Kinda Funny Gamescast Summary

Episode: We Played Kirby Air Riders!
Date: September 9, 2025
Hosts: Tim Gettys, Greg Miller, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Andy Cortez
Theme: The crew returns from PAX West 2025, sharing hands-on impressions of upcoming and newly released games—including big spotlights on Kirby Air Riders, Super Meat Boy 3D, High on Life 2, Pokémon Legends Z-A, and more—along with candid reflections on the PAX experience, the gaming community, and the state of some highly anticipated titles.

Episode Overview

This episode is a lively, content-rich debrief of PAX West 2025, centering on Blessing and Andy's experience at industry events, their hands-on impressions of forthcoming titles, and spirited, often hilarious, discussions about what stood out to them—good and bad. The show covers a mix of mainstream, indie, and franchise games across Xbox, Nintendo, and PC, featuring honest critique, giddy fan moments, and the kind of banter that makes Kinda Funny’s roundtables electric.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Post-PAX Vibes & Community Energy

• Blessing’s Return: Blessing shares how stepping away for a break at PAX and visiting Seattle reinvigorated his passion for content creation.

  "It was nice to be away...when you do multiple podcasts every single weekday, it kind of wears down on you a little bit. And then you go away, you come back and it’s like, oh, I got energy now. Oh yeah, I’m ready to talk about video games." (00:28 - Blessing Adeoye Jr.)

• Seattle & PAX’s Atmosphere:
  The team reminisces about PAX West’s comeback energy versus pre-pandemic shows, noting the absence of the Indie Megabooth but celebrating the resurgence of creators and strong publisher turnout.
  • Special shout-outs to the new Summit building, the Red Bull Creator Lounge (with “Peak-a Colada” cocktails), and chance encounters with indie devs and community figures—revealing a vibrant creator ecosystem.

2. Hands-On Game Impressions (Chronological Focus)

Super Meat Boy 3D

Timestamp: 15:29–20:54

• Core Experience:
  • Classic frantic platforming "translated perfectly" to 3D. Fast, difficult levels with tight controls, which mostly retain the floaty, forgiving feel of the originals.
• Visual Upgrade & Demo:
  • Levels are more colorful and visually dynamic than classic SMB.

  “I thought they perfectly translated the...glide...the 2D gliding feel of Meat Boy was perfectly translated to this 3D world...It was perfectly frustrating enough. And that's what you want out of Super Meat Boy." (16:30–17:25 – Andy Cortez)

• Nitpicks:
  • Some mechanics (like wall rides) feel "slippery" (Blessing).
  • Demo was short, making them eager for more.
• Notable Quote:

  "I wasn’t able to put my controller down… that’s the telltale sign…they got something here." (19:53 – Blessing)

High on Life 2

Timestamp: 20:58–30:58

• Surprise Game of Show:
  Blessing’s top pick—unexpectedly captivating compared to the tepid expectations following the dev shakeups.
• Major Improvements/Mechanics:
  • Introduction of a first-person skateboard for momentum and combat, and a new gun with creative combat combos.
  • The humor lands—with absurd quests like ‘Parking Con’ and ‘Murder Con’, and self-aware, Rick & Morty-esque jokes.
• Memorable Sequence:
  • The boss (Muppy Doo) invades your settings menu, causing UI chaos.

  “He invades your settings menu... you go into the audio menu and he’s hovering over NPC chirps... You have to attack him, but you’re raising the chatter bar… all your weapons start chattering.” (27:15–28:14 – Andy)

• Tech State: Still very early—some performance issues, build roughness, but mechanics shine.
• Key Quotes:

  “The bit goes on for a while… you end up in like, NES Bible Adventures...It gets fucking crazy.” (28:21 – Blessing Adeoye Jr.) “So charming—honestly, surprise of the show for sure.” (29:32 – Blessing)

Xbox Ally X Impressions

Timestamp: 30:58–32:23

• Hardware Feel:
  • Both Blessing and Andy praise its ergonomics (“pro grip”), but didn’t experience the full UI.
  • Enthusiasm muted by lack of complete hands-on and unknown price.

“The grip adds so much...I like how it feels. I would love to play on this thing long-term.” (31:16–32:23 – Blessing)

Kirby Air Riders

Timestamp: 36:08–44:45

• First Impressions (with Nintendo, embargo lifted):
  • Visually stunning, fast, and chaotic—a “vehicle action game” with massive visual punch and wild color schemes.
  • Demo included races and the signature City Trial mode.
• Gameplay:
  • Chaotic to the point of sensory overload.

  “There was so many colors...The fastest thing...My eyes started to kind of burn with all the colors.” (37:15–38:22 – Andy)

  • Controls, especially melee, are confusing (stick-waggling = attacks), and the layout was daunting for beginners.
• City Trial Mode:
  • Real-time open-city collection of stat-boosts, punctuated by randomized minigames.
  • Critique: Minigames split the group—diluting the party vibe versus classic Mario Kart.

    “I want to jump into this and do a few city trials on a stream or with friends...but didn’t feel as, I guess, solid enough for me to be like...I’m playing City Trials every day.” (41:12–42:48 – Blessing)

  • $70 price tag seen as a barrier for non-obsessives.

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition (Switch 2 Demo)

Timestamp: 44:57–48:52

• Technical State:
  • Both Andy and Bless report major framerate problems, especially docked (“sub-30 FPS,” “not very smooth”).
  • Handheld mode slightly better, but still sub-optimal.
  • New starting classes with DLC-flavored weapons were neat, but moment-to-moment not “awesome.”
• Notable Moment: Bless beats Margit in the show build—the PR reps’ “first.”

Pokémon Legends Z-A

Timestamp: 48:52–53:38

• Combat System:
  • First hands-on with real-time, cooldown-based combat—Andy loves it, Bless finds it less appealing, but acknowledges its Pokémon flavor.

  “It felt really, really cool...It was just so nice seeing it look so crisp and running at 60. This is what I’ve wanted.” (49:07–49:48 – Andy)

• Graphics & Style:
  • Andy: “Step up” from Scarlet & Violet;
  • Blessing: Still lacks inspiration—“If this wasn’t Pokémon, we’d be dunking on this.” (53:14–53:16)
• Buying Decision:
  • Andy: “Yes, I will be buying this, 100%.”

Digimon Story Time: Stranger

Timestamp: 53:38–62:47

• Surprise Standout:
  • Blessing: “I think this game is fucking awesome. We gotta talk about Digimon more as a gaming...” (53:48–54:00)
• Core Experience:
  • Deep, lively monster-collection RPG with Persona/SMT/Pokémon influences.
  • Story is accessible to newcomers; world-building is robust, with the charm of Digimon’s quirky, communitarian world.
  • “Digi Farm” offers dense stat-training, customization, and simulation for hardcore RPG fans.
• Depth & Humor:
  • Much discussion about Digimon’s wild monster designs—“just a pistol” and frequent weaponized evolutions.
• Demo Offers: Three hours available at PAX; public demo out soon.

Indie Spotlights & Final Notes

• Crimson Desert (Behind Closed Doors)
  • Andy: “The game is real.” Deep combat, immense freedom, impressive physics-based interactions, but potentially overwhelming complexity.
  • Withholds judgment on narrative.
• Indie Highlights:

  “Best indie game I played at the show: Rebounder...going to be all our obsession...challenge room based, super precise.” (73:50–74:25 – Andy)

  • Never’s End: 3D tactics with stunning pixel art and real physics; notable magic system.
• Onimusha, Pragmata: Also praised, but discussion is brief due to time.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “There's nothing worse than giving a bunch of nerds Red Bull cocktails.” (05:56 – Tim Gettys)
• “He invades your settings menu...and then you see like the word ‘settings’ start to vibrate...He goes into the audio menu and is just kind of f***ing with your whole UI.” (27:15–28:14 – Andy)
• “This game feels like it’s for sickos.” (60:01 – Blessing, on Digimon)
• “The first evolution of the gun, it was a fox…and I appreciate it. I love this.” (58:43–59:08 – Andy/Blessing, on Digimon’s wild monster evolutions)
• “If this wasn’t Pokémon, we’d be dunking on this shit.” (53:14 – Blessing on Legends Z-A’s art)

Segment Timestamps

• 00:07–05:00: Post-PAX return; community, Seattle, creator energy
• 05:00–08:03: Party anecdotes, Red Bull Creator Lounge, dev/industry mingling
• 14:59–20:54: Xbox event—Super Meat Boy 3D
• 20:58–30:58: High on Life 2—wild design, humor, creative boss fight
• 30:58–32:23: Xbox Ally X hardware hands-on
• 36:08–44:45: Kirby Air Riders—visuals, gameplay, and pricing debate
• 44:57–48:52: Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition (Switch 2) technical woes
• 48:57–53:38: Pokémon Legends Z-A real-time combat, art direction
• 53:38–62:47: Digimon Story Time: Stranger—gameplay, depth, Digimon’s identity crisis
• 66:15–71:44: Indie highlights (Crimson Desert, Rebounder, Never’s End)
• 77:23: Closing remarks and tease of next show

Tone & Dynamics

• Candid, high-energy, and relentlessly playful: banter over cocktails, party faux-pas, and oddball gaming lore underscores deep love for games and community.
• Unfiltered criticism and giddy praise are delivered in natural, conversational language, often spiked with self-deprecating humor and affectionate ribbing.
• Notable for laughing through Digimon’s wildest monster concepts, and Blessing’s abrupt, genuine admiration for games like High on Life 2 and Digimon, contrasted with Andy’s precise, technical breakdowns.

Takeaways for Non-Listeners

• Missed out on PAX? This cast distills all the buzz, oddities, standouts, and stumbles, serving up honest hands-on takes for anyone wondering where gaming—and games culture—is headed in late 2025.
• If you’re shopping for the next big obsession: Play Rebounder, keep an eye on High on Life 2, and don’t sleep on Digimon Story Time: Stranger.
• Want a nostalgia trip? Kirby Air Riders and Digimon both evoke the “only in games” vibe that’s equal parts baffling and brilliant.
• Expectations reset: Not everything is ready for primetime (Elden Ring on Switch 2, Legends Z-A’s art), but several surprises—especially on the indie side—signal a feast ahead.

“You give a bunch of nerds Red Bull cocktails, you get the wildest hands-on at PAX.” (Paraphrasing the spirit of the cast)

End of summary.