Put me in, coach - I’m ready to play! In the spirit of a VERY sporting summer, Gabe beams in from @The_Pauldcast to share memories of digital bats, clubs and racquets. In the first half, Sam provides commentary on the contributions of a certain moustachioed plumber to the arcade sports genre, before David rises from the bench to analyse some truly bizarre football (soccer!) tie-ins and off-shoots. Also tangents. So, so many tangents.

(small content warning for NSFW material in the second half of the pod!)

Follow us on Twitter, Bluesky and Backloggd: @GamerEraPodcast

Topics discussed: Wordle (and its derivatives), Lego Indiana Jones 2, Euro Truck Simulator 2; Mario Sports (predominantly Golf, Tennis and Baseball), Camelot Software Planning, Ken Griffey Jr. Presents Major League Baseball; Mario Strikers Charged Football, The Mission (PS1), International Superstar Soccer 2000

Also mentioned: Duolingo, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, Rayman; Ace Golf, Tennis for Two, Color-TV Game: Block Kuzushi, Mario’s Tennis, Everybody’s Golf/Stress Buster, Wii Sports, Mario Hoops 3-on-3, NHL Slapshot, Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams; Jumpers for Goalposts, eFootball / PES, Red Card, Lego 2K Goooal!

Music used:

“Light and Tuneful” [BBC Wimbledon Theme] - Keith Mansfield
Mario Brothers Court - Mario Tennis (N64)
Artist on the Court - Mario Power Tennis
Mario Stadium - Mario Superstar Baseball
Toad Highlands - Mario Golf (N64)
Training Mode - International Superstar Soccer 64
Football (Edit Mode) - Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Monkey Soccer - Super Monkey Ball 2

Further reading:

Fake Baseball Player names: https://twitter.com/lrgmnn/status/813635533658144768, https://twitter.com/ProductiveOuts/status/1504918421762285568
Nike: The Mission advert (2000): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIpHlhY03Pw