Games That Deserved GOTY and LOST - Kinda Funny Gamescast

Summary

Kinda Funny Gamescast: “Games That Deserved GOTY and LOST” (Jan 8, 2026)

Episode Overview
In this episode, hosts Blessing Adeoye Jr. and Tim Gettys dig into controversial Game of the Year (GOTY) picks from the past decade and discuss which games deserved the top spot but didn’t win. The conversation is lively, passionate, and dives deep into the meaning of GOTY, what makes a game memorable, and the difference between personal favorites and industry acclaim. The latter half shifts focus as they tackle a “shit list”—ranking the best licensed games based on movies, stirring nostalgia and debate.

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Main Theme: Games That Deserved GOTY But Lost

Opening Banter & Table Setting (00:20–03:07)

• Blessing and Tim share post-holiday recovery stories and D&D adventures.
• The day’s first “shit list”: A discussion on games that “should have” been Game of the Year but lost out.
• Quote: “It is 10 games from the last decade that deserved Game of the Year but never got it.” (Blessing, 03:14)

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I. Revisiting GOTY Snubs and Contenders (03:10–22:31)

Defining the Debate: What Counts as ‘Deserved’ GOTY? (03:35–04:35)

• Blessing: Goes for biggest controversies, where a pick could have gone “either way.”
• Tim: “I don’t know that Game of the Year has ever really missed in terms of the winner.” (04:12)

Year-by-Year Breakdown of Game Awards GOTY & Notable Near-Misses (04:44–11:10)

• 2016: Overwatch beats Uncharted 4. Tim acknowledges Overwatch’s impact but sees debate.
• 2017: Breath of the Wild wins in a stacked year (Mario Odyssey, Persona 5, Nier: Automata, Divinity OS2).
  • Tim: “Odyssey is overrated... I’m not saying by much, but…it’s gotten into this conversation of it is the greatest Mario thing ever.” (14:07)
• 2018: God of War over Red Dead Redemption 2—hosts agree it was close.
• 2019: Sekiro wins—Control, Resident Evil 2, Smash Ultimate all cited as heavyweights.
• 2020: Last of Us Part II beats Hades and FF7 Remake; both hosts dig into merits.
  • Blessing: “Retroactively, I probably give it to Hades.” (05:53)
  • Tim stands by Last of Us 2.
• 2021: It Takes Two wins, but Tim dubs it the “weirdest” pick.
  • Blessing: “It Takes Two has stayed in the conversation way more than Deathloop.” (07:11)
• 2023/24: Astrobot and discussion of future contenders (Metaphor, Rebirth, Balatro).

What Makes A GOTY Winner? (12:52–18:52)

• Blessing & Tim parse the debate between “high highs and noticeable mids,” using FF7 Rebirth and Mario Odyssey as examples.
• Quote: “When Remake hits, we’re cooking; nothing like it.” (Blessing, 13:11)

The Magic vs. Critique of Greatest Games (14:05–18:52)

• Tim breaks down review philosophy: weighting “Disney magic” moments more than small flaws.
• Delivers a low-key hot take: Mario Odyssey is “a 9, not a 10” when scored critically, despite personal love.
  • Blessing strongly disagrees, describing Odyssey as “one of my favorite playgrounds.”
• Entertaining comparison of Donkey Kong Bonanza and Galaxy 2, with Tim admitting “Galaxy 2 has way higher highs.”

Chat Controversies & Zelda’s Place in GOTY History (20:59–22:31)

• Worthy superchats on Bayonetta 2 (2014), Celeste (2018), and a hot take: “If Breath of the Wild wasn’t a Zelda title, would not be considered as good as it is. Solid 8/10.” (20:59)
• Tim: “That’s a fact… but it is a Zelda game, so that means it comes with Zelda characters and has Zelda music.” (21:00)
• Blessing argues: “The core gameplay loop is so phenomenal; you miss the magic, sure, but [the gameplay] is still fucking awesome.” (21:28)

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II. Unveiling GameRant’s List: Top 10 Games That Deserved GOTY But Didn’t (22:31–29:38)

The List (with hosts’ reactions and context)

1. Red Dead Redemption 2 (lost to God of War)
   • “One of the toughest years it could come out.” (Blessing, 23:12)
2. Bloodborne (lost to Witcher 3 Wild Hunt)
   • “Makes sense. I could see going either way.” (Blessing, 24:19)
3. Super Mario Odyssey (lost to Breath of the Wild)
   • Notably debated moments earlier in episode.
4. Alan Wake 2 (lost to Baldur’s Gate 3)
   • Blessing: “Didn’t enjoy as much as the world enjoyed it.”
5. Hollow Knight Silksong (lost to Clear Obscure)
   • Tim: “I had a very long personal sit-down with myself…Silksong is that damn good.” (26:01)
6. Persona 5 (lost to Breath of the Wild)
   • “That’s the toughest year in my opinion.” (Blessing, 27:22)
7. Control (lost to Sekiro)
   • Tim: “Should have mentioned Control… That year was a weird year, too.” (27:52)
8. Ghost of Tsushima (lost to Last of Us Part II)
   • For Blessing, it’s “a strong number four” in its year.
9. Hades (lost to Last of Us Part II)
10. Balatro (lost to Astrobot)
    • “We did pretty good [guessing]!” (Blessing, 29:35)

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III. Shit List #2: Best Licensed Games Based on Movies (31:03–56:13)

Setup: Defining the Rules (35:34–36:34)

• Must be a direct adaptation, official movie sequel/prequel, or canonical story extension of a movie.

Iconic Picks and Honorable Mentions (36:36–43:36)

• Star Wars: Splitting hairs on which games qualify; confusion clarified by Simon Carty’s list rules.
• The hosts brainstorm a list: GoldenEye, Spider-Man 2, The Warriors, Chronicles of Riddick, Indiana Jones, Lego Star Wars, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Mad Max, Aladdin, Lord of the Rings, Episode 1: Racer, Alien Isolation, Scarface, et al.

The IGN (Simon Carty) List & Host Reactions

1. Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie (#10)
   • “That was one of those big 360 games.” (A, 37:49)
2. Scarface: The World is Yours (#9)
   • Blessing: “It was such a Vice City ripoff even as a kid.”
3. The Warriors (#8)
   • Blessing: “The video game is what put a generation onto the movie.” (45:55)
4. Mad Max (#7)
   • Tim: “What a mistake on our part not bringing that up.” (46:13)
5. Spider-Man 2 (PS2 era) (#6)
   • “I might make the argument top three right here.” (Blessing, 47:17)
6. Star Wars Jedi Survivor (#5)
   • Both cast doubt it fits the rules: “This definitely shouldn’t count.” (48:29)
7. GoldenEye 007 (#4)
   • “If you just don’t think about it as a first person shooter and you just think about it as GoldenEye, there’s still fun there.” (Tim, 49:16)
8. Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay (#3)
9. Alien: Isolation (#2)
   • Not books, direct sequel premise holds.
10. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (#1)
    • Both hosts respect the pick, even if it’s not personally their thing.

Notable Honorable Mention

• X-Men Origins: Wolverine (segment: “Games Better Than the Film”)
  • Tim: “It’s a 7/10…but the movie was so bad.”

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IV. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “None of the little problems matter if the magic’s there.” (Tim, 15:07)
• On Mario Odyssey: “For me, it is: how much of a good playground is Mario Odyssey? …it’s one of my favorite playgrounds in a video game.” (Blessing, 18:52)
• On Star Wars: “The Star Wars of it all is the big [challenge]. There will be a Star Wars game on the list—I have no idea which one!” (Tim, 44:39)
• On nostalgia vs. quality: “This is a well-designed list for what he was trying to do. I just think what that headline is isn’t necessarily what we went in thinking it was.” (Tim, 57:03)
• “If you took everything that’s Mario out of Mario Kart... It’s just a cart!” (Blessing, 21:24)

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V. Key Timestamps

• 03:07: Topic of the show intro
• 04:44–11:10: GOTY year-by-year discussion
• 14:05–18:52: Reviewer philosophy, Mario Odyssey discourse
• 20:59–22:31: Chat controversies; Zelda debate
• 22:31–29:38: GameRant’s GOTY-lost list
• 31:03: Best licensed games list explained
• 43:51–56:13: IGN’s Best Movie-Based Games (Simon Carty list) review

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Episode Takeaways

• The conversation is a blend of personal and critical perspectives—Tim and Blessing champion both emotional impact (“Disney magic”) and craftsmanship.
• Revisiting GOTY “injustices” shows how strong competition makes for great years, while the personal lens always colors the debate.
• When it comes to licensed games, the episode is both a nostalgic trip and a reminder that fun, quality adaptations do exist (and aren’t all “polygonal nightmares”).
• Both hosts highlight the context: cultural impact, design, and how our memories weigh the “greatest game” question.

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Final Judgments

• On the GOTY snubs list: “We did pretty good guessing!” (Blessing, 29:35)
• On Simon Carty’s licensed games list: Both give a thumbs up for the “deep cuts” and for trying to balance nostalgia with actual game quality, though docking points for “bending the rules” with picks like Jedi Survivor.

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Recommended for:
Anyone passionate about video game history, award debates, or simply wants an entertaining, insightful look back at games culture—with plenty of banter, expert perspectives, and memorable quotes.

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Transcript

[A]

Boot.dev takes your coding from beginner to expert the fun way through a hands on RPG like experience. Go to boot.dev and use code kinda funny to get 25 off your first year on the annual plan.

[B]

Yo, what's up? Welcome to Kinda Funny Gamescast for Thursday January 8, 2020 26. One of your hosts Blessing Adioa Jr joining me is Tim Yetis.

[A]

Oh man. Feels good to be back with a shit list. Our first of 2026.

[B]

Exactly. And we have to get as many in before you leave.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

And so yeah, we have two today. Two today. I picked out two shit lists today that I think are gonna be very fun to talk about before we get in there. Tim, how you doing? How you feeling?

[A]

I'm feeling, I'm feeling good. I've had like a cold brewing that I'm not feeling good. I feel a little tickle in the throat that I'm like trying to bite off where I'm like, I'm not sick but am I getting there or am I going to win this fight?

[B]

You know, it's one of those things where I imagine you, you have a lot going on right now and like the body, the body is so interesting.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because once you start the. Once the stress starts to hit, it starts. Other things start to topple.

[A]

Starts giving up.

[B]

Yeah. And then you start to become more receptive to getting a cold. And so I'm sending you my energy.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you.

[B]

Yeah, I guess spirit bomb style.

[A]

I appreciate that. How are you doing?

[B]

I'm doing pretty good.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's been a chill start to the year. I think we all had the thing of recovering from Monday where Monday hit real hard.

[A]

Real hard. I definitely have not recovered with sleep or anything from that. But God, it was so fun.

[B]

I mean it was so fun. But yeah, Tuesday I was feeling it and then Tuesday night I forced myself to be in bed by 10pm and even what, what did I do yesterday? I feel like yesterday even I was playing D and D yesterday. Oh, this my second D and D session with this group.

[A]

What was your name again? Cole. Cole.

[B]

That's because like I'm like a fire elemental kind of guy. We're, we did our first, at least my first big battle. And when I tell you I whooped ass, it was fucking awesome.

[A]

That's my guy.

[B]

It was like one of the ones where I think I told you right at the end of our first session, it ended with a creature or like a rift opening up in the sky and a creature coming through it. You See the two hands kind of rip open and tear through it. And my character, I'm a barbarian. And I rolled for initiative, which means that I went first. And I'm like, all right, what am I going to do? I'm going to go straight for. I went straight for him. I fucked them up, started spawning little minions or whatever. I was fucking those things up with my great axes, tearing through them. Oh, man. D and D is really fun.

[A]

I love that D. And he's really so proud of you.

[B]

Thank you, thank you. Of course, this is a show about video games, so let's talk about it. Of course you're. If you're watching live, you can be a part of the show by super chatting in on YouTube.com/kind of funny games. Remember, we can do this without our producers or on patreon.com kind of funny. So thank you. Carl Jacobs, Omega Buster and Delaney the Psalm Twining.

[A]

I saw Carl in the chat right now. Oh, a double shout out to Carl. A triple shout out to Carl. Me and G started Beast Game season two last night. And seeing Carl just pop up left and right always brings me so much

[B]

joy, always a delight.

[A]

What a show.

[B]

For now, let's begin with topic of the show.

[A]

Touch, Touch, Touch, Touch, Touch.

[B]

Today we're doing a shit list. That's where I go online. I find a top 10 list, I bring it back to Tim, and we judge it for your amusement. Like I said, I got two lists here. First, one more of a fun conversational one. It is 10 games from the last decade that deserved Game of the Year but never got it. This is written by Evan Reagan at Gamerant. This is written 5 days ago. I wanted to pull this. Of course, we're in Game of the Year season, so it's really. Right. We talk about Game of the Year. Right. I find this one to be interesting.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The big. What are the biggest games that come to mind that deserved Game of the Year but didn't get it?

[A]

Well, what's interesting is, are we talking about the game Awards? Game of the Year, I imagine so. Right. Like that to me is like, all right, if that's the case, I don't know that Game of the Year has ever really missed in terms of the winner. Right. Hmm. Interesting, because I feel like when you look back, like there. There was a couple years that were like, kind of close potentially, but like tears. The Kingdom Ballers Gate 3. I think Baldur's Gate is the one that deserved it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, obviously I love here's the Kingdom, but Like, I get that Elden Ring one, God of War beat Red Dead Redemption two. Yep. That one I could see as like a debate.

[B]

Overwatch Beat Uncharted 4, I feel like.

[A]

But it was. Overwatch deserved it in 2016.

[B]

I think Overwatch deserved it. But I think this is where it gets interesting is there's obviously there's no objective right answer to this. And so really what it comes down to, I think is what are the most controversial picks? Right. Or what are the most one. What are the most, I guess, conversational. Hey, you went this way. But it really could have gone either way. Right. There's a. There's a sizable amount of people that have beef with this because Uncharted 4 has that many fans.

[A]

Yeah. But I like. Obviously I love Naughty Dog and I love Uncharted 4. But it's Uncharted 4.

[B]

Yeah, but Uncharted 4 was different though.

[A]

It was.

[B]

It was like us. It was like a big step up.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

PS4, better graphics.

[A]

But then coming from. It was a big step up, but also coming.

[B]

Big finale.

[A]

Yeah, I. I mean, I'm not hating on Uncharted 4 was my personal game of the year that year.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But like game awards game of the year. I think it was Overwatch. And I agree going forward from that, like, I. I don't know if I can do every single year because I don't.

[B]

I could probably do it like 2016 uncharted or sorry.

[A]

Over Overwatch. Yeah.

[B]

2017 would have been Breath of the Wild. 2018, God of War.

[A]

2019, Sekiro. 2020, Last of Us 2.

[B]

Oh, I feel like Hades has to be on this list. Last of Us 2 versus Hades.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I feel like that's like a go either or kind of thing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think retroactively probably give it to Hades.

[A]

I stand with Last two. I. I feel. I understand that people over years have like soured on Last of Us 2. I'm not one of those people. I. I stand with it 100%. I. But yeah, Hades, come on. Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

[B]

Was that going to say 7 Remake. That was a huge year for video.

[A]

But like, I don't put seven remake over Last of Us 2.

[B]

I do. I really like seven. I mean, I love something remake 2021 post 2020 was that it takes two.

[A]

That to me, I think is the weirdest game of the year pick that's ever happened.

[B]

What else was that? It was a death loop was what else was out that year. I feel like that was just one of those. Because was that Ratchet and Clank as well.

[A]

Yeah, well, let me go. Let's see. 20, 21.

[B]

Also it takes two. I'll go for it. Go for it.

[A]

Resident Evil Village, Psychonauts 2, Deathloop, Ratchet and Clank, Rift Apart and Metroid Dread.

[B]

That could go anywhere.

[A]

Yeah, I feel like that's just such a split. Like. Yeah, looking at that, I think now with some space removed from all of it, I'd say Metroid Dread is my game of the year that year. But back then I said it would have. Would have been Ratchet and Clank ripped apart.

[B]

Read those to me again.

[A]

Resident Evil Village, Metroid Dread, Ratchet and Clank, Death Loop, Psychonauts 2. It takes two.

[B]

I think it takes two would be my pick.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Either that or Death Loop. But I think now that we're further. I think in the moment I probably would have went Death Loop. I think now that we're further from it, It Takes Two. I feel the ripples of More. I think It Takes Two has stayed in the conversation way more than Deathloop. And also, I know like Split Fiction, obviously same developer, but at the very least we've gotten more of that idea. We even see new games announced where it's like, oh, this is such a focused co op local experience that probably came out of people playing It Takes Two or A Way out or whatever other games that Hazelight has done.

[A]

I love that. I mean I think it. I love It Takes Two. I love Hazelight. I feel like this is awesome that it won. I do think that this is the biggest like. Okay, that one. Yeah, here.

[B]

And that mean here's the thing. Any if. If a Last of Us, if a God of War, Zelda, if any like of those tier of games comes out that year, then that game wins any

[A]

game of the year from any of the other years that decade.

[B]

If it comes out that year, it would be that game.

[A]

But not to take away from It Takes Two. It won, dude. It's a. No one can change the fact that it won Game of the Year.

[B]

But like was Split Fiction wasn't nominated this last year. Right. The Split Fiction end up on our top 10 list, do you think this year?

[A]

I doubt it.

[B]

See, and that's like the thing. I think that's to the point because Split Fiction I don't think is. I don't think it's a step down at all. If anything, it's a step sideways and I might even argue a step up from It Takes Two.

[A]

I mean that's. Yeah, but like that's the complication of one, a much stronger year with video games and then two like when you are a sequel the expectations are higher.

[B]

So sure that's fair.

[A]

I'm kind of with you there. I think there's pros and cons to each one of them of like which I'd put over the other. But I think that overall I would say I was disappointed with Split Fiction. I still really I. I think I gave it an 8 and I stand by. I think it might even be on my top 10. I don't remember where it. If it is, it's really low. I loved my time with it, but it's like I'd say overall I expected more and I was disappointed.

[B]

To bring in some context from the article, the first paragraph does clarify Game of the Year is always a hotly debated topic heading into the end of the year, which coincides with the gaming industry's award season. The biggest award show of the bunch is the aptly named the Game Awards, hosted by Geoff Keighley. And while these awards are still relatively new, the big prize at the end of the night, the award for Game of the Year is highly coveted. Winning this award can be a huge for a studio giving that. Giving their game a second wind and putting eyes on their game and money in their pocket. During the holiday season. However, there can only be one winner and every year there are many what ifs with that with games that probably deserve to win Game of the Year but didn't. So that gives me the vibe that we're talking about the Game Awards here. So if we're going to make I know this probably a tough one to guess. I don't think this is ranked. So we're just guessing. What are 10 games you would put on that list? I'll say. I'll say Uncharted 4 not because I

[A]

think Uncharted 4 and Hades are. And maybe even Final Fantasy.

[B]

All right, I'll write down Final Fantasy. Yeah,

[A]

He's not a Game of the Year though. Man. That's coming from like that's crazy. Number one fan. But it's just like, I don't know.

[B]

I think that might have been my number one game that year. Yeah, I think it was either that or Persona 5 Royal. Yeah, that's how much I loved Remake. There's. There's a magic in there.

[A]

Oh, there's definitely.

[B]

There's like a. Almost like a Disney esque magic that just absolutely. That does something to me.

[A]

Yeah. Oh.

[B]

I mean I could even. I want to say Deathloop, but I don't know what happened. What happened to the Deathloop conversation? I feel like Deathloop had such a strong conversation when it came out and when we just forgot about it as soon as the year ended, we've just not mentioned Deathloop.

[A]

Yeah, that's true. That's really true.

[B]

As the year ended, God of War,

[A]

Ragnarok lost to Elden Ring.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So it's like big Sony sequels, right?

[B]

Big Sony sequels.

[A]

Things like they.

[B]

I'll write down God of War, Ragnarok. Because my other way of interpreting. Oh, Red Dead Redemption two or not. Yes, two RDR two. Yeah. Because my way of interpreting this is. What are the games that would have made it if number one didn't come out?

[A]

Choose the kingdom I think you have to put there. If that's the case, I agree.

[B]

Now is what, 2023.

[A]

All right, then 2024 is an interesting one. Astrobot 1. Metaphor. Refantasia, Black Myth, Wukong, Final Fantasy 7, Rebirth, Balatro and Elden Ring Shadow Territory. I think Balatro could have an argument

[B]

I think Bellatro could have an argument as well as. Well as, like, metaphor. And there was one more you read in there that. Oh, Rebirth.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm writing down Metaphor and Rebirth.

[A]

I think both Rebirth and Remake have enough negative conversation points about them that like, kind of take it out of the conversation for Game of the Year from the Game awards, which is different than an outlets Game of the Year or Tim's Game of the Year.

[B]

It's the tough thing of high. High. And like, I don't want to say low. Lows.

[A]

Just a lot of.

[B]

Yeah, noticeable lows.

[A]

Noticeable mids. Yeah, Like, I wouldn't even say lows. Yeah, I don't think Rebirth has many lows. It just has a lot of. Padding isn't even the right word because padding implies they put it in there to make the experience longer. They put it in there because they wanted it there. Yes, but did we need it there?

[B]

Yeah, it's one of those things where I. I think for a Rebirth slash remake. But let's say you Rebirth more because I think Rebirth is a bit more. You can visibly see, like, oh, there's the bloat. Oh, there's the X, Y, Z thing. I would rather take that than a game that's like perfectly designed but doesn't hit me as hard as a Rebirth.

[A]

Oh, absolutely.

[B]

You know, like when Rebirth hits. When Remake hits. Oh, we're cooking nothing like, oh, there's nothing like it. I'm writing down near Automata Also, that might be a personal one.

[A]

Wait, near Automata, I think, is actually a excellent call for this.

[B]

Yeah. Because as we're talking about remake Rebirth there, I just got. I. I returned to the feelings I had while playing Nier Automata, a game that came out in the most difficult year, 2017. Honestly, we could probably have. We could wait. Oh, hold on. Let's park in 2017 for a moment. Mario Odyssey.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Come on.

[A]

Yeah, y'. All. You know, I have to say something to you that, like, you're not gonna like, but I've been thinking about this a lot, and I want to be honest with y' all and with myself and especially with you that, like, I don't want to put a period on the end of this statement because I do want to, at some point, give it another playthrough to make sure that I stand by what I'm saying here.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think Odyssey is overrated. Oh, wow. And, like, I'm not saying by much, but, like, wow. I think that it's gotten into this conversation of it is the greatest Mario thing ever.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I just. I think that there's enough in it that I'm like, you know, I don't want to stand on that hill.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

I don't want to stand on the hill. And I. A lot of this has come from me reflecting on game reviews that I've given in the last couple of years and how I feel like oftentimes it seems like I'm a lot higher rating on things than some other people on. For certain games and franchises, and then sometimes it'll be, like, a lot lower than others. And I'm trying to think, like, why is that? And, like, what's it say? And, like, how do I review games? And I feel like I review games differently than most people here. Even where in my review, as I'm giving the score, I'll give the context of what the score is implying. Am I. Is this a recommendation to you? Is this a critical review for should you get this or not? Or is this how much fun I had with it type situation? Right.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I think that I. I review things more often than not, starting from the, like, the feeling you're talking about the Disney magic, that Final Fantasy 7. Like, how many of those highs did it give me? Because I value those highs so much more than I care about the lows. But do the lows bring it down? And then the lows start chipping off the. It goes from a 10 to a 9 to go. Goes down from there. And with that, I started sitting with it and be like, all right, but if I were to just be critical of things, I think I'd be given so many games. Just a 7 or 7.5.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Or even. And I've been exercising with Mario Odyssey of like, really critically. If I was going to be a critic about Mario Odyssey, what would I give it? And I'm like, I think my. My gut answer is nine.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But it's not a 10. And we talk about it like it's a 10.

[B]

I see. It's so funny because I feel everything. I feel most of what you're saying, especially the heart of what you're saying. The only place I disagree is Mario Odyssey being the example. I think Mario Odyssey is such a 10. But like, it's also. I'm trying to think of where I'm trying to think of, I guess in comparison to when we talk about the best Mario games and hear me out.

[A]

And again, I don't want to go too long on this because again, I. This is not like some crazy. I'm not trying to be a contrarian. I'm not trying to be crazy. There's nothing I care about more than 3D Mario.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean? But like, when I think about Mario Odyssey, like, so, like, is it a 10? Critically, for the argument I just made, it's like, the amount of moons that mean nothing. And I don't need everything to mean something. Am I having fun collecting things along the way? That's totally cool. But the amount of moons, like, the jump rope stuff, I'm like, this just isn't fun. The bad guys, the bunnies, I don't like them. And when you see voidco and Donkey Kong Bonanza, I'm like, they don't need to be that much better for me to be like, I like them because I like Boyco. I'm not saying the best things ever, but, like, there's. There's a difference, right? And I think that I look at Odyssey, I'm like, I actively don't like these guys. And then I think about the gameplay of those boss fights. I'm like, well, that was great. Like, I'm not complaining about the gameplay, but there is just a lot of other shit around it that kind of like, gotten its way. Best movement in a Mario game, undeniably. But I feel like the platforming challenges and all that weren't necessarily the best we've seen in the franchise. And if they were, there was also Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, thing of hella. High highs, then a lot of kind of just like, yeah, I'm just going through the motions here type stuff.

[B]

See, I think this is the beauty of video game reviews, because everything you're saying, right, Especially to what you're talking about as far as how you approach reviews, right. I think there is the thing of how we play games, how we take in games, and what are. What's important to us, right? Because the things that you're describing about Mario Odyssey, I think you're absolutely right. I think the. The bunnies, who I can't remember the names of, right? Like, they're kind of whatever, very forgettable. There are things that on paper I can look at and be like, it didn't do this. It didn't do this. Like, this thing was kind of whatever. But what are you. What are you nerdy about when it comes to what is making that thing hit for you? And I think for me, I couldn't care less about the bunnies. For me, it is. Which is a funny sentence to say, but for me, it is. Like, how much of a good playground is Mario Odyssey? And Mario Odyssey is one of my favorite playgrounds in a video game. But I also understand where you're coming from, which is some of the things that really matter to you, Tim, which is presentation, packaging. Right? Like, that includes the bosses, that includes how you play stars, or how certain platforming challenges might speak to you. Didn't hit as much for you. That I think is totally valid.

[A]

And with that, I. Because I want to stress this, I gave Mario Odyssey A 10, and I stand by that. It's a 10 in that rating scale. I'm saying if we're going to be very critical and, like, did it get robbed of Game of the Year that year? Breath of the Wild is Game of the Year.

[B]

And that's. Yeah, yeah, no, you're right. You're right about that part for sure. But yeah, if Mario Odyssey comes out any other year, though, I might rock for Mario Odyssey. Yeah, but that's. It's a tough one.

[A]

Hold on. And then Phil Fuminati super chats in saying, do you still feel like Donkey Kong Bonanza is definitely better than Odyssey? Tim, this is something that I have been misquoted on many times recently. I never said that. What I'm saying is I would recommend Donkey Kong bonanza over Galaxy 1 and 2 and Odyssey to new players in 2025. Yeah, I stand by that. And it's just because they've gotten so much better at getting rid of the little problems and Adding on to that magic and fun. I don't think that Donkey Kong Bonanza is a better game necessarily than those other three. I don't. I don't want to even put my answer out there because I'm not sure where I stand. I do think I prefer Bonanza to Odyssey, though. I do think I stand there having just played through Mario Galaxy 2. Galaxy 2 has a lot lower lows than Donkey Kong Bonanza does, but it has way higher highs. Okay, so it gets complicated and I'd probably put Galaxy over it to bring

[B]

in a couple more super chats here. Bander Sn says Bayonetta 2 should have won 2014, not Dragon Age. I mean, on the topic of 2014, I want to shout out both Shadow of Mordor and South park the second truth, which would have been my top two for 2014. Weird year, though. Thank you so much for that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then we have another super chat from the name gets cut off, but it's standard ass. And then br. I don't know what the rest of it is. Birthday Tax. Thanks for being such a source of nerdy love and joy, even when shitting on a list when the world needs it most. Thank you so much for that. And then we have one more from Yelsing who says time to be controversial, but Breath of the Wild, if it wasn't a Zelda title, would not be considered as good as it is solid 8 out of 10.

[A]

Here's the thing, though.

[B]

Chalk it up into the fucking pile of this exact opinion that I've heard before.

[A]

But here's the thing. This opinion is right. It's a fact. However, you know what else is a fact?

[B]

What's that?

[A]

It is a Zelda game. So that means it comes with Zelda characters and has Zelda music and has Zelda weapons. It has Zelda ideas and bosses and play style. It's like, yeah, yeah, because it's a Zelda game.

[B]

If you took everything that's Mario out of Mario Kart. Exactly. Okay.

[A]

It's just a cart.

[B]

If you just released a game called Cartoon. Yes. You know, like, that changes how people perceive it. I do. I do disagree, though, as far as, like, I think even if you take all the Zelda e out of Breath of the Wild, I think that core gameplay loop is so phenomenal, you miss out on the magic. Sure. Of, like, the Zelda aspects. Like the aesthetic. Yes. That gameplay loop is still fucking. I think if it wasn't called Zelda, people would complain less about it. I think if it wasn't Zelda Breath of the Wild. I think a lot more of y' all would be like, this is a fucking masterpiece. Because they're not thinking about it as a Zelda game. I don't know if you replace the Zelda stuff with like, some other very appealing IP or whatever, or even, like, just not an ip, Right. You just replace it with appealing characters and world or whatever. Y' all would be like, oh, this is the greatest game of all time. I stand by that.

[A]

I think it is. It is going to be number one or two on the majority of best video game of all time list going forward because it's a Zelda game. But that's a good thing. They made the best use of Zelda possible. They did something amazing. They had the room to experiment and make those mistakes. It's a beautiful thing. I love these games.

[B]

So we have 12 games written down here for games from the last decade. I guess the South Park Secret Truth and Shadow Mortar aren't from the last decade, so remove those from the list. But we still have 12 games written down for games in the last decade that could have deserved Game of the Year. Those games are Uncharted 4, Hades, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, God of War, Ragnarok, Red Dead Redemption 2, Tears of the Kingdom, Balatro, Metaphor Refantasio, Rebirth, Nier, Automata, Mario Odyssey, and Persona 5. Tim, are you ready to hop into this list? Let's get in again. This is written by Evan Reagan at Game Rant, published five days ago. First up on the list, and these are not ranked. Red Dead Redemption two, Lost, the God of War.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yep. Makes sense. We know how much people adore Red Dead Redemption 2. 2018. One of the toughest years it can come out in. As far as that Game of the year race, I believe Spider man was also 2018. Right. Marvel Spider Man.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Tough year.

[A]

I was about to bring up Spider man as a. Just throw out there. I don't think it makes this list because I don't even think any of the years that it was nominated it or the sequel, it was even second place.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, but the idea of how good these Spider man games are, like,

[B]

ooh, somebody in chat mentioned Celeste in 2018. That's.

[A]

Now that's a good answer.

[B]

That's a good answer.

[A]

Right. But also 2018.

[B]

You know what else is 2018? Smash Ultimate. Right.

[A]

Technically. But, like, that would have been the 2019 awards.

[B]

Yeah, you're right.

[A]

That works.

[B]

Next up on the list, we got Bloodborne.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

That's not the last decade, though, right?

[A]

15.

[B]

Oh, okay. I guess we're crossing over. I'll accept it. I'll accept it. 2015. Yeah. Well, 20. 2015. For Game of the Year, I guess we're talking about the Witcher 3, which they say here. Yeah, lost the Witcher 3. Wild Hunt.

[A]

Yeah. Makes sense.

[B]

It makes sense. I could see going either way on this one. Looking back, tough year. Also, you're talking about MGS5 coming out that year. You're talking about Fallout 4, which I know wasn't as beloved as previous stuff, but still, like, it's a big hitter. Shadow of the Tomb Raider was that year as well, which a lot of people were like, yo, this shit is fucking phenomenal. Shadow, the second Tomb Raider game. Rise. Rise. Rise. Thank you. Rise of the Tomb Raider. Also, shout out Rocket League. I don't think that would have been Game of the Year necessarily, but that was a big hitter as well for 2015. Next up, we got Super Mario Odyssey, like we just talked about. There you go.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Again, 2017. We're also talking about games like, I guess Wolfenstein 2 was there. Which game of the year. That's a tough one to get in there, but phenomenal game Divinity. Original Sin 2 was that year, which I know people did adore. Didn't have the popularity of a Baldur's Gate 3. But look out for the next divinity game. Next up on the list we got Alan Wake two.

[A]

Yeah, that's an. I get it. You know what I mean?

[B]

I understand it for the fans. This is one where it's one of those games I played all the way to really enjoyed ii, but didn't enjoy it as much as the world enjoyed it. And so, like, there's so much conversation around where I'm like, okay, I. Hey, listen, I. With the fact that y' all with it.

[A]

Yeah, for sure.

[B]

But I don't. Balers Gate 3, I think is still. I think it clears from the amount of Balers Gate 3 I played. Next one, we got Hollow Knight Silk song. We didn't talk about this last year.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

How do you feel about this losing to Clear Obscure.

[A]

Here's what I'll say. Glass.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Without spoiling where I landed on this. I had a very long personal sit down with myself and I had to go back and forth this weekend or last weekend before I submitted My top 10, where I'm like, is my number one as locked as I think it is? Because Hollow Knight Silksong is that damn good. It's that damn good.

[B]

I'm so fascinated by your list specifically because like there's the three games that I imagine, you know.

[A]

My top three.

[B]

Yeah, your top three. I'll just say it out loud. You can say it, Claire. Obscure. Hades two Silksong. I have.

[A]

Those are my top three.

[B]

I have no idea.

[A]

Who knows?

[B]

I don't. And that's my thing. I don't have no idea how you order it. Even as you were talking about your Silksong review yesterday, that gave me a little bit of hope because I'll be honest, right? Like Hades 2 is above silksong in my heart.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That said. Oh, shout out Hades right there. Right. That said, you know, I was rooting for Hades too, as you're talking about Silksong. But even still, like you gave me that what, 9.5.

[A]

9.5. Which is a higher score than I gave Expedition. But again, this goes back to scores and like love different things, man. But yeah, like Silksong is up there with the Expedition 33 conversation of is it my number one of the year?

[B]

I'm so fascinated by what your is. Next up on this list though, we got Persona 5 lost to Zelda Breath of the Wild again. I mean that's the toughest year in my opinion. Cuz Zelda Breath of the Wild is one of my favorite games ever. But Persona 5 is also one of my favorite games ever. That's a game that is probably in my top 10, maybe even top five video games that I love. I made an RPG list recently. Persona 5 was number one on that list.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Next up we got Control lost to Sekiro Shadows Die Twice.

[A]

Should have mentioned Control. Yeah, it's definitely one Control.

[B]

Definitely.

[A]

That year was a weird year too, right. I feel like Sekiro winning was I think a surprise to a lot of the mainstream. Right? And I think that definitely was a one of the first major kind of like in the dirt moments for Souls likes where the bloodborne obviously there's the original Dark Soul. People that were talking there always were. But then Bloodborne was like though guys, really this is a big deal this winning and then obviously getting to Elden Ring being the biggest moment. It's like now it's like the most.

[B]

Yeah. Popular thing now it's like you get if Fromsoft releases a game that year, you kind of expect it to be in the conversation for for games. Next one goes to Tsushima. Losing to last this part. Two Interesting. I. It's somebody who really, really, really dug Ghost of Tsushima. This is not the one I would have picked for 2019 or 2020. But it was very high on my list in 2020. And so I could see it, but I don't know. I feel like between Hades Last is Part 2 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Ghost of Tsushima for me is like a strong number four.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Although I might put Ghost of Tsushima above Lastest Part two for me, those are in contention with each other. I guess I could see that. And then next up, if there is even more, there is another one. Hades. Hades also, I guess another one from 2020 that lost the lapses. Part two.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then we also got Balatron.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Nailed it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Lost to Astrobot.

[A]

We did pretty good.

[B]

Yeah, we nailed this. Is that everything? That is everything. We did pretty good.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right. Of course our game of the year is going down this Monday. You're not going to want to miss it. What else you're not going to want to miss? Our next list that we're about to do right now after a word from our sponsors.

[A]

This episode brought to you by boot.dev. if you're listening to this show, there's a solid chance that you one, like video games and two, at some point in your life have been interested in learning software development. Boot.dev combines those things because they know that the smartest way to learn is to never get bored. It takes your coding from beginner to expert, the fun way through our hands on RPG like experience. If you're ready to put in the time it takes like Kevin is.

[B]

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[A]

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[B]

And we're back. And Tim, are you ready for our second shit list of the day?

[A]

Let's do it.

[B]

The top 10 best licensed games based on movies. This is written by the one and only Simon Cardi.

[A]

Oh, I Love that. If there's one man I know that knows movies and knows video games and knows licensed video game movies, you know what I mean? It's Simon Carti.

[B]

Do you follow Simon Carti on Instagram?

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Do you see his stories?

[A]

Wait, you know what? Maybe not.

[B]

On Instagram he posts his letterboxd reviews. Maybe this was like an end of year thing. But the rate at which this man was watching movies this holiday. I thought I watched a lot of movies this holiday because that's all I did during the break. Simon Carty must have watched like 100 movies in the span of two weeks. It's crazy how many movies.

[A]

I love it. He was ready for this list. He's prepping.

[B]

I mean, listen, he wrote this. So this is also decently recent. This came out December 10th. Right. And so this is some, some of that fresh shit right here. Where do we start with licensed video games?

[A]

Well, I think we have to start with Star Wars.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Because what counts and what doesn't count. Right? Because if, if, if. Are we just talking about movie.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Adaptations.

[B]

I think it has to follow the story or be representative of like movies.

[A]

So Enter the Matrix doesn't count because it's not the movie at all.

[B]

I think the difference. Because Matrix is like the movies are the thing. Like, sure, there's like other Matrix material, but I feel like Star wars is such a universe in such a, you know, TV shows, comics, all this. Right. Like, there's so much to Star wars that I think, you know, a Lego Star wars that's about a movie, I think that counts. Or Star Wars Episode 3, I think that counts. But I think once you get into Star Wars Unleashed, I don't think that counts.

[A]

Okay, well, what about Star Wars Episode 1 Racer?

[B]

Fuck. Honestly? Yes, I think. But I know it doesn't make sense.

[A]

I mean, okay, I kind of feel where you're.

[B]

But like the characters from there are from Episode one.

[A]

Yeah. But okay, okay. Going on the logic, I think that me and you are on the same page about like how we feel about it. Let's just talk Star Wars.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

If with the parameters that we feel

[B]

like we can't do Star Wars Jedi. No, no. Okay, I agree.

[A]

Yeah. So I mean, Episode one Racer. Let's just put.

[B]

You think it's okay. Let's put it down. I'm. I'd be surprised.

[A]

I love that game. And then I think you leaning into the Lego Star Wars. Lego Star wars the original trilogy or prequel? Like the original. Original Lego game. Trilogy.

[B]

Gotcha. Okay. Not, Not The Skywalker Saga.

[A]

Yeah. Cool.

[B]

Okay. I don't know if, like, how should we go? I mean.

[A]

Oh, Rogue Squadron. Yeah.

[B]

Dude, this gets Battlefront.

[A]

No, because Battle. Battlefront's Battle.

[B]

I mean, those. Let's move on from Star Wars. We'll come back. Yeah, we can move on from Star Wars. Let's come back later maybe. Because that's really complicated. 1. I'll shout out off the bat. The warriors. The Warriors for PlayStation 2.

[A]

Love that.

[B]

I think that is such a licensed movie game. One of one, right? Based off of a movie that came out decades before the game even came out. And people really love that game, including me. I fucking love that game.

[A]

Spider Man 2. Yep.

[B]

For a PS2, I agree. GoldenEye.

[A]

GoldenEye.

[B]

That might be number one.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's a. Yeah. It's getting a little weird.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

Very weird. They're not going to put it on the list, but Ratchet Clank 2016. Because it was based on the movie. It wasn't based on the game.

[B]

I could see Simon getting cheeky and doing that. Ratchet and clank 2060. Now, here's the thing. Speaking of getting cheeky, I guess this isn't too cheeky. Are there other James Bond games that would make the list?

[A]

I mean, I love Everything or Nothing. And I could see Simon. He knows Ball. I can see him like, as a Bond girl on that. Like, it had its own Bond song. I forget who did it, but it was like a big deal. Put Everything or Nothing on there.

[B]

Is that based off.

[A]

But it's not based on a movie.

[B]

I was gonna say, is there an Everything or Nothing movie?

[A]

But it's using Pierce Brosnan's likeness, though. Like. Yeah, I don't.

[B]

Yeah, I don't think you make it. I don't think you do it.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

Oh, does he?

[A]

Does it. Is there an opening blurb that might clarify this for us?

[B]

Let's open it up.

[A]

When?

[B]

I'll say, even though this. I don't think this would fit the parameters whatsoever, is Hogwarts Legacy, but obviously, like book series.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right. Simon Carty starts this off saying, ah, the licensed video game once a collection of underwhelming retellings of big screen blockbusters littered with haunting polygonal nightmares. Hagrid. That's you. And aimless atari attempts. Yes, E.T. that's you. We've seen an uptick in actually good adaptations in recent years with the upcoming Terminator 2D. No. Fate looking like a promising attempt at turning James Cameron's Classic into some enjoyable retro action. So we thought we'd pick out the best of the bunch. We do have a few little rules, though, that stop just any old film adjacent game from making the list. They need to either be a direct translation or adaptation of a feature film, an official movie sequel or prequel, or a game that attempts to continue the story or provide backstory and additional canonical lore.

[A]

I like that.

[B]

That's really good.

[A]

So I think Enter the Matrix counts then.

[B]

Do you think it makes the list?

[A]

I do. Even though it's not that good of a game.

[B]

One that undoubtedly makes the list. It might be very high on this list. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

[A]

Yep, yep, yep, yep.

[B]

For some. I don't even know.

[A]

Great call.

[B]

I don't even know if if Simon particularly loves this game, but every British person I know loves this game.

[A]

Something tells me he really loves it.

[B]

Something tells me, yeah, British people love Immersive Sims. I don't know. What's the connection? Maybe I'll just have good taste because I also like Immersive Sims.

[A]

I played Charlie's Angels on the gamecube, but I don't think it's going to make the list.

[B]

Movies are there. What about 2D? Like pixel art? Retro.

[A]

There was like Super Star wars and Super Empire. Super Jedi. One of those might make the list.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Did you ever play Batman on NES?

[B]

Oh, okay.

[A]

1989 Batman.

[B]

I'll write that down. You ever play Chronicles Ric?

[A]

Oh, Chronicles of Ric. Yes.

[B]

I never played that one, but I know people. People really like.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, 100%.

[B]

I'm writing that down.

[A]

That's going to be very high. We got some super chats. Kobe says we need to put respect on Peter Jackson's King Kong. Playing it on 360 was amazing. That was one of those big 360 games. M. I don't remember it being good though. But like, maybe we put that on the list. And then Kebab says, does Ratchet, Ratchet and Clank, PS4 count for the movie list? Right there with you Kebabs.

[B]

I'm right now. Peter Jackson. King King Kong. I want to say I watched a video essay about it recently and the argument was that it was underrated.

[A]

So the game?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Or the movie?

[B]

The game.

[A]

Okay. Because I feel like recently there's been like the movies underrated. Like, okay, group of people out there.

[B]

Oh, chat Avatar.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

I could.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's another one that's having a big resurgence right now where everyone's loving it.

[B]

What was the name of that Avatar game.

[A]

Frontiers of Pandora.

[B]

Yeah. All right. Down Avatar. Frontiers of Pandora.

[A]

I've been, like, trying to think about, like, when the baby's here, like, what is going to be my. Just like, I only have 5 seconds to play a game and, like, just like, live in a world I might hop into. Avatar baby.

[B]

Dude. Dude. Honestly, I'm not going to lie. I. Even though I don't. I do not have a love for Avatar. Every single time I see gameplay of this game, part of me is like, maybe I should try this.

[A]

I love it.

[B]

This game looks beautiful for no reason. Oh, this is tough.

[A]

Lot of quest. Brings up Lion King on SEGA Genesis. And to that I say, I respect you.

[B]

No shot.

[A]

But Aladdin on the Super Nintendo.

[B]

Interesting. Okay. Aladdin on the Super Nintendo. It's so funny.

[A]

The.

[B]

The one of these that I played was, I believe was Pinocchio or go to Addison's house. He had a Super Nintendo while I had an N64.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And he would bust out this Pinocchio game all the time. And we'd play from the beginning because for some reason it didn't have a save. And, like, I played so much of this dumb Pinocchio game.

[A]

Aladdin's different, though. Aladdin is like one of those, like, kind of like classic games where the. They actually worked with Disney animators to like, make it look like the movie for when Aladdin would jump and stuff. Like, there was, like, extra love put into it.

[B]

Okay. One that I don't. I don't think would make would be the Harry Potter games. I remember playing those as a kid. Sorcerer's Stone.

[A]

I don't think any of those were good, though. Yeah, everyone played them.

[B]

They were good for, like, I guess, kids games or whatever. Or like, I guess just licensed games in general. But when I say good, I mean, like, okay, they got the job done for me as a child.

[A]

Yeah. There was an Iron man game that sucked. Feel like we're missing Made by Sega.

[B]

Let me check in with the super chats again. Yeah, I mean, JJ Baseball. JJ Baseball says Star Wars Episode three has to be there.

[A]

Let's put Episode three on the list.

[B]

I'll write it down.

[A]

Like, that's one where I know there's a lot of conversation about the game. Oh, Snape and Shake. Lord of the Rings. Two Towers.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

That thing was winning Game of the Years. And back then, honestly, we're.

[B]

We're starting to make a very sizable list here.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Lord of the Rings.

[A]

Okay. Okay. Lugatti. X Men Origins. Wolverine.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, this is coming together.

[A]

And then the real Garate brings up a good point. The Transformers games were pretty good. And the thing about that is what's interesting and you might not know, Bless. There were three Transformers games during the High Moon Studios era where it was War for Cybertron.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All of Cybertron. But then the third game was a weird crossover between the Transformers movie characters and those game characters. And the game was fun. It just wasn't that good compared to the others. I don't think it makes the list,

[B]

but I remember those being somewhat of a big deal when they launched. I didn't know that was the story, though. That's kind of crazy.

[A]

I mean, the first two are awesome.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But the third one, it really was kind of cash grabby in the same way. Prince of Persia, the based on the movie was cash grabby.

[B]

Alien Isolation, Is that based. Could we say that's based on a movie?

[A]

Yeah. You know what? Yeah, that counts. That counts.

[B]

Honestly, this might be a more competitive list than we're giving it credit for, because so far we have here goldeneye, Indiana Jones, the Great Circle, Chronicles of Riddick, the Warriors, Lord of the Rings, Two Towers, X Men Origins, Wolverine, Lego Star Wars Episode Episode 1, Racer, Spider Man 2, Alien Isolation, Avatar, Ratchet, and Clank. 2016, Enter the Matrix. Right there. Right. Twice. No, I didn't. Batman, Peter Jackson's King Kong, Aladdin, and Star Wars Episode 3, Rammerman.

[A]

Brings up Ghostbusters, the video game that was Ghostbusters 3.

[B]

Is that the one Greg likes a lot?

[A]

Yeah, I mean, that's. That is, like, not the ones he's been playing recently. Yeah, that was like. Actually, they got Bill Murray. That was literally us. No, no, no, no. On PS3. Oh, they got the cast of the movies back for, like, a sequel.

[B]

Oh, that's pretty sick. Okay. Was it. What was it called? Just Ghostbusters.

[A]

Ghostbusters the video game.

[B]

The video game. All right. Is there anything missing?

[A]

I'm feeling pretty good about this. A lot of people in the chat are bringing up, like, a lot of things that are like TV shows, not movies.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I see one person bring up Friday the 13th, which. Yeah, shout out.

[A]

I think.

[B]

I usually think.

[A]

Get in the list.

[B]

I think.

[A]

See what the list is.

[B]

I think the games we have are so strong. Like, we have 19 games written down here, and I think 10 of them you can make the case of, like, oh, these are actually good video games separate from the license.

[A]

And then some are just there.

[B]

And then some are just there. But we'll get into it again. This is ign. This was written by the one and only Simon Carty. Let's get into it with number 10, Peter Jackson's King Kong. The official game of the movie. Wow.

[A]

Z. Johnson says, need y' all to be more serious about what's actually good and what's classic fun. And that's always. It's a weird balance, right? Where it's like, yeah, there is the. Are these actually good or not? And then there is the kind of a different version of the Zelda argument we're making of like, sure, yeah. The brand and IP is kind of what makes it fun. And like, yeah, nostalgia.

[B]

This game is memorable and like, something. Or it did something weird and goofy. But I think there's. When I look at the list that we have jumping out of the IGN list, looking at the ones we have, right. GoldenEye will be on the list. Indiana Jones, the Great Circle will be on the list. These are the games I'm saying are good, right?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Chronicles, Riddick will be on the list. The Warriors. I am. Has a really good chance of being on the list. I'd want it to be on the list. Lord of the Rings, Two Towers, I assume will be on the list. X Men, Origins, Wolverine will be on the list. Lego Star Wars.

[A]

The Star wars of it all is like, I think the. The big.

[B]

There will be a Star wars game on the list. I have no idea which one it will be, but there will be one. And then, oh, Spider Man 2. PS2 will be on the list. And that's like. We just listed nine games right there. And then a 10th one. I'm not sure what the 10th one will be, but those games we just mentioned, Fantastic. So number nine, we got Scarface. The world is yours.

[A]

You ever play this one I didn't like. I've still never seen Scarface, so I had no interest in it. But this was a big deal.

[B]

Yeah. This was one that Addison lended to me. Got home. Put it on. I didn't like this game, but it's like, it was such a gta. Vice City ripoff.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That, like, even as a young kid, I recognized it. I was like, why would I play this when I could just play Vice City? I can just play Vice City, but shout out to Scarface. The world is yours. I guess coming in at number eight, we got Rockstars, the Warriors. Come on. Oh, I can't say.

[A]

Gets it.

[B]

Dude, I can't say enough good things about this list. I mean, back to where Simon's talking about Games that added more story to the movie. The warriors was a prequel to the movie the War. The video game is actually why I

[A]

watched the video game is what put a generation onto the movie.

[B]

I would have never watched the warriors if I didn't play this video game. And the game was fun as hell. Great beat them up style gameplay. You pick up hella weapons, add really fun co op multiplayer. You're going around, you're like up cars, breaking into cars, stealing so good. Coming in at number seven, we got Mad Max.

[A]

Oh wow. What a mistake on our part for not bringing that up.

[B]

Simon Carty, shout out to you.

[A]

Yeah, you remember the homework man. Look at his letterbox. Just pop it off.

[B]

This is one that I've always low key wanted to play. But like, not enough where I've made time for it, but enough to where I'm like, one day, yeah, I will boot up Mad Max.

[A]

When we did in review for Mad Max last year, it was my first time watching those movies. I was like so enamored by it that I wanted to play it. I ended up not playing it. I just watched a bunch of reviews of it. Yeah, I felt like I got the experience.

[B]

This is, this is one of those games. I should just buy it and have it downloaded just for one day.

[A]

Whenever you're like, yes, one day I

[B]

will come home drunk. You know what I mean?

[A]

Runs perfect on Steam deck says chunk 2D2.

[B]

Oh, that's good. That's good. Yeah, one day I'm going to come home drunk. Like It'll be like 8pm or whatever. Just got back from somebody's party or whatever and I'm like, what do I want to do? You know, I don't have a care in the world. That's when I'm going to play Mad Max.

[A]

I love it.

[B]

That's what I'm going to boot it up. Story or not story, but next one, number six on the list, Spider Man 2 for PS2.

[A]

Yep, yep, yep. We all know it.

[B]

I might make the argument top three right here. I might definitely. This was a game. Tim, can I tell you something really nerd?

[A]

Please do.

[B]

Back in fifth grade, I think fourth grade actually we used to do show and tell like every week. It would be, it would hop between students. So one student every Friday would bring stuff from home and like show them off and be like, hey, these are my favorite things or whatever. This is something I want to show off from my home. I brought Spider Man 2 for PS2. That's how much I love that game. That's that's Spider Man. I brought Spider Man 2 and I don't remember a single other thing that I brought. Yeah, that's all I remember because that's how much I valued that game and wanted to show it off.

[A]

God bless Spider Man 2.

[B]

Listen, I was born to be, to be somebody to podcast about video games. Story number five or not story number five? Number five on the list. Star Wars Jedi Survivor. I don't know. Simon Boo. Based off the movie. No, hold on. What are the bullet points? A direct translation or adaptation of a feature film. An official movie sequel or prequel or a game that attempts to continue the story or provide backstory and additional canonical lore. So I guess it, I mean, yeah,

[A]

you can make, you can make it fit if you want to, but it's

[B]

like this doesn't count.

[A]

Ah, yeah. Because I feel like it's okay. Here they are bridging the gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. It's like that's being very, very lenient with bridging the gap. There's a 10 year gap there.

[B]

I mean.

[A]

No, there's a, yeah, 10 year gap.

[B]

He who Shall Not Be Named showed up. You know, helps bridge the gap.

[A]

17 year gap. Too much of a gap. Yeah, too much of a gap.

[B]

This definitely shouldn't count. Coming in at number four, we got GoldenEye 007.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Which again, another one that arguably top three. But I get, I get the idea though of it not aging well as far as gameplay over time. You know, there are games that are be that are way more fun to go back to.

[A]

But like the thing with that, we just played goldeneye during the stream a couple days ago and like, I'm not arguing it aged well. It didn't. But I will just make the argument that if you just play the game as it is, there's a lot of fun there. Oh, there's a moment it clicked for me where I'm like, oh, these whack ass controls that we used to love. I'm understanding what they're asking me to do and it's, it's great. The problem is like a first person shooter, we know what that's supposed to feel like and it is like not bad at all. Yeah, it's like that is a very obtuse, wrong version of it all. But it's like if you just don't think about it as a first person shooter and you just think about it as golden. Yeah, it's still fun there.

[B]

Listen, I, I, I've been talking about my analog 3D I have on there 007. Or I have a cartridge of 007. The roll is not enough that I've been messing around with a lot, especially over holiday. And I think sometimes we overstate how badly NC4 games age. A lot of them do age badly. Most of them age badly. But to your point, 007 is not impossible to go back to. Mario 64. Like a lot of the best N64. N64 games are very different conversations there. But like, I'll. But I'll lump them both into the thing of they're not that bad to go back to.

[A]

I think Goldeneye is a lot worse to go back to. The Mario 64 is.

[B]

I agree. But. Yes.

[A]

Yeah. I also think, though, that if we were playing with N64 controllers, I think it would change everything. It's that we're playing with a controller that we know what a shooter should feel like when you're playing with one, with just one stick.

[B]

Listen, left and right. It just. Look left and right. You just gotta. You just gotta change your brain a little bit. All right?

[A]

When you do that with two sticks, you're like, what's happening here?

[B]

Use the C buttons to strafe. You'll figure it out. You'll get used to it. Number three, we got.

[A]

Oh, wait.

[B]

Actually, we have. Is this an honorable mention? I think this is an honorable. Honorable mention. It has a segment here that's called Games Better than the film. It put X Men, Wolverine.

[A]

Good. That's a great honorable mention.

[B]

Oh, fantastic. Hon. I would have expected this to be

[A]

on the list, but, like, that's the thing. The game's not that good. It's not actually that good.

[B]

Okay. Yeah. I mean, the world has convinced me that this game is like a 9 out of 10.

[A]

It's a 7 out of 10. But it's like the movie was so bad.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And like it was a swimming in seven. It's like, yo, there's hella fun here.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

But it's not a nine out of ten.

[B]

Fair enough. At number three, we got Chronicles of Riddick, Escape from Butcher Bay. Hell yeah.

[A]

Yeah, man.

[B]

Now, what do we think is in the top two? Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

[A]

I mean. Yeah. Chronicles of Ridic. Not being that top three is very high, but like, I would say that's up there.

[B]

I was. I would think Indiana Jones and Lord of the Rings. Yeah, that sounds like knowing Simon Cardi. Yeah, that sounds right.

[A]

Now, which Lord of the Rings is it going to be? If they're playing Fast and loose with this. Maybe it is like a Shadow of Mor or some stuff.

[B]

I mean, the fact that Jazz survivors on the list. But I guess. Which would we say is better between Shadow Mordor and the Two Towers? Or what do people have, I guess more like nostalgia for.

[A]

I mean, I don't.

[B]

I.

[A]

That's tough because we're talking about PS2 versus different eras. Like, it's. There's like a level of conversation different where it's like games just evolved a lot past PS2. My only thing, it's like comparing like a GTA Vice City versus or San Andreas versus GTA 5.

[B]

Yeah. You know, I think my only thing is that looking at this list, I love Shadow of Mordor. Right. I. With Shadow of Mortar, I think that game is fantastic. The Nemesis system, iconic, all that. We're not putting that game above Star Wars Jedi Survivor, are we? Inspired me into goldeneye. I feel like we're stretching a little bit if we're putting it that high.

[A]

Maybe there's no Lord of the Rings.

[B]

Actually. Hold on. No, let me talk to. Let me have a conversation with myself.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because I'd even finished Jedi Survivor. I thought that game was. Was cool, but I wasn't, like, in love with it. Maybe I would put Shadow of Mortar above Jedi Survivor. God, Survivor's so good. All right, I'm. I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say shout out Mordor because

[A]

we still have alien isolation, but, like, it's ign. You know, you're right, you're right, you're right. But it's Simon Cardi.

[B]

But it is Simon Cardi, man of

[A]

taste,

[B]

trying to fix a reputation.

[A]

Lord of the Rings or books.

[B]

I mean, why not? All right, coming in at number two, we got alien isolation.

[A]

All right, so it's indie, so.

[B]

No, no Lord of the Rings, which

[A]

I don't think is that crazy because the renowned Lord of the Rings games, like, aren't really film adaptations. And I. I feel like the renowned ones from the PS2 era,

[B]

I don't

[A]

think that they have Spider Man 2 took that slot.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I think of, like, yo, this era of games where it's like, this one's actually good even though it's based on a movie. Like, you don't need to give too many slots to those.

[B]

Yeah, I'm just. Well, I guess. No, I'm. I'm going through the list. I guess if Shadow of Mordor made it on the list, it'd probably be lower because I'm looking at games like the warriors. Again, these are Mad Max, you know, like, these are kind of like fan favorites slash, if you know, you know, type of things. I could see you kicking off a Scarface foreshadow Mordor, but okay, I guess I get it. So then at number one, that means we got Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Did you ever play this one?

[A]

I played the preview event with you and that was enough for me to

[B]

be like, this ain't for me.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Such a weird, interesting, yet inspired video game where I totally understand you or anybody else. In fact, me to some extent being like, this isn't for me. I played enough of this game to be like, damn, this is a very inspired take on Indiana Jones that I am not having that much fun with. And so I'm going to put this down, but I highly, highly respect this game. I think this game does a lot of cool shit.

[A]

James Burke. This is the best game ever made. Best game ever made. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. He platinumed it.

[B]

He is such an interesting man.

[A]

He is. He also loves Indiana Jones.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because he also platinum last of us, right?

[A]

Oh, both or he spent.

[B]

He sped run. He speedruns last.

[A]

But he also platinumed Hades one to Hollow Knight and Hollow Knight Silksong, all in the course of the last couple of months.

[B]

And I love that. He was like, Indiana Jones. That's the greatest.

[A]

Indiana Jones.

[B]

That's hilarious. Tim, what do you think? Do you think this. This list is the shit or do you think it's shit?

[A]

This is a hard one. I give it at least one thumbs up. I'm debating giving it the two, but I'm going to not do that because Jedi Survivor rubs me the wrong way.

[B]

I. I think it's fine.

[A]

I think.

[B]

I think it's a fine list. I'm not mad at it. Simon Cardi.

[A]

I will say that I'm impressed at. I forgot who the commenter was earlier that was calling out, like, the actual quality of the games versus nostalgia. I think that this is a very good list of, like, trying to err on the side of quality games.

[B]

Oh, I agree with that. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I. Here's the thing I do like is the deep cuts, right? I think getting in Scarface in there, like I mentioned, getting in the warriors, getting in bad. Max, you made this list in a way that I think was will speak to people who want to reminisce about licensed games that spoke to them in, like a very unique way. I think there was a boring way to make this list that you could have gone with. Especially since you add you had Star wars shy Survivor on here. We. This could have been a whole nother list.

[A]

I think that this is a well designed list for what he was trying to do.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I just think that what that headline is isn't necessarily what we went in thinking it was going to be.

[B]

Sure. Fair enough. I'll give this. I'll give this a light thumbs up. Yeah, very light thumbs up. We're on thin ice, Simon.

[A]

Watch out.

[B]

Before we get out of here, I want to read a couple more super chats. Kobe writes in and says might have missed it, but AVP question mark. I guess that's just the chat. Oh, Alien versus Predators. I see what you're saying. Or no. Yeah, there's alien isolation and predator hunting ground.

[A]

It was an AVP game.

[B]

Oh, there was.

[A]

Yeah. I don't think it was good though. But it was iconic. Like people fucking loved it because we were kids. You know what I mean? There was nothing cooler than Aliens vs. Predators.

[B]

Regular GARM. No regular game, guys. I see says Matrix. Path of Neo. That was not one that I, I got into.

[A]

Oh, that. That was like the. That was. That's the mmo. Like Star wars galaxies. People lost their lives to path thing.

[B]

Enter the Matrix. Was that on GameCube? That was a. Yeah, like that generation. Generation, yeah. I remember playing that at my friend Caleb's house and I was hooked on it. Like he had a gamecube at his place. He had that game. I put it in and like, I forget what they were doing. I think they were just busy, like doing something and like hanging out in the living room, whatever. I was just in his bedroom playing this game for I don't know how long. I just remember being mesmerized by it. Shout out Enter the Matrix. I need to go back and play more. More of that game.

[A]

Yeah, maybe.

[B]

And then one more from Cortez Christian here who says Star Wars Jedi is canon in the Star wars world. They say that with a bunch of exclamation points. We know.

[A]

Large hop game. Hog Gamer says. No, Tim, it's a single player game. Interesting.

[B]

The Large Hog Gamer.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Which one?

[A]

So I guess I'm on Matrix Online is the one I was thinking of.

[B]

Is Path of Neil, the one I'm thinking of. Matrix. Path of Neo. This one came out. I mean this One was also PS2, Xbox. I mean it doesn't say, say GameCube. So this probably wasn't the one I'm thinking of. So it probably was Enter the Matrix. Oh yeah. Tim, thank you so much for joining me on this journey.

[A]

Oh yeah.

[B]

Hopefully you're able to get in at least a couple more shit lists before you have to go off and take care of little child. A little. I was gonna say like Lil Oled or something. I was trying to think of a name.

[A]

Oledia is what people are calling her Oletia.

[B]

I like it. I like it a lot. Of course, this has been kind of Funny Games cast Each and every weekday we get together and talk about the biggest reviews, previews and topics in video games, live on YouTube, Twitch and all podcast services around the globe. If you love what we do, support us with the kind of funny membership on Patreon, YouTube, Apple or Spotify to get all of our shows ad free and get a daily exclusive show after. This is party mode. We're playing more of that there. Pico Park 2.

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Hell yeah, dude.

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Oh, we're about to yell at each other.

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