Podouken

Laser Time
  • 0.0 (0)
  • VIDEO GAMES
  • TWICE MONTHLY

A PODCAST FOR ARCADE LOVERS. From the owners of 100+ arcade and pinball cabinets, and the proprietors of a real-life arcade comes PODOUKEN, a brand new podcast that takes a deep dive into the world of video arcade games, and explores the history, story, strategy, art, music, restoration, preservation and fun of arcade games.

  1. Lucky & Wild - Episode 153

    17/12/2025

    Lucky & Wild - Episode 153

    Let's go! Ah, the early 90s when the perfect date night meant hopping into a sit-down arcade game based on buddy cop movies, grabbing the steering wheel with one hand, gun with the other, and having you and your passenger blast away the bad guys in gory pixelated glory. Was there anything better than Namco's unique driver/shooter Lucky & Wild? Do you believe the story that Lucky & Wild drew no inspiration from Tango & Cash? How do we like DotEmu's new Marvel Cosmic Invasion (we swear it's not a paid advertisement - unless they want it to be)? Was this entire game a thinly veiled anti-tobacco message? What exactly is that Maserati's rearview mirror attached to? Some holiday-themed questions for this episode include what gamer gifts we do want (and don't want); asking us to identify our ghosts of arcade past, present, and future; and, do we weaponize our candy canes? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716. Thanks to Mike aka Bizzaroaids on the Podouken Discord for the Listeners' Choice game nomination!

    1h 44m
  2. Shinobi - Episode 152

    03/12/2025

    Shinobi - Episode 152

    The late '80s were packed with pop-culture obsessions: arcades, action movies, neon aesthetics, and of course, a nationwide fascination with ninjas. Sleek, masked warriors showed up everywhere from toys to TV, shaping the era's love of fast, flashy combat. But no arcade game captured the ninja craze as perfectly as Sega's  iconic side-scrolling adventure, Shinobi. How did Shinobi perform a bait and switch on poor kids at the arcade? Is a mining engineering degree the perfect educational pursuit to get into game design? Did Pastblaster enjoy Free Play Florida 2025? What is the earliest ninja arcade game and can the hosts guess it even with one of them owning it? Listener questions include what our favorite "one then done" fighting game is and if you could have one power from an original video game character what would it be? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716. Thanks to Talysman on the Podouken Discord for the Listeners' Choice game nomination!

    1h 30m
  3. Arcade Obscura (Rhythm) - Episode 151

    19/11/2025

    Arcade Obscura (Rhythm) - Episode 151

    The music is fading and the lights are coming up on our Rhythm miniseries. Time for the final encore as each host picks one more game for this rhythm Arcade Obscura. The first pick is a helluva ride that features a very familiar arcade character. The next pick takes us to heaven with a development contract made in hell. Our final pick may be one of the most obscure games we've ever featured and requires you to bring a friend. We field your questions like if any arcade machine could be perfectly resurrected, what would be our choice to bring back from the dead, and which video game music would we like to hear performed by ukulele? Join the Podouken Discord and ask your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content: https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716.

    1h 52m
  4. Sound Voltex

    05/11/2025

    Sound Voltex

    It's our penultimate episode of the Rhythm miniseries (and hey, we also hit episode 150)! We return to BEMANI to explore their sub-sub-culture game that allows you to ruin good music just like real DJs, Sound Voltex (or SDVX as the cooler kids say). What is it about the Bop It nature of this game that causes some people to love it or hate it? Want to hear our spoiler-free thoughts on Tron: Ares? How embarrassed should we feel picking energetic anime girls as our avatars? Are you ready to submit your pick for our next Listeners' Choice?! We have some odd questions to answer this time: who would win in a horror battle royale between Freddy, Jason, Leatherface, Pinhead, and Michael Myers; and what spooky movie deserves an arcade game in an unconventional genre? Join the Podouken Discord and post your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content (like the inane questions from our Podouken Picks): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

    1h 30m
  5. Chunithm

    08/10/2025

    Chunithm

    Sega is no stranger to the arcade rhythm games but they really hit their stride with their Performai series of games. So scan your Aime card, select your song, and let's play the game that literally translates to "pre-teen kids who think they're cooler than they are playing a rhythm game" - Chunithm. What is it about Chunithm that makes it so addictive? Do you really need gloves to play? Was Adam a part of any other bands? Why does Chunithm have a penguin mascot? We teach our co-hosts about a non-arcade interest that we have (or at least talk about what it would be) and discuss which arcade character would be our podcast understudy. Join the Podouken Discord and post your own questions that could be included in a future episode so we never have to rant like this again: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content (like the inane questions from our Podouken Picks): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

    1h 43m
  6. Guitar Hero Arcade

    24/09/2025

    Guitar Hero Arcade

    This "Behind the Music" is an 8-part retrospective of the biggest rhythm game franchise to ever hit the States (and the reason so many of us still have plastic guitars stashed in our hall closets). Featuring opening acts Harmonix and Red Octane, and headliner trio that gave us Guitar Hero Arcade - Activision, Konami, and Raw Thrills What is the musical instrument-based peripheral you never got but always wanted in a Guitar Hero or Rock Band game? Could we see a reunion tour of Geriatric Drive-by in our lifetimes? Why is Rob fed up with FedEx? How are fan-created games like Clone Hero and YARG keeping the home rock star experience alive? In lieu of answering listener questions we just go into a long rant about the Nintendo Direct. Well, some of us do. Join the Podouken Discord and post your own questions that could be included in a future episode so we never have to rant like this again: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content (like if we put our socks on sock-sock-shoe-shoe or sock-shoe-sock-shoe style): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

    1h 49m
  7. Taiko No Tatsujin

    10/09/2025

    Taiko No Tatsujin

    Namco set out to create a super popular rhythm game and accidentally created the most popular mascots since Pac-Man. Don-chan and Katsu-chan are unavoidable as we talk about the extremely popular in the East but largely ignored in the West drum game, Taiko No Tatsujin! Why was this game never released in the U.S. until now? How did an instrument mishap lead to the most embarrassing moment of young Rob's life? Is every arcade game released after the year 2000 just a Playstation in disguise? How did Donkey Kong steal this game's popularity? We answer your questions like what arcade game did we initial hate but grew to love over time (#RedemptionArc), what our favorite non-video game arcade attraction (excluding pinball), and what IP we predict will be the next new beat 'em up announced. Join the Podouken Discord and post your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content (like our third favorite cheese): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

    1h 39m
  8. Jubeat

    27/08/2025

    Jubeat

    Finally a rhythm game that is unlikely to give you a cardiac arrest. We explore the often mispronounced (hint: the "j" is silent) BEMANI hit that is DDR for your fingers, jubeat! What is the magic behind this geometric anomaly of an arcade game? Is Scatman or Y.M.C.A. the most beloved of all western songs by Japanese game developers? How hard is it to get a jubeat in the States? Does everyone want a Dance 86.4 Funky Radio Station now? This episode we answer questions about what hobbies we'd pursue if we weren't always fixing arcade games and who are our favorite real-life people in arcade or pinball games. Join the Podouken Discord and post your own questions that could be included in a future episode: discord.gg/k5vf2Jz You can also like, comment, and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we post our listener question segments and additional content (like our third favorite cheese): https://www.youtube.com/@podoukenpodcast2716

    1h 30m
See All (155)

Trailer

About

A PODCAST FOR ARCADE LOVERS. From the owners of 100+ arcade and pinball cabinets, and the proprietors of a real-life arcade comes PODOUKEN, a brand new podcast that takes a deep dive into the world of video arcade games, and explores the history, story, strategy, art, music, restoration, preservation and fun of arcade games.

Information

  • Creator
    Laser Time
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    155
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Laser Time
  • Show Website
    Podouken

You Might Also Like