dudes, along with special guest Rob McCallum, have made a determination about this game. Is it best left for the history books or is this a game that needs to be played frequently to take us back to our roots? Tune in to find out.

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Ghostbusters

Alright everyone, before you get all upset about us reviewing this game hear us out. Listen to the podcast to hear what we have to say and we promise it will not be a 30 minute defense of this game that has been given at best mixed reviews.

Ghostbusters are a retro topic that most people cherish. We all loved the movie and if you were like us you probably spent a considerable amount of time pretending to be Ghostbusters, running through the house with a proton pack (pretend or if you were lucky enough to have the toy version), catching ghosts, trapping them and making your house better to sleep in at night. So when Activision decided to make the game, most NES owning people were excited. However, for the most part the game missed the mark.

The game Ghostbusters seemed too short, too easy and too hard all at the same time. We all probably have memories of trying to achieve the impossible task of climbing the steps of Zuul and the seemingly easy task of catching ghosts throughout town. However, what stuck with us about this game? For the 2 dudes there was a deep sense of nostalgia that attached us to a game that was probably not worth sticking too.

All that being said, we hope you enjoy the show whether you liked the game or not.

Update (2/24/14): Since the airing of the Ghostbusters episode the great Ghostbusters actor Harold Ramis has passed. As most of you know he was the beloved actor  who played Dr. Egon Spengler in the Ghostbusters movie. We would like to honor the legacy of Harold Ramis by dedicating the Ghostbusters episode of 2 Dudes and a NES to him.

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Double Dragon

What better game for the two dudes to talk about than a game about two battle tested, gun showing boot wearing guys on a journey to save the day? Double Dragon, a game about twin brothers (a notion lost on the casting director of the ill made movie), on a journey to save Marian. Well, that was the idea at least. The NES version of the game had a bit of a change in the story. A story that is hilariously told by Michael on the show.

In the NES version of the game you play only as Billy and Willy is the final boss. This is a big difference from the version released in the arcade, where the cooperative mode showed the twin brothers as partners going to save Marian. The two dudes go into detail about the differences between the arcade and the NES version so I will save that.

One problem with the NES version of Double Dragon is the seemingly slapped together design of it. This is proven by the lack of the cooperative mode and other glitches and noticeable differences that are discussed on the podcast.

All in all Double Dragon was a classic that made for a difficult time for the two dudes trying to beat it. (Tune into the show to find out if we had any success)

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Pac-Man

What can be said about Pac-Man that hasn't already been said? When most quarter (hehe, get it? quarter?) to middle aged people think of arcades, Pac-Man is THE game. Of course, we're NES dudes so we want to know what the NES version is like. Well, it is basically identical to the arcade, which makes it awesome!

What we find most interesting about the NES Pac-Man story comes from the Tengen side of things. See, there were three different ports of Pac-Man for the NES. Two by Tengen and one by Namco (the original developer of Pac-Man). Whoever is in charge of the wikipedia page sums it up pretty well:

Tengen unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with Nintendo for a less restrictive license (Nintendo restricted their licensees to releasing only five games per year, and required their games to be NES-exclusive for two years). Nintendo refused, so in December 1987 Tengen agreed to the standard licensing terms. In 1988, Tengen released its first and only three cartridges licensed through Nintendo—RBI Baseball, Pac-Man and Gauntlet. Meanwhile, Tengen secretly worked to bypass Nintendo's lock-out chip called 10NES that gave it control over which games were published for the NES. While numerous manufacturers managed to override this chip by zapping it with a voltage spike, Tengen engineers feared this could potentially damage NES consoles and expose them to unnecessary liability. The other problem was that Nintendo made frequent modifications to the NES to prevent this technique from working. Instead the company chose to reverse engineer the chip and decipher the code required to unlock it.

What came of this? Those super cool black Tengen carts! Not exactly collectors items, but to an 8 year old they were pretty sweet.

Michael's high score on this episode was... 42,440! Beat that Billy Mitchell! Justin's high score was... too embarrassing to repeat. Anyway, another great podcast down.

Paku paku paku paku!

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Super Mario Bros.

Ah, Super Mario Bros. The game that started it all for most of us. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone who hasn't at least played this game. Most of us remember it as the two-fold pack-in game Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt that came with most NES consoles. Originally released in 1985, Super Mario Bros. helped to launch the side-scrolling genre into mainstream popularity and was the best selling game for nearly three decades.There are many interesting facts about the development of the game lead by the man himself: Shigeru Miyamoto.

• The ability to have Mario change size was a result of basing level design around a smaller Mario, then intending to make his size bigger in the final version.
• Using Mushrooms to change size was influenced by folk tales in which people wander into forests and eat magical Mushrooms; this also resulted in the game world being named the "Mushroom Kingdom".
• Originally an idea for a shoot-'em-up stage in which Mario would jump onto a cloud and fire at enemies was to be included; however, this was dropped to maintain the game's focus on jumping action, but the sky-based bonus stages still remained.
• The "Infinite 1-Up" trick was by design, but the developers did not expect players to be able to master it as well as they did.

Super Mario Bros. has been ported to nearly every Nintendo console since its launch in some form or another. We thoroughly enjoyed our time recording this episode and replaying the game for the millionth time. Our special guest was one for the history books for sure. And for the record, Michael's current best speed run time is 7:59 and Justin's is 10:45. We encourage the listeners to attempt the speed run and challenge us. Give us another reason to return to the game and best you!

So long de Bowser!

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